Praise God with us, AGAIN!!

Gabriel is a bundle of energy! He is extremely curious which kind of ends in him getting into everything. This contributed to my starting to think that maybe two was enough for me. It was strange for me to find myself in this position since we had begged God for children, and Joshua and I always pictured ourselves with more than two. Around Christmas, God began to grow my heart again for more children...down the road though, I thought.

...several weeks later I kept thinking I was getting sick like everyone else. I felt. so. tired. It took me longer than usual to began wondering ...was I expecting? In the US, if I thought I might be pregnant, I jumped in the car to the nearest store. Here it was a different story. I didn't know where to buy one except possibly at a pharmacy, and they aren't the 24 hour kind. I double checked our closest grocery store and sure enough there were none. The closest pharmacy I knew of was 1/2 hour away. Because of the cost of gas, we don't typically jump in the car for one thing so I quickly found a few other excuses and drove into Limassol during the children's nap. It was a LONG drive there and back. ...you can guess how this ends, yes, a positive pregnancy test!

Joshua and I were thrilled! While it was sooner than I expected or "planned", I found myself smiling from ear to ear. Besides, hadn't I learned that when children come in this world wasn't really up to my plans?! I thought it was special that God had began preparing my heart to welcome this news with such joy. I even found myself strangely surprised at how excited I was...I didn't know that with my third child I would be overjoyed again! The road of bareness and miscarrages will always be very real to me and I feel like Leah - "Happy am I! For women will call me happy."

Oh Spring! How I have waited for you!

It has been a long winter for us. We have been told by numerous Cypriots and Ex-Pats alike that it is the coldest winter in a long time. To complicate things, when we originally packed to leave the US, we were told we were going to need to go back for a quick trip for our visas. We thought this "quick trip" would be before winter. It became unclear at the last minute if we would have go back after all! We threw in and exchanged out some items out of our 8 precious bags of luggage - all that would go with us from our lives. To top it all off, we came to a place that wasn't suppose to be "that cold" to what some have said is the coldest winter in a hundred years. If it weren't for Dad and Mom Fleming's packages with some extra warm jackets and clothing, it might have felt like an even longer winter. One more thing to give perspective...in the US, when we talk about cold weather or hot weather we are referring to the weather outside. The weather we experience as we walk from the door to the car. Also in the US, we have the idea that all of Europe must be like US, I mean it is the motherland. Well, it isn't in regards to central heating and air. So in the hot summer or the cold winter when people in Cyprus and Spain talk about being cold or hot most are talking about being that in their homes. The best thing we have been able to come up with to explain to people in the US about this reality that somehow we missed in any briefings from others living in Europe, is that it is like camping. There are fireplaces in some homes or some people might choose to heat a room where everyone piles in (in Cyprus this can be costly due to high electricity and gas costs - to give perspective to this our electric bill was over $600 without running a heater). So as we have a steady increasing warmth, migrating spring birds and flowers bursting forth, it is like we trying to un-thaw. We have eaten outside for lunch every day this week and have taken more walks this week than last month combined. I can hardly coax the children inside during the day or for naps. If Spring could be hugged, our family would be first in line.

Charis' Heart

It hadn't been an easy week. Joshua was traveling, and it felt like sometimes my children were testing to see what I could handle. We were in the car having a sweet moment together singing "Jesus loves the little children." Even Gabriel gets into it now, clapping and adding his happy yells. As we sang the verse "Jesus died for all the children", I was preoccupied thinking through the theological issues with that verse not imagining that this phrase would change my child's life forever.

"Why did Jesus die for all the children?" Charis interrupted my thoughts.

I realized we have explained to her why He died, but it has been relation to her and us, not in relation to others. I explained again that it was because of sin.

"The children's sins?!" she replied, seeming surprised that others sin.

We talked a little longer and since I thought we would be on to the next subject (we have had a lot of these conversations lately) I added, "Charis whenever you want to, you can pray to Jesus and ask Him to forgive your sins..."

She didn't let me finish!

"I am going to do it right now."

I stopped the car. Her eyes were pressed tightly together. My heart was beating fast. Is this really happening?

"Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for this day. I am sorry for my BAD sins." ...She started out praying fast but got slow and very emphatic at the end.

"You can ask Jesus into your heart if you want." I added.

She started praying again "Jesus please come into my heart. I am sorry for my BAD sins."

I teared up and explained to her how excited I was and how important what she did was. We talked about my "happy tears", and I suggested she tell others what she did. When we walked into my dad and mom's house, it was the first thing she told them.

When I helped her in her pjs that night, she asked excitedly "Jesus is in my heart!?"

Winter Pictures

Octopus and the Familiar

I am in a Cypriot cooking class which is a highlight of my week. Several weeks ago it was my turn to do the shopping for the class. I felt confident about most items on the list except when I got to "fresh octopus." I didn't know anything about cooking octopus, let alone shopping for it in Cyprus. Do I buy the legs or the whole thing? Where do I find it? How many days before do I buy it? I was told not to buy it more than one day before the class. I started wishing I had taken my turn a different day. Since I couldn't shop the day before my class, I was left on a wild octopus hunt the day I needed it! To add to the complication, on Wednesdays all major stores close early in the afternoons for the rest of the day.

After an early lunch, I strapped Charis and Gabriel in the car and headed for our closest local grocery store, Costas. It is a small grocery store that manages to pack in a little of everything. Most of the employees don't speak much English. I had heard they occasionally carried fresh octopus. Charis thought shopping for octopus was great! We walked in the store with her chattering about how many legs an octopus had and if they were scary....

All of a sudden, I heard "ya'll" loud and clear. I almost got whiplash as I spun around. There was a large group of young people with brand names on their jackets that I recognized. I tried to keep moving and not act obvious as I strained to listen to their English confirming that their accents were from the US. Here we hear English a lot, but there aren't many Americans. After checking to see if there was fresh octopus (there wasn't), I got up my nerve to introduce myself. Several were Americans and loved Jesus! They attended a Messianic school near the store! Later I found out they were connected to another American girl I introduced myself to when I heard her American accent.

I left in search for fresh octopus at the next closest grocery store which was 30 min away. I was surprised at how excited I was at meeting these people. I am sure a big reason was that they loved Jesus! Another reason hit me though. Most of what is around me is different than where I lived for the last 14 years and even from my life before that. I drive on a different side of the road. I don't know where to buy things. I don't always know how to get somewhere. I can't always read labels or signs. I can't always communicate. AND I was out shopping for octopus! Sometimes all this is exhilarating, but it can also be exhausting! I realized I walk around craving something FAMILIAR. I realized how things that aren't familiar can also be in a way like the octopus looked to Charis - scary.

In the end I found fresh octopus at the third store I went to and met most helpful customer service person in all of Cyprus. All as the store was about to close. I brought home the meal from class. We all liked it, but Charis ate more than both Joshua and I combined. Through it all I became a little braver.

My little world traveler...

My energetic and sweet Gabriel turned one recently. His first year was a whirlwind... shortly after his birth we packed up our lives, lives we enjoyed and miss, to move temporarily to Spain. Well, that "temporarily" ended being even faster than expected, and we were on to our current home in Cyprus. By Gabriel's first year, he has lived in three different countries and outside of the US longer than he lived in it. Like the saying goes, time waits for no one. During these travels Gabriel kept growing and hitting milestones. Sometimes it felt like he was on a fast track. He started army crawling at 4 months, sitting at 5, pulling up at 6 and taking his first steps by 10 months. Lets just say this boy is always on the go! He adores his sister and is determined to keep up with her. He is intense whatever his mood - happy or sad. Gabriel has been a bright joy in the midst of amazing places, lots of changes, awesome experiences, struggles and adjustments. And what can we say, he has stolen our hearts with his smiles, laughs and even humor. Gabriel we love you!