A taste of home...

So, I'm sitting here thinking I should blog...about something. I thought maybe I'd tell you what I've been cooking lately. Those of you who know me well know I love to cook and bake and at first I thought it would be a challenge in a new country to get in my gourmet groove...but suffice it to say, we have been eating just fine!

I realized today, that I've been cooking things that remind me of people at home. Yea, we've been having tacos and lasagna, but for the past week, it seems like I've been making special things. Big Pancakes and Chicken and noodles...remind me of my family. Monster cookies...remind me of Tracy.(used 1/4 of the peanut butter supply on that...it was worth it!) Yesterday it was Spinach Pasta Salad...a Sheri fav of our family (minus the spinach...can you believe I couldn't find spinach...went to TWO stores!) Today I'm making Miner's Pie...an homage to my friend Patti.(no shortage of mushrooms here!) Runzas are on the list next...a reminder of Mark's family. OK...you get the point. It helps to bring a little bit of the ones we love back home...here in Hungary. So for now anyway, it's through food.

Wishin' you were all here to feast with us!
Jodi

First Day of School

Today was the boys first day of Hungarian school. They were excited and nervous. I was just nervous. I imagined myself in a classroom full of kids all speaking a language I don't understand and...well it's overwhelming to me, so for my kids...I can't imagine what is going on in their heads. (Perhaps...I can't believe my parents are doing this to me!) For those of you who don't know, they are in a bi-lingual class...so there is some English being taught too! So, they won't spend the WHOLE day lost!

We dropped off Parker to his class first. The teacher greeted him (her name is Mariann) and found him a place to sit and put his stuff. I could tell he was NERVOUS, but he went right to his seat. He wanted us to stay, but we had to take Jonah to his class and I could tell the teacher was waiting for us to go. So, we left (honestly...I thought he might run after us...but he didn't).

Jonah's class was more a-buzz. The kids sort of mobbed him as he entered the room. His teachers are Kati and Susan. They were very welcoming. The kids were offering him treats, asking his name and all of the sudden they took him down the hall to show him the school. We waited until they came back to say goodbye. He seemed good. I'm thankful for the kids and how welcoming they were to him. God is Good!

So...we walked out of the school...me with a few tears. It was hard to just leave them there, not knowing all the answers to the questions I have. But, I know that God put us here, in Budakeszi, knowing full well about this school and the awesome opportunity that we have to be a part of it. So...now we wait until 2pm when we can pick them up and get the full report! I can't wait!

I'll write more later...with their thoughts on the day!

Well...we just got home from picking up the boys...when we got there, they were running around playing outside with their new friends. It was GREAT to see them having fun. We weren't sure what their report would be. Both of them had GREAT days! Parker said his day was "awesome". Jonah said it was "great". Both say they want to go back tomorrow (not that they have a choice). We met the afternoon teachers...Eva Neni and Tunde Neni (Neni is a polite name for a lady that the kids use...it is like saying Aunt Eva) and gathered up their stuff and headed home. I asked Jonah if he was fluent in Hungarian yet...;-). Sounds like school was a hit! Thanks for your prayers! We know God was really with them.

love,
Jodi