Our Final Thirteen Days

It’s quite a coincidence that our last 13 days in the country of Romania happens to land on a Thursday. Here are some things about our final days here.

1. I emptied out and cleaned out our refrigerator. It is sitting in the kitchen with the doors open to dry out. We are taking it back to the states via container and we don’t want it to mold during the month long transit.
2. Fortunately during the winter, our back hall doubles as a refrigerator.
3. Every time I walk into the kitchen, I think – “Who in the world left the doors open?” Silly me. . .
4. We sold our washer and dryer. My first two months in Romania, the summer of 1997, I washed clothes in a bathtub. I can do it again for a few days.
5. We sold our microwave. People lived without those before, right?
6. I am not done packing yet. Will this ever end???
7. I was planning on taking the girls out to eat today. It’s a holiday and will probably be crowded. We’ll have to get there early.
8. We will load a container on Monday, March 5^th. Pray everything fits!
9. We are already living out of suitcases in our own home and eating with disposable dishes. I still have some dishes here that I’m not packing but we sold our dishwasher and I hate to wash dishes by hand.
10. We might sleep here after the container is loaded. We’ll have some beds and sheets that we are leaving with friends.
11. Our other option is to move the beds to the friends’ house and stay there. It will be a warmer idea and a great chance to spend some time with them. It will also be a much more crowded option. They only have a two room (not two bedroom) apartment.
12. We will go to Brasov on the 8^th or 9^th after saying our final goodbyes here. We lived in Brasov for close to two years (1997-1999) and still have great friends there.
13. We will fly out of Bucharest on the 14^th – changing our lives forever. I feel like my last few posts have been rather melancholy. Leaving is hard but we are excited about what God has planned for us and our hearts are filled with His peace that passes all understanding.

Tonka Trucks

Sometimes it’s the small things in life that can open up a fountain of tears. This morning we were getting things loaded in the van that we are selling or giving away to some friends in Brasov – the washer, dryer, dishwasher, some small appliances, Holly’s tricycle and outgrown clothes. When I walked outside, I saw sitting near the van, apparently waiting to be loaded, some little yellow trucks. Gabriel’s Tonka Trucks. “Are you giving away Gabe’s Tonka Trucks?” I asked John in a tone of voice that made it obvious that I did not like the idea. Gabe just looked at me and shrugged his shoulders and said, “I’m not going to play with them anymore.” That did it. The tears came, slowly at first because I really did not have time to cry. I still had to focus my attention elsewhere. Gabe, who never likes to see me upset, came to me later and told me that I could keep the trucks if I wanted to. “Yes, I know I can. But I can’t keep your childhood. That is forever gone and those trucks are just a representation of the little boy I raised.” It’s just stuff! That is my motto for the next few days. I am glad to be able to give the trucks to another little boy here in Romania. I have the memories to cherish in my heart.

Facing the Uncertainties

Kathleen and some others have asked me if my children are excited about our move. Like me they are experiencing a roller coaster of emotions. They are excited about the possibilities they will have in the states like being able to drive and get a job at age 16. Being closer to family is a huge bonus even if we do not end up in the same state. A plane ticket anywhere in the continental US is cheaper and easier than to Eastern Europe. At the same time, we are leaving what we know, what we are familiar with. We are leaving friends that we have had for years and facing the unknown. Holly, who will be 9 soon, is rolling with the punches. The uncertainties have not entered her little head too much. Her greatest difficulty right now is, “Mommy, what can I do?” All her toys and books are packed along with the DVD’s. The rest of us are far too busy to even think about school. I give her tasks to do but still she cannot keep pace with the rest of us. Gabriel and Hannah on the other hand realize, more than Holly, that we are reaching the end of our journey here in Romania. Most likely, we will never all come back at the same time. Life, where ever the Lord leads us, will be extremely different. Life here has not always been easy but it is good. And if life is good, what will different be? I am sure these questions have gone through their minds.

I have been through trials and difficult times in the past and have found the Lord faithful every time. These hard times shape us and mold us into what we are, vessels on the Potter’s wheel. They teach us that God is true. He is almighty. He is the Gentle Shepherd leading us. Thank you for asking about my kids and thank you so much for your prayers which are so needed. The days are physically exhausting but I know we could not make it through them except for the fact that we are holding tightly to our Father’s Hand.

Rest for Your Souls

Here in the Woodward household, boxes abound and muscles are screaming for a hot bath. We are not done with packing but we must be soon as the bill of lading needs to be completed quickly and then translated. Bill of lading should be bill of laden.

laden – (verb) to load oppressively; burden

(adjective) burdened; loaded down

That is about how we feel right now. The children have reached the point that they would rather do school. We have been so blessed with their help. I know this time will end soon. My dad told me during another move years ago and my friend Cynthia reminded me today, “It’s just stuff.” Yes it is. Right now, I just need to trust my Savior who said,

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Another Contest

I am always up for a contest, especially the easy ones. Here's another from 5 minutes for mom. This time it is a cute little bracelet. Enter today!

Prayer Requests

I have yet to shed many tears but I know that I will. I feel them welling up in my heart even now. It may be because of sorrow, fear or stress; more likely a combination of it all. Your prayers are needed and appreciated. Here are a few specific requests for our family:

1. Faithfulness to prayer and bible study during this very busy season
2. Physical strength and health for the task
3. Wisdom to know what to pack and what to leave behind – we still have no idea of where we are going
4. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance with others while we are under stress
5. Good weather on March 5^th while we are loading the container
6. Time for fellowship with friends that we may never see again
7. That the enemy will be bound and not allowed to intrude in our lives to hinder us with difficulties such as the inevitable red tape one deals with in foreign countries or officials seeking bribes
8. A good home for my daughter’s sweet cat that we must leave behind
9. Our van to be sold along with a few other miscellaneous items

The Ultimate Blog Party

Right now, everything is about packing. I have just about reached the point of deciding that if it is not already in a box, it is staying behind. I am tired of packing and tired of stuff. I know that if you lived here in my neighborhood, you would be right here with me helping me out. Wouldn’t that be fun to have a packing party? Well, the next best thing is a blog party. 5 Minutes for Mom is hosting The Ultimate Blog Party and I am planning on dropping my tape gun for a while and pushing aside the boxes and joining in on the fun. Won’t you join me too?

Family Game Give-away

5 Minutes for Mom is giving away and fun and educational game call Rhyme-n-Tyme. Head over there now and check out the details. The deadline is Sunday, 11 PM Eastern time.

On the Drawing Board

BLOGGER FRIEND SCHOOL

Assignment #19 - “On the Drawing Board”

This week’s assignment is to post a picture of one your family’s/child’s art projects or drawings. Be even more daring and post one of your own! Journal about the project.

Artistic talent manifests itself in various ways. If you were to go to my mom’s house, you might find a few of my early attempts of creativity. There is a rock that I painted in 4^th grade. It was supposed to be a paper weight but I forgot to bring a rock to school. The only one my teacher had was huge. My mom has been using it as a door stop ever since. I decided long ago that drawing and painting were not my talent.

My children are busy discovering their own abilities. Currently, all their projects are packed safely in a box so I will display what is already on the computer.

Gabriel enjoys drawing, mainly with pencil or pastels. Here is Obiwan Kenobi that he drew in the fall of 2005.

Hannah is pursuing a hobby in photography. She took a picture for the Photo Friday meme where she had to find something “strange”. She decided on some paper mache puppets that we made a few years ago but never finished.

Holly likes to paint. She was able to attend a painting class at the museum here in Constanta. Unfortunately, it was on Saturday and Sunday mornings so she did not go as often as we would have liked. Here is a picture she did there which she entitled “Hawaii”.

This was a fun assignment. I am pleased with their efforts in their art work. Do you have a budding artist in your family?

Pictures of Romania

This is the last edition of Thursday Thirteen. Thank you Leanne for Hosting this fun meme. Too much is changing in my life right now . . .

Here are 13 pictures of our first year here in Constanta. This is my first time to post pictures on this blog and for some reason, they would not go in the order that I wanted.

Hannah with a sampling of the abundance of apricots

Gabe and Holly in the mountains

Another picture in the Transylvanian Alps - Constanta does not look anything like this!

A fruit and vegetable market here in town

Fun in the summer under the grape vines - John put the water hose up in the branches and the kids had a great time.

A nearby store that I send Gabe to. He can get just about anything that I might need - one brand, one size and three customers is a crowd!

A goofy picture of Holly but I thought it was a good one to show how we have to step over a threshold or pipes in many of our doorways.

Gabe - outside view of a local store

Hannah practicing soccer in our yard

The road from Bucharest to Constanta - This is why I always say that it's a 3-4 hour drive. We never know when we will be held at a standstill in traffic. At least this time there was a beautiful sunset to enjoy.

A glimpse of our house from outside the gate- Gabe is playing basketball with neighborhood friends.

Our courtyard

This is the container that we had our belongings shipped here in. A similar one will be here on March 5th.

Packing and Perplexities

Moving as often as I have has made me an accomplished packer. A trans-Atlantic transfer makes the process a bit more challenging. Everything has to go into a 20 foot container. There are no second trips, no trailers attached to the back, no vehicles filled to the brim following the moving van, no storage buildings for what does not fit. It all must go into the container or into our 10 pieces of luggage for the airplane. I actually find it challenging to fill up a box with just the right items. There are few holes or empty spaces left when I am finished with a box. Small toys go inside games. Pencils and rulers fill any empty crevices that I happen to find.

Up until this time, I have never bought anything more than packaging tape for a move. Boxes have been found at stores or from a friend that had recently moved. Breakables were wrapped gently in towels, sheets, blankets, etc. This time we splurged on bubble wrap. We found a good deal at a resale store. My dilemma is that I do not really know how to pack with bubble wrap. I know towels. I know what feels right and how thick it needs to be for each item. Bubble wrap has been a new experience for me. Another thing that has been difficult is the amount of time that we have been here. Believe it or not, I have never packed five years worth of stuff before. These are my new perplexities. I am learning to deal with bubble wrap and I am wading through all of our paraphernalia one box at a time.

What about you? When was the last time you moved?

Stepping Out on Faith

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9

Doing what God has called one to do is seldom easy. God’s plan does not fit neatly inside a one-size fits all box. His way of doing things simply is not the way we would choose to do them. We came to Constanta, Romania in 2002. We are fully convinced that it was God’s plan for our life at the time. We came eagerly with the peace of God in our hearts to serve Him. We had no clue how long we would be here. When people asked us, our answer was always, “As long as the Lord wants us here.”

Now we are just as convinced that He is asking us to leave Romania. There are several instruments or situations that God has used to reveal to us and confirm His direction for us to leave. No one point of confirmation carried enough weight for us to leave Romania, but when they are added together in the right timing, they have revealed God’s plan for us to make this move. Also, we believe that circumstances, good or bad, are not the deciding factor, because if we moved on circumstances alone, we might never do anything with the Lord to begin with. Circumstances do not stop the Lord, but we do believe He teaches and gives understanding and confirmation through them.

This decision did not come about without a lot of prayer, fasting, searching the scriptures and counseling. I know there will be many questions but bottom line, how do we explain the peace of God that both John and I have in our hearts? Are we discouraged? We have had our share of discouraging moments over the years, but no, we are not leaving because of discouragement. Romania has become home to us. We are all comfortable and content here. Leaving the friends that we have made will tear our hearts out and we are left with the blessing that several of these friends are now brothers and sisters in Christ and we will have eternity together. Do we know what we are doing next? Not yet, but God does and we trust Him to show us the next step.

Stepping out on faith can be heart racing and mind boggling. The enemy always intrudes with fear, doubt, criticism, confusion and discouragement. We earnestly request your prayers during this difficult transition.

Upside Down and Backward

My life is in the process of being turned upside down and backward or perhaps right side up and frontward. Right now I am not sure which. I will write about it tomorrow. Meanwhile, tell me what is happening in your part of the world.

Love and Time

Blogger Friend School Assignment

Your assignment this week is to visit 3 Classmates' blogs and tell them that you are praying for them this week! This is a really simple assignment, but important to share with one another that you want to encourage them. When you are finished with visiting your classmates and leaving them a comment, post on your blog 3 ways that you can show love to a neighbor or friend!

“And Jacob loved Rachel; and said, I will serve thee seven years for Rachel thy younger daughter. And Laban said, It is better that I give her to thee, than that I should give her to another man: abide with me. And Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her.” Genesis 29:18-20

Love and Time are synonymous. If we love someone, we will spend time with them or doing things for them. It is as simple as that. The ways we can spend time or the things that we could do are innumerable. It could be as simple as sending them a personal email, not just something that has been forwarded around the world and back again. We can be the listening ear or the shoulder to cry on when life gets hard; and it frequently does. We can call up a friend and say, “Hey, let’s get together for lunch.” Then actually do it. Life is busy. Life is hard. Let’s take time today with those we love.

Winter

This has been an unusually warm winter and I will not complain. Here is a list of things I enjoy when it does get chilly.

1. Hot chocolate
2. Warm fuzzy slippers
3. Thick socks
4. Fire places (I don’t currently have one.)
5. Heat!
6. A good book
7. Cozy blankets
8. Time to read
9. Puzzles
10. Snow – just for a day thank you
11. Coffee with cream and sugar
12. Paper snowflakes made by my children
13. The promise of spring

Thursday Thirteen Participants

1. KarenW 2. Caylynn 3. Uisce

4. Lisa (qtpies7) 5. carmen 6. Gene Bach

7. Paulette

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Powered by... Mister Linky's Magical Widgets.

Growing Up

My children are growing up. Such a bittersweet thing for them to do. Just the other day, Holly was wearing an outfit and Hannah commented that it was cute. My almost nine year old responded with, “I don’t do cute anymore.” Then last night, Gabriel was making fajitas for dinner last night. He asked me where the peppers were and I said, “I didn’t buy any because I didn’t think you liked them.”

“It’s fajitas, mom. Peppers go in fajitas.”

“Yes, but since when did you like anything that resembled a vegetable?”

Yes, they are growing up and I will treasure these moments. Moments that hold cherished memories of something cute or funny or signs of their growing up.

Bizarre Weather

The weather here in Constanta has been rather bizarre this winter. The first year we were here went on record as the coldest in 53 years. I think last year beat it. Winter usually finds me wearing long sleeves under sweaters and warm fuzzy slippers with thick socks. Even then, I am lighting candles and sipping coffee or hot chocolate, attempting to take off the chill.

This year, we have seen a few days of near or below freezing temperatures and once we had a dusting of snow. Most days however have been in the 50’s and even the mid 60’s. Yesterday I was walking around the house barefooted. I don’t usually do that until July. The forecast promises that Winter is still hanging around. For now, I am enjoying these mild days.

Homemaking ABC's

This is a tag that was kind of fun and it tells a bit about my life here in Romania. I will post an introduction soon for those who are new here.

1.Aprons – Y/N? If Y, what does your favorite look like?
Sometimes. It really depends on what I’m doing at the time. Chicken and dumplings, sugar cookies, something with a lot of flour might demand one. My favorite is a gift a kindergartener gave me years ago. It’s white with his handprints painted on it.
2.Baking – Favorite thing to bake:
Cookies
3.Clothesline – Y/N?
Yes. It is in my front yard since I don’t have a back yard. I really like hanging clothes out because it usually means it’s a pleasant day. For whatever reason, I don’t like to take them off the line.

4.Donuts – Have you ever made them?
Yes, years ago. My older brother and I bought my mom a donut maker for Mother’s Day. I think she paid for it.
5.Every day – One homemaking thing you do every day:

Make the bed. Well – almost everyday!
6.Freezer – Do you have a separate deep freeze?
In the winter time, yes. Our back hall is not heated and doubles as a freezer. Actually, that’s not quite accurate. We don’t use it as a freezer but we do use it as an extra refrigerator when the weather is cold and we are having a big get together. To answer the question, no, I do not have a separate deep freeze.
7.Garbage Disposal – Y/N?
Here in Romania? What a dream. No.
8.Handbook – What is your favorite homemaking resource?
I’ve never really thought about it but I guess it would be my Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. It’s just a good basic recipe book that I started out with and should be on the bookshelf of every kitchen.

9.Ironing – Love it or hate it? Or hate it but love the results?
Hate it. Most things come off the line just fine for me. Cotton must be ironed and it is a dreaded chore.
10.Junk drawer – Y/N? Where is it?
I do not have very many drawers here so they stay pretty neat. The one in my nightstand would be my junk drawer.
11.Kitchen – Color and decorating scheme:
None at the moment. I am dreaming of a blue and white theme.
12.Love – What is your favorite part of homemaking?
Cooking. Really! Somehow a rumor was started years ago that I don’t or didn’t like to cook. I don’t know how or by whom. I will admit that when I first got married, I didn’t know very many recipes but I did and still do like to cook. What I don’t like is washing the dishes.
13.Mop – Y/N?
I don’t mind mopping so much. It’s the filling of the bucket that keeps me from doing it as often as I should. My mom has a swiffer and that is a handy tool that I’d like to have someday.
14.Nylons – Wash by hand or in the washing machine?
Washing machine-hang to dry...
15.Oven – Do you use the window or open the oven to check?
I open the door because the window is too dark.
16. Pizza – What do you put on yours?
Meats no veggies. Pepperoni, ham, sausage, beef, chicken and hold the anchovies. I’ve seen tuna on pizza here and that looks disgusting.
17. Quiet – What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
I used to read. Now I blog although recently I’ve been doing a bit of both.
18. Recipe card box – Y/N? What does it look like?
I have most of my recipes on word. The ones I use frequently, I have printed out and put in a 4 ring binder (we don’t have 3 ring binders here) with page protectors. I also have a recipe blog.
19. Style of house – What style is your house?
Strange. Even Romanians think our house is strange. I won’t go into the necessary lengthy explanation here.
20. Tablecloths and napkins – Y/N?
Tabelcoths, yes. Napkins, not usually.
21. Under the kitchen sink – Organized or toxic wasteland?
It is fairly organized. That is where my pots and pans are stored. Could be better but the kids usually do the dishes and things do not get put away the way they should.
22. Vacuum – How many times per week?
This is a weekly chore? Hmmm. I think I need to work on this. . .
23.Wash – How many loads of laundry do you do per week?
I haven’t counted but in order to keep up I am usually washing every day for a good part of the day. I have a small European washer that holds six kilograms of clothes (do you weigh your laundry???) which isn’t much. That’s a full load that takes two and a half hours to wash. I do half loads on a 30 minute cycle. I cannot wash and dry at the same time because our electrical system will not handle it. That’s another reason I like to hang clothes out when the weather is nice.
24. X’s – Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off?
No but I think that I should.
25. Yard – Y/N? Who does what?
My husband and son work on the yard. I am terrible with any type of gardening.
26. Zzz’s – What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?
I turn on the dishwasher. It’s best to run it the very last thing at night because no one is taking a bath and no other electrical appliances are running that might blow a fuse.
TAG --you're it! To anyone else who wants to play!

Settling In

Settling into a new home usually involves the hefty job of carrying in the furniture and boxes from the old place and finding just the right spot for them. So I find it appropriate to bring over a few of my belongings from my former cyber home. Someone asked if I would be decorating here like I did at HSB. Well, you know how it is when you move. The windows are not the same size, the shower curtain doesn't match the bathroom tile. The sofa no longer fits nicely across from the television. It's a process. I would love to do some decorating as soon as I can figure it out. We also have a lot going on here in the physical world that I promise I will tell you about soon.

Welcome to My New Home

My life seems to be about moving. Packing up belongings, hauling them to another location and settling in to a new place has almost become a routine. Now, it not only applies to my physical life but my cyber life as well. Today I am officially packing up my old blog and moving here. It will probably take some time to adjust to my new surroundings, find the best spot for everything and get settled in. I am so glad you dropped by. Welcome to my new home!

Favorite Snacks

Blogger Friend School

Assignment #17 - After School Snack Time

Today’s assignment is to post a few of your favorite snacks. If they are homemade, share a recipe. Take time this week evaluate your snack and share ways that you can make this healthy for you and your family.

Well, I would like to say that we eat celery and peanut butter with raisins sprinkled on top. But we are not very healthy in the area of snacking. Here are a couple of recipes that we enjoy.

Pepperoni Dip

Ingredients

8 oz. Sour Cream

8 oz. Cream Cheese

8 oz. Can of Tomato Sauce

Oregano and Garlic to taste

8 oz. Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

8 oz. Stick Pepperoni – Diced (Stick works better than the slices)

Directions

Combine above ingredients and bake at 300 degree for approximately 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with sliced French bread.

No Bake Cookies

¼ lb. margarine or butter

2 cups sugar

2 Tablespoons cocoa

½ cup milk

½ cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups quick cooking oats

Melt margarine. Mix margarine, sugar, cocoa, and milk. Boil 2 minutes. Take off burner. Add peanut butter; stir. Add vanilla and oats; stir. Drop by spoon onto waxed paper. Let cool.

For some more wholesome choices, we also like tomatoes with grated cheese on top, carrot sticks, cucumbers, apples and applesauce.