paperwork is finished

Yesterday,
Aniko, our accountant handed me an official Health card in which I needed to give me health care, salary and any other official hungarian buisness. I now have the wonderful benefits of "free" healthcare.

Its amazing how its all finished now. Well, for now till I get my next permit. I will be working hard to make sure everything is taken care of so its not so difficult.

Thanks again for your prayers and thoughts.

Last night I was at home just resting, reading and writing and I decided that I needed a hair cut.. well I sure did cut it. Its not too short but well its hard to cut your own hair. But i think I did a good job! woohoo! I"ll put up a new picture sometime.

The year is winding down and its good for me to take sometime and reflect upon what has happened! I hope you do so too!

Love, Joanna

Vienna

I just spent the weekend with my good friends from MTI. The Hunters are originally from Florida (South) and now they live in a top floor, towered, amazing apartment in Vienna. We had loads of fun hanging out, drinking yummy latte's, watching wiggles, watching snoopy, jetsons, going to the Christmas Market, eating Thanksgiving..yummmmY complete with Stove Top dressing.
The kids were amazing to be with and I had so much fun hanging out and playing. I love that they are so close to me and its so easy to get to even just for a day.

I was also able to be apart of family worship which I want to have if I ever have a family. I just need to find me a husband who plays the guitar :-) The kids recited Psalm 100 which I now know and we sang songs. We also prayed together on Sunday right before I left. I loved watching these kids have Christ a huge part of their lives when they live in such a spiritually dark city.

The Christmas Market was beatuiful and there were so many ortaments that I wouuld have loved to have but.. i got a bonafide Nutcracker who has quite the afro for hair. I will have to take a picture of him.


Thanksgiving with the Hunters

Christmas Market and Cotton Candy


My Nutcracker

First Snow

Although I didn't take any pictures.. We had our first snow this past Sunday. It was a bright sunny morning when I woke up and when I walked out of church it was very snowy.

On Sundays...its already quiet but when there is snow it seems that the city is quiet, hiding and watching the beautiful snow fall. It kept up all day and finished around 9pm.

Its cold now.. really cold. I am going to have to do a little winter weather shopping .. hats and gloves and another good pair of winter shoes.

Tonight, at school, we have a parent teacher conference. Here's the difference.. three of us to a room and the parents can come speak to us. I will bring a book. This should be interesting.

More updates later..

undescribed emotions

Right now, I'm feeling bunches of emotions in which I cannot really descirbe. I feel great when I'm at school, and I love teaching. I get home and I'm sad but I'm not at the same time. I cry a lot but every missionary I talk to says that its normal. They too went through and are going through the same things.

I wonder what my MTI friends are feeling. Good thing I'm going to visit Stacey and Brad next weekend.

We talked at MTI about the transitions of missionary life and right now I'm in the 3-6 month stage (I am at 4 months) and it is all down hill on the scale and after December hopefully for me I will begin to feel better, because from 6-9 months its a steady incline.

all in all.. they tell me its normal. If this is normal.. I want to be wierd again :-)

Leaning on my only constant.. God.

rubix cube follow up...

Well, i just found out from Arden that the man who invented the rubix cube is from Hungary. The reason that they are in my school is because many boys play with them. Its intense..they are flipping those sides at record pacing seconds. They told me in class that they attended the world championship of the rubix cube.

I remember when I was in 8th or 9th grade. Cortney, Nate and I had Tamagachi's. These were fake little "pets" but it was chic and the teacher always took them away from us. Same thing. The teachers take away the rubix cube. :-)

rubix cube

if you walk through the hall of my school you will see this..

Sometimes I feel like I'm being transported back to the 80's...

Reflections on the visa process

Just thought I'd start with a beautiful picture of Prague during the fall.

I have my visa!! Its in my passport all pretty like. When I had my passport I was so excited and I kept looking at it over and over again. To think, how many months, tears, frustrations, miracles, and prayers were given to this small piece of paper.

I learned so much during this process. The biggest lesson proably trust and surrender. I've been talking with my friends here in Prague and they are going through visa difficulties as well. I remember thinking back to sitting in the work permit office and almost in tears begging them to help me. To taking the train to Prague and finding out that the embassy was closed. So many things were beyond my control.

When I think about God and what he has given me .. my visa... I relize that all of it might have been a test to trust Him FULLY not half heartedly with a PLAN B but to invest all my of heart to trust him. There is nothing like handing all of my paper work to the Embassy and wonder if they will give me a visa. ..
There is nothing like handing my heart, my requests, my desires, my life.. to God and wonder what he will do.. its always been good. He is a good God.

He loves, wants to protect and lead me to the life everlasting if I will trust and be obedient to him.

So, these are my reflections right now. "My God shall supply all my needs, according to his grace and mercy. "