First Day in USA

These are flowers my sis met me with-my fav!

So what do you do on your first day back in the USA..

... of course you go shopping.

As I stood in the aisles in Taret (thought of you Stacey) I was a bit overwhelmed by all the choices of everything. We have a lot in Hungary but oh my goodness to see all of the familiar things like goldfish, cap'n crunch, cheeze its, chewy gronal bars and my fav vitamin water was pretty amazing. I bought a few new things at Old Navy too ..gotta love summer sales. Barnes and Noble was great because I could read every book in that store without thinking twice..aahhh.

The Euro Cup 2008 was being shown on ABC so I watched my team win which was amazing! Go Spain!

So now that the shopping bug is out of my system.. I woke up at 545 i guess becaue of jetlag and read.. read my Bible, wrote in my journal and finished an amazing book called The Shack that my dad gave me. Powerful.

Now i'm at just chillin at my sister's working on some things to show people and to give to people. Here's some pretty pics of my purchases!

Home in the USA

I'm home safely after over 24 hours of travelling..ugh dealys..

culture shock 1: everyone speaks English
culture shock 2: woah diversity..(not much of that in Hungary)

thanks lil sis for my beautiful flowers and chic-fil-a!!

more to come!

EURO Cup 2008

I went to Vienna on Saturday with my friend Kristin. I had texted her on Friday morning asking if she wanted to go just for fun!! :) We boarded the 7:10 train and were on our way! We stopped at Starbucks for an Americano..yum. We walked around the Euro Cup FanZone. The EuroCup is being held in Austria and Switzerland this year. Its been really cool to watch the games and be involved in what's going on here in Budapest but to go to Vienna and be around all of the craziness was soo fun.

I made it my goal to go to random fans and ask for their pictures with me! I got my team.. SPAIN! and a few other countries. Of course we did some shopping while we were terrorzing fans! Love sales in Vienna!

The best part of the day.. Turkey had won the previous night and so they were holding their flags and walking around in groups. (sorry laci) I saw a bunch of guys asking this one guy for autographs and making lots of noise so I saw a very handsome tall man in the middle.. oh he must be a soccer player! And so as he was trying to walk away I ran up to him and asked him for a picture! So he agreed.. and it turned out to be a defense man for the team but it was fun!!

I had a blast just getting away from what sometimes becomes the mundane in Budapest. Thanks Krisitn for coming with me!!

Camp/Team

My first Langos (fried dough covered in cheese and sour cream)



The team has been here in Budapest for one week so far and it has been NON-STOP! I have three 17/18 year olds living in my 2 bedroom apartment which makes for a fun time where there is always something happening but one thing I love about teenagers they can sleep and I have my quiet mornings :)

We have finished 2 days of English Camp and it has been a blast! Monday was spent at Margit Island playing sports, hanging out and getting to know one another. Tuesday was spent with the kids on a Scavenger Hunt (thanks for the list Aaron) where they did activities all over the city..it was great watching them. Today, its raining pretty steadily so I think we must scratch Amazing Race and we are going to go bowling instead.

I love being apart of everything that is happening and it makes me excited for these kids to practice their English with people their own age! Here are pictures of some of the time here with the team!

Good-bye to a good friend

Today a good friend of mine from Budapest moved back home in full obedience to God. I'm so sad to see him leave but I know that he is doing what he needs to do!

Aaron-- you will be missed..Thanks for all the laughs, talks, football matches, walks down random secret streets, coffee shops, twss, hikes up mountains, and whatever else we did! but most importantly thanks for being a great friend and helping me deal with culture here in Budapest!! Koszi!!

Do you pray? If so.. join us in praying..

June 11th-to Budapest, transition
PRAY-our physical health as we are adjusting and being exposed to new environments, people & sleeping arrangements. Spiritual health that we fully rely on the grace of God, for wise decisions in traveling around this huge city, for ears to hear what God wishes to teach us in the Bible Study we will attend. For Doug, Lea and Karen and Joanna
READ Psalm 46:10; Isaiah 40:28-31; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Phil 4:13

June 12th-Budapest-orientation to public transit, final training
PRAY- Begin praying for our first day of English Camp. Pray that we will have the perspective and heart that Jesus does for each of the friends we will interact with next week. Pray for wisdom and discernment to identify differences in the culture that we offend no one through our behavior. For Joanna, Mark, Laura and the boys
READ 1 Corinthians. 8; Philippians 2:3-5; 2 Corinthians 4:7-10; James 1:5

June 13th- Budapest-rest day, Coffee House
PRAY– for intentional, meaningful interactions with each other as a team and with the people we are meeting. Pray for endurance, perseverance, and strength (spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical). Pray for our personal devotional times as we prepare for the events of each day. Pray for Tomislav as he travels to meet friends and ministry in Szeged. For Joanna and Arden,Mark, Laura and the boys, Rob, Donna and their girls,
READ Ephesians 4:1-6, 29-32; James 1:4, 12

June 14th- Budapest-day trip
PRAY-each of us will have an awareness of God in our every step, our every word, and our every thought today. For Joanna
READ Philippians 4:4-9; Romans 15:5-7

June 15th-Budapest-worship, rest, dwelling in God’s Word
PRAY- each of us would be learning the true desire of the Servant’s heart. Pray for us to develop a Christ-like attitude. Pray that service to others would permeate our actions in every place we visit and towards every person we meet. For Joanna
READ Matthew 20:26-28; 1 Corinthians 9:19-23

June 16th-Budapest-Camp
PRAY- Pray for the new friendships we are making with Joanna’s students. Pray that every conversation we have with these friends would be steeped in grace and point them to Jesus. Pray that our connection with these students would support the ministry Joanna has with them. Pray for a time that we may share our testimony naturally. For Joanna
READ Psalm 46:10; Isaiah 40:28-31; Col. 4:1-6; Romans 15:1-6

June 17th-Budapest-Camp
PRAY- for unhindered, honest, edifying and compassionate communication within the team as well as with those we are working with. Pray for anyone who might feel disconnected or confused that they can be open with and ministered to by the team. For Joanna
READ Hebrews 10:24-25; 13-16

June 18th- Budapest-Camp
PRAY- for the Hungarian people. Pray that a hunger and desire to know the true and living GOD would burn within their hearts. Pray for a door to open that the Word of God would be spoken freely and abundantly. For Mark, Laura and the boys & Joanna
READ Colossians 4:2-4; Jeremiah 10:10a; Romans 10:14-15, 17

June 19th—Budapest-Camp
PRAY- each of us would use this time as an opportunity to pray for the needs we see first hand. Pray for individual time in prayer as well as group time that it would be effective, directed and productive. For Joanna
READ I Thessalonians 5:17; Psalm 61:1-2; Matthew 18:20

June 20th- Budapest- farewell; laundry, pack, Coffee House
PRAY—for Elizabeth as she returns to USA, for preparations to go to Vukovar, for several students to arrive at Coffee House and the conversations there the continued relationships with students that each of them sees Christ in us. Pray for a time that we may share our testimony. For Joanna
READ 1 Peter 3:15-16

just a few more pics

lala

I really don't know what to title this.. I just kinda felt like blogging.

I can't belive that its almost been one year since I've lived here. There's been a lot I've seen and done. School is almost over and I've been very excited to be able to just chill and get ready for next year. I always love fresh starts! Good thing God is a God of fresh starts!

The team from America is coming soon! I will have three girls staying with me and then dad and one guy will be staying close by! I am getting the house a little organzied and cleaned before they come. My students are quite excited that they are coming! We are having a camp which should be awesome! Its a complete excursion camp where we will do lots of sports, touring, talking and eating!
I've been hanging out with good friends recently..I love my friends and I really do not know what I'd do without them! I'm sad to leave them but I cannot WAIT to see my friends from home!! Here's some recent fun pics!!

A visit to Vác

On Saturday afternoon I got onto the train to go and visit the Coppages for the evening. It was wonderful to catch up and visit with Lea's parents. We had yummy "zucchini" joe's (like sloppy joe's) and went for ice cream..which was to die for!!

Then we went to the Basilica and walked around the city. I love going to the Vác because it is so peaceful! Its a great escape from the city!

Bowling/Youth Event

On Saturday my church had a youth event! We had a scavenger hunt where the kids were wonderfully enthusiastic about! While they were gallivanting around the city us leaders went bowling and had a blast! I won a game but then lost miserably to Aaron! Oh too bad!

After we bowled then we met the youth at Arriba's for some yummy Mexican cuisine and listened to them talk about what they had done!

It was a great time to get to know some of the youth a little better from our church!