Blessings

We are in our new apartment/condo digs, as of Sunday night. Once again, we are going non-stop just trying to learn how to get around in this big city. We have some fun ideas for our blog but have realized that until we are settled in our house there will be no "regular" postings :) This city was not made to drive cars in but in the last few years many more people have started to. Let's just say that's it's a traffic nightmare. The boys have been attending baseball training camp this week. The area where they play is called Erd, it's approximately 20 km outside of the city. Monday morning was our first experience with "rush hour" traffic and I wish you could have seen it - oh my! Sorry there are no pictures to begin to give you a taste of what it was like. The second day it took John two hours to get back to the apartment after he dropped the boys off. We can do nothing but laugh and assume with time that we will learn how to get around better. We are currently staying on the Pest side of the Duna but our home is on the Buda side. Not having to cross the river on a daily basis will make commuting easier for us.

When we arrived on June 11th, we stayed up until it was bedtime here. We were dragging by that time but we knew it would help us get on our new time zone. We are six hours ahead of Eastern Time Zone. On Saturday, the 12th, we went to the island in the middle of the Duna. It is a fun kid area. While the kids were playing a father and son heard us speaking English and came over and said, "oh fellow ex-pats, huh?" We said yes and introduced ourselves. We invited them to church the next day and he said he had been there and they would see us there. We got to meet his wife and daughter at church. We played once with them and our other new friends last week at the park and when we got to the apartment/condo on Sunday night to move in we recognized the stroller parked in the hallway and it turns out that they are our neighbors here!!!! God is good - always going before us and pouring out His blessings making sure we know He is with us!! We are so very grateful!! They are here with the father's company for 18 mos. Their containers have not arrived yet so they are living here until they can move into their house, just like us.

Before we left the US, I received an email from a family that had been here for about 8 mos. doing a similar assignment, and they wanted to extend their greetings and let us know they learned about our family from our pastor's wife at church. They also homeschool and have four children. We conversed by email and then we had the privilege of meeting them at church that first Sunday. We became fast friends. Their boys are who our boys are playing baseball with. We have been with them almost everyday since arriving. They are ahead of us on the learning curve and so gracious to help us. They are certainly ahead of us on the Hungarian language learning curve and we are making lots of plans for school things in the fall. We've met some other families that are here as missionaries and homeschool so we are hoping to have a fun group to either co-op with or just do field-trips with when school begins. Praise you Jesus!!!! Here's a few pictures of the kids with their new friends. We can't tell you how grateful we are for all our family and friends across the world. In this new season, we are especially grateful for these Godly families that we can walk this journey/adventure with.

The First Week

We will try to give you a taste of life in the big city. This is not going to be our norm but for now it is. We don't move into our home until July when our belongings arrive. Until then, we are on one BIG vacation trying to get our bearings. We are currently at a hotel and will move to a "condo" next week.

When I have to start cooking again it's going to be a sad day. The food here is AMAZING!!! They are very healthy eaters - only fresh, nothing prepackaged.

Freezers are not common here. For instance, they don't do ice in drinks and you very rarely see "fountain" drinks. We are big water drinkers. We have to order water and always have to be sure to order "still" water. The kids hate sparkling water. You have to be very careful at the market when you buy water that you have purchased "still." The breakfast at our hotel has such a healthy, tasty selection every morning. J and I are coffee drinkers and we just can't wait to get downstairs each morning and have coffee - it's amazing here. There are coffee houses on every corner. The first Starbucks opened in the city at the largest mall today. There is no need for Starbucks here though. The coffee houses here put Starbucks to shame. They don't do coffee as a drive-through thing. You go in and sit for hours and relax and chat, it's addicting :)
Our favorite restaurant is around the corner from us. It's our special family place to sit and discuss our day and how life here is different. Here's two pictures of it that the kids insisted I post-ha!


Right now our days consist of sight-seeing and trying to figure out the subway, bus and train system. This city makes NYC seem like a piece of cake to get around in, even by car. It's a good thing our kids have traveled alot and know how to use a subway system well, if they didn't, this would be even more complicated!! They have a much better sense of direction than their mama!!!

We will blog about some of the sites we've seen in a few days.

EUROPE, baby!!!

Well, the Handel's are officially here!!! We thought the day would never arrive when we actually boarded the plane to move to Europe for two years but if finally did. Spending more than 3 months with family and friends made it hard to leave but we knew the day would come when we would have to say good-bye. It was bitter sweet. We had been staying with my mom the last few months and it was hard to leave without bringing her along. She put up with us and our mess, not to mention our dog, Hannah, who she agreed to keep until our time here is done.

I'm too ADHD to blog/write but I'm going to try and update regularly (ha!) Eventually, I will turn this job over to the kids. Maybe I will become a better blogger by doing it more frequently. Right now our focus is on learning the language here.

We arrived on Friday, June 11th. We have been all over the city from the moment we arrived. Here are some pictures of our weekend.

Szent Istvan Bazilika

The kids engaging in a friendly game of soccer with three Hungarian children
at one of the local parks.

All the restaurants have outdoor seating and checked tablecloths. We really like all the different foods we have been eating.
Our church. There were so many nationalaties represented on Sunday morning. Russian, African, Romanian, Hungarian, American, Israeli and British just to name a few. It's amazing to worship with people from all over the world and be singing the same songs to the One and Only Lord of all!!!
The boys first baseball game

She's Healed

My aunt had her pet scan last week and there was no cancer that showed in it!!!!!!! Praise The Lord!!! We are thrilled and she has several opportunities to share about this journey to some groups this week and next week. We thank you so much for your prayers, they have been answered :)

Prayer Update

My aunt's pet-scan came back yesterday and showed that the cancer is in her bones :( While we are saddened by this news, we trust that God is in control and are going to put our hope in Him and continue to ask Him to heal her. She begins chemotherapy next Tuesday. She went wig shopping today with my mom and my other aunt. If you have a prayer list at your church would you please add Mary Ann Dickerson to it, thank you so much.

Please Pray With Us

Would you please add to your prayer list my aunt, Mary Ann. She has been diagnosed with lymphoma and gets her port put in today so that treatment can be started soon. She is near and dear to me. God knit me together in my mama's womb but I must say He made me much more like my aunt!!! She loves tea parties, shoes, purses, jewelry, being a girly-girl, hates to swim...just a few things that I get from her :) Most importantly, she is a Godly woman, wife and mother and grandmother. Please petition the Lord with us to heal her. Thank you so much!!

Thanks For Hanging In There

Well, we posted a LONG time ago that changes were coming. You've been patient and we thank you for that. Tried to keep you in suspense the funny thing is that we've been in suspense too!!! Our next location to move to has been hanging in the balance for awhile now and we're working on the details to make it final. We will tell you this much for now: We're going to Europe!!!!!! We are beyond excited, also nervous and all the normal feelings in between. Honestly, the biggest negative feeling is homesickness for our family and friends but we know God wants us to go for two years. He just keeps opening more doors every time we ask His guidance. John and I had the privilege to go over and spend some time checking everything out. We can't say thank you enough to our friends and my mama for keeping the kids for us. It's a beautiful city that we will be going to and we will reveal more in the weeks to come.

We covet your prayers as we get ready and pray that we will be God's hands and feet while we are there to share Him with everyone we come in contact with ~ all glory to Him!!

Change is coming..............

Merry Christmas!

We've had a busy, crazy year but that pretty much sums up our life most of the time!!! The most significant thing that stands out in our minds is Hayden's illness last month. It actually started October 31st. We are so very thankful for his miraculous healing and restored health. The pneumonia he had was scary but God always gives such peace in the storm. We are very thankful for the doctor's who cared for him and the nurses.
Our lives are forever changed after his hospital stays, particularly his stay at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. We are thankful for the perspective it gave our family. There are so many very sick children there and so many who don't even have family sitting next to their bedside day in and day out.
We are so thankful that I can be at home and teach our children and care for them everyday. There are times I get exhausted and God reminds me of Deuteronomy 5:29;
6:5-9. We are continually trying to impress God's word and His love to our hearts and our children.
God is good and we praise Him for His gift of sending His beloved Son to this earth..a sweet baby. For His life on earth and His death and Resurrection and the promise He has made to return for those who believe in Him. We pray this is our focus and yours this Christmas season. God bless you. Merry Christmas and Happy 2010 family and friends!

"There is a Time for Everything and a Season for Every Activity Under Heaven"

Forgive us for not being very good bloggers. For those of you who read this, you know I'm not Miss Computer!!!! Remembering to blog just doesn't happen to be a priority on my everyday list (surprise!) Especially when you've had a travel, fun-filled summer. So we'll pretend like it hasn't been since May that we posted last.

Welcome Fall, we're glad you're here. We love this time of year and where we live now it's absolutely beautiful. The many colors on all our trees make you stop and praise God for His amazing creation.

We just returned from a school-field trip to Washington D.C. and also attending our dear friend, Mary Jo's burial at Arlington Cemetery. She passed away earlier in the summer but the burial was October 9th. Please pray for her husband and two children. We all know she is celebrating with her Lord and Saviour in heaven and not dealing with any more pain and cancer but it's still hard for those left behind. While we work through the grieving process we rejoice in the promise the Lord has made: "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." Philippians 3:20

A Little R & R

We love getting away and having fun together and relaxing. We praise God for the opportunity to do that as much as we get to and for His beautiful creation. Here's a few pictures of our latest time of R&R and FUN!!!!

National Day of Prayer 2009

"If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord you God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock~the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed. You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out. The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven."

Deuteronomy 28:1-7

One of the many reasons....

We home school our children for many reasons. A lot of people think we're crazy and a lot of people support us. The first reason we home school is we feel called, by the Lord, to do so. Is it hard? You bet it is. Are there days I wish I didn't? You bet I do. But I have to confess that whenever I feel defeated and ready to throw in the towel, the Lord always brings something to mind or heart to confirm that I'm doing what He has called us to do. He never allows satan to mess with my mind too long. It's amazing and a blessing to teach my children to read and hear them read their first words and first book. It's amazing to hear them read their Bible, by themselves. It's amazing to see them grasp 2+2=4 and watch them build on their math skills. It's fun to learn along with them. It's fun to hear them TEACH me!!! I can't imagine missing out on eight hours of their lives everyday and all the conversations we get to have. And this song/video sums up one of the many reasons we home school, my first baby will be ten, where have the years gone? I've not missed anything he's ever done and they've still flown! I will be forever thankful for the time we've had them and been able to teach them. Don't know if the Lord will call us to home school them all their school-age years but why He is, I'm going to obey.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6JHXHWZL- this link is no longer up, sorry. You can go to YouTube and check out the song "It Won't Be Like This For Long" by Darius Rucker. Sorry for the confusion!!

Our baby

Halena is at the stage where she doesn't like to be referred to as our baby girl. So, we try not to call her that (shhh.. even though she will always be that to her Daddy and Mama!) So our "baby" in the family is our doggy, Hannah. Hannah had the privilege of staying with Grammy for a few weeks while we got settled in. Grammy spoiled her, just like she does the kids, while she was there. Needless to say, she needs lots of exercise and a low-fat diet now! :) Here's her favorite past time and exercise plan:

Praising Jesus

We are thankful to our family and friends, who read our blog, for praying for our dear friend, Mary Jo. She received a WONDERFUL report from her Dr. at Mayo Clinic today that the large tumor near her esophagus is dead - DEAD!!!!!!!!! We are praising Jesus and beyond words of thankfulness to Him. Would you please join us in thanking Him for healing her and ask Him to continue to keep her cancer-free and healthy. Thank you!! (This is us with our girl's on New Year's of this year.)

March Madness

We have been watching a lot of basketball, at the Handel house, for several reasons. One, the Mama of the house loves the sport and the Daddy is pretty fond of it too. Thankfully, our kids are learning more and more to like it as they get older. I always thought about the days when they were old enough to "get into it". Well, we're there. Halena doesn't hang too long with the rest of us and so we carry on side conversations and games with her while watching. The rest of us are INTO it!!! The boys are so fun to watch the games with. We all filled out our brackets. Hayden was leading the way for quite sometime, Holten was furious!! Halena's bracket was...well, last :( Daddy ended up with the most wins. We anxiously awaited the 9 p.m. tip-off - yes, the kids got to stay up, the Championship can't be missed (even if it's not Kentucky playing for the title). There are only two UK fans in the house anyway :( The rest of them will learn one day, is what Hayden and I keep telling them. Holten knows every player as soon as he watches the first 4 minutes of every game. He memorizes their name and number, if any of us needs to know who the foul was called on or who made the basket, Holt's our man!! We've decided it's good to move right before March Madness begins - which is our plan for next year. You unpack and park it and watch basketball for a few weeks, not feeling guilty because you don't know anyone yet anyway and what could be better?!!!! Our hats are off to the UNC Tar Heels who played one beautiful game (that compliment only comes because you have one of the most class act coaches ever!!!!)

Cutey Patootey

Halena and I got to babysit Jud while his mama and daddy went to see Billy Joel and Elton John in concert. We had so much fun and he has grown SO much since we saw him at Thanksgiving. We're thankful to see him more often!! He was smitten by Halena and wouldn't take his eyes off of her the whole evening. My sis and bro are doing a great job parenting. He was an angel for us.

We're Here!!!

Long delay in posting, so sorry about that!! It was a crazy few weeks of packing and then making the commute and getting settled in. We've been here since last Thursday and the kids arrived on Sunday night with Grammy :) We still have some boxes to unpack and LOTS of things to get rid of but we are loving it here!!! It's like being on vacation 24/7 ~ we're looking at it as a retreat with Jesus. The weather has been beautiful and thank God the wind doesn't blow hardly ever here:) Can't wait for our dear family and friends to have a get-away from everyday life and come spend some time with us!!

Here are the kids showing off their "treasures" from the lake (no pun intended - ha!) And a view of the lake from our back deck. We are on the cove so it's small and quiet back here. We are anxious to blog a little more regularly and keep you updated!

Crossing The Delaware

Our dear friends, The Henns, had the kids over one day last week so I could get some packing done. Tanya is the best teacher EVER!!! She gave the kids an assignment, but the catch was, they had to do the teaching!! They could pick any U.S. President and come up with the lesson. Here is what their five kids and our three came up with ;) Enjoy!!

It's Official.......

Well, we've been waiting to share our news on our blog until we had some more time to be sure and now we are sure.......we're moving!!!!!!!! We are excited, stressed, overwhelmed, thrilled, sad - all those things. God is good. We knew we would be needing to pick a new location for John to keep things going, as his company desires. We've been praying it would either be a location that puts us right in the middle of both our families or eight hours or less to mine. I really have the need to spoil my nephew :) God has answered our prayers and we're moving to PA. We will be 6 hours from Cincinnati, 2 hours from Pittsburgh, 4 1/2 hours from Washington DC (which is very high on our field trip list!!) and 5 hours from NY. So, it's good vacation spot. We expect some visitors. We are going to dearly miss our friends and family here just like we miss our family and friends from Cincinnati, here. God is good and is pulling this all together beautifully and we know He is faithful and has always provided. We are trusting him and can't wait to see what work He has for us to do there. We are busy packing and plan to be there by the end of the month so we may be absent on the blog for awhile :)