Play Place

Jack and Lucas proud of their tower.

For Christmas, Papa gave the boys tickets to go to the play place. Actually, he gave us some money and I made tickets out of construction paper to give the boys:) There are several of these places throughout the city. It's wonderful for a cold place where a majority of the children live in apartments. It's a fun place for them to go and run around when it is just too cold to play outside. This place is almost the size of a football field. They had so much fun!

Lucas at the top -- this is alot like those things at McDonald's.

They both LOVED jumping into the ball pit.

A Lego dreamland!

Lots of big things to crawl around in.

Coming out the other end.

The whole place is also decorated really cutely. They also had a couple of bounce houses.

When we are weak . . .

Our family in front of Schönbrunn Palace

in Vienna. This was the summer palace of the Habsburg Empire.

We didn't go in the palace, but the the Carriage Museum next to it -- it was one of the museums on our pass. It held many of the Imperial Carriages.

The wheels were huge!

This one is a little dark because it was taken after I got in trouble for having my flash on:) This was the one used for coronations -- lots of gold!

See that saddle? It was for Sisi the Empress. See the stirrup -- it's shaped like a slipper.

It's no surprise that we have had a rough 2012 so far. I am ready for January of 2012 to be gone and behind me! But, through a hard few weeks, when we have felt at our weakest God decided to show Himself strong. I guess, like He usually does:) We've been praying for months for God to grow our Sunday group. And this Sunday found me running to the door to let people in! It was a wonderful time of study and worship through song. It was a time of seekers trying to understand who Jesus is and what He can do in their lives.

While we have felt our weakest and least prepared -- God moves in a big way. We are very thankful and encouraged!

Three Kings Day

Since I've either made you all worry or be depressed:) Here's an interesting little video for you. January 6 is Three Kings Day. Children dress up as the 3 Wise Men and knock on your door and sing a little song for you. You give them money for it and the money goes to charity. I took this video on January 7. We spent the morning at a palace museum and then ate at a cafe on the palace grounds when these "kings" walked in singing. You'll see Lucas eating his schnitzel and Johann giving them some money. And I hope it cheers us all up!

Longing

I read once that Vienna is a city of cafes and waltzes. Its old world elegance shines in its sophisticated music and charming cafes where a cup of tea comes with a doily. I've experienced some of this here. I've also experience other things.

It is the other things that have the mood of our home low and and our stress level high. I could go into great detail now, but I won't. All I really want to do is convey our struggle right now, to ask for your prayers for peace to come to us. Due to a series of events, we find ourselves in a mess right now. None of it is our fault, nor do we have any control over anything. Nobody is dying, no one is seriously injured -- I do have a little perspective. But, the mess remains. The stress it causes remains. The uncertainty grows. The amount of work ahead of us multiplies. And my longing to escape it all weighs on me heavily. I know our God is greater than any problem, He has proven his faithfulness to me time and again. I also know that sometimes, God allows some hard situations in our lives, even when we are perfectly centered in His will. Even more so. I really do know He can overcome any obstacle. However, it doesn't mean that I enjoy these obstacles and it doesn't mean that I don't long for day when there will be no obstacles. I long to escape to an obstacle free world, one that is not really my home.

One day, I will escape it. One day, all this worry, stress, frustration, fear and numerous other adjectives will disappear. Through all of the struggles this week, my longing for that time has grown. I don't want to jump off a bridge somewhere. I do, however, look forward to the day when my citizenship is eternal and my visa has been paid for in blood. And the waltzing will be on streets of gold.

"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior" Phil 3:20

Merry Christmas!

Vienna Christmas Market

The Vienna Christmas Market at Museum Quarter

One of the things I love about living in Europe are the wonders of the Christmas Markets. I love everything about them: the atmosphere, the beautiful homemade pieces, the weird pieces, the food. It's a wonderful experience all the way around. Here are some pictures of the Vienna Christmas market at the Museum Quarter.

All kinds of warm drinks

The stalls are numbered -- Stall 49

Austrian Christmas ornaments

Sweet Bread

Masks for the balls that roll around in January and February

Chestnuts Roasting on a not open fire

This belongs in the weird Christmas decoration category

Weiner Sausages

This girl is making my favorite Christmas market snack -- a nutella filled crepe.

Yummy crepe!

Away in a Manger