1st Icecream

Poland is where each of our kids have had their first taste of icecream...

a special tradition we started.

To keep with our tradition,

Sammy had a his first icecream (not counting the bite Lina snuck to him a couple months ago).

 He made a mess!

 Though the girls didn't do much better. :)

 Afterwards, the girls did something they were begging to do the entire time...

pose with a corny Winnie the Pooh. 

Lydia waved at him every time we went by and couldn't take her eyes off of him long enough for a picture.  It made her day!

Church tonight, then flying to Ukraine in the morning.

Can't wait to get home!

Pretty Little Flowers

Today was hot and sunny...and all the girls wanted to do was play in the grass.

Aren't they pretty little flowers?

 Flowers for Mama.

 Anna hugging the tree "Take a picture, Mommy!"

Lydia...well, she decided to give it a kiss!

With Sammy at the Park

This was his first time playing at a park

and he loved it.

Can't fully enjoy anything unless you try it.

He's growing so fast!

This picture makes me want to cry...

He looks like such a little man!

Enjoying kissing those chubby, adorable cheeks as long as I can.

We caught the girls sitting for a moment and joined them.

A Water Jug to a Girl

Boys may kick it around or throw it, but to a girl....

It's a baby.

Night-night, baby.

On Our Walk to Pizza Hut

We stopped to pick some flowers...

 Saw some boats...

And the castle...

Stopped for some pictures...

Fed the ducks...

And enjoyed just running through grass...

Sunday Service in Poland

Sunday we visited with the missionary church again.  They had me play piano because their daughter was away for the weekend...or maybe it was because I've been trying to sing in Polish?  Sammy was able to wear his new suit...doesn't he look handsome?  I'm completely in love!

The Glass family has been super sweet and we have really enjoyed the fellowship with them...the girls (especially Anna) have LOVED having a girl playmate around their age.

I have really enjoyed being able to come to the same place every year.  This has given us a chance to get to know some of the church people a little better and puts a face to the names we read about in their prayer letters.  I love this little church and pray that God will work upon the hearts of those needing to be saved.

Aladdin's Secret

I don't have any pictures from Friday.  We walked to Pizza Hut then stopped at every second hand store we saw on the way back.  I found a skirt for under $3. :)   Then we walked around the center.  They had a lot of stands set up because everyone is busy preparing for Palm Sunday...only it looks more like an open air market.

Today we spent most of our time in the center just walking around and I took a few pictures.

 In the corners, there are witches waiting to tell you your future.  They always hide away in the shadows.  She never lacks for customers.  Every time I walk by my heart sinks.  How sad to see these people reject Christ and turn to Satan for answers!

 There were also other venders.  This lady was making beautiful photos using spray paint, scraping tools, paper to make impressions in the paint.

Then we set up our own "station"...blowing bubbles. :)  We drew quite a crowd.  There is nothing more beautiful than bubbles glistenning in the sunlight with the Polish sights in the background.  Adults stopped to take pictures and children stopped to play with them.  We were thinking we should have put out Sammy's hat to collect money like all of the other venders. ;)

And lastly, How does "Aladdin" sit above his magic carpet?  Well, they were pretty secretive, but if you look closely you can see some metal bars and a board with metal bars under the carpet.  Still not sure exactly how they do it, but I'll be keeping my eyes open.  While we were blowing bubbles a huge crowd was around him, then we heard clapping so I'm guessing they saw how he does it.  I'll be more prepared next time. ;)

A Few More Pictures

I'm getting a little behind in my posting...I think all of these pictures are from Wednesday.  We spent the day walking around the center and went to the aquarium.  It's not huge and fancy, but the girls LOVED it.

 They had a little area set up with for the kids...probably one of their favorite things about the aquarium.

 Missionaries kids are so good at going with the flow...

(The picture is a little blurry, but I LOVED his little smile.)

This is the longest we have been away from home and I must admit I am so anxious to get back.  Not only do I miss my own bed, routine (or something like it), regular home cooked meals (can you believe I'm already sick of Pizza Hut, Burger King, KFC and Subway....well, maybe not totally sick of them...), and I long to hear people speaking in Russian.  Even though Polish is similar in sound, it is still very strange to my ears.  When someone talks to me I am at a loss as to what to say and end up replying in mixed English/Russian.  AND we still have until next Friday!  It has been a nice vacation though, nights have been a little rough because of the bars surrounding us, and I have enjoyed visiting with the Glass family, the missionary family here in Poland.  It has been a year since we have seen another missionary family.  (We are kinda home bodies, so we don't travel unless we have to...besides, there is so much work to do that we never feel we can leave...a plus of a forced vacation.)  I have also enjoyed having more time to spend with my husband.  But even with all of that...I'm ready to be home.  This vacation has given me time to plan some things I'd like to accomplish -with the language, home, ministry...  I always go back renewed, energized and ready to work.