A Long Overdue Update

I realize that it has been over a month since I have blogged.  Goodness!  My hope was to write every week.  This blog is mostly for friends, family, and churches that support us.  I want to keep you updated so that you know what is going on in our lives.  I am so sorry that I have fallen behind on my blogs, but I am sure you will understand why.

Life in Prague has been busy!  We are definitely in the "swing of things".  Every week we have a Sunday service, Mom's Club on Tuesdays, and fellowship with the University students on Thursdays.  Of course in between those activities, we are getting ready and preparing for those activities.  Don't forget every day life!  Laundry has been a challenge since I can only dry three loads at a time. I only have three drying racks!   If I forget to do the laundry, it takes me awhile to catch back up.  Also, grocery shopping is a whole other topic!  Having a small refrigerator and no car makes grocery shopping a little difficult.  If I can't carry it, I can't buy it.  Many times I will need something, but I will have to wait until another time to return to the store.  I just can't carry it all.  Oh, add in the 101 steps to our flat.  Goodness!  I should have buns of steel by now.

A couple of weeks ago, the newness of Prague started to wear off.  I am getting homesick more often.  I miss tons of people from home.  I miss going over to a friends house to talk about motherhood and eat her delicious cooking.  I miss running with my running buddy.  I miss going on the Creeper trail and enjoying nature.  I miss sitting on our back porch and looking at the mountains.  I desperately miss my dog, Lucy.  I know my parents are taking great care of her, but I still miss her like crazy.  As you can see, I miss a lot of things from back in the states.  It has caused me to cry at various times.  I struggle with the tight quarters of our flat and living in a city.  We do not get to go to the Charles Bridge or the astronomical clock very often.  Our neighbourhood consists of trash on the street, graffiti on the walls, and some very unhappy people.  Get on a bus and you will know what I mean.  People here rarely smile, and everyone is silent on the bus.  I need smiles.  I need laughter.

Also, I had a hard time with all the things that I needed to be doing.  I am taking an online TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) class.  I have not been working on it as diligently as I should.  Also, I feel like I am falling behind on teaching the kids English.  There is just so much to do in the day.   A couple of weeks ago,  I was feeling stressed and overwhelmed.  Not a good feeling!

I had a hard couple of days, and things got a little worse.  John came home two weeks ago after playing football or "soccer".  He hobbled in the door with a sprained ankle.  After a couple of days of keeping it elevated, John went to a doctor.  They put his ankle / leg in a cast.  The cast goes all the way to his knee.  The doctor said that he could not put weight on it for 5 weeks!  Talk about a hardship!  We have 101 stairs to go up and down to get into our flat and no elevator.  So, as I missed home and was frustrated and overwhelmed, I now had to take care of John and the kids.   It has been hard to do everything.  It has also been frustrating for John.  He can't get up to do anything either.  As you know, John is a very active guy.  Sitting in a chair all day for several days is not his idea of fun.

Fortunately, John goes to the doctor on Friday.  We are hopefully that he will have the cast taken off and that he will be able to start walking around.  At the last visit to the doctor last week, the doctor had said that perhaps he would start physical therapy next week.  We are very hopeful for a speedy recovery.

As I have gone through this time of frustration and sadness, I realize that I need to focus on the gifts that our Creator has given us.  It is so easy to live in the past.  I miss so many things, but it does nothing for me to dwell on the things that I left behind.  Instead, I need to focus on the wonderful things that God has put in our lives.  My plan is to start a gratitude journal.  I think if my focus is on God, His greatness, His faithfulness, and His love for me, then missing the things from the states won't make me as sad.  I think it is ok to grieve over the things that I have lost, but it can't consume me.  I need to be grateful for the many wonderful things in Prague.  I am thankful for the Vietnamese man at the local potraviny (store) who smiles and gives my kids candy.  I am thankful for the new friends that I have met.   I am thankful for the bible study that I attend with women from the United States that are there for me to encourage me when I am down.  Like I said, there is so much for which to be grateful.

Please continue to pray for our family during this time.  We are so grateful for your prayers!!!