"Good Morning, Every Morning!"

I learned a lesson from a passerby on the way to Jaylin and Gage's preschool yesterday morning. We were walking the short distance, Shaylee in the stroller, Jaylin and Gage trying to stay warm and to keep up with me, the infamous fast walker of the family. They had earlier been complaining about having to walk, while Jayce and Tate got to ride in the car. Ed is gone this week with the van, so we've been walking a lot; but our neighbor gives the boys a ride in the mornings since he drives his own son to school on that side of town.

While we were walking, a man passed by us who had an obvious limp, as if from birth he had had a deformity of his legs. I greeted him with a "Good morning!" and he replied with a huge smile and a "Good morning...every morning!" I was choked up as I told the kids of his apparent incredible attitude toward life, even with a definite obstacle he faces every morning. I was wanting them to learn from him, so they would change their complaining heart to a grateful, appreciative heart...and then I looked in the mirror and realized that I was the one who most needed to learn that lesson that day! I had been complaining about Ed being gone, and looking at the week "alone" with a negative heart, instead of being thankful for the many many things that were good that morning. So...good morning...every morning...because God is good...all the time!

More lessons learned

School started last week, bringing more lessons about how to live in this Eastern European culture, and not appear so "foreign"...maybe some day we'll be successful at that! So, first day of school, we sent Jayce and Tate off to school with their backpacks full of books, notebooks, and supplies. I was pretty proud of the fact that we had found everything on the supply list at the local grocery store. There were a few posterboards that they had to carry, as they wouldn't fit into their bags. Jayce was a bit apprehensive, not of going to school, but of carrying that posterboard...something like feeling dumb...but I told him that since it was on the supply list, everyone would be carrying it. So, just for posterity, I am going to include in this blog the lessons I learned...meaning, I need to remember these facts for next year's first day of school.

#1 On the first day of school, do NOT send backpacks with the kids, as no one else brings them, including extra-big posterboard that doesn't fit into the backpacks.

#2 On the first day of school, DO send flowers for the kids' teachers, as everyone else brings those!!!

We all enjoyed hearing Jayce and Tate's rendition of how silly they felt walking in that day, with no flowers to give their teachers, and then bringing home their full backpacks as they wouldn't be using them until the next day. The teacher did, however, allow them to leave the posterboard in the classroom!! Whew!!!

Jaylin and Gage also began their first days at the preschool. After a few tears by Jaylin on day 1, and by Gage on day 3, we're off to a great start! Their teachers speak no English, but that doesn't bother Jaylin much, she just talks and talks to her teacher anyway, who told that to Ed, laughing! Surprise, surprise. And Gage is doing better than I thought, especially being without Jaylin in his class. They do get to play together at recess, which is a highlight for both of them.

These unusually quiet mornings at the Rumbold house have given Ed and I more time to study...this and the fact that all 4 kids are in Slovak schools, should ensure that we will all be fluent by Christmas!!! :-)

Kid's camp and a new bar of soap

Can I just say that we are soooo blessed to be with Josiah Venture!!! There are many reasons that we say this, but for today's post, we are talking specifically about the care and love they show to our kids! The boys just returned from their week at JV Kid's camp, and have had so much to say about their week there, having loved every minute of it!

A typical question I ask my kids after an event is to rate their time from one to ten. This gives me a quick overview in one word. When I asked the boys this question, Jayce responded with an immediate "10" and Tate thought a second and then gave it a "9". So I asked Tate what kept it from being a "10" and he said that it would have been a "10", except that it was only one week long instead of two!!! I guess that summed it up pretty well!

From all the stories we heard on the trip home, and the stories we continue to hear, we can see how the week was ranked so high. Other Josiah Venture missionaries were the staff at the camp, planning, organizing, preparing, running, counseling, discipling, and managing, to make it the most meaningful experience possible for the kids. All of the kids that attended were JV MK's just like our boys, and they are really becoming like family to our kids! We were so impressed how the older kids took our boys and their friend, Marco, the three newest campers, under their wings to include them and welcome them and help them! We are truly grateful for the way that God has graciously placed us into this organization that cares so deeply for our children.

So, in light of the huge impact that this week has had on our boys, encouraging them to deepen their relationship with our Lord Jesus, and developing stronger friendships among the other MK's, I figure that I can overlook the fact that the brand new bar of soap that I sent with the boys came back as a brand new bar of soap! For the record, they did say that they brushed their teeth almost every day. :-)

Thank you to all JV staff who gave their time and energy to be a part of camp this summer! Our boys are already looking forward to next summer's camp!

Packing, unpacking, laundry and repacking

I should be packing again, but am running low on motivation as it is our fourth and final trip of the summer, including the two camps and that trip to Austria. We leave tomorrow for Slovenia where Jayce and Tate will attend JV Kid's camp for the first time. The rest of us will stay down in that part of the continent, to avoid 4 eleven hour drives there and back, there and back. We will be visiting a few different friends along the way, as we travel around Italy, Slovenia and Croatia.

The boys are super excited about camp, I'm just hoping they remember to brush their teeth!!! It will be a great opportunity for them to spend time with the other Josiah Venture missionary kids from all over Eastern Europe. The leaders and counselors of the camp are all JV missionaries, most of them single or married without kids. Mel and Amy Ellenwood are heading it up, and the boys find great comfort knowing that they will be there, along with their three kids!

I am including a few more pictures of our family's time in Austria with my parents. Ed and I were thrilled to tour Salzburg with only Jayce and Tate, seeing many famous Sound of Music sights. My parents graciously babysat the three youngest for the day, so we four could better enjoy walking all over that beautiful city. Dad, Mom, and the three "littles" had plenty of their own fun back at the hotel and surroundings.

Thanks for coming, Mom and Dad!

We are home from our vacation to Austria with my Dad and Mom. They are now back at their home in Florida. They visited Europe for 5 weeks! Three of those were with us, and for two weeks, they toured on their own, visiting Germany, Switzerland, France and Austria. They saw many things that they remembered from when they lived in Germany 40 years ago. Their dream has always been to return to these beautiful places, and now they have lived their dream.

We enjoyed every bit of our three weeks with them. We packed our schedule full of fun, to store up for when they left. Many late-night games of Monopoly and cards, long walks, good talks, visits to the square and to the woods, visits with our friends here, many Magnum bars, and a great relaxing trip to central Austria to end with a bang!

They were a tremendous addition to our Bardejov camp, and we are praying that it works out for them to return next summer to the same camp, to continue with all of the relationships built between them and the students and team members this year. Mom and Dad, thanks so much for being here for so long with us. You were a true encouragement and blessing! We love you!