Rain, rain, go away...Day 3 Exploring Riga

Exploring the city

 

 

This morning it is raining, so we are thankful for the instant oatmeal that we packed to get us started and the bottles of water from the corner store. We now know also to be thankful for car(s) at home and knowing where the grocery store is. When it stops raining, we'll venture out and let the adventure begin. We are here during the rainiest time of the year, so it might be oatmeal for lunch too, but that never hurt anyone. Where are those umbrellas?

By lunchtime it is late enough to call Mom back home before she leaves in the morning for work. By evening, we can Skype with the kids. We are so thankful for technology (that works).

Thanks Megan for looking after the kids this week.

 

By afternoon it had stopped raining and we had been to the bank to exchange currency and found a place to buy a second-hand phone. By nighttime we had located maps and a grocery store and gathered up enough groceries for the next few days. Andy's eyes flew open when they charged us for plastic shopping bags, so we'll know to bring our own bags next time. Reuse, reduce, recycle...it's the great European way, and I like it. Sensors that shut lights off when not in use, etc.

The alarm of the day was in discovering that our adoption agent had instructed us to bring gifts for the foster family on the third trip. Our Latvian attorney sent us an email today saying to bring our gifts (which we don't have) to the family when we meet them on Thursday. We'll figure something out. This also surprised our case worker who has been working through this process for five years. Flexibility for all!

Also on the lines of miscommunication, when we asked for three beds for the kids, there were only two. The property manager said not to worry, he would send someone with a "mattress". This is what he sent: two towels and some sheets. They will work just fine on the couch, but we still laughed at the "mattress" concept.

Adventures in eating:

The gift of menus with pictures. We're not sure if that was jicama in our salads, or what the three meats were, but we didn't go hungry. Does the "light" of my coke cancel out the grease in my fries?

The delight of the day was in discovering that the restaurant we had been looking for for dinner had gone out of business. All that was standing in the spot we had been directed to in our travel notes was an empty parking lot. We were re-directed to a much nicer Italian place by a local, and had dinner in a cafe setting by all the embassies. It still gets cool here in the evenings, so they provided blankets. Maybe that will inspire me to use our porch more at home in the fall.

I love being in "the Paris of eastern Europe". Officials of the USSR retired here for years and the Internet says that there are actually more Russian residents of Riga than Latvian. There are very historic and very chichi areas of town. There are also the poor that beg alongside churches. My heart broke to see a young teen boy kneeling, with cup extended. I wondered if he was one of the orphan children here who have no where to go after age 16. As I prayed for him as we passed, that reaffirmed why we are here...to love older children for Jesus, as He has loved and provided for us.

It stays light until about midnight at this latitude, so we got about 5 hours of walking around town in today. We didn't realize how God had blessed us by being walking distance from so much gorgeous Art Nouveau architecture. My camera and I were busy all day. Andy had an eye more for the fancy cars and stylish women everywhere. We noticed that women who wear shorts wear fishnet pantyhose along with them...guess it's the cold temperatures. We are definitely on the unstylish end of the spectrum in our jeans and walking shoes, but my feet feel great after walking on cobblestones all day.

I'm going to take a bath. So thankful for God's provision of an apartment with a bathtub. Andy is enjoying reruns of Good Times. Shout out to Chris Yang for introducing us to Crackle. Hulu and Netflix don't seem to work here.

Can you still sing the theme song?

 

Joy in the Journey-Day One-Trip One

We're off!We loved being surrounded by family and friends this morning.

At church our beloved Sunday School class surrounded us (literally) to pray for our trip. We've gathered together to pray for other adoptive families before, military families who have been deployed, families who have moved to join other ministries, families with health problems, new babies, and financial difficulties. It has been a joy to share both joys and griefs together. We love our faith community.

After Sunday School another church member showed up at the door with a list of things to pray over your children. She had given this as a gift at a baby shower a few months before, and I had asked her for a copy if she were to think of it. I smiled at the perfect timing of God when she came today, completely unaware that we were hours from boarding a plane to start our adoption journey. She did not know that we were adopting, but I knew that God had prompted her to find me today. I was reminded of the great responsibility and privilege of praying for the kids that God is bringing to our family. Not for a minute are we to assume that we are able to do anything on our own, apart from His guidance and strength. (See, Laura, I was listening!)

After Sunday School we went to Olive Garden to eat as a family for Father's Day. This was a treat since we normally go to the contemporary service at our church and are out much later. As we drove to the restaurant and only had a five-minute wait, it was a little bit like playing hooky. "So this is what the rest of the early-church-going world does on a Sunday morning!" Since Laurel will turn 11 while we are away, this was also a treat for her as that's her favorite restaurant and part of her birthday celebration tradition...and we're pretty sure that chain doesn't extend all the way to Riga. But, who knows? We might be surprised at how easy life is since we will be able to stay in the city the whole time, and not travel to the countryside as we had thought.

Some one must be praying for smooth travels! We left the house with only the tiniest of snafus.....losing the keys to the car and discovering that they had been washed and dried in that very last load of laundry. That is some good technology, Chevrolet. Key fob still works! With all the details and running around, we have been having moments of stupidity lately. Adoptive pregnancy brain! I left the ice cream cake in the refrigerator...not the freezer. I was muddled about calculating time zones to figure out the best time to contact the kids. Andy was trying to tell L that lats were worth 50% (and not 200%) of a US$. Hooray for apps to help when we are having blonde moments. What is 21 degrees Celsius in Fahrenheit? There's an app for that.

Pregnancy brain. Pregnancy hormones. Just about the same thing for birthing two family members through the adoption process. I had to laugh this morning when my sweet friend Amy's mom asked if I was just a big ball of hormones. I had forgotten, but apparently when we had met years ago in the nursery line at church she had asked how I was casually, and I had replied (perhaps too frankly) that I was a basket case. Surprisingly enough, this leg of the journey has been fairly smooth. I may melt down later, but today I feel good!

Mimi has the kids today. Thanks, Gennie for praying for my mama! Thanks, Mom...there aren't enough words.

Praying for happy hearts, lots of energy for Mom, and for time to pass quickly for the littles. They've already got her playing badminton in the back yard!

Granddaddy took the car from the airport so we could avoid parking fees the next three weeks. Aunt Nee Nee, Uncle Haden, and Grandmama were are there to give hugs, kisses, and well-wishes. Uncle Trey and Aunt Michelle are looking after Mom's bird while she looks after our kids. It takes a village to have an international adoption! No man is an island.

 

Someone must be praying for happy travelers. We can feel it. Or, at least, I can feel it. Since I am not in the business world, going to the airport for me is a fun experience. I actually feel tingly with excitement. I teased my husband, who replied, "Oh, yeah. I feel tingly too." (Insert eye-rolling here.)

Here's how we began:

Andy, happily doing what he does on the iPad and reading three of the many business books he's lugging half-way around the world.


Laurel, happily journaling in the travel diary Grandmama gave her for the trip and reading for hours.

T happily blogging. (Betsy, we have wi-fi at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport!) Another prayer answered.

 

Travel details:

Leg one: Columbia to Atlanta, delayed....Laurel learns the flexibility necessary for travel of any kind.

We ban the use of the phrase "It's not fair" from the rest of the trip.

We ban the phrase "we should have left by now". We talk about we have to trust God with everything, including timing and bring the anxiety level about flying and motion sickness down a couple of notches.

We wonder if the chocolate bars we wrapped as thank you gifts are melting on the Tarmac in the suitcases while we wait.

We wonder if we are pronouncing anything in Latvian correctly, including the names of the our contacts.

Andy bumps into a business contact in the airport who says that he will be praying for us.

More delays on the plane and more eye-rolling. Connection with the community of fellow travelers who are also going to miss their connections. Fast-paced walk for Andy through the Atlanta airport equals a jog for Laurel and I. That pulled hammie still can't take long strides a year and a half later!

In the air until Amsterdam.

 

Day 2- Not exactly joy in the journey

The traveling Davises are not feeling too "tingly" after the 9 hour flight and waiting in customs lines all night. Ready to be in Riga, find our apartment and crawl in bed.

But, this too, is the day the Lord has made, so we will rejoice and be glad in it...or maybe count it all joy even if it's exhausting.

After scouting the airport we found a Starbucks, and once properly re-caffeinated, I feel more like myself again.



 

Laurel and I entertained ourselves by copying the accents we heard over the loudspeaker. Especially the frequent threat of a lovely Dutch airport representative.

"Mr. So-and-so, you are delaying the flight. Please report to gate B for IMMEDIATE boarding." There seems to be no messing around here.

Andy and I played the game of "where is that guy dressed like Steve Turner from?" We are quite UNfashionable compared to some European travelers.

Once in Riga, we found a green taxi, as instructed, and went to our apartment. The surprise of the day was that there was no one to meet us with the apartment keys, and without wi-fi, we had no way of contacting our contact. As Andy wandered around scouting out signals, God sent us "Uncle Mark", a pub-crawling Englishman, married to a Swede, living in Riga. He kindly took mercy on the weary travelers, and let us in the gate while we waited and told us where to find enough food to get us started for the night. Eventually our contact was contacted, and contacted her contact and we were able to get inside.

 

There is nothing quite so humbling as to have no idea about anything...where to take the trash, where the washer is hidden, where to hang things to dry, etc. Even remembering things that I used to know, such as in Europe what we call the third floor is the second here. That means apartment 320 is on the fourth floor and not the third.

The corner store had bread, bananas, and bottled water, so we whipped up some peanut butter banana sandwiches with the just-in-case jar of Peter Pan that we packed and called it a night. Except that I can't rest if things are not somewhat in order, so as my family rested, I was free to set up our home of three weeks. Only the coffee creamers and lotions that I brought as gifts exploded all in their ziplocks in the suitcases, so we'll count that a blessing too. No lost luggage.

 

It's 8:30 pm here (1:20 pm on Monday EST). I woke up Sunday morning at 5:30am, so that's about 32 hours of transit/awake time (minus the few minutes I was able to nod off in our close airplane quarters. Thanks Target travel pillow.)

Thanks for praying us here safe and sound. We love you.

 

Father's Day

This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Yesterday was a little tense, trying to get everything in the suitcases for five, making sure it didn't go over the weight limit (boy are we close!). Our families were kind to let us celebrate Father's Day early on both sides.

Today, I woke up with a song in my heart. Bags are packed. Ready for devotional time. Even worked on my zumba choreography since I'll be out for three weeks. My sleepy family wondered what had gotten into me. A burst of energy, like when you are just about to have a baby and suddenly start nesting everywhere. We are even ready for church two hours early. It's a miracle.

Thank you all for praying with us on our journey. We love you and appreciate your presence in our lives.

The Year I Sort of Helped at VBS

This week has been Vacation Bible School week at our church. Imagine 1000 kids, moms, grandmas, college students, teen helpers, neighbors, and retired granddads all coming together to love kids.

I love being a part of a team. In the past, my friend Laura and I would lead a Vacation Bible School class together and split the days of teaching responsibility. Some years we split apart and made two teams to create more classes for more children. Last year, I didn't lead my own class, but jumped back in with Laura as we were preparing to host Natalija and Vilnis. This year, days before our trip to Latvia, I could offer only room decorating services and a little crowd control on Tuesday and Thursday.

I am thankful that even though this year is crazy for us, I can still help a little, and my friend Laura has carried the leadership and teaching load, even though her boys had ball almost every night, her husband was out of town, and she had her nephew in addition to her four boys to carry to VBS each day.

This summer, I am trying to teach our kids chores that we do not normally do as part of allowance, such as dusting the baseboards or chair rail or bannister spindles. Each little chore they did gave them a chance to offer something for the collection going to support malaria treatments, hunger projects, education and water wells. I was pleasantly surprised at how enthusiastic they were in filling their jars. Are these the same kids who were just fighting  over the harmonica that has been laying in a drawer unnoticed for five years? Yes.

Laura sharing her story of how she came to give her life to Christ 

I will be using the "stick cotton balls to your nose with vaseline relay" somehow in our homeschool adventure...just have to figure out how to tie that in with some actual education!

What to do with a missionary dress 15 years later?
Wear it to Bible School!

Watching my littlest girl learn to worship
Hearing her sing "Glory to God, forever!" around the house.

Being thankful for the days it didn't rain!

Being thankful for Betsy's willingness to take Brennan on the day both the girls had dentist appointments to get rid of stubborn baby teeth that refused to come out on their own! Thank you, tooth fairy, for bringing an extra glittery harmonica to solve the musical property battle that was brewing.

I love the following quote. Although some days I can only help a little, I hope to live a life like she describes.

Marjorie Pay Hinckley - “I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived.”

Make the days count

I am feeling a little anxious today. Restless. Not about anything in particular, just a sense of
"Let's hurry up and get this show on the road!" I know that once we board the plane and arrive,
most of our three weeks will be waiting around for paperwork to be processed. I am praying
ahead of time, that I will have the mindset above:
Don't count the days (until.....), make the days count.

Colossians 4:2-6   (NIV)

² Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. ³ And 

pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so 

that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in 

chains.   ⁴ Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

⁵ Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; 

make the most of every opportunity. 

⁶ Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, 

so that you may know how to answer everyone.

“Every morning is a fresh beginning. Every day the world is renewed. Today is a new 
day. I have lived all my life up to this moment. This moment, this day, is as good and 
wonderful as any other. I choose to make the most of this day. I choose to cherish 
each moment. 

This is my day of opportunity. Today I shine.” Dan Custer

I write

I write because I love recording the little in's and out's of life.

I love savoring life and enjoying beautiful things, and if I am not careful about this "discipline", my attitude spirals down to the level of one more load of laundry that must be done, instead of the life that I get to live.

I write because I hope that if my children ever ask about their birthday parties, baseball games, and teachers, I will have some way of remembering after I have long since forgotten. I can only remember a handful of my teacher's names, and after teaching, that stinks, since I know how hard they must have worked on my behalf, and yet, my memory has sailed on.

I write because I want my life to make a difference to someone, perhaps my family, or perhaps far away from me. Perhaps the things that the Lord is teaching me may help someone else, some time in the future.
I know that I enjoy learning from people all the time.

I write because I want to leave behind something more interesting than the daily weather report my family has of a fore-mother.

I write because I want the people in my family to be remembered by their kids' kids. We have an amazing red velvet antique photo album from my Dad's side of the family...but we don't know who most of the people are. There are no names on the back, or if there are names, we don't know who they are and why they were kept in the album. They are just interesting to look at like perusing a Victoria magazine of days gone by.

I write because it helps me to enjoy life and capture moments.

I write because in the exhaustion at the end of the day, conversation doesn't always turn to, "what stirred your soul?" "Did you remember to pick someone up tomorrow?" is more like it as we tumble into bed.

I won't have a 'baby book" for Natalia and Will. I may have to be like the Sandra Bullock character in The Blind Side who lifts a picture off the internet from a kids' clothing site to send in for the requested baby pictures when the kids graduate from high school.

Blogging helps me have something to offer them something real about the story of how they came to be one of us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfCEivDlsGI&feature=related
Favorite Quote from The Blind Side:

Sean Tuohy: We were wondering if you would like to become a part of this family. 
Michael Oher: I kinda thought I already was.