Enjoying the Outdoors Nearby

Eva's monthly church kids' program met on Saturday, and they made kites! So naturally, she needed to go kite flying on Sunday! We have a perfect field for it nearby.

I have two labyrinths within walking distance. I have likely posted a picture of this one before, but I had to post another. It is so beautiful and reflective here.

I try to take daily walks in the forest, and on this particular day, the view of the Vienna skyline was stunning.

 

Manmaker Year Trip to Spain

Gregory and Nath flew to Spain during Easter break.  They hiked part of the pilgram's trail with our dear friend, Jacob, and they talked about missional leadership together. Then they served for a few days at a food truck and a cafe run by partners with our mission organization.  It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

January 2023

Nath's surprise (and delayed) drumset for Christmas!

Another awesome Manmaker year outing, this time with our friend Ewald in Baden.

Eva began violin lessons, and she took to it so beautifully!

Snow...

A silly cat

More snow!

Telling the kids our news and celebrating the signing of the contract to buy our new home!!!

 

Christmas continued

Christmas in Vienna is truly special.

This year Nathanael's class put on an incredible skit teaching us about Christmas around the world.  Nathanael had parts in the Austrian, American, and Turkish celebrations.

 Our Liesing Stream remains a highlight of living where we do, year-round.

 We had a special intimate family gift exchange a few days early.

 One of my favorite experiences this year for Christmas was attending a performance of the nativity story put on by a performer who incorporated art, music, drama, and many elements of technology.  He told it in a Biblically accurate and culturally relevant way which was full of humour and emotion for the entire family.  Gregory and I loved it.  At the end, he invited the kids to come up and whisper their Christmas wishes to the baby Jesus in a manger.  It might sound cheesy, but it was done incredibly well, emphasizing how Jesus, God with us, cares intimately about us.

Saying goodbye to my grandma

Today my Grandma was buried.  I wasn't there.

The pain and anger and sorrow and disappointment and sadness are overwhelming.

I just want to be in Kansas right now, hugging relatives, laughing about Grandma's ways, looking at her jewelry and holding hands with relatives as the smiles let loose the tears.  I want to bond with my family and relatives through this instead of feel further outside of it all.

Today, I am angry at God for this life we live.  What I wouldn't give to have been able to make the decision to fly back and be there.  I know the emotions will calm, and I will see clearly again tomorrow.  But tonight, I am letting the tears flow and sitting in the pain.

I had a most amazing Grandma.  I am so blessed and honored to be her granddaughter.  I know she is dancing in heaven right now, as beautiful as ever, smiling brightly.  I want to honor her with my life, to honor her values on family and faith.

Goodbye, Grandma.  You are missed dearly.  See you in heaven one day...   All my love, your Kimi

Women's Retreat in Italy

I had the amazing privilege of attending a conference for women of Greater Europe Mission.  It took place at a hotel along a beach in Italy, and it was an incredible time for me, having a few days to pull away from the responsibilities of family and home and work and be with other women in a relaxing and spiritually encouraging environment.

Nathanael and I began a letter journal during this trip!  It was fun to write the first entry on the plane.

The seaside was beautiful.  I barely put down my bag before walking out to the beach upon arrival.

I am an early riser, so catching the sunrise every morning was a delight.

Sunsets also did not disappoint.

Rooftop terrace

I went running every day in the sand, and it was such a refreshing and invigorating time.

One of the best parts of the conference though, was getting to have one of my bestest friends stay with us before and after (in addition to having her there as well)!

We love you, Miss Kraft!

Oh, and while I was relaxing in Italy, Gregory held down the fort at home.  He enlisted some friends to hang out with the kids a couple days.  One friend took the kids to the Technical Museum!  What fun!

Four month recap in words

I have been remiss at posting about our experiences and musings these past four months.  Easter Sunday began an eleven week road trip from Kansas to the East Coast and back.  It was one of the most exhausting and encouraging experiences of my life.  I can't express how those two went together, but it's simply true.  A paradox.  Along the road, we saw family and relatives as well as dear friends and ministry partners, visited and shared with many churches, reminisced as we stopped in places we'd formerly lived or visited, and created many new memories together as a family.  Car travel with a three- and six-year-old was not easy; some days were better than others.  Having work meetings with said children along was even more difficult.  But we did also have a lot of fun interspersed throughout the days.  Our social Nathanael loved all the kids he was able to meet and play with over the two months, and Eva remained her fairly flexible self, for the most part.  How we survived over two months of absolutely no routines or rhythms, I can only say that God sustained us.  We had very little illness, and we only had to cancel a couple get-togethers, which I'd say is quite impressive.  We're thankful for God's upholding right hand through it all.

Once back in Kansas, we had a little over a week to put some pieces together and then fly back to Vienna for ten days.  Why, you ask, just ten days?  We had to renew Nathanael's residence permit, in person, in Vienna.  There was no way to do it earlier or later.  (Believe me; we tried a lot of ways back in December.)  So we went.  We weren't sure how it would be, returning to our home and community for just a week with jet lag on top of the linguistic and cultural differences, but we came away from that week with a renewed sense of calling and purpose and a clearer vision for a few aspects of our work there.  We also were able to spend a bit of time with a handful of dear people, and that was life-giving to our souls.

The past week or so has been a change of pace for us.  Finally, we're trying to slow down a bit.  Breathe.  Reflect.  Dream.  Prepare.  Be together.  Gregory is giving time to his course preparations for the Autumn.  We've taken up jogging together.  We're considering how we can create healthier family rhythms and routines when we return to Vienna, reconsidering priorities, and asking difficult questions.  In a week, we'll go to Colorado for two weeks, a combination of visiting with ministry partners and seeing friends, spending five days with my family in the mountains, and attending a conference with our organisation for employees currently on stateside ministry.

August 18th begins our new 3-5 year term in Vienna.  Just a little over a month away!  I can almost touch it.

Thus ends my photo-less update from the last four months.  I doubt I will find time to write much in the next two months, but hopefully I'll return to regularly posts after September.  Thanks for following along!

Okay, one photo from the North Shore in May.

First three weeks in the States

Today is marks three weeks in the States.  How are we doing?  How has it been?  What is strange?

Well, surprisingly, we haven't had too much shock.  We took the first week to try and adjust and rest a bit, do some shopping and settling, my sister visited, and we ate some great food.  Other than adjusting to the time, it was a nice week.

Nathanael and Eva love the space here at my parents' home in Kansas.  It is novel to them.  They have a new level of freedom.  But most of all, they love being with family.

I turned a year older this week.  I can't complain about my DQ cake!

We've had funny moments of forgetting cultural norms (like my greeting people with cheek-kisses instead of hugs or handshakes), and we've smiled at the cultural differences such as how friendly and talkative waiters and clerks are.

In most ways, Vienna is our home now.  It's all our kids really know, so they are really freaked out by wearing their shoes in homes and riding in cars everywhere, and they find big yellow school buses and lines of semis strange.  All of this has been mostly expected though.

One surprise has been how encouraged we have been by the times we've spent with ministry partners.  We have really wanted to be a blessing and encouragement to others, but we have walked away from each gathering feeling so abundantly loved and blessed.  On top of that, our kids have really enjoyed getting to know these special people, and they're regularly asking when we get to go visit more people!  Thank you, God, for this gift.