Turning 39

Gregory and I celebrated another birthday (Jan 24th for him, Feb 15 for me).  Next year will be the big 4-0!  This year was just another number.  We had fun celebrating together and with the kids.

For my birthday, we had a big breakfast at one of our favorite local restaurants, and then we walked around the big park a little bit.

 Gregory's birthday included chocolate cake at home!

 

Energy Week and Celebrating 15 Years

My parents came for our week off school in February (Energy Week) instead of Christmas this year.  We had lots of fun with them, so much so that we didn't take many pictures!  There was LOTS of game-playing and book reading going on!  What fun!

 Gregory and I took advantage of my parents' visit and got away to Spain for an early 15 year anniversary trip and semi-guided marriage retreat!  It was great to have those few days without the kids!

School Progress and Next Steps

Nathanael had a big month, interviewing for the bilingual Gymnasium next year.  He did a great job, as was expected from a truly bilingual kid, and he has been granted a spot in the school!

We celebrated together with a McDs breakfast before returning to school the morning of the interview.

Eva has been doing a splendid job with learning to read this year, and she has really loved writing (or typing) words and deciphering words.  She is learning in German, so English is still a bit of a mystery to her!

Music Corner and Spiritual Retreat in Salzburg

I finally set up my little music corner in our office!  I have been wanting to have my microphone and interface set up somewhat permanently, and it is finally possible!

I attended a weekend retreat for women focused on meeting God through various spiritual exercises and found it incredibly encouraging.  The location in Salzburg was spectacular and made contemplative walks through the woods quite beautiful!

End of 2019 Excitement

We concluded 2019 with a lot of fun!

A New Year's Eve circus at Prater:

Riding lessons as part of a special offering for kids over break: 

 And definitely a highlight -- FAMILY visiting!!!

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.

Vienna Boys' Choir and our first snow!

On Thursday, I treated myself to an extra special outing - a ticket to the Vienna Boys' Choir Christmas concert.  It was spectacular.  I had a glass of wine before the concert (Austrian Zweigelt), and I enjoyed every second of the over two hour performance.  The conductor and choir director may have been my favorite performers of the entire evening.  They are incredibly talented musicians and performers, and the conductor spoke beautifully from his heart about a handful of songs.

  

 

 

 After the concert, I got on the underground and went home to Oberlaa.  Upon exiting the station, I was stunned to be walking into a white winter wonderland:

 This is a VERY BIG DEAL for us because we love snow, and it is our first winter to have our very own backyard and thus our very own patch of snow to play in.  Here is the path to our stream:

 And our little white backyard.

The kids apparently played in the snow all evening while I was gone!

The next morning was exciting taking the kids to school.

And I enjoyed a walk through the forest behind their school.

This is the moon above their snow-covered schoolyard.

 The sun rising throw the snowy trees:

 

What a beautiful wintery gift!