Does anyone speak English???

I went to the latest remodeled mall yesterday, Stary Browar, with my friend Doreen. After scouring the place and enjoying a cup of coffee, we decided to end our trip with a stop in to the grocery store Alma. Alma is our version of, let's say, Dierbergs or Tom Thumb (depending on where you live). They stock exotic items like brown sugar, cheddar cheese and 10 types of espresso. I first headed to the coffee aisle where I was searching out Boater's flavored coffee. Alma is the only place in Poznan that carries chocolate-cherry coffee along with a few other specialty flavors. To my delight, it was located beautifully on the top shelf and I snatched it up as if someone was going to steal it. I turned to my friend and said, "Don't look at the price, it is expensive!". To which she responded, "Hey, don't worry about me, I am a coffee lover too!"

We headed through the store, to the bread, yogurts and cheeses. I began a search for some hamburger, planning to make spaghetti for dinner when I heard several of the store employees saying something about English. I figured they must have heard Doreen and I talking and were commenting on us speaking English, as so many times people do. As I continued to shop, I realized they were not talking about us but rather trying to find someone who spoke English. I waited to see if anyone who actually worked there did, and when no one stepped up, I approached the lady organizing the meats and told her that I spoke English and Polish and could help if I was needed.

With a big smile on her face, she turns to let everyone know that they have found their native speaker and directs me toward a woman trying to buy cookies. I looked at the woman and, strangely, I recognized her! I had met her at an International Ladies Club meeting a few months ago and she recognized me also. She explained she wanted to buy 20 boxes of cookies and didn't know if she should take them directly from the shelf or get them from storage. I conveyed her message, translated back for her what she was to do, and then her and I exchanged friendly small talk. Mission accomplished!

Now, I want to share a secret with all of you. I was crushed a few days ago when someone, a Pole who we really don't know well, bluntly shared his feelings about my Polish and described me as WORSE than my husband! For Americans, learning this horribly difficult language, it is a real blow when someone makes a statement like that. I, of course, took it to heart and my dear husband had to remind me that he has hardly heard me speak any Polish and has heard Michael translate at baseball practice. (Although, it is hard not to think my husband might be a bit biased, you know?) He reminded me of all the times I have been complimented on my Polish and told me to not let it bother me.

I was honestly trying to rid those words from my mind (YOU ARE WORSE! YOU ARE WORSE!) when God reminded my through this experience in the store that "hey, I can speak Polish and can even help others out if I' m needed". I was reminded that God blessed us with the opportunity to study for two years and the ability to speak one of the hardest languages in the world. No, I do not speak Polish perfectly and probably never will but I must never minimize what God has given me and how He blesses!

What a week

Michael has written and updated everyone about the happenings of the week but I thought I would share my take on the whole thing.

Obviously, it has been extremely stressful for our whole family. On Monday morning, I decided to make it a special day and got up early and made homemade muffins and scrambled eggs with ham. We all sat down to eat together and prayed for the hearing. We also told the kids that after everything was done, we would go out to a nice dinner and just have a fun night. We wanted for the hearing to be the most minimum thought in their minds.

Well, I don't know if it really worked, at least my method of easing the situation. But, I will say that because of the prayers of all of you, there was a peacefulness on Monday evening that I couldn't describe. We went to the local mall and sat and ate, laughed, got some ice cream and just were together as a family.

We know that God is sustaining us through this whole ordeal and we know that He will be glorified in the end. There are so many Polish people, believers and those who have yet made that step, who are watching us, evaluating, waiting to see how we are going to respond. So many of them have said they would be furious if they were us and have bad-mouthed their country and the bureaucratic system. Through God's grace, we have been able to maintain our senses and have not fallen into the temptation to join them in speaking ill of Poland.

So, when this is all said and done, we will be able to give great testimony to how God has worked through this process of adoption. He has definitely changed so much in us as we have walked through the fire. But we are confident that we will come out on the other side. The Daniel study by Beth Moore had a great reminder for me...that when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, the only thing burned away were their bonds. God has used this process to burn away many things in my character that have held me bondage. May He be given the glory for His great work in us!

Too much Photoshop

Is it just me or do most women have constant issues with their appearance? We are always wanting to look our best, dress in the most fasionable clothes, have our hair just right. I would bet that I am not alone in my quest for beauty. Last Thursday, I had an appointment to get my hair cut. For almost two years, I have been letting my hair grow, only to be frustrated on a daily basis with how out of control it was. My hair is really thick and as it got longer, it got that much more unmanagable.

So, I went in to my hairdresser and had several pictures of hair styles and told her that I wanted "this length, these bangs and these layers". She looked at the pictures and then went to work. When she was done, I had the hair that I wanted (although a little shorter than I intended), but I felt like I wanted to cry. Stupid, I know. "It is just hair' someone lovingly told me (can you guess?). But, all of a sudden, I had this notion in my mind that "beautiful women have long hair" and the "cute" girls have short hair. But I want to be beautiful! All the models, actresses, girls in the magazines, they all have long hair and are gorgeous. I want to look like that too. Do you know how deceiving those images are??? Check out this unbelievable video clip...



That is what we are striving for! Photoshop! We want to be "photoshopped" and look perfect! Us women are doing everything we can to look like these models who have been made flawless by the strokes of a computer genius. Amazing, huh? This is the "holy grail" we are trying to obtain and it is just not real.

As women, we have got to stop being so obsessed with appearance and start seeing ourselves how God sees us. We are created in His image, so how can we be anything less than beautiful. No matter our size, our haircut, or our clothes, our worth and value must come from Him and not the models we see plastered all over the billboards and in magazines. Let's celebrate how God made us, imperfections and all, and use this vessel for His glory and not our own.

Welcome to Cyberspace!

As many of you know, I am not necessarily the techno guru of our family. Michael says that I have an aversion to anything technological. So, for me to have a blog is going to be a stretch but he continues to tell me that someone "out there" might want to hear from me! So, I am going to give you a look into my world and, hopefully, you will find it amusing and interesting. Living in Poland is an adventure everyday.

Many of you may wonder what exactly is so different about living in another country. Let me share what happened to me this week at Maciek's preschool. Last week I was informed of a special party his class was hosting for Mom and Dad's Day. On Tuesday, I was informed that he needed to be dressed in his "festive attire" which for Poles consists of dark pants, a white button-up shirt and dress shoes. Because we are not quite accustomed to all the ins and outs of school life here, Maciek does not have the typical "festive attire" and so I put him in dark dress pants and a long-sleeved red button-up shirt. It was warm that day but I thought "They told me he had to wear this so ok".

I arrive at school with my sweet, handsome preschooler (sweating) only to be asked by one of the teachers if I had some shorts and a short-sleeved shirt that he could put on because it was going to be hot that day (as if I am too stupid to realize this) and that he was already sweating (again, too stupid to know that!). I promptly stated that I thought he needed to be dressed in "festive attire" only to be told that they would gladly change him for the party. Why does he need these special clothes in the first place??? So they changed him into a shirt he already had at school for P.E. and he was good to go.

We arrive at the party. Every child but ours and one other is dressed in shorts, capris, t-shirts, and tank tops. Did I misunderstand something? No...the other parents just didn't want to bring an extra change of clothes!

So, living in another country means that half the time you feel like you just don't "get it" and the other half of the time you feel like you don't really care if you ever do! Oh well. It just makes you have to go with the flow a little more and be thankful that at least your kid has something on!