Quick update

Well, as you have probably guessed, we still do not have internet at our house. That is why many of you think that we have dropped off the face of the earth. We are trying to find any wireless signal to use to send a quick email here and there, but it is quite difficult. You should have seen Josh the other day walking around a park with his laptop in the air trying to find a signal! It was pretty funny. We actually found one, and just as I sat down to check my email, the kids were hungry and Carli had to go to the bathroom, so I didn't get to do much. Today, Ira was so nice to bring us his laptop to use with his little wireless thing that lets him find a signal wherever he is. So I have a little more time. (That is until the kids need something!)

We finally recieved the things that we shipped! Praise God! It is a little like Christmas around here as we open all the boxes. The kids are so happy to have their toys. Now we are trying to figure out where to put everything. I did ship some of my pans that do not fit in my little European oven, so the kids might get to use those as sleds this winter! It is not until you move to a different place that you realize how much you don't need.

On Saturday, we did take a break from all of our unpacking to go to one of my favorite places in Vienna- Schoenbrunn Palace. We went to a bakery for breakfast and packed a lunch and brought our Nerf football and spent the day out there. Then the kids and I went to the zoo which is also right there at the palace. (Josh went to pick his team for Fantasy football). We had a lot of fun and it was a great break.

The kids have made some friends with the neighbor kids. Every day they go outside to ride their scooters and play with them. They cannot speak English and our kids can't speak German (yet) so they are constantly running inside asking Josh how to say certain words. It is amazing how kids can make friends so quickly and how language is not a barrier.

We enrolled in German classes last week. Josh and I will be at the same school (different levels of course) and he will go in the morning and I will go in the afternoon, so we will not have to find babysitters. We start classes on Sept. 3rd. We are both very excited.

That is a quick overview of what we have been up to. We should hopefully have our internet set up this week so we will be able to write more regularly. Meanwhile, please pray that God will continue to use us here in Vienna.

Happy Assumption Day!

Today the Austrians are celebrating Assumption Day. Apparently, today is the day that they set aside to commemorate the Virgin Mary's assumption into heaven. What that exactly means, I'm not quite sure. But what that does mean to me, is that everything in Vienna is closed. I had no idea and Josh went out to run errands and returned soon thereafter. So we have have a nice relaxing afternoon and plan to pick right back up tomorrow in getting settled. Maybe I should buy an Austrian calendar.

First Trip to the Doctor

I don't know if you all remember that Josh had an ingrown toenail right before we left for Vienna, and he had to have it removed... (sorry for the details). Anyway, it must have been contagious, because soon after we got here, I got one too. It was very painful and all the walking that we have to do, did not help it at all. So I decided to find a doctor. I asked my new landlord if she new of a doctor who spoke English that I could go to. She gave me the name of her doctor who was from Egypt. She assured me that he spoke English and that he could fix my toe. At that point, I did not care who the doctor was, I just wanted some relief. So the next day I went out looking for the doctor's office. I had a few directions and a map and I started on the search. After getting on the wrong bus and then having to get on the U-Bahn for one stop and then getting on the wrong Strassenbahn, I was very lost. You see, I usually just follow Josh and he gets us where we need to go. I decided that he should stay home with the kids, and I would go by myself this time. Wrong choice!
I finally made it to the doctors office (which was on the second floor of an apartment building) and I bravely walked up to the receptionist desk. I asked her if she spoke English and she said no, so I just started talking in English anyway. After a brief description of what was wrong with me, she told me to stop talking. So I did. She said "Insurance". So I gave her my card. She handed it right back to me and said "Give me thirty euro". I said OK and then she told to sit down. So I did.
One minute later, I heard someone in the back say "Hensal". So I stood up and walked back to the back room and there was the doctor. I asked him if he spoke English and he said "A little bit". He asked what was wrong, so I told him my toe hurts. He looked at it and then he said "I do operation". I said, "Excuse me"? He said "You take medicine for one week, and I do operation. But, I go on Urlaub.." (vacation) "so you find new doctor". Then he told me to go back and sit down. Then he called me back and put a band-aid on my toe and told me to sit back down. I did and then the receptionist said "Hensal- thirty Euro" so I gave it to her and she gave me a prescription and I left.
I called Josh and started bawling! It was the worst culture shock day for me so far!
I have just finished the medicine, so now I am trying to decide if I need "operation" or not. It is feeling much better, so we will have to see.

New House

We are officially into our new house! Well, we have beds to sleep in and one couch to sit on and one coffee table to eat on, but we are out of our temporary housing! The kids love their new beds and this is the first time Cotter is in his big boy bed! He gets up a million times a night, but that is expected. We are now trying to get the rest of the things we need, and the things that we shipped should be here soon. We are doing well, and we will try to keep you all updated. We will have limited access to email for the next few weeks until we get everything set up at our house. Please continue to keep our team in your prayers as we all try to get settled.