The Polish seaside!!!

In February, the Polish schools have a 2 week "winter break".  Traditionally, this is an opportunity for Poles to go skiing.  But since we had so little snow this winter, we took this opportunity to head up to the Polish seaside for the first time.  It was cool, but we saw some beautiful sights!  And we got to spend time with friends who live there !!

We had to see the sea as soon as we got there.............they even had a fabulous playground!!

Before we got there, Arin could not understand why we wouldn't be able to take our shoes off and walk on the beach.  She just couldn't comprehend a trip to the beach during the winter.  Once we got there, I asked her if she was ready to take off her shoes..................she looked at me like I had lost my mind.  It was chilly !!!!

There weren't alot of people on the beach that day......just us "crazies" battling the fierce winds.

We had to do our traditional "shell collecting".... Al said that was the coldest water he had ever touched that was actually still fluid !! Brrrrr!!

We got to see she shipyard !!!

They had an incredible science museum........

They had a wheelchair obstacle course, where kids get to experience the life of our handicapped friends.  It was very eye-opening for our kiddos.

Albert and Kirstin celebrated 14 years of marriage while we were at the seaside, so our kids got to spend an evening with friends while we had a romantic dinner overlooking the coast.

Getting to spend time with the Roberts family was an extra sweet blessing!!  They lived in Krakow for a season, but now live up north in Gdynia.

They have a crooked house to see... no special effects on this picture!

photo bombed by Angela and Macie!!

Visiting the pier in Sopot !!!

Ice skating on the pier.......fun!!

The joys of language learning

 In February, Albert finished another intensive language course at Jagiellonian University.  He passed every part of his exams, so we got to celebrate with a graduation ceremony.

The director, Pan Horbatowski, is getting ready to hand out the diplomas......

This man always mentions Albert's football teams, even publicly at graduation, because he came to a game once and was so enamored with that crazy American game.  But he was cheering with passion..............probably just for the coach, because he didn't understand anything about the game.

I guess the "hat toss" is a universal graduation celebration...........even for the Asian students!!!

Here is Albert with his professor, Pani Ula.  She loves our family, especially Arin, and has been a great advocate for us at the university.  She has a passion for helping foreigners adjust to her country, especially foreigners with kids.

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In April, Kirstin made the train trip to Warsaw, our country's capital, to take the B1 level language exam.  It consisted of 4 parts:  writing, listening, reading, and speaking.  She passed the exam, and then took the rest of the day to celebrate with Beverly who lives in Warsaw, and visit the city sights.  This was Kirstin's first time to see our capital.

And we off to take our exam........

 Celebration lunch....... pierogi !!!

 Seeing the sights around town

Back to the land of the living

Hello blog world !!!

I'm really embarrassed about how long of a break it has been since I've posted.  Updating the blog has been on my to-do list for quite some time, but I didn't realize how long !!!

I am so sorry.

For those of you who have faithfully prayed for us without any updates, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!

It has been a busy semester for us as a family, and I aim to fill you in on all the details in time, but mostly, I want to share with you the movements of God's hand around us these days!

Albert was able to finish his last intensive language semester at the university this spring, and Kirstin passed the B1 language exam !!  Progress with the Polish language is a miracle all by itself !!  We still have a long road ahead of us, but we are thankful for these mile markers !!!

Albert has been enjoying some great spiritual conversations with his football athletes this spring.  Two of the guys from the Czestochowa team have expressed an interest in deepening their relationship with God.  Although it's not the popular thing to do (according to their honesty), they would like to spend time with Coach in Bible study and prayer.  The logistics of this is difficult since we live 1.5 hours away from them, but we are so excited to see the spirit moving in their hearts !!!  Two of the guys from Bible study here in Krakow have shared recently about witnessing opportunities with their teammates, and the deepening of their prayer life with God.  They are eager to come to our house each week and study with Albert amidst the transitions to college life and the intense schedule of the football season.  It is amazing to witness !!!

Kirstin's mom's group continues to work through the Christianity Explored Bible study, and 2 of the other ladies have finally jumped in to help lead.  This is an answer to a long standing prayer request for us.  We long for them to be independent of the "missionary", and see these ministries as their own.

We have many more updates to come in the next few days or week (with pictures, I promise), but we want you to rejoice with us in the blessings of life here in Krakow.  We are thankful to serve here !!!