Beauty in the Mist

BUT...

On Thursday we arrived home exhausted from our 3 week trip to the UK and Amsterdam (thanks so much to all those who hosted us so well and took the time to spend with us). It is great to be home again (even if the journey did take us 12 hours, not sure what went wrong there!) and it was a lovely feeling to really feel like this is our home as soon as we arrived.

BUT...there is always a tinge of sadness at saying goodbye to loved ones, knowing they're no longer just down the road, and there is always regret at not being able to catch up with more of our wonderful friends (sorry if you were one of those, please consider yourselves abundantly loved).

BUT...we're really excited about how God might use us over this next season here and what adventures we may get caught up in (we have lots of dreams and ideas).

BUT...I struggle once again with my role as a mother in a foreign land and what that involves and how I can provide the best for my children, giving them a childhood they can look back on with happy memories.

BUT...I have lots of friends here who I know love and care for me which is more than I can ask for, 2 beautiful, amazing children, a husband who loves me and a Father in heaven who provides for my every need...enough said :)

Learning as we go along...

Homeschooling requires lots of flexibility (at least the way we do it does!). This week has been a great example of this:

Basically we plan key skills work (number, word, IT, motor and thinking skills) each morning until 10.30 am and then after a break we EXPLORE. This is based on the International Baccalaureate primary system (well in principle) and enables the children to develop a love of learning and to investigate the world around them.

Yesterday was a national holiday here (Independence Day) and when the children discovered that nobody else would be going to school they asked whether they could have a day off too! So after much thought I said they could have the day off if they first found out why September 8^th is a national holiday in Macedonia and prepared a short presentation about it. They ran off as quick as a flash and really enjoyed working together for the next 2 hours investigating all about the holiday and making a slideshow which they presented beautifully to Anna and I.

Download Macedonia

So, while they were having lots of fun and were thinking they were having a ‘day off’, I was making a gleeful note of the teamwork, I.T., investigation, communication and self-management skills they were practising! Mimi and Evan then enjoyed the rest of the day playing with Stojan from next door (social interaction and foreign language skills!), followed by a trip into town to see the Arts Festival taking place (gallery, live bands, interactive exhibitions)!!

And today? Today was back to the usual routine with just a slight detour at the end.

During their break the children decided to make a hideout downstairs in the utility room (design skills always at the ready!). As they were so into it I gave them extra time for their ‘break’ so they could finish what they had started. Eventually I called them up for ‘exploring’ assuring them it was related to the hideout.

Following yesterday’s trip to the art’s festival I planned to help them evaluate and create a copy of one of the exhibitions we saw entitled: ‘Skopje in a Box’ (see photos).

 

So, instead of using a cardboard box I suggested they use their hideout as the ‘box’. A short brainstorm later they chose to create ‘Legoland in a Box’ and they set about creating abstract paintings to represent the different areas they had enjoyed at Legoland. which we. When all the hard work was done and their pictures were stuck on the wall inside the ‘box’ they were rewarded with a picnic hamper full of goodies and a chance to have a picnic at ‘Legoland’.

 

Oh, and my reward? A peaceful lunch all by myself, eating home-made soup and reading a book in the sunshine…ah bliss!!

It’s taken me 3 years to get to this stage – where I feel confident being this flexible – but I’m so glad I now have a longer-term outlook, remembering that education, although a daily process, is a lifelong adventure.

 

PS – can you remind me of this on the bad days? :)

Rock, paper, scissors!

I've never been one of the 'cool' gang and am still more than happy to just be myself, whatever that may be. But for some reason God has us here hanging out with a whole variety of cool people - ninjas, designers, photographers, film-makers, poets and not forgetting the best tattoo artist in Macedonia (and beyond?) - which often makes me laugh!

You would think that I could get away with pretending I was cool and knowing what's new and 'happen'in' for a while, but it seems already they have a way of finding me out... rock, paper, scissors. Yes, remember the simple game we played as children, you say rock, paper, scissors and hold your hand in the formation of one of those, hoping that you win by blunting the scissors or cutting the paper etc. Well here it takes a different, more dangerous, more embarrassing form. It's a 'greetings' game!!!

How does it work? Well, when you greet somebody from Glasnost it's a risk. You hold out your hand all innocently (the normal greeting is a handshake and a 'hello') but before you know it you can be greeted with a 'hi-5', a fist (don't know what that's called), a finger / hand sliding affair or even a clasp! Who knows what greeting will spring from behind your opponent's back! How you are ever supposed to win this game I do not know, and of course, more often than not I lose. Hey, ho!

My favourite time of day

Rest time!

With the temperatures very high during the day, the early rising in the mornings and the (potential of!) late nights, a half hour rest after lunch has become the order of the day for the children and I. It also gives us a break from each other where all is quiet for 30 minutes, or so.

Here are some of my rest-time activities (well, you didn't expect not to make use of the time is some way did you?):

Knitting
Soaking in some music
Reading - Bible or an inspiring book (currently...)
Sitting on my bed in a tidy bedroom (not always possible with a messy, but lovely husband!)
Listening to a podcast (God's Story and HTB are faves)
And of course napping!!

Sounds like a bit of a luxury, I know, but it has become a really important way to re-charge my batteries (spiritual, physical and emotional) for the rest of the day. And on some days if even feels like I get a chance to have the day all over again after the rest, or like it's a 2 days in one - it divides the morning and afternoon beautifully.

I highly recommend it!

Go on try it, I know you want to...

My first Macedonian Wedding

'Put on your dancing shoes and be prepared to stay up late!'

Those were the words of advice from my Macedonian friends about attending a Macedonian wedding. What they didn't tell me was 'the first lot of food is just a starter, leave room for the real food' and 'don't sit so near the speakers'!!

But despite not being able to hear anything my table companions said, being more full than I have since Christmas and being there without my wonderful husband, it was great fun!

A dress for my daughter

Last week, knowing we had our first Macedonian Wedding to go to, I realised that Mimi didn't have a dress to wear. So (being of 'Temple' origin and) wanting to get my sewing machine out after bringing it all this way, I decided to make one.

In Skopje there is an amazing open market selling pretty much anything you can want including a 'women's market' with a huge range of fabrics, ribbons, beads ad infinitum. Anna and I went there last Thursday afternoon to practice our Macedonian, buy some material and haberdashery as well as to take some photos of this amazingly colourful sight.

Under Mimi's orders to find pale blue fabric for her dress I searched high and low, in and out of the stalls until I found just the right one - a sheer pale blue fabric with matching lining.

With only 1 week to go I started my adventure using an old pattern given to me by my sister (in fact I think it was the pattern for my bridesmaid's dresses!).

The result? Not dissatisfying! And 'I made it all by myself!'

I wonder what I shall make next?

My brother

 Each year I become worse, not at remembering people's birthdays, but at doing something about them...

A few days ago my wonderful brother had his umpteenth birthday but the day came and went without a hide-nor-hair from me, so here goes:

An ode to my Brother

My brother is handsome,
My brother is cool.

He can do almost anything;
At least that seems the rule!

He makes a great Uncle,
The kids love him to bits.

Whenever they see him
He has them in fits!

He's very creative,
With his hands and his brain

And he doesn't mind explaining things
Again and again.

Although I don't see him much
Of him I am keen.

His laugh, his smile
And his love for baked beans!

He's my big brother
From morn to midnight.

He kind and he's generous
In fact he's just right!

Happy (belated) Birthday Mike. I love you. M x

Day 17

Skopje

has been our home for 17 days!

 

What a privilege it is to be here, hanging out with the guys from Glasnost; trying out this crazy language; rekindling old friendships and making new ones; living in a amazing place we can call home; eating the biggest and best burgers in the world…

 

And that’s just the start!

A Day out in Veles

I was pleasantly surprised when we visited Veles today. This town, about 45 minutes from Skopje, is renowned for being the hub of all the dirty industry in Macedonia and so I expected the worst, but we found...

 

a beautiful park
showering fountains
quaint back streets
the meandering river
delicious skara (bbqd meat)

My fondness for this country continues to grow :)