Kidd's Ring

good Monday at school getting to school early cooking with Beth an evening with friends cool weather in the morning and evening

beautiful Sunday weather and a chance to enjoy it this evening good talks with Felix meeting more of Felix's family ice cream cake for Felix's mom's birthday having Felix's grandmother look at me, turn my face to the light and then say, I approve! :) *can you tell that I spent the whole day with someone* ;)

- walking in the rain in new boots (see picture) - good laughs with friends while going to the fabric store and in the fabric store - eggrolls - hanging out w/ VCS teachers and Felix and watching a movie over a projector at someone's apartment - talking with my family with magic jack

The morning got off to a sad start today. Leanna wrote me an email and informed me of the death of two college students from my home church in Virginia. My heart was hurting all day thinking of their families' loss and how they must be feeling about this. I am so thankful that we have hope in God and that no matter what happens God has a wonderful plan. ...the knowledge that God is good and in control despite the heartache that life brings our way... ...encouraging words from friends during this sad time... ...comfort in prayer even in hard circumstances... ...facebook which helps me keep in touch with those that are also mourning... ...having one more day to be alive...

* having a student tell me that I am perfect for my job. I asked why and she goes, Because Miss Kidd is working with kids! :) * unexpected dropping in of friends at night, good talks! * despite delays on the subway, they were not too terribly long and I finally made it home * a good first day back of full day of teaching * fans to cool down the hot rooms

- Burger King lunch w/ friends - having a very productive morning, despite walking into my office and finding my computer gone! - a nap after work - talking to Randy on the phone - smiles from students

...watching a Cinderella ballet in front of the huge Rathaus here... ...Asian noodles... ...walking with Felix... ...beautiful morning to be on the canal... ...being with the Primary students...

Today was the first day back to school, however I did not teach today because specials do not start until Thursday. It was great seeing the kids again. Two months of not seeing the kids really does bring changes in them - they have all gotten so tall! It's strange to see kids in different classrooms though - feels so out of place! lol Here's my GST for the day: - getting up early enough to spend time with God before school - seeing the munchkins again after two months and receiving a welcome back present! :) - finally having my computer start up again after not wanting to all day! - having some time tonight to get some things done that I have been putting off - getting a phone call from my Daddy from America!

Friends+Zoo=good times Feeding of the seals See the penguin hugging another one? I love the yellow feathers - so funny looking! :) Quite the fluffy chicken One of the views from this bridge that hangs from trees at the Zoo Another view Lemurs! I love these little guys - White-handed Gibbons

church with Felix zoo with friends gelato ice cream thai pizza cooler weather *pictures to follow :)

getting things done at the apartment sleeping in pancake bfast with new friends walking in the rain under an umbrella an evening with Austrian friends

- getting a new map for my classroom! - riding my bike - trying to buy broccoli for a salad and not finding any and then going to the bbq tonight and someone had made their own! - seeing family through skype - watching the Cosby show

game night w/ the girls and hearing all the animal noises getting our DVD player and TV hooked up ;) after a year of no TV in our apartment, it's fun having one... lol. gelato ice cream ... yum, yum! riding my bike home from school - great view and wonderful breeze last day of orientation!

- a relaxing low-key evening with Felix - last shot of the row of tic shots (ouch!) - cranberries in a salad - a chance to say goodbye to friends that are moving, sad to have to say goodbye, but I'm glad I was here to say it - getting a little bit more done in my classroom

...successfully handing out our visa applications this a.m... ...a bit cooler this morning - wonderful blessing this morning... ...being goofy with Liz... ...having new friends over for dinner - yah new staff! :) ... ...surviving another day of orientation filled with meetings...

being back at school and seeing everyone! new tunes to run to tacos for dinner with RheaAnne and Felix getting all the paperwork together for our visas a fan to go to sleep by...it's so hot here at night!

amazing weather and enjoying it on a paddle boat with friends getting unpacked and things settled ice cream and an evening with Felix sleeping in and going to church at night the clean feeling after getting outside and sunscreen off :) The Girls and me on the paddle boat They were playing canoe polo on the danube! Really cool!

I wasn't able to blog yesterday due to lack of internet in the airport - lame! :) I am now back in Vienna - made it safe and sound. I am very tired but had good travels and a wonderful evening with Felix ;) So without further ado, here's yesterdays' GST: - sitting on the roof with Josiah and Christy Beaty and just enjoying life - playing a card game (Gang of Four) with the Beatys - seeing a beautiful cloud with sunbeams shining through - having planned plenty of time for travel to the airport and then check in (we got stuck in traffic and then there was a super long line for the security checkpoint) - my talk with Kendra on the way to the airport Today's GST will include some pictures, but the first one I want to blog about is seeing Felix again after two months of being separted. It was so wonderful just being with him again! I love it! AND he had so many beautiful flowers waiting for me ... so sweet!! :) Some of my other GSTs are: the yummy breakfast with Ibe...

- laughing with Kendra because of the crazy loud noises the car started to make (no worries, we were safe the whole time) - Taco Bell - final pamperings before leaving the country - chats with Kendra, Jesse and Josiah - Iced White Chocolate Mocha

- games with Leanna, Nathan, Kendra and Josiah - Subway for lunch - helping Jesse out with their rennovations in the garage - final hours with Leanna and Nathan :( good, but sad times - emails from Felix

...showing pictures and seeing pictures with Mrs. Davis... ...seeing Jesse, Kendra and Josiah again - great friends... ...bagel sandwiches... ...sleeping in the car on our way to Maryland... ...send off prayer from the church staff...

I would like to start this entry with my afternoon ... I got a phone call from my mission's pastor here in Virginia. I had a really good meeting with him back in June and just recently he asked about support. I was not sure what the church would be able to do with the economic situation the way it is. So this afternoon, he called and informed me of the decision that the church had made in regards to my support and I was blown away by their VERY generous gift. He said a bunch of nice things about my work and how the church wants to be a part of it! I was so honored and humbled by this! I was concerned about my support, but knew that God would provide (just had no idea how!). His goodness and faithfulness just amazes me. It's such a huge confirmation, too, about where HE wants me to be! God is so good - praise God for His provision! I am still in awe about this news!!!! Here are my GST for the day and they truly are small in comparision to my talk with the mission's pastor!! ...

1. praise and worship at church 2. prayer with friends 3. driving Joanna's new car, Lars ;) 4. hearing the teens report about their mission's trip to Korea 5. homemade sweet 'n' sour chicken

...games with sisters... ...laughter with tears... ...last baby hugs and kisses... ...downsizing of long-lost belongs... ...double-header movie night...

Today was the last full day of being with Laura, Julienne and Andrew...it's been sad thinking about the goodbyes, but I am so thankful for this time that we have had together. Today's GST include this video - having Julienne share her Cheerios with me! Another GST is spending lots of time with Laura and Leanna and just laughing together (Laura and I pushing and shoving for the front seat of Leanna's car - I won ;) lol). I think I've finally finished all the paperwork needed to fix a dumb mistake I made with the IRS and getting the help from various people - a big GST right there! Two more to top of to my normal five would be walking with Julienne through the grass and Cold Stone Creamery Ice Cream with my sisters (esp. standing in line, we must have looked and sounded ridiculous (in our English-German mishmash) trying to decide what to order- it only took us FOREVER! lol). Great times had with sisters today! I dread tomorrow and having to say goodbye to Laura, Andr...

1. Great turnout for my meeting tonight about my life in Vienna - it was really encouraging to have so many people there and interested in what is going at VCS! 2. Fun times making food for tonight with Laura. 3. More precious Julienne moments throughout the day. I love being an aunt! 4. More support coming in throughout the night. 5. Amazing omelet for breakfast!!!

- hearing Julienne's giggles - many laughs while playing games with Laura and Andrew - eating the gooey insides of brownies - rainstorms - fast internet

...walking through sprinklers and watching Julienne enjoy the water... ...laughing at how silly Laura and I look with gel masks - but boy was our skin soft afterwards... ...Crystal, a college friend, coming up to hang out for a few hours... ...bbq brisket - yummy.... ...working out to Abba in the aerobics class with Laura...

- another fun day with Julienne (see video in the blog entry below) - sweet Julienne faces and sounds - aerobics class with Laura at the Y - taco salad for lunch - laid back day to read, skype and enjoy family

I love the little pucker face she makes!!

So apparently these hot dogs are from Martinsville ... they are nastily pink, but don't taste quite as bad as they look ...

...watching Julienne dance to worship music in church and then having her put her head on my shoulder... ...a rainy Sunday afternoon nap... ...playing Scrabble with Laura and Andrew and laughing at dumb things said because we are tired... ...both Felix and I having time to talk... ...seeing the love and appreciation that Laura and Andrew's church have for them...

Today was Julienne's 1st birthday party! :) I am so thankful that I am able to be here to celebrate with my precious little niece. It was such a fun day filled with many great moments. Watching Julienne "opening" her presents - as much as a 1 year old can ;) - and playing with her new kitchen was so sweet! I've been so blessed to be with my sisters and their husbands and my niece this summer - our times together are few throughout the year, but when we do get together they just become that much more special to me! Here are my GST for the day and then a few extra: - celebrating the life of Julienne Anastasia Shanks - seeing the beautiful smile and hearing the sweet laugh of Julienne - playing Cranium with Leanna, Laura, and Andrew - many great pictures taken today - laughs with my sisters - spray on aloe vera - the plastic dishes (esp. spoons) that I got for Julienne being a big hit with her - Laura asking me silly questions just to get me to say yes (we watched Yes Ma...

- catching up with a former Awana worker and having her give me money for Vienna! - playing with Julienne and bubbles and hearing that sweet little laugh - coffee with Meredith - bfast with Bekah from VCS, she was in town to visit her grandparents in Lynchburg - buying a plane ticket to go to Germany in October plus a phone call from the bank a little over an hour later just to be sure that my past transactions have truly been mine (I was amazed at how quickly they noticed an irregular transaction, since it was in euros and I've been using dollars over the past month!)