Mini Quilt

Okay so I posted about the adorable d0ll quilt tutorial that was posted over at Sew Mama Sew, anyhow I've been working on it when I have time and here it is. Maybe today I'll be able to finish the quilting (my very first time freehand quilting) and the binding today. I really just wanted to see if I could do it and I'm happy to say; I think I can!!

Life in General or Major?

Goodness it seems like to keep up with what's happening here in Croatia I would need to post daily, yea I guess I do.

I haven't even told you about English class or Friend Day or Saturday J&R or any of the regular things I do each week.

It's interesting, the other day I was hanging out in the office with my sweetie and staring out the window when I said that nothing ever happened here and I had nothing to write about. He looked at me and said something that translated in my mind to this:

What are you talking about? You live in Europe, you speak a different language, you eat foods that others don't even know exist and everything around you is different than that of most of your readers.

and do you know what, he's right, or at least my auto-translator was right. Life here is different.

We have been here almost 9 years and after 9 years most things are hum-drum now. "Ain't" nothing new around here or at least that's how it seems. I have forgotten that thrill that newness brings. When we were first here in 2000, every day was an adventure. There were new tastes and sights everywhere I turned. I could have written 3 blog posts a day back then.

Anyhoo, I realize we live in a very unique situation and if I try hard enough I may find some pretty interesting happenings around me. I know God wants us to live an abundant life here in Croatia and I guess it's about time I start doing that.

I think I'm going to start a weekly post called I Love Croatia and maybe through that I'll see some of the wonderful sites and sounds I have grown way too accustomed to.

Okay so I'm rambling, I know but that's me and how my mind works, I'm sure you understand!


Wanted to share with you one of my favorite places in all of Croatia. Plitvička Jezera is one of the most enchanting places on earth, I think anyhow, just one of the lovely sites Croatia has to offer.

Adding to the Blogger Family

I'm so happy to announce that my sweetie has decided to take up blogging. He's been encouraged to write before but who has the time. Well I sold him on the ease of Blogger and I'm happy to say he's doing a great job.

Please drop by and leave a comment, he would love it!

SWD 2/20

My very first Simple Woman's Daybook...

FOR TODAY ...
Outside my window...fog, lots of fog

I am thinking...about finishing my doll quilt

I am thankful for...children who always give good morning hugs

From the learning rooms...up to my neck in papers in need of grading

From the kitchen...fridge is needing some cleaning :0)

I am wearing...a navy pair of culottes and a pink sweater twinset

I am creating...a doll quilt and a new apron

I am going...to Budapest in a few weeks

I am reading...in Hosea and Matthew

I am hoping...for some warmer weather

I am hearing...the kids discuss school at the kitchen table

Around the house...there are many jobs needing to be done, especially the ironing

One of my favorite things...is the song my husband wrote and sang to me on Valentines Day

A few plans for the rest of the week:the normal weekly things, school, church, soul-winning and more church

Here is picture thought I am sharing...Johnny and I headed out on date night.

Adorable Doll Quilt Tutorial

Okay look what I found over at Sew Mama Sew blog, a wonderfully cute doll quilt tutorial. I would totally love to learn to quilt but I've always been scared of trying, not any more. I'm actually going to do this tutorial tomorrow and then I'll let you know how it goes.
Check it out!

Talk about writers block

Calling Marko!

If you see this Marko, please call us at 091-7304483 or e-mail us reachingcroatia4christ (at) yahoo (dot) com. We would love to get in contact with you.

What a Man!

I just wanted to take a little time and praise the Lord for giving me such a wonderful husband. Last night after date night we went to buy a few groceries and ........................................... oh wait let me back up for a moment.

I absolutely love Nescafe Vanilla Cappuccino. I always save 5 extra points each day to have one and for thelast two days I have been without it and having some major withdrawls. Anyhow I kept saying that I needed to go get some but with life and all I never made it to the store to pick some up so the craving was never quenched.

Okay now back to my story. We went to the grocery store after eating out last night and got what we needed for the next few days. At least we thought we did until we got home and I started to put things up and then I realized ............................... I FORGOT THE CAPPUCCINO!!
I was so sick and it was really too late to go out again so I sadly resigned myself to another boring day without my Vanilla Cappuccino.

Anyhow, to make a long story longer. Johnny always goes to work on the Croatian Bible Project on Tuesdays so I knew I would have to wait for him to come home at 3:00 to go get the cappuccino because he left the house at 7:00 AM.

Anyhow, again, I woke this morning knowing that it would be another cappuccino-less day and resigned myself to it until I made it to the kitchen. On the counter was a love note (not sharing that) and two boxes of Nescafe Vanilla Cappuccino. On the boxes he wrote: I ♥ U and For Tori Only. Do you know what he had to do to get up, get ready for work, do his devotion and all and still go to the store to get the precious cappuccino?

Well I just want to thank the Lord for Johnny, the most precious thing I have on this earth and praise Johnny a little bit for being so Christlike in his love towards me. I'm sure Abraham must have been a little like Johnny for it to be so easy for Sarah to call him Lord.

I took this picture of Johnny last night at the restaurant we ate at. Love that smile!


Love you Baby!

What's wrong with a little Bible anyhow?

This morning we headed out to Varaždin to pass out some John and Romans. Our goal is that every house in town will receive a John and Romans and 3 different Gospel tracts. Anyhow, we passed out a whole box this moring, Don't know how many that was but it was several hundred. Anyhow today when we got home, a man called Johnny and was irate. He was so angry that his house had received a J&R that he threatened to call the police and all sorts of not-so-nice stuff. Then he told my husband to come back to his house and take the J&R back, Johnny was like "What?". Anyhow after a heated conversation the phone call ended. How funny that this man was so angry for receiving a little piece of the Bible. I mean come on, he could have threw it out, but noooo, he had to call Johnny and gripe about it. Anyhow, I thought it was so funny. Funny because why didn't the man just throw it out? He would have saved himself a few cents and time if he would have just thrown the book away. Anyhow, I'm glad he called because it shows that Ol' Slew foot himself isn't so happy and that's kinda good. °Ü°

An Ode to Pam!

Okay so you know we live in Europe and most items that we were accustomed to in America we have learned to live without. Most, I said, not all. There are certain items that are irreplaceable, there are not substitutes for them. Pam non-stick cooking spray happens to be one of them. Actually I buy the Wal-mart brand butter flavor and it works just fine. Anyhow, a friend of mine who came to visit back in the Spring brought me a few cans and we ran dry back about a month ago so we have been in dire straits for some time and trying anything we can to fill the empty place Pam has left in our lives.

Anyhow, the other night out buying some groceries; I'm looking at the new maraschino cherries that have never been available until now as Johnny comes almost in a run from the other isle. Guess what he's holding.....okay, I'll tell you. Johnny is holding a can of Pam cooking spray. You have got to be kidding, I had to look twice before I believed it. Talk about a miracle, no way, could Pam have really moved to Croatia too???

So we head around the corner to start filling our basket, knowing that most new things in Croatia don't stay long so you better stock up while you can. Anyhow, as we start to fill our basket I noticed the price. EEEK!!! 83 kuna and 99 lipa! Okay I know that means nothing to you but 83 kuna is about $16 at the current exchange rate. Can you believe it, maybe you don't, but a can of Pam cooking spray in Croatia is $16!!!

Notice that the boxes are still full, that's because we put back all out glorious Pam. She's way too high maintenance for us.

It's kinda ironic, Pam is so close yet so far away. So if you have a Pam in your life; enjoy her, cherish her and praise the Lord everytime you buy her for less than 2 bucks!!!

Just a little winter fun!

Saturday morning after soul-winning we stopped by the Old Town in Varazdin, the city where the new church plant is. Anyhow, this really old castle is surrounded by huge hills all around it. These hills make the perfect place to sled during the snowy months of winter.

Anyhow, I took some videos and I have to say, they are hilarious. There are 4 because Joshua is so funny I put two of him on.

Oh yea and listen to the dialog between Dad and the kids, way too funny!!
Enjoy the laugh.

Make sure to listen to Dad in this one, way too funny!!