Ella's first piano recital

I have wanted Ella to take piano lessons since she was born. That has been a huge desire I have had. Well it took moving to Poland to make that happen. They offer lessons for piano, guitar, violin, and flute at her school. She began taking lessons just before Christmas. She has a talent for it. Last Saturday she had her first recital. She and her teacher played a duet. She did great!

                      

Spring has Sprung

After a slow start to our winter season, winter eventually came with a vengeance. Single digit temps for days and snow everywhere took its toll. It was quite a blessing this weekend to have sunshine at temps in the mid 60s. (It's amazing how warm 60 feels after 6.) I wore a t-shirt, capris and flats without socks.  Saturday we all went to the park to play. The girls roller bladed and played frisbee and after we lost Ella for a bit in the big crowds...we lost her but she never lost us...Traci and took a LONG walk looking for her. We soaked up the rays for as long as we could...along with half the population of Krakow. 

Macie of course made a friend. 

FBC Georgetown Youth

Before we even left for Poland, our friend Brett, who is the youth minister at FBC Georgetown, asked about setting up a partnership with us to bring his youth group over to do ministry. Well this past week was their first trip here. I was STRESSED OUT!!! I wanted everything to go smoothly. I was so anxious about getting meals prepared and eaten in time to catch trams or for evening activities. But it all worked out and all was great!

The day they arrived we let them get settled in their hostel and walk around the Rynek and then had dinner at our Polish version of Chili's...not quite Chili's but it's ok.

Our goal was to keep them awake to get their bodies adjusted to the time change...obviously we weren't super successful. 

Day 2 we went to church at our church and had lunch at a pizza place nearby. Then a few people began tearing out the stage at the church so they could rebuild it during the week. The rest of us did a prayer walk around the city. It was a great time of praying for our ministries as well as showing them the city of Krakow. 

Brett preached and did an amazing job!

Praying at the Jewish Ghetto wall.

The next 3 days we spent doing crafts and games at Ella's school in their after school program, building the stage at the church, surveys of people in the Rynek about their thoughts on religion, and 2 of the evenings we had a youth meeting and had an amazing turn out of Polish teenagers. Unfortunately the girls and I did not stay for the youth nights so I have no pictures of that. 

The last day they went to Auschwitz. Again, I did not participate so I don't have any pictures. We took them to eat twice at two of our favorite places...Babcia Malina and Pod Wawelem. It was a fast week but we had a great time. We are praying that the people they encountered were blessed and taken one step closer to God. 

FBC Georgetown has amazing youth!!! Ella and Macie made great friends and were terribly sad they were leaving. They were already counting down to their return in 2 years and figuring out who would be able to come and who wouldn't. Thanks for being awesome!!!