Happy Birthday, America!

Again, I'm a week late so I hope you feel it is better to be late than not at all. I have always tried to update this blog on Sundays, but because we can get cheaper rates by flying on the weekends, we often end up in an airport on the day I'm supposed to update! Last Sunday, however, we weren't traveling but we had company!

We started out the week going to Poland for the Central Catholic Cluster meeting. Two of our co-workers on the member care team, Kathy and Jerry, arrived in Budapest on Saturday, and on Sunday the four of us drove up to Poland. It was cheaper for them to fly into Budapest and the four of us drive up together, rather than for them to fly into Poland. That also gave us a little time to get to know them better, which I really enjoyed.

During the drive up, we drove through Slovakia, Czech Republic, and then into Poland. Saw this ancient castle along the way. (Sorry, I can't remember which country we were in!)

We stayed in a very nice hotel called Hotel Gotebiewski in the small town of Wisla. This is a Polish hotel chain, and we've stayed in the largest of their 3 hotels two other times elsewhere in Poland.

Ironically, the pronunciation of the name is "Go to buy whisky". We love it!

We did the member care visits with each of our personnel, but this time we had something special planned for us as member care! Bill, one of our volunteer counselors that has come out 4 years in a row, led us in two seminars. He is a professor at Ouachita Baptist University, has his own private counseling practice and is writing a book on pornography. He is the author of the well-known book, It's OK to Be An MK.

After the meeting ended on Friday, Jerry and Kathy came back to BP with us for 2 nights. Even though we spent the week "with them" in Poland, we didn't really have time to talk due to the full schedule so it was good to have a little more time with them to talk "shop".

We had one day in which we took them into town to do some sightseeing. (It is always easier to get to know people when doing something together rather than sitting across from them in the living room.)

I loved these painted footsteps on the curb, telling folks to wait for the pedestrian light.

In America, bookstores like Barnes and Nobles offer a relaxed atmosphere with books and coffee. Well, here in Europe they offer books and wine! Can you see it on the building???

We had PERFECT weather!

Jerry, Kathy and Glenn

This teal blue Le Baron convertible kind of sticks out like a beautiful thumb. This is my favorite car in my favorite color!

Starbucks has finally arrived in Budapest!!!! Not that I care for coffee, but I've been collecting Starbucks mugs for our pastor in America who prepares his sermons at the Starbucks on Dallas Hwy out near our old house. My Hungarian friend (Yes, it's official, I finally have a Hungarian friend!!!!) Judit and I went into town this past week to shop for fabric and I talked her into going into Starbucks so that I could buy a mug. She was a little confused as to why I would want the mug and not coffee!

Glenn and I have an upcoming trip in which I will have to dress more modestly than is the norm in Central and Eastern Europe so I am having Judit (a professional seamstress) make me a couple of appropriate outfits. This is her workroom. You would not believe the number of bolts of fabric she has in her workroom! I'm not really sure why we went fabric shopping downtown. I could have shopped in her basement and saved a lot of time!

My sister Karin and her family arrive in Budapest on Thursday for three days and two nights before they board a ship that will take them on a cruise up the Danube River. For those 3 days that they are here in town before the ship departs, we will show them the sights of our city. They came 3 years ago and saw most of it then, but this time they are bringing friends of theirs from S.C. who have never been here before so we get to be tour guides for their friends. I am looking forward to having them again!!

I hope you had a wonderful fourth of July! We spent the day with 80-90 other Americans, enjoying grilled burgers, a wide assortment of salads, homemade ice cream and watermelon. There were games (such as water balloon toss) for the children and patriotic songs for all. It was fun, and it was the first time we've really socialized outside our IMB circle since arriving here.

Dear friends of ours' son left for Iraq last week for a year. I spent a good portion of today thinking about him, his family, and praying for all our soldiers who risk their lives so that people around the world can live in peace. A very, very sobering thought. I hope you spent some time being thankful for the freedom we have as Americans. We are, indeed, blessed!