Time Off for Good Behavior?

I get asked a lot about how things are different in Vienna than they are in the US. Well, almost everything is different to some degree, however, store's opening hours are a biggie. Firstly, all stores--grocery, bakery, department--are only open until 7:00 during the week. I think on Thursdays they possibly stay open an hour later in some cases. On Saturday everything closes down at 5 or 6 and on Sunday nothing is open. I've heard rumors that there is one grocery store open on the other side of town, but have never checked it for myself. Now, for the holiday season all of this changes a little, at least for the last week, anyway. For example, everything closed early on the 24th and remained closed until the 27th, which was a Thursday this year. Then everything was closed again on Sunday. Today, Monday, open again, but closed early for New Year's Eve and will remain closed until the 2nd. So, to do the math for you, in the last week everything has been open for only 3 1/2 days!!!! Needless, to say I'll be glad to get back to normal. I went to the grocery store today and stood in line for 25 minutes!!!! It actually took me longer to check out than it did to fill my basket. Next time you run to Wal-Mart or Crest at 10:00pm, remember me. Happy New Year, everyone!!!!

Frohe Weinachten

Wow!!! Has it really been a month since my last post? Apparently, so. Well, December is almost over and we are fast approaching the 6th month anniversary of our arrival in Vienna. I know I've said it before, but it hardly seems possible we have already been here that long. Well, December here shared some similarities with the Decembers we've spent in the US and, of course, there were also some differences. We started the month off with some new experiences, sort of. In Vienna, like many other places in Europe, the Christmas markets open the season. These are large outdoor market areas filled with all kinds of yummy foods and drinks and also a vast array of Christmas ornaments and other yuletide accessories. I'm not sure how many of these there are in Vienna, but we managed to make it to a few. I guess we'll save the rest for next year.

Another, sort of new experience for us was buying a Christmas tree here. Now, Jake has assured me since our first Christmas together that no self respecting Colorado native can have an artificial tree. So, like years past we set out to find a fresh tree. Now, we have traditionally, put our tree up the first weekend in December. However, we discovered in Vienna most people don't put up a tree until Christmas eve. Well, I wasn't too excited about that idea. Luckily, a few trees did start appearing around town the second week of December so we scored one fairly early by Austrian standards.



Mid December also held another blessing. Jake's parents made their first trans Atlantic flight and joined us for Christmas. I think everyone was a little nervous about this flight, but they arrived safely and right on time. We had a great time having them here. Abby was especially excited to see her Nana and Grandpa. We took them to a few places of interest around Vienna and shared with them the little bit of information we new about what we were looking at. I would say Jake and I for sure need to learn a little more about this beautiful city if we are going to be proper tour guides. The weather here has been pretty cold, below freezing, so we didn't get to go out too much. Dragging a 4 year old around to look at old building while her lips are turning purple from the cold, is not anyone's idea of fun. Nevertheless, we all had a good time spending the holiday together. Jake's mom and I fixed Christmas dinner in my miniature, European kitchen. All was well, but it take some extra planning ahead. My oven is only big enough to cook one thing at a time. Brian and Alisha also joined us for dinner.



It was a little strange being so far away from our entire family, except Jake's parents, for Christmas. Vienna is a lovely place at Christmas, but I must say, I missed so many things from home. Here is a list of a few: day after Thanksgiving shopping, Salvation Army bell ringers, 24 hours a day Christmas music on the radio, Christmas parades, Christmas parties, Santa Claus, Christmas TV specials (the sappier the better), peppermint mocha from Starbucks, Christmas cards (thanks to the couple of you who sent them), and last but not least eating Mexican food on Christmas eve and driving around looking at Christmas lights afterwards.

So, I hope all you readers out there in blog land had a Merry Christmas and a have Happy New Year.

Germany and Thanksgiving

Jake, Abby and I had the blessing of traveling to Germany for the 45th Annual Euro American Retreat. This is a retreat for American military stationed in Europe and Missionaries serving in Europe. I can not begin to say what a blessing this retreat was. It came at the perfect time for us. We were so encouraged by the singing and lessons. It was also so nice to meet others who are "like us". We especially enjoyed getting to know 3 members of the Olomoc, Czeck Republic Team a little better. I believe there were about 100 people in attendance from all across Europe. The weekend was filled with encouraging messages from God's word delivered by Tony Coffee, from Ireland and Dale Hawley from the US. Several other men also shared great devotional thoughts as well. Jake and I, along with the rest of the Vienna Team, had the privilege of working with Dale as we prepared to come to Vienna. It was so good to see him and his wife, Vicki, again. We also read Tony Coffee's book several years ago as we prepared to do a summer mission in Warsaw, Poland. Tony is a gifted speaker and teacher. You can check out some of his work here Abby also enjoyed the retreat, seeing some of her "old" friends and also making some new. Children's classes were held each morning and evening, so Jake and I got to concentrate fully on the messages. Parents everywhere know how exciting this was for us. On the final night of the retreat the kids did a little program for us. You can see Abby's class in the video below.

Retreat Pictures


The Performance



After a great time in Germany we returned to Vienna on Wednesday night, everyone spiritually uplifted, but physically exhausted. Thursday was, of course, Thanksgiving, but not here. A few restaurants offer Thanksgiving dinners or buffets, but they are pretty expensive. In the Haskew household, we celebrated by ordering pizza and watching the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions game, which was actually broadcast here. Not to worry, we had a real dinner with the team on Saturday. We all gathered at the Lockwood's for food and fellowship. It was a little sad not being with family for this first major holiday, but our team has become like family to us. We had plenty of food, which I must say was prepared mostly by other people. I got off easy and only had to bring the turkey. I'm sure everyone else spent days in the kitchen getting ready. It was soooooo good!!! So, now the countdown to Christmas begins. What Vienna lacks in Thanksgiving it more than makes up for in Christmas. I am looking forward to having Christmas here. I'll try to keep you all posted on the fun activities.

Great friends

I just wanted to send out a big thanks to Candice and our awesome Bible class from MRCC. We scored two packages this week from these folks. First, Candice and Jonathon sent a care package full of goodies and then today we got an evelope full of cards from our Just Starting Out class. These things came at a great time. I've been a little down at times lately missing friends and life in general in the States. It was so encouraging to get the notes from our friends. Actually, I even got 2 phone calls recently from Candice and Elizabeth. That was so AWESOME!!! Candice has been so good at keeping in touch with us and is a great encourager. I want to say thanks to everyone who has sent an email, a note or who has visited us already.

Birthday Girl

Well, we have reached another milestone, Abby turned 4. I can hardly believe my little girl is so big. It seems like only yesterday we were bringing her home from the hospital, but alas.....
We had the entire team over to help us celebrate and a good time was had by all, I think. We had lunch, then cake and presents. Afterward, we took the kids over to the pond near our house to feed the ducks. Here are a few pictures of the festivities.



And just as a point of reference here she is 4 years ago

The Hills and Halloween

*Warning-this post is supposed to have pictures, but Blogger seems to be having some problems with uploads. So, in an effort to at least get something new up here, the pics will come soon.

Ok, ok so I'm not that great at updating the blog. So here is a quick catch up of how things are going here in Vienna. Last weekend, the Rushers, a few people from the Inzersdorf congregation and family went up to a camp owned by the churches in Austria, Switzerland, and Germany to do a little work on the camp. If you want a full detailed description you can check out the Rushers blog
It was pretty fun to get out of Vienna awhile and see what else Austria has to offer. I must say this country is gorgeous. I think it has to be one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. On the drive up we were going through the mountains and all of these small villages that looked like they were taken right out of a story or something. The trees on the mountainside were bursting with reds, yellows and oranges. When we got to the camp, after a long hike for most (Abby and I lucked out and got to ride up with the luggage in a 4x4) there was already snow, a lot of snow, on the ground. Jake spent most of his time working outside, which he loved, but was disappointed not to be able to do any wood cutting. I helped in the kitchen and got to cook on a wood burning stove (see the picture below). This was one of the coolest things I have ever done. I loved this stove. We were only there for 2 days, but by the time we got home on Saturday evening we were all exhausted. It was a great time!!!
So, Halloween isn't exactly sweeping across Vienna with the fervor I was used to in the States. It is here, but not as popular and it is very dark here. By that I mean, if you are lucky enough to find costumes, they are all witches, Dracula, devils, etc. Since, Abby is just now at the age when she might actually care about Halloween, it wasn't too big a deal for her. We just decided we would sort of skip over this holiday. However, the Hensal kids were very excited about Halloween. So, Brian and Alisha offered to host a small little party for the kids. They got to watch the Charlie Brown movie, decorate some cookies Alisha made and wear their costumes. The grown ups sat and sipped cider. Yummy!!!
You will see in the pictures below Abby's very poor excuse for a costume. I really like making her costume, but by the time the party idea came around it was too late to make anything. Besides, the fact that fabric is insanely expensive here. So I found like 3 princess dresses at a toy store. This was the least expensive one, the others were 100 euros!!! Don't let the price fool you, the quality was roughly the same. Carli, Caleb and Cotter wore costumes their grandparents brought with them from the states. Zaden was protesting the whole costume idea.

Has it really been 4 months?

I can hardly believe we nearly have 4 months of Austrian life under our belts. Wasn't it just the other day we were standing in the MRCC auditorium crying as prayers were lifted on our behalf? It seems like such a short time, but I feel things have changed in so many ways. For starters, we are (very slowly) able to speak at least some German. We have had 2 months of intensive courses and will start our 3rd class in November. By no means are we fluent or really even very capable, but the world around us is making a little bit of sense now. Our daily life is different now, too. For 6 years, Jake had gotten up and went to work each day for Sprint (or some variation of it). This left Abby and I to ourselves most days. Now, however, Jake and Abby leave for school in the morning and I don't see either of them until I get home at 4 or so. I must say I have missed that little turkey (Abby is the turkey here) during the day. It is amazing how accustomed you get to a little voice and the big noises that also accompany it. I am so happy that next month Jake and I will both have a morning class time, so I can spend more time with them both. When I really stop and think about how many things have changed since we arrived here it makes my head spin a bit. One thing hasn't changed, however, that is the God we serve. His love is still perfect, His faith everlasting, His patience never ceasing . For this last one, I am especially thankful. I ask you to continue to remember us in your prayers. Please pray we will be willing to accept the changes God has planned for us. Love to all.

One more, especially for Corban

She is reciting, "The 5 Little Pumpkins" poem. It is a little hard to understand her because she is eating 5 little pumpkins at the same time. Anne sent us another great care package that had candy corn and the little pumpkins in it. We love it whenever the Post rings our doorbell. Thanks to Anne and Candice we are getting to know each other pretty well.

Visitors from afar....

Last week we were blessed to have a short visit with Jack and Wynona Skaggs and Charlie and Joy Cleek. The foursome were in Vienna as part of their European tour. On Sunday, they joined us at Inzersdorf for worship and then we all went out to lunch together. It is always fun to see how people react to our team get togethers. Let me tell you when 8 adults and 5 kids go out to eat it is a sight to behold. A good time was had by all though. Below are a few pics of the afternoon.

Ira and Zaden. Isn't Zaden getting big? Can you see Abby peeking over Ira's shoulder?



Alisha and Joy looking over a map.



Jack and Brian in deep discussion, I'm sure.



Alisha, Joy and Me. Someone took one with all the girls, but it wasn't with my camera.

More Pics of Abby

Loving on Daisy



More love for Daisy. Don't you love the hair?



This is how we usually find Daisy in the morning. It is a good thing she is so cute.

Say What?

Ok, something completely amazing happened today at church!!! I was actually able to understand and follow the sermon. Can you believe it? Did I mention it was ALL in German? I'm not saying I got every word, but I got the scripture refernces (which I looked up in my English NIV) and understood enough words being spoken to gain something from what was being said. I don't think I can truly communicate how excited I am about this, but I am EXCITED. Sundays continue to be the most challenging days for me, but today was good.

Mostly for the grandparents

Here are a few pics of Abby taken in the last few days. These are mostly for the grandparents, who I'm not sure will ever forgive us for taking her away :)

We were supposed to be hurrying to the bus...


Enjoying some icecream





Cheesin' for the camera

The Many Faces of Abby

For all those who have been waiting on the edge of your seats...my birthday present from Jake was a way cool, way cute little Nikon Coolpix camera. I have been wanting a little camera I could carry around in my bag and be able to always take pictures of neat Vienna things and cute little Abby. Jake has a really nice, big Nikon that I'm very intimidated by, not to mention terrified I'll drop. So, on Monday the very nice Wiener Post guy delivered a birthday wish to me. Here are a few pics of Abby. As you can see, she is not nearly as thrilled with my gift as I am. The Post also brought a nice card from my mom and a small packet from Joanne and Stafford North. Thanks to all you wished me a Happy Birthday.



It does video, too!!!

The big 3 1

Well, it has happened again. As much as I try to slow down the inevitable, it continues. That's right, I am now 31 years old. That makes me still the oldest person on the Vienna Team. Well, I guess it is better than the alternative :) I had a great day, despite the fact I'm am now "in my 30's" officially. Jake made me breakfast, eggs and speck (Austrian equivalent to bacon, sort of) and toast. He said he would have served it in bed, but didn't think I would appreciate the mess he created getting it there. I agreed. We spent the morning just hanging out here at home and he put a shelf together for me that we had got awhile back from Ikea. I was thrilled to be able to put away some of my crafting supplies that I brought with me. For lunch Jake went and got schnitzel sandwiches and brought them back here. They were yummy!!! Then in the afternoon, Kim had graciously offered to take Abby not only for the afternoon, but for the entire night. I was a little apprehensive about this for whatever reason. I mean really, Kim manages to keep 3 children alive and cared for on a daily basis. So, we dropped Abby off and headed for the events Jake had planned. First, we went to see "Bourne Ultimatum". I thought it was a great movie. This judgment could easily have been influenced by the fact this was the first movie we have seen in the theater for months. Yes, it was in English, in case you were wondering. After the movie, Jake wanted to take me to see this mosaic of the last supper, but when we got to the church were it is housed, it was closed. So, we headed to dinner. We went to this little place we had heard about that has traditional Viennese food. It actually isn't too far from our house. We have been wanting to try it since we were here last November. So, we had a great dinner. I had pork medallions with salami and mozzarella cheese and noodles. Jake had a filet steak with a baked potato. We both agreed this is one of the best meals we've had since arriving or maybe ever. It was nice to just sit and talk to each other and enjoy Vienna going on around us. So, you might be asking, "What about your present?" Well, it is pending. Jake said it was supposed to come in come Friday, but no luck. So, I'll have to wait, he wouldn't even tell me what it was.
In other news....language school continues, unpacking continues, shopping list for Ikea continues. I think we have hit some sort of a pattern. Abby is well and continues to love kindergarten. Please continue to pray for us as we are still adjusting to life here in the foreign place. Love to all.

School Days

Well, last week is a blur. We all had our first day of school on Monday. Jake and I started German classes and Abby started kindergarten. Ok, no one freak out you didn't miss a couple of birthdays, kindergarten here is more like American preschool. Kids don't start school until 1st grade at age 6. Well, Abby LOVES her school. She doesn't bat an eye when we drop her off, even on the very first day. She just runs right in and starts playing. It is a German speaking school, but her teachers do speak English. She is already singing songs she has learned there (auf Deutsch). Jake and I aren't quite as enthusiastic about our reentry to the scholastic world, but we have learned quite a bit already, or at least been reminded of what we forgot. Jake and I go Monday through Friday for 3 hours a day. It sounds pretty bad, but its not. Both of our teachers do a good job of keeping things moving and interesting. Well, more later, hopefully. I've got to study and go to bed. We have to get up pretty early and to get everyone where they need to be on time in the morning. Love to all.

That time of year again

Well, I thought I could finally escape it. That unmagical time of year that wives loathe and husbands get giddy with excitemnet about. It is, of course, duh, duh, duh...fantasy football draft time. Yes, the nasty beast can reach all the way to Vienna. I am defeated. Now don't get me wrong I enjoy watching Jake's beloved Broncos and the occasional Indianapolis Colts toss the ball around, but the make believe world of fantasy football is a little much. In the past, this has involved my husband fretting and planning and plotting his Sunday morning line up well into Saturday night. Then on Sunday afternoon trying to watch3 games simultaneously and having highlights pulled up on the computer for a couple of other games going on. So to all the wives out there suffering through this agonizing time of year, my prayers are with you. Lord help us all. Below are some pics of the draft party Jake hosted at our place. To the wives of those in attendance I apologize for sending home your husbands full of 3 different kinds of sausage and testosterone.



Abby enjoying the refreshments.

Pictures

Mother Tongue

We are now officially enrolled in language school. On Thursday, Jake, Abby and I headed down town to locate a language school we had heard and read a lot about. We found it easily and went inside to take our placement exam. I must admit I went in feeling pretty confident. However, after the first page of questions I was jolted into reality. I was sure that the year of German I had taken at UCO plus some tutoring from a rather well trained teacher would at least land me in the 2nd or 3rd class. Nope, they put me right in with the beginners. Grrrr..... How humbling. I suppose it didn't help that we had a three year old with us. Trying to keep her quiet and sitting down so other people could also take their exam was a, errrhh...challenge. So, on 3 September, I start at the beginning, again.
I will say the importance of learning and being very comfortable with the language is becoming clear. I never had any intention of not learning to speak German, hence the above mentioned prep work, but being here has really emphasized this point. I think one of the times this hit home for me the most was a couple of Sundays ago. Jake and I had remembered that Preston Crest church in Dallas streamed their worship services. Jake got online and got everything set up for us to watch and participate. When the voices started coming through the computer and we could hear the singing it was amazing. I mean to hear words and melodies that were familiar made my heart sing. Since arriving here we have visited with the congregations that are here. Everyone has been very welcoming and gracious. The lessons, the ones that were translated anyway, were good and the singing beautiful. There is just something about hearing the Word, and singing praises in the language of your home that can't be duplicated. I suppose my feelings on the subject could change as I learn German. However, the idea of sharing the Gospel in the language of those who will be hearing it is of the utmost importance.
Please be praying that as we start language training we will have effective teachers, willing minds and an extra measure of strength and energy.

Boxes, boxes and more boxes

Praise the Lord!!!! Our stuff arrived yesterday about noon. It was so awesome to see the boxes that were packed up and hauled away 2 months ago in Oklahoma. So, now the task of unpacking and saying, "Why did I bring this?" and "Oh, I forgot about this." Abby was thrilled to have her toys and books and we don't hear much out of her right now. Although, her room looks like a bomb went off. Dolls, dogs and dresses all over the place. Sorry, for the short post, but its been a long day and I'm exhausted, but thankful.

Catching Up

Well, we still haven't received the things we shipped from Oklahoma, yet. I will try to remain optimistic, and say maybe next week. Until then we will continue making due with what we have, which in all honesty, is just fine. Granted, I'm not making any gourmet meals or anything, but we are not starving and our diet does include more than pizza and McDonalds. I have managed to make Mexican casserole, chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, and brownies. The ingredients for everything, but the banana bread came from a British/American food store here in Vienna called Bobby's. Now, let me say that is was a comfort to find this place it will not be a regular shopping stop. Everything is EXPENSIVE. The day we went I got six items and the total bill was about $30. It was kinda one of those culture shock things. I mean I was literally laying awake at night thinking about brown sugar and vanilla. Crazy, I know. I was pretty sure Martha Stewart or Betty Crocker was going to visit and lecture me on being a good mother and wife. What kind of mom would I be if I couldn't make chocolate chip cookies? I am getting over this now. It should be noted that neither Jake or Abby had asked for chocolate chip cookies. Oh, what we put ourselves through.
On a different note, we all had our first Austrian haircuts. Well, we all still have hair. I had been dreading this chore due to my lack of German and fearing the person with the scissors would speak no English and take out some sort of grudge against America on my hair. Thankfully, we all made it out just fine. Actually, Jake looks pretty cute with his "new" look. It isn't actually a new look, pretty much the same but with less hair. Abby did well, too, considering this was only like the third haircut she has had in her life.
This week we also got to paint and repaint Abby's room. When we moved into our apartment all the walls were stark white. Great for a hospital, but not too homey. So we immediately starting painting walls. We did our room and the living room first. We finally got around to doing Abby's room this week. I wanted her room to be yellow, so we had gone to the hardware store and picked out a color, which they mixed up for us. Remember, all tasks our done with very limited German and a prayer that the person we are speaking to has a knowledge of English. So, we got the paint home and started painting, turns out the color we ended up with was more beige than yellow. So, we went back to the hardware store and this time picked out a premixed yellow paint. Got it home and painted the walls. Well, they are for sure YELLOW, now. A bit brighter than I had anticipated, but she likes it. So we're done painting for awhile.
Today, we got to help our friends, Andrea and Peter, move into their new flat. This was pretty exciting for them and us, actually. We met Andrea and Peter during our survey trip in 2005. They are a young, Christian couple about our age. Honestly, knowing Andrea was here was a major comfort to me as we prepared to come to Vienna. Now, I hope we can begin to grow our friendship. Anyway, back to the moving. They have been preparing for this move since we met them in '05. Their building just got completed and so they were finally able to move in. Afterwards, they hosted a BBQ, Austrian style, complete with a variety of sausages and a hairdryer (see previous post).
So, I guess that gives everyone a good look at what we have been up to lately. This next week Jake and I will attempt to chose a language school and a kindergarten for Abby. Please pray that this will so smoothly. Trying to find a suitable location for my child in a foreign country is very daunting.

Still Alive

Okay, in case anyone was wondering we are still alive. We have had a hectic couple of weeks. So, I'll try to give a brief summary of what we have been up to. First off, we are now in our own apartment. We officially moved in the 30th of July. Since that time we have been running all over Vienna trying to get the stuff we need (and want) to set up house here. As of today we still do not have our stuff we shipped, but we are pretty sure we will have it next week. I know I have been saying that for weeks, but we're closer than ever now. We have been to Ikea way too many times to count and I'm starting to feel a little nasty towards that place. When we were in the States it was always so much fun to go to Ikea and look around and eat meatball, etc. Now, I think if I see one more Swedish thing, including meatballs I will loose it. Seriously, Abby will soon be able to run that play area she has spent so much time there. On a side note, I would highly recommend Wal-Mart adopt the idea of a "kinderparadise". So on top of moving in we have managed to lock the keys in the Jeep, visit an Austrian doctor, rent some movies and discover what is not available in Vienna. Lessons I've learned from the aforemention items include: 1) when someone who has lived in Vieann a long time tells you someting like, "Join an auto club (similiar to AAA) right away, do it. We are now members after having to call one to come open the car for us. Turns out a year's membership is cheaper than the cost to have them just let you in the car. 2) Don't wait until you think you will die and make your poor husband want to suffocate you with a pillow, before calling a doctor because you are mortified by someone else's doctor visit story. 3) Blockbuster might do well here. More than 20 descent movies to choose from, brilliant idea. 4)When you read in several places before moving to a new country about what is not available, believe it and stock up. Do this even if it means throwing clothes out of your suitcase to make room. Socks and underwear abound here, however, brown sugar, vanilla extract and cream of chicken soup do not. All in all, though, I would have to say we are adjusting to life here. I am missing family and friends terribly, but am thankful for those who send email, even very short ones (hint, hint). Love to all and don't stop praying for us!!!!

 

 

 

A few pics for the grandparents!!!

 

Our "new" Jeep

We got a car

The heat is finally subsiding here. We are so thankful!! I'm pretty sure I would have melted if it lasted any longer. Today was a gorgeous day, although a little windy. We met again with the Inzersdorf congretaion as they were having a farewell meal for a worker Jake and I met in November. It was nice to be part of a pot luck again. I even managed to make a contribution-green salad with ranch dressing. The food was great and it was fun just talking to fellow brothers and sisters. We spent the rest of the afternoon resting and playing. For dinner we even gave grilling another try. We mananged everything on our own this time.
So besides the heat this week, the other major headline for the Haskews this week is we bought a car. Well, a Jeep Cherokee actually. I know, I know it makes no sense. In the States we were driving an fuel efficient German made car, now in Europe we are driving an American made gas eater. Well, of course, there is a great story behind it. So here it is. On Thursday, I was nagging Jake to call a fellow Christian here in Vienna, Scott, and ask him some general questions about buying a car-what documents were needed, insurance, etc. While checking my email, I noticed Scott was online so I passed the computer to Jake and mention ever so lovingly how now would be a good time to ask questions. So Jake starts asking the questions and Scott replies that he actually has a car for sale, a 1995 Jeep Cherokee. A diplomat had donated to be used at the camp owned my the church here, but Scott thought is was too nice to be used for the camp and asked if he could sell it and just use the money for the camp. It was agreed that this was a good fit for everyone. So enter us. We went and looked at it and really like it. The previous owner had taken excellent care of it and it is an automatic, a huge plus for me. Oh, yes it has air conditioning, another major plus given the high tmeps this week. So Jake met with the insurance man and got the tags on Friday. We will still use public transportation as much as possible, but will have the option of the Jeep for long commutes and uncomfortable weather. We are so thankful to God for blessing us with this vehilcle. It is amazing to see how his blessings unfold for us.

The Heat is on

Well, to describe Vienna in word would be HOT!!! It is uncommonly warm here this week, upper 90's to 100. Did I mention we have no AC at our apartment? We don't. So, to keep cool we have been going to the Danube to swim almost everyday. Abby and Daisy really enjoy it. Jake and I do, too. It seems like most of Vienna is making their way to the water right now. It is always, umm interesting, to see what we will see at the beach. There are no shortages of entertainment, for sure. I am happy to report we have seen just a little "skin" from the nationals.
Yesterday, for a change of pace we went to look at furniture. It was a gamble if they would have AC or not, and thankfully they did. It was so nice. Even Jake endured an entire day of shopping. We were also able to eat lunch and there was a play area for Abby. All in the AC!!! We even managed to pick out a couch and coffee table. It will be delivered to our new place next week, hopefully. We forgot to take a picture of the couch, but will post one when we have it in the apartment.
So today we are off to do some more paperwork kind of stuff and try to stay cool. Love to all.

Home Sweet Home

Well, praise the Lord, we found a place to live!!! After a rigorous search the Haskews will soon have a new place to call home. Tonight, we went and looked at an apartment we had seen previously and decided it was just right for us. I am so thrilled!!! It is a nice size with two small terraces and a courtyard where Abby and Daisy can play. It is a little bit outside of town, but it feels great to me. We even drove by a hay field on our way. Yes, I said drove. We rented a car this weekend for the express purpose of driving around the area to check it out. Anyway, the apartment is in a small building with 7 other apartments, I think. We will be located on a quiet street very near a nature area with walking/biking trails. Thanks to all who prayed for us to find just the right place.
We have been pretty busy lately, looking at houses and what not. I did finally manage to get Jake down to get us set up with cell phones. He did a great job of picking them out and getting them all set up. We managed a lot better once we figured out we could change the language on the phones. Viola, English makes in so much easier at this point. We got mine all set up first and then Jake started in on his. In doing so he manged to press buttons in the right sequence to call someone. When the voice picked up, Jake's first question was the standard, "Koennen Sie English?" To which the voice replied yes, a little. Jake was trying to explain he called on accident, when the voice announced he had called the police. Jake apologized, but I think he got cut off by the hang up. So life continues for the Americans trying to get it all figured out.
For the next round of prayer requests, please be praying that we can get settled into our new home and that we use it to glorify God and His Kingdom. Please pray specifically for the neighbors we will have in our building that we can be servants and lights to them. Also, pray that our things that we sent from the US will arrive and get through to us with no problems. As always, love to all.

Abby's observations about Vienna

Ok, I think it safe to say that Abby is picking up on a few cultural differences. The other day, a rather warm day, we got onto the U-bahn (subway) and it was of course full of people. Abby is sitting in her stroller and looks up at me with a wrinkled up nose and says, "Mommy, it tinks in here." I just about lost it. I said, "You're right, honey. We'll be out in a few minutes." The other observation that she has become keenly attuned to is ice cream. She can spot it mile a way and insists on coconut. This is a new fascination with her and I'm not sure were it came from. If the store doesn't have coconut, then she doesn't want anything.

Well, we have been in Vienna now for a week. It has gone by pretty fast, but it seems we haven't accomplished all that much. We are still looking for a place to live and have yet to acquire phones. Hopefully, today we will make strides in both areas.
Here are a few highlights from the first week. First, we had our first BBQ, Viennese style. This was also our first opportunity to entertain guests, Brian and Alisha. Apparently, getting a charcoal grill started differs slightly in the US and Austria. Namely, the equipment required is very important. For example, in the US to have a BBQ you need charcoal, liquid lighter, a match and some skill at getting in going. My Eagle Scout husband is more than capable of handling this. Now, add in the new culture element. In Vienna, to have a BBQ you need charcoal, small while flammable blocks and match and a hair dryer. Yes, a hair dryer!!! We brought the charcoal back to the apartment and put it in the grill and tried to light the bricks by themselves, thinking they might be "presoaked" since we didn't see liquid lighter at the store. No luck. After scratching our heads for a bit we decided to ask the landlady for help. She came over and told me something in German, the only thing I caught was "bathroom". The only in the bathroom that was liquid was toilet cleaner. I was pretty sure this was not the right thing, but brought it out anyway. She took one look at it and me and said something else in German, which most likely was "you idiot". Finally, I surmised she meant hairdryer. Still puzzled I brought it out to her. She gave it to Jake and he started "drying" the coals. Once again, something in German, "idiot". Finally, she retrieved some small white blocks which she put on the coals and lit with a match and then used the hair dryer to speed the process. AHHH!!! Now, we understood. She bid us good evening and went back to her place. You learn something new everyday!!!! We have video and will try to upload soon. (I need Jake's help for that part.)
Another highlight from the first week was I took Abby to the grocery store by myself. I know this sounds like no big deal, but was a victory for me. This was fairly uneventful, we maganged to get what I wanted and get out without any major breakdowns from either of us. Finally, Jake led singing for the first time in German. On Sunday, we worshipped with the Mondscheingasse congregation. The entire day was in German, but it is good for us to hear proper German spoken. I spend most of the two hours trying to keep Abby entertained and quiet. She did really well. At the close of service the preacher, Hans Dieterscheck, asked if Jake could help lead a song. Jake was thrilled to do so. He lead "Rock of Ages" auf Duetsch. It went well. Afterwards, we visited with some of the members.
Please be praying this week that we can find a place to live SOON. The two rooms of our temporary housing are feeling really small. Also, please be praying that the team can be a blessing to the Christians in Vienna. Love to all.

First Steps

Well, we are happy to report we have taken some important first steps to establishing ourselves in Vienna. First, the other night the entire family went for a walk down by the Danube and had dinner in a waterside, outdoor cafe. Even Daisy!!! She laid quietly under the table while we enjoyed the sights and sounds of the river. It is quite common for dogs to be in restaurants here, even really nice ones. We are so proud of our pooch and they way she is fitting right in. Second, the human members of the family have obtained their first official piece of Austrian paperwork. Yesterday, we all made our way to register with the police. This procedure was completely painless and fairly quick, as well. We praise God for each little success and are ever grateful for his immense blessings. One of the most recent blessings is that the rest of our luggage arrived yesterday!!!! We were so thrilled to see the rest of our clothes and such. Please continue to pray for us as we try to find a place to live and get settled on a permanent basis. God is good!!! Love to all.

Pictures

Abby and Daisy

Carli and Abby killing time

Abby making herself at home

Arriving

Whew!!! What a day!!! We have arrived and with a fury. Getting to Vienna was quite a haul. We left Dallas about one and a half hours late due to a maintenance issue with our plane. Once we arrived in Chicago we had about an hour to make it to our gate, which was in a different terminal!!! We literally ran to get there, after we pushed our way through the massive line at security. When we got to the gate Daisy hadn't arrived yet and we were told we could go without her or stay the night in Chicago. We were opting for a sleepover. At the last minute, they got her to the gate and we and the Lockwoods piled onto the plane. When we finally got settled and the rest of the passengers from our flight boarded, off we went. The flight was pleasant and the staff was great. Abby slept for about 2 hours and then was awake the rest of the 8 and a half hour flight. Jake slept a bit, but I was awake the entire ride.

Once we got off the plane we went to get our luggage and guess what? Only one of our 6 bags made it. At the timeof writing we are still waiting for the rest. I must say, I am thankful for the one bag, we can change clothes and take a shower. I believe some of the other team members are missing things, too. The night before we left I prayed for smooth travel and kind, merciful airline workers. I can say that my prayers were answered in full. I should have went a little further :) Still, God is good and will provide for all our needs.

Abby is doing well and enjoying life here so far. Of course, she is a bit tired. But we are trying to all get on a normal sleep schedule. The place we are staying is great and the proprietor is very gracious. She immediately went and dug out some toys for Abby to play with. Abby spent her first morning in Vienna watering flowers in the yard without her pants on. I think she is really going to fit in in Europe. Daisy, is still adjusting. I think the trip was rather taxing on her. It didn't help that on the way to the taxi to come here her crate slid of backwards of the cart she was on. We all went for a walk today and she perked up a bit.

We love and miss everyone at home, but feel a certain sense of relief and accomplishment at finally being here. I'll post some pictures soon.