Snow Days...Cold days

Josh and Jakub watching the beautiful snow falling. We ended up getting a total of 6 inches last week, and it was gorgeous. Now the temps have started to warm, finally, into the mid 30's and it's amazing what a 30-degree increase feels like. :) I've never lived through such prolonged cold temperatures and it was actually painful at times to walk in. It's been an interesting experience, though. Our rivers nearby are still frozen completely, but in a couple of days I'm sure they won't be for long. I was never brave enough to walk on them.

Jakub loves to stand, daily, on the radiator just below the window in the picture above and watch life happening outside. He's lately taken to yelling "Dobry Den (hello)" to people and doesn't believe me when I say they can't hear him. He's so friendly. :) It's much more embarrassing when he does it outside, near the people, and startles them. Most then react with smiles and I like to think he's terribly polite and charming for a 2 year old. :)







Going sledding...








We made a friend outside and she helped us build a huge snowman. She was so sweet and kept pulling Jakub around on his sled and racing him down a small hill with her own. She even let him ride in hers, which went much faster and he loved it.







The snowman... I especially like the hair on top.








And then the snowball fight ensued... Can you tell Jakub just chunked one at his Dad? What do you think Josh did about that?










Look closely. Jakub doesn't know what's coming. :)







Proof Josh has great aim and our boy is tough. :)








They kissed and made up. Then they snuggled and watched cars race around a track. Jakub's favorite thing right now. Seems to hypnotize him... :)


We have loved the beautiful winter we have been blessed with here. It's a complete contrast to the one we endured last year. This winter has been full of sunshine, snow, and shockingly cold temps. I've loved it all. Thanks be to God for his beautiful creation!

Furlough part 3 - Beall Family Christmas

Here are some pictures from our time in the states with Josh's side of the family, especially around the holiday time. Their home belongs on a Christmas card. I love it. Enjoy. :)




The stockings all hung by the chimney with care...







Jedediah made an excellent turkey








And Mom made the duck







And we feasted...






And we decorated the Christmas tree together...













It was beautiful and smelled just the way Christmas should...







Santa was really good to us this year...







Her new Santa stocking holder, thanks to Nellie :)








Santa was really, really good to Jakub, too. He loves this ball game set and the best part is that it folds up into this tiny, neat, little round bag, which fit very nicely in our suitcase. :)








And it goes back into that tiny, neat, little round bag so easily... right guys? Thanks for a wonderful memory and a lot of laughs. :)







This swing was so great for Jakub. He loved being pushed in it and being able to be inside around all of us. He would watch while we were cooking, or relax in it and get sleepy before bedtime. It was so much fun to have- thanks Grandma and Papa (and for so much more than just the swing). We love you and miss you all so much! More to come....

Love

I LOVE this boy and all of the joy he brings to our lives. I love how happy he is. Love, love, love him! That's all. :) Off to bed. Maybe I'll actually get back to blogging and posting some more pics soon... after more sleep...

Update on Sarah...

Thank you to all of you who prayed for my cousin Sarah and her surgery. If you want to know more about her recovery now you can go here for more details. The surgery went as well as it could and she is now recovering in the hospital. She'll be there for a few more days and if all goes well she'll then be released to a nearby hotel for a couple more days, and then she'll go home to Tulsa. There are still some things I would like for you to pray about, please. You can read more details on her blog, but there is a national shortage of the type of pain medicine they need to give her so, at times she's had none or had only Tylenol to help. So please pray for God to give her an extra amount of comfort and peace through all of this, as well as the pain meds she needs. Also, she cannot speak for 6 weeks and I can't begin to imagine how truly difficult that must be. It will be especially hard when she returns home to her 3 wonderful children who will want to hear her voice. Please pray for a lot of patience for her and her family in this area. I'm sure it will be very frustrating at times- or maybe all the time! And please keep praying for her and her family as they try to help each other through this trying time as best they can. Thankfully they have a lot of family and church family around them who love them very much. I hope Sarah can see and feel a lot of love around her. Thank you for your prayers!!!

Prayer Requests

I just wanted to give a small update from here to say that I haven't been blogging because I've not been feeling well and we've been out of town some. I would appreciate your prayers for a tooth problem I've been having that is almost resolved now- I hope and pray! It began last week with a lot of pain, and then an infection, and now I'm on antibiotics and have seen a dentist 4 times. I should have only one more visit next Tuesday and then prayerfully everything will be healed and well again. It's nothing major, but mouth pain and headaches can feel so consuming at times. I would appreciate your prayers for healing to come and come soon.

Also, I would like to ask for your prayers today for my cousins, through Josh's side, Sarah and Jason, who are in Boston this week for a surgery Sarah will have today. To find out more information about her and her story please read her blog: Sarah Grounds

Her surgery is today at 10am (U.S. time) and if everything goes well she'll be in the hospital for another 7-8 days and then released to a nearby hotel for another couple of days before returning home to Tulsa. She and Jason had to leave behind their 3 children and I know that's weighing on their hearts and minds a lot. Thankfully they/we have great family and church family who are doing so much to help care for them and their needs right now. I praise God for that!

Thank you for your prayers- especially for Sarah G. today. We hope this surgery will happen, will go well, and that it will be the next step towards her healing and being well again. The surgeon she will be with is supposed to be one of the best and I'm so thankful he took her case. Please pray for her and their family. I'll post again when I know something more. Thank you!

Other random news: It's snowing right now and should get up to 19F today, which is like a heat wave here. :) I have to admit, though, that I'm really enjoying the cold and snow, because we've also had a lot of sunshine with it. It's been a beautiful winter so far.

We've been applying to some local pre-schools this week because it's required if you want to get on a list for next winter's entrance. After he turns 3 in November he could start to school and we likely will do it for 1/2 a day each day. He loves to be with other children, to learn, and to play. When we've visited the schools this week he's immediately left our side to go play with the other children there and to talk to the teachers. :) He's so social! I think in one more year he'll be really ready. He's already ready because he's been asking to go back to school, or školka as we call it. (sh-coal-ka). I'm happy that he likes it so much already. I hope he will one day when he gets to really go. Please pray for this process for us and that he'll be accepted somewhere and it will be the right place for him and for us.

Jakub's big thing right now is getting someone to laugh, or getting someone to make him laugh by doing something silly, and then he says "So-and-so is so funny!" or "Jakub is funny!" It's so cute! I like it when we're playing together and he stops and says "Mommy, you're funny!" :) He also likes to change the pitch of his voice while talking or singing and tries to imitate different voices and sounds. It's hilarious. He's quite the entertainer already...

Random picture (because I can't post without at least one...) being silly and showing his food... :)


Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers about all of these things mentioned above. I'm glad I can ask for your help. Love you all!!!