Limb Difference Awareness

I felt kind of dumb when I stumbled across the fact that this is Limb Difference Awareness month.
I know, there are so many of these causes attached to months and days of the year. but this is really one I should know by now, right?

Add to the fact that limb differences don't feel so different to us anymore, it is easy to forget that it IS different to so many people.  So in that case, it is good to shine a spotlight on the issue to increase our collective empathy and understanding.

For example, before we had Reni, I can't say that I seriously thought about issues like accessibility.  But right now, Nathan is going back and forth with an architect about handicap accessibility in a future bathroom design.  Once she finally made the stall large enough for wheelchair access, he had to go back and point out the impracticality of opening so many doors just to reach the bathroom in the first place.

I can't say I blame her, until you've struggled with opening that door while also pushing a stroller or wheelchair, getting to that soap dispenser from a non-standing position, reaching the upper levels of a building with no elevator and legs that don't work, or using a squatty potty when you don't have feet...certain struggles just don't cross your mind.

So we keep working.  Working on our understanding of struggles different than our own, working to help others where we can, working to be patient when we feel misunderstood. 

Signing off, a fellow learner.

Picnic at a Castle

There's just something about spring that calls us out of doors, am I right? 

On top of that, John has been with us for nearly three months now and the combination of winter and a busy schedule have meant that we have literally taken the poor guy no where outside of our village and Tirana.  We were way overdue for an excursion to show him more of Albania!

When the forecast called for weekend temps reaching 80F, it seemed perfect for a little road trip and a picnic outdoors.  We decided to invite friends and visit Bashtove Castle, about 45 minutes southwest of us, near the coast.

It was overcast thanks to Saharan dust that has been hanging in the air and casting a strange color on everything.  The upside was we didn't have to worry about sunscreen.

As we pulled up to the site Ellie remarked that she should have brought her archery set!

Castles here are pretty much a free-for-all which is fantastic for little explorers with imaginations...

... however it's not so fun for nervous mothers when there are no guard rails for safety!

It was really nice to have John with us to have an extra set of eyes on the kids!

For the majority of our visit we enjoyed the entire place to ourselves!

A warrior at heart (below)

Our friends from Tirana joined us and we enjoyed a bountiful picnic...

...and played games

...and sports

... and just relaxed with no agenda.  It was just what we needed.

Unlike most castles in this country which are built on defensible locations like mountain tops or hillsides, this particular fortress is on a flat field.  That flat field was great for some football. Not every day do we get to play soccer in castle ruins!

Reni had some great saves serving as goalie!

I was so glad Nathan brought the drone because traditional photos alone don't do justice to sharing the scope and setting of this potential UNESCO World Heritage Site listing. If you're interested, check out this footage Nathan edited into a minute-long video :

Overall, it was a special afternoon we won't soon forget.  Thanks, Albania, for such great treasures for us to enjoy!  We made some wonderful memories!

Easter 2018

The highlight of every church calendar each year is Easter.  The culmination of God's great rescue plan for the world.  The defeat of sin and death through Christ's death and resurrection.  In Albania it is no different!  Last year we celebrated with the greater body of Albanian evangelical/protestant churches in a march and celebration in a public square in Tirana.  This year, we were able to celebrate with our local village church family as well as our community.

Easter, of course, is not as joyous without reflecting on what took place on Good Friday, or, as they call it here, Black Friday.  I've grown to really appreciate Good Friday services with our village church family.  There is space for solemn reflection, there is the experience of joint communion, but there is also the understanding that we will celebrate together in just a few days.

Pastor Genti intentionally pushed the cross in the forefront, a symbolic gesture. The theme of his message was that Christ loved us until the end.  He had it within his power to avoid the pain and humiliation of crucifixion, but he was obedient to death, even death on a cross because of his great love for us.

Sunday dawned with questionable weather -- was it going to rain? Would the wind die down? Would the power return?

Below Endri and Arjan start up the grill to cook a massive amount of hot dogs!

Preparing 102 plates of food for lunch!
The menu included: chips, cabbage salad, byrek me presh (pie with leeks) and hasude (a gelatinous dessert with raisins, cinnamon and walnuts).

Shpresa serves up the byrek

Thankfully the sky cleared up so we could serve the food outside!  It was stifling indoors!

We had egg coloring for the kids, which was a real hit!

About twenty of our friends from Metalle joined us.  Of course, whenever there is a gathering, it's always an occasion for Albanian dancing.

I'm still working on my dance steps...and have a long way to go. :-) 

All in all, it was a great day!  He is risen indeed!

Reni, Age 8.5

As the kids have gotten bigger, my 'good' camera has come out less often.  Realizing it had been a while since I had taken their photos on something other than a cell phone, I pulled the good camera out over Easter weekend.  Reni immediately went into a 'pose' and I was kind of annoyed, but afterwards, I realized this was my favorite image.  I look at this picture and this is how I will remember him at this age, right now.