Kaleb got his share of social training today. Sabina was over right after breakfast and then Benjamin came before lunch and they both stayed until long after dinner. Benjamin is a foster son to one of Kaleb’ second cousins. He’s a high needs kid as his parents are drug addicts and his mom was on drugs while she was pregnant with him. He’s a sweet boy though, just requires a lot of tending. He was here for ten hours and the three of those kids got pretty rowdy. We took them to the indoor play land in the area and let them run off some steam as the ground and streets were covered in ice all day. Even though we had beautiful sunshine today, playing outside wasn’t such a good option – too dangerous. So I sat in with the kids while Kory went and picked up a bar-b-que grill that my friend Theresa gave us. And that’s a good story.
When Theresa came over this week for lunch, I was telling her just how God provided all we needed to live here – furniture and everything – via the cousins and some good sales and flea markets. The one thing I hadn’t mentioned was that we really wanted a BBQ but they are super expensive (hundreds and hundreds of dollars). The gas tanks are sold separately and they cost over a hundred dollars themselves, so we gave up on the idea of having one while we are here, but we really do miss it. So while I was bragging that we have all we need, she very politely asked me, “So you don’t need a Bar-B-Que grill?” I told her that was the ONE thing we didn’t have because we couldn’t afford to buy it. She said “Well, I have one that you can have if you want it.” And that’s how our God supplies all our needs. They had just bought a new one and were ready to take the old one to the dump. She said something wasn’t working quite right on it and they wanted a bigger one. I told her Kory can fix anything and we’d love to have it, so today was the day we got it. How amazing is that? I love that God loves me that much that he even supplies a BBQ. And it looks brand new, so Kory is already starting to take it apart to see where the problem lies. We’ll be bar-b-queing out in the garage all winter long, I’m sure. Thank you, Jesus!
Yesterday Kory finally went and bought some tool that was the key to getting the snow tires on – and just in time, too. Today was the deadline and now we are legal. The streets today were like an ice skating rink but tonight things warmed up (it’s gone from 27 degrees at breakfast to 50 degrees after dinner) so tomorrow we’ll just have wet streets back again. I can’t believe people can drive on pure ice like they do, but I guess if they didn’t, the country would cease to exist, as ice is part of life here. When I was taking the bus home yesterday it was slip sliding around on the streets when it tried to stop, even with snow tires, so we might be in for an interesting winter. I’m glad we have car insurance.
Tonight we had Axel and Kari over for dinner. They are the cousins who came to America to be witnesses at our wedding. They live just a few minutes walk from us and we love them dearly. Their daughter is the foster mom to Benjamin so they came over to pick him up and they stayed for dinner. I made fresh salmon that I bought yesterday off the docks in Aalesund. I was so surprised to see salmon for sale because I was told it’s not possible to buy wild salmon here (it’s all farmed). I asked the fisherman if it was farmed fish or caught in the wild – and he said “both.” The hurricane we had last week broke apart one of the fish farms and all the fish went free. It didn’t take long before the area was swarmed with fishing boats, so those fish didn’t enjoy their freedom for too long.
We loved having Axel and Kari here tonight as they are a very calming force and the evening was wonderfully relaxed – even though Kaleb, Sabina and Benjamin were wreaking havoc in Kaleb’s room and they brought their 21 month old grandson along (a total sweetheart, though). Kaleb got several opportunities today to learn patience, forgiveness and tolerance. I love that. But it was also good for Kaleb and I to listen to the kids talking to each other and try to join the conversation. I love hearing Sabina speak English as she uses Norwegian sentence structure, and she gets the tenses of the verbs wrong – just like what I do when I try to speak Norwegian. (“Kaleb, where is you?” or “Now go we.”) Is it possible this is what Jesus was thinking when he said, “Unless you become like little children, you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven?” If so, I’m set.
When Theresa came over this week for lunch, I was telling her just how God provided all we needed to live here – furniture and everything – via the cousins and some good sales and flea markets. The one thing I hadn’t mentioned was that we really wanted a BBQ but they are super expensive (hundreds and hundreds of dollars). The gas tanks are sold separately and they cost over a hundred dollars themselves, so we gave up on the idea of having one while we are here, but we really do miss it. So while I was bragging that we have all we need, she very politely asked me, “So you don’t need a Bar-B-Que grill?” I told her that was the ONE thing we didn’t have because we couldn’t afford to buy it. She said “Well, I have one that you can have if you want it.” And that’s how our God supplies all our needs. They had just bought a new one and were ready to take the old one to the dump. She said something wasn’t working quite right on it and they wanted a bigger one. I told her Kory can fix anything and we’d love to have it, so today was the day we got it. How amazing is that? I love that God loves me that much that he even supplies a BBQ. And it looks brand new, so Kory is already starting to take it apart to see where the problem lies. We’ll be bar-b-queing out in the garage all winter long, I’m sure. Thank you, Jesus!
Yesterday Kory finally went and bought some tool that was the key to getting the snow tires on – and just in time, too. Today was the deadline and now we are legal. The streets today were like an ice skating rink but tonight things warmed up (it’s gone from 27 degrees at breakfast to 50 degrees after dinner) so tomorrow we’ll just have wet streets back again. I can’t believe people can drive on pure ice like they do, but I guess if they didn’t, the country would cease to exist, as ice is part of life here. When I was taking the bus home yesterday it was slip sliding around on the streets when it tried to stop, even with snow tires, so we might be in for an interesting winter. I’m glad we have car insurance.
Tonight we had Axel and Kari over for dinner. They are the cousins who came to America to be witnesses at our wedding. They live just a few minutes walk from us and we love them dearly. Their daughter is the foster mom to Benjamin so they came over to pick him up and they stayed for dinner. I made fresh salmon that I bought yesterday off the docks in Aalesund. I was so surprised to see salmon for sale because I was told it’s not possible to buy wild salmon here (it’s all farmed). I asked the fisherman if it was farmed fish or caught in the wild – and he said “both.” The hurricane we had last week broke apart one of the fish farms and all the fish went free. It didn’t take long before the area was swarmed with fishing boats, so those fish didn’t enjoy their freedom for too long.
We loved having Axel and Kari here tonight as they are a very calming force and the evening was wonderfully relaxed – even though Kaleb, Sabina and Benjamin were wreaking havoc in Kaleb’s room and they brought their 21 month old grandson along (a total sweetheart, though). Kaleb got several opportunities today to learn patience, forgiveness and tolerance. I love that. But it was also good for Kaleb and I to listen to the kids talking to each other and try to join the conversation. I love hearing Sabina speak English as she uses Norwegian sentence structure, and she gets the tenses of the verbs wrong – just like what I do when I try to speak Norwegian. (“Kaleb, where is you?” or “Now go we.”) Is it possible this is what Jesus was thinking when he said, “Unless you become like little children, you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven?” If so, I’m set.
3 comments:
I hope you get this. I have to tell you I enjoy your blog soooo much. I read it everyday and I appreciate your humor. Actually, most of your observations and responses remind me of my own. I'm the lady in the wheelchair with Summit and my dog is Krypton. I would love for you to explain to me if you're going to stay in Norway, or come back? Keep up the good work. It's the only way I'll ever see Norway. Thank you. Jan Horton (Anacortes)
I just sent you a comment but I'm not sure it went. I love your posts...I read them everyday. My name is Jan Horton and my dog is Krypton. We met at a Summit function right before you guys left for Norway. Would you tell me how you came to go (I know Kory is from there), but are you going to stay or come back? Thanks for all the pleasure you afford me. It's the only way I'll ever see Norway this side of heaven. God Bless. Jan and Krypton
I know who you are! I remember meeting you at the Summmit event.
To answer your question - yes, we are coming back. We just plan to stay one year so Kaleb can learn the language and have some Norwegian culture in his life. I am half Norwegian and Kory is from here. When he was 9 years old his family moved to America, so we wanted Kaleb to have the same experience in reverse. Sort of a bonding thing between father and son, I guess.
Does that help? I'm glad you like the blog. I love writing it. It helps me feel more connected to people so I don't get too homesick. Technology is great!
Kaleb is sleeping now, otherwise I know he'd say to give a pat to Krypton for him. Did you get the latest edition of The Weekly Puppy? I think you are on the distrubtion list. Bye for now. Mickey
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