Prayers and Peace for Norway, please.

We are all still in shock.  It's sad beyond words.  It's like an innocent child being molested.  Please pray for our beloved Norway.  They may never be the same.

The Green, Green Grass of Home

Our last two day and a half in Norway was at least memorable.  We took the bus at 9:30 from the bus terminal on the other side of the mall from our condo.  We had to run to catch it, as we were trying to get all the last minute cleaning done before we left.  I was even up before six to accomplish that, but still left half the kitchen floor unwashed.  The guilt is still with me.

It’s a nine hour bus ride to the airport, which turned into eleven when the road before us was closed because of a car accident that actually killed a person.  We didn’t complain about the delay, we just thanked God we weren’t in the accident.  The drive was a good way to calm us down, let us take one good long last look at the beautiful Norwegian countryside, and prepare for our trip back home.

Our relatives in Oslo were more than accommodating of all our change in plans, first the decision to stay an extra day in Aalesund to spend time with Aunt Ruth, then the two hour delay arriving at the airport.  Angelica picked us up and took us back to her parents place were we were greeted with a table full of food and some good conversation before bedtime.  We wished we had more time there but we didn’t have much control over that.

After a good night’s sleep, Angelica came back to get us and took us over to her place to see her husband and son, whom we haven’t seen for nearly two years.  We had a wonderful visit with them, a time of prayer, talking about God’s leading in our lives and how we hear from God.  They are an inspiring young couple and even though we only had a few hours with them, we had to be happy with what we had. 

Kaleb’s perspective of the last few days was a little different than mine because he realized he didn’t charge up any of his electronic devices before we left home, so he was without his laptop and without his Nintendos the whole bus ride to Oslo, and then facing nine hours on the plane without them was more than his mind could comprehend.  Angelica miraculously provided a power converter so that solved his problem and he was happy to get on the plane, fully charged.

Our flights went fast and easy.  Our friend, Willie Schaub in Mt. Vernon, charged up the battery on our van so our apartment manager and friend, Lori, came to the airport and picked us up in it.  Considering that our American cell phone batteries were also dead, so that was another miracle as we weren’t sure what to do if she wasn’t there at the airport.  Kory wondered if there is still such a thing as payphones.

But we arrived home to 82 degrees, sunshine and a smiling face.  We didn’t sleep on the plane and we weren’t even tired for the drive home.  I was sure people must have been praying for us, as we didn’t get hit for any excess baggage fees (even though we brought home nearly 400 pounds of stuff), and the reindeer hide I bought Kaleb was allowed into the U.S. afterall (we were worried it might be denied.)  So we felt blessed on all accounts.

Arriving home just as the sun was setting, it was enough light to see our yard, however, was a jungle, so now we know what we’ll be doing for the next several days.  The house was clean and tidy and we all smiled as we walked in the door.  It’s good to be home.  Hallelujah!

Our Last Day in Aalesund

If we hadn’t extended our time here in Aalesund by one day, I’m not sure how we would have made it back.  We used the entire day for just cleaning and running things down to the basement to store them for a year.  Kaleb was gone all day so no new messes were made, but between washing the floors and windows, wiping down all the cupboards and changing all the bedding, it was a full and exhausting day.  At least now the condo is clean as a whistle and should be in good shape for anyone that wants to use it.

We had a bit of stress though as I was doing the last load of laundry. Our washing machine started making a horrible grinding noise during the spin cycle.  It sounded like someone put rocks in there.  I stopped the machine and had Kory look at it.  When it started up again it did the same thing.  We were in a pickle since we had no time to have Kory tear it apart, or even call someone to fix it, but it’s definitely going to be needed by anyone who rents the place.  We had no other choice, but to pray.  Kory was very sarcastic and said, “Go ahead” – like that was going to do anything, but I laid my hands on it and told God this is His washer and His apartment He needs to take care of His things.  He has the power to fix all things and we needed Him to help us!  Kory joined me in prayer and when I was done, I turned it on again and it worked like a charm!  I’m claiming it’s a miracle, since I’ve had God heal my car before, so I know mechanical things aren’t out of his jurisdiction.  I never want to short-change God on anything I have prayed for, so now our washing machine works again. HALLELUJAH!

Tante Aslaug, who lives right next door to us, invited us over for dinner tonight.  She correctly assumed we’d be too busy to make it.  What a sweetheart.  She made fried white fish, boiled potatoes and carrots – about as Norwegian of a meal as it gets and it was just the ticket for the three of us, who have been eating odd combinations of things out of the frig and cupboards, trying to use up all the food we had left over.

We stayed a while and visited Aslaug – showing each other our photos of our different trips to Israel and Turkey, but then we had to get back to cleaning.  Tante Kari had invited us over for dessert, so we used the little time between those two events to be productive.

Tante Kari lives downstairs from us and she made a strawberry “soft” cake as it’s called, because it has a whipped cream filling.  She invited over all her sons and their wives, Cousin Odd and Turid, Cousin Rune and Sol, and Cousin Ketil and Lise.  Odd’s daughter, Hege, was also there.  It was a houseful and so much fun to get together with all her family in one fell swoop.  She even made dinner for us all, but since we’d just eaten, we had a taste and her boys were happy to wipe the plates clean.  We are so going to miss our family here, and based on the sweet good-bye we got, I think the Tantes will miss us, too. 

We talked about sad news tonight though, Tante Ruth’s upcoming demise and the fate of Odd’s first grandchild.  His daughter Camille is overdue with her first child, but the baby has so many problems it’s not expected to live.  Camille is in Oslo now waiting for Monday when they will induce her.  Odd said the plumbing between the baby’s hearts and lungs are mixed up so the only oxygen it’s getting is from Camille.  They are surprised it’s lived this long already, but they fully expect it to die at birth.  Camille has gone for many prayers and is hoping for a miracle, but we don’t know God’s plan in it all.  It’s definitely a sad situation.

I was complaining to Rune tonight about the high price of speeding tickets here in Norway.  He said 2,600 kroner ($500) that Kory had to pay for going six miles over the limit was cheap.  He got a ticket a few years ago for 7,800 kroner ($1,560).  Kaleb figured out it’s about $82 per mile over the limit, and they do stop people for only going three miles an hour over the limit.  Rune said if he would have been going one kilometer more, he would have lost his license, as he was going 35 kilometers (about 20 mph) over in the highest speed zone they have.  Yikes. 

When I picked up Kaleb today from Toban’s house, all his buddies were there for one final time together.  It wasn’t long enough, Kaleb complained, and when he got in the car he was crying buckets.  He said it’s not right that he has to wait for a whole year to come and go before he sees his friends again.  I understand perfectly.  But I pointed out that Andre will be with us until August 10^th and probably in the middle of June next year either Daniel or Toban’s family will come visit us in America, so it’s really only about ten months between those two visits, and time always goes so fast.  He liked the thought of that, but I know it’s hard on him to leave them all behind.  He’s going to miss his freedom too as life in Norway isn’t nearly as restrictive or routine as it is back home, so we are all facing some big adjustments.  We need another miracle.

Tomorrow we take the bus to Oslo, spend the night with family there then fly home on Saturday.  I’m not sure how much internet time I’ll have so this might be my last post.  My other blog, postcardsfromtheridge, will be updated periodically.  Thanks to all my faithful friends who keep in touch with me through this blog.  I guess it’s why I never get homesick!