…But we are back in Iceland with VISAs. Here’s a recap of what we had to go through in the last 3 days: 1. 1. Three hour train ride from Jyvaskyla to the capital: Helsinki, Finland. Colby’s backpack broke. Had to shop for another one in the Helsinki mall and transfer everything into it. 2. 2. Hellsinki Airport. Got into the slowest line at Czech Airlines. Finally it is our turn at the check-in counter. We find out we are only allowed to check 80 kilos and we are required to check our Read More
Road Race (Icelandic style)
We finally discovered an Icelandic running website that advertises different races around here, so Friday night we decided to go to an evening race in the outskirts of Reykjavik. Colby and I both wanted to compete which meant the girls were coming with us in the jogging stroller. The 9K race started out on a very narrow trail, so Colby and the kids were literally in last place for the first mile in an effort not to hold any one up. The kids could not understand this, and the whole first mile I Read More
June 17th
Sautján Júni. (Soi-tjown Yoo-nie). We kept saying it all day because it has such a ring to it. Basically, June 17th is Icelandic Independence Day. Like 4th of July, minus the fireworks. We started out the day going to one of the suburbs to partake in the festivities. I saw a schedule of events that boasted of games and kids activities, but when we arrived at the Viking Village to participate, they wouldn't let us in to the "fair grounds" unless we paid. BOO. We decided to skip it and Read More
Glaciers, Fairies, and Lunatics
I told Colby last weekend that the only thing I really wanted to do for my birthday was hike on the glacier, Sólheimajökull. The next day at language school, there was a new girl in our class from Germany. At the end of class she asked me if I wanted to hike Sólheimajökull with her on Saturday because she had already scheduled a trip with a guide (and her roomie from Switzerland). Colby looked at me, smiled, and said, "I'll watch the kids!" The weather called for 80% chance of rain, so I was Read More
The Little Girl Who Cried Wolf
Last night, some friends here in Iceland invited us to go out to dinner. This was a pretty exciting event since we had't gone out at all yet. We immediately began coaching the kids on good restaurant etiquette. Anticipation was high and the kids both got dressed up, picked out necklaces and bracelets for the big event. When we arrived and walked into the serene, candle-lit restaurant, immediately Colby and looked at each other and said at the same time, "Oh no...Were we supposed to get a Read More
We are pitiful…
Well, it happened again. This time-- only worse. It was Wednesday night, and we were having company over for dinner. I needed a shower, but I hate showering if I haven't worked out yet that day. Yes, I know that's a little neurotic, but I somehow feel like I don't deserve a shower unless I earn it by sweating. So, I put on sweats and went out the door of our apartment to put on my shoes which were outside in the hallway. Colby followed me out the door to discuss something with me while the Read More
Communion with Kids
So, last Sunday we visited a new church in the area that was affiliated with Sovereign Grace Ministries. When we arrived, they instructed us that the children were to stay with us for the first part of the service and then would be released before the sermon. We sat down and the pastor began to prepare the congregation for communion. He started by talking about the plagues and the bondage of the Israelites in Egypt. We have been reading these stories to the kids, but I was surprised when Darcy Read More
Underwear theology
On Sunday, Darcy threw up her entire lunch. I was on my hands and knees JUST about done sanitizing the kitchen floor of regurgitated strawberries when Darcy comes in and out of nowhere asks, "Iz God ezeywhe-ah?" Feeling proud that my daughter was contemplating the doctrine of omnipresence, I responded, "Yes! Good job, Darcy...He IS everywhere..." The next thing out of her mouth was, "He in my pants?" I stopped in my tracks and looked up, absolutely stunned by my toddler's ability to engage in Read More
Darcy Doodle’s Dental Disaster
Colby here. Well we knew it would happen some time. One of our children would experience some sort of bodily injury and if we were lucky only lose a tooth. Tonight was the night and the playground was the scene of the crime. As Darcy made an attempt to climb something a little too difficult for her, she had a facial collision with a metal bar and knocked one of her two top front teeth. She took it like a champ. Cried for a little bit, but not really a whole lot. Her mother and sister on the Read More
Mixed Signals
I love hay bails. I started to fall in love with Colby on top of a hay bail in Memphis, TN during the summer of 2000. Of course, as we were on the hay bail, Colby was asking me (for the 5th time) if I saw any hope in the future for a relationship between us and I was explaining to him that I was not interested in ever dating him nor marrying him or anyone else for the matter. Exclusive relationships were like a prison to me, and instead, I was heading to the jungles of Ecuador to be a single Read More