Out And About

Bikes are the best way to travel here!

Us And Our City

The Beginning of My Demise

Yes. This is McDonalds. Yes, my children are eating ice cream here. And, I must confess further...there is only one drive-thru of any sort in this whole country, and tonight, we drove-through it. And my children ate it. And I have no one to blame but myself. And culture-shock.

One Day...

He's gonna need therapy! This is what Simon enjoys doing to his "guys."

A Silent Protest

Every week in the old part of the city there is a silent march of people from the Basque Country. They carry a picture of someone that is imprisoned. From what I understand, many are falsely accused, and are innocent. People hold the pictures as a reminder of these loved ones and walk around the city following a car which is blaring out a sad, eery song. I am sure the song is significant. I don't know what it is, but it makes me want to cry-it is lovely and lonely.

We got caught up in the protest unexpectantly. You can see Gerald in his striped sweatshirt holding Miriam (just think: "Where's Waldo.")

The Benefits

Well, it took us nearly 10 months to discover it, but we have made up for lost time. Chocolate con churros, or Chocolate a la taza. It is like chocolate pudding, only way better. It is becoming a daily need for me. Like drinking water is a need.

Undecided

I wasn't sure what to title this blog entry. I had two ideas: Things I May Never Get Used To or for the second, simply titled: Why?!! You can decide for yourself.

1. Naked, old, men RUNNING on the beach. (things I may never get used to OR why?!!!)
2. The smell of the supermarket. It smells strongly of fish and laundry detergent mixed together. It is not a pleasant smell (things I may never get used to OR why?!!!)
3. The parks are used for public restrooms (and I do mean public) by both children and adults alike. Oh, the stories I could tell! (things I may never get used to OR why?!!!)

An Education In Citizenship

Mom (reading a question from Simon's Brain Quest Cards): Simon, what do you call a citizen of Canada?
Simon: A Cannibal.
Mom: Hmm, not quite.

Just Plain Cute

Tadpole Hunter

Next to our flat is a very beautiful and rustic park. There is a pond with little critters of all types swimming and hopping around. We decided to let Simon catch a tadpole and keep it in his room for 24 hours. He named his tadpole "Jenny." I am not sure if I should take it as a compliment, though. After 24 hours of living in Simon's cave...well...let's just say the little critter was meant to stay in that pond. But, it the end, it was a fun experiment for us all (except Jenny.)

For My Boy

I love the lyrics and music of singer Sara Groves. Many times her songs have been like a healing salve. Her song "A Song to My Sons" is no exception. It has become my prayer for my own son:

This is a song for my son(s) for when you understand it
You know how life is full you know we couldn't plan it
Your dad and I prayed for strength and understanding
For things we couldn't see or comprehend

This is a song for you to carry in your pocket
Take all our love with you in all the paths you walk in
I can't always say your life will always go like it should
But I can say that God is always good

And when the cold wind blows like I know it will
And when you feel alone like I know you will
And when the cold wind blows like we know it will

Don't let your love grow, Don't let your love grow, Don't let your love grow cold

*This is a song from my heart a small refrain to hold you
For times when we are apart and I can not console you
Be honest with yourself and don't forget to pray and read your Bible every day

Working It Out

Upon returning to the Basque Country, it became clear to us that our son was experiencing such hardship in school that we had to take him out. It was not a healthy environment for him to grow and learn. We reached a point where we literally felt like we had no options, but through the prayers of our beloved family and friends, and the support around us, we are seeing a bit of a clearing. It has always been a dream of mine to homeschool my children, and now it looks like I get to do that! I have been doing a bit of research and I really like what I am seeing with the strategy of a Charlotte Mason education. It incorporates an abundance of literature, and since my children can't get enough of books and stories, I think this could be a good route for us.
Because Simon is a great auditory learner he has been feasting on the adventures of "Huckleberry Finn" via podcast audiobooks. He and the girls have also been laughing to the tales and mischief of "Pipi Longstocking," and relishing in the mystery and intrigue of "The Secret Garden."
I have a lot of kinks to work out (homeschooling in a foreign country) but I am feeling encouraged and hopeful about it.

"See You Crazy"

Today Gerald and I saw a neighbor woman whom we hadn't seen for some time. She is great and always friendly. After stopping to chat for a few minutes, we began to say our goodbyes which traditionally end in something like this: "Hasta Luego" which means basically: "See you later." Gerald decided (unintentionally of course) to try something new: "Hasta Loco." No explanation needed.
I find this extremely appropriate given the state of our life right now.

Garage jam session in Arizona...

Check out Gerald, Chris, and Michael getting funky in the Ledners garage on Lylah's blog:

http://lylahledner.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-post.html

Update!

Much time has passed since our last blog entry! And even more so-events! I write this post from our living room in our apartment in the Basque Country! For those of you who haven't heard, our visas arrived just in time! Gerald happened to be on a "boys surfing trip" in Malibu with Simon, and our friend Andone from Basque Country when the visas came in. I joined them later that night (quick flight from Phoenix to LA) with 5 passports in hand. 4 days later, we made our flight back to the Basque Country. As much as I love the States, and specifically Arizona, and my family, my prayer was that God would bring the visas at the right time. It certainly seems that He did!
Coming back, I realized all the things that I had forgotten that I love about being here:
-people walk everywhere, and I do mean everywhere
-the sound of mopeds (Gerald thinks I am crazy, but I love to keep my window open and listen to them race up and down our street at 3 in the morning. There is something musical about it, though!)
-fresh bread (oh it tastes so good, but it can be so dangerous when eaten in large quantities on a daily basis long term)
-the streets, sidewalks, etc. are always full of people, there is so much life here
-the buildings are old, and beautiful
-although it hurts my brain, it is fun to learn a new language
-i love our cozy apartment with just our little family
We thank God for a safe journey back home!

Confessions Of A Slacker

Okay, so our blog has been a bit spotty the past few weeks because of our upheaval in our current living situation, but please check our our wonderful friends and teammates Chris and Megan Probasco's blog. They have just spent 2 weeks in the Basque Country living in our apartment doing visiting and meetings for the summer program, because we have not been there. They will be in Seattle this summer with students from the Basque Country, and we are praying they can join us this fall by moving to Donostia!
On the other hand, I have taken lots of pictures and posted many blog entries in my head. I will get around to putting them on our actual blog soon! Stay tuned! :)

cmprobasco.blogspot.com

From Bayonne to Bilbao...

"My people

have always had a harbour;

but nothing to hold on to firmly,

our harbour is the sea,

the furious sea,

which stretches from Bayonne to

Bilbao...

The sea is our language,

from Bayonne to Bilbao."

Biaonatik Bilbora

by Imanol Larzabal

It's Out Of My Hands

I can have a tendency towards extremeism. Much of the time I am laid back and can go with the flow. But, when it comes to food...well-I can be a bit...unflexible. One year our family ate no sugar. For Easter, I loaded those plastic eggs with little erasers and raisins and peanuts. Simon has eaten at McDonald's two times in his life. Jillian and Miriam-never. Sometimes I overhear Jillian ask Simon when he grows up if he is going to eat at McDonalds. He gets a wicked grin and a rebellious smile and says: "Oh yeah. Like everyday." Jillian is moritified and feels her brother is walking a straight line toward the gates of hell.
We eat organic whenever available, I would prefer to grow my own food, have chickens who lay our eggs, and collect milk from my own cow. Anything artificial keeps clear of our plates.
I say all this because as I look at my current life situation, I have really gone down hill.
Since living with my parents this past month (and counting...) my kids have a constant supply of bubble tape bubble gum (unnaturally blue or red), coke at dinner time (my heart races at the thought!), and well, whatever else they ask their grandfather for. I love my dad, and now-there is just no competing. He is a sucker for his grandkids. And for now, their teeth are rotting, but they are happy.

Top Ten Reasons I Love The United States

1. Whole Foods
2. Stumptown Coffee, Pete's Coffee, and when these aren't available...Starbucks is!
3. Libraries are in english.
4. Old Navy has incredible sales.
5. Every type of food you can imagine (thai food, indian food, sushi on every corner!)
6. Eating dinner at 6:00 is normal.
7. The coffee at restaurants is endless.
8. You can buy peanut butter.
9. Drive-thru's.
10. My mom's washing machine can fit more than 3 towels. A LOT more.
okay...11. Target (thanks Angela! how could I forget???!)

An Update

Okay, so we came back to the U.S. because we had extended our legal stay in Spain (Basque Country) as our residence visas had not come in as planned. It seemed perfect. The "man in charge" said our visas would arrive in L.A. at the end of the month (March), the kids had 2 weeks of spring break, and we had a conference with Summer in the USA to attend in Seattle. Yet here we are in Arizona two weeks into April, no word on our visas (still waiting!), and we can't get back into the country until the papers are in our hands. So now, we are waiting, and praying, and I am teaching Jillian timestables, and working with Simon on reading (Treasure Island), and doing Rosetta Stone (spanish) on the computer, and Gerald is working on the phone and computer.
So-this is the latest news for us! We are in a holding pattern. We are learning patience. We are learning faith. It is not where we want to be, but we recognize we are not the ones in charge! And we can take comfort in this!

A Little Work...

...And A Lot Of Play!

Experts (again!)

So, we have been back in the Good Ol' U.S. of A for nearly 2 weeks now. After having been living in the Basque Country for 6 months, we are enjoying the ease of conversation in our native tongue, we are finding the "system" here to be smooth and effortless, and the coffee and food...well, let's just say...variety is the spice of life! :) It is certainly humbling to live in a foreign culture and foreign language. We are like infants, dependant on those who know how to live and operate in this land. The simple daily activities that we take for granted in our own country, become large hurdles, burdening obstacles that must be manuevered with lots of time and care.
Even though it has been a difficult season of learning, I thank God because He has helped our family to grow. We are seeing areas in our lives that need His sharpening and His careful carpenter Hands. We are learning dependance on Him in ways we never knew possible.
So, for the next two weeks, we will enjoy being the "experts" on everything! But we are excited to return because He has been faithful to us in unimaginable ways and we know He will continue to do so.

Who Needs A Dog?

...when you have ladybugs!

Bike Tales

Jillian never rode a tricycle. I was concerned that she'd never learn to ride a bike. But two days ago, she got on the bike and Gerald has been chasing her ever since.

My Three Girls!

How is Miriam's face?

The Dirt Has Arrived

My parents are putting in garden boxes. They had dirt shipped from California-here is the day of delivery. The kids were ecstatic when this big truck pulled up and "dumped" the dirt right on the driveway. They weren't so ecstatic when they spent two days helping my parents shovel the dirt from the front to the back of the house. But all the hard work sure has cured the jet lag!

Drums And Fun

I have been enjoying the freedom of living in a house again. After 6 months of living in an apartment and constantly having to remind kids to keep noise levels down, the kids are loving loud singing, loud laughter...and loud drums! Gerald thought this would be a great gift for Simon as this was around the time Gerald began to play drums. Fortunately for everyone, these drums do come with earphones!

4 a.m. Is The New 7 a.m.

I hate jet lag.

London Airport

We arrived in Arizona!!! It took 2 planes, and 2 days-but we made it safely. As we were landing in London and preparing to spend a night in England Simon was a bit pensive.

Simon: Dad, are the people in England all like Mr. Bean?Gerald: No, Simon. He's just a funny character.

Simon: (confessing) good...because I was a little scared of him.

On The Road (again!)...

After talking with the person-in-the-know here in the Basque Country, they were able to find our visas in the computer systems (still in process) but will be ready for pick up in early April. This means our whole family has to be present in Los Angeles to pick up our visas. The timing works out great because the kids have two weeks off from school for Semana Santa (Easter break) and Gerald has a conference in Seattle the last week in March.
So...tomorrow our family of 5 begins the 2 day journey back to Arizona for a few weeks (2) to catch our breath and drink 6 months worth of Starbucks, and then Gerald and I will spend some time in Portland to see our wonderful friends and then up to Seattle for our conference. We will finish our trip in Los Angeles to get our much awaited visas before returning to San Sebastian. 4 States, 4 weeks.
I look forward to posting lots of pictures of cousin time. Simon, especially, has been missing his cousin and BFF-Zane. He told Gerald he didn't want to spend a minute without Zane.
We appreciate your prayers as we prepare for this journey!

I Picked This Flower For You Mommy!

Great Time In France

We had a great lunch with friends in France. Two of the boys came two years ago to Portland, and this summer-their brothers, plus another will join us this summer. The house is a traditional (french) Basque style home-often times the shutters are painted red or green. Lovely!!!

Poco a Poco

I thought i'd put in a picture of where Gerald and I spend our mornings. We are meeting with a great spanish tutor. Every day we get spanish, plus a history lesson (in spanish.) I am eating it up!!!

Okay, Now You Can Have Dessert.

Que Guapo!

Gerald in his "office." This guy is one hard working man. My favorite is the phone calls that he gets (upwards of 8 a day.) "OH! Si, Si, Si, Si....uh....repeate por favor. Mas despacio, por favor. Uno mas vez, por favor." He is enjoying these phone calls from parents with questions for sending their kids to the U.S. this summer because it is improving his spanish. Or...scaring the parents??? Buen Trabajo Gerald!!!

PROGRESS

Jenni now answers our home phone when it rings!

Surf Art

Surfing is like art. Painters look at creation around them and are inspired to replicate it with their own style and adaptations. Think of any famous painting and most will be a twist on what has already been: The Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, Starry Night, ect. These painters have taken what already exists and tweaked it, personalized it. Surfing is just the same. Waves come to land after traveling thousands of miles then bend, pitch, curl, and break on the shore. Surfers add to the waves by joining them and drawing their own lines, and personalizing them. Each wave is like a clean canvas waiting for an artist to make it their own.

Why do we enjoy recreating, personalizing, and expressing ourselves in art or in surfing? I think part of the answer lies in our image. We are made in the image of the Creator. The One who expresses Himself daily as new babies are born, as flower bloom, as water and wind change a beach. We are being like our Father when we express ourselves in any creativity. -G

The German Queen Is Dead

This morning I heard singing coming from Jillian's room. Singing from Jillian is certainly nothing new. But-opera style is. As I popped my head in, she told me that the German queen had died and the people were coming in procession to her funeral. I asked her (quite soberly) if she minded if I took some pictures of this occasion. She was happy to oblige me.

The last picture will be the final resting place for "The German Queen."

Good News

God's timing is perfect. We are finding that when we have bits of discouragement or moments of doubt He is brings to us good news, a timely word, or some taste of extraordinary beauty in creation. This morning was no exception. Feeling a bit impatient as we wait for our visas, and wondering what to do about our house next month....we find out that our house has been rented out. This is a gigantic relief for us! Last night-we gave this concern to the Lord, and this morning He answered! We are grateful for our incredible property management Gordon Properties in Portland for their speedy turnaround! Phew!!

Jillian

For some reason, I think there has been more things posted by Miriam and Simon lately. But we do have one more precious child!!! I will be sure in the future to put more pictures of her up. Jillian is thriving here in the Basque Country. She is growing in her spanish, she is loving her friends, and she is dreaming of "high school" and all things "teenager." She is coming out of her shell at school and amazing some of her teachers at her "bubbliness." She told me today she thought she might need to "tone it down a bit." We are really proud of her and thankful that she has adjusted here so easily.

More Cute Somethings

Miriam came to me in deep distress:
"Mommy, I didn't get to go to your wedding. Can you get married again?"

Cooking With Simon

Tonight Simon came to me with an idea for making dessert. He was so excited and had it all planned out that I couldn't refuse. He asked for a bowl, butter cookies, Nutella, a banana, and some chocolate chips. I loaded the stuff on the table and he went to work. He did recruit a more than willing assistant-promising her she could be just like the little rat in "Ratatouille."

He labored over it like it was a work of art. And we all enjoyed this delicious treat after dinner. Before he went to sleep he asked me if I had ever tried putting maple syrup in the pancake batter. No I haven't. But I have a feeling the next time we make pancakes we are going to try something a little new.

Future Musings

Simon and I were having a deep conversation last night while we were preparing dinner. He was trying to figure out what he should be when he grows up. I suggested he do something that he was passionate about and loved to do. Something that would motivate him every morning to get out of bed. For instance, he loves science or math, so an archaeologist, or math teacher. Or-he could be an author because he is always making up these great stories.
Miriam was in the middle of it all-like usual, listening. When she could get a word in she told us what she wanted to be when she grew up:
"I want to be a pauper, so I can marry a prince!"

Multi-Linguists

The other night we were with friends for a fellowship gathering. The man is from Sweden, the woman is from the States. During the two hours or so that we were all together, I heard their little girl (about 7 or 8) speaking swedish, english, spanish, and euskara. She wove in and out of the languages with whom she needed to speak and (from what I could tell) mastered it all beautifully.
Daily I am in awe of languages. I never really gave it much thought in the States. English is what we hear all day. I am so thankful that my children are getting this gift-to learn other languages. Jillian says she can't wait to get spanish down so then she can start learning french (hmmm...I wonder who has been planting that little seed?? :) ) What a valuable tool it is to learn another language, not only do you really have a deeper understanding of your own language, but then you get to communicate with a whole group of other people speaking their language.
If I were to guess the next three important languages to learn for the entire world, I would guess it would be arabic, spanish, and chinese. If anyone is interested in learning another language-check out Rosetta Stone, or better yet...make friends with a person from another country and begin "language swap" or "intercambio." Just some thoughts! :)

Notes To Self:

-When purchasing an item, take the item after it has been rung up, then give money.
-Toilet paper is overrated.
-Say "talk to me" when you answer the phone.

Hello? Goodbye?

When we first arrived here, we noticed people passing eachother in the streets (apparently people who knew eachother) and instead of saying "hola" or "kaixo" (hello) they would say "agur" (goodbye) and continue on their way.
I thought this was interesting because when we pass people we know (in the States) we say "hello" and then continue on our way.
Now when I pass people that I know I instantly blurt out "hola" or "kaixo" at the same time they are saying "agur" to me.
I am trying to get used to saying goodbye to people when I first see them. I don't know if my mind will ever adjust . The funny thing is, it actually makes more sense to say "goodbye" to someone that you pass, because you are not stopping to talk or hanging. Just passing by.

A Big Gift

Our WONDERFUL friends-Marshall and Emily (who are living here and teaching english) gave Gerald and I a night away. They went from being a carefree newlyweds-to instant parents of 3 for 24 hours! I am happy to report that they did survive, and they gave us a memorable, much needed, breakaway. We went to the second "happiest place on earth"...France!!! Just a short 20 minute drive from where we live, Gerald and I had a great time catching up with sleep and mindless meanderings. We were blessed to have 65 degree weather in Feburary. It has been unseasonably warm and dry here (Thank you God!!) We enjoyed sitting for about two hours at an outdoor cafe just staring. All around us were french speakers, so our minds didn't have to focus on spanish and spanish learning. It was so nice.

The picture is of us and Marshall and Emily during the Donostia reunion at a Sideria.

Paella

Gerald and I went walking about the town of Biarritz when we passed a huge container filled with yummy little treasures. The smell was what hooked me. It may be that this was the best food item that I have ever smelled in my life. Paella is a traditional food here in this region. It is a blend of rice, saffron, chicken, and the "fruits of the sea." I became instantly ravenous! We watched as the cook carefully added water and stirred. It wouldn't be ready for another hour. So we really worked up our appetite and came back an hour later. We were not disappointed!!!