30 October 2013
The First Annual Stevens Family Fall Festival (a.k.a. Jen's Big Idea)
This past weekend we hosted a fall festival in the courtyard of our building. This was an idea Jen had to do next year as a way to reconnect with our neighbors. Then she decided this year to have a little carnival for her AWANA group and in true Jen fashion it grew and grew and GREW. So with some help from our colleagues Jen's dream became reality. This is one of the things I love most about my wife, when she Dreams it is big and she loves to make those dreams come true. So for a week she created carnival games from scratch. I was amazed at the amazing games she made with household items. We also got to introduce Serbia to some favorites like bobbing for apples. Now carnival games would not be enough so we had a bounce house and a clown. The best part of the whole thing was when the kid's figured out that the tickets they got from the games could be redeemed at the prize table. GREAT FUN watching them choose from all the lute I got at the Chinese market. I look forward to watching this event grow and become a way for our family to be a city on a hill. On a side not Monday at school Miki's friends wanted to know when the Winter Festival was... guess it was a big hit!
24 October 2013
Throwback Thursday: One of my Favorites
This post is one of my favorites. We don't live in this neighborhood anymore but when I run, I often pass this spot. It's one of the best places in town to me because it meant so much to us early in our time here. God has continued to bless us. Read about my brave girls here.
18 October 2013
Reflections: Getting the girls in school
After arriving we had a ton of things to do. Find a language school, gets visas, get the girls in school so we could go to language. This was on top of just learning to live (you know like buying groceries, navigating public translation, paying bills...).
To be honest school for the girls was the scariest thing I think I had done up to that point in my life. We were in a new place, we did not understand one thing around us and here we are trying to put our 3 and 7 year old in school. Again God brought a peace to Jen and I that was indescribable. He had brought us this far so keep trusting was how we were living.
So what to do with Kyleigh? Our landlord had told us about the best neighborhood school, Dusko Radovic, so we headed over to check it out. We went in and told the first adult we saw we wanted our daughter to go to school here. Shock- that is the only way to describe the look on this ladies face. We spoke no Serbian and not very many people in the school spoke English. Finally they found an English teacher (Vesna) who got us to the office to meet with the principal. Most of this day was a blur but I remeber being asked several times "you want her to go to school here, not the international school"
"Yes we want her here, with Serbs, learning" Again shock. Finally they brought the 2nd grade teacher down who spoke a little English and they told us what supplies we needed and to bring Kyleigh back tomorrow for her first day. I think on January 18th 2010, my Kyleigh was the bravest girl in the world - she hugged my neck and walked right into that school - fearless. Fearless because at 7 she knew she was not doing this alone, the God of the universe walked with her. On the other hand I was a wreck - but one day at a time, following was all we could do. That school has become one of my favorite places in all of Serbia. It feels right and my kids feel at home there
Now Miki's school was alot different. One of our neighbors had told us about a good private Kindergarten in the neighborhood, and so we contacted the owner and set up a meeting. It was a great place. 18 kids, three teachers and they all spoke English. Miki was nervous about a new school but she loved Sunacne school - and we loved here teachers and friends.
As I look back on the last four years, I would do things differently, but these two decisions, I would not change a thing. Our kids have made great friends, we have been accepted by the community and Jen and I have made some dear friends through these relationships. Miki goes to Dusko Radovic now and has the same teacher K had. We love that school, the people there have impacted our lives in such a phenominal way, and I pray we have impacted them.
To be honest school for the girls was the scariest thing I think I had done up to that point in my life. We were in a new place, we did not understand one thing around us and here we are trying to put our 3 and 7 year old in school. Again God brought a peace to Jen and I that was indescribable. He had brought us this far so keep trusting was how we were living.
So what to do with Kyleigh? Our landlord had told us about the best neighborhood school, Dusko Radovic, so we headed over to check it out. We went in and told the first adult we saw we wanted our daughter to go to school here. Shock- that is the only way to describe the look on this ladies face. We spoke no Serbian and not very many people in the school spoke English. Finally they found an English teacher (Vesna) who got us to the office to meet with the principal. Most of this day was a blur but I remeber being asked several times "you want her to go to school here, not the international school"
"Yes we want her here, with Serbs, learning" Again shock. Finally they brought the 2nd grade teacher down who spoke a little English and they told us what supplies we needed and to bring Kyleigh back tomorrow for her first day. I think on January 18th 2010, my Kyleigh was the bravest girl in the world - she hugged my neck and walked right into that school - fearless. Fearless because at 7 she knew she was not doing this alone, the God of the universe walked with her. On the other hand I was a wreck - but one day at a time, following was all we could do. That school has become one of my favorite places in all of Serbia. It feels right and my kids feel at home there
Now Miki's school was alot different. One of our neighbors had told us about a good private Kindergarten in the neighborhood, and so we contacted the owner and set up a meeting. It was a great place. 18 kids, three teachers and they all spoke English. Miki was nervous about a new school but she loved Sunacne school - and we loved here teachers and friends.
As I look back on the last four years, I would do things differently, but these two decisions, I would not change a thing. Our kids have made great friends, we have been accepted by the community and Jen and I have made some dear friends through these relationships. Miki goes to Dusko Radovic now and has the same teacher K had. We love that school, the people there have impacted our lives in such a phenominal way, and I pray we have impacted them.
17 October 2013
Throwback Thursday: Moving to our own place.
Upon arriving we were provided with a great apartment. But with the addition of Wilson it was just a little small. So we got approval to move then went through the crazy process of moving with our company. The best part was the moving company we were required to use. Lets just say they were not Pros... check out the whole story here.
15 October 2013
Reflections: The Arrival
Two months from today the Stevens family will be back in America for the first time in nearly four years. God has completely blessed our time in Belgrade and as much as we look forward to getting home to the States with friends and family, we will miss this place and these people very much, but will return in August of 2014. Over the coming weeks I'll be posting some reflections on events and people that have shaped our time here. Today we will start from the begining with THE ARRIVAL
THE ARRIVAL
If you look at the blog archives the story of our arrival is conspicuously missing. At the time I figured if I wrote about my parents and Jen's parents my become unnecessarily worried. Nothing bad had happened it was just so foreign... we had no idea how to frame it. So here goes....
Dec. 31 2009
After 20 hours of travel time a very worn out Stevens family of four arrives at Belgrade airport. Little did we know at the time that that is the busiest part of the day at the airport, so as the frosted doors slide open, their are hundreds of people standing there, but no one for us. Jen and I push our carts loaded with 12 suitcases, 4 carryons, and 4 backpacks through the throng of people as our senses are assaulted with new sights, sounds and smells, and huddle in a corner waiting for someone to come get the shocked American family. A few minutes later our supervisor showed up and all was well. We loaded up his van as well as a colleagues and headed to our new home. It was cold and rainy, not quite cold enough for snow, but that would come.
We pulled up to our apartment and well I had no idea what was happening. There was no parking lot, it was gravel, and a mud pit. Since people did not want to park in the mud pit, they parked everywhere else. After moving past the parking situation I noticed our building. GRAY, DINGY and covered in Graffiti, then I noticed everything was covered in graffiti. I silently prayed the first of many times "Ok God you're in charge". (on a side note graffiti is not a big deal here, its everywhere, not gang related and we learned not to judge a building by the outside).
We got all our bags up, entered our new apartment and loved it. Like I said cant judge a building by the outside here.
We stacked our bags in the corner and went exploring (after a quick stop at MacDonalds where we learned no free refills and you had to buy your catchup). After some exploring and another bite to eat - not at MacDonalds- we returned to our apartment. Our supervisor left us and headed home to a different country. So here we were, new years eve, new country, alone. It was pretty overwhelming. Luckily we had Disney channel and English and were able to watch Hannah Montana and feel kind of normal. Then the fun began... a city of two million people began ringing in the new year.
Mixed between what I call American fireworks (light up and are pretty) Serbian fireworks (make loud explosions that sound like bombs) and actual gunfire we tried to sleep. I remember laying in Bed thinking "the bags are still packed, I could find a taxi and get to the airport" then I said that prayer again and you know what...
God is in control and his plan is perfect!
THE ARRIVAL
If you look at the blog archives the story of our arrival is conspicuously missing. At the time I figured if I wrote about my parents and Jen's parents my become unnecessarily worried. Nothing bad had happened it was just so foreign... we had no idea how to frame it. So here goes....
Dec. 31 2009
After 20 hours of travel time a very worn out Stevens family of four arrives at Belgrade airport. Little did we know at the time that that is the busiest part of the day at the airport, so as the frosted doors slide open, their are hundreds of people standing there, but no one for us. Jen and I push our carts loaded with 12 suitcases, 4 carryons, and 4 backpacks through the throng of people as our senses are assaulted with new sights, sounds and smells, and huddle in a corner waiting for someone to come get the shocked American family. A few minutes later our supervisor showed up and all was well. We loaded up his van as well as a colleagues and headed to our new home. It was cold and rainy, not quite cold enough for snow, but that would come.
We pulled up to our apartment and well I had no idea what was happening. There was no parking lot, it was gravel, and a mud pit. Since people did not want to park in the mud pit, they parked everywhere else. After moving past the parking situation I noticed our building. GRAY, DINGY and covered in Graffiti, then I noticed everything was covered in graffiti. I silently prayed the first of many times "Ok God you're in charge". (on a side note graffiti is not a big deal here, its everywhere, not gang related and we learned not to judge a building by the outside).
We got all our bags up, entered our new apartment and loved it. Like I said cant judge a building by the outside here.
We stacked our bags in the corner and went exploring (after a quick stop at MacDonalds where we learned no free refills and you had to buy your catchup). After some exploring and another bite to eat - not at MacDonalds- we returned to our apartment. Our supervisor left us and headed home to a different country. So here we were, new years eve, new country, alone. It was pretty overwhelming. Luckily we had Disney channel and English and were able to watch Hannah Montana and feel kind of normal. Then the fun began... a city of two million people began ringing in the new year.
Mixed between what I call American fireworks (light up and are pretty) Serbian fireworks (make loud explosions that sound like bombs) and actual gunfire we tried to sleep. I remember laying in Bed thinking "the bags are still packed, I could find a taxi and get to the airport" then I said that prayer again and you know what...
God is in control and his plan is perfect!
10 October 2013
Throwback Thursday: Wilson Arrives!!!!
03 October 2013
Throwback Thursday: A Serbian Tradition
One of the (O.K. the BIGGEST) thing that has happened in our last four years is the birth of our son, Wilson. The next few throwbacks will focus on that. This week we look back at the party we helod for our friends - Serbian style - after the birth.
Click here to read all about it.
For a crazy video of the night by our Norwegian Friend Kristian watch the embeded video below
Click here to read all about it.
For a crazy video of the night by our Norwegian Friend Kristian watch the embeded video below
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)