Moving Days...

It should tell me something when I have to write two seperate blogs in one day just to catch up on what I haven't blogged about. Yeeesh! Well, WE'RE HERE! Our new home in Wheaton, IL. Scott started his job yesterday and it looks like he's working about 9-3pm this week. We just love all the people he's working with. Lots of couples right around our age several little bitty kiddos running around. We've had several dinners together now with a lot of his co-workers. I'm actually about to go babysit for his boss who has a 5 month old daughter. :) Everyone has been super friendly and helpful. I absolutely love it so far! Wheaton is a west suburb of Chicago and we are surrounded by probably at least 4 or 5 more little suburbs around us. So many different stores, fun places to eat & shop, lots of parks and great places to walk! It's a total bonus that we're only about 25 minutes outside of the big city and there's a Metra stop literally right across the street from us. We haven't made it that far yet...we took last week to make a big moving day up with our Mom's and Kellie (WHO WERE HUGE HELPS!) and then we came home for the weekend and trucked it back up here with another car load. So, here are some pics of the outside of our apartment so you can see where we're living:

We're actually on the top right corner of this building, you can't see our windows from this picture.

These stores are directly across the strees from us. (A retail shop, travel agency, furniture boutique, and a SUPER expensive restaurant...probably won't be visiting there soon! ;) )

This is the Metra stop right across from us, there's an actual station behind all of these stores.

So this fun name plate is on the wall beside our front door. :)

And this sign welcomed us into our new apartment! :)

The five us spent the rest of the evening unloading boxes from the truck...wait, I take that back. About 5 or 6 guys (other GRAs and both of Scott's bosses) unloaded and carried everything up the stairs for us in a matter of minutes! What great guys! AFTER that we spent the rest of the night unpacking boxes and made a pizza run to Geno's East for some Chicago style pizza (which Scott and I ate on for two days after!). So, we got most of the stuff unpacked and the next morning...what we'd been waiting for...

YAY FOR IKEA!!! :) We shopped until our stomachs started growling so then what did we do...well what else!? We stopped for lunch at the IKEA cafeteria. Scott and I had some pretty bangin' Swedish meatballs with Lingonberry sauce! Which you can also purchase at IKEA. Yummm-o!

The next couple of days we spent trying to make our apartment look a bit more like home. Here's what we've come up with so far...some of the rooms still need a lot of work in the decor department.

Our kitchen :)

And this is one side of our living room...it's a pretty big space, and we're not quite sure what to do with it yet.

This is our guest room (those clothes are actually hanging up in a closet now and we bought a comforter for the bed). Those are the desks that the school supplied us with and the desktop computer they've supplied us with as well!

This is our bedroom. :)

And last but not least, this is our little bitty bathroom...okay it's not unbearably small, but those of you who knew that bathroom we had at my Mom & Dad's...this seems tiny. It just needed a little color though. :)

So there you have it...a tour of our new apartment! Once we finish the decorating I'll post some more pics. I'll try to take some pics around campus this week too. :)

If you haven't see my post about GREASE make sure you click on the web album in the next post! :)

GREASE is the word...is the word...is the word...

Hey guys! So, FINALLY for all of you who didn't get to come to our grand production of GREASE you can see loads of pictures of the performance and some behind the scenes pics. I have never had so much fun! I may be addicted to performing in musicals now. :) I do know that Wheaton Drama will be doing Oliver! and Chicago this year....yay!! I just might have to go audition. Anyway, Kellie and I had SUCH a blast doing GREASE this summer...though there were a couple of rough patches it was so worth it. It was so much fun to make so many new friends and let me tell you...thesbians are a hoot to hang out with! Those crazy kids...we loved them!
CLICK HERE FOR MY GREASE WEB ALBUM!!

GREASE

Here are even a couple of videos for your viewing pleasure! ;)

Busy Week!

So, the past couple weeks have been kinda busy. We had a wonderful visit with our precious Lauren. For those of you who don't know, Lauren lived very close to us for a year in Poland. She lived in the city of Olawa, which was about a 20 minute train ride from our place. This beautiful lady became part of our family last year. It's amazing how close living in a foreign country can bring strangers. And the funny thing is, Lauren is from Owensboro and went to school with Scott and we only came to know her from living in Poland with her. She is a precious part of our lives now...her and her wonderful new husband Aaron.
I've also been super super busy with my GREASE rehearsals. I'm not real sure how I'm feeling about it. The cast is a hoot to hang out with, but I'm a little nervous about the performance. It just doesn't seem like it's coming together real well. YIKES! Here's a pic of us hanging around during rehearsal - my sister Kellie and Vance (playing the part of Teen Angel).



So, the MAJOR part of this week - Scott and I taught the missions class at VBS this past week. It was a good time, but WHEW was it tiring! Scott and I also brought a friend, Jaci, with us each day and she LOVED it! Jaci also became a Christian at VBS this week too...so that was pretty precious to be a part of. :)

I would love to write more...but I'm feeling pretty crappy today. Sinuses and whatnot - blech! Have a wonderful week guys!

More to come soon! Can you believe we move in TWO WEEKS!!!! HOLY COW!

Some good Zydeco...

The beginning of this past week was fairly uneventful...being bored out of our minds in the mornings, then me going to GREASE rehearsal at nights - normally a good time. I hate having to leave Scott three nights a week now and our rehearsals are closed so he can't ever come with me. BUT the fun thing about this week - the WC Handy Blues and BBQ Fest! Always a good time and a Henderson tradition for the past 19 years. Thursday night is Zydeco night - complete with red beans & rice and gator-on-a-stick. As you can see Scott and I enjoyed a good bowl of red beans & rice w/ a little andouille sausage thrown in - YUUMM!!!

The past two years Scott and I have missed the Handy Fest because we were in Poland so we were super stoked to be able to make it this summer. My parents and Scott's parents have made it a tradition each year to go to Zydeco night together. My Father-in-Law, Jim, is cajun (from Crowley, LA) and we all love anything cajun related! :) This year Jim wasn't able to enjoy it with us, but Debbie and Brandon both came down to listen to the Zydeco with us. :)

Dad always enjoys Zydeco night too...and he likes him some soft serve ice cream!

Shea walked over from his place too with his fun new purchase. :)

So, that was the highlight of our week! Our weekend was spent helping out with Cindy's son's wedding. A good time, but WHEW were we tired after that!

Can you believe it?!

(Last night after the Handy Fest - Downtown Henderson)

We're back! So, after thinking about it and spending the better part of the morning re-reading my entire blog through teary eyes...I've decided to give this blogging thing another go! Actually, it's probably due to the fact that Kellie just sent me an email saying "Are you going to start blogging again when you get to school?" Yes! Yes I am! I may re-title my blog to "Grad School Adventures in Chi-Town." :)

(During our grad school search trip to Chicago & Grand Rapids - Navy Pier)

(After looking at a school in Grand Rapids we stopped by the lake.)

AND THE WINNER!! We are SO excited about attending school here!

It really was quite the trip down memory lane reading through everything again...so many things I'd forgotten about. What an amazing time we had. We were so so blessed. I mean, what newlywed couple gets to move to Poland during their first two years of marriage, be missionaries, go to Paris on their one year anniversary, learn to speak another language, and leave that country feeling as though they have a home and a family there? Wow. There are no words.

"So!" you say, "What have the Newman's been up to since their big move home?" Well, here's a run down for you:

So, living at home has been a blessing and a bit difficult - going from completely on your own to totally dependent on your parents again - very humbling. We searched for months to try to find jobs.

As far as jobs go, Scott and I both applied to be substitute teachers...he worked just about every day (bless his heart!) while I opted out and got a job working at Sun Tan City. Whew! It's been a long 10 months.

This gal was the one reason I stayed at STC as long as I did - one of my best girls, Angel. She is something else and Scott and I have become so blessed to have her and her family in our lives. They've become like family to us! A precious precious lady.

At her daughter Jaci's birthday party. I made Jaci that quilt for her birthday. The first quilt I've ever made and it turned out pretty darn cute!

Since we've been home Scott and I have had a rough time staying put in one church because we help out so much...if we weren't moving to Chicago in a month we would make this our home church.

In Owensboro - I have no words to describe how much I adore this church, the people in it, the teaching, the ministries, the music...everything about it. A precious place. We started going there a couple times a month starting in October since then we've started taking Angel and her family with us and occasionally Mom & Dad will go too. My heart is just breaking that we won't be able to be a bigger part of it. :( But we've loved every Sunday we've been able to attend there!

Here are a few other things that we've been up to since we've been home:

This was at the Engage International Conference - We led music during the conference and had a blast getting to know so many international students. :

Scott and I led CROSS at HCC during the school year - these were a few of our faithful guys who always attended meetings. We took them on a weekend mission trip to do some work at this church and had a blast!


We went down to Louisiana with the fam to see our grandparents, aunts & uncles, cousins...and of course to eat some good cajun cookin'! :)

I had the priviledge to be in one of my best friend's weddings! YAY for Kat & Jonny Drew!

Since then we've been hiking with the Drew's and hanging out with Davis's as well. Two of my favorite couples ever.

(L- Hiking at Audubon Park R- Couple's night at the Davis's...once again, the ladies dominated in Cranium!)

All my high school gals at our bud Beth's wedding. YAY for high school flashbacks! :)

We've been able to spend loads of time with the Stanley family - Dad's side. (Unfortunately you can't see the other upteen Stanley's in this picture.)

The dreaded ice storm where we all had to move in with Shea for a week. Scott and I came down with the plague and were quarintined to the back, uppermost secluded spot in Shea's house so no one else would catch it. :) (Below - our beautiful trees destroyed by the ice)

Scott's birthday! He got a Didjeridoo from my Dad. :) Shea got one for his birthday too...they've both been playing them nonstop ever since! hehe

And so there you have it! The past nine months in a nutshell! Currently, we're up to being unemployeed, filling out Grad School papers, trying to spend as little money as possible, Scott's playing softball each week, and yours truly has rehearsals three nights (sometimes four) a week for this summer's Madisonville Community Theater production of GREASE! Yep. I'm going to be in a play. A musical no less! I've never been in a play before. Kellie's going to be in it too! YAY for sisterly bonding! :) It's been a blast! I don't have a huge part, Kellie and I are both in the chorus. I do get to sing a special song during a scene change though...and that's fun! :) Come see it! Tickets are $15 and you can get all the info about the play here: http://www.glemacenter.org/


Have a great week! I promise you'll be hearing from me soon!
Love to you all!

I call him Albert...'cause he's so contrary

Yesterday Scott and I had the opportunity to spend the afternoon with one of the most precious ladies I've ever known. I met Ms. Ione when I was working for Wesleyan Heights UMC as their youth director. I would give the children's sermons on Sunday morning during both services. Ms. Ione attended the 11am service. She would sit and smile real big at me while I was giving my sermons each Sunday. One day I was in my office and received a call from her asking if I could come over some time and she would give me some coaching on public speaking. ;) Scott and I went over to her condo one afternoon and stayed for several hours.

Ms. Ione also used to record readings of the Bible for the blind. The first time we went over to her place she showed us her room where she records. She had a huge Bible placed on a table with quite the impressive tape recorder infront of it. I can't remember what book she had read through but she'd gone a long way. Ione just now quit recording because her advisor told her they were recording on cds now and her equipment was a bit out of date. She's also a phenomenal writer. She has given me several of her books that she written, including her autobiography "Hayloft to Heaven" which she wrote and had published at age 84. One of my most cherished books from her is a short little book called "The Joy of Trusting." This book came along in my carry-on on every flight since my first one to Poland. Her words, experience, and trust in the Lord have always been a huge encouragement and comfort to me.

She told us of her teaching careers, how she taught ESL to Czech students, and she told us all about her travels which she began after the death of her husband. Her first trip was to: Hawaii, Austrailia, New Zealand, and Tahiti. She's been to Scotland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Norway.....and to London via the QE2 Concorde! She was about 70 years old when she began travelling the world. When she heard the news that we were moving to Poland to be missionaries she was delighted. We knew the world traveller that she was and how excited she was about our trip to Poland, so I created a special picture for her which is of us and our city in Poland. It now hangs on her wall.

We went to Ms. Ione's again yesterday. It was such a joy to see her; ALWAYS cheerful and full of joy. She was just a bright and bubbly as always. Ione told us how she felt very well except for a little pain in her knee when she walks. The doctors say that she can't have knee surgery now because of her age. She is still very capable of driving, but chooses not to incase she had to get out of her car in a hurry she didn't think she could manage. We sat and chatted for hours. Scott and I showed her pictures of Europe and of our students and she gleamed with joy and let out great "Oh"s and "Oh my stars!" every so often. Ms. Ione has a map of the world in her home with push-pins in all of the places she's travelled in her years. She let us put one in Poland and told us since she can't travel anymore, we're travelling for her. What an honor. :)

We love you Ms. Ione! You are a blessing from the Lord.

Ms. Ione is 91 years old today and just as lovely as she was in this picture. We showed her our pictures on her new laptop. It was a present to herself for her 90th birthday. As she was waiting for it to "warm up" yesterday before we could show her our pictures she made me smile with this comment: "I call him Albert...'cause he's so contrary."

Finally Home and Trying to Get it Together...

Again, I say "I'm sorry" to those of you who have kept up with our blog for two years...I could have at least written a "Hey! We're home!" but honestly, things have just been crazy. And strange.

We left our home in Poland on July 28th. Words cannot express the feelings and emotions that came with this staple event in our lives. The Sunday before we left I cried and cried and cried on my poor sister's shoulder during church. It's been a long time since I've cried that hard. I had just bottled up the emotions for months, working with the KBC Team, working an English camp, and then traveling with Kellie & Blake, plus trying to pack everything up. There just wasn't time for emotion. Saying goodbye to our students, to Elaine & Jason, Wojtek & Agnieszka...just heartbreaking. Packing up our home of two years...the longest we've ever lived somewhere as a married couple...in just a couple of days and a few suitcases...no words. Plus the ridiculous anxiety that came with getting back on a 9 hour flight...horrendous. Again...my poor sister, she was SO there for me. I don't think I could have made it without her.

Anyway, we finally made it home, slept in OUR bed for two nights and then drove to Chicago to pick up our 4 Polish youth who would stay with us for two weeks...(one for 4). We took these kids everywhere. Thanks to everyone who helped get them here, visited them, or provided us with tickets...you were a huge blessing! We've been taking the past two weeks to try to get some sort of "normal" life back together here and again...draining. Of course it's wonderful to be home and to be around family...but I think most people don't understand how difficult such a transition is. Our life as a married couple has been in Poland. We've lived on our own, we had a daily routine that we enjoyed and worked for us, we knew how to deal with daily tasks there...cleaning, buying groceries, paying bills, using telephones. Everything is different here. We're literally having to learn how to share a home with parents, use cell phones, buy "American" groceries, decide what kind of sponge to wash my dishes with! I know, it sounds ridiculous...but literally all seems knew and strange to us. Frankly, it's been tough. I know it's been forever since I've sent out a newsletter too and I had planned on sending out a final one and I still hope to, but it's just been the last thing I've wanted to do...to have to think of all of the things I left behind there, while I'm trying to move on here. I just haven't been up to it. But we hope you know how much we've appreciated your support and prayers.

And don't get me started on jobs! We're trying to figure out where the Lord wants us right now. I think I may have found something I can put my time and energy into. Please just keep us in your prayers as we keep seeking and trusting the Lord for guidance.

We will be leading campus ministry at Henderson Community College this year so that's one thing that we're really excited about. One thing we do know...the Lord has given us a heart for college students! We're so thankful that He's made it where we can spend this working with students where we're at, while still trying to save money for seminary.

We have two seminaries in mind right now...Grand Rapids Theological Seminary and Wheaton College outside of Chicago. We're hoping to go and visit both colleges in October. :)

Well, that's the update for now! It has been nice to be back on here and post a blog entry. It is familiar and I have missed it. I hope you've enjoyed it too!

Blessings!