Thad's fall program at school

Caramel Apples

I haven't vanished off the face of the earth... but rather trying to stay very much a part of it as I carry along this baby with me. I'm sooo tired. But I cannot wait to meet this little one and change our family once again! all that to say, I'm still here and cooking. It's just that I only cook once a week :)
The boys helped me make these last night for the season and I thought we'd share them with you! notice they both have their eyes closed while eating them. I guess they're just that good!

*Ian does lick off all the caramel and leave the apple :) Thad eats the whole thing just like me.

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MISSIONAL MOTHERING

Read it and be blessed.

Funny Story (UPDATED)

So, yesterday we went to the High school Boys soccer match against VIS, Vienna International School. Ian and I arrived a little late only to find Thad hanging out with a bunch of older boys and not wearing his coat, just like they weren't. It was cold! So I told him to get it on now! He says it's over on the other side of the field where Dad is coaching because that's where he left it before the game started.

I decide to make him run around the perimeter of the field to get it and come back quickly. So Thad turns and heads off to run around the field. I forgot he has a little brother who wants to do everything too! Well, Ian ran right after him and I was a little concerned but pleasantly surprised that he was following the perimeter just like Thad. I mean I can't chase him in my condition. So my friends and I watched him go and hoped he'd make it all the way to Dad, who is still coaching mind you. All the sudden Ian freaks out and runs across the field...... AHHHH! Straight down the line that forms the goal keepers box. The Ref is blowing the whistle and the players near him are trying to catch him but without success. He's headed straight across the field and no one is stopping him! So embarrassing, right? Well, a few minutes later he asks me about Daddy and wants to see him. But we have a long talk about how he will have to wait until the game is over and especially DO NOT run on the field AGAIN!!

Now keep in mind I'm very preggo and not about to chase him and he knows it. I keep talking to my friend and look up and he's on the field AGAIN! The ref is blowing the whistle and the players are laughing.... thank goodness. I'm sure Dad is NOT laughing and I'm completely mortified this time. Our friend who tried to stop him as he was entering the field heard him yell back at him, "You're not my Dad!" Wow, that's my boy's response to anyone who is trying to correct him. Not good.

Everyone else thought it was funny except his Mama, although I find it funny now as I'm blogging about it. Boys are too much and yet I'm adding a third one! I guess if these are the worst things my children do then I'll survive.

Ian, someday we'll tell your story when you are playing high school soccer. The one about the boy who interrupted a high school boy's match not once, but twice all because he wanted to see his Daddy :)

Train Up A Child

Train up a child in the ways of the goal and when he is older he will get a scholarship...hopefully.
- Proverbs...uh...it should be a proverb.

So maybe this won't make his college recruiting highlight video, but it sure was fun. This is what you do when it's freezing cold, rainy, and just generally miserable outside.

Man Blog Update

Arrogance and Sexual Sin

THE CULT OF CELEBRITY - A post from Thomas' Blog

Sermon

Thomas had a chance to preach a few weeks ago on Missional Principles from the Life of Daniel. Here's a link to the sermon.

http://viennachapel.org/MISSIONAL_The_life_of_Daniel/9/238

Man Blog Update

http://thelayzmen.wordpress.com/

First week of School!

I thought this was a good picture of how old Ian is looking these days. This was actually taken in a series of photos trying to capture the perfect one for his mug shot for visa paperwork. Thomas took these... and I complained about the dirty shirt Ian was wearing the whole time. :)

First Day of School picture with his Austrian tute which is filled with an assortment of sweets and treats.

Chelsea Football Club backpack. Yes, he's totally into soccer like his Dad! But I should mention this is his Daddy's rival team to the club he loves and Thad doesn't seem to care. Sometimes life isn't fair.....for Dads that is.

Mode of transportation. He uses the scooter to get to and from school while Daddy walks. I guess Thad will have his stories when he's older that will start something like...."when I was your age, we biked a 1/4 mile to school." We'll see what happens when the snow comes in! I'm sure the stories will get better!

Thad feeding deer at the wildlife refuge

Hiking

We went hiking in the Wiener Wald and it was a fun time of exploring and enjoying the outdoors

Yes, this is Ian in a hobbit outfit. Isn't he adorable!! This might be the outfit for Halloween this year!

New Staff

Picture this...well, I guess you don't have to because it's right here. I'm listening to my 80's mix CD, wearing aviator sun glasses, and driving 4 munchkins (our boys and two girls that belong to some new staff) back to our home. It's The Dad Life in full effect. Not to mention that the kids were all rocking out to Kenny Loggins' "Highway to the Danger Zone" made famous in the opening scene of Top Gun. Just call me Maverick Dad.



We've really enjoyed getting to know the new staff. It's been a busy few days as they fight jet lag, go through basic Vienna Orientation, and avoid freaking out about all the new things they'll be dealing with in their lives. Here are a few pics.

The Overbys

Amanda

The Johnstones

We had some more staff arrive yesterday, but I haven't gotten their pictures yet. Please join with us in praying for these folks that their transition would be smooth and that God would use them in powerful ways to minister to students here. Pray also that we would have servant's hearts and seek to give of ourselves and our time to help them adjust to being here.

I painted the table BLUE!

Wow, sometimes I have a thought for a design in my head that turns out so different outside of my head. BUT, I love the surprise outcome of the project you've been working on.

Yes, my breakfast table is blue and I have to say I love it. It makes me want to eat Mexican food every night. I call it my fiesta table! Everything looks good on it including my white plates.

Project completed, successful.

Yes, he's an MK

This is such a hilarious picture to Thomas and me. We told Thad to smile for the pic and he shows us the peace sign. We both about fell over laughing. Neither one of us told him to do this or showed him how. He has seen kids at school do it and he actually said he saw it on some pictures at school. Only an international kid would do something like this. Such a reminder to us that he is definitely a Third Culture Kid. That or he's been around too many lovable Koreans :)

Corn eatin' fool

I cannot believe I'm going to have another BOY! Where will he fit in a picture like this? I love taking this type of picture and can't wait to have the new one... maybe he'll fit under my chin?

Mamas of boys know that there is nothing sweeter than the love and loyalty of your boys now and the promise of strength and leadership for the future.

I'm in my 20th week today and of course that means I'm halfway to the end. We cannot wait to welcome our new boy and see what laughter he brings to this family!

For the Grandparents!

The Good Ole Summertime

I must note this is a gift from our Director, Ken, before he left. A soccer grilling set.... how funny and appropriate!

CRIBS - Vienna Summer Addition

Summer in Vienna has its perks. See, there are people who own cool stuff that you don't and they leave for the summer and need someone to take care of their cool stuff. This is where you come in, assuming you can bite the bullet and be apart from friends and family back in the states for over a year.

The Gardner family is currently experiencing our own version of MTV CRIBS. We currently alternate living in an apartment, a home in the city with a great backyard, and what we have dubbed our "vacation home" in a small town outside of Vienna. We have also had access to at least 3 different cars at various stages of the summer, and I really feel the only thing I'm missing is some bling so I can feel like the white chocolate rapper I am on the inside.

That's better. In the words of 2pac, "Picture me rollin'..."

Just like living the high life as a rapper comes with a price (you're on the road all the time...you can't go anywhere because you're famous...you have to have major dental surgery to fill your mouth with platinum, gold, and precious jewels...and you'll probably be shot at least once), so does our Vienna Summer.

We wanted to stay home this summer so we didn't have to live out of a suitcase for 2 months and move from house to house. Oops. That's exactly what we've been doing for the last 3 weeks. Maybe we've become subconsciously nomadic as a result of how we've lived the past 4 summers. It certainly seems that way since we've chosen the same type of life for this summer.

Despite all of this, we really have enjoyed our summer and we are truly grateful to those who have blessed us with homes and cars for the summer. The boys have loved having backyards to play in and Wii's to play with. Thad is actually pretty good a Wii bowling. I'm also Tiger freaking Woods at Wii golf...err...maybe not Tiger...how about Phil Mickelson. Less off the course drama with that choice.

You can pray that we will settle in a bit and that I'll be able to get some work done with some things. What you can pray for specifically:

What to teach through in chapel this year as well as a chapel theme.

That the visa situation for Mollie and the boys will be worked out by the end of August.

For Thad's summer work to be ready for school in August.

For a 4 week series I am planning for our church's youth group that will begin next week.

Of prepping sermons, gluing heads, and fighting birds.

I'm assuming that, having read that title, you are sufficiently interested in hearing about my weekend. See, most people just ask you how your weekend was so that they can then tell you about theirs but, I'm smarter than that. So here goes.

Preparation is great. I love it. I especially love prepping for sermons because I get intensive times of studying the Word. The last several times I've preached, I have done most of my prep work at school and things have gone fine. Now that school is out though, I do my prep at home which apparently exists in another dimension filled with Thomas the Train DVD's, apple juice, and small creatures that constantly scream when bitten by one another, throw things, and announce the success of their toilet trips to all who are in hearing distance.

After spending some time writing a general outline for my sermon on paper I decided to sit down at the computer and hammer out the specifics. It was right then that I heard the all too familiar thud of a little boy falling off Mommy and Daddy's bed. After the fall comes the few seconds of silence where they gather up the scream. That eventually came, but then came another one...from Mollie.

Cue the freak out. After falling off that bed once a week since he could walk, Ian picked this time to bust his head open. And I mean open. I didn't see skull, but there couldn't have been much more between us and it. So we headed to the hospital and got him all glued up.

CONFESSION: I'm cheap and so I got Mollie to at least attempt to braid his hair around the wound to hold it together and avoid a trip to the hospital. It didn't work and, truth be told, I felt a bit bad about it.

And now to the next morning. I got up early and really got things going. I was typing out my notes and outline and generally feeling good about life. Mollie and the boys got up and I was still able to work. Then, Mollie screams again. This time I ran wondering to myself who it was that was seriously injured this time. I found her in our foyer with the kitchen door shut looking terrified. She then informed me that a bird was in our kitchen. Here I am almost done with my sermon and now I have to go and get an animal out of my kitchen.

ANOTHER CONFESSION: I hate nature, and I'm kind of a big girl when it comes to nature invading my home. So, being the big, tough girl that I am, I armed myself for battle as you can see below:

I used Thad's grabber thingy (do those things have real names?) to subdue the beast. I wanted to kill it, but Mollie likes nature and I wanted to be sensitive...plus I didn't want guts on my floor. So I picked the bird up with the grabber and put it in a bag. I was convinced it had a broken wing because it didn't try to fly, but that didn't stop me from deciding to dump it out of our window eight stories high. Mollie again protested, noting that if it did in fact have a broken wing it would'nt be able to fly. I offered a retort by telling her that if it had a broken wing it was going to die anyway and at least this way he'd experience flight one last time.

I confess, I didn't really say that last part about flying one last time, but I should have. Anyways, I threw the bird out the window and, miracle of miracles, it started flying. And so all was well with the world.

I eventually finished my sermon which can be heard here if you really care. Ian's head is fine and as far as we know, the bird is also doing well.

Thomas' Blog

...is going again now that he and his friends actually have time to think and write. Here it is if you want to check it out again.

www.thelayzmen.wordpress.com