V is for Volcano

During our little preschool time this year, we often did activities associated with different letters and by far I think the Volacano experiment was Samuel and Hannah's favorite. I remember this experiment from my childhood, but I had to build the volcano with dough etc so I wasn't too excited to try this with the kids. But I found this easy way of building the volcano with only a paper plate, a paper cup and foil-5 minutes tops to build. That's my kind of project. So the kids poured in the baking soda and the red food coloring and then the vinegar. They LOVED it. I think they had about 5 or 6 volcanic eruptions-basically until we ran out of the two bottles of vinegar we bought.

Palm Trees in Bucharest?

So our little sector in Bucharest seems to be in a frenzy with beautification-which I fully support. But I just thought it was so funny to drive around the corner from our apartment and see newly planted palm trees. Somehow it just doesn't fit with the environment. And what about winter and the snow? Does anyone know if there are palm trees that survive the snow?

Revolving Door

I've only lived overseas as a missionary for 3 years so this topic of people coming and going and constantly saying goodbye to people is pretty new to me. But this year it hit me pretty hard. Two families that are in our Sunday night Small group left in June. For me, these people represented my family here in Bucharest. They were our best friends, our kid's friends, and our support system. I hate goodbyes, closure etc-even in small things. Take for instance a phone coversation-I dread the end because I don't know what the appropriate thing to say is except "goodbye". So I find it somewhat humorous that I've been put in this life where I will be constantly saying "goodbye" etc. I also wonder about the effect this will have on my children as they navigate their lives as missionary kids.
I will miss my friends greatly and to be honest, its difficult to imagine being here in Bucharest without them. But I do know that God will provide new friends and I think for now I just have to remember all the wonderful times and grieve the times that will never be.