POLAND 365 :: WEEK 5

January 29 -Because sometimes when people
come over, we connect over a good game of
Settlers of Catan. 

January 30 - Family day included a trip to a local restaurant.
The neat thing here about many cafes and restaurants, is that
they are very family friendly and you find a lot of these types of
"kid areas" in the restaurant. Makes going out to eat with
little kiddos a pleasure. Sometimes it's more decorated like
this one, and other times it's a small bin of toys and paper
and crayons for them to color with.

January 31-When I saw the three kiddos sitting there next to
each other watching the worship team warming up before
church began, I had flashbacks to my own childhood. God
has definitely given us children who are flexible and enjoy
change (as much as they can enjoy change) and this has
been a huge win during this move across the world. 

February 1-While the older two went to class
today, the little Love and mommy did some
grocery shopping. I mostly only shopped at the
Aldi store back in Florida, but this was my first
time in Aldi here, and this was a new store that
was built near our home, so I wanted to check it
out. Shopping here was much more challenging
when we had to walk to the store and carry
everything home, especially when we were
carrying large jugs of water. But now that we
have a vehicle, it makes it a little easier to
take kiddos (whereas before I had two hands full
usually of groceries). Some differences in shopping
here: pay for your cart (we were used to this
already because we shopped Aldi in the States, so that
isn't too different to us; bring your own bags (or
pay for some at checkout), no seat belts for kids in
the cart (most of the time)...and if you know anything
about our history with shopping carts, it makes us
a little nervous, but it also means I usually never leave
my hand from Olivia when I reach for things off the
shelf. Especially because Olivia, pictured here, is the
same age that Karis was when she fell from a shopping
cart and fractured her facial bones. We don't need
a repeat of that incident. Of course many things we
have to translate on our phone apps so we know what
we are buying but on occasion, we will find something
that is familiar enough and wording similar to English
that it makes it easy to figure out what it is. We have
gotten into the swing of knowing where things are
which also makes shopping a little easier. 

February 2- It's fun to get to cafes for one on
one time with people. Often a place where we
find ourselves encouraged and allows us many
opportunities to encourage others as well. Not
to mention that the food is delicious! But some-
thing different and unique here is, at some places
you may have dinner guests that you didn't come
with (ie. this dog...can you see it, it's black, but
you may see his glowing eyes!) This gave us quite
the laugh as we ate and the dog starred at us. And
the last time I was at this particular restaurant,
same said dog peed on the floor next to our table, ha!

February 3-FINALLY got a haircut. I was a bit nervous about going for a
haircut here, but a fellow American friend I have met here, took me to a place
she goes to and it wasn't as nerve racking especially since should could help
translate for me. I am pleased with how the lady cut my hair and will definitely
be going back...hopefully one day I can tell her in Polish how I want it cut!
Another really (small world) random thing that we discovered while hanging
out together this day for coffee and haircuts, was that her parents live in the very
small Minnesota town that my oldest brother and his family just moved to a month
ago...it was fun to make that connection and even more exciting to spend time with
this lovely lady. The work she is doing in Poznan is incredible and she inspires me!

February 4-Tłusty Czwartek (Fat Thursday) is celebrated
here in Poland by indulging in sweets/food of many kinds,
but most distinctly these, pączki (basically a donut). So we
joined in and tasted several kinds they were selling.You
will see bread stands, grocery stores, and venders selling
these all over today. They are very sweet and filled with
either a jelly type filling or custard/cream type filling.