Buy some solid Christmas music here. Check out the free download, and if you like it (which you will, if you have good taste), buy the album.
The artists are donating a large portion of the proceeds to help a great church with some really scummy people remodel their building to bring it into compliance with fire codes. That gift is being matched by another donor, so the donation portion of your purchase is doubled. Bonus. Do it.
Here are two pics I took from our cell phone during recent shopping expeditions. Enjoy our random observations.
Parents will appreciate this one. It's baby food. The packaging says, for kids from six months of age. It also says, multigrain cereal with honey. Yikes!
Here we have Spongebob Squarepants, a.k.a. Bob Esponja, and his two friends dressed as the three kings. El Día de Los Reyes - Epiphany - is the holiday with all the presents here. Just like the magi brought the baby Jesus gifts, so the Reyes bring gifts to the little children of Spain. It's like a stuffed animal of Mickey and Minnie dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Well, we've been here almost three weeks, though it feels like longer! Time has slowed down for us. I suppose big change has that kind of effect. We haven't been great about taking pictures, but here are a few.
This is the view from our temporary home at dawn. If there were enough detail in the picture, you would see an airplane coming in for a landing off in the distance on the right side - we're in the neighborhood near the airport. A very special thank-you shout-out to Tammy Scofield for opening her home to us without ever having met us! Only once did we come close to burning the place down.
Andy eats a meal in the midst of the chaos we have left around him...
Andy helps Daddy do some laundry. Good boy.
Ethan, Toby, and Navi (the dog) watch after Andy during lunch at the Gudeman home. Those guys were SO GOOD with our little guy! And, Andy really likes all three of 'em. Navi might be his favorite Spaniard.
Meggan feeds Andy some yogurt on the Metro (Madrid's subway system).
A highway at night, as seen from a pedestrian bridge.
Some of the youth group chicas from La Elipa. We already knew all five of these young women (that includes you, Eva!) from our 2008 summer trip. We've had a couple chances to dip our toes in the water with the youth, and we're excited for the years to come.
So, we've spent about a week and a half looking at pisos (apartments). On the House Hunters TV show, the people see three places and then reveal their choice. From what we've heard, the buyers film the show after they've already pulled the trigger, so the suspense is a little manufactured. In the real process, you don't have to manufacture any of the suspense - it's very real! Leaving out the hundreds of online listings we scoured, the people we called who didn't answer, and the places that got rented out before we could see them, here are the places we checked out in person, in the order we saw them.
(After I started writing this post, it got LONG. We saw a few more places than I thought we would. For highlights, check the **starred** paragraphs.)
Monday, November 8
PISO No. 1 - Compact Urban Chic
Furnished apartments are common in Madrid, so it was nice to walk into this place and really like the furniture & decor pretty much everywhere. Nice appliances in the kitchen, though it's a little cramped in there. In fact, it's a pretty small space all around, but the owners have done a nice job maximizing the space. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms. Check out the listing here. Walking away, we felt like it was too small, but we were encouraged that we could find a place we liked.
PISO No. 2 - Spacious, Traditional, and Right Upstairs
This apartment has four bedrooms and lots of space. The decorative style is a bit more traditional than we would like, and the landlady is not flexible with the furniture - it all stays. The best part of the apartment is its location; we would be an eight-story elevator ride away from our friends and mentors, the Gudemans. It's also a little less expensive than our other options. Here's the listing. Unfortunately, with the state of the furniture, we weren't terribly interested in this one.
Wednesday, November 10
**PISO No. 3 - Windows Everywhere, Recently Refurbished**
**Another three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment; one bathroom has a shower, and the other has a jacuzzi tub. Each bedroom has many windows, as does the living/dining room. The apartment has A/C, a parking spot, a storage room, and nice appliances. The landlord is very flexible with the furniture - we can buy what we like at a reduced price, and he will take the rest with him. We can also paint if we like. Once again, the listing. We REALLY liked this place. But, we still had an appointment to see one more piso the next day, so we decided to give it 24 hours before we would make a decision.
Thursday, November 11
PISO No. 4 - Close, but No Cigar
After seeing Piso No. 3 the day before, this place just couldn't stack up. It has many nice amenities, including a swimming pool in the complex, but it just doesn't feel like home for us. The living room furniture isn't quite right, the flooring and appliances are a bit older, and the built-in furniture in one of the bedrooms doesn't fit for either a guest room or a baby's room. It's closer to our church than Piso No. 3, and it's available immediately, whereas we would have to wait until December 1 for Piso No. 3. Still, patience is a virtue. Here's the listing, but **we're calling Piso No. 3.**
**At this point, we thought we were done, and we were pretty excited - both about finding a place we liked and about being done with the process. So, Sheryl Gudeman, our piso-hunting guide and buddy extraordinaire, called the landlord to confirm. Or, not. The landlord's neighbor found out that he had shown the place to somebody, and she stepped in to say, I want to upgrade from my two-bedroom to your three-bedroom. They've been friends for ten years, and he felt obliged to give it to her. BUMMER. It took us a day or so to get over our disappointment, but get over it we must. Okay, let's keep looking... but, hopefully, let's wrap this process up pronto.
Monday, November 15
It's a four-piso day, folks! Hold onto your hats.
PISO No. 5 - Terrace With a View, Kitchen Without Appliances
Here's another place near the Gudemans, about ten minutes away on foot. It comes across better in person than it does in the pictures on the listing - the green kitchen floor is much more subdued and less tacky than it appears. The terrace space is very inviting, with a gorgeous view, and the piso comes with a storage room plus two parking spaces (one for dinner guests!). The guest room is a little dark, and the only appliance in the kitchen is the oven/stove; every other place we've seen has included a refrigerator, washing machine, and (usually) dishwasher. The second bathroom has a cute mini-tub, perfect for baby bathing. Listed here. At the top of our price range, and with the added expense of buying kitchen appliances, this place could only be our pick if it were absolutely perfect. It's nice, but not that nice.
PISO No. 6 - Now You're Cooking With Gas ... in the dark?
We saw this place at 6 PM, right around dusk. I use "saw" loosely, because the apartment has been vacant long enough that the electricity has been turned off. So, we couldn't see much more than what's already in the pictures (and, in some cases, less). Still, it's a nice space. It's a gas stove, and we like cooking with gas. Unfortunately, like Piso No. 5, the oven and stove are the only appliances in the kitchen, but this piso is € 100 cheaper per month, so we could afford to buy the other appliances. The apartment complex is a big plus - there's a central courtyard with a pool, which could be great for meeting our neighbors and for its own sake. The listing...
PISO No. 7 - A Marble Canvas
This listing was not yet posted online when we called to make an appointment to see Piso No. 6, but the agency for that one told us about this one about a block away, so we signed up for a double-dip visit. Details. Between these two back-to-back visits, we would pick No. 7 over No. 6.
PISO No. 8 - Incredible Terrace, Coat of Many Colors
Short version: this place has an AmAzInG terrace. It's an attic apartment, on the top of its building. But, that means it's a little smaller inside, and we're having a hard time seeing how it could work. We also just don't feel like we're home here; among other things, the colors are a little off. But, with a good option in the place we saw before it, could this be our last listing?
**At this point in the game, we are ruminating on Piso No. 7. It's our top choice from those we've seen that are still available, but we're not quite ready to cash in our chips. There are a number of unfurnished places available, and with an unfurnished apartment, you get to define much of its character. So, we don't feel greatly rushed - if Piso No. 7 goes off the market while we're still making up our minds, another unfurnished place will do the trick just as well. At this point we're still interested in seeing a few more places with some originality and character, if we can get a hold of the landlords.
Tuesday, November 16
We have two visits on our schedule for late this afternoon. **BUT, in the meantime...
**... algo extraño ocurre. (Something strange happens.)
**For five minutes, Piso No. 3 is ours.
**Remember Piso No. 3? Our favorite so far? Well, the landlord changed his mind & decided not to include the parking spot in the price of the rent. Consequently, his neighbor changed her mind - she no longer wanted the place. So, the landlord called Sheryl, Sheryl said "yes!" on our behalf, and Sheryl called us to share the good news. Woohoo! Then, the neighbor's husband came over. My wife is mistaken; we still want the place, even without parking. Landlord calls Sheryl, revokes his offer of the apartment (very apologetically). Sheryl calls us. Sheesh; what a hullabaloo.
Back to today's visits.
PISO No. 9 - ... and they're running together in my mind
Wow, are you still reading everything? You're more patient than I am. Here's the listing, and it was a nice place, but in the end, it's just another possibility for me. Go to the next one.
**PISO No. 10 - Something Worth Writing About**
**Yes, something worth writing about - but not yet. I don't want to share any details publicly until we've signed a lease. We think we've found our place, and we're trying to seal the deal. Given our previous experiences, we're not counting our chickens till they hatch, but the champagne is on ice, metaphorically speaking. (I suppose we could get real champagne, and then it wouldn't be just a metaphor anymore, but I really wouldn't know where to buy it.)
We'll share more when we can!
Friday, November 5
London’s Heathrow Airport
8:34 AM local time (3:34 AM in Wisconsin)
We’ve had quite a travel day! We finished packing late Wednesday night, and Steve Heitz came to pick us up in the GenCon Van at 9:30 AM Thursday morning. (Thanks again to Steve for his help! If you’re gonna ride, ride in style.)
We loaded things up & hit the road for Chicago. We made good time, dropping Meggan off at the consulate on Michigan Ave. around 12:15 PM. Rather than find a parking spot (difficult and/or expensive), we drove around for twenty minutes – a lovely scenic tour of downtown. Then we picked Meggan up curbside & headed back to O’Hare.
We got to the airport around 1:30 PM. A couple skycaps brought our bags inside, where we set up camp near the British Airways ticket counter (which wouldn’t open for another hour). Andrew enjoyed some quality floor time after being a VERY good boy in the car.
Chris & Kim arrived, helped us check in, and we all hung out in the food court for about an hour. We said our goodbyes to Chris, Kim, and Mima, and went through security. There was a cute little play area near our gate where Andy made some new friends.
Then we boarded our flight, where Baby slept a lot, Daddy slept a little, and Mama watched mediocre movies.
So, here we are, waiting for our connection to Madrid in an airport lounge. Hauling around a guitar, car seat, stroller, and baby in addition to our carry-ons… an adventure. Hopefully customs in Spain will be manageable! All in all, smooth sailing so far. Thanks for your prayers!
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Sunday, November 7
Our temporary apartment in Madrid
2:40 PM
Our travel day finished up with no major hitches. All thirteen of our checked pieces came through to the baggage carousel in Madrid. We had to do a little hunting to track down the guitar and stroller, which had been checked at the gate in London, but they came. The friends-and-family waiting area is beyond the baggage claim area, so we did a mini-relay, handing off one luggage cart at a time through the doors to our friends.
Since then we've been battling jet lag (worse than normal for both of us, and Andy's had some issues, too), experiencing a wide range of emotions, and spending some time with our WorldVenture teammates. We had planned to go to church this morning, but we decided not to interrupt Andrew's sleep. We had a pleasant walk around our neighborhood in the late morning. Tomorrow we hope to set up our bank account and see a piso (apartment).
UPDATE: As of October 25, the visas are in! Woohoo! See prayer letter (next post) for details.
Hey friends - FYI, here's what's going on vis-à-vis our impending departure for Spain.
We have learned that Meggan's and Andrew's visas were being detained in Madrid, only to be released when I would arrive in the country and register with the government. This confused us when we first learned of it, but we have since discovered a bit of the rationale for this detention - it serves to curb illegal immigration. Apparently some people have used the system by getting family visas off of a primary visa that goes unused, effectively getting people into the country on false pretenses with no means of support. So, there you go. Our team lawyer in Spain is going to lobby on our behalf to get the visas released into processing. If she is successful, the process should take another three weeks, give or take. If she can't get it released, we will leave in a week, and Meggan will have to fly back to Chicago to pick up her visa when it is ready. That would be a bit annoying, but whatever we have to do, we'll make it work. Philippians 4, baby. Either way, we are confident that we will be leaving the U.S. before Thanksgiving. (We think.)
In other news, this weekend is the retreat for our WorldVenture teammates in Spain. Some of our friends, Brian and Cassie, landed in Spain earlier this week, so they and their boys are able to participate in the weekend. Go, team! We'll see you soon!
Drug of the day...
Masala = spiced; chai = tea; latte = milk. I'm mixing my languages, but you'll have to deal with it.
Using what I had at my disposal in Mom's kitchen, I now know that spiced chai concentrate will never satisfy again. Thank you, Dushanbe Tea House of Boulder, for awakening a holy discontent within me for all prepackaged substitutes. Most recipes call for cardamom, but we didn't have any, so I made it work w/o it. All measurements are approximate.
Cinnamon stick
Nutmeg (I used a few shakes of the ground stuff)
Allspice (just a shake)
Ginger root (4-5 slices)
Whole black peppercorns (1-2 tsps)
Cloves (1 tsp)
Add spices to one cup boiling water on the stovetop; let simmer ~6 minutes. Add 1 Tbsp loose Earl Grey tea (I'm kind of impressed by mom's tea selection here; I'm sure any black tea would work fine), brew another ~6 minutes. Strain the brew, or pour the liquid off (easier than I thought it would be). Rinse out your pot, put the liquid back in there, and add one cup of your preferred milk. For sweetener, I added about a tablespoon of Mom's vanilla syrup. I'm sure sugar would do the trick just as well, plus some vanilla extract if you so choose. Heat to desired temperature and enjoy.
I'm thinking this could easily become a party beverage. It would not be difficult to multiply this recipe for a gathering. As an added bonus, my sore throat feels a little better. Placebo effect? You be the judge.
UPDATE: October 14 - sold! Thanks to all who expressed interest!
2005 Toyota RAV4
60,600 miles
Single owner, well maintained (have maintenance record), has never required any engine repair or body work
Front-wheel drive, automatic transmission
The back seats can also be removed, and there is a luggage cover that can hide anything in the back from an outside view.
Standard features, including:
--Dual air bags
--ABS, traction control
--Power steering
--Power windows, power locks
--Remote keyless entry
--Cruise control, tilt wheel
--A/C
--Single-disc CD, cassette, AM/FM
Additional feature - Toyota "sport package" pedals
Rated for 29 MPG highway, 24 MPG city
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
I think I'm about to step on some toes.
Jeremiah 29:11, the verse quoted above, is a popular line among certain Christians. Some people take it as their "life verse," others quote it to help through hard times, and there are even entire ministries that take the verse as their name. It's an encouraging sentiment - the idea that God has secure plans for each of us in life, and they're good plans, plans that can give us rest.
The problem is, that's not quite true.
We have at least two good reasons to reject it. First, life experience shows us otherwise. Life doesn't work out like that for everybody. Many people follow God with all they are and all they have, but their lives are full of harm and lacking prosperity. Second, the Bible rejects this kind of reasoning. You don't even have to leave the book of Jeremiah - the prophet himself followed the Lord into the miserable life of a misanthrope, and he talked all about it.
But why am I subjecting you to this rant? I just sound like a killjoy. What's the point? Well, some of us experience the good life, where things go our way time and again, and we start to associate our good life with God. We think, since God loves me, he will give me a good life, and that's why things are going so well. Then, something awful or tragic hits us, and we don't know how to handle it. Who knows how we will respond? Some have decided to leave God behind altogether under such pressure. That's the thing - bad theology can be dangerous.
So what's going on in this passage? The first thing to remember is, the books of the Bible were not written to you. They were written to a variety of peoples who lived 2000-3000 years ago in a variety of circumstances. Yes, they were inspired by the same God who loves you and who is active in your life; yes, there are certain commonalities between all people everywhere. These similarities make it possible to learn something about our relationship with God in the 21st century. The Bible is absolutely for our benefit... but it was not written to us.
To whom was this word written? The Lord was speaking through Jeremiah to the Hebrew people in exile. Among other things in the larger prophetic passage that includes our verse in question, Yahweh mentions that it was he who carried them into exile. He discourages the people from listening to the sweet promises of those religious people afflicted with the disease of false optimism in God's name. The promise to prosper and not harm is spoken to a community of people, not to any individuals within the community. It was God's greater purpose to bring the Hebrew people back from exile after seventy years, because he still had a plan for them in redemptive history. Anyone who was an adult at the time these words were spoken would have been confident they would not live to the end of those seventy years - they would die in exile. God had promised to bless the world through them, and he had to uphold them as a community to make good on that promise. There would still be plenty of individuals and families who would live and die, prosper and suffer, survive and thrive. (As an important aside, we see clearly that most lines in Scripture lose their original meaning when you take them out of context.)
What does this passage show us about God? His greater purpose in redemptive history will never fail. We now know that includes Jesus, and through Jesus, that includes us. God went to great lengths to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah, and God our Savior went through crucifixion and separation from the Father to make a way for you and me to know God's intimate presence. That's powerful, beautiful, and awe-inspiring. What else do we learn? Again, we see there is no guarantee that God has comfortable plans for any of his individual followers. He carried the Jews into exile, both the faithful and the unfaithful, and about two generations died there. God's love for you does not automatically lead to prosperity.
What else can we take for ourselves in this passage? God is the kind of God who wants his people to have hope. He does want his people to prosper, and he wants to give us a future. We have no promise of those things now, but we do know they will be ours in Christ when he returns to this earth. Whether or not we prosper now, we will prosper in the coming kingdom of God. That is our hope and our future, fulfilled perhaps long after we die, no matter how comfortable or uncomfortable our circumstances in the meantime.
Parents will appreciate this one. It's baby food. The packaging says, for kids from six months of age. It also says, multigrain cereal with honey. Yikes!
Here we have Spongebob Squarepants, a.k.a. Bob Esponja, and his two friends dressed as the three kings. El Día de Los Reyes - Epiphany - is the holiday with all the presents here. Just like the magi brought the baby Jesus gifts, so the Reyes bring gifts to the little children of Spain. It's like a stuffed animal of Mickey and Minnie dressed as Santa and Mrs. Claus.
This is the view from our temporary home at dawn. If there were enough detail in the picture, you would see an airplane coming in for a landing off in the distance on the right side - we're in the neighborhood near the airport. A very special thank-you shout-out to Tammy Scofield for opening her home to us without ever having met us! Only once did we come close to burning the place down.
Andy eats a meal in the midst of the chaos we have left around him...
Andy helps Daddy do some laundry. Good boy.
Ethan, Toby, and Navi (the dog) watch after Andy during lunch at the Gudeman home. Those guys were SO GOOD with our little guy! And, Andy really likes all three of 'em. Navi might be his favorite Spaniard.
Meggan feeds Andy some yogurt on the Metro (Madrid's subway system).
A highway at night, as seen from a pedestrian bridge.
Some of the youth group chicas from La Elipa. We already knew all five of these young women (that includes you, Eva!) from our 2008 summer trip. We've had a couple chances to dip our toes in the water with the youth, and we're excited for the years to come.
We loaded things up & hit the road for Chicago. We made good time, dropping Meggan off at the consulate on Michigan Ave. around 12:15 PM. Rather than find a parking spot (difficult and/or expensive), we drove around for twenty minutes – a lovely scenic tour of downtown. Then we picked Meggan up curbside & headed back to O’Hare.
Chris & Kim arrived, helped us check in, and we all hung out in the food court for about an hour. We said our goodbyes to Chris, Kim, and Mima, and went through security. There was a cute little play area near our gate where Andy made some new friends.
Then we boarded our flight, where Baby slept a lot, Daddy slept a little, and Mama watched mediocre movies.
2005 Toyota RAV4
60,600 miles 
The back seats can also be removed, and there is a luggage cover that can hide anything in the back from an outside view.
Standard features, including: 
Rated for 29 MPG highway, 24 MPG city
