Category: Travel
-
The in-between
Ivy: we have the coolest parents. Because they do all these cool projects.Jackie: yes. But mom is a bit too enthusiastic & friendly. I spoke every day, either making some introductions, facilitating a game, the small group conversations, mc, the movie night. And the meals were excelent meeting places. I attended an art workshop where…
-
Reflection on anOther:
During empathy night I could have shared. But initially Conrad was supposed to do so. His perspective. His take on infertility & adoption. We need more male perspectives on this topic. I was glad he offered. That morning I was invited to facilitate the evening sharing. I was glad to do it. But that put…
-
Chinteni forest hike
My first hikes were with my grandmother in the field, in Piatra Neam Prim, with a dig on the shoulder. At the same time Conrad went with Boy Scouts (Scouts) in Vermont. And yet our paths crossed, and now we wander together through Transylvania. On the eve of the holiday, we took the time to…
-
Family hike
It is how we enjoy nature at a slow pace and let our minds unwind. It is how we connect, shoulder to shoulder, and we build endurance, physical and mental. I love the girls resilience and positive attitude even when it’s ridiculously hard to continue to put one foot in front of another. Conrad longs…
-
The storm beneath the surface
Ignorance would have been bliss. Upon reaching the border with Serbia I discovered our technical inspection was expiring the day we were supposed to return, on Sunday. Cutting it close. As I looked at all our options to cross the border with the car in a timely manner, I felt trapped, 550 km away from…
-
Weekend de echipare lidere MomCo – Păltiniș Nov 2025
Exista un anume grad de bucurie si odihnă in familiar. Am revenit iar toamna la Păltiniș, cu multe din liderele MomCo. Învățăm și noi odată cu cele care cresc în rolul de lidere, și e loc de forțe proaspete și mame noi sau tinere cu experiențe de viața diverse în echipa de slujire. Am mers…
-
Ne întoarcem mereu la conectare
Ii dau drumul liber și cu toată inima, cu încurajare si binecuvântare. Fiica mea cea mare care cred eu că mă simte, ca o privesc cu încântare și cu admirație. Devine. Ridica fruntea sus, își înfruntă cu eleganță si seninătate si demonii si fricile. Râde de ei și pășește dincolo. A fost un timp când…
-
Off the mountain, back from the coast
Returning to day to day life, to reality – it is hard no matter the age. Kids don’t have the practice of it, though their reality is social and still fun. Not too much pressure – except school and grades and peers. Ivy did not wake up happy. On the contrary. Down turned lip, quivering.…
-
Bitterness redeemed
I had to remember to be present, and postpone the wallowing in frustration. Oh, to be able to stop the train of negative thoughts, what a powerful feeling. Having tried this in a season of extreme exhaustion or emotional overstimulation, the feeling of powerlessness added to the frustration. Enough with the theory. Every week I…
-
Self confidence
How easy it is for the self-importance car to take a wrong turn. Here we are, driving the proper way, switching only occasionally to course correct. But mostly going in the right direction. Even when I worried, I sensed God’s delight in our obedience despite the imediate results. These days of over confidence boost, riding…
-
Chasing the trousers thief
Conrad and I were gone on a hike. As we always were during the free time. The girls are confidently independent. We slowly but surely built towards this independence, for our sanity and their development. Ivy followed Heather & Noemi up to their crowded room. 6 girls per room. As they were busy getting something,…
-
Honest look at my schedule
It’s so freeing to speak the truth. I got on a zoom call to meet a new friend and see if I could help her set up a few private screenings of a movie she produced. A mutual friend who is too kind and sees the very best in everyone, she connected us. I admit…