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Well, this is definitely a first.  I just received a telemarketer call on my cell phone in Albania...!  The caller was trying to sell me online shares of gold  as an investment.  The man on the other end spoke English, and then asked me what country I lived in.  I told him..."you called me...and I am not interested...do not call me again!"

I have blocked this number on my cell.  Really...online shares of gold...???

Anyone have a bridge they would like to sell...? 

Even my friends that were at my apartment at the time thought it was very strange...
only in Albania.

Good Morning....Spring....!

Today...I have the balcony 

door open, first thing in the 

morning.  It is so wonderful 

to have the fresh morning air, 

and the fragrance from some 

of my flowers...especially the 

"stock"...it smells so sweet.  

This is a sign that Spring is here...

and it won't be long before the 

Summer heat and humidity arrive.

But for this morning...as I sit in my favorite spot on my couch...with my Bible, and other books...and a cup of coffee...I enjoy the freshness of the Spring morning. 

Thank you Lord....! 

(of course, I still hear the turkeys, but there are more birds "chirping" also, and the "busyness" of life in Tirana) ;-)

When I was working with my babies at the Catholic orphanage in Elbasan yesterday, Tanja, (my wonderful missionary helper that lives in Elbasan) and I began noticing that the little girls fingernails were all painted.

My first comment was, "Mother Faustina would never have allowed the babies to have their fingernails painted.  I wonder who came in and painted their fingernails without her knowing it?"  

Before we finished working with all the babies, we discovered that even little Ervjol, a little boy with Down Syndrome, had his fingernails painted.  Hmmmm....?

Then Mother Faustina came into the play room, and we asked her about the fingernail polish. She was the one who painted all the little ones' fingernails.  Tanja and I just laughed and laughed...the Mother Superior was the culprit, when we were trying to figure out how someone did this without her knowledge.

I love the times when things just make you laugh, so good for the soul....! Precious God surprises...!

Easter Monday, twice...!

In this part of the world, living very near Greece, Easter is celebrated twice...according to the the Western Christian Church and the Greek Orthodox Church.  The thing that makes me laugh in all of this...is the "Easter Monday" holiday...I will get to that in a minute. I looked it up on the internet to get a better understanding why there are two Easter holidays.  

So  here are the 3 reasons:

     The first factor, the calendar, has to do with the fact that the Greek Orthodox Church, continues to follow the Julian calendar when calculating the date of Easter. The rest of Christianity uses the Gregorian calendar.

 The other factor at work is that the Orthodox Church continues to adhere to the rule set forth by the  First Ecumenical Council, held in Nicea in 325 AD, that requires that Easter must take place after the  Jewish Passover in order to maintain the Biblical sequence of Christ’s Passion.

 Finally, it must be on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox, which is a fixed date, March 21. 

In 2011, Easter took place on the same date for the Western Christian Church and the Orthodox Church...but that won't happen again until 2034. 

Now for the Easter Monday issue...!

I live in a country that is 70% muslim, although not all are practicing their faith.  There is a law in Albania, and in Kosova, that if a holiday occurs on a Sunday, the following day Monday, is a national holiday.  Banks, schools, ABC Health Center are all closed.  So for the last two weeks, Monday has been an extra day off.  

The one blessing from having two Easter Celebrations is that the Orthodox Church behind my apartment, plays "All Creatures of our God and King" on the chapel bells, it is so special to hear that hymn being played.  (and I don't hear the mosque...and the call to prayer!) 

Even in the US...there is no such thing as Easter Monday, and it would never be allowed to happen twice...!

Turkeys and Church bells...

Recently I have noticed new sounds in the mornings as I wake up....bells from the Orthodox church...and turkeys.  In the past I could hear roosters and ducks...but now...it is turkeys.  Consider living in the middle of New York..high rise apartments and office buildings...and hearing turkeys "gobbling" each morning...?!  

You have to live here to appreciate how unique this culture is....

Always an adventure...!  I love it here...!

Ezekiel James...my new grandson....!

My new little grandson, Ezekiel James came into this world on January 13, 2015 at 11:54pm.  He weighed in at 6#6oz, and 20" long.  Elissa is doing well, tired after a long labor...and Sam is doing well also.

There are tears of joy...for this new little precious life...and some tears of sadness that I am so very far away and not able to hold him.  I believe he will have so many people wanting to hold him...and just pinch his cheeks.

Father...watch over this little life you have blessed Sam and Elissa with...watch over him as he grows each day. Give Sam and Elissa wisdom in caring for their son...help Hannah to love her new brother. Thank you for Your blessings and care...! amen

Gezuar Vitin e Ri ~~~

 Happy New Year from Tirana...!

Each year on New Year's Eve...I am amazed at the fireworks display put on the by the people of Tirana.  These are not "corporate" displays...they are individual people that buy these fireworks in the street        markets and launch them from the streets, or  their yards.  I wanted to stop and see what some of these "aerial" fireworks cost...there was such a large intense group of men around the vendors...I changed my mind. They have to be expensive...considering that the average monthly salary is about $300USD.  

New Year's is a very important celebration in Albania.  It is like combining Thanksgiving, Fourth of July, and Christmas into one holiday.  Family is the central focus...everyone goes home to celebrate with their family...that is not optional. 

Last night the display was spectacular, and loud...there was a lot of fireworks set off just below my bedroom window.

It is always an adventure...