The Gezon Gazette: Settling In

We are staring a bit of a routine here in Shkoder, Mariada goes to school at 8 then we pick her up at 1, have lunch and hang out or take her to practice. Yesterday was a practice day, so Bob and I dropped her off and went searching for a shower curtain, all we have is the cloth part and water is getting everywhere so we thought, how hard could this be. HA I had used Google translator and wrote it down before we left but still in every little shop we thought might have one we had Albanian’s running everywhere trying to find other Albanian’s that spoke some English. Needless to say we still do not have a shower curtain. We got back to practice early enough to watch the scrimmage which was fun and again dropped off two of her teammates.

This morning after dropping her off at school Bob and I went to visit Prenda at the baby orphanage, she wanted us to see the work that HFTW is doing there. It’s a very nice place and the babies where all out playing with exception of the two infants. After our tour, we went out to buy a Christmas tree to surprise Mariada with when she gets home from school. It’s just a little one but it is already helping to get me in the spirit.

Things are going great with Mariada, she is very loving and kind, and she is also a teen so we have our moments. She still isn’t speaking to much in English though we know she can, I think she is just too shy and afraid of saying something wrong, so we have staring pushing her a bit more and cheering when she says a whole sentence, which of course is followed by a very stern “Mom, dad, stop” like I said she’s a teen! Overall, we are feeling like God gave us the perfect fit and are so happy.

This evening is Bible study at church which Mariada enjoys so I think we will be attending that, then going to bed early so that we will be well rested for court tomorrow! I hope it’s all over in one hearing.