Preparing for J-baby

We haven't posted about the baby in awhile, so I thought I'd give an update on how preparations are coming for her arrival! We have less than two months (probably) until she joins our family and with the holidays here, the time is whizzing by.

As far as she's concerned, J-baby is doing her part by developing and growing! She's 32 weeks along and is just the size she's supposed to be. Her legs are especially long, according to the doctor (probably inherited from me!). We went in for a high-resolution ultrasound last week and all of her organs look great. She's moving and kicking and seems excited to enter the world :)

J-baby's closet, full of pink!

On our end, we're just about ready for her to get here. We painted the baby room last week and will be getting a crib from some friends next Sunday. Then we'll be able to hang up a wall cling above the crib with a bible verse from Isaiah:

Isaiah 40:11 (NIV):

He tends his flock like a shepherd:
    He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
    he gently leads those that have young.

Me at 31 weeks. And of course, Mozzy snuck into this photo, too...

 The theme of the baby room is sheep, so this verse fits perfectly! It also has cute little sheep around it. J-baby's closet is stocked with clothes, because we've been blessed with friends here who have loaned or donated many items to us. We are just lacking a few basics, which we registered for on amazon.co.uk here. 

We are so excited to meet her, and we marvel at God's workmanship as He crafts her in my womb. We truly are beautifully and wonderfully made!

I See the Lord

These past two weekends, I had the privilege of singing in two gospel choir concerts, planned through a partnership between Christian musicians in Vienna, Christian organizations and the Music University of Vienna. The music was beautiful, the spirit of the Lord was clearly moving and the gospel message was clear through the words sung and the messages spoken.

Click the video above to watch a full recording of the second concert performance

Something like this could not have happened in years past - namely, a partnership between the secular music university and Christian musicians in the city. God is clearly opening new doors in our city, and I was really excited to be a part of what He was doing. The concerts were planned in conjunction with a "spiritual emphasis week" at the Vienna University, organized by the on-campus student ministry. The last week of this sort happened 30 years ago! Clearly, God is working here and breaking down barriers.

In Vienna, quality music is highly valued and celebrated. Music can be a valuable gospel-communicating tool here, because many Viennese are open to attending a music concert but will not step foot in a church. Having this experience these past weekends has led me to think differently about music as such a tool, and I look forward to more opportunities to use music to share my faith.

Here are a few photos from the first concert at the University:

A view of the crowd as they entered

The choir and orchester

Our conductor

The group of soloists that provided lead vocals. They were all so talented!

Proof that I sang! I was tucked in the back row (typical fate for us tall folks).

Last Day of Class (for a while)

Last Friday was our final day of formal language classes for a while. It was bittersweet as we said thank you and good bye to the teachers we have worked with for so long. It is amazing to think of how fast the last 12 months has gone and how much we have learned.

So the question out there is, "what do you do now?" The answer is complicated. We are working on self-study tools like flash cards (my favorite app is Anki), duolingo.com, livemocha.com, and homework sheets we get from our private tutor. We will also meet with our tutor and language helpers during the week to increase our conversation and communications skills. We'll transition towards learning more about cultural values and practices. This dives into my (Nate's) background and degree at Moody, and I am very excited to continue to explore these concepts. And it is possible that I will take another course in the spring after our little one arrives just to keep sharp on my grammar.

We are nervous and excited to start this new chapter in our learning. Would you pray for us?