Birth certificate? Check. Passport? Check. Visa? Check. Everything we need to make the trip home tomorrow is now in our hands. Hallelujah! The long and short of the story is that despite some quirky, yet significant last minute obstacles, our "steps were not hampered." It is almost unreal--it hasn't quite hit us honestly--how God once again displayed His faithfulness in this process. He is indeed God! Such confirmation. Much more to share when we return. (By the way, Max was a trooper today--and special thanks to our in-country coordinator George and Jeff's dad. Couldn't have done it without them!)
Our flight out of Budapest is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. tomorrow, so one more swim in the pool before we pack everything up and head for America. We've been telling Max all day about this--can't imagine what's he's thinking. It's going to be a LONG day. (Home in Indy at 12:15 a.m. Thursday.) We so appreciate your prayers and love to you all!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Budapest
We've arrived! It's been a good-but full-last 48 hours or so. Friday a.m. we made the 2+ hour trek to Mateszalka, Max's home region, to obtain the birth certificate. Maximilian Janos Unruh is now official! (Some time in the past few days Max has picked up on the "Unruh" and has started using it--super cute. Today he said, "Mommy Unruh, Daddy Unruh, Jana Max Unruh.") The whole process took about an hour--very efficient, no pomp and circumstance.
We arrived back in our "home town" in time for Jeff to meet his dad walking from the train station. We both burst into tears when we saw him. He has been a tremendous help with Max and a moral support for Max's parents. The tootsie-pops he brought were an instant hit!
Yesterday passed by quickly, as we packed the things in the apartment, showed Granddad around town, and Jeff and Angie had their first outing without a three-year-old by their side in over a month. It was a cold and dreary day, making it all the easier to say good-bye to Hajduszoboszlo.
This morning we left for Budapest at 8:00 sharp, all bags packed and in the van. Max seemed excited and kept saying, "Budapest, Budapest." Around 11:00 this morning, we checked into our hotel, very close to the Danube. Thankfully, there is a playground close by and a pool in the hotel. We hope to explore the city a little more in the next couple of days, especially because our room is small and does not provide a lot space for an active little guy to play. Fortunately, he went down for his nap, and we're typing this right next to him as he is sleeping on his bed.
We're very thankful to be on this last part of our journey. We continue to appreciate your prayers! Tomorrow we go to get his passport and on Tuesday his visa to the States. Please pray that all of this can be done without any glitches in the process. God continues to provide exactly what we need daily. In just a few days, we get to introduce our little guy to you--we can't wait!!!
We arrived back in our "home town" in time for Jeff to meet his dad walking from the train station. We both burst into tears when we saw him. He has been a tremendous help with Max and a moral support for Max's parents. The tootsie-pops he brought were an instant hit!
Yesterday passed by quickly, as we packed the things in the apartment, showed Granddad around town, and Jeff and Angie had their first outing without a three-year-old by their side in over a month. It was a cold and dreary day, making it all the easier to say good-bye to Hajduszoboszlo.
This morning we left for Budapest at 8:00 sharp, all bags packed and in the van. Max seemed excited and kept saying, "Budapest, Budapest." Around 11:00 this morning, we checked into our hotel, very close to the Danube. Thankfully, there is a playground close by and a pool in the hotel. We hope to explore the city a little more in the next couple of days, especially because our room is small and does not provide a lot space for an active little guy to play. Fortunately, he went down for his nap, and we're typing this right next to him as he is sleeping on his bed.
We're very thankful to be on this last part of our journey. We continue to appreciate your prayers! Tomorrow we go to get his passport and on Tuesday his visa to the States. Please pray that all of this can be done without any glitches in the process. God continues to provide exactly what we need daily. In just a few days, we get to introduce our little guy to you--we can't wait!!!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Day 29
Today marks the 29th day we have had Max in our care. We sat last night making a list of all the ways he has grown and progressed since Day 1--a terrific exercise in perspective, especially for 2 people with perfectionist tendencies! Some days still feel like a rollercoaster ride, but "two steps forward and one step back" is a more apt description. Tomorrow we officially become Max's parents--surreal! We continue to be both excited and scared! (This is probably healthy :))
Some of you have asked about providing meals for us once we arrive back in Indy. How could we refuse?! Our dear friend Lisa Miller is organizing this effort and asked us to post the link below if you are interested. Thanks so much!
http://www.takethemameal.com/meals.php?t=VZPH2843
Some of you have asked about providing meals for us once we arrive back in Indy. How could we refuse?! Our dear friend Lisa Miller is organizing this effort and asked us to post the link below if you are interested. Thanks so much!
http://www.takethemameal.com/meals.php?t=VZPH2843
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Final Days
Dear family and friends,
As we anticipate the end of our time here in Hungary, we want to thank you for your faithful prayers and words of encouragement. God has used them to sustain us over these past 5 weeks. The next few days are of great import in finishing the process and getting home.
Friday--we travel to Mateszalka to gain official custody of Max and obtain his birth certificate. Please pray for the 4 hour round trip and no glitches in paperwork.
Jeff's dad is also expected to arrive here in Hajduszobloszo that afternoon. Please pray for his safety and smoothness in travel.
Sunday--we leave for Budapest. Please pray for ease in packing everything up and this first of several transitions for Max.
Monday--first thing in the morning we go to apply for Max's passport. That afternoon he has an appointment with a doctor for a required report. Please pray again for no glitches in paperwork and peace for Max as he is examined.
Tuesday--in the afternoon we have to get a visa for Max to travel. This is the wild card in terms of timing. Hard to guarantee. Please pray that we will be able to obtain it either that afternoon or first thing Wednesday a.m.
Wednesday--flight leaves from Budapest at 1:30 p.m. Arrives in London 3:30 p.m. Leaves for Chicago @ 5:30 p.m. Arrives in Chicago @ 10:30 p.m. Leaves for Indy at 11:30 p.m. Arrives in Indy @ 12:25 p.m. (6 hour time difference between here and Indy). Jeff's dad is with us through Chicago. Please pray for safety and timeliness in travel as well as for Max and us with this marathon travel day.
Thanks again to all of you. We're hanging on to this verse sent to us today by our friend Kathryn:
"When you walk, your steps will not be hampered . . ." Proverb 4:12
Love to you all!
J & A
As we anticipate the end of our time here in Hungary, we want to thank you for your faithful prayers and words of encouragement. God has used them to sustain us over these past 5 weeks. The next few days are of great import in finishing the process and getting home.
Friday--we travel to Mateszalka to gain official custody of Max and obtain his birth certificate. Please pray for the 4 hour round trip and no glitches in paperwork.
Jeff's dad is also expected to arrive here in Hajduszobloszo that afternoon. Please pray for his safety and smoothness in travel.
Sunday--we leave for Budapest. Please pray for ease in packing everything up and this first of several transitions for Max.
Monday--first thing in the morning we go to apply for Max's passport. That afternoon he has an appointment with a doctor for a required report. Please pray again for no glitches in paperwork and peace for Max as he is examined.
Tuesday--in the afternoon we have to get a visa for Max to travel. This is the wild card in terms of timing. Hard to guarantee. Please pray that we will be able to obtain it either that afternoon or first thing Wednesday a.m.
Wednesday--flight leaves from Budapest at 1:30 p.m. Arrives in London 3:30 p.m. Leaves for Chicago @ 5:30 p.m. Arrives in Chicago @ 10:30 p.m. Leaves for Indy at 11:30 p.m. Arrives in Indy @ 12:25 p.m. (6 hour time difference between here and Indy). Jeff's dad is with us through Chicago. Please pray for safety and timeliness in travel as well as for Max and us with this marathon travel day.
Thanks again to all of you. We're hanging on to this verse sent to us today by our friend Kathryn:
"When you walk, your steps will not be hampered . . ." Proverb 4:12
Love to you all!
J & A
Sunday, October 9, 2011
An Outing
For a change of pace, we decided to visit the big city, Budapest, yesterday. Our destination was a big mall, just outside of Buda--the city is divided by the Danube River into Buda and Pest. Through our agency, we hired a driver to drive the 2 3/4 hour there. Max did really well driving there, as he was mesmerized first by the scenery (tractors in fields, trucks on the highway, etc.) and later by the busyness of the city. We spent four hours at the mall, very similar to Castleton Square Mall, with a smallish aquarium attached. Carting a three-year-old around was daunting, a new experience for these fledgling parents. What a new vantage point we now have! Around every corner seemed to lurk another "mine field," aka. window displays, coin-operated motorized rides, elevators, escalators. Overall, Max did pretty well, and the stroller soon became our friend. Mom and Dad were excited to go to McDonald's in the food court(I think we both have reached a new low in that statement), but Max was too captivated by all that was going on to notice his Chicken nuggets or fries. Just a side note, not all McDonald's burgers are created equally--Hungarians often use a combo of pork and beef in their burgers. We also ventured into the aquarium. The highlights there were the stingrays, the shark tank, and the ice cream. We strategically planned the last hour to buy some necessities at H & M and TESCO. On the journey home, Max slept for 20 minutes, and by the last hour we were all ready to be home. All in all, he did amazingly well and his mom and dad learned some new tips as well. It was nice to be out of town and see new scenery, but we so appreciated the routine that we have established as we've been in Hajduszoboszlo. Having said that, however, our routine changed a little today because temps dropped by 20 degrees, making jackets and closed-toe shoes necessary. All of a sudden, it feels like a ghost town here without spa-goers/people out of doors. Did we already say we're counting the days? :)
Jeremiah 31:25--"I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint."
Jeremiah 31:25--"I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint."
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
What's in a Name?
As many of you know, the name on our son's official birth certificate (which, by the way, will say that he was born in Carmel, Indiana--how weird is that?!)will read Maximilian Janos Unruh. Here in Hungary he's actually known as Jana (pronounced yah-na). That's what we called him while we were visiting him in his foster home. Since then we've been addressing him as Jana-Max. It's funny to hear him repeat it back to us--sounds like Jana-Maks. Next week we plan to start dropping the Jana and just going with Max, so by the time you meet him, we think he'll understand that you are talking to him when you call him Max.
Speaking of names, the town we are calling home is Hajduszoboszlo, a name we are still practicing to pronounce. So, what is it like? Apparently it's the vacaction destination of many Hungarians and surrounding countries--Romanians, Slovakians, and Germans. Hearing English is rare; we can count on one hand the number of times we've heard English. It's famous for its thermal baths, and it began growing as a resort destination in the 20's. Think of a cross of a little beach town, minus the ocean, and a big waterpark. Interestingly enough, the waterpark boasts iodine baths, which are supposed to be good for one's health; these baths are a brownish/reddish color (no, it doesn't stain the skin) and are actually quite relaxing. As the season is turning, the outdoor activities are closing, but we hope to try the indoor pool next week. Many of the houses have red-tiled roofs, stucco exteriors, and are very charming. We've enjoyed walking many of the streets and feel like we have a good grasp of the area. It's known for having good weather during the warmer months. How thankul we are for 28 days in a row of sunny weather!
Speaking of names, the town we are calling home is Hajduszoboszlo, a name we are still practicing to pronounce. So, what is it like? Apparently it's the vacaction destination of many Hungarians and surrounding countries--Romanians, Slovakians, and Germans. Hearing English is rare; we can count on one hand the number of times we've heard English. It's famous for its thermal baths, and it began growing as a resort destination in the 20's. Think of a cross of a little beach town, minus the ocean, and a big waterpark. Interestingly enough, the waterpark boasts iodine baths, which are supposed to be good for one's health; these baths are a brownish/reddish color (no, it doesn't stain the skin) and are actually quite relaxing. As the season is turning, the outdoor activities are closing, but we hope to try the indoor pool next week. Many of the houses have red-tiled roofs, stucco exteriors, and are very charming. We've enjoyed walking many of the streets and feel like we have a good grasp of the area. It's known for having good weather during the warmer months. How thankul we are for 28 days in a row of sunny weather!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Stats and Scriptures
For those of you who like numbers, this is the low-down of our day:
10.5--average number of hours Max sleeps/night
90--average number of minutes he naps
2--daily trips to the playground
4--average number of walks
5-4-3-2-1--our signal using fingers that it's time to transition; also the number he can count to in English
1--daily trip to grocery store (Whoever invented the grocery cart with a kid-sized car attached--Thank you!)
6--the number of times we've been on the local "train" that gives a tour of town
10--number of minutes Max watches Curious George, Harry the Dirty Dog, Pooh, or Thomas the Train
On a more serious note, here are some scriptures that have been particularly meaningful to us in the last few days:
Psalm 13:5
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
John 1:12-13
Yet to all who recieved Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
James 1:19b-20
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry because our anger does not produce the righteous life that God desires.
Lamentations 3:22-24
Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail; they are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for Him."
Thanks to all of you who have been following our blog and responding in various ways. It feels a little self-indulgent at times. We can't wait to catch up with you when we return. In the meantime, we love hearing about your news!
10.5--average number of hours Max sleeps/night
90--average number of minutes he naps
2--daily trips to the playground
4--average number of walks
5-4-3-2-1--our signal using fingers that it's time to transition; also the number he can count to in English
1--daily trip to grocery store (Whoever invented the grocery cart with a kid-sized car attached--Thank you!)
6--the number of times we've been on the local "train" that gives a tour of town
10--number of minutes Max watches Curious George, Harry the Dirty Dog, Pooh, or Thomas the Train
On a more serious note, here are some scriptures that have been particularly meaningful to us in the last few days:
Psalm 13:5
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.
John 1:12-13
Yet to all who recieved Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
James 1:19b-20
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry because our anger does not produce the righteous life that God desires.
Lamentations 3:22-24
Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail; they are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will wait for Him."
Thanks to all of you who have been following our blog and responding in various ways. It feels a little self-indulgent at times. We can't wait to catch up with you when we return. In the meantime, we love hearing about your news!
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