This has been a busy week as we moved into our “shtepia” (house) and finally unpacked.  The apartment consists of one large room with kitchen, wood stove, table, couch, coffee table, TV and desk. In the adjoining room is a a king sized bed and a double armoire for a closet. I enjoyed unpacking our bags and seeing things we packed last May. I am glad to report that almost everything we brought is useful here and/or a comforting reminder of friends and family.  After traveling so much, it is strange to pause and consider the surroundings where we will seek to put down roots.  Four years is a long time. When I think that we were in Portland for four years I realize how significant that time can be.  God provided relationships and growth beyond our expectations in Portland but can it happen again? This place still feels foreign, but increasingly it will become home. Here are some things I like about where we are living:

-Every time we come/go, the many children outside throw all of the English greeting words that they have ever learned at us...from Hawwo from the 4 year old to Good morning! from the fourth graders I am looking forward to getting to know the families of these children.

-There is a edge of town feel here...not like the busy cityscape of the first place we stayed.  We can walk a couple of blocks and be on a path climbing a small hill where tiny mountain flowers grow, goats graze under a shepherds eye and we can look out over the city and pray.

-the Osmani family (pronounced OHS MANI). This family of five has rented out their basement apartment to us. I look forward to getting to know them better as time/language allows.

-2 mbps internet access!! Great Skype reception and the package includes CNN in English and the Discovery Channel in Shqip (Albanian). What more can we ask?

-My espresso machine works even better here than in the states...Go German technology!

-I have enjoyed a number of candlelight dinners with my husband (electric outage isn’t ALL bad)