Read this terrific article in the NY Times about protecting your private information on Facebook.
Earthquake in Albania September 7, 2009
Last night after we had gone to bed we had an earthquake. I had just closed my eyes when I felt the rumbling. Robert was reading and asked if I could feel it. It left me feeling a little dizzy especially since when I opened my eyes the light fixture was moving, giving the illusion of the room spinning. It only lasted a few seconds. This morning Robert called to tell me that it register 5.2 on the Richter scale. Amazing….
Added note: Krystal found this article about. We just don’t make big news here in Albania!
Things Robert’s enjoying that I am missing April 3, 2009
A few things that Robert is enjoying in the US that we are missing out on…..
5. Red buds
4. Hugs from my parents.
3. Visits with dear friends
2. A little shopping…..
1. Chick-fil-A- need I say more?
Internet blues and learning to say no April 1, 2009
This is my neighbor’s daughter, Denisa. She is a wonderful young lady. Smart, sweet, helpful. And persistent.
In the last few months, I have been helping Denisa learn more about the Internet. In the fall, she was selected as a part of a small exchange program with a school in Slovenia for a project called the Sound of Wood. A group of students from each school traveled to each others countries for 5 days to tour, learn about each others culture and work on the project together. As a part of this, Denisa needed to open an email account and learn how to use it.
So she began coming a couple times a week to surf the internet for the class project, write on the project forum page, check her e-mail and learn about Facebook. The do have computers at her school but no internet connection. From the beginning, I had told Denisa that I would help her get started but that when the project was over she would need to learn to go to the internet cafe to use the internet (50 yards from our house). This frightens her from some reason. I have taken her one or two times and I know she has been with her brother once when I was not available to help her and she had to finish something for a project. Over time, she was coming more and more often, and I had to set limits on when she could come. One day, when I was out for errands, she rang the bell four times asking Linda, is Jenny home yet? When I did arrive home, she was at my door before I even had my shoes off and put my purse down. She often wants to come just as the boys are coming home from school.
This last week, I have finally had to put my foot down. Since returning from Slovenia, I have helped her organize her photos (we loaned her a digital camera for her trip) onto her mp3 player and a CD. I explained to Denisa, however, that the project is over, and she needs to learn to go to the internet cafe. We have a Mac and one of my concerns is that she won’t be able to do it on her own on a PC… so I am pushing her out of the nest! In addition, if you give them and inch, they will take a mile. This could well be applied to all of Albanian culture.
I wish I had video. When I told her no, she could no longer use the computer and internet here at my house, she turned into a child.
“Oh, Jenny, please. Can I just check Facebook? Only 5 minutes? I will be quick. Just a few minutes, please?”
This went on for several minutes.
I truly believe, very few people have ever told her no, and meant it. In Albanian culture, it is very common for a child to beg his mother for something, for her to say no, he cries, and she gives in. Bona, Denisa’s mother, has commented more than once to her own children, “Look, watch Austin and Tyler. Jenny says no and they OBEY!” Well…. not all the time but most and it took a lot of practice. I wanted to give in to Denisa, but I know in my heart that she will learn more if she can learn the value of the word no and learn to stand on what she has learned and find her own way. Pray with me that it will be so!
Ipod Generation March 27, 2009
You know your children were born in the Ipod generation when…..
You have to limit the time your three year old plays games on daddy’s ipod.
This is Jadyn driving her race car……
Red Nose Day March 26, 2009
A couple weeks ago the boys had a special day at school called Red Nose Day. It was a day set aside to raise money for a charity in England that supports needey children in Africa. As a part of the day, teh boys each got to choose how they wanted to dress up, just for fun. It was sort of like Halloween. So here is what we came up with!
Austin chose to be “Thing 2″ from Cat in the Hat. Tyler wanted to be a pirate. Tyler was one of the top 5 costumes in a school vote! Isn’t it fun to be a kid?
Wheel clamps, taxis and fake McDonalds March 19, 2009
What happens when Robert leaves the country? Things begin to go wrong that’s what. Robert left yesterday morning for three weeks in the US. He and Egli will be going to the Purpose Driven Youth Ministry Conference at Saddleback and the visiting a few folks in CO and OK. So let’s just start with the drama.
Yesterday I took a family who is here visiting from American and their three kids to the Kollonat for lunch. It is our fake McDonalds. We had imitation hamburgers (I am really not sure what that meat was!) with french fries and sodas with no ice. Hmmm. Afterward, I was going to take Marcella and the kids back to their hotel to rest before I picked up Jadyn from preschool. But this is what I found attached to my car.
Big mistake… I had parked in a taxi zone. What can I say, I’m a dork.
It took three people to rescue me. De picked up Jadyn from preschool and took care of her. Bob picked up my ticket, took it to the government building to pay it so they would send some one back to unlock the clamp. And Matt came and got my jet-lagged guests so they could get a nap in at their hotel.
Note to self: When your husband goes out of town, stay home.
Side note: When I called Bob to ask for help, I told him I was in a pickle (this is not a phrase I think I have used EVER). This made Marcella laugh. I asked her why. “No wonder you’re in a pickle… we’re the Dill family.”
God has a good sense of humor.
How’s your geography? February 23, 2009
Here’s a link to a self -test on your European geography. Test yourself and leave a comment with your score. Then I’ll tell you what I scored!
Enjoy!
25 random things about me January 30, 2009
I have been tagged on Facebook at least 5 or 6 times… so I have finally finished my list and I am posting it here for your enjoyment.
25. I always wanted to be a music teacher.
24. My husband and I were high school and college sweethearts (with a few break ups in the early years)
23. When I started college (working toward a degree in Music Ed) I always said I would NEVER teach middle school. It was my first job and I loved it!
22. I owned and ran my own business for 8 years.
21. I have traveled to 11 countries. This year I hope to add 2 more to the list.
20. When I was growing up my family took long vacations in our motor home all across the country. It was WONDERFUL and I miss it! We even spent Christmas one year in the camper.
19. When I first came to OU (Boomer Sooner), Robert insisted that I buy season tickets to the football games. The cost for a season pass for student tickets was $40. I thought that was really expensive for 6 games. Why would I want to do that?!
18. I love watching old musicals. My favorite is Singin’ in the Rain.
17. I type pretty fast but make lots of mistakes. This is very annoying to my husband.
16. I love movies- all kinds, except horror films. They give me nightmares.
15. I confess, I am a Trekie. Is that how you spell it? I have never written it down. I hope it will make my dad proud. I have seen all of the Star Trek Movies (more than once) and I avidly watched Star Trek the Next Generation. Someone I know has several seasons on DVD here in Albania. My husband is opposed to the idea of me borrowing them.
14. I don’t bathe my kids every night. I never have. I know this seems wrong to some people. Now that we live in Albania, my boys shower only twice a week and Jadyn takes a bath only once a week. I hope you won’t judge me.
13. I used to travel a lot with my job. It meant that I was away from my family for a few days a month. I miss that.
12. I didn’t really know how to cook “from scratch” until I moved to Albania. I am now of the mind that anything made from a box or a can is “fast food.”
11. I used to drive around Wal-mart parking lots looking for the closest parking space because I did not want to walk that far. Now I will walk 20 minutes each way for a “short” errand.
10. I love to read…. lots and lots of books.
9. I love to buy and collect books…I have learned this from my dad.
8. I miss my mom everyday.
7. I hate folding laundry. And this is the one things I do almost every day. Hmmmm
6. I have found a new passion and enjoyment in writing.
5. I like to be organized and to have a plan. It gives me the illusion of control.
4. I think everyone should have professional counseling a few times in their life. We all have baggage …. need to unpack it every few years.
3. I love reading and studying the Bible. Beth Moore is my hero.
2. I am completely and totally changed by adopting my youngest child. It has changed the way I love all my children.
1. I love my husband…. he is my rock.
