Happy Halloween

Ruby and I thought that we'd BUZZ by to say, "Happy Halloween!". Halloween isn't really celebrated here in Denmark, though we did see one costume party advertised. We came prepared anyway with a little bumblebee costume for Ruby. I never thought that it would fit her one month ago when we got here, but it actually looks quite good!



We met another young family at church yesterday that moved here just last week from Charlotte, NC. They have a 9-month old baby boy with the most beautiful blue eyes--maybe he and Ruby will be buddies! They are still trying to get settled and in talking to them it was kind of nice to realize that even though we've only been here for a month we have learned so much and have started to feel very comfortable here. Hopefully we'll be able to help them ease into life here as well.

I also had to share this picture of Ruby "napping" in her crib. Somehow she got one leg out and her poncho over her face! Even though she looked a bit pitiful, we still had to laugh!

First Paycheck!

Jared came home with roses on Friday after finding his paycheck had been deposited into our account and said, "I know this is going to sound dumb, but the easiest money I've ever made was working for it!". So, it has been a bit of a celebration this weekend! What a huge blessing not only to have a job and the opportunity to live in Denmark, but a job that Jared really loves. We're really thankful for how God has provided for us here and that He really knows what's best for us. Anyway, here's a few ways we blew the wad (not really!)...

As I showed previously we got this awesome bike trailer out of the "Blue Newspaper" this week. A great deal and something that we'll get tons of use out of. Jared got this bicycle from his boss who had just purchased a new one. We have a bicycle for me to use for a while, but we'll have to get a new one for me eventually that is a bit bigger.

We also got a Stokke Tripp Trapp, which is the Scandinavian highchair. As you may have guessed from the color scheme, Jared picked this out when he was shopping by himself! I can't complain too much since these are Wheaton College's school colors! The Tripp Trapp is also convertible from a baby's high chair to a chair that an adult can comfortably use. This will definitely be coming back to the US with us... and not just because of the price tag!

As an aside... if anyone is itching to visit us, you really should check out tickets for January, February, or March. I've seen good deals on Orbitz, Expedia, and Travelocity for tickets well under $400 round-trip!!

Litte Cutie Pie!

Well, it's been a while since I have posted cute Ruby pics, so I thought that we were ready for some more! She's not quite to the Ru in Daddy's big shoes stage, but she is to the Ru in Daddy's big cap stage! She does have a pretty goofy look on her face, but I thikn it's pretty darn cute! She's been sitting with us at the table for dinner now, which is really nice, though she does get bored quickly and is to the stage where she gets a real thrill out of throwing every item within reach onto the floor! Needless to say we have to have LOTS of back-up toys and several pick-up sessions to get through dinner without listening to fussing!

I can't believe how much she has grown in one month. She's sitting up wonderfully and has starting scooting about in a roll/crawl combo. Jared got her this little toy yesterday--a piggy on wheels that is supposed to encourage her to practice crawling. She seems to like it pretty well, but isn't too motivated to go after it yet.


The big excitement this week is the purchase of a bike trailer, so I had to add a picture of Ruby in her trailer. She really loves it and there's room for lots of groceries or whatever in there with her.

Well, that's all for now! Hope everyone is having a wonderful autumn weekend! Don't forget to turn your clocks back!

City Slickers!

Well... not exactly! But, Ruby and I took our first trip alone today. First stop was lunch with Jared at work. We were able to meet a few of his co-workers and had a great lunch as well as a tour. Let's just say that UI could use a few pointers from the head honchos at DFU on how a chemistry building should be built. It's really fancy and user-friendly, which helps people get a lot more work done I think. Sorry I don't have any pictures... I forgot about having my camera along until it was too late!

Next stop was to the zoo. It ended up being a pretty long bus ride and very full! Jared and I had been wondering last weekend how the bus makers could say that there were 32 seats and 36 standing positions since it seemed quite full when only 10 or so people were standing. Well, I witnessed every seat full, 33 people standing (including myself) plus Ruby's stroller! It was jammed! Of course we also had a beginner driver (my term, not theirs) who was incredibly herky jerky and sent people flying every few seconds slamming on the gas then the brake, then a quick turn or swerve to keep things interesting! Ahh, the wonders of public transport.

Once we got there it was smooth sailing as we joined the swarms of mothers and babies peeking in on all the animals. I went ahead and got a year pass (only $50!) and I think that Ruby and I will really enjoy going every few weeks. I think my favorite part was the tigers. They have two babies that are just adorable. They also had some pretty cool habitats that you could look under water at the animals including seals and penguins. It was feeding time when we arrived, so there was a lot of activity, which Ruby enjoyed!

All in all I'd say it was a pretty great first trip out. The ride home Ruby and I had a seat and we drove past lots of the touristy spots downtown--museums, shopping, Tivoli, etc. There's still a LOT of city to explore, so it should be fun. I think that one day a week Ruby and I will try to have lunch with Jared and go out and do something on our own. It will be good for both of us I'm sure!

Another Sunday afternoon!

On Sunday we went to a new church, FIBC (First International Baptist Church) located in the heart of Copenhagen. The church is held in the Danish Baptist kirke, so the service doesn't begin until 1pm. Right when we walked in the door I think that we both felt very welcome and were happy to see lots of young families in the congregation. We really enjoyed the worship service, though Ruby wasn't a huge fan of the nursery! There were 3 or 4 older boys running and jumping all over the place, which really freaked her out. We had another odd experience there, when a bunch of guys yelled into the church and threw handfulls of stones inside. It was a bit of a shock for everyone, but no one was injured and the guys ran away as soon as the rocks were out of their hands. So, we'll be trying this one again and hopefully we'll meet some friends there.

After the service we headed over to meet Jared's officemate, Julie, and her boyfriend Stefan. They invited us to their home for dinner, which was located down by the embassies in a really nice area. I commented on how ritzy it seemed, realizing that a lot can change from one block to the next in Copenhagen, but sure enough their home was beautiful. Now the real kicker is that they are only paying $500/month for a beautiful apartment in very safe, quiet, and beautifl part of the city... we were shocked as we are paying over double that! Julie explained that her parents had put her on a list for this apartment 20 years ago!! After hearing that, we were floored. So, it took 20 years to get that apartment at that price... I don't think we'll wait around that long!

Their home was a short walk from another one of Copenhagen's favorite tourist stops--the Little Mermaid. Here's some info on it:

Copenhagen's most famous tourist attraction, the Little Mermaid sits on a rock overlooking the harbour. Created by Edward Eriksen in 1913 who was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale. The model for the Mermaid was dancer Ellen Price. The statue's head was stolen in 1964 and although police hunted for several years, neither the perpetrator nor the head were found. The head has been replaced by a replica but jokers still occasionally try to saw it off.

We had a wonderful evening with Julie and Stefan, ending with me being invited to several events including a party to make traditional Danish Christmas decorations and another to make traditional Christmas cookies/treats! I'm sooo excited! We also planned a trip to Tivoli... can't wait!