Thankful List :: June 2013

Don't let the long list fool you; June was a rough month! 

• Erik won Monopoly (after my winning streak in May)
• The internet, and Google translate, especially
• Concerned and helpful friends
• Nicer weather
• So many strawberries on our plant
• Erik's new work possibility...
• Free food at the gastrofest
• We finally found Diatomaceous Earth in Slovakia
• nice, helpful Austrians who speak English
• The people at Baumax who don't speak English, but at least they're friendly 
• We have encyclopedia-type knowledge of bed bugs now
• We were able to find some of the bed bugs and capture a sample before the problem got worse
• Our washing machine heats up to 90 degrees Celsius
• There's no "color-safe bleach" here, but so far the regular bleach isn't harming our clothes and bedding
• Erik can still drive, even with a bandaged finger
• Chocolate ice cream at Green Tree doesn't have milk in it
• Trip to Modra
• Ice cream in Modra, and the local moms who let their kids have ice cream at 10am
• Another interview opportunity (spoiler alert: they hired me!)
• We found out that I haven't been insured before the foreign police did ;)
• I'm insured now
• I got to go into Technopol
• We didn't have to pay for my insurance immediately
• Time cooking lovely food together with Erik
• Tikki Masala corn chips from Lidl
• Chocolate covered raisins
• The Kaufland-brand pizza that was generous on the meat
• Really nice ham for 39 cents for 100g
• The Diatomaceous Earth spreads well with a paint brush (since we couldn't find a puffer)
• We found DEAD bed bugs
• I got the job!!
• I was invited for more interviews an I didn't have to go to them because I already got a job
• Erik's finger is healing
• Erik has lots of time for his appointment with the allergist 
• Erik's not allergic to everything
• The building manager called with good news
• Most of our neighbors were supportive of our bed bug intervention efforts
• A lovely goodbye with the Kriskas, and they treated us to dinner
• Erik's not sneezing as much because the tablets are working
• We have the nicest, most supportive parents (/in-laws)
• Our new air-cooler
• Excellent customer service at Tesco
• Our brave new German friends (brave for riding motorcycles, and brave for sleeping with our bed bugs)
• Erik does not want to ride a motorcycle ;)
• A good night's sleep at the Higgins' 
• We have 56 Green Tree points
• Our indicator on the car is working (and not turning off) when the brake is pressed... sometimes
• My tomato support project was a success
• Positive feedback and several opportunities for Melanie to talk to the ladies at the shelter
• Majas encouraging testimonies about evangelizing at all her crazy opportunities
• Heather's team made it safe to Bratislava
• We got to share in some of the food that Erik made for the team (and eat their "missionary cookies")
• Lovely worship with Paja and Stano
• The Higgins' inheritance testimony that was particularly encouraging to Erik and me
•  Some interest in baptism brewing at City Light
• Nice coffee dates with Erik
• I'm freaking out less and less while Erik is driving
• We found a sun shield for the car- not too expensive and no bikini ladies on it
• We found the Jon Foreman music that we bought on itunes (and thought we lost)
• My insurance card came, and it's actually a BLUE European Union card, which I never, in my wildest dreams, ever thought I would have,
• We went to pay for my insurance (since March)... Erik thought it would cost between 200-300 euro, I was praying it would cost only 180 euro, but in the end it was 174,36 euro!
• HUGE bookstore sale and lots of books in English
• The building assistant came to our flat this morning to show us the bed bug-spray-signatures he collected, and to chit chat a little (this is especially nice because we thought he was angry at Erik)
• Our little trip to Hainburg, the Starbucks coffee from Billa, and lots of time walking at laughing (and spending money at little cafés to use their toilets)
• Dinner with friends, who paid, and shared important life stories