We just got back from Sopron!

Hi Everyone,
We are still here!!! We did not fall off the face of the earth. I know that a lot of you think we might have, but no we are working through some internet frustration. It comes and goes and to get someone out to even look at the situation has taken 5 weeks. Hungarian time is not the same as American time. We are learning that tomorrow maybe 4-5 weeks or so. I am getting a perfect opportunity to work on my patience. All fun aside I have been growing in understanding!!! We will be home in just 2 weeks, which is unbelievable to think how the time has gone. We went to Sopron last Friday and the train ride was beautiful. The city of Sopron is something out of a movie. It is so well looked after and historic. The people all speak Hungarian and German because the border of Austria is just a few minutes away. We went to the neighborhood where Tom's mom lived and her family lived. It was beautiful. We also saw the Catholic church they attended and Tom's mom was baptized in. We ate ice cream like it was coming out of our ears. Everyday we would go to the ice cream shop and get a scoop. It was amazing!!!!! One word of caution - if ever in Hungary at a Pizza place -don't order "pepperoni" because you'll get green peppers. They know what salami is though. The hotel we stayed in was beautiful and historic. The newest additions had never gone swimming before so that was very interesting at first. Monika still has the skin off my back under her finger nails!!!! OUCH!!!!! Once they got used to it they really got into it. I had to use my life saving (lifeguard) techniques a few times and save some cute little Hungarian's. They were not quite sure what to do with the goggles but they wanted them just the same. We visited many of Tom's relatives on all sides literally. Saturday we went to Fertoszeplak to see where Tom's Dad, aunts, and grandparents were born and to see the home his Dad lived in that has now been turned into a museum. The museum was closed even though it was supposed to be open. We had already paid the driver so we went to the Catholic church and took pictures. We saw a lot of Nemeths on a plaque from the first congregation and later found out that they were all related. WOW!!. We then met a kind old woman who lived next door to the museum and she knew Tom's name and that he was the son of Laszlo Nemeth. It was weird to be half way around the world and have never met these people and they knew things about Tom's family that I did not even know. She pointed to where some Nemeths lived and said they were all family, so go say hi and they will have the key to the museum. Sure enough they were right, Tom's Nagypapa's (dad side) oldest bother's son (Gyula Nemeth) and his sons live right there in that village. They all look like Tom!!!! We were welcomed into their homes and treated to pastries (and Coke) because after all Tom's family are the Bakers for the village and the surrounding villages!!! (The other son (Tom's 3rd cousin) is a wood maker.) Oh boy can they BAKE!!!!! We also had the opportunity to see the Bakery under the home of Tom's cousin. Well need less to say, we never got back to the museum that night because we had to hurry back to the Hotel to see Tom's cousins on his Mom's side (Presits) side who were coming in from Austria. We can not leave the country with our Newest additions. We had dinner with them (Eva and Heni) and did not get to bed until very late that night. The next day in the afternoon, we went to the museum and it was awesome to see Nagypapa Nemeth's tool shed and the actual tools he used. We also saw Tom's dad's (Laszlo) bed and the stove that Nagymama used to cook for her family. The people who run the museum for the tourist department of Hungary guided us through and let us take pictures and see, feel, examine all the things of Tom's family that was still there. It was something to see time stopped and preserved for the public to see and experience. There were four houses next to each other that were in the museum. One was set up in the 1850's (Tom's Grandfather's home), another 1900, 1930, and 1950. It was great to see how people lived back then. We left the museum with postcards, flowers, pamphlets, honey, baskets, and a written history about the Nemeth house. They treated us like royalty and were very kind. That morning before, we visited with one of Tom's other 3rd cousins - Martha (this one is his Dad's Mom's sisters's granddaughter. We also met her mother (Margaret) and he husband. Martha teaches English in a high school in Sopron. We enjoyed our time with her. She was extremely helpful in getting us a driver for all 8 of us out to Fertoszeplak. She also told us a little about the history of what happened to the family after Communism took hold in Hungary after World War II. The Russians were not supposed to stay in Hungary, Romania, ect. after the war but, they did. The world just looked the other way because we did not want a WWIII on our hands and the Russians were so so so powerful. Many families including Tom's were in direct opposition to Communism and all it stands for so they were targeted after the Revolution of 1956. Martha tells us of a time when the Communist soldiers came and took her father away for four months. The Communist tortured him and did terrible things to him that I can not even say because of all the kids reading this blog. The people here in Hungary have suffered for years in a state of FEAR!!!! They are only just now feeling like the nightmare is over. I have a hard time even understanding what that would be like to be told what to do, how to do it, and still knowing even if I did nothing wrong I still could be drug off and tortured or worse killed like so many I have personally heard about since coming to this country. I pray the Lord will protect the minds of these dear people and heal their memories of such a terrible time in Hungarian history where the rights of all Hungarians were taken away and could only be dreamed about. The six children and I went to Bascilla Castle, Heros Square, and a Roman Catholic Church that seats 8,000 people today (while Tom worked). Of course, it was very beautiful and the art work out of this world!!!! Monika, Kira Alexandra, and Drew Laci are really starting to fit in well with the routine of this family, which is no easy thing to do. If you know us we are pretty routine and Tom likes things a certain way. In all actuality I think it has helped the children to know what to expect and how things are done. Tom is not much for change so the toilet paper will always roll from the back down and the kids will always have milk for meal times even if they are in their thirties. I love that man so much it is no easy job to balance all that he is between work, foreign currency, language barriers, extended family arrangements, and did I mention the reason we are here adding THREE new members to our family (kind of like triplets). God Bless you all and keep up the prayers because we feel them!!!! Pray the credit cards hold out because we have maxed out one already!!!!!! I almost forgot to tell you all!!!!!!! last week right before we were to go to Sopron we were awarded a grant for $7,500 by the Gift of Adoption!!!!!! WoW!!!!!!! Praise the Lord!!!! When the Lord calls you to go you don't ask how???? He is faithful to finish the work in You that He has started. We are living on FAITH and the LOVE of our Father!!!! Oh and we also found out that if we did not come along to adopt all three children (siblings) they were set to be separated for a quick adoption!!!!!!!!!!! God is Good ALL!!