Day-to-Day Life in Gaming

What is our life like when we're not traveling?  Here's an overview so far!

Sundays:  We walk down our street to the Kartause for Mass with the students, faculty, and staff.  (Here's more about the Kartause - where Brian works and we spend a lot of our time.)

Inside the Kartause

In the afternoons, we normally spend time with our neighbors and students in town.

Mondays:  Brian goes to work!  30 minutes later one of the students comes to help me with the kids.  The students can volunteer for Ministry for Moms, where they volunteer to babysit for free (or for chocolate bars and prayers instead :)

Every day we meet Brian at noon for Mass at the Kartause.  Then he comes home for an hour for lunch and helps put Ellie down for her nap.

Monday nights we often go grocery shopping a few towns over in Scheibbs.  The "big" supermarket is Hofer - which is the same store as Aldi in the States (notice how the Aldi sign is actually an "H" - now it all makes sense!!)  This week our neighbor went shopping with us.  It's always an adventure to get groceries...you've got to remember a coin to get the shopping cart and your recyclable bags.

Every other Monday night is Philosophy on Tap at the Kartause Keller.  Last week I got to go - and it was great listening to one of the professor's (our neighbor who I walked with this morning) give a short lecture, followed by student discussion, while sipping peach wine in the lower level of the old monastery building!

Tuesdays:  Today I went for a long walk through the foothills in Gaming with the kids and one of our neighbors and her son.  Then I had two students come to watch the kids and I went to the Kartause chapel for a Holy Hour.

Tonight we had a date night, thanks again to Ministry for Moms (and Dads).We took a short walk around Gaming - up along the railroad tracks behind the Kartause - and then to a little restaurant in town for ice cream and beer (guess who got which one :)

Brian is now at "Whiskey Wednesdays" - which yes, it is a Tuesday here - but apparently these used to be held on Tuesdays.  All of the men and guy students are invited to one of the professor's houses to socialize and be manly - the only requirement is they must wear a jacket.

Last Tuesday we had the privilege of having our nephew Timmy over for dinner.  He's a student here this semester.  Having family here is such a blessing!!  We hope all of our nephews and nieces make their way over :)

Your can see our row of townhouses to the right of the top of the smoke coming out of the chimney.

Our townhouse is the second from the left.

Hey there, Brians!  None of the windows here have screens (hey there, bugs!)

"The hills are alive!"

Wednesdays:  8:30am a student comes to help with the kids!  Then we read, go on walks, spend a lot of time at the playground by the Kartause before Mass.

Wednesday night is what Brian lives for this time of year...Intramural Football!  Last week his teams crushed his opponents, which included Fr. Matt - and Brian had some great moves.  Um yeah, I don't know much about sports.  I enjoyed talking to some of the students and some other girls who work at the Kartause during the game.  The students played with Ellie and Francis the whole time.

At 8:00pm I go to Women Scripture Group at the TOR Sisters apartment at the Kartause, with the Sisters and female students.  I love getting to spend time with the Sisters and girls.

Brian's pre-warm up walk with Ellie on the way to his big game.

Thursdays:  Another student comes for Ministry for Moms.  I normally stay home this time and get things done around the house while she plays with the kids.  Things like laundry and cleaning still exist in Austria ;)  Thursday nights a lot of students head out of town to begin their weekend travels (there are no classes on Fridays).  We enjoy time with the faculty and staff in town.  Last week we joined our neighbors at their home for dinner - and this Thursday we're having some other neighbors over.  Two weeks ago, I joined some of the other women and Sister Faustina at the art professor's apartment - we prayed the Rosary in German (well, tried to...) and then the professor gave us a small lecture on the art museum in Vienna - while sipping red wine.  I'm a nerd who misses things like lectures and small group discussions - so I love this stuff!!

I'm making friends - one of the 6 townhouses, 3 of us have children here and all of us moms get along great.  There are two other families who live just up the road that work at the Kartause.  I have not learned much German yet - so I only "chat" briefly with locals who I pass on walks.  One nice, older woman we pass each day always try to stop and talk and I think she is trying to teach me some German...I'm not picking it up too quickly - but will continue trying.

OK, so that's life so far.  There are a lot of great opportunities and blessings here -- but the greatest is all of the time with family.  Most of our time is still spent doing the usual -- reading to and playing with Ellie, holding Francis, changing diaper after diaper (wish I had the picture of Brian juggling 3 dirty diapers this past weekend), making meals and cleaning up afterwards, putting kids to sleep for naps and nighttime, and rejoicing when they're finally asleep :)

Ellie's bedroom - her first big girl bed (hence the  positioning of the chair to make sure she stays in it)

With all of our blessings, it's hard to know that so many are suffering right now.  Specifically with the refugee crisis all around us.  We are looking for ways to help - and hope to have more concrete answers soon.  In the meantime - and always, we're praying.  We're praying for each of you!  Thanks for keeping up with the Kissingers :)

Good night & God bless!