Community in Gaming

We've been living in Gaming, Austria for three months now and people often still ask how the transition is going. Honestly, it's been so easy and peaceful and I think it's due in large part to the University & LCI community here. There are four other families with children, single and married people, the four Friars/brother and four sisters, and the college students. It'll be hard seeing this group of students leave at the end of the semester - although I imagine the next group will be just as amazing. The families, professors, and staff who make up the "permanent" community are incredible. All have been extremely welcoming and generous, encouraging and inspiring, especially when it comes to living their faith. Love of God and your neighbor is truly lived out here. To give you a taste (no pun intended ;) of our community living - here is what our dinner plans were for the week.

Sunday

Our neighbors had us over for dinner. He is a professor, originally from Columbia.  His wife is from Hungary. They have two children, ages 4 & 7, who speak 4 languages.  They knew we were getting back from Greece that day and because the grocery stores aren't open on Sundays and we'd be tired - they wanted to cook for us.

Monday
Soup at home

Tuesday
Date night dinner at  "China Restaurant Wok Asia."  They have sushi and Chinese food - new owners started in July - and it's good!!  Brian made chicken for our awesome babysitter at home with the kids.

Wednesday
Dinner with the LCI professors and students at two of the professors' apartment at the Kartause.  The LCI students take turns cooking a meal once per week for their classmates and members of our community.  As we enjoyed soup, a potato and meat dish, and chocolate-covered fruit we got to really talk more to the LCI students who are here learning English - so they can better share the Catholic faith.  I sat next to a sweet girl from Ukraine and Brian sat next to a student from Kazakhstan - who is a lawyer and economist.  The kids enjoyed being passed all around per usual.

Thursday
Pasta and veggies at home.  Also, Brian Francis' half-birthday and first time tasting food!  Having a toddler to help with the feedings is amazing!!

Friday
We took three students to Chez Pierre's - a fantastic pizza restaurant in Lunz am See (a town a few km away) run by a master pizza chef from France.  We love this restaurant - the decor, food, and owners are the best!!   It was one of the student's birthdays - and she's extra special because she was in Brian's youth group before going to Franciscan!  The other two girls made her chocolate cake from scratch, which we all enjoyed back at our home.  Ellie especially loved the very sugary frosting...right before bed - thanks, ladies :)

The owner got this highchair for Ellie's baby doll

Saturday

Frozen chicken nuggets and french fries for dinner...yes, we're American and have a toddler...BUT lunch was AMAZING!!  We went on a 2+ hour hike with one of the other families (husband is a professor and the family is from England, they have 5 kids), one of the priests, and the two RDs.  The weather was perfect - 60 and sunny (after a week of cold and rain!) - and the changing leaves were gorgeous.  We stopped about halfway at this tiny town and enjoyed our picnic lunches while some of the guys ordered beers.  Perfect day.  Saturday night one of the priest came over to watch the Michigan State game streaming on our computer....not saying which priest ;)

We are not sure where she learned these dance moves

Sunday
Tomorrow night we've been invited over to another neighbor's townhouse (he is a professor from the U.S.) for a Mexican dinner made for all of us by several students!

So yeah, the community here is amazing -- as are all of the meals, except for maybe the frozen "Spar Budget" chicken nuggets - jk, those were good too :)