Feels like Fall

It's finally beginning to feel like Fall around here! Hooray!!
The cool weather has brought a welcome relief from the heat. I'm enjoying wearing fleece-lined leggings and cozy socks again!

The days are getting shorter and I'm noticing that the sun is setting much earlier than it has been. That aspect of Fall I am not as ready for. I don't particularly enjoy the fact that sunshine is decreasing, and the days will be shorter and grayer. It takes a lot of extra strength to bring your own sunshine into each day - but thankfully God graciously provides the strength to do that when necessary!



I've been able to go into the city and experience more things this year than I was able to do last year! I'm so thankful for that!

Budapest truly is a marvelous city! There's always so much to see and do!

 

Like have a surprise birthday picnic near the Margit Island fountains - right before a MASSIVE DELUGE!!! We got caught in the middle of it with no shelter - and it was quite the memory! We were drenched and shivering, but laughing through it all! Love these friends and the fun we have together!

 

And going to Rez to listen to some of our ICSB students sing and play. Such talent, y'all!!

Making new friends in the school year is also a blessing. God has been so gracious to send Anna to work at ICSB as a speech therapist! She's also lots of fun to be around and I'm so thankful for her friendship!







Being able to climb up to magnificent views is another bonus in this beautiful city! The view of the Danube River and the Parliament building from the Buda Castle is fabulous!!!

 God continues to provide reminders of His Majesty and Glory throughout the day. This was taken from one of the upper floors of the school out over Diosd.

 

I also had the opportunity to watch the National Gallop - an event hosted in Heroes Square where all the Hungarian equestrian talent is shown off! It was magnificent!

 

 The Famous Hussars [Hungarian Cavalry]

Another shout-out to their ancestry - the Huns and the Magyars mounted archers (and stunts...we caught a glimpse of it)! Amazing!

 

These were the ones that did stunts, but due to my stupid mistake of not setting my good camera on "active" mode, I have nothing but blurred active shots. Oh well...can't change what's in the past.

We got to be very close. Sweet!

 

We watched the National Gallop finalist parade around the ring and then the race started. On the second lap, you can see that the rider closest to me was legitimately about to fall off. Sadly, she fell off about a meter beyond us. We never heard an update on how she was, but her family was in the stands just across from us and they were in shock. Aside from that, I don't think there were any injuries (that we witnessed at least).
The whole race was completely exhilarating!!

 

 Hungarian national anthem sung and then confetti shot into the sky that was the national colors. All around, a pretty fantastic day!