Hav Haps

Back in the Czech Republic

2011-05-11T13:18:00.000-07:00

First night in Czech with cousin Ester and a dinner of "parky v rohliku" hot dogs and bread

Three little monkeys getting a bath!

The angel (Olga from Prague) my dad had prayed would come along to help us :)
She entertained Adela the whole flight, kept her from falling asleep at landing and then helped us get our luggage and to the arrival hall! What a blessing she was to us.

Nora's first flight

We have been in Czech Republic for a week now! Time is flying and everyday brings a new adventure. We spent our first four days in Lipová u Prostějova where Leo's mom and brother and family live. It was great to eat Babička's great cooking and spend time with everyone. We even got to see Ester at her preschool final dance program and a competition with firefighters and junior firefighters. It's something like Olympics for firefighters! Everyone from the villlage comes out and they have stands with cotton candy, hot dogs/sausages, slushies, etc. We arrived in Brno on Sunday and have been visiting with friends everyday! Tonight I took the girls downtown to meet a dear friend, Hana. She has an apartment directly downtown (I've always thought it would be neat to live downtown!) so we got to see that and had dinner at an outdoor restaurant. The girls couldn't sit still but we finally did get them to eat something! We had spent the whole afternoon with friends and visiting a nearby park, so the girls were pretty tuckered out by the time I got them to bed at 9:30! We are looking forward to Leo joining us on Sunday!

The biggest "Hav Hap" of the day was when the girls crawled under a new modern "monument" which was supposed to look like 3 lightbulbs (okay, so it wasn't a good idea and I wasn't thinking when they did this). Well, there was a something like a square glass light fixture in the cement under the monument and the girls were on top of this when it fell in! You can imagine the shock and reaction. Nora cried for a good 5 minutes "Boken, boken (broken)." It had just fallen in and had not broken the glass, which I was very thankful for. Now I've have to be a lot more careful and no more climbing on or under anything! :)

I added pictures in the slideshow to the right. I hope to add more pictures later.

Praise the Lord, Nora has a beautiful hip!

2011-02-23T19:59:00.000-08:00

The best present I could receive on my birthday was to hear these words, "She has a beautiful hip!" We have prayed over Nora's hip nearly every night since her last visit to the pediatric orthopedic a year ago. God has answered our prayers and we give Him the glory! Nora happily cooperated to have her "picture taken" as her hip was x-rayed. Dr. Frino doesn't need to see her again until she is 5! What a huge burden lifted off our shoulders. God is faithful to answer our prayers and we are very thankful He chose to answer them this way. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for our precious Nora. Your prayers are much appreciated.

Nora's healthy hip. See the white line above the "ball" - that's what we've been waiting to see. It's finally looking normal with a slight curve.

The wonderful nurse that has seen us at every visit.

A happy girl in Daddy's arms

Christmas newsletter 2010

2010-12-20T19:08:00.000-08:00

Dearest family and friends near and far,

This morning there is a beautiful thin layer of snow on the ground which will probably melt by noon, while in Leo’s home village of Lipová, Czech Republic there is at least a foot of snow which will remain until spring! Although I can honestly say that I do not miss all that snow, we are often homesick for Czech and miss our dear family and friends there more than we ever thought possible.

We have much to praise the Lord for this year. After 2 years of waiting, praying, writing and rewriting resumes, God has blessed Leo with a wonderful job as a manufacturing engineer at Charter Medical in Winston-Salem, NC. He started on July 12th and all is going well. He is responsible for validating manufacturing processes for a variety of plastic containers that are used to store and transport medical equipment, such as syringes, blood transfusion bags and various bio-technological materials. We give all the glory to God for His provision of this job and we are very thankful that Leo’s manager recognized Leo’s potential when he first met Leo 2 ½ years ago.

We continue to live at my parents’ home – thank you, Mom and Dad! I don’t think they ever anticipated having their grandchildren THIS close, but it has been a blessing to each of us. It’s a noisy, happy place all day long with a lot of girl drama! Nora at 22 months is quite the little homemaker. She loves loading the washer and playing in the soapy dishwater! The sweetest words we love to hear her say are our names.

Adéla turns 5 on February 3rd and is full of energy! She loves to draw, sing and make up her own dance routines. Come on over for a visit – we’re ALWAYS ready for a play date!

Adela drew this sketch of the choir singing at church

I also praise the Lord that I have been able to stay home with the girls. It is the most demanding job I’ve ever had but the most rewarding! I’ve had the privilege of being a part of Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) for the past 3 years. This year we are studying the book of Isaiah. Adéla also attends her own class and learns the same lessons. I am volunteering in her class as a children’s leader and love it. Studying God’s word daily has changed me and challenges me to seek Him more.

We are looking forward to 2011 and excited about God’s plan for our family. We would be very grateful if you would remember us in your prayers when you think of us! On February 23rd, Nora will have an exam and x-ray to determine if this past year of walking has moved the ball of the femur in her left leg far enough into the hip socket. If not, she will need surgery for hip dysplasia. We also hope to buy our first home sometime next year. We are asking the Lord to give us wisdom on the right home, location and school district! We trust that He will provide and give us clear direction in His time, just as He did for Leo’s job.

May this Christmas be a special time for each of you as you celebrate the Savior's birth. Come let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.

The Great Trade-In

2010-09-06T19:29:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday Nora FINALLY moved up in the world and got a new car seat. It was a little sad as we said goodbye to our very worn out stroller that we bought for about $50 from Wal-mart when Adela was about a year old. Some good friends personally brought it to us in Czech. It has seen many places including Brno, Prague, Vienna, Salzburg, Asheboro zoo.... :) and had a few rough plane rides. It even took a trip to Greece without us when some friends borrowed it for their vacation!

I left our forlorn looking stroller at Babies R Us and received 25% off the purchase of this car seat from Britax. The discount gave us about $50 off the total price of the carseat, so the stroller truly served us well! :)

As you can see Nora was so excited about her new ride. I think she really liked being able to see the backs of her heads instead of the back of the car!

God Sightings

2010-09-02T19:36:00.000-07:00

At VBS this past July, we talked about "God Sightings." These are various ways that the Lord speaks to us or shows us Himself throughout the day. Well, today the Lord used a stranger to remind me to count my blessings instead of grumbling. A lovely lady was standing behind our family in line at Arby's. She commented on how sweet the girls were and we started talking. I discovered that she had never been able to have children. She had married at 31 years old and only 11 days after the wedding was in a near fatal car accident and she survived a terrible head injury. Unfortunately, her marriage did not survive this and her husband left after 2 years. I don't know how many years it has been since all this happened, but what truly amazed me was her attitude. She had no bitterness and praised the Lord that she was alive. She most likely has to choose joy over bitterness everyday. This impressed me to not take having children and a wonderful husband for granted. There will be trials and hardships, but I want to have the joy of the Lord as my strength! (Nehemiah 8:10)

It's about time...for some new pictures!

2010-08-29T19:46:00.001-07:00

This is a short and sweet version of August for our family. We celebrated Adela's 4.5 birthday :) on August 3rd at the Winston-Salem Dash game. Nora just turned 18 months on the 19th. It's been a hot and not so relaxing summer, but awesome times together as a family. We are very blessed and praise the Lord everyday for Leo's new job.

"I Can't Wait" video of Nora's first 5 months

2010-05-31T18:19:00.000-07:00

Leo is teaching me how to combine video clips so this is my first try! I hope you enjoy it. I made it using the shortcut where the program cuts/edits each clip for you. It takes a lot of time to really make it just right, so for now I'm satisfied with the shortcut.

We had a great Memorial Day and spent the morning in Thomasville watching the parade. We arrived about an hour before the parade started and we got to actually sit in some Vietnam helicopters and see some other planes. It didn't start to rain until after the parade. We spent the afternoon just playing with the girls and had tacos for supper (not real appropriate for Memorial Day, but we did at least have lunch at Waffle House. he,he.)

Some Recent Havhaps

2010-03-24T19:10:00.001-07:00

Here are some fun pictures from the month of March! Nora loves to make funny faces and has recently starting shaking her head to say "NO" especially if a stranger wants to hold her! Adela is wearing a mask cut out from a Czech preschooler's magazine from Babicka. Other pictures include: the big move to the booster seat, fun on the playground, sisters with toothbrushes, funny hat night at AWANA.

Jak je chytrá Norinka? Táááááááááák je chytrá!

2010-02-01T19:41:00.000-08:00

Já vím, já vím. Chudák naše děti budou mít strašný přízvuk jako jížní američani. ALE aspoň budou mluvit česky! Tohle je pro vás, rodino a kamáradi v česku. Ještě jsme češtinu úlplně nezapoměli. :)

Birthday Cake Practice and Silly Nora

2010-01-13T19:47:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, my mom had this great Baker's "Cut-Up Cake Party Book." We got to pick out which birthday cake design we wanted and then Mom would make that cake for our birthday. I thought I'd try to carry on the tradition, so we "practiced" making one of the cakes today. We chose this butterfly pattern because it was fairly simple. Adela enjoyed putting food coloring in the frosting the most.

Nora is quite a character and has already learned many ways to get our attention. One of them is squealing. Today she did this. I think she's already developing a sense of humor and she even looked to Leo and Papa to see if they were watching!

Who's in Charge?

2010-01-10T15:22:00.000-08:00

To say that today was a difficult day as a parent would be a HUGE understatement. I felt so NOT in control and frustrated that I went in our bedroom, closed the door and said to myself, "I quit." This all happened before church of course. Adela had gotten up at 5:30am, whined all morning, asked to watch TV a million times, would not come when called to get dressed, brush teeth, etc. The final straw came when it was time to leave for church and I was trying to comb her hair ( a constant battle in our house). She squealed at the slightest pull and by then I'd had enough.

Later this afternoon I discussed all of this with my Dad. I tried hard to be objective and not say, "But, I've done that..." He said, "One thing you need to eliminate from your vocabulary is "Okay?" I honestly didn't think that was a big deal because I was thinking that my "okay?" meant "Is that clear?" I got to thinking about it and realized that he's probably got a good point. AND to confirm his wise advise, I had received this week's Home Training Lesson from Bible Study Fellowship International http://www.bsfinternational.org/ (This is my 2nd year and I absolutely LOVE it! Adela attends a class as well.) and decided to read it especially since it was titled "Who's In Charge - You or Your Child?"

Well, Daddy had hit the nail and I was sure to tell him! :) To paraphrase:

Adults often give up control in their home when they say, "It's time for bed. All right? Okay?" This kind of question at the end of a direction gives the impression that the child can choose to obey or not.

So, tonight I put this new idea into practice. I couldn't believe how many times I caught myself before ending the direction with "Okay?" She did seem to obey better though, so we'll see what tomorrow brings!

Lord, I pray that you would open my eyes that I might see areas where I can be a better parent. Help me to be objective and see ways that I can train my child to be more like you.

Nora the Chair Conqueror

2010-01-02T17:33:00.000-08:00

She isn't walking at all yet, BUT she can climb this chair with the greatest of ease! She gets to the top, and yells, "Look at me, World! I did it!" Okay, she doesn't really say that but she has this giant grin on her face as if she is ready to take over the world. She also climbs to the top level of Adela's dollhouse, supervised of course. She is definitely becoming more vocal and can loudly let you know even in the middle of the night that she is NOT happy about something. Sweet Angel Baby is now called Night Time Terror - just kidding. :)

Adela is learning not to talk back (very exciting times in our house :). She is also very into knock-knock jokes, so if you know any good ones, please pass them along. She tries to make up her own and they go something like this:

"Knock-knock.

Who's there?

Banana

Banana who?

Monkey ate a banana."

Then she laughs. She's still learning about play on words obviously!

Merry Christmas/ Veselé vánoce 2009

2009-12-23T19:45:00.000-08:00

How many photos does it take to get just the right one of an almost 4 year old and a 10 month old? An awful lot! Here are just a few of the almost 50 we took. It was a lot of fun being silly together under the Christmas tree. I'm so thankful for my precious girls and awesome husband. These truly are special times. We have been playing Christmas music all the time and it warms my heart to hear Adela singing about our Savior's birth. We truly rejoice that we can share with our girls the true meaning of Christmas.

S'mores Anyone?

2009-10-23T19:40:00.001-07:00

We had some friends over to roast hotdogs and marshmallows over our mini firepit. My dad has done a great job making a play area for the girls. It is now complete with a swing set - thanks Uncle Sammy! Maybe I can actually help pull some weeds in the garden while Adela swings. :)

Nora enjoyed the fun from her exersaucer

Would you like S'more?

Little Peeper and Giant Bugs

2009-10-22T20:34:00.000-07:00

"While we try to teach our children all about life,

Our children teach us what life is all about."

Angela Schwindt

Look who I found peeking over the crib railing!

We had a great time at the Natural Science Center with some good friends. Elise, Emily and Adela had lots of fun chasing each other through the zoo and play area. We sure miss having Hope, Emily and Elijah around!

Hope with Nora and Elijah. They are only one day apart in age! Nora has a few pounds and maybe an inch on Elijah though. :)

Addy gone buggy

Phillip and Elise as bugs

Day Trip to Charlotte

2009-10-20T20:40:00.001-07:00

Today we said goodbye at the airport to our good friends, the Evans. They are returning to the Czech Republic. We stopped at a mall on the way back and Nora had her first carousel ride. She also got to sit in a high chair at Arby's. You can see that she LOVES to eat - she is a true Havlen! :) She's already reaching for the spoon and trying to feed herself. Adela adores her and is so loving. She plays peek-a-boo with her and sings songs for her. Nora has started responding more to Adela and lights up when she comes into the room. Everyday I am more and more thankful that I have two girls that can be best buddies. I think it would be wonderful to have a sister.

8 Months Old Today

2009-10-19T20:02:00.000-07:00

My how time truly flies. I was just bringing this sweet baby girl home from the hospital yesterday. She is back to being my sweet angel baby. She LOVES food and has eaten everything I've prepared for her. I know that will all change as soon as she turns two, but I'm enjoying it for now! She peeks her head up in the crib after naps and melts your heart with her toothless grin. Come on over, I'll let you hold her, but just for a minute or two.

A few good pictures

2009-09-26T13:58:00.000-07:00

"I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me." Psalm 13:6

Adela started preschool and goes three days a week. She loves it and hardly says goodbye to me when I leave her class. On the way to preschool she asked me, "Mommy, Can I have blue eyes?" I said, "You have lovely green eyes that God gave you. Mommy and Daddy have green eyes too." She said, "Can you ask God to give me blue eyes?" :)

Her teacher told me yesterday that she is a good listener. You can imagine how happy I was to hear that!

Nora's first ride in a swing. Look at those chunky legs!

The closest we'll get to Disney World anytime soon :)

My mom got us these beautiful roses for our 8th anniversary. Can't believe it's been 8 years already. God has truly blessed us.

I convinced Adela to help me do the dishes. She was in charge of rinsing. I think she got more water on herself and the floor than on the dishes!

Thank you McFrederick's for my awesome outfit! I just need to learn to sing "Old MacDonald" now! Nora turned 7 months old on the 19th and has just started sitting alone.

Between pureeing baby food (I haven't bought one single jar of baby food for Nora!) and running Adela to and from preschool, not to mention all the other "motherly" duties, I don't make time to blog. At least being a stay-at-home mom has some great perks: never a dull moment, on the job training, smiles and kisses for bonuses and lots of variety. Of course, I could do without the occasional nightshift duties. :) Adela loves preschool and is the only girl in the class! Nora is a smiley, happy baby, but I can't call her my sweet sleep-all-night angel baby anymore. She's up at least every 3 hours. I keep expecting to feel some teeth any day now. Otherwise, she is rocking on all fours and has taken two "knee steps."

Carowinds

2009-09-06T19:57:00.000-07:00

We took a trip to Carowinds yesterday and had a great time. Nora stayed with Aunt LaDonne while Leo, Adela and I enjoyed some rides. I can't believe how quickly Adela is growing up and becoming a little lady. She is lots of fun and full of surprises. Some of her favorite phrases are, "Actually..., Are we there yet? Is it far? (She has never liked car rides), When I get 5, I can watch Hannah Montana (I have never agreed to this - she likes to set her own age limits), Will you play 'doctor' with me? (that's her favorite game and asks every little girl she meets to play it with her)." On Wednesday she is starting preschool. I'm just a little nervous, but she is really excited about it of course! On a funny note for all you Dora fans out there, when she finished saying the blessing for lunch yesterday she said, "... and Swiper, no swiping! Amen."

Who is Math?

2009-07-22T19:23:00.001-07:00

Tonight I was reading a book to Adela called Math on the Playground. She asked me, "Mommy, who is Math? Is it a boy or a girl?" :)

Words that Challenge Me

2009-07-10T20:39:00.000-07:00

"Ultimately, the key to competent parenthood is in being able to get behind the eyes of your child, seeing what he sees and feeling what he feels. When he is lonely, he needs your company. When he is defiant, he needs your help in controlling his impulses. When he is afraid, he needs the security of your embrace. When he is curious, he needs patient instruction. When he is happy, he needs to share his laughter and joy with those he loves.

Thus, the parent who intuitively comprehends his child's feelings is in a position to respond appropriately and meet the needs that are apparent. And at this point, raising healthy children BECOMES A HIGHLY DEVELOPED ART, requiring the greatest wisdom, patience, devotion and love that God has given to us. The Apostle Paul called the Christian life a 'reasonable service.' We parents would do well to apply that sane standard to the behavior of our children."
James Dobson in The Strong-Willed Child

This is a song Adela made up yesterday at the park. Notice how easily distracted she is!

I těžké dny přinášejí "ovoce"

2009-06-18T17:45:00.000-07:00

Musím se pochlubit co zase Amy uvařila včera na večeři. Bylo to fakt tak dobré, že se o to musím podělit. Prostě u Wilsonů "hambáče" moc nejedou (ale taky je jíme, nebojte:-)
Z obrázku asi poznáte co bylo na talíři, ale kdyby náhodou tak to byla krůtí sekaná zapečená se sýrem a rozmixovanou zeleninou, čerstvě nasbírané zelené lusky lehce osmahlé s vlašskými ořechy, bramborová kaše s bylinkami a česnekem. K tomu čerstvá paprika a okurek jako chutná ozdoba. Prostě SUPER! Nezávidím Vám na co teď myslíte:-)
Tak zase někdy..., Leoš

Angel Baby Nora and On the Go Addy

2009-06-13T12:38:00.000-07:00

I got to spend a special morning with my sweet angel baby Nora while Adela went with Leo, Papa and Grammy out on the canoe and to the park. I call Nora my sweet angel baby because she is amazingly easy to read and I can put her in her crib as soon as she is sleepy. She just smiles up at me, covers her eyes with one arm and sucks her thumb on the other. I usually stand there in awe that she could be so adorable and content. She can be fussy in the late afternoon or evening and likes to be held more, but for the most part she's, well, an angel! :) Here she is with her "lovey" and thumb.

Before Adela left to go out on the canoe, I asked her to send greetings to her friends, Monika and Kristina back in Brno! Ahoj, holky! Chybíte nám!

Hip Hip Hooray!!

2009-06-07T19:05:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, Dr. Frino announced that Nora's hip is now officially "normal!" So, we are shouting "Hip Hip Hooray!" She has to wear the brace at night and at naps (which I don't mind at all - I think it helps her sleep better since she can't roll around the bed in it). We thank the Lord for providing wise doctors who took perfect care of Nora. While we were waiting to see the orthopedic, we met another child that had to have the same brace. Her hip dysplasia wasn't discovered until she was 4 months old, so she had to be in a cast for 3 months and was wearing the brace to keep her hip in place. She was almost 2 and hated wearing the brace. So, we are especially grateful to her pediatrician, Dr. Winters, who first found that she had a "hip click" when she was just 5 days old. He immediately arranged an appointment with the orthopedic. I think I'll send him a carrot cake or cookies! :) Thanks to all of you who prayed for Nora.

This was Nora's last hip ultrasound. The technician, Klista, was so cheerful and always made us feel comfortable. Did you know that babies' hips are mostly cartilage at birth and slowly begin turning to bone around 3-6 months? http://kidshealth.org/kid/htbw/bones.html Nora will have a follow-up appointment and x-ray of her hips when she is 6 months old. Dr. Sapp was Nora's first orthopedic and was excellent at carefully explaining everything we needed to know about hip dysplasia. He also has a 4 month old at home.

Nora without her brace! Look at that smile!

Look at me, brace free! :)

Už mluvím!

2009-05-30T20:01:00.000-07:00

Kdybyste nevěděli co říkám, tak se zeptejte mojí sestřenice Esterky. Ta vám to určitě poví. :) Kdyby ani Esterka nepomohla s překladem, tak vězte že Norinka přála babičce brzské uzdravení a ŠŤASTNÉ NAROZENINY!

In case you don't understand what I'm saying, just ask my cousin Ester. She can tell you. (Ester is Nora and Adéla's cousin who will turn 1 in June. Check out their blog on the right: Havleni. It's all in Czech, but you can enjoy the pictures! :)

Passing of Time

2009-05-29T19:19:00.000-07:00

Nora at 12 weeks

Last night Leo was looking at some old video footage from my first year in the Czech Republic. I realized that I didn't even want to watch it. For some reason, it bothered me to see that I've gotten older and that those special days are already past. I didn't think I was a person who would mind "getting older." I even wondered if there was any point to videotaping events in our lives if I never wanted to watch them! I must admit though that I do like rewatching our wedding video. It was a fairytale wedding (I absolutely loved my dress) and truly a gift from the Lord that He would bless me with such an amazing and Christlike husband. I also love to videotape our daughters (wow! I have daughterS!) I like to compare pictures of Adela when she was 3 months old to pictures of Nora now. I'm constantly reminded how quickly time passes and the huge responsibility I have as a parent. May the Lord give me wisdom daily to use my time wisely to teach my sweet girls to walk in His ways. "Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in his ways." Psalm 128:1

Nora Update 3

2009-05-06T20:13:00.000-07:00

More good news today! Nora's hip has continued to improve. She will continue to wear the brace for the next 4 weeks at least until her next appointment on June 3rd. Thank you all again for your prayers. Here is a video of Nora in her crib. You can catch a hint of a smile. We think she looks more like Leo's side of the family.

Thumb Sucking

2009-05-05T12:44:00.000-07:00

About 3 weeks ago, Nora or Norinka as we affectionately call her, discovered her thumb. Since then, she often happily soothes herself to sleep with her little thumb. I think it is cute and I'm actually quite happy that I don't have to keep up with a pacifier and that she can soothe herself. Of course, I have heard all the horror stories: "My son sucked his thumb until he was 12 and cost us thousands in dental work...oh,no, you have a thumb sucker, she'll never stop...it's easier to throw away a pacifier than to break them of a thumb..." I'm sure you've heard them too.
For now I think I'll take the advice of the authers of "What to Expect The First Year." Here is what they say about thumb sucking: "It isn't easy being a baby. Every time you latch on to something that gives you the comfort and satisfaction you're searching for, somebody wants to take it away from you...stop worrying and start letting your baby indulge himself." Of course though, "if you yourself are disturbed by the thumb sucking because of prior programming, try to psych yourself out of it. If that doesn't work, you might want to substitute a pacifier for your baby's thumb temporarily - assuming you don't also have an aversion to that. But, of course, that will leave you with a new habit to break."

Finally found that thumb!

Adela's idea of fun is loading Nora up with all her toys! This morning as I was doing some laundry, I noticed that Adela had gotten very quiet. I went down the hall to find her in the crib with Nora! She had used a step stool to climb over. She said she DIDN'T wake her, but I'm not so sure about that.

New Pig E. Bank

2009-04-29T04:33:00.000-07:00

Thank you Aunt Grandma for my new Pig E. Bank! It's great! I had fun finding it on the table this morning and putting coins in it! Now I'll start saving for college. :) Love, Adela

Progress and Pancakes

2009-04-24T17:01:00.000-07:00

Waiting for Nora's Ultrasound
I'm really happy to tell you that Nora's hip has improved! Praise the Lord! Thank you for all your prayers and keep praying! We go back in 2 weeks - May 6th. If this brace continues to work then Nora won't need a cast. I've heard so many stories from different friends who had hip dysplasia or knew someone in their family who had it. It's quite common and so far Nora's been quite fortunate. Some kids have braces, harnesses or casts for a year or more.

Our family is into pancakes and I don't mean the Bisquick kind. I love to experiment with different pancake recipes, especially ones made from whole wheat flour. And I almost always add chocolate chips to mine! Anyway, if any of you also like making your own pancakes here is a delicious recipe that I found in a Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking magazine ( I loved and made at least 15 of the recipes in the March issue). The recipe calls for all-purpose flour, but I use whole wheat for at least half of what it calls for. Try them, they're delicious!!

Banana Pancakes
2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1 cup whole wheat/1 cup all-purpose)
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom (or cinnamon)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk (you can use 2 Tbsp. vinegar added to 2 cups regular milk)
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 small firm banana, finely chopped

_ _ _ _ _

1. In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and cardamom. Combine the eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in banana.

2. Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a hot griddle coated with cooking spray. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until second side is golden brown.

Nora Update

2009-04-16T19:42:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much to all of you who are praying for Nora. I appreciate all your notes of encouragement. I've felt such a peace in the last few days not only about Nora's hips, but about other "obstacles" we are facing in our lives. I feel that God has a special plan for us and that I need to trust Him, be patient and continue to "work" hard at being the mom He has called me to be.

We had a good visit with the orthopedic yesterday. Nora's right hip is fine and the doctor isn't worried about it at all anymore. Her left hip has not changed but it has also not gotten worse. The doctor said this is a good sign. Keep praying that this brace will work.

Seven Weeks with Nora

2009-04-09T14:06:00.000-07:00

Nora in her "hip" harness

It is hard to believe that Nora is already 7 weeks old today. I feel like I just brought her home from the hospital. It is a constant reminder to cherish each moment. Nora is a sweet and mostly happy baby. She sleeps wonderfully at night, but is fussy during the day. She can get quite gassy and lets us all know. She really likes it if we undo her diaper and just let her do her business out in the open! I know, I know - TMI. :)

She's starting to notice her surrounding and gives us smiles. At Nora's first pediatrician's visit, the doctor found a very obvious "click" in her left hip. I had heard of this because all babies are routinely checked for hip dysplasia by ultrasound in the Czech Republic. Adela was checked at about 6 weeks of age and was fine. So, when Nora was 2 weeks old we were sent to Brenner Children's hospital in Winston for a hip ultrasound and then a visit with the orthopedist. They told us that she has "hip dysplasia" which occurs in about 4 out of 1000 births. It basically means her hips were dislocated at birth. The doctor fitted Nora with a special harness called the Wheaton-Pavlik harness. You can see a picture of it here and read more about it if you are interested. http://www.wheatonbrace.com/products/wpharness.html She wore this for 4 weeks and we just returned from her 3rd visit to the orthopedist yesterday. This is a picture of her above in the Pavlik harness. The right hip responded well to the harness and will basically be alright. But, her left hip is being quite stubborn. It is pretty much completely out of the socket and could possibly need surgery and a cast. We received a new type of brace for her as well. This one is more rigid and fits over her diaper. We can bathe and change her now. I actually preferred the harness because I feel terrible taking this brace on and off her. It just looks uncomfortable. The doctor said that we will try this one for about 3 weeks and then discuss the next step.

Nora looking a little grumpy. :)

We praise the Lord that this was discovered so early. I can't imagine how hard it must be to do this with a child who is already walking for example. Please pray that this brace will work and that Nora will not need surgery or a cast. I trust the Lord has this in His hands and His will would be done. We'd really appreciate your prayers for Nora and that the doctor would be correct in his diagnosis.

Waiting

2009-02-18T20:10:00.001-08:00

Waiting is such a lovely word. There is a world of patience or rather impatience enclosed in that word. I think of all the nice things in life we have to wait for - waiting for an answer to a job interview, waiting for a special phone call, waiting to meet Mr. Right, waiting for the wedding day, counting down the days until our child is born. And, that is just a few of the wonderful things we wait for. The best thing to do is cherish these times of waiting and know that God has a plan.

I went to the doctor today and I could be waiting a little longer, but there is an end in sight. I had a non-stress test of the baby's heartbeat and all is fine. I'm finally moving along in the dilation process and have had a few contractions. The baby's head is further down as well. BUT, if she doesn't come over the weekend, I will be induced on Monday, which happens to be my birthday. Wouldn't that be a nice birthday gift! Although I hope that she will come much sooner and on her own.

I will go on waiting and cherishing these final moments of pregnancy and look forward to meeting our baby girl. Thanks for your prayers!

2009-02-02T19:36:00.000-08:00

Čokoláda z „Paříže“
Nevím na kolik je vám můj nejoblíbenější narozeninový dort známý pod jménem „Pařížský dort“, nicméně mamka mi ho vždycky na narozeniny dělala. A tak jsem si řekl, že budu pokračovat v tradici i tady za oceánem a tuto kakaovou lahodu udělám Adélce k třetím narozeninám. Mamce jsem zavolal o recept a večer před Adélčinýma narozkama jsem se dal do pečení.

Zjistil jsem, že nejoblíbenější moukou v Čechách (bohužel) je mouka polohrubá... Nevím proč , ale rozhodně je unikátní. Ať jsem hledal jak jsem hledal, kohokoliv jsem se zeptal, nikde jsem ji tady v USA nesehnal. A to sem prosím obvolával i dlouholeté české imigranty. Kdosi mi říkal, že se dá nahradit smícháním hrubé a hladké... Jo, ale hrubou tady taky nemají. Na mouce jsem ztroskotal už na vánočce o Vánocích (sice vypadala pěkně, ale jíst se nedala – ideál tak do výlohy v pekařství). Měl jsem ale obrovské „štěstí“, že se na de mnou Amy slitovala a prohledala zásoby a světe div se, v jedné uzavřené nádobě jsme našli celé 1 kilo! polohrubé mouky z TESCA (viz obrázek)!!! Amy si ji dovezla jako suvenýr někdy v roce 2000. Sice na balení je napsané zkonzumovat do 6-ti měsíců od data vytištěného na obalu, ale to nepočítali s tím, že na druhé straně oceánu je tato mouka nad zlato (sůl tady mají:-).

Vše ostatní jsem sehnal bez problémů a tak jsem se dal do díla. Adélka mi „pomohla“ vše smíchat, takže po smetení části směsi ze stolu zpět do mísi jsem měl základ na spodní část připravenou k pečení. 180°C je cca 350°F, minuty jsou tady stejný, takže za 20 minut jsem vytáhnul z trouby krásný kakaový základ dortu. Druhá vrstva je kakaový krém, na ten jsem se těšil nejvíc. Každému je asi jasné proč. Musí se něčím míchat a to čím se míchá se musí sem tam „očistit“, že... Mňam. Taky jsem konečně pochopil jak se dělá jíška do krému. Vše dopadlo skvěle a krém chutnal stejně jako od maminky (fakt mami, nekecám, sám jsem se divil). Výsledek vidíte na obrázku. Teď je dort přes noc v lednici a zítra na něj dodělám poslední šlehačkovou vrstvu. Tři svíčky to jistí a tradice pokračuje dál.

Pokud by se někdo ptal, proč peču dort já a ne moje žena, tak vysvětlení je jednoduché... Jsem sobec a nikoho nenechám olizovat krém z vařečky;-)

Později přidám foto finálního produktu, teda pokud ho dřív nezhltám...
Tak zase něky, čauky! Leoš

Adélčina oslava třetích narozenin

2009-01-25T20:43:00.000-08:00

Adélka má narozeniny sice až 3.února, ale oslavu měla o týden dřív. Hlavně proto, kdyby mamka Amy náhodou měla rodit předčasně:-) Mamka oslavu skvěle připravila. S Adélkou pozvali kamarádky, připravili hry a upekli malé dortíky. Taťka pomohl s výzdobou a foukáním baĺónků. Celá oslava se nesla v duchu princezen ... tady je krátké video, o tom jak oslava probíhala.

First Time Skier on New Year's Eve

2009-01-10T18:51:00.000-08:00

We started off the new year on top of a mountain! Thanks to our good friends, we were invited to go skiing New Year's Eve and then see a fireworks show. You know that I was the best skier of course. :) Adela was so excited and eagerly put on her skis and headed to the slopes with Leo. She didn't mind the gale force winds that blew all evening, not to mention the snow blowers blasting in their faces. She did great and even rode on a little conveyor belt up the kiddie slope. We enjoyed the rest of the evening with our friends' youth group playing games and then watching the fireworks. You can see the slideshow of our pictures on the right, plus a short video below.

All day today we have spent cleaning and preparing the baby's room which will be shared with Addy. It will be an interesting transition to have a new baby in just a few weeks. It seems that I just blinked and Adela went from being a newborn to an almost 3 year old! Cherish every moment - that's what I tell myself everyday.

Celebrating Jesus

2008-12-19T22:19:00.000-08:00

I love Christmas! I love the lights, the music, the cards, the decorations, putting up the tree, shopping, the Nativity scenes, church plays, choir performances and advent. Most of all I love celebrating the birth of Jesus, our Saviour. It is wonderful to enjoy all of Christmas through Adela's eyes. She lights up when she sees Christmas trees or lights on houses. We are continuing our tradition we started last year of Scripture reading during advent. We haven't really decided what "to do" about Santa. She has seen him in the mall, on TV and people ask her what Santa is bringing her. She sees Santa as a part of Christmas as Mickey Mouse is a part of Disney. I often wornder if she doesn't see Jesus and other biblical characters as just that - characters. I guess, "da-ta-ta-da!!" that is where we as parents come in! Helping her separate the truth of God's word from what the rest of the world teaches will be a constant challenge. I'll be sad when the Christmas music stops on December 26th. At least we have until the 1st of the year to enjoy the lights! Next year we will enjoy these special days again through our new baby girl's eyes - just 8 more weeks and she'll be here - maybe even on Valentine's day!

Merry Christmas to you all and may the Lord guide and encourage you in 2009!

Just after visiting our family for Thanksgiving, we got to stop by Atlanta, GA and see the home of Margaret Mitchell who wrote Gone with the Wind.

The fountains in Olympic Park, Atlanta, GA. Adela LOVED these and got just a little wet!

Enjoying the Christmas lights

Only 8 weeks to go!

Last Days of Fall

2008-11-19T19:07:00.001-08:00

Last Sunday we took a day trip to the mountains after church to see the last of the falling leaves and enjoy a beautiful fall day. This is my favorite season and I am very sad to see it end and winter begin. We spent most of the afternoon in this park that a community got together and built themselves. Adela loved climbing, exploring, swinging and making new friends.

Fun times with Dad

I want to be in the circus when I grow up! :)

Adela never got tired of spinning in the tire swing!

25 weeks along

Halloween Fun

2008-11-03T16:51:00.000-08:00

Pretty Little Ladybug

Trick or Treat

Friends from church

Look at all my treats

Friends from church

Adela enjoyed her first "real" Halloween this year. She was so excited to dress up (although she really wanted to be a princess). Our church invited the children to visit the nursing home for "Trick or Treat." Leo and Papa took her while Mom and I went to a women's conference. Adela came home with a little bag of candy - which I was thrilled about. I'm not a big fan of Halloween because of all the teeth-rotting candy. :) You can imagine my secret celebration when she announced after 3 candy corns, "I don't like them. Can I throw them away?" She's already forgotten about her candy, so now I can eat it - just kidding!

Blogger Blues and Baby News

2008-10-20T18:52:00.000-07:00

Time is limited, so I've had to make some choices lately. That means I haven't written in awhile. I have written dozens of posts in my head which never made it to the blog. Some were really good, too! If only you could read my mind... We've had a few milestones happen recently - Adela is now officially potty-trained which is a HUGE accomplishment to me because I thought I'd be buying pull-ups until she leaves for college. :)
Some other news is that we are expecting again! I'm due Feb. 11th and we recently found out it is a girl! Adela and her baby sister will be almost exactly 3 years apart since Adela's birthday is on the 3rd of February. We are still trusting the Lord to provide the job He has planned for Leo. I keep holding onto Jeremiah 29:11 and know that we are in His hands. These pictures are from a short trip to the beach in late September. We fed the seagulls some bread and that was a bit scary!

Snídaně/Breakfast

2008-07-04T08:59:00.000-07:00

Not every day has Adéla breakfast out on the porch. But this day she enjoyed eating yogurt with her Mommy sitting on her new chair:-)

Ne každý den snídá Adélka na verandě. Tentokrát si ale vychutnávala jogurt spolu s mamkou na svém novém rozkládacím křesílku:-)

New Addiction

2008-06-25T07:03:00.000-07:00

The first words I heard this morning were, "Time to get up and PAINT!" On Monday we bought Addy a Dora paint set and that is all she has wanted to do since then! První slova co jsme slyšeli dnes rano byly: "Čas vstávat a malovat!" V ponděli jsme koupili vodní barvičky a od té doby nic jiného nechce dělat!

Sun and Fun at the Beach

2008-06-11T18:40:00.000-07:00

We've finally taken off for a vacation just the three of us! For the last 3 days all Adela has said is, "I go in swimming pool!" She loves the sand, the waves and the kiddie pool. We played Putt-Putt last night and on Monday night took Adela to Family Kingdom for a couple of rides. Adela keeps getting more and more independent. She even loved being covered in sand! Here are a few pictures. Click on the slideshow to the right to see more!

Tak jsme se konečně vydali na dovolenou jen ve třech! Poslední tři dny neslyšíme od Adélky nic jiného než:"Jdu plavat do bazénu!" Hrozně ráda si hraje v písku, ve vlnách (samozřejmě s taťkou:-) a v dětských bazéncích, které jsou tady v hotelu. Včera odpoledne jsme hráli mini-golf (takový, jako když jsme byli na Myrtle Beach s mamkou, Kamilem a Danou). V pondělí večer jsme vzali Adélku do zábavního parku. Od klauna dostala čepici z balónků, svezla se na kolotoči a taťkou řídila starý Ford model T. Je čím dál víc soběstačná. Dnes se jí hrozně líbilo, když jsme ji zahrabali celou do písku! Tady je pár fotek. Pro další klikni na SLIDESHOW vpravo nahoře!

Návštěva u „holiče“

2008-05-18T05:15:00.000-07:00

Konečně jsem dal dohromady i já něco a tady je náš první příspěvek česky.
Jak víte, Ameriku a Američany mám rád (vždyť jsem si tu nejlepší z nich vzal i za ženu, že?:-), ale nějak mě návštěva u holiče trochu překvapila. Asi proto, že jsem si vybral opravdové, domorodé a hodně staré kadeřnictví. Abych byl přesný, nebylo to kadeřnictví, ale „barbershop“, což je specifický výraz pro pánské „kadeřnictví“. Představa toho, že budu hýčkán skončila, když jsem uviděl křeslo na kterém sedělo snad od roku 1940 alespoň 20.000 pánů! Nu což, historická zkušenost, řekl jsem si. Rozhlédl jsem se po místnosti a uvědomil jsem si že salón, který jsem navštěvoval v Brně byl luxusní sultánova komnata oproti tomu kde jsem právě seděl. Prázdné, holé a zašedlé stěny, po zemi rozházené krabice, na jedné ze stěn visel historický telefon, vedle mě ještě jedno křeslo s podobnou historií jako to moje, na jedné straně místnosti zrcadlo, do kterého se nemůžu dívat (vysvětlím později) a na druhé straně řada starých dřevěných židlí. Ve výloze několik let nedotčený nápis „Barbershop“.

Rozhodoval jsem se delší dobu, jestli nemám raději počkat až na léto a pak s dlouhými vlasy zaskočit tak na hodinku do kadeřnictví v Brně, ale to neprošlo! Tak jsem to risknul.
Paní byla moc vstřícná, to jo, ale první mě šokovala tím, že mě otočila směrem k ostatním čekajícím na sestřih a začala mě stříhat bez toho aniž bych se byť jedinkrát viděl v zrcadle! Ještě před tím se ale zeptala jak bych to chtěl ostříhat. Jelikož to byla rodilá jižanka, měl jsem problémy jí rozumět (ona mě asi taky), ale přesto jsem pochopil co chce a popsal jak si sestřih představuji. To ale neprošlo, byl jsem dotázán zda chci ostříhat vrch, boky i zadek (samozřejmě pořád mluvím o hlavě:-). To mě zaskočilo. „Že by tady měli bohatější výběr“, řekl jsem si. Žil jsem totiž v domnění, že to vše na sebe navazuje a že by mě snad ani nikdo neostříhal jen vrch a zadek a boky nechal ladem. No nakonec jsme se domluvili a paní to rozjela. Byla tam se mnou i Amy a Adélka. Amy postupně měnila tvář až nakonec odešla…
Jenže já se pořád neviděl, tak jsem pevně doufal, že Amy odešla, protože ji to nudilo.
Strojek paní taky nakonec vytáhla a použila na konečné doladění, ale tak nějak divně s ním kolem mě lítala. Vlastně ne ona, to já! Ono totiž to křeslo mělo páku, do které vždycky paní kadeřnice velmi šikovně a zkušeně kopla nebo uhodila svojí silnou paží a já se otočil do pozice kde mě chtěla mít. Ona sama se skoro z místa ani nepohnula. To pro mě taky byla novinka. Bral jsem to jako bonus – za stejnou cenu jsem se povozil i na kolotoči!
Když už i strojek dokonal svoji práci, byl jsem konečně přece jen představen zrcadlu. No…
Z křesla jsem neupadnul. Prostě jsem si řekl: „Až si hlavu umeju, tak si to sedne“. Bylo tomu asi tři týdny co jsem se nechal ostříhat a sedlo si to!
Za 10 Amerických dolarů jsem měl zkušenost k nezaplacení!

Prosím neberte to tak, že by tady snad kadeřníci neuměli stříhat. Prostě platí jiný kraj, jiný mrav. Taky jsem zjistil později, že tento „barbershop“ je navštěvován hlavně domorodou a to černošskou komunitou a oni všichni pánové jsou většinou “dohola“. No, pro příště vím kam nejít!

To byla moje první zkušenost se stříháním tady v USA. Budu se snažit zase někdy napsat o jiné zkušenosti. Téma už mám: „Rybaření na otevřeném oceánu“.

Těším se v létě na návštěvu a doufám, že nepřijedu s příliš dlouhými vlasy:-)
Leoš

Sunny Days

2008-04-29T11:51:00.000-07:00

The house is quiet as Adela takes a nap. It's a perfect time to update you a bit on what is going on with us. This month has been filled with ups and downs as Leo has been searching for a job. We're grateful to my parents for their understanding and encouragement. We are trusting the Lord that He knows what is best and will guide Leo to the perfect place of employment. Adela is talking tons, running, jumping, singing her heart out and filling our days with laughter and joy. She is our little sunshine and our so called "hard times" are much easier with her around.

Adela loves hats and her sunglasses. Here she is singing a song using Grandma's cane as a microphone!

We recently celebrated my aunt Nancy's birthday. Here is Adela with her cousins, Audrey and Chloe.

No, we haven't been to Disney World! Adela had her picture taken with Cinderella at a Children's Show.

A giant air mattress for lots of tumbling and jumping. What fun!

Singing in the tub!

Vesele velikonoce! Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T19:46:00.000-07:00

Consignment Shopping

2008-03-09T12:59:00.000-07:00

This past Friday, Addy and I checked out a church consignment sell and hit the jackpot with two very nice things! (Wikipedia states that, " 'Consignment shop' is an American English term for second-hand stores that offer used goods at a lower price than new. Many offer new items as well. The dealer pays the seller a percentage upon the sale of the goods.") I have to say that I was probably more excited than Adela was with our $12 talking Barney the dinosaur! When we got home, we discovered that he can sing and even play peek-a-boo. We also got a Dora the Explorer suitcase that Addy is enjoying loading up with a few toys and toting around the house.

By the time I took this video, Adela was more fascinated by her new play shoes than Barney, but I thought you might enjoying singing along with Barney as much as I do! :)

A Bit of Travelling

2008-02-27T18:52:00.000-08:00

I thought you might be really missing us by now, so I'm finally posting some pictures of our little sunshine (although she's been a little overcast with a cold that really gives her the grumpies!). We visited our dear friends in New Mexico the first week of February and were there for Leo and Adela's birthdays. This past week we visited family in Virginia Beach. We had a chance to go swimming and visit the Children's Museum.

A visit to the aquarium

The best oriental food at Pei Wei!

Saying goodbye to her buddies :(

A little windy and cold on the beach

This large hoop made giant bubbles with us in it. It had just popped and really surprised Addy!

Adela checked out who was in the pool everyday and wanted to go swimming all the time!

Adela singing "The Wheels on the Bus'

On the Move

2008-01-15T03:29:00.000-08:00

Saying goodbye is never easy. The one consolation I have is that I know our goodbye to you, our friends and family in Czech, is NOT forever! We have you in our hearts and mind ALL the TIME. Here are a few pictures with our friends just before we left. And, below are some recent pictures from our new adventure!

Addy and Moni pretty in pink

Our very dear friends and our VERY "fidgety" girls!

Addy a Kubi after bathtime

Packing up Addy!

Beginning our new adventure

Many think that we Americans eat only hamburgers and pizza - well, as you can see, this isn't true! :-) One of our first meals was a delicious Southern dish of collards (kapusta, myslim), ham, white navy beans and cornbread! Of course, we DID have pizza last night for dinner! :-)

Adela in her new princess dress from cousin Emma

Still getting over jet-lag and exhausted from all the new sights and sounds!

Adela is LOVING Papa's big yard and climbing everywhere! They also have a "kocicka" so every morning she climbs up in the window to say good morning to her.

Get Well Soon, Kristynko!

2007-12-29T13:31:00.000-08:00

We hope you feel better soon! May this video of you and Adela bring a smile to your face! We love you.

Merry Christmas to YOU!

2007-12-21T13:32:00.000-08:00

As you celebrate this holy season of Christ's birth with friends and family, know that we are thinking of you and wishing you a very Merry CHRISTmas.

Saint Nicholas Day

2007-12-06T04:54:00.000-08:00

Last night we went downtown to see a gospel choir perform in the square. Our music director, Milos, plays with the group. You can see that Adela thoroughly enjoyed the beat!

Today is St. Nicholas (Mikulas) day in Czech. On the eve of St. Nicholas day, children anticipate a visit from St. Nicholas, an angel and a devil. All three ask the children if they have been good and then the children usually recite a poem for them. "The St. Nicholas tradition is supposedly based on a 4th century Greek bishop named Nicholas who is said to have left a gift of money on the windowsill of three poor girls to enable them to get married." (taken from the MY Czech Republic website which is http://www.myczechrepublic.com/czech_culture/czech_holidays/saint_nicholas.html)

Check it out if you'd like to learn more!

The Fourth Day of Advent

2007-12-04T13:54:00.000-08:00

I know you are all just dying to hear how our Advent is going! :) We are having so much fun and it has been wonderful to have this short family time together. First we set out the tablecloth, candles and Bibles (English, Czech and Adela's Bible), then we light the one candle which represents hope. We read the short scripture verses, sing "Away in a Manger" and then pray together. Adela has gotten used to the short routine and seems to really enjoy helping me set up. Today our great friends Susan and Roger gave us this Nativity scene as a gift! It was wonderful to read the first poem about Gabriel and let Adela open the first box of 7 which had a figurine of Gabriel inside. All of this has given me a new sense of joy and love for Christmas that I didn't know I was even missing! I can truly say that it isn't about decorations or gifts, it's about celebrating the birth of Christ and looking forward to His return.

Season of Advent

2007-11-30T13:35:00.000-08:00

Aunt "Teta" Eva and Adela decorating apples

Craft time

Babicka making snowmen

Our Advent Stockings

Tomorrow is the first day of Advent. I have thought a lot about family traditions and how important they are. We really want to teach Adela and show her through our example that Christ is the center in our home. This past week I bought a set of "Advent Stockings" I call them. I'm excited about putting something small (a sticker, page to color, etc) in each stocking for Adela to take our every morning. In the evenings we will pull out a short scripture reading to read together, sing a Christmas hymn or song and light the Advent candles. Czechs look forward to Christmas and have advent calendars everywhere. The most popular calendars are made of cardboard and there are 24 little windows to open with a piece of chocolate inside. Adela and I just returned from spending 3 days in Lipova with Leo's family. Here are some pictures from a craft time at the pre-school in Lipova where we made some decorations for Advent and the Christmas season.

These are some links where I got ideas for celebrating Advent:
http://www.crivoice.org/cyadvent.html

This is a great link for activites with kids.
http://www.homeschooled-kids.com/advent.html

Not a Butterball

2007-11-23T05:33:00.000-08:00

This was an important Thanksgiving for us this year - we (I should say Leo) cooked our first Turkey! We had an oven bag from Reynolds Wrap, but the turkey was definitely not a Butterball with a pop-up thermometer! Our turkey weighed almost as much as Addy! Leo LOVES Thanksgiving and all the fun with family and friends surrounding it. Here he is donning my apron which says, "I run this kitchen!" I have to say that I didn't even want to touch the turkey, but Leo happily washed and prepared it.

Adela didn't know what to think of all this fun in the kitchen, but she didn't mind posing!

Three hours later and we have the prettiest cooked turkey in the Czech Republic!

Aren't you impressed? You can call Leo next year to come to your house to cook your turkey!

This year was a special Thanksgiving at Majak because we invited our Czech friends who we are very thankful for. This is Monika and her parents and they have made our life easier here in many ways. Milos has helped us get Majak buildings up to fire code. Adela and I spend a lot of time with Jarka and Monika playing, going to exercise class, shopping and just hanging out. We are so thankful for their friendship to us.

Some more guests

Marian, with her guests

Adela and Moni laughing together.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Lord's Army

2007-11-16T06:29:00.000-08:00

No words necessary! Enjoy.

The Things You'd Do For a Grandchild

2007-11-04T23:03:00.000-08:00

We visited Leo's family on Sunday and Adela was so excited to see the rabbits, chickens, dog and cat! Leo's mom actually caught a chicken so that Adela could pet it! I thought it was something you just had to see. (Push play twice)

Test of Toddler Patience

2007-10-26T14:01:00.000-07:00

Last night we splurged and bought Adela a swing. Leo had planned to hang it up Saturday when he had more time, but it was evident when we got home that Addy wasn't going to sleep until she had swung! As I prepared dinner and tried my best to distract Adela with her favorite activity of the moment - coloring, Leo was drilling holes in the doorway for the hooks. Addy would stand by him saying/crying, "Houpy, houpy....Daddy....houpy, houpy (swing, swing)." It was humorous and pitiful at the same time as Adela's and Daddy's patience was tested. As you can see, she was overjoyed to finally swing. I must say that having the swing is a great bargaining tool: "Finish your dinner first and then you can swing... Let's put your pajamas on and then you can swing..." Getting the dishes and dinner done while pushing the swing WILL be interesting though!

Salzburg in the Rain

2007-10-20T13:27:00.000-07:00

Reading a favorite Bert and Ernie sign language book

Castle in Salzburg

Mozart's birthplace

Mirabell Gardens

Walking back to the car

We just returned from a very brief vacation to Velden and Salzburg, Austria. At the missions conference in Velden, we had a great time visiting several missionary families that are serving in Europe. (I'll send more pictures to you personally, Hickory Chapel family!) Adela enjoyed the time with the kids as well. The best part of our time in Salzburg was relaxing in a nice pension and having a pleasant breakfast with some interesting people. The weather was cold and rainy, so we couldn't see much of the mountains or anything else for that matter. I think we were the only crazy people in the whole city chasing a toddler around historical sites in the rain. I guess the rest of the world knows better. The best part for Adela was waving bye-bye to strangers in McDonalds, splashing in puddles, collecting rocks in the garden, admiring the fountain and riding up and and down the escalator in a store for 15 minutes! We drove straight back from Salzburg to Brno last night while Addy was sleeping. The whole trip was a true test of patience and endurance for Leo and me, and I think we have learned a valuable lesson - home is a wonderful place to spend a vacation! I look forward to seeing Salzburg again when Adela is about 20!

Happy 60th Birthday, Daddy!

2007-10-12T05:10:00.000-07:00

Today my wonderful father turns 60. For him, I know this day is just another fantastic milestone. Daddy lives his life to the fullest and does his best to look on the bright side of everything. He has a smile and a kind word for all that he meets. He loves his Savior and puts Him first. He is a great encourager. I'm thankful for all that my Dad has taught me and I look forward to all the years ahead that I will have to learn even more from him. Have a wonderful birthday, Daddy! We are celebrating with you across the ocean.

Under the Weather

2007-09-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

All day yesterday Adela had a high temperature and just wasn't herself, especially when the medicine started to wear off. She was just beautiful and sweet sleeping here on the couch. I feel so blessed to have her in my life. She really has brought sunshine to our lives. God is so good and I feel honored and humbled that He would give me the privilege of raising this little angel. I realize every day what a huge responsibility it is. I'm learning a lot about what it means to "train up a child." She is feeling much better today and seems to be back to her chipper self.

Hats, Mommy, Bubbles, Socks and Cans

2007-09-05T05:49:00.000-07:00

What do these things have in common? You guessed it! They are all things Adéla loves. She loves trying on new hats - even ones that are garbage pail lids! She gives me the best hugs ever and wakes up every morning saying, "Mommy, Mommy" with the happiest expression especially when she wakes up beside me! She's into bubbles. She tries to do it herself and gets a bit fiesty when you try to take show her how. Weve been doing a lot of cooking lately! (I'm experimenting with soups at the moment.) Addy is a great helper and loves to rearrange the cans and jars in the cabinet. She also loves trying to put on clothes. Here you see her wearing my socks! Her feet really aren't that big. :-)

Adéla's Name Day

2007-09-02T12:08:00.000-07:00

Here in Czech, each day on the calendar has a name. When a child is born, most families choose a name that is on the calendar. It's best if you don't choose a name close to their real birthday, so they can celebrate two days! Well, today is Adéla's name day. She got a postcard from her "babicka" (Grandma) and lots of kisses from us! If you want to remember Leo's name day next year, it is June 19. :-) This picture was taken in Leo's home village, Lipova, during their kids day. The fire department filled the parking lot with foam! It was lots of fun.

Some say we look alike

2007-08-17T05:39:00.001-07:00

Just recently my Mom sent me this picture of me at about 18 months old. Here is one of Adéla taken last week. What do you think? I think we actually look a lot different!

Little Genius?

2007-08-16T13:28:00.001-07:00

A few days ago we showed Addy a group picture of kids that she has played with here at Maják. We asked her, "Where's Abby?" and she pointed right at her picture. We got excited and decided to challenge her a bit more, so we pulled out a picture of all the adults - about 20. We were quite amazed when she pointed at almost everyone we said! We clapped and clapped, and she loved the praise. So, lastly, we showed her a picture from this past Christmas and said, "Where's Olivia?" and she pointed right to her! Do we have a little genius or what? Okay, maybe she's just a real people person!

Back from Camp

2007-08-06T06:35:00.000-07:00

Wow! We had a super time at camp! Addy climbed up and down stairs and hills, over and under railings and mastered her new slide! It was a welcome break from city life and fun to see Addy blossom in new surroundings. Addy's friend Monika and her Mom and grandmother joined us for 3 days. You should have seen how well the two of them got along! In the mornings, Addy would run down the hill towards Monika's cabin yelling, "Moni, Moni, Moni!" Addy is comunicating more and more and adding many Czech and English words to her vocabulary. She loved camp food and fell asleep in her high chair at almost every lunch. You can imagine how funny that was!

An Inside View

2007-07-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

Last Monday I had a colonoscopy done. I had been having some problems, so my doctor insisted on this "procedure." After 3 days of a liquid diet and 500ml of a magic drink, I was quite ready to get it all over with! Despite the way the "polyklinika" (clinic) looks from the outside (pictured above), the doctor's office was very clean and professional. I couldn't have asked for a better doctor or nurse. They gave me a shot of something to supposedly ease the pain. I was awake through the entire procedure. When they got the camera where they wanted it (after a lot of pushing!) they turned the monitor towards me and showed me the inside of my colon! It was very fascinating and I have to say that I thought it looked beautiful and healthy! I felt very blessed at that moment that God gave us such a wonderful organ, and He gave man the ability to see it from the inside! The doctor said I was a great patient and she could see nothing wrong with my lower intestine, except that it was unusually long. On Wednesday I had an ultrasound done of my upper intestine which also showed nothing. I am very impressed with how thorough the doctor has been. I'm also grateful that I was given a clean bill of health! Thanks for your prayers!

Just a Click Away

2007-07-08T01:51:00.000-07:00

I've decided to join the world of bloggers. After countless months of enjoying other bloggers' posts and pictures, I thought it was about time for me to give it a try! Of course, you can imagine who each post will be about. Pictures of sweet Addy are now just a click away - no more downloading large files that take forever! So, this blog is for you, my dear friends and family who live far away and near. I should have made your life easier months ago. So, here is the first of many cheesy grins coming your way!