Get Well Soon, Kristynko!

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!

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

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

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

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

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

No words necessary! Enjoy.