I like to move it, move it...

Had a great night. I lead bible study this evening. I was really nervous about it because it was going to be really short even with the translation, and I wasn't sure how well people would receive it in English (which is silly to think about now because Charles preaches in English with translation all the time). I spoke about how our lives aren't about us, but God, and that we are to glorify Him in the things we do. I got some positive feedback from a couple people, so I think it went well.

After I finished, I ended up staying and talking with those who came, which was great. And then the party busted out. The family whose home we met in have five children, and they are all very good dancers. (I'm convinced Roma have the creative, artsy gene imbedded in their DNA.) At first David was playing songs on his guitar and singing and the kids would dance around the room. Then they busted out the Gypsy music CD's and, well, it turned into a big to-do. David danced a little with the five-year-old, Anka, and the next thing I know everyone's asking him to dance with me (everyone else has declined to dance at this point). So I bravely get up and for the next thirty, forty-five minutes we dance. And laugh. And dance some more. Me and David. Me and Eva. David and Martina. Simona and Ivetka. Eva and Jaro. Eva and Domino. Me and Eva. Me and Anka. Domino and Miro. Domino and David. And so on and so forth. It was so fun. I have a video and a couple pictures, though I'm not sure how they turned out, that I will try to post later. (I haven't uploaded them yet.)

Tonight I also got invited to two different homes for Christmas. Oh yes. My first gypsy Christmas!!!!! I'm so excited. I'm also thankful I won't be alone for Christmas as it's my favorite holiday and I'm usually with my family at my aunt's house in Missouri. And to be able to go to celebrate with two families? That's even better!!!

Speaking of Christmas, Tono, one of the youth here, has already promised me we can have a snowball fight once that time comes. So excited! I hope we build a snowman, too.

I think I might have been born to be a part of the Gypsy community. I get such joy when I'm in fellowship with them; I feel so alive. I love being welcomed into their homes and being introduced to their culture and way of life. I love the free spirit they have and the joy in movement they exude. But what I think I love the most is that I can be myself and they accept it with open arms.

Picture Love

Thought this was hilarious so of course I had to share...

Cinda, my (former) puppy's momma...

The little guy facing the camera was my puppy (he was stolen while I was on vacation)... I was thinking about naming him Chewbacca as an irony since he was the runt...

Corrie (pink shirt), Ab (green shirt) and Lucy (sucking her thumb)

Caught in a candid moment...

Yes, I'm trying to consume a picture of whipping cream and sprinkles... I don't know, I think it's the restrictive diet...

Martina looking beautiful; me looking, well, there are no words... what else is new?

My Luce-Goose Monkey Baby! (Yes, I expect she'll need therapy after a name like that...)

He ain't no hippo, but I did love Elephants, too, as a child...

Why, yes, if I were a bum I too would sleep on hard stone directly in the sun...

Nerdy bounty hunter love!!!!!!! (And no, I'm not ashamed...)

Moosers (with Lucy's boof... not sure how he pulled that one off) and Lucy...

Mail Call

Thank you, Elise!!!!!

Barleygreen

I drink barleygreen, usually first thing in the morning after my run or workout. I think I read somewhere you're supposed to drink it on an empty stomach or something, so it's my daily regimen before breakfast. I have to admit it's not the most pleasant thing I've ever tasted, and I'm pretty sure brother-in-law deems it the stuff of the devil. He whines so much while chocking it down (yes, literally chocking); sister one just rolls her eyes and calls him names. It's quite theatrical and I always enjoyed witnessing it. Of course, I didn't help matters much by saying things like, "oh, it's really not that bad!" even though it really is. I'm pretty sure they were thankful when I wasn't around for the mid-afternoon barleygreen fest!

Anyway, all this to say I finally found a way to get the stuff down without completely wanting to throw up: shaken, not stirred. Yes, that's right. I started mixing it in my nalgene by vigorously shaking it. (I've also used a glass jar with a lid which worked fine but was a bit messier.) The shaking method takes all the clumps and lumps away (something that stirring leaves) and makes it rather frothy. If you ignore the taste, it's almost like sucking down a frapi-capi-triple shot-whatever from Starbucks. Almost. Now I'm sure that barleygreen aficionados would tell me that by shaking it I'm losing all the nutrition benefits or something along those lines, but whatever. Shaking helps it go down so much more smoothly than stirring does. I challenge you to try shaking it next time you enjoy the green "goodness."

this is my, "Oh boy, barleygreen!" face...

but this is how I really feel about it...

"frothy goodness" (a term I use loosely)

"look, mom, I'm drinking it, really"...

done!

Ollie

This is Oliver, the Baldises cat. I cannot even explain how much this cat is the bane of my existence right now.

Now you might be saying, "Aww, look at the little guy; he's so cute and fuzzy and I could just eat him up." Let me just assure you the ONLY reason he looks like that is because he's sleeping! When he's awake all he does is meow at you (the Baldises call it "talking" and think it's adorable) until you give him something, i.e. tuna, meat, milk, or whatever you happen to be eating given that it's appetizing to him. If you don't, he hovers and meows at all octaves and won't stop until you give in. If you try kicking him outside before he's ready to go outside, he sits on the window sill and stares at you while either meowing (I know, what a shock) or baring his teeth in anger. This cat is waaaaaaaaaaay too spoiled in my opinion.

The other things he likes to do is come in right about the time you're going to bed and curl up all innocent like on his chair or at the foot of the bed and fall asleep. And then anytime between 1:30 and 4:30 a.m. he wakes up and decides he'd rather be outside instead. And then does whatever's necessary to wake me up so I can let him outside. One night I came into consciousness and he was laying right beside me at eye level with one paw on my shoulder just staring at me. I could see him out of the corner of my eye but didn't want to let him know I was awake so I thought if I was really still he'd go back to sleep, similar to what dogs do. That didn't work though because I was really hot underneath all the blankets, so I slowly moved my foot to get it out of the covers and Ollie must have seen it because the next thing I know his claws are firmly planted in and being dragged across my sternum. I of course cry out in pain and probably end up sitting straight up in bed. That's when Ollie starts in with his meowing and hops off the bed heading to the front door. I wanted to punt him out the front door much like you do a football.

Yesterday was icing on the cake when he brought a dead bird into the house. I don't care so much that he killed a bird because I don't really like birds; it was the fact that he brought it into the house was what irked me. Anyway, he had it in his mouth and slipped in the door so fast I didn't see it because I was distracted looking at something else. I heard this weird noise and it wasn't him chewing (he usually goes straight for the food bowl) and started to investigate. And there he was, in the living room, growling, bird in mouth, feathers and grass all over the carpet. I started yelling at him to go back outside and he starts growling even louder; the chase around the house ensued. He was darting and maneuvering around and under furniture while I was yelling at him about how I wasn't going to take away his bird (I know, like he understood me; not my best psychological moment), and every time he looked like he was about to drop the bird, I start yelling No! as loudly as I could to get my point across. I finally got him out the front door, but not without the lifeless bird losing more feathers in the fray. I could have killed Ollie, but had to refrain as I've promised to keep him alive and well. Last night he slept outside; I was beyond the point of caring.

Anyway, getting off my soap box now.

Good Day

Oh my lanta, it's been a good day. I started back with English lessons for a couple of "my girls" this afternoon, which went superbly. We ended up going through two lessons; I'm not sure if it was the desire not to have to return home, or the eagerness to learn that kept them going, but either way, I'll take it!

I attended a bible study in the evening led by David, a young gypsy (early twenties) who helps lead worship at the Church. The bible study was great; David spoke from Ephesians 4 about the unity of the body of Christ and was able to get a discussion going with all who were there, except for me, of course, since I was just trying to keep up with what everyone said... until they started talking in Gypsy and completely lost me! Anyway, David's a natural leader and I'm very grateful he's stepping up and leading his people (not that he's Moses or anything, but you know what I mean). And I'm also encouraged to see the people crying out for a way to fellowship with other believers and doing what they can to make it happen. I'm so excited that I get to be here and be a part of it; to be a witness to what God's doing here in this village.

After bible study I hung around for almost two hours just talking with different people. I don't know what it is, but there's something about my broken Slovak, their broken to advanced English, the laughs, the misunderstandings, the mother hens (read: mothers) who walk by and chitchat or fuss about this and that, the random remarks... it's such a blast! Granted, I don't understand everything, but it's often fun just to sit and watch. And I love it when someone talks to me and I'm nodding and replying (because they're talking slowly enough I can follow) and when someone who speaks English realizes I don't need translation, they act shocked because I understand. Come on, people! I'm not a complete newbie to this language. Of course, I'm not proficient either. But I'm encouraged as I am talking a little more and understanding a little more. My progress may be slow, but it's still progress none the less!

Lightening Bugs

I was outside watering this evening while the sun set behind the mountains, the sky growing darker. The air was cool, with a hint of cold to it. The village preparing for the arriving dusk and quieting down. Something felt like it was missing, but what? Of course, fireflies!

Chasing them in the cool of the evening was something I used to love to do as a little girl. "Catch me if you can!" is what they always seemed to say as they flew around, their "lights" flicking on and off. Brothers and I used to run after them, trying to catch them in our hands, begging for five more minutes when our mother would call us inside. But such modest childhood pleasures are things of the past now that adulthood has arrived bringing with it responsibility and loss of innocence. Unless, of course, I happen to cross paths with a lightening bug or two one of these days, in which case all innocence and sense of my childhood self will come flooding back as if no time has passed at all...

It ain't a Texas sunset...

...but it's still a nice sunset.

Dancin' the Night Away

Here's footage from this summer. I do apologize for how dark the videos are; the lighting wasn't quite right and I didn't realize it until well after the fact. Not that you'd recognize it or anything, but the guys singing are doing so in Gypsy, not Slovak, which I think is so cool. Anyway, enjoy!

Summer turns into Fall

I think fall has officially arrived. The nights are cool, borderline cold (I've taken to wearing close-toed slippers now, if that gives you any indication); the days are pleasantly warm with a very cool breeze. The fruit trees are brimming with succulent red apples and green pears. Crops are starting to get harvested. School has begun, and parents and grandparents are looking a little less frazzled now that their children/grandchildren are no longer under their watch all day long.

It's perfect hoodie wearing weather. It's perfect warm beverage weather while watching the sunset. It's perfect pumpkin pie spice, all-spice, cloves and nutmeg baking weather. It's perfect slow down and focus on fall ministry weather. And soon it will be perfect fireplace weather. Welcome fall!

Svadba

I went to a wedding Saturday in Bystrica of some very good friends of mine, Peter and Andrea Šranko. It was great seeing them as well as catching up with some other Slovaks who I hadn't seen in a while.

Andy, Peto and I lived in the same house (The Shattuck's) briefly before I left for Dallas back in November. I promise it's not as misleading or scandalous as it sounds! Andy rented a room in the house, and I was living in and taking care of it while the Shattuck's were in the States for their daughter's wedding. Peto would crash there at night while he looked for a place to live (he moved from another city in SK); we were all on separate floors. Anyway, we had many a good times leading English club together before I left; sitting around the table eating many delicious meals Andy prepared (she's a very good Slovak cook); and laughing (or praying, as the case may have been) over the things that life dealt us. I was one of the first people in Slovakia to know they were engaged, and we celebrated by them helping me clean the house. (Now that's love for you!)

Anyway, I was really glad I was able to be a part of their "big day" so to speak. Andy gave me the biggest hug when I went to say congratulations and wouldn't let go, even when I did. I wasn't quite sure what protocol was on being hugged for long periods of time (which is proof I'm not much of a hugger, I guess), so I just let her squeeze me for a while. I'm just glad she didn't burst into tears or something; I couldn't have handled that! Anyway, I hope to visit them in Novy Zamky sometime soon, and I hope they will come visit me in Zavadka, too.

Two Sides

There's a lot of political and social unrest happening in my neck of the woods at the moment between the Slovaks, Gypsies and Hungarians. If you're interested, here are a couple links. Now if you read these news articles, just remember it's a two way street; there's a lot of prejudice against the Roma (Gypsies) and some of it's merited and some of it's not. Something I find interesting is that currently the Slovak government is offering 25,ooo Slovak crowns (about 830 Euro, which is about $1,182) to any girl (white or Gypsy) who has a baby; and I think they get this amount for each baby up to three. The reason? There aren't enough children in the primary schools; therefore, the country needs to be populated. As a result, a lot of women and young teens (married or unmarried; Gypsy and Slovak) are getting pregnant just so they can get this "free" money the government is doling out. To me it seems a destructive cycle that feeds the stereo types. So when you read about people saying how Gypsies are moochers, lazy, don't contribute to society, thieves, etc., etc., it's not necessarily true all the time. There's always another side to the story.

Oh What a Beautiful Mornin'...

I thought I'd share a little of my morning run (and me, apparently) with you today...

I really am spoiled as this is what I get to wake up to every morning...

The sunrise mixed with the noises of rural life is like a perfectly orchestrated symphony...

The road less traveled (a.k.a. the uphill slope I nearly die on every time I run it)...

Early morning mist coming off the lake behind the Golden Fish hotel...

Greetings everyone. It's good to be back. It's been too long. I will keep this brief as I need to go accomplish a million things that keep crowding my ever growing to-do list. (And I thought I'd get a small break after Janet and Charles left. Ha!) Anyway, just wanted to let you know that the drive home from Vienna went well.

Graham, a missionary from England who's serving in Ružomberok, stayed with us through the weekend. (I promise this is relevant.) He went with Charles, Janet and I to the airport and drove the first leg (Vienna to Nitra, SK), then I took over and drove to Bystrica, where I dropped him off to catch the bus to Ružomberok. I only stalled out a few times, but it went smoothly for the most part. From Bystrica to Zavadka, however, was fantastic. It went smoother than I could've hoped for especially since I was alone. But that worked to my advantage, really, because there's no radio or CD player in the car, so I spent the hour or so just praying about things God placed on my heart. Maybe that's why the drive went so well...?

Driving yesterday helped me so much, I think. I was so timid at first, and then through Graham's patience and the fact that we just talked and didn't focus so much on whether I was doing everything perfectly or not, I was able to just relax and enjoy driving. And it was a good thing, because today I had to drive into Brezno to see the accountant. I only stalled out once, but for the most part it was really great. And I was able to drive around the city without a problem as well as back into a driveway positioned over a ditch while on a main road that's a hill. Boo ya, baby! Of course, pride does come before a fall.

Well better get back to the grind. Bon voyage!