Bianka's First Birthday

Yesterday was my Slovak goddaughter's first birthday. I wasn't able to make it the small party held in her honor yesterday as I had some other things going on that I was already committed to, but I managed to make it out today to play with her and give her her gifts.

I haven't seen her since the beginning of last summer and my word, she's grown and gotten into that really adorable stage where she's getting personality. She's so smiley and she loves to "sing" and clap her hands and bounce up and down. And did I mention she's smiley?! She's also really drooley as she's started teething.

Bianka is also at the stage where she's making "Indian" noises by moving her hand back and forth from her mouth while making a constant "aaahhh" sound. So cute! She's also learning how to blow kisses and give kisses (which are more like an open-mouthed drool fest).

 She loves her uncle, also her godfather. She lights up when hears his voice and starts craning her neck to find him. When her uncle sings to her, she just stares, wide-eyed in awe at him.

She also loves her grandma; Bianka totally lights up and gets extremely happy when grandma walks into the room!

Her father is pretty cute with her too, extracting small giggles from her when he plays with her. For being a guy who's always been somewhat afraid of kids and not wanted any of his own, he's doing a pretty good job of interacting with her and not seeing her as an object to be frightened of.

Days spent playing with babies are always good days. I'm thankful for this little one and that I was able to celebrate the first year with her and her family. 

Snowy Winter

I love winter. The cold. The snow. Seeing your breath as you stand outside. The ability to bundle to hearts content. Warm fuzzy sock. Steaming cups of tea. Fleece blankets. Fireplaces (when you can be around one). And of course, comfy hoodies. Yes, winter and I are friends.

I love winter because though it's dark and grey and mostly dreary, it's beautiful in its own right. A friend once said that she believes the Lord created and gave us snow to brighten things up during the long winter months, and the longer I live here in Slovakia, the more I tend to agree with her. Snow, though often tedious and tiresome towards the end of the season, is a marvel to behold.

Fresh, white, powdery snow that nestles on branches and shrubs, and slightly crunches underfoot as you trudge along making new path marks or following others who have gone before you.

 Fresh, white, powdery snow that falls in mounds and creates opportunities for building snowmen, making snow angels and having a good ol' snowball fight.

 And then there are the days when the clouds part and the sun shines through casting golden rays against the solid white canvas, brightening everything in its wake.

 

Days when the sun shines are days filled with the awe and wonder of the beauty of the season. These are the days when I want nothing more than to stare out the window, to soak in the beauty, to capture the moment everlasting in my mind's eye. 

But the thing I love most about the snow, probably more than anything, is the way it settles into the crevices of a tree where branch shoots from trunk. Snow often seems to be winter's way of giving a tree life and fullness between the shedding of leaves for autumn and the regrowth of the green, budding life of spring; a way of taking something that's stripped bare and making it beautiful again.

 

I feel that snow is one of the ways God reminds us of the beauty and goodness of his creation during the short days and long nights of winter if we take the time to see it. It's a reminder that he is there, gifting us with the powdery white to help ward off the feeling of dreariness and enjoy amidst the overcast grey skies. Yes, a kind gift, indeed.