daybook

december 14

outside my window...

bone chilling cold. wind. extra cold. snow that has melted and refrozen and gathered shards of ice crystals to form a beautiful, shimmering death trap.

I am listening to...
the new song recorded by Roxie and Armin on this new CD...see tomorrow's post for a sneek peek. Could someone help me to figure out how to put the song on my blog?


I am wearing...
Navy blue capris, a long-sleeved white shirt, wedgewood blue patterened cami and crop jacket, gray suede belt and gray maryjane wedges.


I'm pondering..."That which is hateful to you, do not do to your fellow. That is the whole Torah; the rest is the explanation; go and learn." Rabbi Hillel


I am reading...
"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. A Christmas tradition. The book is far better than any of the movies out there. The girls like it too.

 I am thinking...
about how lovely Christmas break will be. Three weeks off. Heaven.


I am creating...
Santa's workshop in my office. Last evening I spent time wrapping my students' gifts at my desk. Combined with the gifts brought in from their parents we will have quite a pile under our tree on Friday. I know they will enjoy opening them. 


towards rhythm and beauty...
Turning on the Christmas lights, lighting a fire, lighting candles. Stopping our hectic schedule for a moment, a mere moment, to sit before the burning candles on the advent wreath, reading scripture, breathing a prayer and singing together, mixing our voices as one family who worships God together.


I am hoping thanking God...for helping one of my students with his behaviour. Lord, thank you for giving me wisdom and patience. 


I am praying...
For this Advent season, that it is not just ritual, but within lies a desire to experience the living God and be forever changed by His son.


around the house...
This year we wanted to have a real tree as our fake pre-lit one blew it's lights last year. We thought we could go in the forest and cut one down as we see people emerging from there at this time of year carting trees around. When asked about this, our friend Miloš, the woodsman, said we can't cut one down but he could for us, maybe. Nothing else was said after that. A month has passed and we decided to take up Bauhaus (like a HomeDepot) on their "Buy a tree get a chicken" offer (see tomorrow's post). As we were decorating our tree (and eating our "chicken") on Sunday the doorbell rang. There was Miloš with a beautiful tree he freshly cut from the forest behind our house. It was small but you could tell he searched for a beauty for us. I gave him a kiss on the cheek and thanked him so much. (Anyone ever see "The Wedding Singer"? "This is information I could've used YESTERDAY!") We decorated the tree he brought us and it is by our front door. A beaut! Not one o' them balsams where all the needles fall off. ;)



from the kitchen... 
Turkey ordered. 6 kilos. Our first turkey here in CZ. Since it is CZ I am fully expecting the turkey to still be alive when we pick it up on the 23rd. I'll let you know how we fare.


one of my favorite things...
listening to Christmas music in the dark with only the tree lit. Reading the daily scripture by candle light. opening our Playmobile advent calendars and setting up the scenes.


a few plans for the rest of the week...
Christmas party at school, Staff dinner on Thursday, Bible study party on Friday, OM party on Saturday at our house, but today we celebrate my 38th  (UGH!) birthday and we will go to the vanoční trh (Christmas market) on the square right after school. I am pretty stoked. (froze our butts off at the Christmas market...literally. Running back to Dan's work and Rebekah was crying cuz she couldn't feel her hands anymore, then crying harder when her hands started thawing out...it's cold today...but we ate freshly roasted almonds, trdelnik, and freshly made spiraly potatochips at the market)