Lambchop's Adventures

A little over a week ago, we had the first snow of the year, this was the view coming out of the front door of my flat. It was so beautiful as I walked to the bus stop and everything was covered in white. It's beginning to get colder as you can imagine:) This Sunday after going to a coffee shop for a short while, when I went in it was raining, as I walked out, it was snowing like crazy, too bad I didn't have my camera then, it's just so beautiful.......I love it, so far:) It truly is amazing being able to enjoy His amazing creation!

A couple of Friday nights ago several of us had the opportunity to go and see a volleyball game. My friend Shan works with a teacher that plays for the professional European league (I think). It was so nice to walk into the gym and hear the familiar sounds again, the shoes squeaking against the floor, balls bouncing, the sounds of serving and spiking....yeah, you think I'm crazy right, I think I might be well on my way as well:) It was just sounds that were so familiar and that I've been used to for the past several years. It was rather weird to teach school this fall and not be going to a gym after my daily duties. So, as you can tell I miss volleyball, so it was nice to be able to experience the familiar feel and sounds of a gym for a couple of hours as I watched these men play some amazing volleyball. The Bratislava team did very well and ended up winning the match. It was neat to experience volleyball on the other side of the pond:) Here are a couple of pictures to help you see what I was able to watch and enjoy, imagining how my amazing girls did this year!

It was nice to get away for the Thanksgiving weekend. We were in the middle of nowhere in a little village known as Ravada, a little over two hours away from Bratislava, but it was beautiful. Just a nice place to relax and enjoy the company of other teachers who met us from Hungary. It was a time of being able think, relfect, and just ponder the many lessons, feelings,and emotions that race through my crazy mind these days as He continues to mold and teach me daily.

This would be the train station we arrived at in Ravada, Slovakia. Yes, it was a bit desolate, basically it was four walls to keep you out of the wind and cold while we waited for our ride when we arrived and while we waited for the train when we left.

These were three of the four horses Jaro, the owner of this place had on his property. They were right at home, if you were walking from your room to the main meeting room or just standing onthe porch they approached you just like a pet. Col, I thought of you as I stood on the porch watching these amazing animals. Seeing them in the snow was like a postcard.

Here my team member Laura was preparing the table for our wonderful feast we were able to enjoy.

Here, Sarah Jane and I decided to take a picture while we were waiting for the team picture to be taken, just trying to have some fun:)

Hey folks, I just wanted to wish everyone a wonderful and Happy Thanksgiving, no they don't celebrate it over here because it's an American holiday, but we are fortunate enough to get these next two days off to meet with other teachers from Hungary in a little village about an hour away from Bratislava. I hop on a train tomorrow morning to celebrate the day of thanks with other fellow Americans, it will be good to be reaquainted with folks from the homeland as well have a nice little break from school. Just know that my wonderful friends and family will be in my thoughts and prayers during this time of Thanksgiving. I truly am thankful for the people I've been blessed to have in my life, thank you for your love, encouragement, and support in all the crazy paths I seem to take in the journey of life:) Eat plenty of turkey, dressing (not stuffing), pumpkin pie and all that jazz for me. Have a wonderful time of thanks!! I miss and love you all!! By the way, the picture of the beautiful fall leaves was taken in Warsaw, Poland a few weeks ago. We are so blessed to be able enjoy an amazing creation.

"I the LORD do not change." So you, O descendants of Jacob are not destroyed. Malachi 3:6

What a long, tough week, yet rewarding as well. As I come up on three months of being here in Slovakia, my mind races with questions of what in the world am I doing here. There have been many exciting experiences yet many challenges and trials as well. Some I've learned many lessons and others I may never know or understand why things happen. I'm thankful that in the midst of change, He remains the same. While I battle communication issues, not fully understanding the expectations of the school, or feeling as if there are just too many responsibilities and there's no way I can do this, He reminds me that it's not about me. How selfish of me, to try to do things my way and on my own, when all I need to do is turn it over to our amazing Father! He's provided everything I need to do His work, the resources or lack thereof, the people I work with and friends who have provided amazing encouragement and support. How dare me to question His plan. "He is steadfast when everything else changes in and around us," this was a statement mentioned by the speaker at church last week. How true it is and it hit the nail on the head. Amongst various challenges in a land I'm becoming a little more familiar with day by day, He is there, walking beside or even carrying me. This path I'm on in this journey of life is allowing me to dig deeper in root with Him. Seeing that He is my anchor and rock. I've needed to seek His forgiveness for putting Him in the background and allowing life to take over. I'm thankful for an eternal perspective change He's providing! I'm here to seek Him, to learn and become stronger through these growing pains that are being provided in this walk, and to completely rely and become dependent on Him in every aspect of my life, not just the parts I choose. On my way to work the other day as I was listening to some music and was reminded to sieze the day, whatever may cross my path. Whether it be on the bus, the tram, the sidewalk, or train, use every opportunity to share His love and see people through His eyes and not my own. A great friend reminded me how He has entrusted us with this amazing opportunity half way around the world. Wow!! I don't deserve this, yet He's allowing me to stretch and learn through these growing pains. He is faithful even when I am not!
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4

In Him we lack nothing, amazing!!!!

Well, as I've stated before, things are a bit different over here than from back home. For example, today we took a field trip to the Bratislava National Museum. First of all you do not need permission slips to do anything. As I was informed, while you have the students you are in control and in charge. You may do and go just about anywhere you would like. So, before we left I asked my director how we were going to go, she informed me it would be by public transport. I asked her, you mean we're taking public transportation?? The bus that I take to work everyday? I just smiled and said ok. Apparently she read my body language, so I had to explain that this is completely foriegn to me, I automatically began thinking, how in the world am I going to keep up with my kids throughout the trip, making sure they stamp their bus ticket and all that fun jazz. Well, we arrived at the bus stop, as the bus stopped and opened it's doors, the kids boarded like a herd of cattle. Lesson number one for me, "We need to go over proper boarding and unboarding of a bus." Come to find out about half of my students ride the bus, the rest either walk or are brought by car. We made it to the museum, got through it with no major catastrophe's, they did very well keeping their hands, feet and other bodily appendages to themsleves. So we get back on the bus to return to school, they boarded a little better, well two stops later, the bus ticket checker gets on. I'm thinking oh great, he checks my pass and everything is good, he begins checking my students and everyone is doing great except my lovely David, he "forgot" to stamp his ticket. Here's a little sidenote, if you don't have a bus ticket or pass and you get caught, it's a pretty nice fine, about 2,000 slovak krowns. So, I look at the checker and David, they look back at me and then the bus stops. This is when they usually ask the people who do not have the ticket to step off, he looked at us, and got off the bus and didn't say anything. I was so very thankful. You must understand, everytime I've seen this happen it's not always a fun thing and people are usually very upset and the checker dude is very strict and adimant about enforcing this law. So, here's lesson number two for me, "Remind your student to not break the law and cheat the public transportation system." We finally returned to school safely with all my little ducks and no one had wandered away. I never dreamed I would say this, but this was a day I wish I had the lovely yellow school bus from back home. By the way, the reason we took public transport is becuase our school like most schools here do not have any school busses. I survived my first field trip here in Slovakia, I'll keep you updated on any other amazing trips and happenings as they continue to occur. We returned just before school was out, so tomorrow we will be having some wonderful conversation of how to get on a bus, how to behave on a bus, ect. Oh the joy of teaching in a completely different setting than what I've been used to, I truly never know what I'm walking into from day to day. However, it keeps me on my toes and makes the day an exciting and adventuresome one.

Below: A monastery in Krakow.
Shantra, Diane, and Matt.
Above Right : Part of the Old Town square in Warsaw.

"I love Poland!!!" This was a statement that my friends would just laugh at by the time we left the beautiful country of Poland. It was decorated with the fall leaves and cold, but we still had a good time. As we hopped a train to Warsaw, and then a day later to Krakow, we had an action packed weekend, visiting and seeing the different churches, museums, and the town squares. The weekend was filled with highs and lows as we stayed at hostels known as the "Oki doki" and "Dizzy Daisy" crazy names, eh! Hey, they were shelter and a roof over our head. On the flip side as we visited the concentration camps it conjured up weird emotions, I didn't react as I thought I would. It was a numbing experience. All in all, it was a great a trip and a nice break from the routine of school. It was great to spend time with new and old friends who encourage, challenge and sharpen me. Thanks guys!

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
Hebrews 12: 2-3