Hi, we just received a great bonus from our phone provider. For the next 3 months we are able to make unlimited calls to the USA for FREE! It's awesome! If you would like us to call you simply email us your phone # and a couple of times that would be good for you.
Another video post of Nitra from Youtube. This is a Door's video put together be a local film artist. You can get a surreal view of the Nitra countryside... enjoy the ride!
Some people need to take trips to 'find themselves.' Sometimes this is a simple walk through the park alone, others have to go through a crisis of biblical proportions, others travel around the world... yes, that would be me (or these guys* www.twotalltravelers.com). But whatever you have to go though, overcome, or get to (or away from) the end result is discovery. With it comes an overwhelming sense that "this is who I am and this is my place in the big picture." It's a kind of revelation.
A few weeks ago it was bitterly cold here in Nitra. Yet, we went out to the park in hopes of feeding the ducks some bread. When we arrived the ducks were gone and the pond was frozen over. Kids were already out playing hockey on the ice. So, the next day we took the guys out with Danny to play on the pond. As you can see from the pics they had a great, but slippery time. Now the weather is like early Spring.... so hopefully we can find those hungry ducks again. I won't test the ice. 
Yesterday we started a new series at the Nitra Bible study - Daniel. If all you know of Daniel is his night in the lions den, then I suggest you take a second look. This book is amazingly deep in spirituality and rich in history. It's a BIG story. If it was "Daniel the Movie" it would one of those you would just have to watch on the big screen. It's Epic.
Well, lately in our home it's been scientifically (at least 'experientially')proven that boys are simply different then girls. Combine cowboy movies + active imaginations + cool costumes + anything resembling a weapon and you have our two boys. Add the never ending energy and sound effects (how do they learn that anyways?) and you can imagine a typical day in our home. Gabie & David are a tough little crew hunting mountain lions one minute, roping horses the next, followed by shooting the invading forces from their sniper nest (somewhere between the easy chair and the radiator). Of course Ivetka is trying to redirect their Partisan fantasies, but I think she is loosing the battle. If she takes away their guns they simply turn their hands into pistols. BANG! 
Once again Gabie and I went out to explore the wilds of Dolny Kubin. This time is was a long 3 hour hike that circled the surrounding snow dusted hills and forests. Gabie was particularly motivated to go because he got to take along Starky’s dog - Bobby. Together they would hunt wolves. We heard that recently wolves had come down from the mountains and killed about 15 sheep in a nearby village. So, while Gabie was envisioning grand adventures, I was on the look out for the real thing. Fortunately, we didn’t run into any wolves. However, we did see a big snow bunny and a deer. The only thing we did manage to catch was a lot of great photos of the icy Slovak winter upon a majestic, but sleepy land. Here is a sampling. We will post more later. Enjoy the view!
I came across a very odd drive-by video of Nitra. If you have never been to Nitra it can give you a sort of surreal glimpse of the city, specifically our neighborhood. The last frame stops on the intersection leading to our home.
We took a short drive up the mountain behind Ivetka's Dad's home. The dusting of snow on the peaks was awesome. We had hoped to go skiing/snowboarding, but there isn't enough snow on the slopes here just yet. However, we did find enough snow to bust the sled out. Ivetka & Gabie took on a nice long slope. Gabie loved it! He was so excited after the ride down. 
If you are at all familiar with Mrazik check this funky fairy-tale inspired video out. POZOR / WARNING - You will either love it or hate it!
While some of you in warmer hemispheres are just dreaming of a White Christmas, we here in Slovakia are living the dream. It's beautiful from the window, but even better up close. Gabie and I took a walk on the white hills near Starky's (Grandfather) home in Dolny Kubin. Better then the snow was all of the frost and ice. It lit everything up in magical white and light. The day before we watched Mrazik - a classic Russian fairytale on television. It is dubbed into Slovak and is a must-see film if you want to understand Slovak storytelling. There are a handful of such fairytales that are aired during the week between Christmas and New Years. Anyways, Mrazik is the name of Grandfather Frost. He essentially is the guy responsible for winter and frosting all the trees. With Mrazik's help the narcissist Ivanko saves Nastienka (a Cinderella type beauty) from the Wood-Witch, a gang of Robbers, the wicked step-Mother and of course the competitive ugly step-sister. You will have to see it for yourself. Anyways, we didn't meet Mrazik out on the slopes, but we did see the beauty of God's creation. Enjoy a poor capturing of it in these photos.
When chopsticks collide with Slovak cuisine it can create a symphony of laughter. Over Christmas we had a fun time having Betka, Eva, and the Sano family over for dinner. The Sano's are a new set of blessing for us from Japan. Anyways, we weren't sure how Akihito & Kieko would like Slovak Christmas food, but it seems as if it was a hit. Somehow we got on the topic of eating habits and this lead to busting out the chopsticks. As you can guess Slovaks don't usually use chopsticks, especially with Christmas delicacies. Yet, this is our very cosmopolitan and international life here in Slovakia. It's been a blessing to make friends from all over the world who in some crazy, divinely appointed way end up in our life. It for sure keeps things interesting!
