Finally!!!

I finally feel some success in language study! Finally. I just have to share. Brian did this numbers activity with our language helper, Marcela, last week. I was home, so I was listening, and I was thinking--Brian is amazing at language; Aleisha is well, learning.

Brian told me I should try the activity in my language today, but I was thinking--Aleisha is not ready for that!

Well, Marcela and I had fifteen minutes of language left, and she suggested the numbers thing. I was like, fine, I'll do it! Marcela suggested that we do it a little differently than the way Brian had done it; great suggestion. She said a number from the first column (in Czech, of couse), and I pointed to it. I got the first one right, and the second. She moved from column to column saying numbers in Czech. Sure, I missed a few, but as we went through each column, I was able to point to the number correctly, almost every time! Then, she said some two-digit numbers, and I wrote them all down correctly. Ahhh, the joy of FINALLY getting it right! (Don't ask me to say them, yet:)!)

More Hair!

I continue to be inspired to press-on trying to learn more and get better at doing Cecelia's hair. I just started following a blog of an African-American women with four "mocha girls", as she calls them. The "Mocha Mom" is very passionate about teaching her daughters to love their natural hair, and she feels like she also needs to teach them how to take care of it. I'm fairly new to this journey, but I also feel like I want Cece to love her natural hair, and that, as her mom, I have to help her know how!

Here's the latest style. I've actually been doing the rolling twists for several months (after a dear hair stylist in Chicago showed me how). They are pretty easy in all actuality, but this time, I did a lot more, so it was a bit more time consuming. I really want to find styles that take under an hour, but . . . . this one does look so cute on her (took a "little more" than an hour--okay, more like, almost two), but I feel like I could have done it faster.





She was being a stinker and not smiling for the camera, so this is right after I had a little chat with her:



But, then, she cooperated:





She's pretty great!

This Could Be You!

Yesterday, I dropped my niece, Katherine, off at the airport in Prague. She had been here for 10 days. She's a junior in college and has been working for the last two summers saving money to come to Europe. She chose to spend ten days of her European vacation with her Aunt and Uncle in the Czech Republic! We are honored. Here are some reasons why I'm already missing Katherine:

1.Katherine's better at following the nav's directions (Pam, as our GPS is named, confuses me sometimes; she never confused me in the states, but I would be lying if I said I never cussed at her here in Europe--the GPS, not Katherine!)

2. Katherine helps me cook. (I am really more of a meal preparer than a "cook", so I love having help. Katherine made some stinkin' awesome hummus!)

3. Cece has never been so quiet in church in the almost six months that we have been here --sat on Katherine's lap the whole time!

4. We make a really great traveling team (Katherine, Cece and I, that is!!)

That leads me to the title of this post--This Could Be You! Katherine flew into Krakow, so we spent the day there, showing her the sights.



Then, I needed to go to Bratislava, Slovakia to pick up our long-term visas (yeah, we all have them now), and so we (Katherine, Cece and I) made a day trip out of it! Here is Katherine and Cece waiting for me. Katherine and I took turns climbing the steps of a castle to see the view--we could see apparently see Austria and Hungry from up there!





Then, we (Katherine, Cece and I) went Polish pottery shopping and stopped in Zory for lunch!





And then, Katherine flew out of Prague, so we (Katherine, Cece and I) went a day early and stayed at a place called the Mosaic House. (The Mosaic House is a hostel/hotel that is run by two Christian couples that are living in Prague--really cool.) Here is the view from our room and other pics of Prague:







So all that to say, I sure LOVED having Katherine come, and you too, if you work hard for two summers:), could come and visit us here in the Czech Republic.

Miss you already, "K" (Cece finally learned how to say "K", but she can't get out Katherine--she would just mumble if she was trying to say her name:).)

CORRECTION

My Aunt Kathy graciously informed me that the notes idea was my dear friend Heidi's and not hers (from my last post)! I miss you Heidi! Wish we were here:

Best note EVER

Moving so far from family and dear friends is one of the "hards" of being a missionary. My Aunt Kathy had the sweet idea of writing notes for me to open once I arrived here in Czech. She got my sister-in-laws involved, my cousin, Mel (who has been writing me notes my whole life), and a dear friend, Heidi. The idea was that I would have a note to open every day the first year that I am here (I'm not sure there are quite that many, but that's okay, because I often forget; they may last me two years!)



They aren't long notes--just short notes, often verses that are written in the handwriting of some of the dearest people in my life. They really do brighten my day. Well, I opened the best one EVER today. It was written by my brother Joel's wife, Crista!



Really, the best one EVER! Every missionary should get one of these notes from time to time.