Go Badgers!

I spent the weekend in Oshkosh at Jenny and Ryan's house. It was so nice to get to spend time with them, other friends and my church family from RiverValley! Isn't Cailyn the cutest little Wisconsin cheerleader ever!

2007....already?

It's so hard to believe that it is already a new year! Where on earth did 2006 go? I hope that each and every one of you had a fantastic and blessed Christmas and New Year. In the midst of making and maybe breaking new year's resolutions, I pray that you take time to seek out the Lord and what He would have you resolve to start, continue, accomplish and maybe even let go of in 2007.

Merry Christmas!

Mom and Dad on Christmas Day

The kids on Christmas Day

To my loved friends in the Czech Republic...

To my dearly loved friends in the Czech Republic...I miss you so much and pray you are experiencing a blessed Christmas season. Rejoice in HIS amazing gift! Love you all!

Still Here

Just in case you were worried, I'm still alive here in Wisconsin. Not much to update at this time. I'll get back to ya!

Excursion to the Castle

My very last class on the Thursday before I left Prague convinced me that we should take an excursion(aka field trip in the states) to the castle. Here's some pics from the class. Thanks for taking pictures Martin!

Safely in the States

Just wanted to let everyone know that I made it back to the midwest safely. After some set backs in Chicago and Detroit, I arrived in Green Bay on Saturday evening. My flight was supposed to land in Chicago at 6:10pm on Friday and my mother and friend Jenny along with Cailyn her 4 month old daughter were waiting to pick me up and drive back to Green Bay. Unfortunately, there was poor weather in the Chicago area that forced our plane to divert and land in Detroit. After about an hour of sitting in the plane, grounded in Detroit, they finally let us off the plane because there was no way we would get to Chicago that night. British Airlines put us all up in hotel rooms and scheduled us new flights out the next day.
My flight was not scheduled to get into Chicago until almost 6 pm on Saturday. Fortunately, my mother and Jenny were able to get a free hotel room in Chicago, thanks to a kind gentleman who did not want his voucher. I went to the airport at noon on Saturday because I didn't know how long it would take to get our vouchers for our changed flights. Thankfully, I found out about an earlier flight into Chicago, that if I rushed, I could make. I made it and arrived in Chicago around 2 pm. I was so thankful to see my mom, Jenny and Cailyn! Then we loaded our stuff into the car and began the 4 hour trek up to Green Bay.
So coming back to the states turned into more of an adventure that I bargained for, but I am thankful to be back. I'm not sure what this new step in my life holds for me, but I am eager to see what happens.

Cracking the DaVinci Code

So I am heading out for Paris in less than 12 hours. At first, I was not totally excited about going anymore. I didn't want to spend any more money, and I was afraid I was going to get bored. But now I am really looking forward to it. I am excited to be able to try to spend some down time in a beautiful city relaxing and reflecting on the things that have been going on in my life and heart in the last few weeks/month...And if I get time, I may even try to really solve this whole DaVinci code thingy. Maybe! ;-)

CORRECTION....To my faithful readers!

It seems, my previous post has instilled a bit of anger and hostility in some of you. I had no intentions, believe me :-) SO....to my all my faithful readers...thank you for checking in on me. It truly means a lot. Love ya! By the way, if you have a blog that I know about, I am probably a faithful reader of yours. :-)

To my faithful reader!

Hi Jeremy...just wanted something new for you when you check this. Haha!

Revelations on a Tram

I was sitting on a tram today, listening to my ipod and when this song came on, it moved me to tears because it really hits home with a lot of things that I have been struggling with over the past few weeks. It made me really look at myself and decisions I have made and what the intentions behind them were. Were my motives to cover myself in "make-up" to please others, or to please God and rest in His glory? Please pray for me as I am trying to sort out a lot decisions and directions in my life over the next few weeks. That I would trust in the wisdom of the LORD.

"Beautiful" by Bethany Dillon

I was so unique
Now I feel skin deep
I count on the make-up to cover it all
Crying myself to sleep cause I cannot keep their attention
I thought I could be strong
But it's killing me

Does someone hear my cry?
I'm dying for new life

I want to be beautiful
Make you stand in awe
Look inside my heart,
and be amazed
I want to hear you say
Who I am is quite enough
Just want to be worthy of love
And beautiful

Sometimes I wish I was someone other than me
Fighting to make the mirror happy
Trying to find whatever is missing
Won't you help me back to glory

You make me beautiful
You make me stand in awe
You step inside my heart, and I am amazed
I love to hear You say
Who I am is quite enough
You make me worthy of love and beautiful

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

Yesterday, we had the unique opportunity to attend a baseball game here in Prague. Laura, Jessica and Phoebe, friends from Ostrava, faithfully followed their team, the Ostrava Arrows to Prague for the last game of their series. A few of us joined them to cheer the Arrows on. It was quite and experience. There are some die-hard Czech fans, who cheered (loudly with horns and a train whistle) for the entire game. It was great! We tried to start them out on the 7th inning stretch, with a stirring rendition of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" but, I think they will have to practice it in the off-season. The Arrows pulled it out, after a very scary 8th inning. Nothing like a little taste of America's pastime in Prague!

Gotta Love Fridays!

TGIF! I love my Fridays. I only have one class at 11:50 and then I am free for the weekend. As an added bonus, I really have a lot of fun with my Friday class. They keep me on my toes, but are some really nice kids. I also just found out that in addition to having Thursday off for a holiday, my school is giving us Friday off as well. Yeah for my first 4 day weekend. What to do? What to do? Oh yeah, and did I mention how amazing this place is, as I am typing and looking out the window of the English office, the Prague castle is sitting in the distance. What is the dream that I am living?
I promise that I will have some real photos up soon: of my flat, school and the city!

A Day in Pribram

Pictures from Vysehrad

I'm still here!

Sorry, it's been awhile since I have posted anything. Life here in Prague has been kind of a whirlwind the past week and a half. I finally started classes on Wednesday. I am teaching 16 different classes each week. Most of them are conversation lessons with "freshmen" and "sophomores." I also have 5 seminar classes with juniors and seniors which my students are taking to get ready for their final oral exams this year or next. So that's school in a nutshell, I am sure I will have many stories as the year goes on, so don't be afraid to ask.

My new home...Praha!

After about 20 hours of travel on Tuesday and Wednesday I have finally made it to my new home for the next year! I have had some opportunities to start to learn my way around Prague and see some of the historic sights. I start at my school tomorrow with a staff meeting. I am really excited and a bit nervous to get there and find out what it's all about.

It's Time!

I really can not believe that at this time tomorrow I will be on an airplane bound for the Czech Republic. A lot of times it seems like it just yesterday when I found out I would be leaving everything I knew and was comfortable with in Oshkosh. Right before I left, I was doubtful about this decision that the Lord had called me to. Who was I to think that I could move to another country, be a teacher and serve the Lord. I must be crazy. But, since I have been here, I have felt nothing but peace, contentment and assurance that this is what I am supposed to be doing for the next year of my life. I know it won't be easy and at times I will think that I am once again crazy, but I can rest in the Lord and that He has called me to the right place for this season of my life. Time and time again at training I have gone back to Paul's words, he says, "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58 That is my cry, that we all would be steadfast, immovable and abounding in the work of the LORD. That we would trust that our labor, hardships, culture shock, homesickness is never in vain. I praise God for this opportunity to serve Him and the people of the Czech Republic. Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive of this journey! God Bless

One week to go!

At this time next week, I will be in transit from Los Angeles to London and then on to Prague. It is so hard to believe that training is almost over. We are done on Thursday night and then some of our Central European teammates are leaving for Slovakia the next morning. The Hungary and Czech teachers have a long, long weekend to wait to fly out.
A few prayer requests...
That all our Visas would come in
For safe travel
That all baggage issues would be worked out at our airlines
Continued team unity as we prepare to embark to our different locations
**Thanks so much to everyone for all your support and prayers. You mean so much to me.

Malibu...Zuma Beach

This past weekend was our weekend off, thus all the stories. Here's the last one, I promise. A group of 10 of us headed up the coast to go to the beach in Malibu. We ended up at Zuma Beach. I it was a fantastic day of enjoying the beauty of the Pacific and relaxing, honestly I spent most of the time napping on the blanket trying to get over my cold. I was really nice to get out and spend time with some of my teammates and new friends.