"prosim" (please)
"potsim" (here ~come here)
random- Andrea told me her Dad and his girlfriend, who just returned from a vacation in Croatia, (Croatia is a big beach, vacationing spot here) have a little gift for me! Ah!
We had Anna' birthday b-b-q here at the house yesterday. All four of her sisters (they all look alike!) and two husbands came, along with Andrea and family. We had soo much food! (Kate, I wish I would have taken pictures of the hors d'oeuvres and tiny, cute cookies we had along with our b-b-q pork and pasta salad.) One of the sisters makes cookies in a bakery out of her home and for Christmas time she probably makes 2,000? cookies! Oh..soooo many pastries here! Yikes! (Well, I just can't refuse and appear rude! =) Jill was afraid the party would be going into the wee hours, but they really left at 8pm? and Andrea and her family stayed up till 11pm talking with Anna.
This morning was "apple-picking galore". Some of the relatives thought it would be a great idea to pick the two apple trees by my "little house" to use for alcoholic drinks. It takes almost a year's preparation before the final product is finished, but I may get to bring back a bottle (of whatever it is?) this spring. They said I get one because I was a good helper =). My self-appointed job was to collect all the fallen apples and dump them in the compost pile. Pretty much what I do everyday with the kids, so the lawnmower doesn't run over them. Even now, at nap time, when I am writing the relatives are out working away trying to get the last apple down.
I went with Andrea and her husband, Douchan, and Ollie and their son, Dareck, to Catholic mass this morning after apple-picking. We went to the church building on top of the 239 stairs where the kids and I had climbed previously. When I walked inside it was a little overwhelming- the intricate decor and ornate-ness. Douchan took the boys upstairs to the balcony and Andrea and I sat in the second row. Of course, I didn't understand anything anyone said, but I did know one song! so I sang along in English (Mom and Dad, you'll appreciate this!)
"I want to know You, Lord-much more than I do
I want to know You, Lord- much more than I do
Learn to seek Your face and the knowledge of Your grace,
I want to know You"-
other vs. I want to love You, Lord- serve You, Thank You, etc.
I was thinking I have only been to one other Catholic mass when I was in high school for Christmas-because I went with a boy "friend". Then I remembered I also used to play piano in college for a collegiate mass every week. I didn't really recognize any particular parts (like I know they do "Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison" (Lord, have mercy-Christ have mercy) but I know when we shook hands we were saying "Peace be with you".
They had the cutest childrens choir that led all the singing-except some things the priest led. They had a pipe organ and two of the teenagers in the choir played guitar. Andrea told me when people were reading from the Bible and when the priest was reading a (long!) letter from a bishop? about the Pope coming to visit Czech-that is a very big deal. They also had communion and I was pretty sure you had to be Catholic to partake, but I asked Andrea if she wanted to get up for it, but she said she hadn't been to "confessional" yet, so she couldn't. Some children, at their turn, made the "quiet" sign with a finger to their lips and I asked about that. She said it was a cue to the priest that they were not "of age" yet to receive communion and I noticed to very young kids he just rubbed on their foreheads.
On the way home-(the boys decided to walk home) Andrea and I had a good conversation about her faith and the history of communism in Czech suppressing discussion of God, and what she wants for her children in the way of faith, etc. It was very interesting. I have realized that I used to think I "knew it all" in terms of faith, but I think that's kind of narrow-minded now-and I think this new perspective opens doors for me in different-than-me people's lives, instead of me seeming judgmental and like I "know it all" and have a leg up on others.
...Speaking of birthdays (which I was, several paragraphs ago) Andrea told me my "Name Day" is this coming Wednesday!! "Daniela" For "name day" people usually send you a card or flowers or a sweet treat, or something small......so.......get the e-cards ready!
*********
another totally random thought for my Nashville girlfriends; I think I can now consider my hair of medium-length instead of "short" Ha! =)
No comments:
Post a Comment