Medieval dentistry...středověký zubní lékařství
Last week Rebekah had a broken tooth so we went to the dentist. There is one here in Hluboka, but our friend said that he is not so good and recommended her friend who is a detsky zubar (children's dentist). So we hopped on the bus (gas is about $9 a gallon here) and headed into Ceske Budejovice. We had to transfer buses at the bus station and then finally we arrived at polyklinika (medical center). We waited in the wating room just a few moments (we didn't have an appointment) and entered the dentist's office. The dentist seemed nice and after exchanging pleasantries I told her what seemed to be the problem with Rebekah. She peered into Rebekah's mouth and announced that there were two teeth that needed to be pulled. And then she pulled them...no warning, no anesthetic and tons of blood. The dentist wore no gloves and blood was dripping down her arm. Rebekah was writhing around and had to be held down. I was shocked! There was so much blood. The little, cotton gauze pads that they use to sop up stuff were lying all over the floor. It reminded me of a mobile army hospital unit. Rebekah was quiet with shock. The dentist said that she was done...it took less that 3 minutes. Maybe that is good, to be so quick. Then it was Roxie's turn, but Roxie had just witnessed the butchering so she was reluctant, to say the least. I noticed the dentist did not wash her hands between checking the girls. But she wore a mask the entire time. Roxie's teeth were proclaimed problem free. Rebekah will have to have braces in the fall...YIKES!! While we waited at the bus stop for our next bus Rebekah had so much blood coming out of her mouth that she had to spit it in the bushes. What a day!!

Navsteva s Kraftovymi...A visit with the Krafts

The Kraft family came to see us for a few days while on their way back home to Canada from South Africa. They spent time here in CZ and from here left for Italy, France, Bulgaria, Hungary (I think) and Great Britain. They left the mission field in SA to take over Outreach Canada in Vancouver. Here we are pictured in front of Hluboka castle, in front of the Vltava river in Cesky Krumlov, in my classroom at the zakladni skola Hluboka, and at a great Czech restaurant "Svejk" in Hluboka. We had a great time visiting with them and the girls had such fun with their cousins whom they had never met. We were honestly sad to see them go and we hope to see them again soon!!

Kraftovi...The Kraft family

This is Danny's cousin Craig and his wife, Heather with their sons Matthew, Jonathan, Joel and Andrew pictured in South Africa, their former home of three years. They spent these years serving as missionaries, helping the local church and pastors. While their they studied Afrikaans, Zulu and other languages. South Africa has 11 national languages. The kids did well there and I think they are glad for having had the experience.

Roxanne ma narozeniny...je ji sedm

Roxanne has a birthday...she is seven

Roxie had her birthday party last weekend. She actually had a few parties. In her classroom she had brought treats for all the kids. Well it turns out that culturally, the children in class bring the birthday boy or girl small gifts...so Roxie came home from school with a bag full of loot!! Even her teachers brought her something.
Then we had a party for her and another little girl on our team at a pizza place. The owners had decorated the place so nicely for us. I was really surprised. After that we went home and had a party for all of Roxie's friends. We had icecream and everyone bounced on the trampoline. It was a fun day for all of us!!

Vsechno nejlepsi k tvym nerozeninam!

Happy Birthday Pop!

Mame te radi! We love you!!!

Misha ma narozeniny!! It's Misha's birthday!!!

Vsechno nejlepsi k tvym nerozeninam!! Happy birthday to you!!

Misha ma narozeniny, (Misha has a birthday)

My mame prani jediny, (we have one wish)

Stesti, zdravi, stesti, zdravi, (luck, health, luck, health)

Hlavni to zdravi. (mainly health)

We love you...Dan, Krista, Rebekah and Roxie

Peacocks and Peahens...Pavy a Pavici

At Zamek Kratochvile they had a special peacock house and two peahens making up the harem for a certain beautiful and onery peacock. within the small house was a clutch of peafowl eggs. The kids were ecstatic. It was super fun to irritate the totally grumpy peacock by walking behind him everywhere. He really got all bent out of shape over that. What a riot!

Just an update...we love living here in the Czech Republic. A year here has flown by. The girls are doing well in school, and they speak better Czech than we ever will. I still make an idiot of myself almost everyday...hooray! Rebekah is 10 and a half and Roxie will be 7 in a week or so. Dan teaches at our language school and really enjoys it. He teaches Business English, English conversation and Advanced English. I teach English conversation to middleschoolers at our local grammar school and I teach Beginning English at our language school. We also have private English lessons at our house for adults and children. We love our town, neighborhood, neighbors and friends and not a day goes by where we haven't someone visiting. The girls love their friends and we couldn't ask God for more blessings. He has given us so much to be thankful for.

Divci Kamen...Girl's Stone

After seeing Zamek Kratochvile we hiked up to the ruins of Divci Kamen. The interesting thing about these ruins is that the castle only stood for 150 years. I guess the Rozmberk family had enough castles and just abandoned this one. It was quite interesting and seeing as how Dan and Rebekah are part mountain goat, they had a great time scaling the ruin walls. Roxie and I aren't so coordinated as they are.
Check it out...http://www.czech.cz/en/culture/most-beautiful-sights-and-places-of-interest/castle-ruins/divci-kamen/

Spring is in the air here in Hluboka nad Vltavou

Zamek Kratochvile...Castle Little While

These past two weeks have been short weeks as there were state holidays. We took the opportunity to get away on a day trip to see some castles near by our house. This castle was meant as a hunting lodge for the Rozmberk family in the 1500's. It is atypical as it is modelled after Italian villas. It was so relaxing and beautiful there. Take a look...http://www.zamky-hrady.cz/1/kratochvile-e.htm

Our Garden...Nase Zahrada

This year we wanted to make a small garden in our back yard to experiment with our green thumbs. Our Czech friends (who happen to be avid gardeners) laughed when they saw our miniscule "garden". But one must start somewhere. So far we have currants, blueberries, strawberries and assorted flowers. We aren't even close to being done. In our mini greenhouse we have corn, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers, watermelons, chives and sunflowers. They are doing so well... I will keep you posted...we are stoked!!