Happy St. Wenceslaus Day!

Merry St. Wenceslaus Day to all! Here, in Czech Republic, it is a national holiday as he is the patron saint of Bohemia. It was nice that we had a day to relax and celebrate. Even the pope came to visit us today and helped block continuous traffic flow throughout the day. I believe that the Catholic Pope has even more security than President Obama when he came to Prague last year. The Pope's secret security is very intense. You could see everyday looking people occasionally pull out a walkie-talkie and mumble something low in Italian like, "I think the coast is clear", or "Does this disquise make my butt look big?" Oscar and I were too busy recovering from a marvelous weekend in Germany to spend time tracking down the pope. Our day was spent much like the reign of King Wenceslaus, (Kral Vaclave), relaxing, joyful, but still too short.

This school year has been very very busy and I'm thankful for even just this short vacation. This year I have a large classroom of 23 new students. It was more busy in the beginning, but now it feels smoother. Most of the children are settling into the routine and there are still a few that are taking time to adjust, but such is life.

Since coming back to Czech Republic, I've spent a lot of time trying to rid my body of Poison Oak. Although I thought it was finished after a strong perscription of steroids, it has persisted for a little longer on my left knee. Now it seems to be dying off, but the occasional itch reminds me that perhaps its here for good. If, however, it chooses to move onto another body or just disappear, I may be a little sad. It has been with me for longer than any other rash or even pimple. It allows me to tell people my exciting California adventure story and re-count the wonderful time I had this past summer. Such is life.......

Speaking of life, watching the wedding of my Aunt Angi to my new Uncle Ron was a phenomenal event this summer. Although I was a bit scratchy and at one point I tried walking through a glass door, the fun never stopped. I hope they continue filling one-another with joy every day and, on occasion, a fun surprise. Nothing says love like fun surprises.