It's that time again...

Hi Everyone!

It's that time again isn't it - sorry it slipped to over a week again. Can I still blame it on being sick? My voice is finally starting to feel and sound strong again - it was completely gone for a few days last week, and then still pretty scratchy until about yesterday. I also still have the annoying tickle/cough every now and then. So I'm not back 100% yet but it is much better.

This past weekend was really fun though! I had coffee with a new friend that I met at church - it was a great time connecting with her and something that I think we're going to continue to do. That in and of itself has been an answer to prayer!!

After coffee I went with Talitha downtown to do some prayer walking for the prostitute industry that is so big in this city. It really is just another part of life here, so we were praying that God would awaken the hearts of the people in this city to realize what a harmful thing it is and give them a passion to see it taken care of.

Saturday and Sunday we were busy baking cookies for a Christmas party at church Sunday night. I made a batch of Grandma's sugar cookies, and for being such a novice sugar cookie baker they weren't too bad. I've just tasted what they should be like and know that it could've been better. I'll just have to try again I guess. :)

Saturday night I also went to see the Nutcracker Ballet at the National Theatre! Talitha had bought us tickets for my birthday. They were actually for standing room only, but we were able to find seats for the second half. The stage design and music were all beautiful, and of course the dancing was very nice as well. It was funny seeing the Czech version of it though! They mixed it with Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and had Scrooge dreaming up all of the different scenes. There were quite a few unique pieces of Czech culture thrown in the mix as well.

School has been going great and this is actually our last week before Christmas break! We're doing lots of different Christmas activities and today we took the kids caroling! :) Michelle and I taught them "Jingle Bells" and "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" and then combined our classes and practiced it together. We all went downstairs and we were planning on singing just outside of the offices for the secretaries and Principal if she was there. It turned out, though, that all of the teachers in the school were in their monthly meeting with the Principal. Struck with a rare form of courage, we decided to interrupt their meeting anyways and ask if we could sing for them. :) The kids were a bit shy but they sounded really good and I think the teachers loved it. :) We're going to the staff Christmas party this Friday night as well, so that should be fun too! (It's rumored that there will be karaoke) I'll let you know. :)

Anyways, that's all for now. Hope you all are having a great week! I love you!!!

Steph