The concert

 

 

For the past few years Kateri had the chance to learn playing violin. She had participated in BASICS program, which every session ended with a concert. She did learn a lot and had fun playing. Now she is playing in the middle school and she has acknowledged that she has learnt a lot. Good to hear that!

This past Spring Zuzia started attending guitar classes. I think at the beginning she was overwhelmed, but with a little commitment and " encouragement" from me, she got better and better.
Last night, the BASICS group held yet another concert. The theme - 80's!
I do not know who had more fun, Zuzia participating or me finding the brightest, neon clothes that we owned :)

I and Kateri enjoyed the hard work of the students and their teachers. Kateri even had a tear in her eye as she remembered her own performances.

Zuzia promised me to work and practice at least twice a week from now on, until the next session of the program starts. I hope that she is going to remember that!

Kinga:)

P.S. This is a guitar, not a ukulele, as some think; a real 1/2 size guitar, and blue, because is the color of the ocean! K.

7 Quick Takes on Saturday





                                          

Well, well, I have finally got my hand on "Something other than God", and let me tell you, amazing!!!
It will be a subject of my quick takes; random, chaotic, whatever thought came to my mind. And since one of the "scientific " surveys decided that have creative brain ( not philosophical ) I feel quite all right to do so.

 1.

I have had this book since yesterday ; started reading about 13:30.

By late evening I was on the chapter 23rd. I kept reading through dinner, cleaning up, picking up ( kids ), the concert ( just intermission though :)). I tried to reading it while waiting for the green light, but it changed to soon... As of Saturday morning I am at chapter 30th. The house is empty for a moment, and I struggle with a dilemma, should I clean or read. Not to feel guilty, I decided to update my blog.

 

2.

The concert:

 

 

3.

I am amazed by Jennifer's ( atheist ) desire to seek the truth. She kept her heart and mind open and she let the Holy Spirit go through her. I am a cradle Catholic, and I am thankful for that. If I wasn't, I do wonder if I would be open to seek the goodness as she did first, regardless of circumstances.

 

4.

While reading it, I couldn't stop myself from rereading the parts where she described the street of Austin. It was like, OMG, I know that street, I passed by it so often, and Tarrytown, on daily bases!

 

5.

I got really exited when she described welcoming into new millennium. I'll bet we passed each other on the busy streets around midnight 1999/2000 of Austin downtown!  ( At least that's what I imagine ).

 

6.

But going back to the serious subject; God works mysterious ways! I am so glad that He let Himself "revealed" ( if I may use that word ), to Jen and her family. I keep thinking how much by changing their lives, He changed the lives of others! Well, it got me thinking more for sure!

 

7.

And I will quote the quote (?) from her book, but by C.S. Lewis

All that we call human history...(is) the long, terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy.

 

And I myself find the answer to that dilemma in St. Augustine :

 

You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.

 

Kinga.

Long weekend

The Memorial weekend is past us.
We had spent it working in the backyard. Andrzej was painting the deck and playset with Zuzia nad Kubus "helping" him. I did a little bit of weeding and replanting and planting. I am still waiting for some seeds to sprout.
The girls spent Saturday visiting dear friends of theirs and Sunday was full of joy and screams in our house as our friends came to visit us.
We visited  Carnival ( very much overpriced !!! ), had frozen lemonade and s'mores every evening .
It was very relaxed ( for some of us at least :) ), and homebound weekend.

I have one big regret though;  we failed to make plans for a parade on Monday morning and honor those who died serving this and other countries around the world.
Let's hope that we won't repeat it again next year; there is a reason for having a long weekend!

 

I did poor job capturing the excitement of the last weekend. I need to hang the camera around my neck wherever I go !!!

 

Kinga.



Bluebonnets

The visit to Texas would not be complete without the pictures in bluebonnets.
Kiki has some from when she was barely five weeks old; very, very cute. Too bad that I don't have a scanner on hand, I would put them in here.

We were lucky that the Spring came late to Texas this year. Usually the bluebonnets are gone by April ( at least that is how I remember ). This year they were still there in the end of the month.
On the way back to Houston we pulled on the side of the road and tried to have posed pictures of our children in bluebonnets. One could think that because they are not so little anymore we could succeed easily, but no, there is always at least one not looking into the camera. The background is also not the one I could wish for, but this time I'll take it. It is better to have imperfect pictures than none!

And while I am at the subject of flowers, allow me to share other colors of Texas that I had a chance to capture!

 

 

 

 

Kinga:)



Galveston, ferry ride and good bye...

The last evening in Texas we had decided not to spend in the hotel room packing up, even though we were tired after spending almost a whole day in NASA center.

The weather was to nice to sit it out, and the Gulf of Mexico quite close. The kids did not visit this part of Atlantic Ocean yet.
 

We  were lucky to catch a free ferry ride to some kind of an island in Galveston, and back. We were told that  from the ferry we could see leaping dolphins. We did see them, but far away and not too many.
Nevertheless we had a chance to catch a glimpse of glorious sunset in Texas; until we come again!

 

 

 



 

Kinga:)

 



" Houston we've got a problem..."

The trip to NASA, in Houston, beats any school field trips; and it was a school day for our girls.
They have learnt a lot ( me too ), and were very satisfied with that lesson!

 

 

 
 

 

 



 



 

Old Mission Control Center

 



 



 

Space rocket - Saturn; never launched.



 

 

 



On the moon:)



 



 

Replica of International Space Station.

 

 

Kinga:)