Mr. Observant

Braden is the exact opposite of Karsten. It is truly amazing to have twins and then to watch them as they observe the world in completely different ways. If these two can remain close God can use them as a perfect team! Braden has the eyes of an eagle, honestly the best of the family. No doubt he is pilot material!

He is very mechanical and loves to see how things fit together!

Most of all though, he is a lover. He loves people, being with people, and caring for people. He has a huge protective heart and is truly a sensitive soul. We love watching him interact with friends, family, and animals, and he is developing an incredible sense of humor on top of it. We are excited to watch God use him to care for people, especially Slovenes. This pic below demonstrates perfectly his ability to link people together :)

The Independent

Karsten keeps us guessing, but we have learned to really embrace the personality God has given him. No doubt we are tested, but we completely trust God is going to use him in unique ways as he continues to develop. Here is a snapshot of the things we see, sometimes daily!

Most people get tired after a big lunch!

I wish we could do this everyday!

And then there is this last pic. Karsten is in the middle of this group. These are Slovene speakers only and Karsten played for an hour with them at our church retreat - they loved it and he never thought twice about it! This last picture helps us remember the personality so strongly displayed in the first pic can have great rewards. We pray Karsten will take his independence and let God use it to change the world around him!

Krofi

As a former police officer I haven't really lost my love of donuts, but they make them a little different here. Personally I prefer the plain American donut, but the kids like the size of the donuts (krofi) that Slovenia offers!

The Javelin

Random things. This year Tahlia has participated in the track club, known here as "Atletika."  Now in youth track you would expect running, long jump and maybe even hurdles if you were aggressive. Do you think you would see the javelin event? Well here in Slovenia they have javelin training.

Seriously, this is the youth javelin! Personally I think it would have been much more interesting seeing kids throw a spear, but I found this intriguing. Being a huge football fan I can only hope all the  young javelin throwers can progress into quarterbacks who want to intro real football to Slovenia!

Love of Music

One thing we love about Europe is the continent's love of music, not the 80's hits you hear in all the cafes, but the classical stuff. This is coming from a sports guy too :) Both Tahlia and Mikaela have enjoyed learning and we are grateful for how God has provided good instructors. Tahlia has been playing piano for several years now. Mikaela has sang in a choir, learned some piano, but is now at the music school learning classical guitar and theory. Here is a pic of her last performance. We really hope they stick it out and can fill our home with music in the years to come!

Chivalry is Not Dead!

It snows here in the winter, ALOT. Not that we get tons of storms, but when one blows in it can easily dump a couple feet at a time. This leads to a ton of work at trying to remove the snow from our driveway. The neighbors usually all work at this together, including Majda who is 60+ years old. This snow removal can punish you and can easily take a few hours of work. That is why this picture below is so precious. The boys did this work without being asked. Ashley just happened to look over and see the boys cleaning snow from Majda's driveway. It really does melt our heart and cause us to realize that the things we are teaching are beginning to set into their hearts, even when it seems like it isn't! Thanks Braden and Karsten for your hearts of service!

Hazel vs. The Neighborhood Bully

So much of our life is posted on Facebook, but I really do want to keep this blog going! If you are not friends with us on FB, please friend us at Chris Ashley Wick. Onward to our dog.

This is Hazel on Christmas Day with a new toy. Neither the toy or the dog look like this 2.5 months later, but Hazel hasn't changed much in look, just size! This picture was taken about 1 hour before we went on a walk through the neighborhood. It was on this walk that a German Shepherd tried to have a labrador for his Christmas dinner. Poor Hazel got mauled pretty good. At the scene of the incident it seemed like she was ok all things considered, but when we got home and cleaned her up we discovered she had a few puncture wounds on her back. Being Christmas day we thought we would just wait a day and get her to the vet the following day, but that was a poor choice. Infection set in so quickly and she struggled to breath with each breath. Ashley contacted a vet early in the morning and within a few hours Hazel had an operation to clean out infection and put in tubes. 

The whole experience was fairly traumatic for Tahlia and Ashley who were with the dog away from the rest of us. But when I (Chris) heard the screaming and finally got to them I was amazed to see Ashley restraining this massive dog and really saving the life of our own. This is probably why Hazel is completely attached to Ash, which is completely appropriate since Ashley is the true dog lover of our family!! Hazel is completely healthy today and almost over her fear of other dogs :)

Fruits of the Garden

Gardening is yet another language I am learning. Though I have a lot to learn and much work to do still to make our garden, "garden savvy." We grew many things like cucumber, raspberries, zucchini, bell peppers, celery, lettuce, carrots, snap peas, spinach and lots of herbs. Our tummies were very happy. Sweet corn was our absolute favorite thanks to the seeds we imported from America.
I couldn't help to think of the curse of sin everyday I would visit the garden. There would be new pesky bugs and weeds each time. I honestly HATE weeds, and I honestly HATE my sin. So, as I spent time in the garden making it beautiful, I remembered how gracious God is to pluck my sin out and make me beautiful like Him.

3rd and 5th

Today was the start of Tahlia and Mikaela's third year of Slovene school. As pictured, Tahlia started 5th grade today and Mikaela 3rd. They were precious as they packed up their backpacks,  dressed in their "first day of school" attire and courageously walked into the school building. They were strong and courageous, an answer to our prayers.  I am so proud of how they contentedly face the daily challenges of being foreigners, of not fully understanding language, and often being "the one" who didn't bring the correct bag OR brought one and didn't need to. I CAN'T even imagine what it's like as a child to face these bumps. I am proud and blessed by their testimony because in unique ways they are learning with grace to be "that one." "That one" who will never quite fit into this culture.

I, as their mother, learned AGAIN a valuable lesson today. After much cultural, language, first day of school confusion and then wishing Mikaela and Tahlia a great first day of school, I walked through the hall listening to what sounded like 15 different languages when in actuality it was only one language that I just long to understand. Tears started welling up in my eyes, a lump was in my throat, and I felt like a small child who was lost. In the moment I prayed for the Lord to help me understand my heavy heart. You know what He revealed to me,... You are weak and that is ok, because I am strong. Trust me to care for your children, trust me to open your mind to language and loosen your tongue, trust me to empower you to declare the mysteries of me even in a foreign country, trust that I gave you the Spirit to lead you, and trust me to walk with you every step of the way.  Certainly I still long to know Slovene better, but it doesn't identify me.  My deeper desire is to be a vessel for Christ. A vessel that trusts God and proclaims that His power is made perfect in my weakness.

The Great Game of Golf

I love golf, I have loved the game since childhood. It is no secret I am a lover of most sport and player of many! But there is something about golf that is unique to me, there is a peacefulness, a tranquility within it. Other than fly fishing I know of no other sport in which I can play and find total relaxation while still competing.

I remember as a child getting a set of child clubs and practicing in our backyard. I even took hedge trimmers and meticulously created a putting green in our backyard. I still remember my first time out at an 18 hole course with my father and grandfather, it was at the base of Mt. Rainier in Enumclaw, Washington. It was the same course that I spent hours hunting in the forest for balls from errant shots. My grandfather and I collected hundreds of them.

I know most people find the game of golf boring, or if not boring then too expensive. I agree about the expense, but if it was cheaper I would have a borderline addiction :) However, I am grateful for any opportunity I can get to play.

There are very few courses in Slovenia and when we moved here I wasn't sure about the options of playing but amazingly (providentially?) we live 5 minutes from one of the best courses in the country and I have recently visited the practice center at the course. It was nice to hit some balls around and just enjoy the sunny day.

Just before we moved Karsten had a deep desire to hit balls around which I had no problem encouraging! This desire has continued and just last week I had the opportunity to take him to a course for the first time. Although we didn't play on the course we did enjoy the practice green. It was wonderful to watch him play a game I love with as much enthusiasm as I had at his age! Here are a few pics and a video from our time.

2 Flower Girls and 2 Ringbearers

Ajda and Gasper, dear slovene friends of ours, will be married on September 6th. When Ajda asked us if it is ok to invite our children to be in their wedding we almost laughed, "of course they can be in your wedding. It would be an honor." These two people love the Lord with all their heart and they are making Him known by loving and working with the special needs community in Slovenia. We are ecstatic about their marriage, and blessed that they would desire our kids to be part of their wedding ceremony. 

The girls putting together a puzzle revealing Ajda and Gasper's request for them to be flower girls in their wedding.

The boys putting their puzzle together which bears the question: "will you be ring bearers in our wedding?"

The boys answered "yes", giggling with joy.

The girls were beyond honored and happily agreed to be flower girls in their wedding.

The completed puzzles

The heart of a TCK (Third Culture Kid)

We are thrilled to share with you what our girls had an opportunity to participate in this past spring.

A book called "I am Third" that was written by Josiah Venture third culture kids was recently released. This book is a compilation of their stories, written in their own words. If you desire, you can preview a chapter and buy the book here:

http://www.josiahventure.com/blog/i-am-third-book-release

Through English Camps, Jesus Changes Lives

God is faithful! Let us praise Him together for the mighty works He has done! 

http://vimeo.com/100403653

http://www.josiahventure.com/blog/a-historic-day/

No Longer a Dream

God has granted Mikaela the desire of her heart!! Psalm 37:4. She was accepted into the Glasbena Sola (music school) of Radovljica.  We are so thrilled for her and we're praying that she will have many opportunities to serve the Lord with her giftedness.

A 5 Year Dream

Mikaela has desired to play the guitar since she was 3 years old. We were advised to wait until her hands grew a bit bigger before we entertained the thought of guitar lessons. Well the time came and went when we believed she was ready but at that point we couldn't find a guitar teacher affordable or at all. Mikaela is now 8 years old and is awaiting a reply from the Glasbena Šola (music school in Radovljica) of whether or not she has been accepted into their school.  We are hopeful, but not guaranteed, for the opportunity to learn guitar at this school. 

We were so proud of her confidence in auditioning at all, let alone in her second language Slovene.

 "Mama, I am fine either way. If I get in - I get in, if I don't - I don't." I am thankful for how she displayed the characteristic of contentedness on this occasion and I pray she will blossom even more in contentedness as she faces joys and disappointments in her life.

To be continued . . . when we get the results.

Four Pieces of Candy

These four pieces of candy represent a lot to me. How you ask? Thanks for asking. These four pieces of candy remind me firstly of the sweet (no pun intended) older clerk at Lidl, our local grocer. She hands me the exact amount of candy for my kids each Monday morning when I shop there, whether my kids are with me or not. I purpose to get in her line, not so I can get the candy (though my kids would like that) but because ever since I shocked her by asking, "Kako ste pa vi danes?" (how are you today?) she has not been the robotic-like employee that I once saw in her. It is a joy and my hope to bless her each time with the love of Christ.

Secondly, because of the minimal conversation I can have with this sweet clerk at Lidl,  these four pieces of candy also represent the Slovene language. They serve as a reminder of my desperate need and deep desire to be more fluent in my understanding and speaking of this complex language.

And of course lastly, these four pieces of candy represent the four precious children that gladly receive them AND whom bring so much joy (sweetness :~) to my life.

All Creatures Great and Small

A day off of school for us meant a day at the Ljubljana Zoo. After trying to coordinate with a Slovene family to join us, it worked out that we enjoyed the zoo alone, BUT wow did we ever enjoy it! The animals were in very close range, and surprisingly, they were all very lively. 

 I was so thankful for this special outing to connect as a family.

"All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

The Lord God made them all."

20 years for Josiah Venture

We are blessed to serve along side of amazing people spread out across 12 different Central and Eastern European countries. We gathered as a JV family in the spring to learn from God's Word, enjoy fellowship, celebrate Josiah Venture's 20th anniversary and then we departed with great encouragement to press on in God's work of making disciples who make disciples.

This group pictured below of the 2nd and 3rd culture JV members (mostly Americans) is quite a bit smaller than the entire JV family, as the 1st culture group adds over 100 more members.

The third culture kids are pictured here....over 90 of them. This is a very unique and special week for the JV Kids. They relate to these kids unlike any other.

We celebrated the 20th anniversary with an amazing firework display which Noah Ellenwood captured so well in this photo.

Toilet Papered in Slovenia

YES! We got TP'd in Slovenia. It was the first time our kids had seen a prank of this kind and the guilty party were SLOVENES. Ok, yes they were influenced to commit such an act by Americans when they were in America last summer BUT, they better watch their backs:)

Dinosaur Feet

One of the favorite activities at our house when the girls' friends come for a visit is baking.  The boys witnessed this and wondered if they can bake with their friend Martin on his next visit. I love that they enjoy baking and cooking with me and it brings a lot of joy to watch them put on the different hats of chef, sous chef or pastry chef.

Every task we set out to do is always more challenging, humbling, yet still fun when we stumble through doing it in Slovene. And OH, don't forget we are also learning to use the metric system....eek!

What can expect with three cute boys and three play dinosaurs? ALOT of R-O-A-Ring!!!

Martin proving to be quite the baker. His mom has taught him well:)

Next step....stamping

The dinosaur have been here!