Family Journal: Friday April 24, 2009

We are still enjoying our glorious week of holiday! It sadly comes to an end on Monday, but we have been having some wonderful family time.

My Three Golden Cherubs Watch James Bonds Casino Royale
My Three Golden Cherubs Watch James Bond's Casino Royale

Nadia and I have dedicated ourselves to running daily. Two days ago we ran in the Friendship Park area of New Belgrade. Owen and I stopped to take some photos and had a great challenge of trying to catch Nadia on the way back to the car. Yesterday Nadia and I ran in the Banovo Brdo park. We’re heading out again this morning, taking full advantage of having a nanny hear to watch the little ones.

Nadia Runs Along the Danube River
Nadia Runs Along the Danube River

It feels good to get so many consecutive days of running in. Our busy work schedules and having little children really cuts into our exercise time. I wish we had time to exercise every day. Oliver and Ocean are just too small to take both of them with us.

“We” completed a flower garden yesterday in our yard. It is a spot that is protected from the soccer and play of the kids and is really unused. I put the pronoun in quotes as Nadia envisions gardens, but I do the actual work of putting them in. It is quite relaxing and gives me a sense of accomplishment.

We are using the week also to do things around the house and in our financial affairs. I completed the medical claims for this year. Since August, Ocean is in the lead with $472 worth of medical costs, and Nadia is in second place with $330. We have a family total of $803 worth of bills. The school provides us with AETNA insurance and they will reimburse us for most of it. I forsee using more with Ocean and Oliver’s vaccinations. Today my goal is to repair the cabinents in the kitchen and boys’ bedroom.

We went to the Usce Mall last night and went bowling. Great fun!

Ollie Wills the Ball Down the Lane
Ollie Wills the Ball Down the Lane

Military Medical Academy

We were driving from the Partizan Club Pool in the neighborhood of Banjica when we saw this funky building below.

After doing a bit of research, I learned that it is the Miliary Medical Academy (Војномедицинска академија – Vojnomedicinska Akademija in Serb.) This is the largest hospital in Serbia and was constructed in 1982. It is like a VA hospital in the USA, but it also serves civilians also. We drove around the parking lot a bit and there were lots of cars and people. It was designed by the award-winning architects, Colonel Josip Osojnik and Slobodon Nikolic.

For more information you can visit the hospital’s web site in English or see this 3-D model on this architecture web site.