Dear Ruben, Never in my life have I felt such completeness as I did five years ago when they placed you on my chest and we finally got to know each other. I remember your weight as you lay on me after you were born, I remember how comforting your warmth was, and I couldn’t get enough of the thought that you were mine—tangible and irrevocably mine. I looked at you and tried to take in every detail: the color of your eyes, your milk-blond hair, the wrinkles on your forehead, breathing in your baby scent, trying to guess why you moved the way you did. Every day (and every…

Dated: April 27, 2017

You may have read about this passion of mine on one of my diary pages last year, and that post turned out to be one of the most popular. I was especially glad about this because many people hold prejudices about combat sports and martial arts, often based on misconceptions, associating them with barbaric and violent systems. Yet, where else could we better practice respect, loyalty, perseverance, and mutual appreciation than in a place where we measure each other’s value based on our results and performance—where wealth, rank, position, or connections don’t matter, only the outcome of your work? This is a system that shapes body, mind, and character. It…

Dated: March 31, 2017

Dated: March 29, 2017

Last Sunday, we just couldn’t get enough of the beautiful weather and wanted to make the most of it before lunch! Since this week was a mix of work and university consultation days (which involved travel and meant Rú was away for two days), I really wanted us to have a little trip together. Despite the sunshine, the weather was still deceptively chilly, but for me, it was the most defining day of spring so far  Dated: March 24, 2017

Just last weekend, after Saturday’s Krav Maga private lesson, we couldn’t have avoided the neighbor’s playground even if we wanted to—we could almost hear its invitation! Sunshine, warm air, spring scents… mmm, we’d been waiting for this for so long! After the Krav Maga session, we had lunch at one of our favorites: chili-ketchup hotdogs (: Since the university is nearby, where I’m auditing a few classes as a guest student for our health tourism specialization, I took the little one for a quick visit to campus—and you’ll never guess what he found most fascinating after the playground: our library! Dated: March 12, 2017

It’s been a hectic week, a feeling of spring mixed with the last traces of winter, preparing for the week ahead (assignments, exams, early mornings, late nights), and a Sunday lunch at my parents’ where we all gathered—grandpa, grandma, uncle, and aunt! Of course, it wouldn’t be right to skip playing hide-and-seek on the way there, among the gently budding trees and awakening flowers! Nature is absolutely adorable at this time of year, like a beautiful late riser gently awakened at dawn. Dated: Febr 26, 2017

Over the weekend, we took the boys to visit a hill in a nearby village—finally, something good came out of the cold! I started a new job this week and didn’t know what to expect, so a lazy Sunday morning by the deep water was definitely welcome. Today, however, I’m already on my third day in the office, and I’m loving everything—the bosses, colleagues, and the coffee included. For now, here are a few memories from our weekend trip, in wonderful weather and great spirits: Dated:Jan 18, 2017

Over the weekend—like everyone else—we tried to make the most of the cold and, overcoming my fears, we ended up back on the ice of Nyírjes (in my nightmares, I still see the ice breaking and little Ruben plunging in, and I can’t get near the ice sheet for him…). After 10 minutes, the tip of my nose went numb; after 20 minutes, my entire face lost sensation. But Rú absolutely loved the whole atmosphere, so for an hour I tried to keep every muscle and joint flexible to not spoil the fun. After an hour, the laws of physiology won, and despite all the fidgeting, we started to stiffen…