a day off and an interview

Today is a day off for us...the plan is to truly rest. 

 Last night before falling asleep Tom and I had this exchange...
 Tom:  "You know where I want to go tomorrow?"
Alida:  "Where?"
Tom:   "Nowhere! And you can come with me if you want."

This week has been long and we don't have another day off until Tuesday of next week.  I had plans to do the floors and clean the bathrooms but I doubt that will happen.  I may just finish my book or watch a movie.  And of course Tom and are going nowhere...and that will be a great trip.  We might even take a few pictures!

Oh, and I was interviewed by a blogging friend I met last year as she was preparing for her wedding...you can check out the interview here:  The Adventures of Team Pancakes

Have a great weekend and if you can... get some rest!!

Twitter Party

For the Love of Blogs is doing a Twitter Hop today. So, if you are on Twitter come link up and join in!

I'm being featured!

I normally don't blog on Sunday's but I am so excited about being featured over at For the Love of Blogs!

Please head over and check out their blog... it is a very supportive place for all bloggers and is a great place to hang out and meet other people.

Have a great Sunday!!

Iris tagged Sarah and Sarah tagged me so I will try to answer these questions with one word answers and then tag 7 other bloggers. I'll see if I can do it but the one word part is HARD!!

1. Where is your cell phone? pocket
2. Where is your significant other? artroom
3. Your hair color? Salt and Pepper (I say it like it’s one word!)
4. Your mother? Kathryn
5. Your father? John
6. Your favorite thing? Worship
7. Your dream last night? fogotten
8. Your dream/goal? Russian fluency
9. The room you’re in? hallway
10. Your hobby? crocheting
11. Your fear? Kids getting injured
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here.
13. Where were you last night? Home.
14. What you’re not? young
15. One of your wish list items? Monk on DVD
16. Where you grew up? America
17. The last thing you did? Facebooked!
18. What are you wearing? jammies
19. Your tv? Necessary
20. Your pet? none
21. Your computer? Dell
22. Your mood? Peaceful
23. Missing someone? Nathan and Spencer
24. Your car? none
25. Something you’re not wearing? shoes
26. Favorite store? Barnes and Noble
27. Your summer? Awesome
28. Love someone? Yup, for almost 30 years!
29. Your favorite color? Lime green
30. When was the last time you laughed? A few minutes ago
31. Last time you cried? A few days ago

These are the lucky people that I am tagging!  Have fun!

Joann

Christie

Liza

Stephanie

Jeano

Michele

Cyndi

6 Quirks I have

OK, so I've been tagged by Shasher and I have to do this before I forget... otherwise I am terrible at these things!

The Rules!
1. Link the person(s) who tagged me
2. Mention the rules on my blog
3. Tell about six unspectacular quirks of mine
4. Tag six fellow blogger's by linking them
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged

OK, now onto important information that I know you can't live without... 6 quirky things about me:

1. I have to stand and face the direction I am speaking of when I give someone directions... this is especially funny when I am on the phone and my husband notices what I am doing!

2. I don't like the sight of bugs whether they are real or just a picture. Tom has a pair of pajamas with ants on them that I can't stand to look at!!

3. I don't like blood... even when it is fake movie blood. My guys all tell me when I can open my eyes again!

4. I hate repetitive noises... it just drives me nuts!

5. I cannot study listening to music but I can study and watch TV!!!

6. If someone hands me money I arrange it by denomination in descending order... I was a bank teller and then a manager long ago!

Those my top six quirks... Tom had more about me to list here but I won't bore you anymore!! And here are the friends I am choosing to bless with this task!!

Cyndi

Michele

Heartsong

Blythe

Liza

Rebecca

say what?

I saw this on a friends blog and decided to give it a try! I am shocked at the results... I don't even have a post graduate degree. Maybe Tom's education rubbed off onto me!

Being Nice Does Matter

Monday August 13, 2007

Thank you so much Karolee for the award!! Karolee is a fellow knitter and is currently hosting the Proverbs Challenge.

This is the first award that I have gotten since I started blogging two years ago!

The award originated here: Bella-Enchanted

This award is given to those that are just nice people , good blog friends and those that inspire good feelings and inspiration! Those that care about others that are there to lend support or those that are just a positive influence in our blogging world!

My 7 choices are:

Joann

Crickl

Heartsong

Juloyes

Laundromat

Amy

Yellow


Each of these ladies is a fellow Pastor's Wife, we have all shared challenges and encouragement with one another and I value their input in my life! I always look forward to reading their blogs, hearing what is going on in their lives and am often inspired by the life lessons they share.

Natasha

Saturday July 14, 2007

Last September Tom was given the opportunity to teach at the Addictive Behavioural Counseling school in Kiev, Ukraine. This school is open to students who have finished the Introduction to Biblical Counseling School. The director of the program is Natasha (pictured above).

She recently started a blog and her first post is about the opening of an IBC school in Kamchatka, Russia. We are so excited about the potential for the school to reach those who will be able to help many others in return!

Natasha's first language is Russian of course but you can click on any of the highlighted words and the links all lead to websites in English... including Natasha's blog post!

What I "dig" abut Jesus

Sunday July 8, 2007

I was tagged for this by TammieFay over at His Word is Life for Me

Here are the rules:

1. those tagged will share 5 things they dig about Jesus…
2. those tagged will tag 5 other bloggers…
3. those tagged will post a comment here with their name and a link to their “dig” Jesus list…


When I was a young teen my grandmother (everybody calls her Big Mama) told me that there would be times in my life when I "would have no other friend but God" and that I "better cling to Jesus as hard as possible". When I have had lonely days... especially over the past two years in Russia... I could hear her words so clearly. Jesus is truly the one and only friend who has been there since the day of my salvation when I was 10 years old.

Here is my list:

His Generosity...
His generosity provides food, shelter, and we see that evidenced in loving support from friends and family.

He is Just...
His being Just helps us to know that all the scales will be balanced one day... evil will not win.

He is the Saviour...
Because He offers salvation we know that we will spend eternity with Him and can share that incredible news with others.

He is Merciful...
His mercy models for us that we can also be merciful to others. The church I grew up in had a sign on the back wall that said "Let Your Heart Be Broken By The Things That Break The Heart of God". I can still see those words emblazoned in my mind.

He offers Comfort...
His Comfort is there for us when we suffer the hurts of life... be it the stillbirths of our first two children, the hardships of life abroad or the general aches and pains of family life, His Comfort is always available to His children.


Here are my 5 that I am tagging:

Joann at Joann's Blog Adventure
Allie at MomMusings
Julie at The Accidental Pastor's Wife
Michele at Laundromat
Jen at Daughter of Eve

check this out!

I took Spencer over to visit his friend Kaz in our old neighborhood. While he was at Kaz's house I checked out the Family Christian Bookstore in the area. When another woman behind the counter heard me tell the girl who was waiting on me that I didn't want to fill out a club card application "because I live in Russia", it led to her asking me questions in Russian. I got to practice there in the store! She has been to Moscow for short term trips. She took one of our prayer cards and then prayed with me right there in the store. That is the first time that has ever happened. Usually people will say that they are going to pray for you and then you smile and leave. She grabbed my hand and said "let's pray right now!" Thanks so much Jodi for encouraging my soul today!


We found an internet cafe not far from where we used to live. I saw a comment from Michelle on on my blog and decided to check out a post she wrote in honor of Spencer: click here She has listed ways to know if you are a missionary kid. The list is priceless. I love the one about spelling... Spencer spells better in Russian than he does in English!

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

I got this idea from Laughing Through The Tears and decided I had to see what my visual DNA would look like. Enjoy!

Read All About It!

Opening up email is one of the highlights of my day. It is exciting to see who is thinking of us, what is going on in the world, read my online magazines or Bible study. After all, we rarely get letters in our mailbox here... not even junk mail!

That means that opening email for us is like you opening your mailbox!

I received an email from Black Purl Magazine saying that my Pray and Crochet blog is the featured blog right now. Seeing our family photo was quite a thrill. Please check out the magazine when you get a chance! There are great articles on various crafts and patterns are also available.