One year!

We have been here one full year now. And next week we will have our first guest from the states.

Since we got here:
*our Russian studies began
*we have moved three times
*we had to spend a month in Ukraine waiting on visa renewal
*Tom had surgery on his foot
*Nathan turned 18
*we have all been doing social work here in the city
*we have developed relationships with people in and outside of church
*Tom has relationships with people in the business communtiy through his bead work
*we have focused on deepening relationships with Russian friends
*we no longer use an interpretor at church
*we have learned how to use public transportation to get all over the city
*we have strengthed our relationships with each other in the family

And so much more... each day is an adventure in cultural awareness. We are grateful for everyone who has supported us in prayer, with care packages, and financially. Without everyone partnering with us we could not do what we are doing!

finals days with Michelle

Michelle had not been to City Center the whole time she has been here. She has been busy teaching English classes at two different locations. She was doing her practicum for her college in Canada. These past few weeks have been a time of finally doing some of the touristy stuff that there is to do here.

We had originally planned to take her out to the nice Italian place before she left. However, I found out yesterday that she had never been to the mall. So of course she HAD to go. I mean this is a real shooping center with a food court and everything! We ate Italian in the food court and then strolled the mall. It was fun.

On Monday we will see her for the final time on the field trip to the cemetary... what a way to say "goodbye"!

Eating Sushi!

I ate my first California roll here in Russia.

I went out to lunch with Joyce H. today. She was born and raised in Japan. She was the perfect person to eat sushi with for the first time. She had me try eel which is her favorite. And I think I like it better than salmon! I tried seaweed and I had Miso soup. It was a great meal. I think I had 2 different kinds of rolls and 2 different kinds of sushi and then the soup.

Joyce taught me how to use chopsticks and I actually ate the whole meal them. Even the soup. she said it is traditional to pick out the veggies from the soup with the chopsticks and drink the liquid.

The tea cups don't have handles so she should me the proper way to drink from the cup. It was such a rich cultural experience!

Tom and Spencer helped out at the school today. The school moved into an office building from the house where it was located. It helps for the school to be in an official location. Because of the new laws surrounding private schools here in Russia it will be easier for the school to pass inspections and stay certified.

Tom came home very tired. He hung all the white boards and helped with moving the items. Some things are being stored at the Jim & Joyce's home. They have an extra building on their property. So they have plenty of storage room.

Spencer and Nathan are both going to meetings at church tonight. Nathan is going to our church and Spencer is going to Kovchek the baptist church. He is going over with Andrew for the first time.

I spoke with Melanie today and we finalized the plans for Spencer to visit them. He was going to visit them in Siberia but instead he will meet them in Moscow! Their former nanny is also going so neither Spencer nor Leeza has to fly alone. Spencer will be able to show Leeza what needs to be done and Leeza will understand all the language that Spencer doesn't know yet. Leeza is in her early 20's so they should make a good pair and help each other a great deal. This will be Leeza's first airplane flight and Spencer is a pro having flown for the first time when he was only 7 months old. He knows the whole routine. We talked it through the other day and he had it all thought out!

Five Day Weekend!

We are very excited to have five days off. We do have to go to a cemetary on Monday but that is not like going to school. Although going to school some days could put one in a cemetary.

Today was a very silly day in class. There were lots of jokes... some of them about dead bodies since Nathan wanted to know if when a person dies are they still referred to as animate or inanimate? He asks interesting cultural questions. The teachers seem to enjoy his questions! Joyce B. came in at one point to show off her clothes to the women. So we even had a mini fashion show.

On Wednesday we will start having classes in our new location. I think I wrote about this months ago. We change teachers monthly and that helps us to not be bored. We change classrooms. And now we are changing buildings. Maybe earlier in life this would have bothered me. I think after forty most people have learned to take things in stride.

That would certainly explain the growing number of people who change careers in midlife and decide to move to another country. God reveals a new direction and so you go with it!

Cemetary Day

Lena has told us that we HAVE to go with her to the cemetary. It is MANDATORY that we observe what Russians do there. So we will be going on a field trip with Lena to see people drinking alcohol and having picnics at the cemetary as they remember their ancestors on Monday.

I mentioned this today to one of the teachers at school and she said that this was one of our school assigments and "YES, IT IS MANDATORY!"

I don't know that this field trip will be fun, but, it certainly will be interesting!

More New Holidays

Today the director of the school made an announcement about school for next two weeks. We have two holidays coming up in May that we are taking off of school for because the country will basically shut down.

May 1st: is now known as Spring and Labor Day. It used to be called International Workers' Solidarity Day.

May 9th: is Victory Day. It commemorates the millions fallen in WW II.

So, for the next two weeks we don't have school on Monday and Tuesday. But we will have school on Friday instead.

This morning Kathy mentioned having Spring Fever. I think these long weekends will help out a great deal!

Just the girls + Nathan

Class was very relaxed today. It was just Iris, Judi, myself and Nathan. The class time went by very quickly and I actually had fun.

I just looked at JB's blog. His hobby is photography and he shared his address with Spencer today. go to: www.1eyeshut.blogspot.com My favorite photo is called giant!

We were asked today about how Easter was and if we heard any new words at the services we all attended. We all had heard about the same words. Like death, resurrection, blood, forgiveness... Judi B. went to the Orthodox church for the midnight service. Iris's church had their service at 4 pm on Sunday. Our church met at the regular time of 10 am so we had several guests from Iris's church (who must have wanted an earlier service!)

Time to rest and then study again. We have a dialog to memorize and verbs to conjugate!

HAPPY EASTER!!!

Talitha knows how to curl her tongue and she is only two! She is such a pretty little angel and it was great to see her and her parents at church today.

As we sat through the service I was reminiscing about last year's Easter Service. We had a translator and then she also came over to Tim and Joy's and translated for us there too. this year we were able to sit through the service and understand a great deal of what was being said.

We have had Valodya as our pastor for a year. His voice is clear and he articulates well. I am amazed at how much we have learned from him and seen him grow. He is now learning English and he truly understands those of us who are trying to learn a second language later in life!

This is how we greet each other:
Иисус воскрес! Christ has risen
во истину воскрес! In Truth He is Risen

Last year we could not say this phrase at all nor remember it. This year I was able to ask Valentin in Russian how to respond. He got excited and said it slowly. Then I repeated it and we greeted each other properly! It was fun to see the faces of our church family when we were able to return the greeting. We truly feel at home here. And are grateful for where God has placed us! 

Orthodox Service at Midnight

A group of people were talking about going over to the Orthodox Church to night for the service. At first we thought it would be fun to go and see them parade the cross around the building to different stations. Then after thinking about it we have to get up and attend service at our own church tomorrow. So being out all night does not go well with our plans! I am sure we will catch it on the news.


Nathan has a friend who is getting married in two weeks. They don't have much money. So she asked me to take the pictures at her wedding. I had told myself that I was not going to do another wedding because it is hard work and I don't think I am that good. But, when she asked me I just felt it was important to do my best for them.


This wedding is the same weekend as John P's visit from Andover. Tom and John will be at Axtepka all day. So the boys and I will be the ones going to the wedding. We will also help the couple out with decorating the church the day before. If John and Tom get back in time perhaps they can be part of the reception. It will most likely go on until 9 or 10 that night.

It is not very popular to get married in May here. There is a superstition about the month. The root of the word May in Russian is the same root of the word for misery. So the belief is that if you get married in May it will lead to misery. Some believers adhere to this superstition out of respect to their families, while others get married during the month just to prove the superstition wrong. This young couple has chosen to defy the superstition and get married on May 6th!

Good Friday

Today is Good Friday. I sent Nathan out to buy some traditional bread for us to try. I have included the recipe. It tastes very "yeasty" and is semi-sweet. There are very few raisins. The top is a thin layer of white frosting with sprinkels very liberally applied.

RUSSIAN KULICH - EASTER BREAD
Printed from COOKS.COM

8 c. sifted flour

2 1/2 c. warm milk

1 yeast cake

3 egg yolks beaten

2 whole eggs, beaten

1/3 lb. butter

1 c. sugar

1/3 tsp. salt

1/2 c. raisins

1/2 c. chopped almonds

1 tsp. vanilla or lemon extract or 3 drops oil of roses

Soften yeast in 1/3 cup of the milk. Scald the rest of the milk and add the butter, salt and sugar. Cool until tepid. Add yeast and stir in slowly 4 cups of the flour. Put in warm place to raise for 2 hours. Then add the beaten eggs and the preferred flavoring. Lastly add the raisins and almonds mixed with the remaining flour. Knead thoroughly and raise to double bulk. When raised, shape to fit large well greased baking powder or similar tins from which the rims have been cut to allow loaves to be removed easily. Bake in a moderate oven like bread. When baked decorate with icing and small colored candies.
This is eaten after the Easter midnight service and during the three days of open house after Easter there is always a decorated kulich on the dining table.

Missing Lena!

We haven't had a language helper all week. Lena went to Moscow to help out her family and then she will go to Maicop with Alexei for his brother's wedding and Easter.

We miss talking with her most of all. Olya has only come over once this week so outside of school we have only been able to speak Russian at the market or at church. I can study but nothing compares with live language. It helps to study and listen to tapes... but the only way to learn how to have a conversation in Russian is to actually start having conversations in Russian.

Most of our friends are patient and help us to say whatever it is we are trying to say with correct grammar.

Tomorrow is Good Friday here so we will have a service at church. And then another one on Sunday. Last year we spent Easter with the Watsons. This year we don't have any plans... maybe we will go to the movies!

comfy and cosy!

Last night Ira and Olya were here. Olya came by to help Tom with his lessons. Lena was concerned about us not having a language helper while she is out of town so Olya filled in for her.

Ira loves to be in the closet or out of it looking at "La La" that is baby talk for picture!

Photo by Sharpkid aka Spencer

Well today the phone rang at 11am and it was Spencer wanting to tell us that school had started! Evidently if you sleep in a real bed you will get better sleep and it could cause you to miss school. We have not slept in our own bed since we left the states last April. We have either slept on borrowed beds, couches or chairs that turn into beds and in a few homes on a mattress on the floor. We have not complained because it was not a big deal. So all that to say this was the first real goodnight's sleep we have had in a looooooong time! Tom fell asleep while I was doing my homework. It felt weird at first not being in the livingroom. But, as evidenced by our oversleeping we both got used to the new bed pretty fast!

New bedroom furniture

Our new bed! We don't have to sleep on the couch anymore. And now there is a bed for guests whenever you come to visit!















This is our new shkaff. It is basically a closet. It is traditional not have a built in closet. Tom has chosen the corner section for his clothes. And I have the larger side. I wonder if I will have enough room??? The bag is not hanging on the closet... it is hanging off of the bedroom door and is reflected in the mirror!

Old & Drooly

Today as we walked home from the diagnostic center Tom told me he didn't want to get old and drooly on me too soon. Then he starts laughing and tells me that this should be today's blog post title. Maybe I will get old when he is drooly or vice versa!

We saw the neurologist and then the urologist. Tom's blood pressure has come down and the neurologist was pleased. Since it came down she felt comfortable prescribing physical therapy and massage. He will start tomorrow after school.

We made it through today without an translator. I just asked questions until I understood what I was being told. I made sure to clarify room numbers after our first "tour of the hospital" looking for room 160 when we were supposed to have gone back to room 116!

We went back to the registration office (room 116) and I told her that I was supposed to find Svetlana but I didn't know who Svetlana was.... she said "I am Svetlana!" she escorted us to the next office and stayed with us until one set of paperwork was complete then she showed me where the next room was while Tom waited for the papers to be filled out for the physical therapist. We could have seen the massage therapist today but he was not going to be back in his office for another hour so Tom will start tomorrow.

Happy Easter!

Today is Easter in America. For us here in Russia, Easter is next Sunday. I hope that everyone has a blessed holiday and try not to over eat all those chocolate bunnies!

Tom, Olya and I went shopping today. We have a bedroom set being delivered on Tuesday. And today we came home with a table for the kitchen and one for the living room. Now we can actually sit down and have a meal together.

Donna and Rob came to visit our church today. Joyce H. translated for them. I asked her afterwards if she remembered back when she couldn't do that!!

I wrote down several words in my notebook to look up later, but from what I got from today's sermon I think it was a good one.

Tom and I met with Valodya after church to go over the schedule for when John P. gets here. We will have dinner with the Parhomenka's on Saturday and lunch with Rajabov's on Sunday. That way John will get two Russian meals! Lena P. says they will probably make some Ukrainian dish (she is from Ukraine) and I am sure Lena R. will make a traditional Russian dish.

April 30th will be our one year anniversary of arriving here. Spencer wants to have a party... we'll see if Tom and I have the energy to pull it off!

off to clean the church!

Tom and Spencer headed over to the church to help out with the all church cleaning day! Spencer and Nathan went over last week since it was our family's turn to do it. Today the church will get looked over on the outside and the inside since there are so many hand to make the work easier. This is one of the positive outcomes leftover from communsim. People will still work together to make the load easier.

Tom donated a new cross to the church. It is made of copper and has heart shaped beads all over it. I will try to post a picture soon.

We have a birthday party to attend later on today. Donna had a birthday on the 11th but she is giving her party today. She is doing the Russian tradition of giving your own party. It should be fun!

easter eggs

Today we are going to the orphanage to paint Easter Eggs. It is not easy to find white eggs here. Most of them are brown. Spencer found some at the rhinok near our home. Eggs are sold here in tens. He brought them home in a small plastic bag not in a carton.

It will be interesting to see what type of designs the children come up with. Some eggs here are done with elaborate designs:
http://www.alvr.com/eggs/easter1.html

I have to be sure to take my camera so you can see the work created by the children!

I don't know what to call today!

We had to go to the Diagnostic Center again today. Tom had an MRI. While he lay quietly in the machine I had a long talk with the Radiologist. He wanted to know what we were doing here. First he asked what Tom did for a living. I told him we are students. Then he asked for the name of our school. He asked if Tom was going back to America to teach Russian. I told him that Tom was a pyschologist and that he was going to teach here after he learned Russian. Then we talked about Bill Gates and Arnold Scwhartzenegger.

He was telling me that during Commuinst times they used to see programs about culture. And now most programs are political. Almost every channel here has a news program. We see Putin in the news everyday. He asked if they show a lot of political news in America too. It was interesting to talk with him. He has two friends who are also doctors; one who lives in Vienna and one in London. He was grateful for the internet so that he could email his friends.

It is interesting how kind the doctors and medical personnel here. They were very helpful yesterday and today when we showed up without Natasha to translate for us. People were good at speaking slow and giving us a chance to think about what was said and how to answer correctly.

If you get the chance to watch on video or attend a seminar on Cat and Dog Theology you have to go! We started watching the DVD last night that we recieved from Cathy in Andover. It is fabulous!http://unveilinglory.gospelcom.net/AdultSeminar.html here is a link to their website and you can learn whether you are a CAT or a DOG! Cats think that God exist for them... and Dogs think that they exist to serve God (their Master). It is funny and thought provoking!

Happy Cosmonaut Day!

We celebrated this holiday by picking up packages at the post office. You can read more about this holiday by clicking on the link below.

When we first moved here to Krasnodar the first street we lived on was Cosmonaut Gagarina. Every taxi driver knew exactly where it was!

http://context.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2004/04/09/105.html

We have Cathy from Andover, Ks. , Joanie from Anaheim, California, and Ann from Dana Pt., California and Marti from Sweet Home, Oregon to thank for being able to munch on Oreo's, PopTarts, make peanut butter sanwiches, write on lined notebook paper and donate 5 lbs of pipe cleaners to a local orphanage for crafts! We also have nice warm socks for the all the guys. And syrup for our pancakes again. We felt like it was Christmas when we opened all the packages and layed everything out.

We even received several small bottles of perfume which I promptly shared with a few Russian friends who cannot afford such luxuries. It was fun coming home in the taxi with 4 boxes from various parts of America and wondering what was inside!

Thanks to everyone who remembers us in prayer and with various gifts. We try to be the best stewards we can of everything we are sent... and we try not to kill each other over the Oreo's and PopTarts. We are learning how to share with each other as well as with our neighbors!

oversleeping

I suppose that all the running around to different doctors got us all tuckered out. Tom and I both overslept this morning.

I stayed up late to finish the load of laundry that Olya started for us. But, generally I am able to get the next morning. Oh well.

It was good for us both to get some rest. We have been out everyday since Tom got sick on Thursday.

Our new machine is finally here. Olya had to help us read the instruction book. Everything is written in Russian on the machine and in the booklet. She explained it all to me in Russian, but, she used simpler words.

Our house feels more like a home since the smell of detergent is present again. And yes you can use the facilities and get your laundry done at the same time!