Darth Maul…

Gid loves Darth Maul! 

Date Night!!!

I seriously can not remember when the last time was Keith and I left the kids and went out together.  When friends invited us out to play pool, it was the inspiration we needed!!!  The kids were sooo excited to have Aunt Lydia over to hang out, eat pizza, watch the Olympics and play games…Emme even have an itinerary with activities and times!!!

We had a fabulous time and won 2-1!!!

Thanks Lydia, Olga and Alex for a fabulous night!!!

Russian Movie Morning!

My first ever movie in Russian!!!

100 Days of School!!!

Emme made Gid an orange Rainbow Loom necklace and she is wearing 100 beads that say “ONE HUNDRED DAYS”…her goal for next year is to buy 23 more stuffed animals so she can have 100 and bring them all to school?!?!

Love These 2!!!

Ending a tough week with food, fun and laughter!!!

A Baby Shower!!!

I am so thankful that we can be apart of Ruth and her sweet family’s life and celebrating a new life!!!

Church…

Struggling…

So thankful for my family!!! I am so emotional...often feel like I live on an emotional roller-coaster. Occasionally my emotions totally get the best of me and I often base my decisions on emotions. I am thankful for a polar opposite husband!!!

Last year was a super hard year full of hurt, conflict and tension.  I want to grow, learn, love, share and be challenged, but so often my emotions stand in my way.  After a fun, relaxing, restful Christmas vacation, I was ready to return to Russia and start fresh.  A new vision, exciting possibilities, a thankful heart, soon got over take with the brutal temps, dark days and unresolved tension from last year. 

One way I have managed to stay in Russia for 10+ years has been to cling to the wisdom of a fellow colleague during our first term… “Burn your boat!”  Don’t contemplate an exit strategy…when things get tough, stick it out, work through it. 

During an overly emotional week dealing with Gid’s struggles and tears, in addition to my own…I did it.  I started contemplating greener grass…even dead grass would be better than piles of snow and freezing temps!!!  In less than 24 hours, I had built a fabulous new life for us…sunny days, cute house with a bath tub, a yard full of green grass and flowers, a window seat, front porch with a swing, a gorgeous view, smiling faces, no need for thermals, layers, hats, gloves.  I was super excited and confident, in my emotions, that it was a perfect plan. 

The minute Keith open his eyes the next morning, I told him every emotional detail.  How our life would be so much better…and on…and on…and on.  After I had shared my very detailed plan, I anxiously awaited his reply.  He had only one word…NO.  He presented his very logical, fact based reasons why my plan, at this time, would not become our reality.

After recovering from the shock that God may not be leading us to greener grass or any grass at all, I spent the morning with my super-fun {and super-honest} friend learning how to Face Our Giants.  Then, Keith took the kids on an adventure giving me the rest of the day to rest, pray, read, deal with my emotions and burn my boat. 

I am thankful for friends who make me laugh when I want to cry, my fabulous family who give me the desire to persevere when I want to give up and a husband who balances my emotions with fact and logic!!! Please pray that I would be wise, even when full of emotions and God would make our path clear and renew my desires for His will.  Pray this year I would find forgiveness, joy and a love for the frozen Motherland!!!

Almost Home…

I love this street…it is beautiful and means I am almost home!!!

Bed Time…

Life…

Japanese Curry…

A Beautiful City!!!

F-R-O-Z-E-N!!!

I know what it feels like to be cast for the movie Frozen!!! I have never been to the US Consulate, so I was shocked to discover they would not welcome me without an appointment or bring my a cup of hot coffee to keep me from freezing to death!!! We stood with Masha and other US-visa-hopeful Russian in-20 degrees for over an hour!!! Somehow we still managed to laugh, make friends and have fun as we slowly lost all feeling in our limbs and face!!!  I love that even though her application was denied, her joy never wavered and she just said, “God must have a better plan for this summer!  I wonder what they will be!?!?”

Fun?!?!

I do not like the cold…still wondering how we have survived so many years in Russia!?!?

School Projects…

School can be tough.  Gid has Auditory Processing Disorder so school can be really tough.  Organizing his thoughts, remembering things and following steps are tough for him.  Organizing his thoughts, remembering a process, demonstrating the process in front of a class full of peers while your teacher is grading you…is super tough!!!  Last night, Gid was so nervous his heart was racing and he felt sick.  He woke-up today pale and dizzy.  During his presentation, he was so nervous and came home and cried, feeling like he had done a horrible job!

I think it may have been just as hard for me.  To watch your kid struggle is heart breaking!!!

Please pray for Gid.  As he gets older, school gets tougher.  Pray he would love school, find ways to be successful and stop worrying, and that his teachers would have wisdom to know when to push or to give grace and how to challenge him to reach his potential.

COFFEE!!!

So thankful that Keith is home!!! I have not seen him, but I know...clothes on the floor, pillows on the floor, dishes in the sink...but most importantly coffee in the pot!!! Every time he leaves...I try to make coffee...every time...I fail!!! This weekend, I bought the most beautifully package instant coffee with a gorgeous cappuccino in the box...I was so excited about the possibility of making the yummy coffee, I failed to realize it was for the pod coffee machines!!! I even Googled how to make pod coffee without a pod machine and lets just say it was an epic fail!!! So YEAH Keith is home!!!

Survived…

Celebrating the simple fact that we survived the weekend!!! Keith is out of town, Gid had a Science Project, homework and scripture memory, we had company, de-Christmasfied our house, cleaned {dusted for the first time since November}, assisted Emme in cooking 3 meals, organized and attempted to purge toys, marked every thing off my weekend list...including details for a Valentine's Day Party, PSO meeting, Baby Shower, Spring Break, and setting some goals for the year!!! Next on my list...watch Captain Phillips and try to stay awake until 8:30!!!

So SAD!!!

I hate taking down my tree and putting away all the fun memories for another year.  I guess when your tree has been up long enough that your ornaments need to be dusted…it is time!!!

A Conundrum…

When it is sunny…

It is also freezing…