then i HIGHLY recommend erin conrad. she took the wonderful and special pictures that are the new header of this blog, and the ones in the slide show off to the right...
we got to do this fun photo shoot last summer in beautiful woodward park right before we came back to moscow...and i can't wait to get more photos done with her!
she is talented and so kind and a joy to work with.
you can see more of her work here.
'tis the season {isn't every season?} for a lovely outdoor photo shoot!
6.07.2009
all our bags are packed, we're ready to go...
not really, but close. most of our bags are packed but we're not quite ready to go yet.
soon.
but first, some more "see you later"'s, last time {for a while} on arbat street, last time {for a while} on red square, and of course, time with friends {most definitely not the last times}.
these are sweet days and we are trying to be very present in these moments. to quote adam duritz, "can't remember all the times i tried to tell myself to hold on to these moments as they passed..."
a few details from these last days that have been wonderful...
::time with friends and students
::silas' first wii experience - who knew a 20 month old could be such a tennis pro? {thanks liz!} or that his mama would rule the lanes at wii bowling? ;o)
::silas turned 20 months old and was totally happy to stay up 3 hrs past his bedtime with us on arbat while we looked at art, and then went right down to sleep without a peep
::dinner with friends at hard rock, moscow {not to mention joe perry's 'rock your world' quesadillas}
::our hot water went off and won't come back on until 2 days after we leave. {there are multiple and varied stories {depending on your source} as to why the hot water goes off for three weeks every summer on a rotation schedule throughout moscow, {i.e. cleaning/repairing pipes, vacation time for the workers at the plants, because they've just always done it that way, to save money, etc}...regardless of the reason, we'll miss you hot water....
{and just for fun...on june 21 we're on lufthansa flights 3189, 430 and then 5770 and this is a fun tool to track planes...in case you are into that sort of thing.}
soon.
but first, some more "see you later"'s, last time {for a while} on arbat street, last time {for a while} on red square, and of course, time with friends {most definitely not the last times}.
these are sweet days and we are trying to be very present in these moments. to quote adam duritz, "can't remember all the times i tried to tell myself to hold on to these moments as they passed..."
a few details from these last days that have been wonderful...
::time with friends and students
::silas' first wii experience - who knew a 20 month old could be such a tennis pro? {thanks liz!} or that his mama would rule the lanes at wii bowling? ;o)
::silas turned 20 months old and was totally happy to stay up 3 hrs past his bedtime with us on arbat while we looked at art, and then went right down to sleep without a peep
::dinner with friends at hard rock, moscow {not to mention joe perry's 'rock your world' quesadillas}
::our hot water went off and won't come back on until 2 days after we leave. {there are multiple and varied stories {depending on your source} as to why the hot water goes off for three weeks every summer on a rotation schedule throughout moscow, {i.e. cleaning/repairing pipes, vacation time for the workers at the plants, because they've just always done it that way, to save money, etc}...regardless of the reason, we'll miss you hot water....
{and just for fun...on june 21 we're on lufthansa flights 3189, 430 and then 5770 and this is a fun tool to track planes...in case you are into that sort of thing.}
6.01.2009
{moscow} forever my friend
this morning it is hot and sunny and i am loving it! i'm headed to the american embassy dacha outside the city in a few minutes with a bunch of friends...beautiful day for a picnic!
last week was full and sweet...some highlights...
...finals week at hinkson:::tim's final chaplain acts:::coffee and croissants with my girls:::graduation:::after graduation party:::packing:::time with friends:::packing:::carried furniture out the door and down ten stories {to be taken to various locations}:::packing:::all school picnic at hinkson:::coffee house at hinkson:::hinkson talent show:::goodbyes:::made cookies:::packing:::ate cookie dough:::goodbyes:::time with friends...
so here we are, now in the month that we make the big move. hellos and goodbyes. happy and sad. bitter and sweet.
we won't forget you, sweet boy.
cherries from the ярмарка for breakfast!
{happy happy happy birthday brian!!! we love you so much and we hope that this day on the river with your beautiful wife and pups, sunshine, coffee, lunch, guinness, and celebrating your last 2 years in the twenties are so wonderful!}
{thanks, ray, for the inspirational lyrics you were singing as i typed this, thus the title of this post...}
last week was full and sweet...some highlights...
...finals week at hinkson:::tim's final chaplain acts:::coffee and croissants with my girls:::graduation:::after graduation party:::packing:::time with friends:::packing:::carried furniture out the door and down ten stories {to be taken to various locations}:::packing:::all school picnic at hinkson:::coffee house at hinkson:::hinkson talent show:::goodbyes:::made cookies:::packing:::ate cookie dough:::goodbyes:::time with friends...
so here we are, now in the month that we make the big move. hellos and goodbyes. happy and sad. bitter and sweet.
we won't forget you, sweet boy.
cherries from the ярмарка for breakfast!
{happy happy happy birthday brian!!! we love you so much and we hope that this day on the river with your beautiful wife and pups, sunshine, coffee, lunch, guinness, and celebrating your last 2 years in the twenties are so wonderful!}
{thanks, ray, for the inspirational lyrics you were singing as i typed this, thus the title of this post...}
5.28.2009
hello goodbyes
goodbyes can be a tough thing, but very important, i believe.
we are in the midst of a season of a lot of goodbyes.
and they are sweet, even if they are hard, because that hard part means you've shared life together and that matters the most.
its strange to say goodbye to someone who you've formed a relationship with and know you really probably will never see them again...{"here, there, or in the air" as my mom says...}
so in this season with a lot of goodbyes happening, lets focus on the time we did have together and celebrate that!!! {and with goodbyes comes new hellos!}
{and in the www/skype/facebook/blog/myspace/twitter/email world we live in, we're really just a click away, right? :o)}
and because this is really just too good not to post...
{i don't know if you can tell from this still picture, sans the sound of hysterical laughter, but both silas and kai were immensely enjoying themselves here!}
we are in the midst of a season of a lot of goodbyes.
and they are sweet, even if they are hard, because that hard part means you've shared life together and that matters the most.
its strange to say goodbye to someone who you've formed a relationship with and know you really probably will never see them again...{"here, there, or in the air" as my mom says...}
so in this season with a lot of goodbyes happening, lets focus on the time we did have together and celebrate that!!! {and with goodbyes comes new hellos!}
{and in the www/skype/facebook/blog/myspace/twitter/email world we live in, we're really just a click away, right? :o)}
and because this is really just too good not to post...
{i don't know if you can tell from this still picture, sans the sound of hysterical laughter, but both silas and kai were immensely enjoying themselves here!}
5.26.2009
if you have ever wondered why we are in moscow...
if you ever get the opportunity to meet becca, katie, katherine, tina or rachel, {the beautiful ladies pictured above} you'll be better for it.
these girls are so special to me. we have a lot of history and experiences together {packed in the last 3 years}, and we've walked through a lot of different seasons together. i'm so honored they let me in and let me walk with them for these years.
they graduate from high school this friday.
a few days after that, they will each be flying to the states to start a new chapter in their life. they are american, and they are going to america, but they are the ones caught in that unique place where their home country is not their own, and their own country is not their home.
they have taught me more than they will ever know.
and last night they surprised me with an experience i'm finding very hard to put words to. they sneakily organized with tim to get a key to our apartment, so when i was out at my friend's son's birthday party, they came over here, set up the apartment for the most lovely evening, including the most delicious dinner and dessert, fresh tulips, homemade cards, my favorite music and an evening with them...
{we said the things we should all say more often, we cried and laughed, we asked questions and answered questions, we reminisced and all talked excitedly about the next steps just around the corner}
that is why we are here.
5.22.2009
ground rush
we move back to the US one month from yesterday...i think tim explained this really well the other day...
in skydiving there is a term called ground rush, where it feels like suddenly the ground is coming toward you {or the other way around} really fast. an adrenaline rush, for sure.
when you are skydiving {or getting ready to move from russia to the US}, you know that you will land {be back in the US} eventually, but in the meantime you have time to just freefall or coast under the parachute and look around, take deep breaths, etc...
but then at some point, it looks like the ground is coming really fast...
we are in the 'ground rush' phase of getting ready to move back.
so creative, isn't he?
{tim surprised me for my 27th birthday and we went skydiving, something i have always wanted to do! we highly recommend skydive airtight and jumpmaster steve phelps for your skydiving adventures!}
{the day we jumped...i just landed for the first time, tim is getting ready to go up}
in skydiving there is a term called ground rush, where it feels like suddenly the ground is coming toward you {or the other way around} really fast. an adrenaline rush, for sure.
when you are skydiving {or getting ready to move from russia to the US}, you know that you will land {be back in the US} eventually, but in the meantime you have time to just freefall or coast under the parachute and look around, take deep breaths, etc...
but then at some point, it looks like the ground is coming really fast...
we are in the 'ground rush' phase of getting ready to move back.
so creative, isn't he?
{tim surprised me for my 27th birthday and we went skydiving, something i have always wanted to do! we highly recommend skydive airtight and jumpmaster steve phelps for your skydiving adventures!}
{the day we jumped...i just landed for the first time, tim is getting ready to go up}
5.20.2009
what we'll miss about moscow {and take with us always}, part 2
{note amended series title}
7: our sweet concierge{s} downstairs, habiba, almera {habibas sister}, and abdula {almera's husband - he's actually a street sweeper, but he is always downstairs and he is wonderful and kind}...and the way they all love silas and take great pride in having watched him grow
8: {from tim} the feeling of the sun on your face when you haven't seen it for months... {and then he quoted vanilla sky..."without the bitter, baby, the sweet ain't so sweet"}
9: the built in workout of life
10: moscow has grown an even deeper compassion in me and tim for people living in a culture {and trying to speak a language} that isn't their own...this is one we'll take with us for sure.
11: the challenge and opportunity to be creative in my cooking! when you can't find the ingredients you want, you get creative...i've been cooking-ly inspired...i want to keep this one up.
12: our friends...{did i mention that one yet?}
7: our sweet concierge{s} downstairs, habiba, almera {habibas sister}, and abdula {almera's husband - he's actually a street sweeper, but he is always downstairs and he is wonderful and kind}...and the way they all love silas and take great pride in having watched him grow
8: {from tim} the feeling of the sun on your face when you haven't seen it for months... {and then he quoted vanilla sky..."without the bitter, baby, the sweet ain't so sweet"}
9: the built in workout of life
10: moscow has grown an even deeper compassion in me and tim for people living in a culture {and trying to speak a language} that isn't their own...this is one we'll take with us for sure.
11: the challenge and opportunity to be creative in my cooking! when you can't find the ingredients you want, you get creative...i've been cooking-ly inspired...i want to keep this one up.
12: our friends...{did i mention that one yet?}
5.16.2009
5K in moskva
this morning we ran the 5K for the wounded warrior project sponsored by the marines at the US embassy here in moscow. it was chilly and so much fun!
this is a great cause and we were so glad to be a part, and get to do a 5K in moscow!
before the run, strolling along the moscow river...
dan and rachel {pictured above} are moving here in august to work with campus crusade, but are just visiting this time around...and rachel came in SECOND in the race!!!!!
silas pre-race, waiting patiently at the start...
the race runners...tim, me, rachel, dan and justin {justin is our new friend staying with us for a few days as he travels back to the US after being in krasnodar for 10 days...he may be moving there to do sports ministry!}
silas post-race, totally worn out. he did a 2K when he was 12 days old, but this was his first 5K. we're proud of you buddy.
it was so cool to be apart of this, and we had so much fun! we chatted with the marines from the US embassy, met lots of americans and got a great workout...doesn't get much better than that!
this is a great cause and we were so glad to be a part, and get to do a 5K in moscow!
before the run, strolling along the moscow river...
dan and rachel {pictured above} are moving here in august to work with campus crusade, but are just visiting this time around...and rachel came in SECOND in the race!!!!!
silas pre-race, waiting patiently at the start...
the race runners...tim, me, rachel, dan and justin {justin is our new friend staying with us for a few days as he travels back to the US after being in krasnodar for 10 days...he may be moving there to do sports ministry!}
silas post-race, totally worn out. he did a 2K when he was 12 days old, but this was his first 5K. we're proud of you buddy.
it was so cool to be apart of this, and we had so much fun! we chatted with the marines from the US embassy, met lots of americans and got a great workout...doesn't get much better than that!
barefoot on red square
on thursday night, tim and i had the honor of attending the senior banquet, to honor the seniors graduating from hinkson. it was such a wonderful and sweet time.
it was held at the spaso house, which is beautiful and such a perfect place for an event like this one!
sarah, russell, tim and me
we are so excited that russell will be taking over the chaplaincy at hinkson! tim has poured his whole self into the creation and development of this role at the school, and so as we move on, i can't even put words to how thrilled we both are that someone as amazing as russell will be stepping in. and sarah, {his girlfriend who has been working at hinkson the last 3 years and graduated from there!} is such a blessing and sweet spirit and i am so excited to see how their heart for ministry and the students at hinkson develops.
marcus {senior}, tim {little older than a senior}, jay {senior}
hors d'oeuvres...yum! {cam, tim, drew}
me and tina {senior}...tina will be attending jbu, {go golden eagles!} so we are so excited that we'll still get to see each other often!
so after the reception and ceremony to honor the seniors, it is tradition that the seniors head out on the town in a stretch limo...red square, victory park, etc...
and tim and i were so honored and excited that they asked us to join them! it was truly truly a beautiful evening, {a little chilly, but the rain held off!} and tim and i loved being a part of it.
{after several hours in the most beautiful heels {thank you opehlia!} i had to give my feet a break, thus...barefoot on red square}
it was held at the spaso house, which is beautiful and such a perfect place for an event like this one!
sarah, russell, tim and me
we are so excited that russell will be taking over the chaplaincy at hinkson! tim has poured his whole self into the creation and development of this role at the school, and so as we move on, i can't even put words to how thrilled we both are that someone as amazing as russell will be stepping in. and sarah, {his girlfriend who has been working at hinkson the last 3 years and graduated from there!} is such a blessing and sweet spirit and i am so excited to see how their heart for ministry and the students at hinkson develops.
marcus {senior}, tim {little older than a senior}, jay {senior}
hors d'oeuvres...yum! {cam, tim, drew}
me and tina {senior}...tina will be attending jbu, {go golden eagles!} so we are so excited that we'll still get to see each other often!
so after the reception and ceremony to honor the seniors, it is tradition that the seniors head out on the town in a stretch limo...red square, victory park, etc...
and tim and i were so honored and excited that they asked us to join them! it was truly truly a beautiful evening, {a little chilly, but the rain held off!} and tim and i loved being a part of it.
{after several hours in the most beautiful heels {thank you opehlia!} i had to give my feet a break, thus...barefoot on red square}
5.12.2009
what we'll miss about moscow, part 1
i've often thought about making this list, and i've made it so many times in my head. but i think it would be good to actually write it out - i will love looking at this and reminiscing sometime in the future...
1: our dear, dear friends. nothing can replace them or the life we've walked through together here
2: the way spring comes suddenly...and there is nothing like it when you've been in so many months of dark
3: how this is much more of a task oriented culture rather than a time oriented one {they'll be late, but it was because they stopped and talked to a friend for 2 hours and didn't watch the time because that relationship was the most important thing right then} {{this can obviously be wonderful and not so great}}
4: the fact that my son has gotten exposure to this culture for the first 2 years of his life and that will forever be part of his story
5: the way we've figured out what we can do {or want to do} without
6: hinkson, our students, our life within that building...
this is a start...more to come.
and just for fun...
here is the picture that tim and silas made for me for mother's day. tim took this pic the other day, printed it, cut us out, and placed us on some hilly road somewhere with a tulip and the bright sun shining...
{notice silas is looking at the tulip...}
i love it!
1: our dear, dear friends. nothing can replace them or the life we've walked through together here
2: the way spring comes suddenly...and there is nothing like it when you've been in so many months of dark
3: how this is much more of a task oriented culture rather than a time oriented one {they'll be late, but it was because they stopped and talked to a friend for 2 hours and didn't watch the time because that relationship was the most important thing right then} {{this can obviously be wonderful and not so great}}
4: the fact that my son has gotten exposure to this culture for the first 2 years of his life and that will forever be part of his story
5: the way we've figured out what we can do {or want to do} without
6: hinkson, our students, our life within that building...
this is a start...more to come.
and just for fun...
here is the picture that tim and silas made for me for mother's day. tim took this pic the other day, printed it, cut us out, and placed us on some hilly road somewhere with a tulip and the bright sun shining...
{notice silas is looking at the tulip...}
i love it!
5.10.2009
dear mom...
happy mother's day {yesterday}!!! i love you and i am so grateful for you!
and happy mother's day charlene ~ i couldn't ask for a better mother in law! i love you!
and happy mother's day to all moms {and soon to be's!} out there...
tim and silas took me to my favorite cafe, il pittore, and we got to sit on the patio in the sun!
{the reason i get celebrated on this day}
...that was a great weekend.
victory day!
yesterday, may 9, was victory day throughout russia. victory day is russia's most important secular holiday, and marks the defeat of nazi germany. and russians love this day!!! the huge parade starts at red square and and travels a route through the city, and we had prime standing positions on the street to see the...
over 100 combat vehicles
over 9000 marching troops
69 combat planes
and
huge missiles
it was really quite spectacular.
pictures will show this day better than my words, and even then they won't quite do it justice...
you could feel the rumble of these tanks in your whole body as they came down the street.
my love
"they were young"
i thought this was a powerful message.
me and liz over the moscow river
silas sharing pretzels with a girl he met
after the parade on arbat street, we headed over to gorky park...
a significant part of this holiday is honoring the veterans who served. veterans fill the streets, wearing all their medals with pride, and people come up to them and give them flowers and say thank you. it is beautiful. most often you'll see a little child going up to one of these veterans {encouraged by a parent standing nearby} to give them a flower and say thank you. so moving.
silas got to meet a few, too...
this man who tim got to talk to for a while, was very adamant on reminding us {once he learned we are from america} that we did this together. i think our friend chris did a perfect job of describing this day here.
there is so much good out there, too.
it was awesome to get to be a part of this day here in moscow.
{so many many more pictures on picasa}
{and happy happy birthday to chris, who graciously shared his birthday with russia's victory day!}
over 100 combat vehicles
over 9000 marching troops
69 combat planes
and
huge missiles
it was really quite spectacular.
pictures will show this day better than my words, and even then they won't quite do it justice...
you could feel the rumble of these tanks in your whole body as they came down the street.
my love
"they were young"
i thought this was a powerful message.
me and liz over the moscow river
silas sharing pretzels with a girl he met
after the parade on arbat street, we headed over to gorky park...
a significant part of this holiday is honoring the veterans who served. veterans fill the streets, wearing all their medals with pride, and people come up to them and give them flowers and say thank you. it is beautiful. most often you'll see a little child going up to one of these veterans {encouraged by a parent standing nearby} to give them a flower and say thank you. so moving.
silas got to meet a few, too...
this man who tim got to talk to for a while, was very adamant on reminding us {once he learned we are from america} that we did this together. i think our friend chris did a perfect job of describing this day here.
there is so much good out there, too.
it was awesome to get to be a part of this day here in moscow.
{so many many more pictures on picasa}
{and happy happy birthday to chris, who graciously shared his birthday with russia's victory day!}
5.05.2009
green
as spring settles on moscow and everything has turned green overnight, i'm reminded of one of my favorite songs {and the inspiration for the name of this little blog}
the color green is from a song by rich mullins, and some of the lyrics are there on the right.
...look down upon this winter wheat and be glad that you have made, blue for the sky, and the color green, that fills these fields with praise...
even the trees and grass praise Him.
this was so evident yesterday evening when tim and silas and kai and i were out on the greenbelt outside our building.
there was so much life and activity happening there...
and silas and kai made new friends quickly.
tim and i had quite a task on our hands reassuring the moms we met that silas wasn't too cold in the warm and sunny 74 degree weather without a hat and sweater. everyone is looking out for everyone else, and there are some parts of that i really like.
silas and лиза (liz)
and kai and her new friend, тимофев (tim)
i was getting to spend some time with tina, one of the high school girls who i've gotten the privilege to do life with here, and before we went outside to meet tim and silas, from our kitchen window i saw...
yes he does! and so well!!!
lots more from this adventure yesterday on picasa.
the color green is from a song by rich mullins, and some of the lyrics are there on the right.
...look down upon this winter wheat and be glad that you have made, blue for the sky, and the color green, that fills these fields with praise...
even the trees and grass praise Him.
this was so evident yesterday evening when tim and silas and kai and i were out on the greenbelt outside our building.
there was so much life and activity happening there...
and silas and kai made new friends quickly.
tim and i had quite a task on our hands reassuring the moms we met that silas wasn't too cold in the warm and sunny 74 degree weather without a hat and sweater. everyone is looking out for everyone else, and there are some parts of that i really like.
silas and лиза (liz)
and kai and her new friend, тимофев (tim)
i was getting to spend some time with tina, one of the high school girls who i've gotten the privilege to do life with here, and before we went outside to meet tim and silas, from our kitchen window i saw...
yes he does! and so well!!!
lots more from this adventure yesterday on picasa.
5.03.2009
ярмарка
this weekend was so beautiful and we took full advantage of it! i have always loved the sun...so when you take a girl and put her in a place that doesn't see much sun for most of the year, then that sun does come out...wow. loving it!!!
on saturday, tim and silas and i went to the local ярмарка (yarmarka) which is like moscow's version of a farmer's market...and if you know me well, you know that a sunny day at the farmer's market is definitely part of my "perfect day." it was so lovely.
i so wish i had our camera with me, but i didn't so here are some word pictures...
...silas walking from booth to booth, charming, smiling, getting free fruits and vegetables...
...saying "hey" and waving to each person he passed...
...gnawing on the huge carrot an old babushka gave him and being on top of the world as he socialized with the sellers...
i love the experience of living here for so many reasons, one being silas getting the exposure and experiences he is getting. i hope he values it someday, too.
some of what we bought included...
виноградины (grapes), помидоры (tomatoes), апельсины (oranges), яблоко (apples, from moldova), клубники (strawberries), моркови (carrots), and some fresh pomegranate juice, squeezed into an empty vodka bottle.
it was such a wonderful time.
on saturday, tim and silas and i went to the local ярмарка (yarmarka) which is like moscow's version of a farmer's market...and if you know me well, you know that a sunny day at the farmer's market is definitely part of my "perfect day." it was so lovely.
i so wish i had our camera with me, but i didn't so here are some word pictures...
...silas walking from booth to booth, charming, smiling, getting free fruits and vegetables...
...saying "hey" and waving to each person he passed...
...gnawing on the huge carrot an old babushka gave him and being on top of the world as he socialized with the sellers...
i love the experience of living here for so many reasons, one being silas getting the exposure and experiences he is getting. i hope he values it someday, too.
some of what we bought included...
виноградины (grapes), помидоры (tomatoes), апельсины (oranges), яблоко (apples, from moldova), клубники (strawberries), моркови (carrots), and some fresh pomegranate juice, squeezed into an empty vodka bottle.
it was such a wonderful time.
4.25.2009
random but inspired
for all of you who are the edge of your seat for a post about uganda...its coming. but not yet. tim is a busy man. when he gets back from the trip he is currently on (anapa on the black sea with some students), he'll get right to that, i'm sure. :o)
meanwhile, i wanted to bloggingly catch up on what has been going on here. the fence painters are out everywhere and i love it! joining them are the curb painters, playground toy painters, bottom three feet of the tree painters, and bottom part of building painters. new trees are being planted, dirt is being raked, snow piles are being chopped apart and spread out so they can melt...
and all these things mean spring. wonderful.
...we had a wonderful easter with 25 great friends here! tim and i are so grateful for the community we are a part of here and we are going to deeply miss them when we are not living day to day with them here in moscow. i know i don't even fully understand that truth.
...tim and i have each gotten some really unique and sweet time with students lately...
...we had a fun/delicious dinner with kevin who has gotten to be a great friend. he came to sub for 5 weeks for another friend who was going back to the USA for the birth of his child. i've blogged about strengths finder before, and kevin is a strengths finder rockstar. seriously, that is part of his job, coaching people on their strengths finder results. so that was a wonderful/revealing/deep/fun time as kevin "coached" us. i'll say it again...i think EVERYONE should take the strengths finder test and learn a little more. did i mention he used to be a professional chef, too? lemon garlic basil chicken with angel hair pasta and cheesy garlic bread...delicious!
i don't usually take pictures of our food, but this meal was definitely picture-worthy!
and today, silas and i headed out to ismaylova, which is a huge outdoor market in the northeast part of moscow. we spent about an hour there, but it took us 1.5 hrs to get there and that much time to get back again. but the journey is the destination, right? today it especially was.
...huge crowds...
...sweet conversation with a sweet old babushka on the train with only two gold front teeth...
...many, many people helping me carrying silas/stroller up and down stairs and escalators...including a man with only one leg and a cane...that was way above and beyond and a really sweet moment...he insisted, as everyone else with two perfectly healthy legs passed by...
not only was it a great workout with the 27 lb boy and 20 lb stroller up and down stairs and escalators and in and out of metro cars, but it was an EXPERIENCE. even in hard moments, i'm very very aware that i'll miss those exact things in a few months. and there is something magical that a kid like silas can do on a train of moscow-metro-goers...he instinctively knows who to pick out of the crowd, and can make them break into a huge smile. i feel like i just get to sit back and watch, and its such a joy.
and i just have to add this...some friends of ours hand make jewelry and this is their website. i think these things are beautiful and so creative! she is also doing a jewelry giveaway that you can read about here - post a comment on her site and be in the drawing! i love art/entrepreneurship like this - i think its so inspiring. happy mother's day all you mothers (and soon-to-be moms...you already are!!!) out there...
last but not least...just added new pics and videos on picasa. seriously, what could possibly be more entertaining than watching silas eat a homemade pudding pop or lick the window? that's what i thought. for your viewing entertainment. enjoy.
meanwhile, i wanted to bloggingly catch up on what has been going on here. the fence painters are out everywhere and i love it! joining them are the curb painters, playground toy painters, bottom three feet of the tree painters, and bottom part of building painters. new trees are being planted, dirt is being raked, snow piles are being chopped apart and spread out so they can melt...
and all these things mean spring. wonderful.
...we had a wonderful easter with 25 great friends here! tim and i are so grateful for the community we are a part of here and we are going to deeply miss them when we are not living day to day with them here in moscow. i know i don't even fully understand that truth.
...tim and i have each gotten some really unique and sweet time with students lately...
...we had a fun/delicious dinner with kevin who has gotten to be a great friend. he came to sub for 5 weeks for another friend who was going back to the USA for the birth of his child. i've blogged about strengths finder before, and kevin is a strengths finder rockstar. seriously, that is part of his job, coaching people on their strengths finder results. so that was a wonderful/revealing/deep/fun time as kevin "coached" us. i'll say it again...i think EVERYONE should take the strengths finder test and learn a little more. did i mention he used to be a professional chef, too? lemon garlic basil chicken with angel hair pasta and cheesy garlic bread...delicious!
i don't usually take pictures of our food, but this meal was definitely picture-worthy!
and today, silas and i headed out to ismaylova, which is a huge outdoor market in the northeast part of moscow. we spent about an hour there, but it took us 1.5 hrs to get there and that much time to get back again. but the journey is the destination, right? today it especially was.
...huge crowds...
...sweet conversation with a sweet old babushka on the train with only two gold front teeth...
...many, many people helping me carrying silas/stroller up and down stairs and escalators...including a man with only one leg and a cane...that was way above and beyond and a really sweet moment...he insisted, as everyone else with two perfectly healthy legs passed by...
not only was it a great workout with the 27 lb boy and 20 lb stroller up and down stairs and escalators and in and out of metro cars, but it was an EXPERIENCE. even in hard moments, i'm very very aware that i'll miss those exact things in a few months. and there is something magical that a kid like silas can do on a train of moscow-metro-goers...he instinctively knows who to pick out of the crowd, and can make them break into a huge smile. i feel like i just get to sit back and watch, and its such a joy.
and i just have to add this...some friends of ours hand make jewelry and this is their website. i think these things are beautiful and so creative! she is also doing a jewelry giveaway that you can read about here - post a comment on her site and be in the drawing! i love art/entrepreneurship like this - i think its so inspiring. happy mother's day all you mothers (and soon-to-be moms...you already are!!!) out there...
last but not least...just added new pics and videos on picasa. seriously, what could possibly be more entertaining than watching silas eat a homemade pudding pop or lick the window? that's what i thought. for your viewing entertainment. enjoy.
4.10.2009
from moscow to uganda...
and back! the team is home! they got back to moscow early yesterday morning and they had an amazing trip...lots of details and stories to come. tim is going to write a post about it so you can hear it from him...
and silas' face when he saw tim for the first time again was so beautiful! silas was glued to him for the rest of the day...but when tim needed to take a nap because he had only slept 1 hour in the previous 24, it was all i could do to keep silas occupied...he kept standing at the door of the room tim was sleeping in saying "daddy! daddy!" when i would lead him away he would start to cry and say/wave "bye bye, bye bye." break your heart.
so silas played the new drum from uganda to keep him occupied. i'm sure andre downstairs loved that!
and silas' face when he saw tim for the first time again was so beautiful! silas was glued to him for the rest of the day...but when tim needed to take a nap because he had only slept 1 hour in the previous 24, it was all i could do to keep silas occupied...he kept standing at the door of the room tim was sleeping in saying "daddy! daddy!" when i would lead him away he would start to cry and say/wave "bye bye, bye bye." break your heart.
so silas played the new drum from uganda to keep him occupied. i'm sure andre downstairs loved that!
4.08.2009
its a small, small world
i love how small the world is. tim just called from the airport in london (entebbe, uganda to london to moscow) from my friend kristina's phone! she lives in the uk with her husband rhys and their soon-to-be-born son eli and she was at the airport to pick up some of her friends, who are also tim's friends, from JBU, who were trekking around uganda and happened to stop by new hope where tim and our hinkson team was, and they were all on the same flight to london. tracking? new hope was started by the parents of another mutual friend in this JBU circle. now that is connectedness.
the team is doing great and will be home in about 10 hours.
and since i don't have any pictures yet pertaining to uganda, here is a picture of a boy with a bowl on his head...18 months old tomorrow!
the team is doing great and will be home in about 10 hours.
and since i don't have any pictures yet pertaining to uganda, here is a picture of a boy with a bowl on his head...18 months old tomorrow!
4.07.2009
bright orange
i didn't have my camera when silas and kai and i were out and about today, but the fence painters emerged and it was the most beautiful site...new paint on our wonderful bright orange fences, and lovely little drops of orange paint on the dirt under the fence...that means spring.
4.06.2009
the team in uganda...
is leaving new hope today to head to entebbe
a few highlights of their time at new hope...they...
planted 21 trees
.
planted 1 acre of casava
.
fell 4 trees
.
taught the highschoolers at new hope about russia (including language, history, culture, etc)
.
worshiped with family groups and went deep in relationship
.
bought a goat for a family group
.
lost 2 to 1 in the new hope vs hinkson soccer game!
the team is healthy, whole, changed for life, sunburned, and beautifully exhausted.
geography101...silas is pointing out uganda on the map...the purple country under his index finger is uganda.
kissing daddy in uganda!
a few highlights of their time at new hope...they...
planted 21 trees
.
planted 1 acre of casava
.
fell 4 trees
.
taught the highschoolers at new hope about russia (including language, history, culture, etc)
.
worshiped with family groups and went deep in relationship
.
bought a goat for a family group
.
lost 2 to 1 in the new hope vs hinkson soccer game!
the team is healthy, whole, changed for life, sunburned, and beautifully exhausted.
geography101...silas is pointing out uganda on the map...the purple country under his index finger is uganda.
kissing daddy in uganda!
4.03.2009
sunburned, tired and dirty...and a goat
happy spring, moscow! it is vigorously snowing outside and has been all day...but my temperature gauge says 35 degrees....hmmmm.
the team is doing wonderfully in uganda. the international SIM card isn't working, but tim is able to text so that has been great. technology!
so the update...
they have had lots of rain, which uganda has desperately needed!
the team has been working hard, building trails and a roundabout, landscaping, working in the baby house, teaching classes to the high schoolers at new hope, working in the clinic...family group time is amazing, team time every night is great.
from tim via text..."sunburned, tired and dirty...loving it."
the team bought a goat for new hope yesterday and today i got a text that tim was taking the goat on a walk.
i think that is great.
the team is doing wonderfully in uganda. the international SIM card isn't working, but tim is able to text so that has been great. technology!
so the update...
they have had lots of rain, which uganda has desperately needed!
the team has been working hard, building trails and a roundabout, landscaping, working in the baby house, teaching classes to the high schoolers at new hope, working in the clinic...family group time is amazing, team time every night is great.
from tim via text..."sunburned, tired and dirty...loving it."
the team bought a goat for new hope yesterday and today i got a text that tim was taking the goat on a walk.
i think that is great.
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