12.20.2009
11.25.2009
i am thankful for...
: my God
: tim
: my marriage
: silas
: my whole family
: health
: tims job
: the fact that my parents are still in love
: my siblings {by blood and marriage}
: sun
: rain
: getting to watch silas learn new things everyday
: plenty of food
: deep relationships
: developing relationships
: a home
: warm water
: electricity
: pumpkin pudding
: a car
: good soil
: imagination
: inspiration
: my favorite sweatshirt
: world perspective
: good conversation
: laughter
: tears
: clean drinking water
and so much more...
what are you thankful for?
{happy thanksgiving day!}
: tim
: my marriage
: silas
: my whole family
: health
: tims job
: the fact that my parents are still in love
: my siblings {by blood and marriage}
: sun
: rain
: getting to watch silas learn new things everyday
: plenty of food
: deep relationships
: developing relationships
: a home
: warm water
: electricity
: pumpkin pudding
: a car
: good soil
: imagination
: inspiration
: my favorite sweatshirt
: world perspective
: good conversation
: laughter
: tears
: clean drinking water
and so much more...
what are you thankful for?
{happy thanksgiving day!}
11.16.2009
what a difference 17 months makes...
{summer 2008}
{fall 2009}
time keeps passing...trying to be present in these moments...they go by so fast!
{both photos taken by an amazing artist, erin conrad - thank you erin for these sweet moments captured!}
11.07.2009
easy like saturday morning
oh the joy that comes from....
playing with plastic numbers...
eating lunch outside...
and playing in leaves...
simple is sweet.
playing with plastic numbers...
eating lunch outside...
and playing in leaves...
simple is sweet.
did you know that pouring skills directly correlate with reading skills?
neither did i. learning things like this is just one of the many many many joys that comes from living with my parents while our house is being built. thanks mom.
things like that, and binary math. thanks dad.
things like that, and binary math. thanks dad.
11.02.2009
i'm so proud of my tulsa runner!
{almost finished!}
{cathey and tim at the finish line after the run}
good job tim and cathey on completing the 15k tulsa run!!! well done!
{the tulsa run is one of our favorite things about a tulsa fall...this year silas and i cheered tim and cathey {one of tim's sisters} on at the finish line...and it was a beautiful day.}
10.23.2009
buy fair trade
trade as one's mission is to "use sustainable business to break cycles of poverty and dependency in the developing world"....this video is a great two minute education on what its all about.
lets take care of each other!
lets take care of each other!
10.16.2009
its the great pumpkin...silas
i have looked forward to taking silas to the pumpkin patch for as long as i can remember...so today we took our inaugural trip of the season {more trips and more pictures to come, of course}. big pumpkins, little pumpkins, mud, baby goats and ducks and pigs to pet, mud, hay bales to climb on, popcorn, mud, caramels, a camel to ride {yes, a camel}...and sunshine!
in other exciting life news, tim has started his job as the manager of fitness together!!! we are so thrilled for this opportunity, where tim's natural strengths and passions in life connect directly to the job he'll be doing each day!
also, ground has been broken to build our house! depending on the weather, we could be in by mid-january!
in other exciting life news, tim has started his job as the manager of fitness together!!! we are so thrilled for this opportunity, where tim's natural strengths and passions in life connect directly to the job he'll be doing each day!
also, ground has been broken to build our house! depending on the weather, we could be in by mid-january!
8.26.2009
happy first day of "school" sweet boy!!!
{first first day of school pic}
{wow}
{"school" aka a few hours each week at our church in his mother's day out class}
8.23.2009
hello again.
its been so long!
in a very serious attempt to transition well from moscow to tulsa {still very much in transition and it is sweet and good}, blogging didn't even make it to the back burner but got pushed off the back of the stove. but i do enjoy this online public journal, keeping up with friends around the world {and downstairs, mom and dad!} so i wanted to pick up where i left off in a sense, here.
life is good.
last i blogged, dear granny, lucille wiley had gone home to be with the Lord. we celebrate her life daily, miss her and love her so much. she is whole and without any aches and pains now!
i struggle to even know what to type to fill in the blogging hole from the last two months...i'm still catching up on pics on picasa, so check that out too.
i'll give the short version of the last two months here...and the longer version with details {lots of details...i love the details!} maybe over coffee or tea? or on the phone/skype while we both drink coffee or tea?
we left moscow on june 21, 2009. drove out of our neighborhood at 3am. it was dark, except for all the neon. i really miss it there. we got to the airport at 4am, all set to export our pup {50 pound pup, who is such a trooper!}, export the historical icon we bought, and get all 9 suitcases, 1 silas jack {complete with stroller, gear, snacks, diapers, surprise bag of new small toys to introduce as need on the flight...}, and 2 of us to the united states of america. we hit some bumps, some road blocks, some really long lines, were yelled at, shown amazing grace, shown favor, thought at the last minute tim wouldn't be flying with us that day...we had one calm child who peacefully sat drinking his milk through it all {used to by now more adventure than most 2 year olds dream of seeing before their second birthday}, and one peaceful pup who laid by our luggage {used to by now i think more adventure than a dog would ever expect in a lifetime}, and lots of grace. so many more details, but we made it. with silas {minus the stroller, that maybe we loved a little too much, crushed by the airline}, and the dog, and all our suitcases, less money, a couple more wrinkles each and innumerable more experiences and understandings. God is good.
and since then, we have gotten to:
- spend time with family
- spend time with friends
- eat at some restaurants we were looking forward to {i.e. - tin star fish tacos!}
- get reacquainted with life in the US {still very much an ongoing process}
- got to vacation with my family in colorado for a week
- got to go to a debriefing and renewal retreat for missionaries who are coming back to the states after living abroad. it was priceless, perspective and life changing.
...and more than i can list here...
we've been walking forward in an exciting job opportunity for tim...more details to come as that works out.
and as mentioned above {alluding to my mom and dad reading this from downstairs} we are blessed to me living with my parents for a little while, as we get our feet on the ground. thank you guys!
in the midst of a lot that goes on in a transition like this, we are trying to be intentional about resting, too. keeping our eyes on the point of all this. so that translates to...
- lots of time in the sandbox and at the splash park with silas!
- dates!!!
- trying to be very present in the moments...
we miss moscow, no doubt. but we are so happy to be here, too. the freedom to speak in paradox is really important right now - two seemingly opposite things can be true at once.
more soon.
love,
ally
in a very serious attempt to transition well from moscow to tulsa {still very much in transition and it is sweet and good}, blogging didn't even make it to the back burner but got pushed off the back of the stove. but i do enjoy this online public journal, keeping up with friends around the world {and downstairs, mom and dad!} so i wanted to pick up where i left off in a sense, here.
life is good.
last i blogged, dear granny, lucille wiley had gone home to be with the Lord. we celebrate her life daily, miss her and love her so much. she is whole and without any aches and pains now!
i struggle to even know what to type to fill in the blogging hole from the last two months...i'm still catching up on pics on picasa, so check that out too.
i'll give the short version of the last two months here...and the longer version with details {lots of details...i love the details!} maybe over coffee or tea? or on the phone/skype while we both drink coffee or tea?
we left moscow on june 21, 2009. drove out of our neighborhood at 3am. it was dark, except for all the neon. i really miss it there. we got to the airport at 4am, all set to export our pup {50 pound pup, who is such a trooper!}, export the historical icon we bought, and get all 9 suitcases, 1 silas jack {complete with stroller, gear, snacks, diapers, surprise bag of new small toys to introduce as need on the flight...}, and 2 of us to the united states of america. we hit some bumps, some road blocks, some really long lines, were yelled at, shown amazing grace, shown favor, thought at the last minute tim wouldn't be flying with us that day...we had one calm child who peacefully sat drinking his milk through it all {used to by now more adventure than most 2 year olds dream of seeing before their second birthday}, and one peaceful pup who laid by our luggage {used to by now i think more adventure than a dog would ever expect in a lifetime}, and lots of grace. so many more details, but we made it. with silas {minus the stroller, that maybe we loved a little too much, crushed by the airline}, and the dog, and all our suitcases, less money, a couple more wrinkles each and innumerable more experiences and understandings. God is good.
and since then, we have gotten to:
- spend time with family
- spend time with friends
- eat at some restaurants we were looking forward to {i.e. - tin star fish tacos!}
- get reacquainted with life in the US {still very much an ongoing process}
- got to vacation with my family in colorado for a week
- got to go to a debriefing and renewal retreat for missionaries who are coming back to the states after living abroad. it was priceless, perspective and life changing.
...and more than i can list here...
we've been walking forward in an exciting job opportunity for tim...more details to come as that works out.
and as mentioned above {alluding to my mom and dad reading this from downstairs} we are blessed to me living with my parents for a little while, as we get our feet on the ground. thank you guys!
in the midst of a lot that goes on in a transition like this, we are trying to be intentional about resting, too. keeping our eyes on the point of all this. so that translates to...
- lots of time in the sandbox and at the splash park with silas!
- dates!!!
- trying to be very present in the moments...
we miss moscow, no doubt. but we are so happy to be here, too. the freedom to speak in paradox is really important right now - two seemingly opposite things can be true at once.
more soon.
love,
ally
6.17.2009
ida lucille wiley
april 3, 1918 - june 16, 2009
...wife...mother...daughter...friend...sister...aunt...granny...great granny...great great granny...
she is home now.
I stand upon the ocean shore.
As a ship at my side opens her sail
to the morning breeze and begins to glide
across the water blue.
She is a beautiful sight.
I stand and watch her as she glides
with grace and strength into the clouds
on the horizon.
Just where the sky and the ocean meet
and come to mingle with one another.
When I hear someone cry out,
"She is gone." and I must turn and say to them,
"Yes, but gone only from sight."
For within the mind and heart she can always
be found.
For life is eternal,
Love is immortal,
and death is only a horizon,
and a horizon is nothing save the limits of our sight.
{author unknown}
...wife...mother...daughter...friend...sister...aunt...granny...great granny...great great granny...
she is home now.
I stand upon the ocean shore.
As a ship at my side opens her sail
to the morning breeze and begins to glide
across the water blue.
She is a beautiful sight.
I stand and watch her as she glides
with grace and strength into the clouds
on the horizon.
Just where the sky and the ocean meet
and come to mingle with one another.
When I hear someone cry out,
"She is gone." and I must turn and say to them,
"Yes, but gone only from sight."
For within the mind and heart she can always
be found.
For life is eternal,
Love is immortal,
and death is only a horizon,
and a horizon is nothing save the limits of our sight.
{author unknown}
6.10.2009
if you are looking for an amazing photgrapher in the tulsa area...
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!
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!
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