Yesterday was one of those wonderful lazy Saturdays that included sleeping in and not rushing out the door, a nice change of pace for sure. The afternoon was spent hanging out comfortably at home, with a little more closeness and playfulness making it a very sweet day.
We went back to the bookstore, with a little more time to browse than we had the day before, and it was fun to poke around and see what the kids picked out for themselves. Interestingly, Viktor found two small cookbooks he wanted, on two of his favorite topics: meat and potatoes. He also found a Russian/English book about cars, another of his favorite subjects. Tanya found a book to give as a gift to her supervisor, along with a couple of books in English with familiar stories and Russian/English vocabulary words, which will come in handy in a few months when it is easier for her to read in English. We also got pocket English/Russian translator for them to share.
After a trip to the supermarket and the shoe repair kiosk (Tanya’s new sandals didn’t survive the hiking at the island very well), we were back home, Viktor making his now famous fried potatoes and onions and me putting some chicken legs in the oven to bake. The mood was happy and relaxed, and as the smells filled the kitchen, I was filled with joy.
Later, it was a treat to get to skype with our youngest 3 children, and get to talk with them about their fun and happenings as they have settled in with dear friends of ours this week. Honestly, skyping them makes me miss them more, yet I am not ready to think about leaving Ukraine yet. The tension of missing them, especially hearing about Isaac’s ear infection and croup (and knowing that a baby needs his mother and a mother needs her baby when they are sick), mixed with immense gratitude for our friends and family who have cared for them so well in our absence, along with feeling such progress here with our oldest 3......it’s the tough part of not being able to be everywhere you want to be at once.
The highlight of our day was our balloon games that came at the end of the evening. Keep away, volleyball, soccer, and tackle-the-one-with-the-balloon made for great fun and plenty of laughs. Anna being here makes everything playful and fun, and her sense of humor and playfulness gives permission for Tanya and Viktor to enjoy being kids, too.
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Despite not enough sleep, the kids all got up without much fuss and were ready for church earlier than necessary! We enjoyed another morning of worship at Pastor Nicolai’s church in the village near Matvivka, and Scott had the privilege of being one of the 3 preachers for the day. 3 preachers, I know! No one seems to mind a longer church service here, with Christian fellowship, a shared meal after the service each week, and joyful worship a part of every Sunday here.
Our court hearing is scheduled for tomorrow at 11 AM. Natasha prepped us for what would happen and what questions they may ask, and we prepared our answers to be totally ready for tomorrow. We asked the kids how they felt about the court tomorrow. “We’re ready,” they answered. So are we.
We went back to the bookstore, with a little more time to browse than we had the day before, and it was fun to poke around and see what the kids picked out for themselves. Interestingly, Viktor found two small cookbooks he wanted, on two of his favorite topics: meat and potatoes. He also found a Russian/English book about cars, another of his favorite subjects. Tanya found a book to give as a gift to her supervisor, along with a couple of books in English with familiar stories and Russian/English vocabulary words, which will come in handy in a few months when it is easier for her to read in English. We also got pocket English/Russian translator for them to share.
After a trip to the supermarket and the shoe repair kiosk (Tanya’s new sandals didn’t survive the hiking at the island very well), we were back home, Viktor making his now famous fried potatoes and onions and me putting some chicken legs in the oven to bake. The mood was happy and relaxed, and as the smells filled the kitchen, I was filled with joy.
Later, it was a treat to get to skype with our youngest 3 children, and get to talk with them about their fun and happenings as they have settled in with dear friends of ours this week. Honestly, skyping them makes me miss them more, yet I am not ready to think about leaving Ukraine yet. The tension of missing them, especially hearing about Isaac’s ear infection and croup (and knowing that a baby needs his mother and a mother needs her baby when they are sick), mixed with immense gratitude for our friends and family who have cared for them so well in our absence, along with feeling such progress here with our oldest 3......it’s the tough part of not being able to be everywhere you want to be at once.
The highlight of our day was our balloon games that came at the end of the evening. Keep away, volleyball, soccer, and tackle-the-one-with-the-balloon made for great fun and plenty of laughs. Anna being here makes everything playful and fun, and her sense of humor and playfulness gives permission for Tanya and Viktor to enjoy being kids, too.
.........................................................................................................................................
Despite not enough sleep, the kids all got up without much fuss and were ready for church earlier than necessary! We enjoyed another morning of worship at Pastor Nicolai’s church in the village near Matvivka, and Scott had the privilege of being one of the 3 preachers for the day. 3 preachers, I know! No one seems to mind a longer church service here, with Christian fellowship, a shared meal after the service each week, and joyful worship a part of every Sunday here.
Our court hearing is scheduled for tomorrow at 11 AM. Natasha prepped us for what would happen and what questions they may ask, and we prepared our answers to be totally ready for tomorrow. We asked the kids how they felt about the court tomorrow. “We’re ready,” they answered. So are we.