Surprise!

She came at 6pm last night, no warning...just came. This life is so funny and surprising!!! Keep you posted as we are. She left this morning to go out with the Houston mission team. Will she come back?

Update on New student...

Just so that you know what happens in our lives on a daily basis...here is a synopsis.
Tuesday Night: Olya came over talked to us about the family home, but did not stay the night---will come tomorrow.
Wednesday: Didn't come but texted Lena(who then texted us) that she would come tomorrow at noon.
Thursday: Didn't come and let someone know that she didn't have the 40 rubles(less than $2) to come here...so the Houston group was going to drop by with 40 rubles and see what she did with it.
Friday: Still hasn't come or called...we were supposed to go to an art studio with her tonight, but have decided not to bring her but to wait for the older people art studio(if she shows up).

Ok, so there's our rollercoaster!!! This is why I shared our info on Tuesday b/c I knew the adventure would be fun to write about! It's still not over and she isn't here. Will keep you posted.

Don't forget to check out our newly formed blog(check out the sidebar to the left!).

A new student????

Tonight we will be entertaining Houstonites! There is a group of about 5 missionary trip people that have come over for a trip. All of them and their 4 translators and a few others will be coming over. Talk about many people! They have been working much with orphanages, graduated orphans and family homes and maybe even more! They went snow tubing and John and the three older kids were able to go too! Then, John and I went to Pizza HUT---YUMMY! with them and many orphan graduates.

On top of this upcoming visit, Marina(the organizer of the family homes ministry) has invited a young lady to "try" out our family home and to stay here. This is supposed to start tonight. This is complicated to me-a human-but not to God, so we leave all our concerns in His hand and time! She will be staying in the room of our "helper" (our helper has been working with this Houston team and is staying with them this whole week). When Lena gets back, they will share a room or Lena will decide to move in with another friend (10 people is a lot to be around--especially without your own space). If she does decide to move out, she will stay be working with the family homes by translating for our Bible Studies 4 times a week.

I am sharing all this info kinda of as a pre-info topic...things change here quite often so we kind of even wonder if this move-in will happen. We don't even know if this young lady will enjoy a family home of 10!!!!!!! YIKES! She doesn't have a job, but needs one. She also is giving away her cat and rabbit in order to move in, so that does show some desire to come into our family home.

Is this crazy or what? We feel the craziness, especially with Lena and Marina being "gone" with these teams this week(during this move-in and our young mom and daughter living with us). On top of all of this Marina will be leaving for the states for a month. Talk about feeling a bit uncovered for all this new stuff. Thank the Lord that HE is our real covering. If you feel so inspired, we could use loads of prayer for communication and ease of living.

We are also praying for the Lord's direction for next year. What He has for us is what we want, although we don't know yet what that is to be. How vague can I be, eh? Sorry, we don't know many specifics as the Lord hasn't shown us the right door to walk through.
Ok, that's all for now...I'll try to update more later.

A new found church! A new season for us.

We have been attending a Russian speaking church since we have arrived in September, but as of the Sunday after tomorrow we will be attending an English speaking church--International one actually. We were going to our Russian church last Sunday when we ran into a few different people at the metro who were attending an International church. They invited us and we said--Sure, why not! So, we went. We had been thinking since before leaving for Finland that we might need to go to a different church, but didn't know where. The pastors of this Int'l church are from America, but speak Russian and our kids just loved it! The Boys are in one class together and the girls are in another together. We are making the official switch next week. We loved our Russian church, and maybe we were there only for a season, but we feel for a few reasons that we are to move to this International church now. I will go with Matthew tomorrow(as the rest of the family will be with a "Houston" mission team--we think) and bid our farewell to a couple dear Russian friends.

Update on life...

I haven't posted in a long while, so I am just updating a few things here for you...we still have Katya and her little Cristina here living with us. She has such a servant's heart(all you Tim Hawkins fans---not his kind of "servant heart" but the real good meaning kind). She is going today to apply for an addition job, her current job is not always reliable and she needs a reliable income. Please pray for her to find something that she enjoys and that she would be a good steward of her money coming in. We have found a wonderful babysitter for Monday-Wednesday and I will be babysitting on Thursdays.

We have had moments of a roller coaster over here, thinking one day things are going great and the next day things are not. It keeps you praying and needing God's provision all the time. Please continue to pray peace/guidance/wisdom and whatever the Lord puts on your heart!!!

Some days I think ---really, I am doing well and I am following Him in all my ways (well, ok, I am not as confident as David in the Bible was at times saying there is no wicked thing in him---but I am convinced he was Sanguine in those moments--and I don't think I have a Sanguine bone in me!--John has them all!!) and I have a peaceful heart and then something happens and I open la boca grande(if you don't know Spanish, you can guess!) and not so calm things come out.

A friend of mine that has been on the mission field before said that being a missionary in another country can bring out the very worst things in our character. Well, not that I was soooo much better in the states, but some days I feel like yuck is spilling over out of me. Today, as I am feeling this, what is the kids' scripture verse: Take my yoke upon you and learn from me...for I am gentle and humble at heart...whoa! Ok, so that's what I want but don't have a grasp of right now at this very moment. May I yoke myself to the Lord and learn from His character!!

I am going to be starting to go to a dorm again with a dear friend from 2006--Lucya--I look forward to our time tonight.

Many teams from states and Holland are coming in soon, so we will get to see many people in about a week.

It's warm today!!

Today, I woke up and checked the temperature hoping for no single digits. I know my mindset has changed when...I saw the temperature and thought...oh, great! it's going to be warm today!! The temperature said 21!!!!!!! hahahahha!!! Really, who would have thought this Texan/Lousiana girl could say that 21 sounded warm!!! Well, compared to 3, it is!!! Now, it's almost midnight and it's a whoppin' 32 degrees!!! Wow!!! It's hot! Back in Texas...we would hope for school closings at this point!! Funny!

Now the only bad thing about this is...when it's 32 in the city we are in--here in Russia...it's soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo MUDDY!!!!

All the snow is melted, but the sand that people put down to keep the snow from freezing is all dirty and wet!! Oh, gross! I can say that I have NEVER in my entire life seen so much mud!!!

On a different note, we do finally have a young mom and her daughter living with us. Please pray with us that the Lord guides all of our steps and we listen to Him alone for our direction---we are needing a lot of that in regards to this young mom's life situation! They are both really sweet!

New pictures...

Ok, I have added more pics at these links...you should be able to click on the highlighted words and get to the pictures!
Finland Fun--(includes our visit to Seppo's school---a principal friend we met at church!)

She has arrived!!

We have our new living companion and her daughter! They came this evening. Pictures hopefully will follow. Katya is very quiet and kind. Cristina is her one year old daughter and she has started to walk already. More details later!

Matthew's new word!

Lena and I have both witnessed an additional word to the Webster's Dictionary according to Matthew--my three year old son!

Amn't= Am not

Usage: No I amn't!!!

So, there it is...a new contraction from am not!!! So, I think I shall send it in for reviewal!!

How cold is it when it's 1*F????? That's -17C

This morning we awoke to the computer saying the temperature is 1*F!! The coldest we have been out in is 9*F. So, if we get out today, I'll let you know how it feels! Garrett--you would be in shorts, probably!! Janice, I won't be in shorts!! Long Johns for sure!

Miracle Grow for Me!!

Today I was able to see a dear friend Lucya, who is back in the city--for now. She told me that She and our friend Pam always would check out my blog together back in Siberia and felt encouraged after doing so. So, what can a few words do??? Those few words made my day!

You know the book called Five Love Languages by Gary Smalley? Well, there is one love language in this book that describes me perfectly---it's Words of Encouragement. I thrive on them and I strive to give them. I love positive words of affiirmation(of course, sincerity is a must!). It's like they are miracle grow for my spirit, soul and body! So, I was so thrilled to hear of my friends in Siberia reading my blog!!!

Do you know what your love language is? These are the ones listed in the book that I mentioned...
Acts of Service(John-my hubby)
Words of Encouragement(Me)
Physical Touch
Gifts---yep, receiving and giving gifts(this is my second one, I think--maybe tying with Acts of Service?)
Quality Time

Which one are you? You don't have to be just one...I just know I am not two of them...the rest are definites for me...but in a ranking order.

Fireworks til wee hours!

Here in Russia...the fireworks start around Midnight and they lasted til at leat 4:30am in the morning!!!!!! Talk about a long fire work show!! They were right outside of the kids balcony and did the kids sleep right through them? YEPP!!!! We did not, but we did get some sleep after 4:30~!!! So, I had to put fireworks on my page in honor of last night!!!