Here we are, in the middle of four travel days in four weeks. Danya just said he's excited to 'be' in Moscow but doesn't want to have to travel there. This is the third Sunday or Monday when we're travelling. And next Monday, we'll have another flight...this time to Colorado!
Last night we were actually packed, apartment cleaned and had time to watch an episode of LOST. In a few hours, we’ll fly to Moscow and enjoy a week of Local Leader Conference and STINT debrief. And then, May 11th, I’ll fly alone with all three kids to Colorado. Eric will catch up to us on May 20th. So, the adventure begins… or rather, continues! It’s been a crazy week since we returned from Irkutsk.
Could I ask for you to pray for us and our kids’ health? Ella got sick in Irkutsk, 10 days ago, and is just now getting better. She is still clingy and demanding, especially if I’m around. It’s like having a colicky-newborn again… (or a dairy-reacting one-year-old again—maybe she just needs to get really fussy once a year). I am a little anxious about flying alone, 10 hours to Wash D.C. and then three more to Colorado. Please pray for no delayed flights, good behavior for the kids, strength for me, and health for all!
For those in the Denver/Boulder area, please contact me if you'd like to get together. I'll be staying in Erie with my parents. Reply here or email! I'm excited to see you!
Irkutsk
I'm not going to even mention how disappointed I am that I haven't been able to write in so long... oh, whoops!
We returned from our five days in Irkutsk on the 26th. It's hard to summarize our time there, but it was definitely saturated. From morning to night, we enjoyed time together with Homoon, YoungJa, Ju-eun, Ju-hui and Ju-an. And everyday we also saw other friends and neighbors. I wish I had the time and energy to tell you all the emotions. At first, I really felt I was in shock, like there were so many things I thought I would feel, but I was just numb. The last day, I took a run in the woods, and felt that was the best thing I could have done to process, to grieve, to enjoy the place we lived for years. It felt like the woods was a person with whom I had spent many hours, watched each other change through the years. I was so grateful that so little had changed since I left.
I put our photos on Facebook, but can't seem to receive the email to myself with the address for non-Facebook users. Hopefully next time!
So, now we're in the vortex of laundry from the last trip and packing for the next. In three days we fly to Moscow for a week-long conference, and then straight onto Colorado for the summer. Trying to wash and store away all the winter coats and wash and pack all the summer clothes at the same time is proving to be a challenge!
We returned from our five days in Irkutsk on the 26th. It's hard to summarize our time there, but it was definitely saturated. From morning to night, we enjoyed time together with Homoon, YoungJa, Ju-eun, Ju-hui and Ju-an. And everyday we also saw other friends and neighbors. I wish I had the time and energy to tell you all the emotions. At first, I really felt I was in shock, like there were so many things I thought I would feel, but I was just numb. The last day, I took a run in the woods, and felt that was the best thing I could have done to process, to grieve, to enjoy the place we lived for years. It felt like the woods was a person with whom I had spent many hours, watched each other change through the years. I was so grateful that so little had changed since I left.
I put our photos on Facebook, but can't seem to receive the email to myself with the address for non-Facebook users. Hopefully next time!
So, now we're in the vortex of laundry from the last trip and packing for the next. In three days we fly to Moscow for a week-long conference, and then straight onto Colorado for the summer. Trying to wash and store away all the winter coats and wash and pack all the summer clothes at the same time is proving to be a challenge!
Ella Posing
With just over two weeks at home until our departure from St Pete for the summer, I've realized we better wash the summer clothes. It's hard to imagine, since we just cracked 40F today...and it felt freezing, with a cold wind and hidden sun.
Ella wants to put on every item of clothes that she sees, sometimes all at once! She especially loves hats, shoes and dresses. She wanted to put on a wet dress that I was hanging on the line, and I convinced her to accept this shirt instead. And then she posed in front of the mirror. I grabbed the camera halfway through, and love the images!
Dad, I think your photos last summer weren't accidental--I think she was posing even then!
Replacements
Our skyline. The strange building is some scientific computer lab/office, we think. It's not on all the maps. To the right is the southeast corner of our lovely Pinetree Park.
I've counted 25 working smokestacks. I love them because they're very useful as a windguage. Click on the photos to see them enlarged, and check my count.
That's our replacement couch/bed in the boxes. And the kids loved to climb into our blanket-on-the-floor-bed the next morning.
And you ask why the bed is still in its box? At 10:00pm, the night before, we started to put it together. When we finally reached the 'bed' section, Eric thought to check out the springs. On the first one, they were popping off from the first day. But, it turned out, the new one had it even worse!
Those white plastic clips are supposed to be holding the metal springs onto the wooden frame. Guess somebody either made it poorly or dropped the whole shipment!
After two nights on the floor, we received and assembled our new couch/bed. It's not as pretty or comfortable as the previous one in couch-mode. But much more so in bed-mode. Maybe not having broken springs helps.
We've had quite a crazy week of household crises. Last night, I had to get up every two hours to change the drip bottle for the leaking radiator. For weeks it's been dripping. But at 1am, it started pouring. At one point, it filled 20L in 2 hours. Today, the plumber was here for 2 hours to replace the valve, known as the "Amerikanka" (female American). Interesting. I wouldn't mind being replaced for a few days so I could catch up on sleep!
Парк "Сосновка"
One of the biggest blessings of our new home is the large wooded 'park' nearby. We've enjoyed snow, snow and more snow so far. But today, the rain began. It's 36F (3C) and raining. So, after weeks of telling the boys, "We better enjoy the sledding because next week the snow might be gone," it will finally come true. On that note, yesterday I finally took some pictures.
Yesterday, Danya celebrated his 7th birthday! We made a day of it, spending the morning at the nearby Aquapark, and the evening with a few friends. It was low-key but fun for all!
And now, we’re moving! After a delightful month with the Huddlestons (see photo below for Chris reading the typical bedtime story to all five. How did the Birdsalls do it?) we are finally moving in to our new apartment today. The landlords have already had the furniture constructed, we’ve bought some groceries, and taken the kids to see the new place. I think another trip to IKEA and a big grocery store is needed, but hopefully we’ll be settled in soon!
If you want to see where in the city it is, check out this map: http://www.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=115934531538879988704.00045ba65e85b385ab881&t=h&ll=60.022925,30.370502&spn=0.002557,0.009613&z=17
However, we won’t have internet set up until at least Tuesday. Eric will be checking email often, and I’ll try to get to someone’s house occasionally, but don’t expect any responses for a few days!
And now, we’re moving! After a delightful month with the Huddlestons (see photo below for Chris reading the typical bedtime story to all five. How did the Birdsalls do it?) we are finally moving in to our new apartment today. The landlords have already had the furniture constructed, we’ve bought some groceries, and taken the kids to see the new place. I think another trip to IKEA and a big grocery store is needed, but hopefully we’ll be settled in soon!
If you want to see where in the city it is, check out this map: http://www.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=115934531538879988704.00045ba65e85b385ab881&t=h&ll=60.022925,30.370502&spn=0.002557,0.009613&z=17
However, we won’t have internet set up until at least Tuesday. Eric will be checking email often, and I’ll try to get to someone’s house occasionally, but don’t expect any responses for a few days!
Ella's Markers
Playpen time is usually without incident. Ella plays happily in her crib every morning for an hour or even more. But in a new environment, she's become more adventurous.
One day last week, she was very quiet, for a long time. I should have known.
And it turns out that Ella can reach the dresser and shelves next to her crib. She found Nate or Nick's pencil case.
Yes, her arms were covered, as well as lines into her mouth, nose and both ears.
A Flat!
This morning, we had the idea to see what two room flats were available in the neighborhood. This evening, we looked at one that we LOVE! It is in a new building, the tall one behind the Edings. It is remodeled beautifully, and no one has ever lived in it. The landlords are a young couple with two girls who live in the same building. They are taking us to IKEA on Saturday to pick out which furniture we want, and anything else we need!
It will be an adjustment to live with only two rooms. That's a one-bedroom in American terms. But Eric and I are ready to take the plunge to having a living-room/bedroom like most Russian families. And the kitchen is large enough for our family to all sit at a table--which was the one thing we weren't finding in the older buildings.
We'll move in March 14th, after the furniture is delivered. Danya is very happy that we get to stay at the Huddlestons' for his birthday on the 13th.
It will be an adjustment to live with only two rooms. That's a one-bedroom in American terms. But Eric and I are ready to take the plunge to having a living-room/bedroom like most Russian families. And the kitchen is large enough for our family to all sit at a table--which was the one thing we weren't finding in the older buildings.
We'll move in March 14th, after the furniture is delivered. Danya is very happy that we get to stay at the Huddlestons' for his birthday on the 13th.
Life in St Pete at the Huddlestons'
Right outside the Huddlestons building is this very decent playground. There are at least five others within less than five minutes walk.
From that playground, the view of the huge forested 'park' across the street. It's the best part of this neighborhood. Old men on skiis, young kids learning to ski, sledding everywhere, and even a pond for skating. Last week, we took the kids there--it's about 10 minutes walk at their pace. Even Ella insisted on trying, though she had to wait for Tima to first get tired and give his up!
The Huddlestons beautiful, new building. The nicest I've ever experienced in Russia.
Coe kids cuddling on the couch in the morning. This red couch has a comfortable bed which Eric and I unfold to sleep at night. When Eric was in Moscow for three days, I didn't bother! And the kids still wanted to crawl in to cuddle in the morning.
From that playground, the view of the huge forested 'park' across the street. It's the best part of this neighborhood. Old men on skiis, young kids learning to ski, sledding everywhere, and even a pond for skating. Last week, we took the kids there--it's about 10 minutes walk at their pace. Even Ella insisted on trying, though she had to wait for Tima to first get tired and give his up!
The Huddlestons beautiful, new building. The nicest I've ever experienced in Russia.
Coe kids cuddling on the couch in the morning. This red couch has a comfortable bed which Eric and I unfold to sleep at night. When Eric was in Moscow for three days, I didn't bother! And the kids still wanted to crawl in to cuddle in the morning. Down Day
I've been meaning to write and let you know how beautiful the snowy woods are across the street, how comfortable to live with the Huddlestons, and how thankful we are for the easiest transition ever!
But today was my first down day. I was tempted to wait and write tomorrow, or whenever I'm feeling more positive. But in the interest of transparency, I'll share how I'm doing today, and not try to shine it up...though hopefully, tomorrow I'll have to update you with how happy I am, so you don't worry!
Today was frustrating. The third day of Eric’s three-day trip to Moscow. (Which has been easy overall, as Trisha and I have been able to trade off some childcare, and she still does most of the cooking! And the four boys are still loving playing together.)
I went to look at another flat, without Eric. One that was very close by, but in terrible condition. It’s actually bigger than the ones we’ve been looking at—the refrigerator fit in the kitchen, unlike the last two where it was in a hall or a closet—but we still couldn’t have fit around the table to eat. And it was smelly and dark and the paint was peeling terribly. And then the realtor told me that there were two different really nice places, just farther away. But that means having to ride the tram 3 or 5 stops. Last time I did that, it took 30 minutes. (Which was due to an unusual traffic jam, but still!) And sometimes the trams don’t come for 10 minutes. So it’s hard to do with the kids and not get exhausted. We so much want to be near the Huddlestons, so that we can see each other, help each other and the kids can be with their friends a lot!
Tomorrow when Eric’s back we’re going to look at one of the farther away apartments. The nice thing is that rents are falling, so hopefully we’ll be paying about 50-60% of what we were paying in Kiev. But it’s been really frustrating to only see four places in two weeks, and feel none of them are really good options. So you can pray for wisdom for us. It’s so hard to choose between a place that’s in poor condition, tiny, but close by, and one that’s farther away but nice and big. It just depresses me to think of being that far away. But we can’t stay here with the Huddlestons forever (gracious as they are!) and soon we'll have to accept one of the not-ideal options. I think I’m frustrated with God, because we’ve been praying for this for so long, and I just think, “How hard can it be, in this place of high-rise apartments all over, to just have one decent one for rent nearby?” I know His plans are not mine, and want to not be resentful over withheld answers to our prayers. But today, that was hard.
It doesn’t help that yesterday the temperature rose above zero, and the snow got slushy, and I can’t push the stroller at all anymore. And the kids got soaked immediately on the playground . Even after all day on the radiators, the coats and snowpants and mittens and boots and hats are not all dry. And since we lived through the wet transition in Kiev during January, I know exactly what we’re in for--but worse. There’s been a lot of snow here, and we’ve been loving it! But that means a lot to melt. Already, the crosswalks are guarded by puddles, and I have to choose between getting my feet soaked or walking a big detour (hard with the stroller and 2-4 boys taggin along). It’s going to be messy. If it was warm maybe that would help, but I don’t count 35F as warm!
So, that's where I am tonight. Hopefully some sleep, a husband home and a day of rest will bring some optimism to the next post!
But today was my first down day. I was tempted to wait and write tomorrow, or whenever I'm feeling more positive. But in the interest of transparency, I'll share how I'm doing today, and not try to shine it up...though hopefully, tomorrow I'll have to update you with how happy I am, so you don't worry!
Today was frustrating. The third day of Eric’s three-day trip to Moscow. (Which has been easy overall, as Trisha and I have been able to trade off some childcare, and she still does most of the cooking! And the four boys are still loving playing together.)
I went to look at another flat, without Eric. One that was very close by, but in terrible condition. It’s actually bigger than the ones we’ve been looking at—the refrigerator fit in the kitchen, unlike the last two where it was in a hall or a closet—but we still couldn’t have fit around the table to eat. And it was smelly and dark and the paint was peeling terribly. And then the realtor told me that there were two different really nice places, just farther away. But that means having to ride the tram 3 or 5 stops. Last time I did that, it took 30 minutes. (Which was due to an unusual traffic jam, but still!) And sometimes the trams don’t come for 10 minutes. So it’s hard to do with the kids and not get exhausted. We so much want to be near the Huddlestons, so that we can see each other, help each other and the kids can be with their friends a lot!
Tomorrow when Eric’s back we’re going to look at one of the farther away apartments. The nice thing is that rents are falling, so hopefully we’ll be paying about 50-60% of what we were paying in Kiev. But it’s been really frustrating to only see four places in two weeks, and feel none of them are really good options. So you can pray for wisdom for us. It’s so hard to choose between a place that’s in poor condition, tiny, but close by, and one that’s farther away but nice and big. It just depresses me to think of being that far away. But we can’t stay here with the Huddlestons forever (gracious as they are!) and soon we'll have to accept one of the not-ideal options. I think I’m frustrated with God, because we’ve been praying for this for so long, and I just think, “How hard can it be, in this place of high-rise apartments all over, to just have one decent one for rent nearby?” I know His plans are not mine, and want to not be resentful over withheld answers to our prayers. But today, that was hard.
It doesn’t help that yesterday the temperature rose above zero, and the snow got slushy, and I can’t push the stroller at all anymore. And the kids got soaked immediately on the playground . Even after all day on the radiators, the coats and snowpants and mittens and boots and hats are not all dry. And since we lived through the wet transition in Kiev during January, I know exactly what we’re in for--but worse. There’s been a lot of snow here, and we’ve been loving it! But that means a lot to melt. Already, the crosswalks are guarded by puddles, and I have to choose between getting my feet soaked or walking a big detour (hard with the stroller and 2-4 boys taggin along). It’s going to be messy. If it was warm maybe that would help, but I don’t count 35F as warm!
So, that's where I am tonight. Hopefully some sleep, a husband home and a day of rest will bring some optimism to the next post!
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