tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38492157797615040982024-02-19T17:46:01.841+02:00Sarah's Snippetssdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-1877913341109129492016-04-30T19:16:00.000+03:002016-04-30T19:16:33.138+03:00Around the BendYesterday we were driving in Kyiv, not far from the US Embassy when the road was suddenly closed ahead. My GPS led me around another way. One thing about living abroad, you never know what's around the next bend! This is Kyiv, folks!<br />
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sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-13686232250222321182016-04-29T19:03:00.004+03:002016-04-29T19:03:58.797+03:00Teacher's Needed<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kca.org.ua/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvKCabuIiR9fM1tOqIsoNLU0UJ_kJjsnWeQ-e5QrgHLqj3JRuXoDlCSyJpJjj80GAVy7JaPhsIFHwNjHdI5Fgmea9z4zDxYHi32sL6RgK6oq9NN24cA78KZotXDYOZCIG1dtYPq5ZouhGV/s400/13062404_813519238753975_7513984882568444513_n.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.kca.org.ua/">www.kca.org.ua</a></td></tr>
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Come join us in Ukraine and serve the missionary community by teaching at Kyiv Christian Academy! We need you!sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-30834084507130865482015-10-18T09:24:00.000+03:002015-10-18T09:27:02.937+03:00Family & School LifeWe've finished the first quarter of the school year already. With all the activities in a week, it seems that Monday through Friday are just one long day. Matthew is playing soccer for the middle school boy's team which involves practices on Monday and Wednesday with games Tuesdays, Thursdays or both. <br />
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Last weekend I had the 5th grade class over to play team-building games. They concluded that it's hard to accomplish anything when everyone is yelling instructions. So true! <br />
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It's been a fun week for the 5th grade as we also had a field trip to the zoo.<br />
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Yesterday was the school's annual Fall Festival. Abigail sewed an Elsa costume for Elizabeth and I made Abigail's Dorothy costume from the scraps. Matthew reused a costume from his 6th birthday party.<br />
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The girls are taking piano lessons from the new music teacher at school. The only way we could fit it in was to have the lessons during Matthew's soccer practices since we had to stay late at school anyway.<br />
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We'll soon be adding a few years of orthodontist appointments to the schedule as Elizabeth has an open mouth and double cross-bite requiring some serious adjustments. <br />
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And so another week is set to begin. sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-58731361712362809192015-09-12T22:15:00.002+03:002015-09-12T22:15:50.250+03:00A Royal PartyToday we were honored by the presence of seven princesses to celebrate Elizabeth's 8th birthday. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Abigail did their hair, nails and make-up.</div>
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After introductions, the Lady of Honor made her appearance.</div>
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Friends, games, food, and cake made for a memorable day.</div>
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sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-51082506001211763762015-06-25T13:43:00.000+03:002015-06-25T13:43:41.490+03:00A Case of Ineffeciency<div class="MsoNormal">
School was out. For a
change, I was the one making a quick jaunt to the grocery store. Elizabeth asked how long it would take for us
to get there and I replied, “Just two minutes.”
In actuality, it took about an hour and half or maybe even two.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Traffic was heavy on the ring road and there was the usual
confusion of who belongs where on a 4-lane road without lines, parked cars on
the right, and commuter busses pulling out into traffic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A jam was forming around the entrance to the
big grocery store, Auchan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The taxi in
front of me stopped but I didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
bumped his bumper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were hardly
moving, which was a good thing, but it was enough for my license plate to touch
up against his bumper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so there we
stopped.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And there we stayed – blocking
traffic and just adding to the chaos.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqG6NLB0Q3_nRUcWrPPxCJoxtsOiZJGsUeYzxmK4KSJWMbX9zR-Q-5SDiJQQTWiWcKE-Pf8wPd-h-foxaFEE4mJZvKUX5HUE-5n5OjBIgXUDzfqu7JA6_hK7s_XiBHoFhtm7y109paq96N/s1600/accident_002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqG6NLB0Q3_nRUcWrPPxCJoxtsOiZJGsUeYzxmK4KSJWMbX9zR-Q-5SDiJQQTWiWcKE-Pf8wPd-h-foxaFEE4mJZvKUX5HUE-5n5OjBIgXUDzfqu7JA6_hK7s_XiBHoFhtm7y109paq96N/s400/accident_002.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpi13OcUQ-5J5f07DoWQYPQIOB4pZGp3NieiX7ORhDPlnWY00XLan9Q525gz0DcmUMtLrNKUsO-KDlaoIi5wbVdPvlqxtoPL0fyTXyczcv7-NO9oncT3ytOpk5kku6b5qq3Xb9ug6l7uB/s1600/accident_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpi13OcUQ-5J5f07DoWQYPQIOB4pZGp3NieiX7ORhDPlnWY00XLan9Q525gz0DcmUMtLrNKUsO-KDlaoIi5wbVdPvlqxtoPL0fyTXyczcv7-NO9oncT3ytOpk5kku6b5qq3Xb9ug6l7uB/s400/accident_003.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The red van is parked. We blocked the next lane being used as a turn lane into the grocery store.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The taxi driver got out for a look and started calling
someone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got out for a look and
started calling George.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next, the taxi
no longer had a taxi light on top of the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even after 16 years in Ukraine, I still didn’t assume anything odd about
that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I attributed it to the fact he was
no longer available to take customers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
friend later revealed it was more likely he was driving a taxi without a
license and wanted to hide any evidence from the police.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just goes to show, my upbringing of “innocent
until proven guilty” is firmly implanted.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay, so we both take some pictures and George sends our
friend, Pasha, to come help me since he’s out in another village a good 45
minutes away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The taxi driver asks me if
we’re going to sit there until morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I said I had no idea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wanted
me to pay him some money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Without moving
his car forward even an inch, there was no way to tell if there was a mark on
his bumper or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have insurance so I
thought we might as well let this thing play itself out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The taxi driver called the police.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>About 45 minutes since the accident occurred,
Pasha and a police car arrive on the scene at about the same time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pasha took over communicating with the police
officers who primarily sat in their patrol car and wrote up paperwork.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pasha took a look at the dashcam I have to see what
happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s when he got the
suspicion that the other driver wasn’t really a taxi driver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pasha wrote up my testimony and I scribbled on
a line that stated it was my testimony.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The police confiscated my driver’s license and gave me a temporary
one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the police had taken some
pictures and measured distances, we were allowed to move our cars off the
road.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A little bit later, signatures
here and there, and we were good to go.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJfjPbgVC_iHRCnBGVfqhiFPO8a2ypnW5HoXRz4flhh3YvM0DoikPCJ_YS03NV_RhTY-JVAvY5FzTJhS0EgVgfD7z1S_y42BewSBa9wA2fXlylu3CE-x5ca-TzcUdUyZQsPoK4x2MqsIa/s1600/accident_009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJfjPbgVC_iHRCnBGVfqhiFPO8a2ypnW5HoXRz4flhh3YvM0DoikPCJ_YS03NV_RhTY-JVAvY5FzTJhS0EgVgfD7z1S_y42BewSBa9wA2fXlylu3CE-x5ca-TzcUdUyZQsPoK4x2MqsIa/s400/accident_009.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's hard to see the damage because we're not sure there is any.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6A7i3rYnj2-zaWAriuLd4Jt0ODv873pWKxhhqvuOESA6rXKgVCalIp7B_7b0_Zuu_wogV0MFZSA4Wf-5wurqW7PkONwD88mXvdC9PgwwEJwI5L70wleKCc6JM2ymOWe-hsiS-V_5ULdy/s1600/accident_011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV6A7i3rYnj2-zaWAriuLd4Jt0ODv873pWKxhhqvuOESA6rXKgVCalIp7B_7b0_Zuu_wogV0MFZSA4Wf-5wurqW7PkONwD88mXvdC9PgwwEJwI5L70wleKCc6JM2ymOWe-hsiS-V_5ULdy/s400/accident_011.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There may some scratches but it's hard to tell if it's just the dirt.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I waited for a week before the text message came from the
court telling me when to appear before the judge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
appointment was slated for one week later at 8:25am.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully, George was available to go with
me.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was a stressful morning as the typical 20-minute or less
drive into town took an hour and we were late for the appointment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I telephoned but no one answered. We found a
parking place right outside the courthouse and passed through the unattended
security booth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A cleaning lady gave us
directions on where to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Up two
flights of stairs, a small group of people lined the hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We found the door with the judge’s name on it
and found out from those in line that we would be admitted according to our
appointment time and they were running about 20 minutes behind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>[Sigh of relief.]<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When my turn came, we went into the first
room with the secretaries and then through another door to the judge’s office
which looked identical to every government office I’ve ever been in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two desks pushed against each other with one
chair at the end for the guest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
windows opened onto a major Kyiv city street, muffling the judge’s voice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I leaned in to understand better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She asked if I spoke Ukrainian and I said
Russian was better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a couple of
sentences, it was clear that she was more comfortable in Ukrainian and she
turned to George, hoping he’d be able to understand and translate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He offered to help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The judge confirmed my identity and then asked
me if the police had told me my rights and the charge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both of which I had not been informed
of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She briefly summarized with a
cursory glance at a law book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
charge: I failed to keep a safe distance between cars.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did I accept the charge?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She said I’d need to return a week later to pick up the court decision
and bring back proof that I paid the $15 fine at a bank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She scribbled the address of the police
station where I could pick up my driver’s license after receiving the court
decision.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikw_FnqDzWgi4cR5koZlVSn7cEj7-JElKcjZTeSLTU5gqRRJ0_vabk-UWKA_viPnfwQCkkB6ffPcqH_6Vws44nyGg6ytgG8JhnDrQafUWs2guSyUjaYDKKCgY4XpCndBTwhb0h9nLQRf5P/s1600/courthouse_007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikw_FnqDzWgi4cR5koZlVSn7cEj7-JElKcjZTeSLTU5gqRRJ0_vabk-UWKA_viPnfwQCkkB6ffPcqH_6Vws44nyGg6ytgG8JhnDrQafUWs2guSyUjaYDKKCgY4XpCndBTwhb0h9nLQRf5P/s400/courthouse_007.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The courthouse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzOPHar3xOiQYahlvKNDfeL_k2ATp0vjiHBC2BBwd2AfC9-vccZvoISrJlB-83J1rVAeETgYIbjo_vvAVhpYONs5qi8ITsZqsB7HEkJsGglTHBEtZHhmBu-isTXpe3pBFX-h9vERN_FEw/s1600/48_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzOPHar3xOiQYahlvKNDfeL_k2ATp0vjiHBC2BBwd2AfC9-vccZvoISrJlB-83J1rVAeETgYIbjo_vvAVhpYONs5qi8ITsZqsB7HEkJsGglTHBEtZHhmBu-isTXpe3pBFX-h9vERN_FEw/s400/48_1280.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A picture of the courthouse from Google - obviously the building's been painted and is looking better now.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we returned for the court decision, we didn’t know
where to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The judge’s office was
locked shut.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>George asked in a few other
offices where to go and we found our way to the back end of the courthouse and
up an old flight of stairs to room #17.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Broken and unwanted cabinets stood outside the door at the top.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cardboard covered a hole in the landing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We asked the lone man sitting in the tan
vinyl chair if there was a line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
wasn’t sure how the system worked so George inquired inside and we were told to
wait until the lady at the far end was finished with her patron.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When he left, we entered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surprisingly, she was very helpful, made two
copies of our bank receipt, and directed us to return to the judge’s office for
the decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we told her it was
locked, she went herself to take a look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Another worker on the second floor confirmed that no one was there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lady from room #17 was a bit disturbed
that the judge’s secretary wasn’t there and told us to return the next
day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though it wasn’t a receiving
day, the judge’s secretary should be there and would give us the paper we
needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulAoWKZDn4h1xBpC3TMS6zuJbizcyhdYTlDiIvVLKTFwWceMbYymXwkY8EGELNmeehzegmPoY8IUmfuAGGpJapxNZHfGm-omLcRvfpInsmv6CSjMyYH4xB96_hwjfZ8wBHpqkTD_Bd3bH/s1600/courthouse_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgulAoWKZDn4h1xBpC3TMS6zuJbizcyhdYTlDiIvVLKTFwWceMbYymXwkY8EGELNmeehzegmPoY8IUmfuAGGpJapxNZHfGm-omLcRvfpInsmv6CSjMyYH4xB96_hwjfZ8wBHpqkTD_Bd3bH/s400/courthouse_001.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The landing before room #17</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</o:p></div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfmWyCn7-O7tPIcd3sTgG_b2N2xVQhPZuurbsy0rGH_uQoReRusOYrmI-sUFM6l54GkSTvsjtrqJvO7my5NEwkBGONRsRXskXKuokT0K2rCrsj-TNhGqD8aHrUlHgHvIEt-LDuqav11_S/s1600/courthouse_004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcfmWyCn7-O7tPIcd3sTgG_b2N2xVQhPZuurbsy0rGH_uQoReRusOYrmI-sUFM6l54GkSTvsjtrqJvO7my5NEwkBGONRsRXskXKuokT0K2rCrsj-TNhGqD8aHrUlHgHvIEt-LDuqav11_S/s400/courthouse_004.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stacks of papers and an old cabinet before the door of room #17</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSvLUB889L7zzC71UDroDpN6Btzosv8TultCOXDjVjHhIraJX_l_wvrBSH-sC4HgJ9YPt_d8i7KhklQ_VTm3FOfWkWV4Ou4r5dQZzLcyloaKDDbkZjTVZ68SkW1cjPCsfoYmpOiPDDRoaI/s1600/courthouse_003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSvLUB889L7zzC71UDroDpN6Btzosv8TultCOXDjVjHhIraJX_l_wvrBSH-sC4HgJ9YPt_d8i7KhklQ_VTm3FOfWkWV4Ou4r5dQZzLcyloaKDDbkZjTVZ68SkW1cjPCsfoYmpOiPDDRoaI/s400/courthouse_003.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the covered hole in the landing. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSaNBS8wVnYzNOIpfM50ZO-IKDO6I7B3YZlzSiZ7cEqpSxcW5sD4ZdwX3k2SyH0_7POFKJC7XC4E3vOYgkb75kXLuS-Vyj6kuG1CgSM_DS_DQYGJ1TQ9Y5uLrZV79ewzN5tUuu6e3XMGLM/s1600/courthouse_005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSaNBS8wVnYzNOIpfM50ZO-IKDO6I7B3YZlzSiZ7cEqpSxcW5sD4ZdwX3k2SyH0_7POFKJC7XC4E3vOYgkb75kXLuS-Vyj6kuG1CgSM_DS_DQYGJ1TQ9Y5uLrZV79ewzN5tUuu6e3XMGLM/s400/courthouse_005.jpg" width="223" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The staircase to room #17</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1E4KzKLUINVdhaW5FVMDlMS0FCMadziMM6GV-2W1PlUiE8KISgMaptF7PEdEdCTw8rUeCNRVMNtWpx_19cTMLR9gaKJ_-DonRDXYbgaXbu_un6kBQ3a3wvrCgzr8lGMpUAO-bZqMMQUhw/s1600/courthouse_006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1E4KzKLUINVdhaW5FVMDlMS0FCMadziMM6GV-2W1PlUiE8KISgMaptF7PEdEdCTw8rUeCNRVMNtWpx_19cTMLR9gaKJ_-DonRDXYbgaXbu_un6kBQ3a3wvrCgzr8lGMpUAO-bZqMMQUhw/s320/courthouse_006.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the unwanted cabinets outside room #17</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The next day we passed through the security booth after
giving a picture ID and went up to the judge’s office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The secretary immediately looked through a
pile of papers and pulled out mine, had me sign it, and then took it back
downstairs to the other end of the courthouse, down another hallway.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We lost track of him and returned to the
foyer to wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It appeared he was doing
this step on his own. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He found us and
tried using a bit of English to tell us we could take this paper to the police
station and receive my license back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’d need to come back a week later to get the final court decision
after the appeal period was over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who
was going to appeal a guilty plea?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
guess that didn’t matter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A week later we returned to the courthouse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again the judge’s office was locked so we
went to room #17 to see if the final decision was available there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After waiting a while, George inquired inside
whom to ask for the final decision and we were directed to the man in the back,
next to the lady we hand spoken to the week before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He found my paperwork in a tied bundle of
other cases on the shelves, had me sign my name on a slip of paper, and gave me
a copy of the decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next
instructions were to go to room #20 for the stamp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THE STAMP!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nothing in Ukraine is official without THE STAMP!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Deeper into the bowels of the courthouse we
went to room #20.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lady inside said
the one and only person with the stamp was not there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would need to wait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We waited for quite some time until the man
came back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I brought my paper to him and
asked for a stamp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With great authority,
he stamped the decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Off we went to the insurance company to turn in a copy of
the court decision.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They made a
photocopy and said that’s all we needed to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was finished!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Two trips to the insurance office, four trips to the
courthouse, one trip to bank, one trip to the police station. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A lot of time spent waiting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hopefully there’s never a next time, but if
there is, we’ll know how much time it’ll take to deal with the official
channels.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Considering how inefficient
the court is, maybe it’ll be worth it to just give some money to the other
driver?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-58806064495653459292015-06-21T23:28:00.000+03:002015-06-21T23:28:06.780+03:00Houses of UkraineFriday was perfect weather for our excursion (I love how ELL word choices influence my own use of English) to the <a href="http://pyrohiv.com.ua/en/" target="_blank">National Museum of Ukrainian Architecture and Culture</a>. We enjoyed the opportunity to visit so many regions of Ukraine all in the span of a few hours. Remarkably, the houses are from the 1960s and 70s. They seemed much older to us but knowing this was the Soviet Union at that time puts it in perspective. Unfortunately, not all the houses were open for inside tours. We'll have to go back again!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIZ9j65yFItSBxupH_enOQSXb_WHhvQYwWjvyUw2r8sDYXxFVSEs7Z0s0QsAGCtd6k_RkWs2OodtO8uWEYlBruImswFmD2UGJEzR48rdIla8q8iGckwnm_3Oe372VYIStUClgw_nfFiFD/s1600/IMG_4258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZIZ9j65yFItSBxupH_enOQSXb_WHhvQYwWjvyUw2r8sDYXxFVSEs7Z0s0QsAGCtd6k_RkWs2OodtO8uWEYlBruImswFmD2UGJEzR48rdIla8q8iGckwnm_3Oe372VYIStUClgw_nfFiFD/s400/IMG_4258.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George used such a wood-heated shower during his year internship in Nagydobrony.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzi3alyFSAxjMu-n5AnZmo68HVeJ2S760sp9dd2I31XwuldOR70cwV0ydFp2LqgB-JHxL-Cf0upqHb50__L5Mw55Z12hlc9Qnt9OrmIWz4Ab9MatdEKZRjkmRfwEvmKIhyphenhyphenBbBNwoMGxxg/s1600/IMG_4259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirzi3alyFSAxjMu-n5AnZmo68HVeJ2S760sp9dd2I31XwuldOR70cwV0ydFp2LqgB-JHxL-Cf0upqHb50__L5Mw55Z12hlc9Qnt9OrmIWz4Ab9MatdEKZRjkmRfwEvmKIhyphenhyphenBbBNwoMGxxg/s400/IMG_4259.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The furniture is so familiar!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxyowXn-5Avf3qwos0V-6RmCHaItjh9khPsJK0UCvUif4hoDgl-ZooLWUEka8h9vbI5x7ga11s89gD6Fj9C8jVWa1BHQ-BZtr-YlhbUrJ9O7Q8Ecoj8Oa2HOsV-4emGtSD7sVi8AMgwDIh/s1600/IMG_4262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxyowXn-5Avf3qwos0V-6RmCHaItjh9khPsJK0UCvUif4hoDgl-ZooLWUEka8h9vbI5x7ga11s89gD6Fj9C8jVWa1BHQ-BZtr-YlhbUrJ9O7Q8Ecoj8Oa2HOsV-4emGtSD7sVi8AMgwDIh/s400/IMG_4262.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love the wood-stove and electric vent above it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFg1XEqTFBdQD2slO7tYqOsmHX0oQzxcLZmkptXsPNaRUoODGh6hxW0JZnn19GoTsQsep9OmquD8u3geV7gS_KmUbDM8LTAoAiNAGRBXqIYSTQ8RFQAyb02Ez0AGovAw3cIxnvBwXxP-b_/s1600/IMG_4293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFg1XEqTFBdQD2slO7tYqOsmHX0oQzxcLZmkptXsPNaRUoODGh6hxW0JZnn19GoTsQsep9OmquD8u3geV7gS_KmUbDM8LTAoAiNAGRBXqIYSTQ8RFQAyb02Ez0AGovAw3cIxnvBwXxP-b_/s400/IMG_4293.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cossack farm - there was even a baby sleeping on a hay bed in one of the outbuildings. :) This farm was prior to the 1960s.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OT_nd15kl0Cp9J3NoqHEukysz_bqbvswOJNF_ptM20KAPcj27K6mDFT3VxeH3-8jxa5T6YLEQ_ZRvgL6dVhww_hf-3F_3zWcPUl0opmtcI15A-X6o4SCzN7vPkq_YlXJO7zGebK0osx9/s1600/IMG_4300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-OT_nd15kl0Cp9J3NoqHEukysz_bqbvswOJNF_ptM20KAPcj27K6mDFT3VxeH3-8jxa5T6YLEQ_ZRvgL6dVhww_hf-3F_3zWcPUl0opmtcI15A-X6o4SCzN7vPkq_YlXJO7zGebK0osx9/s400/IMG_4300.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">George was impressed how the wood panels were each one long piece.</td></tr>
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<br />sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-19997858598206957772015-06-18T21:38:00.000+03:002015-06-18T21:38:53.764+03:00Let the Summer Begin<div class="MsoNormal">
Although school has been out for four weeks, I consider
today the first day of my summer break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I had been working full-time on writing curriculum guides for English
Language Arts grades K-12.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thankfully, I
didn’t have to do all the work for the upper grades since another teacher did
the bulk of that, but there was plenty to do to keep me busy for a month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Yesterday I converted the files to pdf and uploaded them to our school's Google Drive.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Today was a good mix of productivity and relaxation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cleaned out the vacuum, helped Elizabeth
straighten up her room, sewed up a hole in a sheet, did laundry, washed the
dishes, and even did some planning for next year’s curriculum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For fun I played Lumosity, read the kids two
chapters of my summer reading book, <i>War Horse</i>, by Michael Morpurgo, and played
a round of the children’s version of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Settlers
of Catan</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I lost to Matthew by just
one turn.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The kids are enjoying the new trampoline we bought and
George assembled yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are
challenging each other to more and more jumps and it must be good exercise as
today they complained of being sore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
should give it a try!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After so much
sitting at a computer, I need the workout!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Tomorrow we plan to venture out to a large outdoor culture
and architectural museum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
temperature has dipped this week down to the 70s so it’s perfect for spending
the day outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a few weeks of
90-degree weather, we’re enjoying the change.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In two weeks, the kids and I will be flying over the
Atlantic to Silver Spring, Maryland to celebrate Mom’s marriage to Roger Dorris.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This August will mark 13 years since Dad’s
death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so glad Mom has found
someone with whom to enjoy the future years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’ll be in Maryland for 3 weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I thought we would have lots of time on our hands for sightseeing and
just hanging out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking at the
calendar, it’s going to be much busier than I expected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are really looking forward to seeing
family, friends, and a bit of D.C.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Elizabeth has kept a count-down calendar for months already. It’s
exciting for me to see Matthew asking me to take him to Ford’s Theatre and the
Lincoln Memorial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He read a biography of
Abraham Lincoln last year and is very curious to see places and learn
more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We already read practically every
sentence on the Ford’s Theater website!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If all goes well, we’ll visit Ford’s Theater, the Air and Space Museum,
Spy Museum, National Zoo, major monuments, and Mount Vernon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of all, however, I’m looking forward to
getting to know Roger and seeing Mom, my sister, brother-in-law, and their 9
kids!<o:p></o:p></div>
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I think it’s going to be a good summer, and I’m ready!<o:p></o:p></div>
sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-62612289553570070812015-05-02T07:05:00.002+03:002015-05-02T07:05:46.585+03:00Teacher's NeededIt is almost summer vacation here! I can't believe we have only 2 1/2 more weeks of school. It even seems too soon although the break does sounds good. We don't take many breaks during the school year to allow missionaries as much summer as possible to travel back to the US if they need to. But even as we finish off this year, we are already preparing for next year.<div>
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KCA needs teachers! The urgent needs are for 2nd grade and high school science. Additionally, we could use a teacher for secondary Social Studies, secondary Bible, choir and music, a Finance Manager & Librarian. Please come and serve the missionary community in Kyiv or share the need with others who could! </div>
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For more information or to apply visit <a href="http://www.kca.org.ua/">www.kca.org.ua</a>.</div>
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sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-67228769700444744042015-02-15T22:21:00.000+02:002015-02-15T22:21:11.120+02:00LatelyLast night I couldn't sleep. I kept wondering whether the ceasefire was holding or not, whether there would be a declaration of martial law by morning or if it was still a day or two away. I admit to having no confidence in the latest peace agreement, Minsk 2. The first one didn't hold and I don't see any indication that the second one will either. But it's not just me. I haven't read a single news report or heard a single person in Ukraine who thinks there will now be peace. I don't see hope anywhere. The Hryven continues to drop in value. I can't even keep up with it. A year ago the exchange rate was 8 UAH to 1 USD. Today it's 24 UAH to 1 USD. And prices go up while the Hryven goes down. Today I heard of two men I've met who were wounded as soldiers fighting in the east. This is a very hard time for Ukraine and my heart aches for the country.<div>
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But in the meantime our life is full of good things too. Matthew celebrated his 10th birthday and we had a Minecraft birthday party with 8 of his friends. One of the things I love about living in Ukraine is that you never know what to expect. Check out the wording on Matthew's cake! The kids all sang, "Nappy Birthday to you" and we had a good laugh.</div>
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I continue to love teaching 5th grade. I love my class. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn10qUSgG7QasgvZxrbbMM2P9KzB4updjdeWaYbTKefddlVB-F0Qt5ePhiC56s_sKrteIqfqtCuns3M9_uQiC3mH5TN2WikR3Saz312GlDYdIziL67vZ6ujRF_TCevCXO3kpfpsYH_9-Nt/s1600/IMG_4025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn10qUSgG7QasgvZxrbbMM2P9KzB4updjdeWaYbTKefddlVB-F0Qt5ePhiC56s_sKrteIqfqtCuns3M9_uQiC3mH5TN2WikR3Saz312GlDYdIziL67vZ6ujRF_TCevCXO3kpfpsYH_9-Nt/s1600/IMG_4025.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I love seeing them enjoy learning. We're studying World War II so there are so many connections with what is happening to Ukraine now. I'm planning a field trip to Kyiv's World War II museum, named "The National Museum of History of the Great Patriotic War." How does a country deal with history so complicated that Ukraine (under the control of the Soviets then) hails their victory in World War II along with the country that is now invading them? </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Elizabeth broke her arm rollerblading at an indoor rink but the cast is now off. Somehow it doesn't surprise me that she was the first of the kids to break a bone. Thankfully it wasn't a bad break (a crack in both the ulna and radius at the wrist) and I had help getting her to the hospital from one of the Russian teachers at school since George had left the day before for the US.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Lately, George is gone more than he's home. He traveled to the US for the Worship Symposium and just returned Friday night from Turkey where he participated in a conference on caring for missionaries in hard places. He went in order to learn how to care for local pastors here in Ukraine. Next week is a half a week of Timothy Leadership Training just outside of Kyiv. The following week he'll be meeting with a pastor in southern Ukraine and then another week of TLT in the east (outside of the war zone). I'm thankful for a reliable car, a warm home, and a sense of peace as he travels out of and around the country. </div>
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Last night George and I had a rare opportunity to go out to dinner with our good friends, Scott and Victoria Andes. It was so refreshing to be out with them and to hear Scott's testimony of how God brought him to Himself and to Ukraine in full-time ministry. </div>
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Despite the ongoing insecurity in the country, our lives are full of blessings and opportunities to serve God and others. We wouldn't want to be any other place.</div>
sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-25520175945724009302014-12-19T20:09:00.000+02:002014-12-19T20:09:41.494+02:00Optimism by Candlelight<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
Optimism by
Candlelight<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Christmas vacation now greets me at last<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
May grading and teaching be a thing of the past<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My alarm clock is off; I’m ready to rest<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Will this Christmas twist be all for the best?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Twelve o’clock, eight o’clock here once again<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The winter-time black-outs are set to begin<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The house turns all quiet; the candles are lit<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There’s nothing to do but sit still for a bit.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Laundry and dishes, computer and Wii<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All are turned off to conserve energy<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What do we do? This disrupts all our plans<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We’re not so accustomed to giving up our demands.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So let’s try something different and pull out a book<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Who knows what we’ll discover if we just take a look<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Come gather ‘round, let’s play a new game<o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The lights are now out; we’ll have fun all the same.<o:p></o:p></div>
sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-26053637080369863292014-09-02T22:48:00.000+03:002014-09-02T22:51:05.215+03:00Life Goes On But...<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m feeling despondent today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isn’t that a good word?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It reminds me of a group I was a part of once
when we had to start off with a “feeling” word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Our leader would have been proud of me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Anyway, a follow-up question might be, “What’s the reason for such a
strong feeling?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My heart and mind are
heavy for Ukraine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since Russian forces
have now brazenly invaded Ukraine, Ukrainian forces are losing ground, new
cities are under siege, and refugee counts have risen. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really don’t see how Ukraine can defend
itself against a bigger and stronger army.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Those soldiers fighting and dying, I don’t know them (well, only one
that I know of), but I COULD know them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
makes casualty reports more than just mere numbers.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nine days of school are behind us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rhythm of school days are, in their own
way, comforting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Early morning alarms –
still too early – call us to start another day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>By 7:15am we are loaded in the car with our backpacks and lunches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We make it home around 4:30pm to set upon
homework, dinner preparations, grading, walking the dog, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just a normal day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are good days with learning, playing
with friends, meaningful conversations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It’s even normal to turn on the news and hear casualty reports and see
buildings destroyed by shells.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Life in Kyiv, for the most part, carries on as it did before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Differences are noted for those living in
apartments as most of the city has no hot water in order to conserve gas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Probably the most unusual thing is to be
evacuated from a local mall due to a bomb threat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Otherwise, life goes on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But behind nearly every conversation, pulling back on every
future plan, lingering in the shadows of our minds is the fact that Ukraine is
at war.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The implications are numerous
and complex.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For Kyiv, the most pressing
is the question of heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s very
possible Ukraine will not have enough natural gas (because Russia has cut the
gas flow) to provide heat this winter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>40%
of natural gas can be provided in reverse flows from Europe but that is still
not enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The electric grids cannot
support every home plugging in an electric space heater. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Public schools are preparing for a two-month
winter break because there isn’t likely to be heat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our school, which rents a wing of a deaf
school, is also facing such a risk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a
family we are contemplating buying a Diesel generator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whichever way you look at it, it’s likely to
be a very C*O*L*D winter.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To turn my despondency around, the words of Psalm 42:11 come
to mind.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span class="text"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why, my soul, are you downcast?</i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text">Why
so disturbed within me?</span><br />
<span class="text">Put your hope in God,</span><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text">for
I will yet praise him,</span><br />
<span class="indent-1-breaks"> </span><span class="text">my
Savior and my God.</span></i></div>
sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-33011268515840864442014-08-12T08:31:00.000+03:002014-08-12T08:46:11.496+03:00Down This Road BeforeThe headlines in my news feed are once again predicting a Russian invasion. To name a few...<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><br />
<a href="http://www.kyivpost.com/opinion/op-ed/timothy-ash-time-to-think-about-worst-case-scenarios-in-ukraine-russia-crisis-359573.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Timothy Ash: Time to think about worst-case scenarios in Ukraine-Russia crisis</span></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-06/putin-hits-tipping-point-as-ukraine-tightens-rebel-noose.html" target="_blank">Putin hits tipping point as Ukraine tightens rebel noose </a><br />
<a href="http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/ukraine-stops-russias-serious-provocation-359981.html" target="_blank">Ukraine Stops Russia's serious provocation</a><br />
<a href="http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/08/11/uk-ukraine-crisis-military-idUKKBN0GB1HD20140811" target="_blank">Ukraine says Russia has massed 45,000 troops on the border</a><br />
<br />
But this is nothing new. The same predictions were made back in March, April and May. During those months we had an evacuation box ready to go and our mission agency asked us to be ready to evacuate within two hours if an invasion occurred. Back then there was concern that an overt invasion by Russian forces may target Kyiv as well as the eastern and southern regions of Ukraine. <br />
<br />
Today, however, I'm not so worried about our personal safety. Although the setting is ominous for a Russian invasion, most likely under the guise of a "peacekeeping" or "humanitarian" mission, it does not seem likely that Russia will send tanks down Khreschatyk Street or drop bombs on the Ukrainian Parliament. Most likely the conflict will be constrained to the eastern regions where Ukrainian forces are close to retaking the militant-controlled cities of Donetsk and Luhansk. We don't have an evacuation box packed [yet] and I'm still hopeful we will get through this school year without having to shut down.<br />
<br />
All along I've wondered what the end will look like. I'm still wondering and, meanwhile, praying for peace.sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-13715769066576860232014-07-14T16:36:00.000+03:002014-07-14T21:01:38.936+03:00Living in a Country at WarNever in my wildest dreams did I imagine Ukraine at war. Ukrainians are a peaceful people. In fact, one of my greatest frustrations over the years has actually been their passivity. Coming from a culture of "pull yourself up by your bootstraps", I couldn't understand why the Ukrainian people seemed content to be the doormat of <a href="http://euromaidanpress.com/2014/07/13/16899/" target="_blank">corrupt officials in every realm of life</a>. Talk about dysfunction! I wondered what it would take for Ukrainians to stand up for themselves.<br />
<br />
Then it happened, the "Revolution of Dignity," and I was dumbfounded. They actually had had enough and were not going to take it anymore. I couldn't have been prouder of Ukrainians than I was back in February. Knowing that it took huge courage and a defiance of hundreds of years of culturally-ingrained passivity, what the Ukrainians accomplished on Maidan is a testimony to their strength, unity, and deep-rooted desire to live in a country that values transparency, justice, and the opportunity to pursue a better life.<br />
<br />
Ukrainians want to live peacefully with one another and with their neighbors. They don't go looking for trouble. That's why what happened on Maidan is not what is happening in the East. Countless evidence proves that the war raging in the regions of Dontesk and Lughansk is due to the direct influence of Russians. There are multiple theories and explanations as to why Putin does not want to see Ukraine prosper under European-values. It's complicated and I'm not about to get into that.<br />
<br />
So, here we are. A successful revolution behind us and a war before us. <a href="http://www.ukrinform.ua/eng/news/russia_readying_invasion_on_july_15___tymchuk_323719" target="_blank">Reports </a>are becoming, once again, increasingly alarming with rumors (or more than rumors) of an "invasion" by Russian forces, perhaps under the guise of a "peace-keeping mission". What does it mean for us living in Kyiv?<br />
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Up to now we haven't been impacted by the unrest in the east. Our lives have settled back into normal. Our evacuation box has been unpacked. I haven't been obsessed with reading the news or trying to guess Putin's next moves. I started feeling comfortable with planning for the foreseeable future. Concern that school would close its doors or that we would be forced to live somewhere else has ceased. I am tired of those scenarios. I'm tired of uncertainty.<br />
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But the future of Ukraine is far from certain. Destruction and death have already devastated much of the eastern part of Ukraine. Tens of thousands of people have fled. How far will it spread? When will it end? How can peace be restored? Will this war soon effect us personally?<br />
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<i>"Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; </i></div>
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<i>do not fret when people succeed in their ways, </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>when they carry out their wicked schemes....</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>he is their stronghold in time of trouble. </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>The LORD helps them and delivers them; </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>because they take refuge in him." </i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>- Psalm 37:7,39-40</i></div>
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<br />sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-55304410956006065902014-07-13T21:37:00.001+03:002014-07-13T21:53:22.361+03:00Sunny StreetJuly 1 we moved into a house at 2a Sunny Street, Petropavlivska-Borshchagovka which is just outside the Kiev city limits. For the past 13 days we've been busy making it home. We've made a lot of progress but there are still a few big projects remaining.<br />
<br />
We moved because the house we stayed in the for the past year is usually
rented by another missionary family who needed someone to stay there
while they were in the States. After moving 3 times in the past 2
years, I'm ready to get settled into a house that I hope will be home
for a very long time. We signed a two year lease which, Lord willing,
we hope can be extended. [You can pray for that to be the case.]<br />
<br />
Now, without further ado, here's the tour (but forgive the clutter, we're still unpacking)...<br />
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After having to open and close three gates to park the car in Mukachevo, the automatic gate and garage door are a dream come true for George.<br />
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Although not technically a "townhouse", that's the description we use since this is one of three identical houses standing side-by-side - not typical for Ukraine. Apparently, the lot used to be the tennis courts of the wealthy landowner to the back of the property. <br />
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Washing the garage door is on tomorrow's to-do list.<br />
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An apartment complex is being built across the street. George refers to it as our mission field under construction.<br />
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The front door from the inside. A full-bath/furnace room/utility room is visible through the open door. To the right of this picture is the kitchen.<br />
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The kitchen is cozy with just enough space for our dishes and kitchenware but not much for food. It does have a dishwasher though! Abigail (in yellow) loves cooking. She and her friend (in white) are making crepes for breakfast. <br />
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Beside the kitchen is a large closet room. It will be very handy for storage and we've made a make-shift pantry out of it too.<br />
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Looking from the front door, the kitchen doorway is in the corner, the closet on the left of the hallway, and our dog in the middle! Stairs lead up from the right and the living room/dining room is in the back.<br />
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Dining room. We are still trying to figure out what do for curtains. It's hard to invest money into something you don't know how long you'll use. Complicating factors, we can't figure out how to blend all the color combinations in this dining room/living room. I guess we'll have to make a decision sooner or later.<br />
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Living room with fireplace. The purple couch and chairs are the landlady's.<br />
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The backyard (as seen from the second story window). A good size, I think. There's a little vegetable garden growing along the back wall. I don't know when I'll have time to tend to it, though. A chain link fence separates the backyards of the three houses and the brick wall encircles all of them. Our next door neighbors are Muslims from Turkey and their teenage son is giving Matthew soccer lessons for fun.<br />
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Tiled floors and tiled staircases. The bedrooms have wood floors. We're not sure what to do with the space under the stairs. Right now it houses disassembled furniture and boxes of belongings waiting to be unpacked. It's also houses the water tank.<br />
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On the second floor is Matthew's bedroom. We plan to buy a futon bed to go along the wall where I'm standing so that we can turn it into the guest room when we have visitors. <br />
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Across from Matthew's room is the office with a wall of shelves that came with the house. Believe it or not, we still need another bookcase for the overflow books and all the kids books are upstairs!<br />
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A workplace for George and me. I think this arrangement of chairs is a collision waiting to happen.<br />
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The master bedroom.<br />
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Master bath. Yippee!!! (Not sure what to do with a bidet. I'm thinking of putting a table over it, cover it with a cloth and use it as a counter space.) There's another bathroom on this floor for the kids. I forgot to take a picture of it.<br />
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Up another flight of stairs and you have the finished attic. One side of the staircase is the girls' room. We're going to hang a white curtain along the staircase and in front of their room to give them some privacy.<br />
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The family room is also in the attic. Wii. Exercise bike. An all-purpose area.<br />
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On the other side of the staircase - a table for games and crafts and our monster wardrobe which didn't make it into the picture. Our piano is in the box still but maybe we'll get around to getting a piano teacher if we're not living the next year under threat of evacuation.<br />
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And that's our home and I love it! Come visit us on Sunny Street. Now you know where we live!<br />
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<a href="https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?authuser=0&authuser=0&hl=en&hl=en&mid=zEyBBc7uLFK4.ktxwL5rCf1W4" target="_blank">Google Maps to our location</a><br />
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<br />sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-26846298180882196712014-05-31T22:06:00.002+03:002014-05-31T22:06:25.153+03:00Surprise VacationThis past year has been, let's say, less than usual. We moved to a new city, started a new school, and I worked more-than full time outside the home. Then there was a revolution followed by a war in the east. We lived on the verge of evacuation for months. Yeah, not our "normal" kind of year. A few months back we decided that this kind of year deserved an unprecedented vacation to kind of balance out the bad with the good. We told the kids that as soon as school is out we are going away...to somewhere in Europe...but it was going to be a surprise.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stop-over in Krakow</td></tr>
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We took our time getting there, stopping for three nights along the way. The kids colored a map of the countries we traveled through. I expected that crossing into Denmark would give it away because a few months ago the kids were begging us to take them there for their "dream vacation" which we promptly discredited as too far away and too expensive. (Wink, wink)<br />
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Boy were they surprised when we pulled into Legoland Hotel's parking lot. Watch it <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_EpN0nQZ9g" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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It did turn out to be far away and expensive but a lot of fun too! The kids were the perfect age since the hotel caters to kids. They enjoyed the scavenger hunts around the hotel and the lego building competitions. Abigail and Matthew both won prizes. We were expecting some little mini-lego set but Matthew won two average-sized lego sets and Abigail won the Champion Lego game. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside an "Adventure" room complete with two bins of Legos.</td></tr>
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Included in our accommodations was a two-day pass to Legoland. The rides were the perfect amount of adventure and Elizabeth was just the right size to enjoy all the rides as the big kids. <br />
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We're still making our way home. We spent today walking around Berlin. (Pictures will have to come in a different post.) On our way home we'll stop off in Budapest, Romania, and Mukachevo to see our friends. It's been a great trip! And a much needed one at that.<br />
<br />sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-16950820798597707152014-04-27T11:45:00.000+03:002014-04-27T11:52:15.176+03:00Holding Our Breath<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Four weeks from today, May 25, is the day everyone is waiting for. We hold our breath hoping and praying that the country will make it one more month. In 28 days Ukraine will hold it's post-revolution presidential elections since Yanukovych's corrupt presidency was toppled back in February. This election holds potential for putting the country on a transparent and democratic track. This election "may be the most important election in Ukrainian history" according to Vice President Biden. The 100-plus citizens killed on Maidan paid the highest price so that Ukraine could forge a future free of corruption. This election marks the beginning of that price not being in vain.<br />
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This is the future that Putin does not want to happen. The insurgency in the east is a direct result of his interference. He seems to be lapping at the chance to invade under the guise of a "peace-keeping" mission.<br />
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Next weekend is the first of two major holidays in May. May Day is celebrated on May 1 and 2 and Victory in Europe Day, marking the end of World War II, is celebrated by the Soviet victors on May 9. These holidays are expected to be greeted by an increase in insurgent-provoked violence. Putin's goal is make the eastern and probably southern regions as unstable as possible so that the elections cannot be held there or at least be deemed illegitimate. There is a fear he may even invade in order to accomplish the same goal.<br />
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So, it sounds like life in the capital city of Kyiv would be in turmoil. With all that is going on - historic presidential elections, insurgency, threat of invasion, impending war - you'd think we would be stressed. However, <b>life goes on as normal.</b> School is open. The scenario of a month ago, when the school received daily updates from the US embassy on the safety of holding school and we had evacuation constantly in the back of our mind, is not today's scenario. With three and a half weeks left of school, I actually think we might finish this school year! I don't know why I'm not stressed or alarmed by the news headlines I read. It seems people in the west are more concerned than I am. Maybe the headlines are more sensational to read there. Yes, it's true things in the country are not good, but here in Kyiv everything is calm. I don't think I would be saying that if I lived in the east, but in the center of the country life goes on as normal. <br />
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We just hold our breath and pray "normal" carries on for another month.sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-821527134555950482014-03-31T22:19:00.000+03:002014-04-01T17:53:29.931+03:00Call me CrazyI had 10 hours in the car today to think about how crazy I am. George and I chuckled as we talked about it. Who would have ever imagined I would be driving back to Kyiv with the kids and without George under the threat of a Russian invasion? Yeah, it sounds crazy and even I find it hard to believe.<br />
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George is out of the country for the next 12 days to lead Timothy Leadership Trainings. We both feel it's important he does this. We, likewise, feel it is important that the kids and I are in Kyiv and at school.<br />
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We spent days praying and talking about our options. We sought the advice of other missionaries and US embassy families and took very seriously the concerns of many others.<br />
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How did we come to this decision? Well, 1) school is open and we want to be here. The kids need school and my students need a teacher. 2) The embassy hasn't given any reason to be concerned. Our school's administration gets daily consultations from the US embassy and so far there's no reason to close school. 3) We have an evacuation plan in place and I would do the same thing whether George were here or not. 4) We have a caring community around us so we are not alone.<br />
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Most of all, we both feel at peace! Once the decision was made to return to Kyiv following our spring break in Mukachevo, I no longer fretted or worried about the news reports. Both of us slept well last night. Yes, there is still a very real threat of an invasion. The good news is that for today, at least, the troops seem to have taken a step back from the border. I will continue to be prepared to leave if we need to evacuate, but every day that we can be here and at school is a gift from God. I am glad to be home. I am at peace, although maybe still crazy!<br />
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<br />sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-24076068360600849762014-03-12T17:37:00.001+02:002014-03-12T17:38:59.288+02:00Deja Vu<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWaRY2WaNg_r_9w7MUY-JSy_NKF7pSm4zwsFGpk1NVZ9tFdqKxh_GuU0Q-orqwgCsYSc7uyPaNyU-XJKMzTh_h7DAcSDP423dUDEl7fYz2jkhY_-dOHTapI9oQeIBUB0Kaa8eO0kV9SHTb/s1600/1368224853201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWaRY2WaNg_r_9w7MUY-JSy_NKF7pSm4zwsFGpk1NVZ9tFdqKxh_GuU0Q-orqwgCsYSc7uyPaNyU-XJKMzTh_h7DAcSDP423dUDEl7fYz2jkhY_-dOHTapI9oQeIBUB0Kaa8eO0kV9SHTb/s1600/1368224853201.jpg" height="320" width="233" /></a>It was a dreary morning in central Oregon. My parents huddled around the radio in their bedroom and talked in hushed tones. When I stumbled upon this scene I was gripped with fear. "Are the Russians coming?" I trembled. It was 1984. Despite my young age, I knew the Cold War threats full well. Less than a 1/2 mile down the road my grandparents had a multi-room bomb shelter in the basement of their house. It was stocked with freeze-dried food my dad sold to supplement his living. If there was an attack, we were prepared.<br />
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Fast forward 30 years. I live as a neighbor to the country I feared as I child. Today I sit huddled over the computer and read news reports of an invasion to the south and a growing fear of an even greater attack to the east. I find myself asking again, "Are the Russians coming?"sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-28685603106739872422014-03-01T18:15:00.000+02:002014-03-01T18:18:46.537+02:00WhirlwindEvents are happening SO FAST in Ukraine that I feel we're living in a whirlwind. The <a href="http://www.devuysts.blogspot.com/2014/02/teeter-totter.html" target="_blank">teeter-totter</a> of my previous post has now been caught up in a tornado. If I were to try and list all the events of the past ten days it would take pages. You can read it all in the news - especially now that the West is finally reporting it. What you won't read is how it effects us.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjWq_pb4lhvU0-nLM6xoZrDtyqRY4axfjjBT7sivjY2Zc1CZ0upAXsxgps_TxEvEakGvf0QE-fA7ifG9exQWe7a5K647tTSwnYDGGmfRm0ervUmehZgCGfYcfMKBjmWbZlIu8a0voKpoE/s1600/22+jan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCjWq_pb4lhvU0-nLM6xoZrDtyqRY4axfjjBT7sivjY2Zc1CZ0upAXsxgps_TxEvEakGvf0QE-fA7ifG9exQWe7a5K647tTSwnYDGGmfRm0ervUmehZgCGfYcfMKBjmWbZlIu8a0voKpoE/s1600/22+jan.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fires set to hinder police from shooting. Photo: Ильи Варламова, <a href="http://zyalt.livejournal.com/" target="_blank">zyalt.livejournal.com</a>.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Since late-November, we have become avid readers of Ukrainian news. Hardly an hour went by that we weren't checking the news. During the most violent and troublesome days we never walked away from it. George even had three TV sources running simultaneously. (Not one of them was CNN and if you know George, that means something.) I would often wake up at night and check the news on my cell phone to see if the protest camps had been stormed yet. It was hard to fall into a deep sleep.<br />
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A common goodbye greeting became, "Stay safe."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3a6_zkYrPFSFQbvstd0QTGswU-OjCkXgKgLXK6yP6qPJ5vtyu4pE_YgpFWvU5M_5cnXZiUBfNPEqOuNeryGk2lNtRW04rN56h7ffCf3x7q5v8Q43mkEg1XhC33qGiJ_wqTnsccGI48yOH/s1600/769328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3a6_zkYrPFSFQbvstd0QTGswU-OjCkXgKgLXK6yP6qPJ5vtyu4pE_YgpFWvU5M_5cnXZiUBfNPEqOuNeryGk2lNtRW04rN56h7ffCf3x7q5v8Q43mkEg1XhC33qGiJ_wqTnsccGI48yOH/s1600/769328.jpg" height="263" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Priest mediates as Special Forces take aim. Photo: Segei Supinski/Getty Images</td></tr>
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We were hesitant to plan for the future. I have been wanting to take my 5th graders to the World War II museum in downtown Kyiv, but keep putting it off until "things are calmer." I would like to make plans for our summer vacation, but I can't say with any certainty where we would be departing from. Lesson planning has turned into a dual-scenario plan - one for if the school doors are open and one for if they are closed. All materials need to be scanned so that students can study from their homes or other evacuation locations. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8QiwcLK1raJ79tY9F53mQGDzUl8-cvUDexRUkhs-JyHqC-5iI_a0IX5ldYrI3Z0g5srstr1BrmlgGqLK7tr0Je0QX4owVfOjvNflSwH80hODiqW3gUzVrJTADGep_2LcRxVTLtz1e5jQM/s1600/feb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8QiwcLK1raJ79tY9F53mQGDzUl8-cvUDexRUkhs-JyHqC-5iI_a0IX5ldYrI3Z0g5srstr1BrmlgGqLK7tr0Je0QX4owVfOjvNflSwH80hODiqW3gUzVrJTADGep_2LcRxVTLtz1e5jQM/s1600/feb.jpg" height="201" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shields do little against sniper-fire. Photo: Reuters/Stringer</td></tr>
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We were shocked and appalled to watch on live TV the wounding and killing of nearly 100 unarmed people just a few miles from our home. We shielded the children as much as possible and on Friday evening, when the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/attribution_link?a=UblXrE8wkp0&u=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DcgKo84kHVfg%26feature%3Dshare" target="_blank">funerals began on the TV</a>, we tucked the kids into bed, sat on the couch and wept. <br />
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The spectrum of our emotions felt like they had been garbled in a blender. We cried at the death of so many. We rejoiced at the positive changes in political powers. We laughed at the absurdity of the former-president's statements. We cringed at the opulence of the president's mansion. We hoped for a better future for Ukraine. We feared the wrath of Russia. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchQRRFOyh-NdKVlqvuJ842sR4BvgV0wYthT5AZlqSnOvzVNqBfxHIPDzI9FWe1xK54wxSxpSQocVCYSWwr3R5MdsZWpWrJx7yul5M4de0mimTeO4UEwAMla-6afWgQWpmYvwfiASQHKio/s1600/20+feb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchQRRFOyh-NdKVlqvuJ842sR4BvgV0wYthT5AZlqSnOvzVNqBfxHIPDzI9FWe1xK54wxSxpSQocVCYSWwr3R5MdsZWpWrJx7yul5M4de0mimTeO4UEwAMla-6afWgQWpmYvwfiASQHKio/s1600/20+feb.jpg" height="263" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Independence Square, "The Maidan". Photo: AP Photo | Efrem Lukatsky</td></tr>
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Although we have never felt in imminent danger, there is a constant underlying uncertainty. It is this uncertainty and the subsequential need to stay on top of the developments so that we know if our uncertainty has turned into danger or not, that led us to take a few days in Budapest, Hungary to "depressurize". School was closed February 19-26 with "online" schooling in operation so we visited our friends, Dick and Carolyn Otterness, in Budapest for 3 days. It was a much needed change of environment! <br />
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On our way out of Ukraine we encountered a civilian patrol checking passports before the entrance of the airport. They were checking for corrupt politicians trying to flee the country. In Budapest our plane was checked for explosives by dogs and mirrors. Our airport shuttle-bus got a police escort to the terminal and we had an extra passport control before we could even enter the building. We've flown many times but never had this kind of attention before!<br />
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Now, here we are 10 days after police started shooting at unarmed protestors. The world's attention is on Crimea and Ukraine's provinces to the east. Russia has already invaded the southern peninsula of Crimea and I don't think anyone will stop it. My fear is mostly for the eastern cities of Donetsk and Kharkiv. Will the world watch as Putin invades further into Ukraine? How far will he go?<br />
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I guess we can't unpack that evacuation box after all. The whirlwind is still spinning.<br />
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<br />sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-19616642971033740802014-02-15T11:02:00.000+02:002014-02-15T11:03:16.802+02:00Teeter-Totter<span style="font-size: large;">Surreal. Paradox. Uncertain. These are words that I've heard the past few days to describe what it's like living a political crisis. February 17 seems to be the day that could tip the uneasy balance. But in some sense every day holds just as much potential. Tensions are so high and the stakes are even higher. One Ukrainian told me yesterday, "Whoever loses goes to prison. There's nothing left to lose so I don't see a way out without conflict." All along I've wondered what would be the peaceful resolution. Does such an option exist?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So, what is it like to live as a normal person in Kyiv today? Well, nothing really changes. Our kids arrange sleep-overs. We do Saturday morning chores. George writes a sermon for tomorrow. And then again, life is different. We often check news sources for signs of any change. We keep our car's tanks above half full. We have prepared an evacuation plan and have a box of important documents ready to go. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi347fJy5w19ZLj753j-aqgRhcVU1gAZO6pgRreQr7yrJOwQjyA-vePPmWfVoILdM1AJLZcpqQpX9BcO2BMzeFd-jGpxdJe1R9D1MSuM5Jsclg20VSTYCQAarevyOzsM18oNfBKAfIzsQx4/s1600/evacuation+box.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi347fJy5w19ZLj753j-aqgRhcVU1gAZO6pgRreQr7yrJOwQjyA-vePPmWfVoILdM1AJLZcpqQpX9BcO2BMzeFd-jGpxdJe1R9D1MSuM5Jsclg20VSTYCQAarevyOzsM18oNfBKAfIzsQx4/s1600/evacuation+box.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">At school kids were given a day off (two for high school) so that teachers could prepare "Directed Independent Learning" in the event school has to close. We planned two weeks of such lessons and are supposed to be ready from the first day school closes. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Will the tensions dissolve away? Will conflict start? I have no idea. One moment it looks like one scenario could become a reality. The next moment the other. I'm grateful for the "normalcy" of this present moment, but it is uneasy not knowing what the next hour, day, week, or month may hold. </span><br />
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<br />sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-80792462162633199892014-01-05T22:22:00.001+02:002014-01-05T22:22:57.547+02:00Ukrainian History in the MakingDay 46 of Ukrainian protests. Today I experienced "EuroMaidan" in person. With our friends from Mukachevo, we went downtown and parked at the end of barricaded Kreshchatyk Street. There were a cluster of police questioning a man by the entrance to the first barricade. They drew the presence of additional opposition security forces (young men with wooden sticks). We took a quick picture of the barricade and entered the barricaded area, not wanting to linger too long.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXtE29kO6GCgyQ9kkPyoh-KzFNj1l9OK17Yuvsbj_DbuYPCW1sfslKNZQMJyQaY51WMuBTVyc845qRCsVzstzyywc-5wn6c8zRjc0fZUvwhB0sFBGYSlYOpqskJucJtL2cw4SPFa4qsK0/s1600/Maidan+(62).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCXtE29kO6GCgyQ9kkPyoh-KzFNj1l9OK17Yuvsbj_DbuYPCW1sfslKNZQMJyQaY51WMuBTVyc845qRCsVzstzyywc-5wn6c8zRjc0fZUvwhB0sFBGYSlYOpqskJucJtL2cw4SPFa4qsK0/s400/Maidan+(62).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the first barricade</td></tr>
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Directly inside the barricaded area is a mock tribunal of President Yanukovych.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4eAWNmEtEmw-4wpXy9ok3YDQ4Yt-IcyIkH6kyqzZF74YBJSVDooyBrkHyfR78_lbt2kmdQvgmEQhVfBzjca-asEunEuavFsI_-7LPnVhCyeoGH74e0b0CyEzQL3I6KFeNRk83Ia94HzW/s1600/Maidan+(64).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB4eAWNmEtEmw-4wpXy9ok3YDQ4Yt-IcyIkH6kyqzZF74YBJSVDooyBrkHyfR78_lbt2kmdQvgmEQhVfBzjca-asEunEuavFsI_-7LPnVhCyeoGH74e0b0CyEzQL3I6KFeNRk83Ia94HzW/s400/Maidan+(64).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yanukovych is seated on a golden toilet, which apparently he has one of in his presidential mansion.</td></tr>
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The street is lined with tents put up by people from different regions of Ukraine. We took a picture of the tent from Zakarpatya, our former region of 15 years.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tent from Zakarpatya Region of Ukraine</td></tr>
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There are very interesting people to see, such as Cossacks, and people warming themselves by fires. In fact, the whole center smells of burning wood.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujzI11CrWIJS-C1QU19S9q6BqSdh-pKxmhq0BhTycWq6AnaDMJJstOy_XG169JeFu5GyOoB4ZBkBBTdHPd7dv_TXsHZfiZFgg42-1t0HphupR9acuoW4eyweNtgU7SW4Wgc31QrWQnkAp/s1600/Maidan+(66).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujzI11CrWIJS-C1QU19S9q6BqSdh-pKxmhq0BhTycWq6AnaDMJJstOy_XG169JeFu5GyOoB4ZBkBBTdHPd7dv_TXsHZfiZFgg42-1t0HphupR9acuoW4eyweNtgU7SW4Wgc31QrWQnkAp/s400/Maidan+(66).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And who are those strange people?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the second barricade</td></tr>
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After passing through a second barricade you enter the true "Maidan". Here a stage is set up with a constant flow of speakers and singers. The now famous "Christmas tree" stands in the square. This metal frame was the reason the government gave for the first police raid, stating the city needed the square cleared of the peaceful protestors so it could set up the Christmas tree. Now it's covered with political banners and flags from around the world. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yogi, what are you doing here?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Independence Square now known simply as "Maidan", which is "square" in Ukrainian</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stage</td></tr>
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A prayer tent set up behind the stage. Apparently, every day is started with prayer from the stage and the tent has a constant flow of people who come to pray for Ukraine.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2gz6dEgbCLsAyTlSmxAo58Bq2-E4cRPfvSY9JhvcNrtKSzDsf3agqTbUZMnb8kYsWTEaEXPWMPSavbTAvj9hV8WuNAmMVTBJJ0c9TjGONNx9BmWGRWHc_xYqE3z5INKfpwKkJOZsZjrh/s1600/Maidan+%252878%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2gz6dEgbCLsAyTlSmxAo58Bq2-E4cRPfvSY9JhvcNrtKSzDsf3agqTbUZMnb8kYsWTEaEXPWMPSavbTAvj9hV8WuNAmMVTBJJ0c9TjGONNx9BmWGRWHc_xYqE3z5INKfpwKkJOZsZjrh/s400/Maidan+%252878%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The prayer tent</td></tr>
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There is a wall of kindle labeled with places from which people have come. The kids took a picture beside the piece labeled Mukachevo.<br />
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No one knows what the future holds for Ukraine, but this is certainly a point in time that will go down in Ukrainian history books. And we can say "We were there." <br />
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<br />sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-38109267320182265322013-12-11T14:30:00.001+02:002013-12-11T14:30:08.589+02:00Experiencing a Revolution<span style="font-size: small;">Well, this is certainly a first for me. The last </span>revolution in Ukraine, the Orange Revolution, happened in 2004 while we were in the States on home service. This time around things are different. We are not only in Ukraine but living on the outskirts of Kyiv, the center of all the action. <br />
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Today was the first day that we have been personally effected since the protests started on November 21. Today our school was canceled. <br />
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Events are changing rapidly and we have no idea what can happen. I am impressed, however, at the stamina of the Ukrainian people to face freezing temperatures, snow, threats of reprisal, and brutal police attacks. If ever there was a chance for change in Ukraine, now is it. <br />
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Useful links with information explaining the current events in Ukraine:<br />
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<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/12/09/this-one-map-helps-explain-ukraines-protests/">http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/12/09/this-one-map-helps-explain-ukraines-protests/</a><br />
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LIVE UPDATES: <a href="http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/euromaidan-rallies-in-ukraine-live-updates-333360.html" target="_blank">http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/euromaidan-rallies-in-ukraine-live-updates-333360.html </a><br />
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This video gives a brief synopsis of the reasons behind the protests. <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/world/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-ukrainian-protests/2013/12/05/ca25dd6c-5dbf-11e3-95c2-13623eb2b0e1_video.html" target="_blank">http://www.washingtonpost.com/posttv/world/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-ukrainian-protests/2013/12/05/ca25dd6c-5dbf-11e3-95c2-13623eb2b0e1_video.html </a><br />
<br />sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-64894113840484370682013-12-01T11:33:00.000+02:002013-12-01T11:33:33.983+02:00New NormalIt has been an adjustment. Moving to Kiev not only landed us in a new city, a new school, and a new ministry, but a new family dynamic as well. For the first time since getting married, I am working full-time outside the home - more like 55-60 hours a week to be more accurate. Our role descriptions have shifted to accommodate the changes. George does all the grocery shopping and helps the kids with homework. The kids and I eat our main meal at school by paying for a hot Ukrainian lunch. I cook something for George which lasts him 2-3 days and in the evening our supper consists of sandwiches, hot dogs, cream of wheat, etc. The kids' chores have increased and they are doing a great job contributing to the family with their hard work.<br />
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I LOVE teaching and really enjoy my students. We just finished up a month long study of World War I which not only I enjoyed, but the students as well. We made <a href="http://www.homeschoolshare.com/lapbooking_resources.php" target="_blank">lapbooks </a>and we all learned a lot.<br />
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We have had very little time for sightseeing but this weekend our good friends from Budapest visited so we took them to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiev_Pechersk_Lavra" target="_blank">Pechersk Lavra</a> and thoroughly enjoyed walking through the catacombs and the exhibits (especially the miniature museum and Ukrainian folk museum). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kiev from the Lavra</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bell Tower at night</td></tr>
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I have enjoyed watching the sunrise over the city from our advantage point on the outskirts of town. Sometimes this makes getting up early worth its while! <br />
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<br />sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-18307291147140442962013-09-15T12:44:00.001+03:002013-09-15T12:44:40.016+03:00Celebrating 6 Years<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Unlike most people, September 11 has a good connotation for us. Six years ago, our Elizabeth Anne was born! George put it so well on Facebook, "<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">6
years ago today 9/11 changed our lives forever as our incredible little
girl, Elizabeth, was born. We have been incredibly blessed by her
energetic embracing of life, of her love of mischief and her
heart-melting smile. She has brought immeasurable joy to our life and
we celebrate her today! We love you Elizabeth!!!"</span><br />
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">On the day itself, Elizabeth was able to bring donuts into her classroom. George spent a couple hours the night before searching for a place that sells donuts. He found one, finally, under the ground in a metro passageway. What a special treat! That afternoon she also got to open her presents from family. She got what she really wanted - thanks to help from our friends - a Journey Girl doll!</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Present topper</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can't wait to open presents</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3jiY8ev72S6ZfCy4Ij1wX9RMbHZ9uujLNpLCL3biz2OsF8cZglXNW5D4kQNYeGkyZl8eePqBFgeb0ZFedTLxIFDM5phs8BLb8TpM5LgsPUA1cDW82VDSkc486nWUEANLiXCI41Gj3BOM/s1600/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3jiY8ev72S6ZfCy4Ij1wX9RMbHZ9uujLNpLCL3biz2OsF8cZglXNW5D4kQNYeGkyZl8eePqBFgeb0ZFedTLxIFDM5phs8BLb8TpM5LgsPUA1cDW82VDSkc486nWUEANLiXCI41Gj3BOM/s400/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day05.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Journey Girl doll, Meredith</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"></span><br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">The party was on Saturday. We invited her 5 classmates and our good friends, Sveta, Denis, and their daughter Erika. Three of her classmates were able to come (one ended up on the other side of town). See if you can guess the theme. We played "Pin the Ponytail on Barbie", "Barbie Shoe Drop," "Barbie Scavenger Hunt," and "Dress-up Relay." </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0FINRt-46jW10j6yuzsQs7qYgwNFbxSvSiI3X3wi-sjcRQxe_xrHgtnXMW_kq630FCi7sRAE-9py2wB9QavX7QlNE7csahQGq6rbYs7EM58c4zWR2Eju-9vozdsOgCCOSMLScfzJ9e61/s1600/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day06.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy0FINRt-46jW10j6yuzsQs7qYgwNFbxSvSiI3X3wi-sjcRQxe_xrHgtnXMW_kq630FCi7sRAE-9py2wB9QavX7QlNE7csahQGq6rbYs7EM58c4zWR2Eju-9vozdsOgCCOSMLScfzJ9e61/s400/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day06.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mia</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgr_Lqjw2x3VLNdxDPjXjQQ8E9vPVDZgZBxu0apGIa0INu8qA60EUsEvFtokB5qE4tP5vEQA55izOK5_e8eBpeNcBQxFlxrVJ9ZJdMfFLB3aIGsPSSkLKOqr0NCVXn17un1H1hOUfVAs9/s1600/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day08.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibgr_Lqjw2x3VLNdxDPjXjQQ8E9vPVDZgZBxu0apGIa0INu8qA60EUsEvFtokB5qE4tP5vEQA55izOK5_e8eBpeNcBQxFlxrVJ9ZJdMfFLB3aIGsPSSkLKOqr0NCVXn17un1H1hOUfVAs9/s400/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day08.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pin the Tail on Barbie</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gZ8xe3z05i4kFgtpJLpaRrqYvOUg0uc4sQSWAu6qP8SdltfAk1QTm1NymJZ4iNGwKBAqFftELAcdzE8ykqtrIrsq0QBrfiT4N1Q7Ca2kCvNpTduSfsdNtEaPxN89AVfCEYzC731c_aRQ/s1600/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day09.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-gZ8xe3z05i4kFgtpJLpaRrqYvOUg0uc4sQSWAu6qP8SdltfAk1QTm1NymJZ4iNGwKBAqFftELAcdzE8ykqtrIrsq0QBrfiT4N1Q7Ca2kCvNpTduSfsdNtEaPxN89AVfCEYzC731c_aRQ/s400/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day09.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scavenger Hunt</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpnE_0Lw0rUKNRZuaR04nonGPKpSsM_00m-CBFgSlQ7Cx7Dp5dPEwBiwj42E1ERdZ7xHUpyqr6gVFZtRwyBy56cRvwbJ8HrCKUNs4QAMOCVej5W_yl3uE7brJuH_UIPC-6vzAckDPlR5W/s1600/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpnE_0Lw0rUKNRZuaR04nonGPKpSsM_00m-CBFgSlQ7Cx7Dp5dPEwBiwj42E1ERdZ7xHUpyqr6gVFZtRwyBy56cRvwbJ8HrCKUNs4QAMOCVej5W_yl3uE7brJuH_UIPC-6vzAckDPlR5W/s400/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day10.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dress-up Relay girls</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWG9aTaMArUThyi_8ICs85B6g0OuKAv-FnGPZsoPxHs6Jg7YQU2RRUQnRqtqoIgdiHv4zkVqC8kST45L9eMOlvWwdrgctUrA2bf2EnjWwH9d9XJyGUCcNxd7d5b078ifi_zP_zHWER9MEe/s1600/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day11.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWG9aTaMArUThyi_8ICs85B6g0OuKAv-FnGPZsoPxHs6Jg7YQU2RRUQnRqtqoIgdiHv4zkVqC8kST45L9eMOlvWwdrgctUrA2bf2EnjWwH9d9XJyGUCcNxd7d5b078ifi_zP_zHWER9MEe/s400/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day11.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Classmates</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-SONAjrl0dNep58t-_wobXNZt8HqhDjVa9CMYkqA09AnL_j-klTcK7ZVJJhP6MTeyNc61Kc2J8hwxnkbIWDY2c8O-LosnrcSWBTuqGD2uqJZj9pnt7Bu7tI_wuZwjMWC7HvaoFrJeCFJ/s1600/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-SONAjrl0dNep58t-_wobXNZt8HqhDjVa9CMYkqA09AnL_j-klTcK7ZVJJhP6MTeyNc61Kc2J8hwxnkbIWDY2c8O-LosnrcSWBTuqGD2uqJZj9pnt7Bu7tI_wuZwjMWC7HvaoFrJeCFJ/s400/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day12.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reading the card</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxh39N9omkVVSgTiHcp2hym1o30k2zMEUHYyIJbvHIpMrCYodj0c7OqJOmSxdeGXrCWlROs4_zASCoK-S5lM4vEZJA7mTV-FEs4Bb7A8VWwmTDf7SqkNHuZXwexPwPF9NyxK6G-o07JIh8/s1600/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day13.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxh39N9omkVVSgTiHcp2hym1o30k2zMEUHYyIJbvHIpMrCYodj0c7OqJOmSxdeGXrCWlROs4_zASCoK-S5lM4vEZJA7mTV-FEs4Bb7A8VWwmTDf7SqkNHuZXwexPwPF9NyxK6G-o07JIh8/s400/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day13.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Giggles</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbu7aVdkjfbHvpb-s10XfRzUdq4UtQlE3mdq4h-RtWUP5rspDoImd39bQky4bBnGvXC3qrLiXz3zhvrHhLg0xyUoaeMW2qIORl0ZBjmjr7DpGP7qlzBWwb6S1dUbsmBPAnyW6a1h9SL3Gw/s1600/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day14.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbu7aVdkjfbHvpb-s10XfRzUdq4UtQlE3mdq4h-RtWUP5rspDoImd39bQky4bBnGvXC3qrLiXz3zhvrHhLg0xyUoaeMW2qIORl0ZBjmjr7DpGP7qlzBWwb6S1dUbsmBPAnyW6a1h9SL3Gw/s400/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day14.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah, a barbie doll!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwuedX2RiAV29kPoTcnET4EpwabfYdYrqlzWpXzFcWakdFtXuV03aiRFw7vsZmgGIeGUAYyNorKhaeX43IOsgWxEjf-8_MOZeMKNTeYPAdDZqHbK_rvI_4-OenBceDMUNwy4iUnx_MPP1e/s1600/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day15.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwuedX2RiAV29kPoTcnET4EpwabfYdYrqlzWpXzFcWakdFtXuV03aiRFw7vsZmgGIeGUAYyNorKhaeX43IOsgWxEjf-8_MOZeMKNTeYPAdDZqHbK_rvI_4-OenBceDMUNwy4iUnx_MPP1e/s400/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day15.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Presents are the best part</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><br /></span>
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"></span><br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">George was able to find someone to make a Barbie cake. (Thank you, Sveta, for the reference.) </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1pm4-s-tgdqEtfqn8eZz32OSNPm5AwX2Tgg9y7Ie-eOwtpAHOLb4Zr6JMuWhBTx0tF5DcmqMibKSZV_WZYUwnDP9WqsJqIVgz7PWTjKF9Xe69JFNICVK0KpqXBZs1lbBMQ_Z9Qq2-TLe/s1600/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day04.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjq1pm4-s-tgdqEtfqn8eZz32OSNPm5AwX2Tgg9y7Ie-eOwtpAHOLb4Zr6JMuWhBTx0tF5DcmqMibKSZV_WZYUwnDP9WqsJqIVgz7PWTjKF9Xe69JFNICVK0KpqXBZs1lbBMQ_Z9Qq2-TLe/s400/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day04.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOSg9X-0TXb86qA2sjvMu0PLl3vJVyacrDum6h3uFpL0DKJt-VIcLlrgQ1JFkm_38UF6KjA_YCuWYnlWU1l99y8U3FMzK9yJmF6dObi70lZCHVTXg-yne9F0usqr-nzft9NTUSkqAM1J6-/s1600/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOSg9X-0TXb86qA2sjvMu0PLl3vJVyacrDum6h3uFpL0DKJt-VIcLlrgQ1JFkm_38UF6KjA_YCuWYnlWU1l99y8U3FMzK9yJmF6dObi70lZCHVTXg-yne9F0usqr-nzft9NTUSkqAM1J6-/s400/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day16.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It wouldn't be a Ukrainian birthday without a firework candle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysukSdV27DljuNTTrTbh_tv6Qa4ysGkQHW6owr9dHAOSM67nyqRmgtzXo2JY4STiYFA2EZFjmXbHiYSQ9mQrpN3WMudb3GRJ7x_ehyphenhyphenEGsUhGHHkHhAUCQvSvdwDtBcgxdEDbQidCq7Z3Q/s1600/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day19.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjysukSdV27DljuNTTrTbh_tv6Qa4ysGkQHW6owr9dHAOSM67nyqRmgtzXo2JY4STiYFA2EZFjmXbHiYSQ9mQrpN3WMudb3GRJ7x_ehyphenhyphenEGsUhGHHkHhAUCQvSvdwDtBcgxdEDbQidCq7Z3Q/s400/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day19.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for cake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSg0k1zRKKcMQTbYubM7lusarfcA79lak4SNxBljidAHzoFqFt8kWjlI6fgV-fbBZi-O6F0k8BXhhRdW6SEh0cZhU2nCPx6ljkJLF46PDsH6YNk06fd1RlP8xW-z9kpm7Ev9sBvzKyhF5/s1600/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day18.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsSg0k1zRKKcMQTbYubM7lusarfcA79lak4SNxBljidAHzoFqFt8kWjlI6fgV-fbBZi-O6F0k8BXhhRdW6SEh0cZhU2nCPx6ljkJLF46PDsH6YNk06fd1RlP8xW-z9kpm7Ev9sBvzKyhF5/s400/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day18.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sveta and Erika</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><br /></span>
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">It was a fun day of celebration! Happy birthday, Elizabeth!</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRprQgX2dCz4L5inr7kF_WE_xWzRlyWNTMyIIY9rwfhovNADy1OoCuRX2LS7Yh_qPbZLSVanYiOW4jBtAF7MAKziNfT7YvA6pBReNN5INa_xP6x9LK1Ft1LJ7J8nR7rJwjLpOurippo9jo/s1600/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day07.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRprQgX2dCz4L5inr7kF_WE_xWzRlyWNTMyIIY9rwfhovNADy1OoCuRX2LS7Yh_qPbZLSVanYiOW4jBtAF7MAKziNfT7YvA6pBReNN5INa_xP6x9LK1Ft1LJ7J8nR7rJwjLpOurippo9jo/s400/Elizabeth%2527s+6th+b-day07.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The birthday girl</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><br /></span>
<br />
<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"> </span>sdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06062744866035026415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3849215779761504098.post-35870902591711904542013-08-22T17:13:00.001+03:002013-08-22T17:13:37.879+03:00First Day of SchoolBoy am I tired! Today was our first day of school at Kiev Christian Academy. Everything was ready for my first day of teaching, and then last night at 9:30pm I realized I hadn't organized the supplies our kids needed to bring to school. Backpacks were still filled with toys from the airplane and they were all sleeping soundly in their beds. So much for being organized! I forgot to organize anything for my own kids!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHH-y3xc4z6l4ydIC78ZPp75Z9hSG6BHGdzUtobVptmQxQisVb_kf2OA8uZzcx7OLu1sKTIn6kXwLBitXMNgkRB7CevVhgPWP7KJkFzYFsxhBVqKh9dKrB5ZKeKubPb71XYP8iwz65PiY/s1600/KCA+first+day+(6).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHH-y3xc4z6l4ydIC78ZPp75Z9hSG6BHGdzUtobVptmQxQisVb_kf2OA8uZzcx7OLu1sKTIn6kXwLBitXMNgkRB7CevVhgPWP7KJkFzYFsxhBVqKh9dKrB5ZKeKubPb71XYP8iwz65PiY/s400/KCA+first+day+(6).JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for the first day of school</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The day started out early. We caught a ride with another teacher at 7:20am and we got there just about 8:00am. Kids can come into the rooms at 8:20. I didn't forget to take attendance and send it to the office. I was worried I would so I wrote it on my plan for today. Check! We had chapel right away and then the rest of the day we got to know each other, played some math games to refresh their addition, subtraction, and multiplication, and took a spelling assessment, etc. We went over some classroom procedures and jobs. I had lots of questions surrounding the lunch time routine. Since most of the students have been there longer than me, they were my wealth of information. 5th grader serve as the lunch monitors and are responsible for bringing all the lunches that need to be warmed up from the elementary classrooms to the cafeteria. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4I8v8p_nKORobPKa3Zg00Lc0CNnMuYZmfBCssZNosbCB4W2tEDuf3uFuSZz7YoVjNc5plhNdxLpBc7HY7K7CmrsODM2QArBPT_IOFA1WAVERpS65rwnm_T0G8SI8mJc0VjLmp-efwgYcz/s1600/KCA+first+day+%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4I8v8p_nKORobPKa3Zg00Lc0CNnMuYZmfBCssZNosbCB4W2tEDuf3uFuSZz7YoVjNc5plhNdxLpBc7HY7K7CmrsODM2QArBPT_IOFA1WAVERpS65rwnm_T0G8SI8mJc0VjLmp-efwgYcz/s400/KCA+first+day+%25289%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snack time</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The "bars" at school</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The soccer field at recess</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Math games</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reviewing mathematical functions</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNpSU9OUsDduHTS90U_TOiHa-s834O3vQlQx9zWlCLYNDEi2wpg8_6S0ruNaPboeF-1qoR1E4A3cZ30XPg3PKR8PFHsWXAjnmTGzk0LDmjOjuogjQFOyr9e8k-s9sTC4loYBaEZ42r6Te/s1600/KCA+first+day+%252824%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBNpSU9OUsDduHTS90U_TOiHa-s834O3vQlQx9zWlCLYNDEi2wpg8_6S0ruNaPboeF-1qoR1E4A3cZ30XPg3PKR8PFHsWXAjnmTGzk0LDmjOjuogjQFOyr9e8k-s9sTC4loYBaEZ42r6Te/s400/KCA+first+day+%252824%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding their names to the board in preparation for our class photo</td></tr>
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I have a GREAT group of students - 11 in all. I am really looking forward to the year ahead. Today was a great start to the year, exhausting, but that's probably not going to change.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWMUI_dRiqmP7S5MKzI85988IEvsTQOfkHiXdLLBC6VjbLia8hGmUJNv6DU2CTyKr1DYyiJ-0Tj_07zD5otyMf7bZ4ErVdg3_z1jktKj1qoS4ySpFRGsRQZz32UR57-l3_r7GQhb1RWXE/s1600/KCA+first+day+%252834%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnWMUI_dRiqmP7S5MKzI85988IEvsTQOfkHiXdLLBC6VjbLia8hGmUJNv6DU2CTyKr1DYyiJ-0Tj_07zD5otyMf7bZ4ErVdg3_z1jktKj1qoS4ySpFRGsRQZz32UR57-l3_r7GQhb1RWXE/s400/KCA+first+day+%252834%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5th grade class</td></tr>
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