Hello again!

Hello everyone! I am returning from an extended "absence" of posting on our blogs. I can't believe how much time has passed since I was able to sit down and share pics and stories of what God is doing here and in our lives as a family. Many changes and many blessings along the way. I look forward to getting more into blogging again as we move forward.

I am going to be making this blog private soon, as in, by invitation only. So, if you follow this blog now and have not already sent me your e-mail address, please feel free to e-mail me and let me know you would like to continue to follow this blog. I look forward to sharing more about my family with those of you who will continue to be a part of this blog's followers.

For now, I would like to ask you to please consider signing up for EBates, a site that offers cash back on online purchases. Now you can even earn cash back in stores when you register a card with EBates. I am using the money I earn from referring people to EBates to send to our daughter who is in the US studying at Bible college. You can choose to whom you want the rebate checks to go to. So, at this point they are offering $20 for every person I refer to their site. Please help by signing up yourself. You can even install an EBates button so that you never miss a deal when you shop online again.

https://www.ebates.com/r/DANDDS11?eeid=28187

Please leave a comment if you have any questions. Have a great day!

Comfort to a Mother's Heart

I have to share a tremendous blessing with you. I won't take you back to share the entire story of the birth of our stillborn son, Timothy Michael, on December 11th, 1998, but I do want to go back to a memory of our last furlough, 2013-2014. We were finally going to be driving somewhat of a different route in order to allow our daughter to see different Bible colleges. Taking the route we did allowed us to travel through Oklahoma and show our children many places which are very special to my husband and me. One of the most important places for our entire family was the Rose Hill Cemetery in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma for it is there that we buried our first son almost eighteen years ago. It was hard to believe that we had not been in Oklahoma since 1998. We left for the field in 1999 and since we had no supporting churches in the state, we traveled further north during furloughs from that time. That meant that since burying our son there, we had not been back to even see his grave site once.

So, understanding that, due to the fog we were in emotionally during our son's funeral. We went to main office first in order to request a map of  "Baby Land", the area set apart with a sidewalk in the shape of a heart, especially for families to bury their precious little ones. There they gave us a handout with the plot number and position of Timothy's burial plot. 

As we made our way to Baby Land and located where the plot should be based on the map, we were not able to exactly locate where Timothy was buried. I thought that they at least marked the gravesites with small numbered blocks to show where each grave was located. But, there was nothing in the area of his grave. All of  a sudden tears began to well up in my eyes and I was trying so hard to not let them fall down my cheeks so that the kids wouldn't see me crying. It was already a somber occasion for our family. Now, I couldn't exactly show them where their brother was buried. As we stood there for a bit, all holding back tears, we took a photo of the Baby Land marker like the one pictured above except with the kids standing on each side of it and that was all we could do more. We wanted to somehow document our time there. We all got in the car to make the short drive to our next stop, the hospital where my husband had worked during his college days and our early married days. As he took our oldest son to meet some of the guys he worked with, I wasn't feeling like talking much so I took the other two kids to a Starbucks on the campus of the hospital and we ordered a fun drink to sort of cheer everyone up a little. 

It was a rough day for me. My heart ached for not being able to somehow purchase a grave marker for our son. Our life had taken us away from that area and I had no idea how I could make this all happen over a long distance. 

We returned to the field and my heart still ached over our visit that day to the cemetery.  Then I started thinking about the friends we visited during our time there in Oklahoma. What if one of them, like the dear lady who was the only person other than my husband and the funeral home representative there with me on that day when we buried our first born son, could help me?

I contacted her through Facebook and asked her if she thought she might be able to go in and talk to the ladies in the office about setting up payments to order a grave marker for Timothy's grave. I knew exactly what design I had wanted all this time so I asked her to check with them to see if they could etch what I wanted on the marker. 

She wrote me back and told me the payment plan had been initiated and that a lady from the cemetery would be contacting me via e-mail. I was SO excited!
Long story short, I had two ladies who ended up dealing with our account, both of which were super sweet and patient while we discussed the details of the marker design. 

Here is the result:

The lady who helped me last even took photos for me to see the marker up close and in relation to Baby Land area.

Timothy's marker is to the right of the one with the vase along the inside of the sidewalk (in the left "hump" of the heart).

I can't tell you what this means to me and our family. What a relief it was to know this was taken care of and to have it done exactly as I had wanted. I am so thankful for dear friends and kind people who understand the importance of such a need. I pray God's blessings on them for providing comfort to a mother's heart from across the globe.

Teaching Textbooks Giveaway!

A friend of mine shared this giveaway on Facebook and I was so excited to enter to win a free year's Math Curriculum from Teaching Textbooks. I was planning on switching to TT this next fall for our oldest son to start Algebra 1. I am really curious as to how he does using this new curriculum that I have been looking into for some time now.
If you already use Teaching Textbooks, comment below and let me know how you like it! I look forward to hearing from you!

Use this link to enter!
http://homeschoolgiveaways.com/giveaways/teaching-textbooks-giveaway/?lucky=27291

November Family News

We had a big job to tackle as a family this month. Since we tore down an existing building which housed our stove/heating system and an old barn we used for storage and as a winter area for goats later in the summer than we had hoped to, it took us longer to build the new structure than we had planned. In October we were finally able to get the roof on with the help for a few days of some other missionary men from the area. But, the walls and ceilings still needed to be closed in and sealed up before the winter weather came our way. This winter weather came to us much quicker than usual with temps in the first week of November already reaching -16 to -20 Celsius and temps forecasted to reach -30 Celsius by the middle of November. 

There were several days when the entire family worked to get the walls up and the insulation in place so that the heating system could be connected and the pellet stove could be used to heat our home. We use an electric system when the temperatures are more mild but the pellet stove was already needed this year with the colder temps. 

Then, as the temperatures dropped more, David, our oldest son, and myself were the ones who spent the final hours connecting the stove and installing the chimney.

One day, after working outside until mid-afternoon, the kids and I enjoyed a trip to the city with Dad. He treated us to dinner and a new dessert treat called "Bubble Waffle"! You choose a chocolate, vanilla, or "classic" waffle with 'bubbles', filling for inside the 'bubbles', choose ice cream or whipped cream inside the waffle, a fruit or chocolate topping, and finally sprinkles or no sprinkles. :) It is definitely large enough to share!

We so enjoyed this Thanksgiving at home with our family. 

We were even able to buy our first whole turkey.

This year's holidays are extra special for our family as this is the last time for a while that our daughter will be able to be home with us for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Because of that, we are trying to "spoil" her a little more while we have a chance. So, that meant that she got her wish of goose meat for Thanksgiving. She was happy! 

Our family minus Dad taking the photo.

October Family News - 2015

I am hoping to start a new thing here on my personal blog where I share family news highlights to give everyone a better idea what is happening specifically with our family. Also, with our daughter leaving for college next summer, this will be a good way to record our memories of her last school year. 

So, we oddly begin in the month of October. October was a busy month. There were quite a few activities major events that I was really ready to have checked off the "to do" list. 

First up was the MK (missionary kid) Harvest Party. One of the other missionary ladies and myself have planned and hosted this every year for the past five years. 

It has become quite the event with lots of decorating and hours of preparation but, it is really worth it to see how much everyone enjoys the fun. We just get a bit anxious about how we are going to pull off all of our big ideas! I will post some more about that when I get all the photos from the other ladies who took them. 

Dessert table at the Harvest Party

A more important date on the calendar was for a dentist appointment with an orthodontist and possibly the oral surgeon to discuss whether or not our daughter needed her wisdom teeth extracted.I have to admit I was a bit nervous for her to have this "operation" done here in Russia. We have great private dentists who are very professional. Every now and then you can find a not so good dentist but we found a great clinic with wonderful staff.  Although Beka was even ready to have them removed, the orthodontist felt that they are not pushing on her other teeth nor hindering her in any way. So, it was decided that she would not have them removed. Beka was disappointed, believe it or not. She feels that they are bothering her and are the cause of her headaches and ear pain. As we were leaving the dentist's office I started remembering how they are here about removing tonsils. They do not like to remove them and hardly ever deem it "medically necessary". So, maybe removal of wisdom teeth is also considered unnecessary. Guess we will wait this one out and see!

The other big "event" this month was the tragic death of my laptop. This wonderful piece of equipment has served our family well through two furloughs and years on the field. Our home church helped us with the purchase of this laptop years ago. 

It became mine after my husband purchased a newer one back on our last furlough when we found some great "Black Friday" online deals. We knew this laptop was probably near death and wanted to replace it while we were stateside. So, we gave my laptop to the service guys who we trust to fix our electronics. They had it for weeks! Even through the Harvest Party when I had lots of planning and e-mailing to do, I was without my "right hand"! My laptop has most of the photos, e-mail addresses, and other information that I use every day in correspondence and ministry. I felt lost. Worst concern of mine was photographs. Would I lose all of our photographs from the last five years? So, for Beka's first dentist appointment back in September, my husband dropped us ladies off while he drove to check on the laptop. Still no news. Weeks more passed.
Finally, when we were in town for the orthodontist appointment we stopped by the repair shop again.They gave us our laptop back, not repaired. Turns out they were waiting so long to see if they could find the part that was needed but since it is so old, they were not able to find it. Sad day. But, the great news is that my husband can take out the hard drive and recover all of my information and photographs! Yeah! That was a big relief to me.
So, the bright side is...I have now almost made it to another Black Friday! We shall see what deals we can find this year. I am praying God provides a laptop asap. And, yes, there are now actually a few stores here in Russia that have special sales for Black Friday. So, I hope I can share really good news in November's update.

Thanks for reading!

Ten Things I Wish People Knew About Siberia - Blog Hop!

Hello! Welcome to my blog and thanks for stopping by. I am really excited to be a part of this fun BMW blog hop. I love any opportunity to give my readers a better understanding of our mission field of Siberia. So, here we go! Here is my list of ten things I wish people knew about Siberia.

1. Siberia is not just a vast, empty tundra but a region with major city populations in the millions.

When we first started sharing that God was calling us to Siberia, friends joked about whether or not people actually inhabited Siberia.

Krasnoyarsk at night showing that the city is located on two banks of the Yenisey River.

2. We do not live in an igloo or drive a dogsled.

No really. People have asked this question. We do know people here in our village who raise Huskies and, for a price, will let you pose with a couple of the dogs and a sled while a photographer takes your picture!

3. Russian people are very superstitious.

This is one point that I was clueless about when we came to Russia. These superstitions intertwine with their daily lives sometimes so closely that they affect people spiritually (how they believe about God/death) and physically (health/medical knowledge). The first superstition I found out about the hard way was regarding the purchase of fresh flowers. I was planning a Ladies' meeting at the church we worked in while we were studying the language. I stopped by a florist kiosk to buy some flowers to give to each of the ladies who attended. I asked for twelve flowers. The lady quickly asked me who died. I knew I understood what she said but had no idea what would make her ask me such a question. Then she explained to me that you only buy an even number of flowers for someone who passed away. If the person is living, you purchase an odd number of flowers. It didn't matter to her that I was planning on giving ONE flower to each lady.  Here is a great article with a list of the many common superstitions observed in Russia. We have dealt with most of these.

4. People from Siberia do not all look like Eskimos.

It is often thought that we are working to reach Eskimo people. Russia is much like America in that it is a melting pot of more than 190 ethnic groups (Census 2010).

5. Although living in a house in Siberia requires much more work to heat and just live year round than it does to live in an apartment, the benefit of living more "like the natives" is extremely helpful in building relationships and in reaching people for Christ. 

It is much easier to get to know your neighbors in a village where you often must rely on one another for help in extreme situations. In an apartment, everyone lives behind steel doors with numerous locks on them and are very reluctant to open their doors to others.

Kids dumping stove ashes after they have cooled.

Installing a chimney for a coal burning stove

From providing medical needs, to helping pull a car out of a ditch, to visiting the elderly, to help them bring in coal and wood for their stove, to providing transport to local hospitals, using our car to carry flowers and loved ones to and from funerals and even helping fire trucks find where the fire is in our village; we count it a privilege to be able to help others, and in doing so, show them the love of Christ.

Beka with her Russian grandma that she has visited every morning for years to help her in any way she can.

Medical help in the village.

6. Russia is not a Communist country. 

I know this may sound strange for some of you to read. However, seriously, Communism is dead. We are asked some pretty interesting questions from people who think it is still a Communist country. There are those few who still claim to be Communistic in their beliefs of government and ideals and a few teenage/young people who consider wearing clothing/symbols from the past "fashionable" but that is about as far as they take it. Modern Russia is just too nice to return to those days. 

7. Russian people are very friendly and hospitable. 

How the economy and even atmosphere of the country differs from the time we arrived (November 1999) until now is incredible. But, one thing is for sure. then and now, we were and are received into homes with open arms. We love Russian hospitality! Even though times were different back in '99, when you entered a home you were treated like royalty. All of their best dishes, silverware, and foods are presented to you. Thankfully, our hosts even understand when we tell them we do not drink alcoholic beverages because they are present on every holiday table.

This is a typical table ready for a New Year's celebration.

8.  We have four seasons in Siberia.

Most people think that we have snow on the ground year round but that is not true at all. We have long winters with temperatures (one winter in all the time we have been here) that have broken records as they dipped down into -50 Celsius (-58 F) for a few days. Otherwise, we have -20s and -30s Celsius (-4 to -22 F) for winter temps possible during the months of November-March. But, as this photo collection shows, life does not stop when the temperatures drop. 

Spring is short and muddy helping everyone to wish for warmer, sunny days just so the mud will dry up!

Summer comes to us during the months of June, July, and August with temperatures reaching as high as +38 Celsius (100 F). That is why Russians love flowers! They help us celebrate those short summer months that come and go so quickly!

Stolby National Park

Fall is usually short and muddy like spring. Although, some years, we actually have time to watch the leaves change and enjoy them before the strong winter winds start blowing in (October) and they all go away for a long while.

9.  Polar bears are in cages at the zoo. But, brown bears do come out to play from time to time.

While we have heard more Russians asking us if Americans really think that bears roam the streets of Russia than Americans actually asking about them, you do hear the stories every year of bears coming into villages or crashing picnics and overnight camping trips.

This is Felix at our zoo here in Krasnoyarsk.

Thankfully, this is just a stock photo.

Not so fun fact: We had a really dry season a few years ago and there were even more bears coming out of the deep woods to find food. But, thankfully, the woods behind our house were safe. 

10. Seventy plus years without the Bible has taken it's toll on Russian society's understanding of God and His Word. 

Many  are surprised as we explain to them that simply walking up to a person on a street here and opening the Bible to share the Roman's Road with them is not effective. Let me explain.  Although a very religious people, the Bible for many here is not properly understood to be God's Holy Word. It has no authority. It's simply a book like many other religious works that sit on their bookshelves. As we begin to witness to people, some have even been shocked to hear that we read the Bible daily. They might have heard bits and pieces of Bible stories like Isaac's willingness to sacrifice his son but, because they have not read the entire story, to them they are frightening stories. As a result, much time must be spent teaching from the Bible and explaining God's plan of salvation before we see any fruit of our labor. Often we must start with Adam and Eve and work our way through so that they see and understand Christ's finished work on the cross, once and for all.

Thank you for stopping by to take a closer look at the mission field of Siberia. I pray this post has answered some of your questions and helped you see Siberia as we are able to see it. 

Now let's continue on our journey around the globe to see what Jen in Australia would like for you to know about her field....

A '12th Man' birthday party!

 Months before September 25th (his birth date), Timothy had decided that his 12th birthday needed to be a Seattle Seahawks '12th Man' party (if you don't know about the 12th Man, ask Google). He is definitely one child in our family who plans out his special days from beginning to end, or better yet, from breakfast to dinner!
He knows what he would like his cake to look like and he has a menu plan for all three meals. This year, we had such a big breakfast that no one needed lunch. So, we enjoyed two meals of his choosing. The peanut butter and jelly sandwiches will just have to wait to make another day more special!

Breakfast Menu: Pancakes with eggs and bacon

Dinner Menu: Pulled pork sandwiches

Cake Order: A peanut butter Seahawks football jersey cake.

Can you tell he loves Legos?!

The next Sunday, immediately following the teen service, we held a party for Timothy and his friends. This time I took the easy way out and made some cupcakes. My SS kids love them anyway! With the leftover icing from the cake, we were able to swirl the frosting and make some cool cupcakes in Seahawks colors!

Love these kids!

We were excited to find these "Little Smokies" which were newly available here, just in time for Timothy's football party! Perfect party food!

We also enjoyed tortilla wraps with ham and cheese.

 One other fun thing for the kids were the blue icecubes in the Mt. Dew. The kids loved them. We don't drink Mt. Dew but when it coordinates with your theme...it just works.

It was a wonderful day for everyone. Timothy was so happy that most of his friends were able to be here with him to celebrate his special day.

We ended the day with Timothy closing devotions in prayer.

We love our "12th Man"!