Surprise!!!

The next big event on our summer calendar was celebrating my 40th (August 13th) and David's 42nd (August 15th) birthday. Usually, we go out on a date on the 14th to fit it in the middle and in order to prevent having to buy (and eat) two cakes! This year we had a wonderful surprise that we had never before experienced on our birthdays since we have been on the field (which I will share later in the post). As the calendar would dictate, my birthday fell on a Monday and David's was on a Wednesday. We were so looking forward to our date anyway and then because of something I saw at the mall the week before we were even more excited. The week prior to our date night I had met up with some of the ladies in the city for a brief shopping trip and as we were walking into one of the largest shopping malls here we saw this...

TGIFRIDAYS IS HERE IN SIBERIA!!!

I couldn't believe my eyes! We had visited one in Moscow but to have one all the way over here was so awesome.

So, we really looked forward to eating out and trying some barbecue ribs for the first time in, well, a very long time. The food was super yummy as we had hoped it would be and we returned home to celebrate with our wonderful kids.

On Mom's birthday, we buy a cake! Why not?!

My Love and I. (Please ignore the still unfinished house.)

The next day being Wednesday we prepared for our mid-week service as usual. I felt bad that we had nothing planned special for David after the service since his birthday fell on a Wednesday. However, David and I had noticed over the weekend before our birthdays, that our kids and a few of our Sunday school kids had some sort of plans that they were keeping TOP-SECRET from us!

Once the service had ended, Lena (Rita and Yosya's mom who we have told you about in previous posts) had the job of "stalling" us in the new house where the adults meet for services, while the kids prepared the old house (where the kids meet for SS and Wed. evening services) for a surprise party for David and myself.

Once the room was ready, Lena lead us and the other adults over to our old house to see what the kids were up to. We were welcomed by a loud "Surprise!" and little heads popping up all throughout the house. They had all worked hard to plan the party and make us a gift! What a blessing!

All of us all around the table.

As it worked out, I had made Ham and Cheese Stromboli and actually had some left over (a very rare occurrence) so we were able to warm it up and share with our guests for the party.

The kids asked Lena to make a cake for the occasion and she made this beautiful chocolate zebra cake!

I also received flowers from Rita and Yosya's grandmother. We are so touched by special gestures like this from her and are praying for her salvation. Please pray with us for Margarita's salvation.

Here is a closer look at the banner the kids made. Notice the "fish" symbol. 

It says, "Happy Birthday, Dee Dee and David!!!"

After the food and hot tea, it was time for our gift to be presented. The older girls brought out this...

It is a photo collage of pictures that the kids took themselves (except for the photo of us). Once they had all the photos they wanted,  one of the unsaved mothers took to them to the city to have them printed out...just for us! It was so touching seeing them go to all this trouble for our birthdays.

We ended the evening with an impromptu singing of a traditional song here which would translate, "It's a shame that birthday's only come around once a year." If I had known they were going to sing it I would have recorded it but we weren't able to catch it on video.

What an encouragement the young people were to us today! 

We are so thankful for our growing church family!