Light Moments with My Moosh (husband in Russian).

Laughter is good for the soul! This is a quote that Ross and I have been embracing over the past few months. It seems that nothing is ever easy. Life and events are seemingly a continuous process that involves time and many people so laughing in the midst of it all is necessary! Here are a few of the scenarios that we have found ourselves in recently:

All of these scenarios were conducted in Russian....

Scenario #1: One of Ross' Language Blunders

Serge: How old are you?

Ross: I am 99.

Serge: Wow, you are old!

Scenario #2: Me Trying to Purchase Winter Stockings

The need was present for me to purchase stockings for church. I have not worn these since I was a little girl and was not looking forward to wearing them. Nevertheless I went to purchase. I did not know what size I would need so I decided to look for assistance. I scanned the store for a pleasant looking older woman. I found one and approached her with caution. I explained to her that my knowledge of Russian and stocking sizes were limited and that I would would greatly appreciate her help. She was glad to help a foreigner. She proceeded to inquire of ALL my measurements. I gave them to her and then we finally (after many minutes of searching) found the kind of stockings that SHE believed were most appropriate.

Scenario #3: Ross ordering water by phone

Clear Water Employee: May I help you?

Ross: Yes, I would like to order water.

Clear Water Employee: What is your address?

Ross: 47 Koto..

Clear Water Employee: Are you Kathleen Ford?

Ross: Why yes I am.

*We live in an apartment that is not our own. When Ross orders water and pays a few other bills he is Kathleen. He thinks this is funny and today told me that he was Ross aka Kathleen Ford! ~Laughs ensued!

A few other occurrences that have created much laughter:

-Purchasing ketchup seven times before learning that the word sauce in this country means ketchup and not just a variation of pasta sauce.

-Parking on various sidewalks (which is legal)

-Lights going off at 5:00am while I was showering

-Ross telling our Russian teacher that he is not listening because it was not his turn

Pray that God would continue to give us joy in the everyday occurrences!

PACKAGE!

Today we received our first package that we had to retrieve. It was definitely an interesting experience! Saturday we received a hand scribbled note indicating that we had to pick up a parcel. We were ready with our phrases and set out to obtain our package. We walked about 15 or 20 minutes and then waited in a long line only to learn we were at the wrong Post Office. We called our landlord for directions. He said, "Do not go there alone. I will take you". We were excited to receive many beautiful drawings from nieces and nephews along with a kiss (I am pictured holding it). Thanks for the get well package family :)

Experiencing Ukraine!

Ross and I have been learning language, exploring the city, and trying to grasp Ukrainian culture. The two following pictures are some of the encounters we have experienced with the culture. The first picture was taken in a large mall called DreamTown. The sign above the entrance read (in Russian) "Fish Massage". The second photo was taken at the airport. The airport is the building in the distance and the handicap parking spots are located in the very back of the lot. These are just a few things that we have enjoyed seeing and thought we would share :)

CAMP!

Camp was a blast! Ross and I were so blessed with the opportunity to go to a small city 4 hours south of Kiev. There we worked with a WONDERFUL team from Mississippi. The purpose of the camp was to teach a local church how to utilize upward basketball as an outreach/evangelism tool. The camp went well and we were sad to see the participants and team leave.

In the News

Headlines read "...if enough people start active protests then in September Ukraine could have a new government." Politically, tensions have been mounting here in Ukraine. Today the President's only opponent in the upcoming election was arrested for charges that are believed to be fabricated.

The opposition party remains supportive of their their fearless lady leader and took to the streets in masses today to fight those officials who were escorting Ms. T to a detention center. The opposition is calling for many more protests.

My First Ukrainian Baby Shower

Baby Showers are a norm in America but they are just recently making appearances here in Ukraine. This shower was an experience that I will not soon forget! My friend and I headed to the party, gifts in tote to find: unusual random Americanized decorations; various individuals wearing pajamas; and NO mother-to-be.

This party was not merely a baby shower. This party was a baby shower - pajama party- surprise party. I understand very little Russian but believe me all three party styles were present. Upon arrival, we placed our gifts on a table and sat down. We were ready for the party to begin. Everyone was sitting and chatting then suddenly people began running toward the door, turning the lights off, and hushing the crowd.

This is when I discovered that it was a surprise party. As the mother-to-be entered the room, mini sparklers/fire works exploded (pictured below). This was only the beginning of the party. There were: games; food; songs; prayer; gifts; and much more.

The best part of the whole time at the shower was my encounter with Olla. I have been praying that God would give me a language partner. I asked God specifically to grant me an individual who had little knowledge of English and would show me the city. I also asked God to have this individual approach me at the party today. God delivered! Olla approached me at the party and indicated in limited English that she was interested in "taking me to the sites" in Kiev. We exchanged numbers and should be meeting sometime in the near future :)

Learning Russian Day # 1.

We are ready and eager to learn Russian!

Slight Possibility of Showers

Today the forecast here in Kiev called for a chance of showers. After our three month stint in Vancouver, Ross and I feel very confident concerning our ability to deal with rain. We grabbed our North Face rain jackets and hit the streets. We were feeling accomplished about our productivity for the day. We had already completed the following: ordered water for the apartment; handled some unfinished business with cell phone set up; and navigated our way through the metro/ downtown area.

As we were making our way to a shoe store it began to sprinkle. We pulled out our jackets and prepared to continue our search for shoes. The sprinkle quickly turned into a downpour. People were standing in telephone booths and under trees. Unfortunately there were not enough coverings in the area so Ross and I ended up walking for about 10 minutes in the rain. We walked to the metro and then headed home. When we made it to our stop people were crowded around the windows inside of the station. We figured that it was probably raining fairly hard. We were already drenched so we decided to brave the elements. What we saw when we exited the metro station was the scene above. Cars were nearly underwater; packs of dogs were on high ground; and people were practically paddling through the water. It was so much fun waddling through that water with all of the nationals! It was an experience that we will not soon forget.

"Mango Itch"

This mango looks delicious at first glance but lurking within its tantalizing exterior is a chemical known as urushoil. This oil is also found in poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac. Some people are not affected by contact but others can be severely allergic to this oily yet tasty treat.

One of the many things that Ross and I have learned over the course of our first month in Vancouver is that I have developed an adult onset allergy to mango. Last week I experienced all of the symptoms related to "mango itch". I ate a mango in the evening and the next morning woke up with blisters, hives, and redness all over my face. This was definitely the least enjoyable experience thus far but a valuable opportunity to learn an interesting fact about God's creation.

My face has cleared up quite nicely after taking some high powered medications. Although I am feeling better, I am fairly certain that I will never touch another mango. Ross has decided that he will wait a few weeks before bringing one into the house :)

Easter in Vancouver!

The Easter Bunny arrived in Vancouver. After several weeks of family asking if we had received packages, the Canadian Postal Service delivered our packages. Ross and I were overly excited as we dove into our Easter Boxes :)

Laundry Tactics

Have you ever had crunchy clothes? When I say crunchy, I mean crinkly; rough to the touch; and just plain uncomfortable to the skin. Ross and I are becoming accustomed to our clean yet crunchy clothing.

One of the new elements of life here in Vancouver is an existence without a washer and/or dryer. This has been a huge adjustment for Ross (he loves to wash clothes...seriously...he washed everyday prior to our stint in Vancouver). Since we do not have a washer or dryer, we venture to a local coin laundry. Our adventure consists of washing but not drying. Ross and I are what you might consider frugal. We strongly believe that an additional $2.50 Canadian Dollars (over $3.00 US) to dry our clothing is a bit ridiculous thus we hang our garmets all over our apartment. The pictures below will give you a mere inkling of our drying tactics. When removed from their drying position, these once soft body coverings are able to stand alone in a seemingly crunchy state (thus the crunchy clothes).

This is just one of many new experiences that we are enjoying here in Vancouver. Ross and I spend many hours laughing at the new and unusual experiences :)

EASTER

Here are a few of our Easter Memories from 2011, we hope that you enjoy!