food, crochet, merriment
Apparently it doesn’t always snow in Siberia–
so my boy is finally warm…for a couple of weeks…anyway.
From what I’ve read, this interesting place gets about 2 months of warmer weather before the abominable snowman comes roaring back. In some places, the ice doesn’t even melt completely.
Yikes.
Sending this guys warm thoughts….
and a space heater.
640 days left.
Just in case anyone wondered–the Bald kid has indeed survived his first week in Siberia–well, whole and happy. He says that they’ve already been chased off a bus by a little old lady screaming that they’re serving Satan. Wow…Satan…seriously? Sheesh.
He also told us that he sang a solo in church–oh, not intentionally, and not because he sings, really. Apparently someone asked him a question in Russian and he thought he understood and said yes. Next thing he knows, he’s got a hymnbook in his hand and he’s up front singing all by himself. Would have paid big money to see that!
This is the view from his apartment window…a bit grim by our standards, but I’m told it’s actually a very nice apartment. I’m looking for parking lots or something…but maybe that’s just silly.
Here the guys are cooking up some odd looking thing called Palmene. Pretty sure I didn’t put that in his cookbook from home! It’s a little noodle-y thing with meat in it. I’m not asking what kind of meat…we’ll just leave that alone for now.
He says the yogurt and dairy are “epic” but that they are only allowed to drink water that they buy–so he’s thirsty a lot. Wonder how he made the herb tea…hmmm….
Be safe and well my sweet boy on the other side of the world. I suppose it’s best if you have no earthly idea just how badly this mama misses you.
More than you’ll ever know.
644
After days of rain…
the sun peeked out between all those clouds–for just a little minute. So Lily, Beckham and I rushed over to the school yard at the end of the block. We had the place completely to ourselves…
which meant that I could sit in the car with the doors open and just let them run and play. Yes, yes…I was being Lazy-Bones-Jones but they were happy–I was happy–so all was right with the world.
Then Beck rushed back to tell me something that he totally forgot by the time he got to the sidewalk…
and spied a row of teeny tiny ants–very, very interesting when you’re just 3 years old.
Very…very. And while he was contemplating the little critters…
Lily ran back to the car with some treasures of her own…
just in the nick of time!
PS–the bald kid tells me–now that he’s left the valley–the rain should clear up soon. He swears it was only here because he and I love it so much. I guess we’ll see.
652
Please forgive my delay in posting…
I’ve been a bit distracted.
This is the day my friends. My boy–my itty-bitty boy…ok, not so itty-bitty, but still–is flying far, far away. He leaves today. He’s on a plane this very minute, in fact. First he’ll land in Atlanta, Georgia, then take a zillion hour flight to Moscow, then a six hour flight to Novosibirsk (Siberia). Once he’s there, he’ll receive his assignment and depending on where that assignment is he could have up to a 30 hour train ride to his new area. I know, I know…yikes.
It’s a big day for us–at home–because he got to call me from the airport, but much bigger for him because…well…because he’s the one who gets to do it all.
He sounded good and terrifically excited to get on to the next phase of this big adventure.
I was just happy to hear his voice.
Be well and safe and brave my sweet boy–and after all the jet lag…
email your mama.
655
My sweet boy sent us an Easter card and a small stack of pictures. The card was nice, but I needed those pictures. Already, I can see how this fellow is learning and growing…
and finding friends from school…
and finding pals from work…
and finding out who he really wants to be.
This boy of mine will be leaving soon from the Missionary Training Center to the other side of the world. In fact, he said, that the next letter we get will be the last hand written one for awhile, because…
he will be in Siberia. Mail is very slow from Siberia.
Siberia.
Everyone says to me, “It’s really cold there.” That or, “Isn’t that where they take criminals?”
Apparently, they send some really good guys to this far away place too.
A very special one comes to mind.
~I love you my boy.
666 days left till we see this boy