Dawn's Return to Perm

Oops! Failed to Publish this Post

2010-07-15T20:08:00.000-04:00

Closing Thoughts

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We had a wonderful visit. This trip was different in several ways from my first visit to Perm in September 2007. First, Johanna couldn't go this time and was missed by all. But, because she wasn't there playing with Caleb and Abi like young aunts like to do, I spent more time playing with them, instead of just cleaning and helping with David. I'm so glad I did. We made so many happy memories. Last trip, I kind of felt like Caleb preferred playing with Johanna instead of me. It's hard to compete with a fun teen-aged girl!
Last time was exciting, because it was our first trip overseas, and we were able to go to Ekaterinburg and Moscow for some sight seeing. It didn't work out to be able to leave Perm this trip, and Carrie was especially disappointed. It would have been nice to spend more time in Ekaterinburg, but it just was not to be. And that was OK.
Our first trip, everything was new and therefore unfamiliar, and we had to depend on Jon and Carrie for many things. Jon withdrew our money from the bank, kept it and spent it as I asked. This trip, I kept up with my expenses, after Jon withdrew my money for me, and helped with groceries, etc. and paid for the souvenirs I picked out, all by myself! I was comfortable using all the necessary keys to get in and out of the building, and took Caleb and Abi outside to play one day while Jon and Carrie were gone. All by myself! Thankfully I was not required to communicate with any Russians, or I would have been up a creek without a paddle!
Last time, we spent many wonderful times at the YWAM Perm base when most or all of the staff members were there. This time, due to sickness, I was unable to attend the staff retreat, which I mentioned in an earlier post, and a meeting and meal that was held the day before I was to leave. That was disappointing, but could not be helped.
This trip, I was able to experience snow in Perm. Last time, it snowed a day or two after Johanna and I left.
I enjoyed both visits immensely because I was able to be a part of Carrie and her family's daily lives. I miss that when we are apart. When we left in 2007, I had no hope that I would ever be able to come back. I rejoice that I was able to return to Perm this time. And, Lord willing, since I know I can make the journey successfully alone, I look forward to the next time I return to Perm.

Looking Out My 10th Floor Bedroom Window

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See the Kama River in the background.

Downtown Scenes

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Notice the upside down McDonald's sign!

Abi's Pots and Pans

2010-06-06T19:29:00.000-04:00

I bought a set of stainless steel pots and pans for Abi to hopefully spend many fun times cooking like Momma. Caleb liked them, too. Doesn't she look cute in her apron and chef hat?

May 5, 2010

2010-06-06T18:20:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe it's already been a month since I left Perm. Here are some more photos.

Ballet Comments

2010-06-06T17:35:00.001-04:00

I forgot to mention that as we were leaving for the ballet, Jon and Pasha were making fun of male ballet dancers wearing skirts. I commented that we should be glad they were wearing skirts!

Bowling for Fun!

2010-05-28T22:15:00.000-04:00

I bought a little bowling set for Caleb and Abi to play with and gave it to them on Tuesday, May 4th, when Jon took Carrie and David for his doctor's appointment. We had so much fun bowling that day, and I hope they will enjoy playing for many years. Caleb and Abi took turns rolling the ball, and I set up the pins each time. I'll bet I set up 50 times at least! Here are videos of them bowling that day.

Dulin Family Photos

2010-05-28T21:20:00.000-04:00

Which one do you like best?

Dasha

2010-05-28T20:58:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, May 1st, I mentioned that we ran into some friends of Jon and Carrie. One of them, Dasha, was in the States when Johanna and I were in Perm in 2007. She came over to the apartment on Monday afternoon to cook two of her specialties, borscht and potato pancakes. Dasha enjoys photography and took many photos on Saturday and Monday. It was great to get to met and spend time with her, and eat her good food. She enjoys the children, too, as you can see here..

March 30th, from Moscow to Perm

2010-05-28T17:25:00.000-04:00

I told you on my post entitled Travel Day, posted Friday, April 02, 2010, that I would tell you about the rest of my flight to Perm. Well, here's the scoop. Better late than never!
The Siberian Airlines (S7) flight from Moscow to Perm took about 2 hours. I was almost there! The flight attendants spoke Russian, but must have at least been exposed to some English. As they were moving down the aisle with dinner, I heard them asking each person, in Russian, which entree they wanted. When it was my turn, I said, "I don't understand." The man then said, "Chicken or meat?" "What kind of meat?" I asked. So, he gave me meat! It was a tasty meat, probably pork. Afterward, the attendants pushed a cart of beautiful pots of hot water and tea bags for tea. I figured they were serving black tea, which I enjoy, but is high in caffeine, which I was avoiding, so I declined.
Approaching Perm, there was a thick white cloud cover so that I was unable to see the ground. I then saw for myself why Perm seldom sees the sun, especially in winter.
Jon met me at the very small Perm airport, which has one small baggage carousel. As we were leaving the airport, around 7:30 pm, the sun was breaking through the clouds and shined on us the entire hour long trip to Jon and Carrie's apartment. It remained sunny for weeks after I arrived, so I told them I brought the sun with me!
When we arrived at the familiar apartment and I saw Carrie and the children, I let out a cry of joy! What a happy reunion! We hadn't seen each other for 1 1/2 years. It was the beginning of what seemed that day to be a long time together.

Leaving the Ballet

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Here we are, walking away from the ballet house at 10 pm. It was still quite light out. Pasha is saying, "It's the Perm city. Ballet. Lots of Russian people love ballet." The statue we are walking towards is one of Lenin. It was too dark to get a good picture.
It was a special evening that we spent together.

The Ballet

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At the Perm Opera and Ballet House

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Jon drove Pasha, Galya and me downtown to the ballet. After finding our seats we waited for Swan Lake to begin. I took some pictures of the room.

Both the music and the dancing were magnificent! The ballet had two rather long intermissions, each complete with sets of three bells rung so that all could know when to return to the hall. During the first intermission, Galya and I had plenty of time to walk around and then wait in line and use the restroom. Galya bought a program, and then she and Pasha read it so we could know the story of Swan Lake. We were all disappointed that it had an unhappy ending. During the second intermission, the three of us headed downstairs to a room where many refreshments were for sale. The crowd was much lighter than during the first intermission. The hall was very warm, so we gratefully chose ice cream and enjoyed it leisurely.
On my next post, I'll post some short videos of the opera and our time there.

Photos on this Blog

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Note: You can double-click on any photo to see a larger view.

Scenes Around Town

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Top photo, Lenin monument.Next two, former Preobrazhehsky Cathedral (1832), now the Perm State Art Gallery. Below, notice a portion of the white building juts out at an angle.

2010-05-22T20:12:00.000-04:00

I don't want to forget what Caleb said to me after tasting something I had cooked. He asked me if I had made it, and when I said,"Yes," he said, "You're a good maker."

My Long Trip Home, the Conclusion

2010-05-21T22:57:00.000-04:00

The flight from Moscow to Washington did not have many people on it, like the flight from Washington to Moscow I took on March 29th.( United just started the service between the 2 cities on March 29, 2009.) After the doors to the airplane closed, I moved to an empty row of 3 seats, where I could stretch out and prop up my foot. An attendant kept me supplied with ice, in barf bags, so I could put ice on the foot often. There were no crutches, so to go to the restroom, I hopped on my left foot ~10 rows up the aisle, using arm rests and seat backs for support. Thankfully, an attendant allowed me to use the closer first class restroom. I was still drinking water often, so probably made 4 trips up the aisle during the 10+ hour flight. You do what you have to do!
I rested/slept the first couple of hours, following my StopJetLag plan. Afterward, I ate my meal, which an attendant had graciously offered to keep warm for me. I remember it was chicken, fixed like a Russian dish, a green salad, roll, butter, dessert and another small candy bar. The rest of the flight I worked some sudoku and crossword puzzles, listened to music, babied my foot and followed our progress to Washington. We had left ahead of schedule but had to fly farther north to avoid the Icelandic volcanic ash. Not long before our arrival at Washington Dulles, we each received a light lunch of a chicken and cheese roll/sandwich and something else, maybe a bag of chips.
We arrived safely at Dulles earlier than planned, which was good because I only had 2 hours until my flight to Charlotte would leave, and I had to go through customs, etc. Someone had called ahead for an aisle chair and wheelchair, so as soon as everyone had left the plane, a woman brought the aisle chair. This time it was like a regular wheelchair, only narrow to navigate the plane aisles. Once out of the plane, I was transferred to the wheelchair, and balancing my carry on suitcase and purse, off we went. The small woman wheeled me to the crowded passport control room, right up to the front of a line. At least there were some perks! I probably would not have made it through in time for my flight if I had not had to be in a wheelchair. Then, we went to get my checked bag, and she somehow maneuvered the wheelchair and suitcase through the customs gate. Then she gave someone my checked bag, and we went through security. This time they wanted me to get out of the wheelchair and hop through the archway/scanner. I managed to do it.
Now we were free to go to my gate, which, it turned out, was in another state. Just kidding! It was a long way, and I was glad I was riding. We had to take a tram to the domestic terminal. That little woman made people move out of their seats so that we could be on one side of the tram. I appreciated that, though rolling in the middle could have been fun! I had never seen a vehicle like that. We entered through one end and exited through the other. After we arrived at the terminal, she checked and found out we needed to go to Gate A2G. On the way we saw two other boards which read Gate A2, so she dropped me off at A2, told me someone would get me into the plane, and hurried off because her supervisor wanted her to help someone else. While I was waiting I called Johanna to tell her that I would make the flight to Charlotte. Shortly after that, I heard a man announcing that my flight was boarding, at Gate A2G! In a loud voice, I told the man at A2 about the situation and asked him to call for a wheelchair. I knew it would take a while to get one to me, so I got up and was thinking about hopping across the huge room, using my carry-on bag as a prop. It was slow going on the carpet, and when I drew close to the linoleum floor, I began to have visions of me slipping and landing uncomfortably. The man at Gate A2G again announced that it was time to board. I rather anxiously looked down the corridor for an approaching wheelchair. Gate A2G was so near and yet so far! By this time I was desperate to get on that plane and go home! I was able to catch the eye of a woman sitting nearby. She asked if she could help me. I requested that she go to A2G and tell the man about my situation. When she returned, I sent her off in the other direction in search of a wheelchair. She returned soon, successful in her quest! The wheelchair man pushed me to and then through Gate A2G and outside to the waiting commuter plane, with minutes to spare. He was very sorry about the wheelchair mix-up. The only way into the plane was up some extremely steep metal steps. I was so determined to get on that plane, that I crawled up on my hands and knees. With two steps to go, a stewardess told me I could have been helped up on a lift. I was almost there, so I told her I would continue and finish. It's hard to crawl on granny knees, though! Because we would have had to wait for an aisle chair, I told the stewardess that if it was okay with her, I'd just hop back to my seat, which I did, murmuring "Excuse me" all the way. I propped my foot up on the seat next to me, later hopped back to the restroom, hopped back to my seat during some turbulence (THAT was fun), and the flight was over.
In Charlotte, there were more aisle and wheelchair rides, and a kind, gentle man gave me a ride in a courtesy cart and then another wheelchair all the way to meet Johanna in the baggage area. He even wheeled me right out to the car, which Johanna had parked in an excellent location. It was so good to be home! I thank God for all the people who helped me on my way!

Before the Ballet

2010-05-21T19:50:00.000-04:00

Pasha and Galya wanted to take me to the ballet, which they pronounce Baah LET. So, they bought tickets to see Swan Lake, which I had never seen, for Tuesday, May 4th. Because ballet is music and dancing, it's the same in any language, except for the programs you can buy, of course. We were looking forward to an enjoyable evening together.

Churches and a Mosque

2010-05-21T14:05:00.000-04:00

Russian Orthodox churches

A mosque

David

2010-05-21T10:58:00.003-04:00

Here's a video of David, taken 4/2/2010.

Saturday Breakfasts

2010-05-20T21:11:00.000-04:00

Almost every Saturday while I was with the Dulins, we had bacon, eggs and pancakes. I made pancakes 2 or 3 times. Once I made some pancake men, which were such a big hit with Caleb and Abi that they didn't even ask for syrup! Caleb reminded me that when he was at my house, fall of 2008, I had made Mickey Mouse pancakes. So, I continued making more memories with Mickey and Minnie Mouse pancakes, which they gobbled up, again without syrup. Fun family times!

Sunday, May 2nd

2010-05-20T21:08:00.000-04:00

I had requested a chance to have shaverma one more time, so we all went to a place we had come to in 2007 with Johanna. Jon ordered shaslik and shaverma, and we ate outside in a tent-covered seating area. The shaverma was delicious, and included chopped cucumbers and marinated carrots. The pita was thick and soft, much like a gyros pita.

After eating, we walked by a large statue of the Perm Bear and stopped to take some photos.

Then we all went back to Lenin Park, taking a ball and some Frisbees I had bought for Caleb. It was cooler than it was the previous day and very windy, but we enjoyed some time playing outside.

Playing and Singing

2010-05-20T19:52:00.004-04:00

I caught Caleb and Abi playing together, with her singing "Nap Time," a song from a DVD she watches. Notice how she lays all her animals down for a nap. The words to the song are, "Nap time, nap time. Go to sleep. Go to sleep."

Fun with a Box

2010-05-20T18:41:00.004-04:00

Caleb and Abi were having so much fun, I had to get it on tape.

My Long Trip Home, Part 2- Moscow

2010-05-20T11:07:00.002-04:00

I arrived in Moscow at 8 am local time and boarded a bus to ride from the plane to the terminal. As I stepped down from the bus at the terminal, I turned my ankle and went down. Most people hurried past, but a young Russian man, who also spoke English, asked if I needed help. Grateful, I said, "Please!" He helped me to stand because even though I didn't feel pain, I couldn't get up. After standing, I felt the shock to my system and some nausea. I just wanted to sit down, so dropped slowly back to my knees. A Russian airport person immediately fussed at me. I'm not sure if it was because I was down on the ground, which is frowned upon, for health reasons (something to do with affecting fertility, I think), or if he just wanted to get me to move out of the way. Anyway, they helped me walk up the steps where I was able to sit in a chair. (Thankfully, I had brought a cellphone with me for the trip and had made sure Jon added some money to the sim card in case I needed to contact anyone while in Moscow. So, I called Carrie and she contacted some mutual friends in Moscow.) The young man translated between the airport guy and me and otherwise was willing to help me get my checked bag and whatever else he could. He was a Godsend! After that, I was taken to the airport "hospital" or clinic, via wheelchair and a van, where a woman manipulated my foot, gave me ice for it, and went to get a translator. They had me prop up my foot on a wrought iron thingy which had a dip on the top of it which was made for the back of a heel. Meanwhile, a young Russian woman came to translate. They offered me a shot for pain and asked if I wanted to get x rays there or at home. The woman didn't understand some of my questions, so thankfully one of Jon and Carrie's friends called me and was able to communicate my questions to them and tell me their answers. Another Godsend! I chose to have x rays done at home (The woman didn't think it was broken.) so I wouldn't miss my flight, and to take the shot. When the nurse came with the shot, I rolled up my left sleeve, she shook her head and pointed lower down. It wasn't too bad considering that I was standing on that leg; kind of difficult to relax, though. A man opened the door during this process. Oops! I didn't care and had a little chuckle.
They wheeled me to a room, which contained 4 hospital cot/beds, where I waited for my flight. I spent time texting back and forth with Carrie and was able to get more ice for my foot. When a man came in, I tried to ask for water, using the Russian word I found in a Russian phrasebook Carrie had given me. I think I mispronounced it, so I pointed to an empty water bottle I had, and he said, "Water?" "Da! Yes," I replied. Remembering the Russian pronunciation for "toilet" proved very helpful, as I'd been drinking plenty of water.
A young man took care of my luggage and getting my United boarding passes for me. When it was nearly time to board the plane, I received a personal escort, via wheelchair, through Passport Control and security, where I was frisked in my wheelchair, then straight to the gate. After a brief wait, I was allowed to board first, and someone, using a two-wheeled "dolly" type aisle chair, hauled me to my seat.
To be continued...

Abi's Singing Cow

2010-05-19T20:13:00.003-04:00

I enjoyed hearing the cow's song, so I decided to record it. Isn't Abi cute?

Tree Trimming in Perm

2010-05-19T18:29:00.000-04:00

In March a company well-known for it's tree trimming went through my neighborhood in Charlotte cutting limbs away from the power lines. It's kind of sad to see once beautiful trees trimmed so that only one side has any limbs left. One day, while driving, I glanced down a nearby street and, with shock, beheld a tree with ALL it's limbs removed, leaving only it's truck. Thankfully, they had the decency to cut the whole tree down by the next day.
Arriving in Perm the end of March, I was almost amused to see how many of the trees had been trimmed there. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

This is how the trees look after branches start growing back. Jon assures me they look better when they have leaves.

My Long Trip Home, Part 1

2010-05-19T16:04:00.000-04:00

Not only was May 6th a long day time-wise, since I left Perm at 7:30 am (9:30 pm EDT the 5th) and arrived in Charlotte at 6:30 pm, but, as most of you know, I sprained my ankle stepping down from a tram/bus in Moscow. That one incident definitely made the rest of my return an adventure. Now, to bring you up to date on the events of my trip.
I finally got to bed around midnight and was awakened by Abi's crying around 3 am. She and Caleb had both been sick for a couple of days. I was not able to return to sleep before I was due to get up at 5 am. My StopJetLag plan recommended that I sleep as late as possible. Oh, well. I knew I'd be sleepy enough to nap on the plane from Moscow to Washington.When Jon and I were about ready to leave for the airport, Carrie woke Caleb up because he wanted to say goodbye. He didn't cry, unlike the night before. Those were tearful times as I hugged the kids goodnight, telling them I would not be there when they got up Thursday morning. Of course, Abi didn't understand. That was hard for me.
We left the apartment at 6 am and arrived at the airport around 6:40 because there was hardly any traffic driving across town. Jon helped me check my luggage and get my boarding pass, we waited a short while, then he left after I passed through the first stage of security. In Russia, when you remove your shoes, you put on blue paper footies to walk the 5 yards through the security scanner. I observed what others were doing because asking anyone anything would not have worked. A woman frisked me and then I went to retrieve my belongings. The woman manning the scanner said something to me in Russian. When I said "English" she quickly said "Open!" She wanted to check out the metal flashlight in my purse, which I meant to pack in my suitcase. I turned it on, and she seemed satisfied. After gathering my things and putting my shoes back on, I walked a short way, sat down, and a young woman announced something in Russian. I thankfully recognized some of the numbers she said and knew she was calling people for my flight, #306. I followed her to a door, boarded a bus and rode a very short distance to board the plane.
The two hour flight to Moscow included breakfast, which was, interestingly, a choice of chicken or fish. I chose the chicken, which was a dish with chicken, carrots, onions, 2 peas and 1 green bean served over macaroni with ridges. It was quite tasty. I also had cherry juice, a roll with butter, and I saved for later a wrapped cheese spread and a small candy bar. This being a Russian airline, flying within Russia, Russian was mainly the language I heard spoken. The exception to that was that after announcements were made in Russian, a woman would say, "Ladies and Gentlemen, blah blah blah (something with an extremely thick Russian accent),... Thank you." It was comical that I couldn't understand her. Hope it wasn't too important!

Last Day in Perm

2010-05-05T09:04:00.000-04:00

I have more photos and stories to tell, but am spending my last day here with the family. I'll be flying out of Perm at 9:30 pm EDT Wednesday night,7:30 am Thursday local time, and will arrive home Thursday evening. I'll add more to the blog later. Hope you have enjoyed hearing about my visit here.

May Day Outing, Part 2

2010-05-03T01:34:00.000-04:00

We walked around downtown, looking for balloons to purchase for the kids. Soon after arriving at Lenin Park, we ran into some friends of Jon and Carrie's whom I hadn't met yet. So, we spent the rest of the afternoon together, talking, playing with the kids, walking some more, and I treated us all to ice cream cones. The ice cream was soft, with vanilla and strawberry swirled together, then topped with chocolate or fruit syrup. Abi loved the pink ice cream. Both Caleb and Abi did well eating their cones with not too much mess.
Then, we drove to the Gyper Market, where I bought some parting toys to give the kids before I leave. Jon let the kids play in the children's area, while Carrie and I shopped. We were very hungry after that, so had some food at the food court. We didn't arrive at home until 9:30 pm, and the sky was still light. What a full, fun day! But, my feet did hurt from all the standing and walking!

May Day Outing, Part 1

2010-05-03T00:02:00.000-04:00

At the Kama River

It was a beautiful, warm spring day

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photos of David, Caleb, Abigail and me snuggling, and me with Katya, their babysitter

Thursday

2010-05-02T22:29:00.000-04:00

On Thursday afternoon Carrie, David and I went to Lena's apartment for a ladies tea, which Erin organized to be a monthly gathering of the women at the base, for fellowship and mutual encouragement. After enjoying tea, cookies and cakes, each married woman shared about how we met our spouses, how they proposed and how we came to believe they were to be our mates for life. We also encouraged the single women. It was a very special, almost sacred time, and I am thankful I was here to be a part of it.
After the tea and receiving Erin's husband's help to be able to unlock the apartment door to leave (Lena had left early and left us a key.), Carrie, Galya and I walked to the YWAM Perm base, or mission center, where Jon is the city coordinator. I had the privilege of meeting some of the members of a DTS team from a nearby country, where they, personally, have experienced great persecution as Christians. They are in awe to be in Russia where they have freedom to share the gospel openly.

Avgust and Natasha

2010-04-29T01:09:00.001-04:00

We invited Avgust, Natasha and their children over for supper last night. I fixed shepherd's pie and pineapple upside-down cake. We all visited them our last night in Perm in 2007. See http://dressersinrussia.blogspot.com/2007/10/oh-what-night.html and http://dressersinrussia.blogspot.com/2007/10/at-avgust-and-natashas.html. I have also been receiving Avgust's ministry newsletter since then. Avgust has a servant's heart and has helped Jon in many ways through the 11 years they have known each other, no matter the time of day. He is a true friend and brother in Christ.

Beautiful Sunset

2010-04-29T00:16:00.000-04:00

Afternoon Visit with Galya

2010-04-28T00:59:00.007-04:00

Galya came over for the afternoon, and we had popcorn, sliced apples and hot chocolate while we visited; great snacks for a snowy day! We looked at photos of David in the hospital and Johanna's prom pics.

Spring Snow

2010-04-28T00:41:00.001-04:00

Yesterday it snowed heavily all day. It was beautiful to watch. Jon and I went out late in the afternoon to the Cemya ( SIM ee ya, which means family) to get some food for supper. He also took me to a little shop in the same building (It's kind of like a mini mall.) so that I could buy Orthodox rings for Johanna and me. One of the rings I bought reads, "Lord, save and keep me" in Russian. Carrie gave Johanna a ring in 2007, but it was a little loose, and she lost it in the ocean last year.
The wind was brisk so I removed my glasses so they would not get covered with snow. Windshield wipers would have been nice. Of course then the snow blew right in my eyes. It was nice to get out and walk, though.

The Kids

2010-04-26T02:12:00.000-04:00

Shopping and Shaverma

2010-04-26T02:05:00.003-04:00

Jon and Carrie took me souvenir shopping while Katya stayed with Caleb and Abi. It was the perfect time to stop for shaverma for lunch. The little restaurant was crowded , so we ate "outside" in a tent. Johanna and I enjoyed eating it when we were here in 2007, so that was on my list of things to do. I've looked online for a recipe,but have been unable to find one. For a description and photo of Johanna, go to
http://dressersinrussia.blogspot.com/2007/09/perm-excursion-part-3.html.

Gorky Park and Blini!

2010-04-25T23:22:00.001-04:00

We went to Gorky Park Thursday evening with Galya. The kids enjoyed bumper cars with Jon and jumping with Galya. It's a very clean park, unlike the ones near the apartment.We walked around for a while then went to the Gyper (GEE per) Market, the mall we went to on Sat. the 3rd. I treated us all to supper. Jon and Caleb enjoyed pizza and the rest of us had yummy blini, a food I definitely wanted to eat while here. We all ate the thin pancakes, stuffed with chicken and kidney beans, and shared dessert blinis, one with cherries and the other with bananas covered with chocolate sauce. Another fun day!

Playing Outside

2010-04-25T21:47:00.000-04:00

It was a beautiful day to be outside. The temperature was 74 F.

Tatyana

2010-04-23T00:07:00.001-04:00

I met Tatyana (Tanya) in 2007 at church our last Sunday here. See http://dressersinrussia.blogspot.com/2007/10/going-to-church-in-perm.html. She speaks English well and works as a translator of several languages. We have emailed each other, and she has asked me for help understanding certain English phrases she has encountered with her job. We have not been able to be in contact recently, so it was great to have her come over for supper Wednesday night. It was a short, but good visit. She is a very grounded young Christian woman. She had introduced herself as "Tanya," which is a nickname for Tatyana. I love the sound of "Tatyana."

Tea for 8

2010-04-22T23:41:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday afternoon, we were invited to tea at Erin's apartment. Jon was at the base, so we took a taxi. On the way, when we turned into one street, 3-4 lanes of cars were coming toward us, the one on the far right driving in our "lane." The taxi driver drove right up to the car, which had stopped, blew his horn and made gestures for the guy to back up, but he just sat there. Finally, confused, he did back up and pulled up to the taxi driver's window. It turns out it was his first day driving, and he didn't know it wasn't a one way street.
We enjoyed a delicious tea time. Erin had made lemon bars, and there were some little round chocolate cake-like cookies. The children played while we chatted. A good time was had by all!

While David Slept

2010-04-20T04:05:00.001-04:00

Galya with Caleb and Abigail. They had so much fun together!
Johanna and I met Galya, in addition to Pasha and Yulya, in 2007, and have remained in contact with her. She was in Ukraine visiting her sick grandmother when I arrived 3 weeks ago, and I had not seen her since she returned to Perm. So, we invited her, Yulya and Andre, all YWAM Perm staff members, for dinner last night. It was a happy reunion. We just wish Johanna could be here, too! We had a nice meal and afterward, most of the adults played a game. It was nice to meet Andre, the son of a Korean pastor who lives in southern Russia. Yulya and Andre are flying together today to Rostov since Yulya's family also lives there. So it was my last chance to see Yulya this trip. Even though we don't speak the same language, I always love to see her and talk with her with help from Jon or Carrie. Galya is able to speak more English now, so we were able to converse more easily than in 2007.
Below, Galya, Yulya and Andre with Caleb.

A Whole Lotta Loving Going On

2010-04-20T02:49:00.000-04:00

Last Week

2010-04-20T02:30:00.001-04:00

Last week was quiet and pretty uneventful for the kids,Carrie and me. Caleb, Carrie and I each took turns being sick with a stomach virus that was going around the base staff. On Monday and Tuesday, I stayed home part of each day with Caleb and/or Abi while Jon and Carrie attended a staff retreat at the base. Since I had paid for my food, I was able to eat the meals that were brought home to me, and I love leftovers. There was vareniki ( Ukrainian dumplings stuffed with mashed potato), plov ( chicken, carrots, & rice pilaf),blini, chicken shaslik, American potato salad, and 2 different kinds of Russian salads, neither of which contained any greens. One had onions, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, dill and onions. Actually, there weren't so many onions, just very strong ones.
We hung around the apartment on Saturday because I still felt too weak to want to go anywhere. Jon took Caleb outside for a while to teach him how to ride a little bike with training wheels. Caleb was so proud of his accomplishment!
So, last week I had both additional care-giving tasks, and received some care-giving myself. And I enjoyed some great leftovers!

Saturday, April 10th

2010-04-14T01:47:00.001-04:00

Saturday was a day filled with all kinds of enjoyable experiences! We started the day with a morning visit from Erin, a friend and fellow YWAM Perm staff member. She came bearing delicious cookies, and we had a nice visit while also drinking tea.

For lunch, Caleb and Abigail's babysitter, Katya, stayed with them while the adults and David when to an Uzbek restaurant in town by the Kama River. The light was dim, so my photos didn't turn out well, but the decor was beautiful. We had a yummy soup called logman, pronounced LOG mahn. It had chicken, vegetables and long noodles in it. There was bread, and we ordered lamb and pork shashlik (shish kabob). We also enjoyed jasmine tea and the quiet meal.

We returned home around 4:30 pm and soon afterward we all went back to town to the central square. We walked down the 3 block long area which was filled with others enjoying the warm,sunny day. We stopped at Rostick's KFC for a bite to eat and then headed back to the car. Oh, and we saw Nathan and Milan, friends and co-workers of Jon and Carrie, at Rostick's.

There were ponies available to ride, so Caleb and Abi both enjoyed long rides around a large fountain. I was glad neither of them was afraid.

Saturday, April 3rd

2010-04-12T07:34:00.000-04:00

Because Jon is working all week, Saturdays are great for family activities. On April 3rd, we spent most of the day at a large mall, since there was still quite a lot of mud around. There was an arcade area for young kids to play games, "drive" stationary vehicles, and the highlight was bumper cars. I had fun riding one with Abi. We ate southern fried chicken and fries for lunch.It's an easy meal for kids. Since I associate "southern" fried chicken with the southern United States, it's amusing to me that they call it that here. After lunch we checked our coats at the free coat check booth in the movie theater, donned our 3-D glasses and settled back to watch "How to Train Your Dragon." I could follow it pretty well, even though it was in Russian. I recognized the few words I know as they were used, but "yes," "no," "please", "thank you," "hi," and "bye" didn't add much to my understanding of the story. (da, nyet, pozhaluysta , spasiba, privet, pa-ka)
We also saw and talked with a friend of Jon and Carrie's, Denis, who is one of my Facebook friends, but whom I had not met. He has a ministry, in addition to his full time job, working with children in orphanages in the area. His heart and love for the Lord and desire to work for Him is evident.

Laundry

2010-04-12T06:18:00.000-04:00

I know you are all waiting excitedly to learn about doing laundry here! I just have a few comments. Carrie and Jon have a washer, no dryer, and it has been in almost constant use since I arrived. I have happily forgotten the days of keeping up with laundry for 6 people, including a baby. The apartment is so dry that I washed a load one afternoon which included jeans, and by bedtime, they were dry, except for some dampness around the pockets. The now 2 drying racks are nearly always full. We washed a load one night and left it in the closed washer overnight. By morning, it was nearly dry. Now, that's a dry apartment.
Hope that wasn't too boring!

Abigail aka Abi

2010-04-09T05:58:00.000-04:00

Abi and I are close friends now. Because she didn't initially seem to want me to interact much with her, I sensitively gave her time and space. After I'd been here several days, I went into the bedroom she shares with Caleb to say goodnight, hugged Caleb, said goodnight and left the room. Abi started sobbing. She had wanted me to hug her, too. I didn't realize she was ready,but of course was glad to adjust the way I reach out to her. A few nights ago, she woke up crying for me! Wow!
I love the way Abi says Mama and Caleb. Wish I could record it here. She pronounces Caleb kind of like "CAY leeb." Maybe a slight Russian accent??

Abi is such a little momma, and when David wakes up she often tells Carrie, "Mama, I need to hold him." It's adorable!

A Fun-filled Evening with Pasha and Yulya

2010-04-09T04:49:00.001-04:00

Johanna and I met Pasha and Yulya in 2007. They became engaged while we were here and married in 2008. I receive their missionary newsletters, and it was so good to see them again. They hold a special place in my heart.

David's Doctor Visit

2010-04-07T10:19:00.000-04:00

David went to the doctor yesterday, and she was pleased that his bilirubin level had gone from 205 to 99. No more time under the lights! He will return in two weeks and hopefully his level will be below 20, in the normal range. Thank you all for your prayers.

He now weighs 7 lbs. 10 oz.

2010-04-07T09:55:00.000-04:00

A dirty pile of snow in the apartment parking lot,

colorful signs on storefront attached to the apartment building, and an example of how most of the vehicles look around here. It is almost futile to wash your car.

Dyeing Easter Eggs

2010-04-07T09:05:00.000-04:00

Easter Walk

2010-04-07T08:49:00.000-04:00

We took a walk Easter evening, around 8 pm. Notice how light it was. The temperature was in the mid- 40s. Caleb and Abigail took turns riding in the double stroller with David.

2010-04-06T07:19:00.000-04:00

I've been keeping busy helping with the children, cleaning, cooking and am "chief bottle washer."
The weather has been warm, in the 50s, and sunny since I've been here. Seems like I brought the unseasonably warm weather with me. We've taken the children outside several afternoons. It was quite an adventure pushing a double stroller over ice and pushing through slush. Caleb and Abigail had to walk in every puddle they could! Fun!
The snow is melting rapidly and reveals quite a lot of trash now. In my previous blog I mentioned how dirty the streets and vehicles were, due to the lack of any street drainage. And now that is compounded by tremendous amounts of melting snow. It is truly a colossal mess!
I knew I wouldn't have much time to post often on this blog, and I was right. What I didn't foresee was being too tired to think about writing after the kids go to bed in the evenings. So, I'll update as I can and may post more photos and write less.

Caleb and Abigail

2010-04-03T11:44:00.000-04:00

Carrie and David

2010-04-03T11:42:00.001-04:00

Travel Day

2010-04-02T10:10:00.000-04:00

On Monday, March 29th, Seth was able to take me to the airport. Steve had to go out of town for work. I arrived around noon for my 2:40 pm flight. There was no line at the United Airlines desk, and I went through security quickly. So, while I waited at the gate for the almost 2 hours, I ate my lunch and started to read The Blind Side. Two businessmen sat down near me, and I soon decided to change seats because one of the men had a limited vocabulary of mainly foul language. I haven't heard talk like that since I was in service during WWII.
We boarded the plane which was going to DC,and a young,screaming child joined us, the same one we all enjoyed hearing at the gate. He wasn't upset, but simply liked to hear how loud and shrill he could scream. His bursts prompted the flight attendant to sing, "Hush, little baby, don't you cry. Micheal's gonna sing you a lullaby." It didn't help, but the rest of us had a good laugh, and one man commented, "Now, THAT'S service!"
The plane was one of those small ones which required all carry-on bags over a certain size to be checked as we boarded. We were so crammed in that the person sitting behind me occasionally gave me additional lumbar support and some brief back massages with his knees. The highlights of that leg of the trip were: I spilled water on myself, and as we were approaching Washington Dulles, where it was raining, I saw snowflakes rushing by at the higher altitude.
The 9+ hour trip from Dulles to Moscow was very quiet and relaxing, probably due to the fact that there was hardly anyone on the plane! Entire rows were vacant, so people spread out and were able to recline across three seats. I only wish I had done that, too. I had no one next to me and spent the 1st five hours resting and sleeping since it was night time in Perm. That helped my fatigue and adjustment to the new time zone.
We experienced a great deal of turbulence flying over North America. The flight attendants were told to be seated many times, which delayed the beverage and dinner distribution, but was definitely understandable.I had my eyes closed under a mask and could just imagine that I was on a roller coaster. I do not do roller coasters, but felt at peace during the turbulence.
After landing at the Moscow Domodedovo International Airport, I went through Passport Control, after several people walked in front of me in line to go to the windows. It was like I was invisible. Looking for my luggage, I saw 2 places which obviously had luggage from domestic flights, because most of the bags were wrapped in plastic. See http://dressersinrussia.blogspot.com/2007/09/airport-in-moscow.html on my previous blog. Finally, I asked a woman in Lost and Found if she spoke English. She said no but I communicated with hand gestures, similar to Charades, that I was looking for a suitcase larger than the carry-on that I had. Then, she asked, "Washington?" in a thick Russian accent. I don't think I would have understood her if I hadn't been asked the same question at Passport Control, and someone with a slightly less-thick accent had translated for me. Anyway, she pointed down a passageway, and I managed to find my suitcase circling on a carousel, quite alone.
Next, I met a YWAM friend of Jon and Carrie's whom I met in 2007, and who had recently moved to Moscow. She helped me get my S7 boarding pass, check my luggage, and then we had lunch and walked around. Later, she also directed me to the security area for my final flight of the trip.
I'll pick up with that story next time. And, I want to post some photos, soon, too.

Arrived Safely

2010-03-31T10:18:00.000-04:00

For those of you who haven't heard, I arrived in Perm, complete with all luggage, yesterday evening. Thank you for your prayers! I'll write later about my trip.
It is so great being here again with Carrie and family. David is much smaller than he looks in the photos we have seen, but is doing well. He looks good, and a nurse who came by today was surprised to learn he is being treated for jaundice. Caleb and I are enjoying talking together, and Abi is warming up to me much more today. She started out last night smiling at me from a distance.
More later.

My Bags Are Packed; I'm Ready To Go

2010-03-29T09:32:00.000-04:00

I'm leaving for the airport this morning. I'll be flying United from Charlotte to Washington Dulles, then on to Moscow, arriving there around 11 am the 30th, local time. A friend of Carrie and Jon's, whom I met in 2007, will be meeting me to visit during my layover. Then, my final leg is just 2 hours long. Jon will pick me up at the airport in Perm just after 7 pm, local time (9 am EDT) on Tuesday.
Thanks for your prayers!

The Countdown Continues

2010-03-26T18:13:00.000-04:00

Well, I'm almost through packing; will add my clothes tomorrow, then last minute things Monday morning before I leave. The next few days should be relatively stress-free because I only have a few items on my to-do list. Today I started following the directions on my StopJetLag plan. (See www.StopJetLag.com) I highly recommend it to anyone who will be traveling, especially overseas, to prevent jet lag and adjust to a new time zone. When I went to Russia in 2007, using the plan designed for me, I had no trouble with jet lag and slept well right away. Coming home, east to west, which is normally when most people have trouble, I had no problems at all!.Best $35 I ever spent.
4 more sleeps, Caleb!

The Countdown

2010-03-22T21:52:00.000-04:00

Soon after Carrie told me that she was pregnant with their 3rd child and asked me to come help them, I began praying, hoping and later, planning to make my 2nd trip to Perm. David was born March 7th, and the day I leave now draws near. Only 8 more "sleeps", as Caleb calls them, and I, Granna, will arrive in Perm for a 5 week visit.
I'm so thankful to Steve for letting me go again, and to the Lord for His blessing me with the opportunity to "return to Perm."