"Searching for Jesus"

I keep meaning to post this, and just not having time. It's almost been 40 days! 40 days of Easter, that is. Throughout the Easter season, I have hidden a little foam figure that signifies Jesus, and everyone has looked for him. When they find him, we read about one of Jesus' appearances after his resurrection from the list I had posted. This year Jaan and Raia have really gotten into the the searching. A few times I've had to stop them, calm them down, and specifically tell them to think about how Jesus' friends felt in those days right after the resurrection. It's worked! We've had some good talks about how exciting and surprising and even frustrating it all is, and they really have been thinking. We've had a lot of fun with it, too.

Bogdan's first dacha day

We had a good visit with Will's sister, Anna, even though she got really sick while she was here and each of our older children threw up a few times in sympathy with her. Once she recovered, we had a dacha day together.

Birth certificate update

Will got an official, notarized translation of my new passport last week in Zaporozhya, and he took that to Vasilevka today. He came back from there with a form to fill out, and ran all around the hospital getting signatures and stamps for it. As he said, "We almost made great progress today!" That form just needs one more signature now. The head doctor was doing an operation when Will was looking for him. So, hopefully Will will be able to see him tomorrow, and then take the form back to Vasilevka. From there it goes on to Zaporozhya on Friday....

A random photo of the cutie:

He loves to kick and flap!

Springtime school

Jaan and I did school outside under the lilacs, while the girls played and Bogdan did...

Nature study

Jaan's desk

School room for the day

(with a neighbor child, too)

Asya's favorite place

I say that she has her own personal love language: "swing me!" She would swing all day, every day, if she could. We have the best talks while I'm pushing her on the swing, too.

С Днём Победы!

Can you see Jaan?

Bath time!

Home video

I'm sorry about the quality, and Jaan wasn't happy about his mistakes, but this is about the best that you'll get from us for now. And I do think it's cute. These are the pieces Jaan played at the recital.

It's still Easter!