Seven quick takes: a guest, video, and more

Brandy, who taught me to do these, does them every week. I apparently haven't done one since spring.

:: 1 ::

We just had a friend from Charlotte visit for a week. We were so excited to have her here! Usually when someone asks how they can help or encourage us, I say, "Come visit." I know that's a huge request, and not many can actually pull it off, but Elizabeth did, and we are so grateful. I'll write more about her visit tomorrow.

:: 2 ::

Remember English camp? There's a beautiful video about it online now. It's mostly in Russian, but there are some bits of English. My parents and most of our family and lots of happy children show up in it.

:: 3 ::

Then there's little Karina, who went to America with her new family almost a year ago. At that time, she couldn't walk yet. I just saw photos on Facebook of her running in her first race! And walking out to her school bus all by herself.

:: 4 ::

A recent big event in Kherson was a concert by the American Christian rock group Kutless. (I had never heard of them before.) Raia really wanted to go, and the rest of us didn't. So we asked one of the amazing older girls from church to take her. They had to go way early to help beforehand, and then Raia stayed out until quite late. She had a great time! Apparently she didn't think much of the music, but the fun and excitement and getting to help the older church youth with everything was right up her alley.

:: 5 ::

Raia also had a funny little adventure last Friday, when she went to help me at the orphanage. At one point, she was just flopped on a couch with a few other girls, listening to music with them, when the orphanage doctor came in. He looked at her and said, "Girl, what's your last name?" He's big and loud, and she was scared. She kind of stutter-whispered it out. And then he said, "What group are you from? I thought I knew all the children here!" She answered that she was from "Mama's group." Hah!

:: 6 ::

We are celebrating three years in Kherson and in this house! We getting up close to the longest amount of time that we've stayed in any one home. (That was three years and three months in our fifth floor apartment in Kovrov.) I sure hope that we can stay on here much longer.

:: 7 ::

It has taken me a whole week to write this. Right now, I'm finishing up outside while a very animated newly three-year-old neighbor carries on a wild conversation with his flying toy car and a rock that serves as a telephone all over and around on me.