Family music contest

May 14 was a long, fun day. Right after church, we went to a family music contest that was part of a big festival. It was all supposed to be outside, but because of heavy rain, the stage was moved into the exhibit hall, which made everything a little bit loud and chaotic. It was okay inside, there's just a lot of noise in the videos, and people were running back and forth through my efforts to take pictures.

Best of all, when we got there, we found that there was a group from "our" orphanage there! Also, there was a group from the Kakhovka institution where I know some people. We got to sit together and talk some while we were all waiting around.

Also, this is completely random, but there was a new homeschool and alternative school group with a booth set up there! I talked to the moms some; one of them even made her little daughter look at our bigger kids and told her, "They study at home!" I hope to go to some of their meetings soon.

Raia and a friend

With Asya's teacher

Ready to go on stage

They're up next

(Both videos by Igor G.)

After the contest part there was a huge professional concert and awards ceremony in the theater. Our kids didn't win anything, but their friends--a family from our church--did get second place, and that was just as exciting as winning for ours. Plus, they loved all the fancy costumes and music and dancing!

"Our" orphanage director getting an award

We went straight from there to "North American fellowship," and our girls were thrilled to get to hold our friends' baby: