His big day was a really nice, simple one. We did a little bit of school in the morning, but mostly we just played. Raia spent long, focused time with him, making crafts that he really wanted to work on with her. Later when the girls went to art, Jaan stayed home from theater and kept the fun times going, working and playing outside with him. The boys' big projects were to cut up the Christmas tree for a fire, then build the fire, and help cook hot dogs for dinner. After dinner each sibling presented Bogdan with things they had made or bought for him, and then he got his big present from us, too.
After two full weeks of school quarantine, then a seventh birthday yesterday, maybe we'll get back into regular life now? Of course, the electricity would be off today.
School quarantine was even more disruptive this year than I remember from before. Our kids' music teachers weren't actually sick, and they really wanted to get in all their individual lessons, plus some, plus get home early every day themselves. So, most mornings when I was wanting to do regular school at home, their teachers were calling for them. (Raia even almost accused me of being unpatriotic: all the schools in Ukraine are supposed to close, you know! Why are we trying to do school?!)
Then we had the wonderful addition of having all their friends out of school and actually healthy. This quarantine was at least as much, maybe more, about saving money on gas as it was about sickness. So, their friends were constantly wanting to visit or invite them over. Plus crazy weather: so much was planned then cancelled again and again.
They did finally have one concert on Friday. Jaan and Raia played in that one. (Photo and video below.) Asya's was scheduled earlier, then rescheduled for Saturday, then put off again.... Now we still don't know when it will be. At least Asya got to have a sleepover with her friend Sonya.
Jaan is obvious; Raia is in the middle.
Bogdan's birthday was great fun. I'll write about that when I have electricity and can get to the photos on our computer. Unfortunately, now he has an awful cold. Poor guy. He's very sad about staying home from art class today.
Two different moments from the past week:
What happens when the big brother is asked to help with tooth brushing, and when the big sister sweetly offers to help get ready to go out in the snow.
Yesterday one of our friends posted a video on Facebook, and soon lots of the men from the churches around here were copying it. Maksim's is the best, so you should go watch that now. Then come back and watch our version....
Update: after all the videos on Facebook, another acquaintance of ours posted this video of how it really should be done.
