Coming to Our Apartment

If you were here right now I would invite you over for some tea and sweets. It is cold and rainy here today, so a nice cup of Russian tea and banana muffins to share with you would make the day not as dreary. We are blessed to live in a gated area. The apartment building we live in is surrounded by a secured gate. Let me show you how we enter our building every day...and if you want to come visit you will already know the way!

Before you come to the playground you would have to push a button at the outer gate. It would make our little "phone" ring at our apartment. We would pick up, say hello and push a button that would open the gate for you. Then you would walk past this playground...

As you walk up to our building (one of many in the area), you would push our apartment number on this pad and it would again call us at our apartment. We would push the button on our end and of course let you in! For us to get in we have a little green key that we just hold up to the brown square under the speaker in the picture. This automatically opens the door for us so we don't have to call our own apartment.

Then you would enter and walk through the entry way...

...around the corner, up a few stairs...

to the elevator...we are on the 4th floor

Once you get to the fourth floor, you see two doors. You go through our door (each door leads to 2 apartments)...

...and come to where our apartment is. Our door is the first one...(we have not been able to meet our neighbors yet)

You open the first door and again come to another door. This door will lead you to...

Thanks for visiting!

Hope you enjoyed seeing how we get into our apartment. Come visit...or at least pretend. We will hopefully post a video of a personal tour soon!

Blessings,
Philip, Kara, Adalynn, and Gwen

Shopping

There is a supermarket literally right outside our door. It probably takes me less then 3 minutes to walk to it! It is right outside our gate. I think it is great to have a store so close! (I often find myself going many times during the week!) I really like going to Globus with Kerry, but if I need something quick or forgot to get at Globus it is nice to be able to go next door! I have taken Adalynn a few times to the supermarket next to our apartment. The first time she just rode in her stroller and I bought her a chocolate milk as a treat...side note: did you know you can by milk here in a carton that is not refrigerated until you open it? It can sit on your shelf for months and still be good...end of side note. I found out that in this supermarket (it is rather small...like 3 aisles at Walmart put together) they have little kid shopping carts!
This afternoon after Adalynn's eventful nap (I will elaborate on a later post), I decided to take Adalynn to the supermarket and let her push the cart. She. Loved. It. I tried to help her turn the corners a few times by pulling on the end of cart, but she quickly let me know that she could do it without my help. She stopped the cart, removed my hand from the cart and said, "No, Mommy". I got the point. It was funny to see her try to turn the cart around corners. She had a blast!

Don't worry, she did end up having items in her cart like dish soap, bread, flour, and some candy!

This is me sporting my awesome shopping bag from my friend Melinda! Below you can see it all folded up and small enough to fit nicely in my purse. It opens up to be a big reusable shopping bag! It is great and I love it! I used it every time I go! It is always in my purse! Thanks, Melinda!

Blessings,
Philip, Kara, Adalynn, and Gwen

Treasures from Moscow

Yesterday was a long day. Not because I was busy, well, ok, so I was kind of busy, but that is not why it was long. Philip left for Moscow yesterday morning for a day of shopping (hey isn't this suppose to be my job!?). He and Brian also picked up some people from the airport. Anyway, I was home with both girls. All. Day. We didn't venture out because it was cold. I also could envision Adalynn having a slight meltdown (which there are more of these days) because she wanted to be held. So we stayed inside. All. Day. We did a variety of things to keep us entertained. I vacuumed and mopped all the tile floors. We picked up toys in all the rooms, made play dough, played with play dough, colored, finger painted, had snacks, and watched Baby Einstein. Needless to say, we still got restless. (Adalynn and I went outside and played this morning to get out of the house). I was glad when Philip arrived home around 10pm last night. Not only was I glad to see him, but he came bearing the rest of our apartment...well, the rest of what will make our apartment look nice and feel like home. It is great to have carpet (rugs) under our toes, curtains hanging on our windows, and for me, a nice cup of decaf Starbucks coffee in hand! I have a good husband, don't I?! Hope you enjoy seeing some of our treasures!

New rug!!!

Living Room before...

In the Process...

With a new rug, lamp, and curtains...just waiting for our couch!

Remember how Gwen didn't have a hat? Well, her daddy was looking our for her! He picked her up a little hat from H&M!

This is where I am sitting right now blogging to you!

I'll post pictures of the girls' darkening room curtains once they are up! I thought you would like to picture us and where we are living!

Blessings,
Philip, Kara, Adalynn, and Gwen

Clothes

Remember how in Russia we don't have a dryer? Dryers are rare, but I think are getting more popular. I think I would take a dishwasher over a dryer. Anyway, we back to scratchy towels and stretched out jeans (you know how your jeans fit the best after they come out of the dryer? Too bad mine are always loose now...I guess I could make myself think I am just getting skinnier!). Gwen has her complaints about no dryer as well. I put Gwen back in cloth after being here for a couple of days. Thought I would start saving money on diapers as soon as I could! Usually after washing the diapers you dry them and they are clean and oh so soft. Well, we have to air dry (hang on a clothes line) the diapers (prefolds for those of you who cloth diaper) now. These are what they look like...

Do you feel sorry for the little squirt? Below I am holding up the diaper by the bottom and it is so stiff that it stands on its own. Again, poor Gwen's bottom.

I actually think that Gwen doesn't mind or notice. Oh well, I suppose since she is the second child she will just have to learn to be tough:)! She seems happy enough.

I know many of you have been praying for little Gwen's sleeping issues. They are still very much alive. Hopefully she will grow out of it soon. Please continue to pray for this girl and for us as we tweak stuff here and there to help her learn to sleep better at night!

Blessings,
Philip, Kara, Adalynn, and the sleepless and tough little Gwen

Church

Last night we attended the large group meeting for Grace of Christ Church--the new church plant. We were able to meet all the new people who have been attending the small groups and large church gatherings. It was a good time. We started with tea and fellowship, moved into worship (all in Russian, though we recognized a few songs), a children's message, Bible study, and then communion.
I helped Cara with the children's Sunday school. We were learning about Zacchaeus. I came up with the crafts and activities this week. You might image what our Sunday school may be like, but it is probably not exactly what you imagine. First of all, we have a really small space to have 6 kids and a baby plus 3 adults helping. Then you have a language barrier, and finally you have no curriculum to work around. It was interesting , but lots of fun. The kids flew through the activities! At the end the kids played with play dough and had snacks. We left poor Cara and Brian to clean up their house after church!

Masha, Natasha, and Adalynn making their craft

Adalynn showing Daddy her Sunday School paper

Please continue to pray for Grace of Christ Church as we grow, minister, and reach the lost. The small groups are meeting each week with Bible studies and fellowship. Twice a month we are meeting as a large group for worship and teaching. It is great to be back and encouraging to see how the Lord is growing this new body of believers!

Blessings,
Philip, Kara, Adalynn, Gwen