This week we went to a "Spektakle" (or dramatic production) at the central church. Anneka got dressed up in one of her very princessy dresses, as this is common for little girls to do here. Above, we took her picture with a girl who was dressed very similarly. =)



A bunch of little girls wanted to come and sit with us for the program. It was really cute.



The lighting wasn't very good for pictures, so I didn't get a lot of good shots. But it was very fun because we knew a lot of people in the program. Every time a new person came out, I'd ask Anneka, "Do you know who that is?" It was really fun to see some of her favorite people dressed up as animals and strange creatures. =)

Above was a neat ending scene of the Christ child and the main character bowing to Him.



Ella and Anneka both sat nicely through the whole performance. Here's Anneka with Matthew afterwards. He and Heather Ann flew back to Canada today. =(




Later that evening Anneka helped Leif and I deliver cookies and gifts from the church to neighbors. I was a little nervous, but people responded so well. Anneka loved this and now always wants to go and visit neighbors. At one apartment that Anneka and Leif went to they gave her chocolate and a stuffed bunny and there were two other kids (grandchildren visiting) to play with.

Speaking of neighbors, we miss the Brubachers, but we're also enjoying having Katia and Sasha living there while they're in Canada. It's been really good for my Russian language and really fun to have another mom around who has a baby. I'm learning all sorts of things about Russian culture this way, too. One interesting thing is that doctors tell parents they must take their babies outside every day. I said to her, "But it's so cold! Are you even supposed to do it when it's cold?" And she said that it's good to do it until it's 30 below. The benefits: fresh air to breathe and the child adapts to the climate better. You're supposed to gradually work them up to the cold, starting with 15 minutes until a couple of hours. It makes it so that it's not so dangerous for them to be outside in freezing temperatures. But Katia doesn't do this everyday. She has two little ones, too. How many moms with two little ones have it together enough to tromp around in -30 weather for a couple of hours a day?? I figure houseplants make our air nicer to breathe inside. I should just get a couple more of those.