Swimming Lessons

     When you live in Siberia in the winter, it's a bit challenging to find ways to exercise and stay active.  (by the way, Ike calls it "extrasizing").  In the warmer months I like to go running, but in the dead of winter, Leif and I do workouts in our living room.  It's a little nerdy, but it definitely helps in our overall health and energy.  With the kids, we're very blessed to have a medical building with a small swimming pool right next door!  They have swimming lessons for kids, and the water is warm!  Ike and I go together once a week for a "Mommy and Me" class.  In the past few weeks he's started swimming a bit on his own, which is quite exciting!



     I rarely take pictures during Ike's class because I'm in the water with him, but this day I brought my camera to the side in a ziploc bag.



     Ella and I also enjoyed a "Mommy and Me" class last year and the first part of this year.  Then we discovered that there's a class that both Anneka and Ella can be in.  They both liked the idea and have been growing in their swimming skills.

 

      One of their neighborhood friends is also in the group.  It's fun to see the girls playing with her!



     The first 20 minutes of the class are for free play.

This is their favorite part!

I love Ella in her pink leopard-print swimming cap.  =)

The other 40 minutes are the actual lesson part.

      The teacher is great at alternating what they do every few minutes and keeping it interesting.  Even though this picture shows the same exercise as the last, I posted it as a memory because I love being able to look right outside the window at our apartment.

     Another thing I like about this teacher is that she's very kind and smiles a lot!  Our girls have gotten so brave at trying to dive and swim under water through people's legs.  Their teacher gives a great balance of challenging them without shaming or pressure.

We're thankful for this outlet of swimming!

A Few Recent Happenings

     Leif recently was in Chita for the 2nd-to-the last Training National Trainers course.  As always, it was an encouraging time to getting deep into God's word and connecting with other men from the region.  It's exciting to think of how what these men are learning is going to 2nd generation groups.

 
     Prayer has been a big thing on both Leif and my hearts lately.  He read a thought-provoking book that talked about how whenever there has been a movement of God among an unreached people group, there have been not just hundreds, but thousands of people praying!  We are growing ourselves in prayer and are also praying about how we can invite others to join in.  Leif has the goal of having 1,000 people faithfully praying for Buryatia over the next months. 

     It's been an extra-special gift the past few weeks that our kids have been sleeping in.  Maybe it's the dark?  Or the cold?  But whatever the reason, it's a gift that we're taking advantage of and are wanting to seek God, knowing that any good work is from HIM!


 
     Leif took part in an indoor soccer tournament recently.  It was a part of an effort to reach out to the community in positive ways and to be a light.  There were participants from several different countries there, and they all had a lot of fun. 
    
 
     The team in charge of planning these sporting events had a surprise birthday party for Sasha the next night.  They used the office next door to us so that he wouldn't suspect anything at all.  Leif was supposed to call and have someone bring Sasha to our place for some important reason, but it was in the middle of our English Club, and- as he was in the middle of leading everything- he forgot until 30 minutes later than he was supposed to call.  Thankfully everything worked out okay. Sasha was surprised and had a great birthday. =)

 
      Every week our house in the village is a little more completed.  Yesterday they began working on the roof.

      We have new people coming to English Club every week!  We've been having good discussions and the students are really enjoying the time.  This picture was a game called "Upset the Apple Cart", where we used Christmas vocabulary words and people had to run and get a seat so they wouldn't get stuck in the middle.

 
     The kids are real Siberians and play outside in the ultra-freezing temperatures.  They have a special store and ice is their money.  Anneka collects ice throughout the week and keeps it on our balcony to take to the church for using during English Club.

      Ira and Erdeni had their baby a couple of months ago and have returned to our home group.  I just love seeing peoples' smiling faces as they look at babies!

     This past week our kids stayed the night at the Brubachers', so we stayed after the home group to play a game of bones.  It was my first time to actually play.  I'm really terrible at it, actually.  But it was fun all the same!  It's a very traditional Buryat game.

      Ella didn't have school this past Tuesday, so I took her to my English discussion group with me.  She got to have Toby on her lap on the bus ride back.  Oh, what joy!

     I don't think I ever posted a picture of the bed our friend made for Ike.  It's so nice and creates so much space for both storage and playing in his room!  In the left corner, you can see part of a tree.  This year we're doing the Jesse tree, by hanging a new ornament each day that has a symbol that depicts a story that points to Jesus and His coming and promises.  It's a special time for us each night as a family as we celebrate advent!


     Our neighbor has been coming over a lot lately to measure some hats on Anneka's head that she's making for a friend.  She celebrates New Years but not Christmas, so she has questions about this holiday and it's origins.  Also, another neighbor came over this week and asked if we could spend New Years together, as she will be alone.  This seems like a special opportunity to show her love and light.

Hooray for Art!

     Our  kids are very blessed to have Larisa Zhidyaeva as their art teacher.  She comes to our home every  week for lessons and has them work in all sorts of mediums.


     She teaches them about famous artists (like Picasso, above) and has them create art in similar styles.


     Our kids very much like to do their own thing and step out of the box.  Thankfully, Larisa goes with the flow, and encourages them to be creative.

  

This month they're making Christmas decorations, which I love!!!

Sometimes lessons can get a big crazy!  God bless dear Larisa!!!

     Most weeks at the beginning of the lesson, they create a board (that we have displayed all week) with the artist of the weeks' work.  This was a South American artist.

     This sweet girl joins us for lessons each week.  I love these mom pictures she and Ella made!

     A few weeks ago, the kids had their art on display at the city's Children's Library.  This board displays Anneka's work.

The bottom black ones and the green one our our kids' pieces.

Ike with his horse

     The opening night of the exhibit, Larisa had a special free art night for kids in the community. Anneka got to be on t.v. the week before to advertise the event.  She did a really good job. The night turned out to be a great success!

Ella with her houses (top).  The other two are Ike's.

We got this group picture at the art night (after some kids had already left).

     Before the art night, Anneka and I went with Larisa to find cardboard in dumpsters for the kids to paint on.  We ended up meeting some nice guys at a door factory that gave us really good, thick cardboard.  They even brought it in on this lift thing and loaded into Larisa's car for her.  Their only payment they asked for was that Anneka make them a painting to have on their wall, as it's such a grey place to work every day.

... so she made them this colorful bird. =)

     And here are a couple more random pictures of art.  They made these "stained glass windows" with modeling clay.

... and fun hats, too!

     Especially as we live in such a dark, grey place, it's wonderful to have this outlet to be creative and add beauty to our lives!  Hooray for art!

Thanksgiving Blessings

   Happy Thanksgiving!  We had a sweet Thanksgiving with friends and family, aware of our many blessings, even as we missed those who are far away.  The kids all really got into Thanksgiving preparations this year.  They all colored pictures for this board, but Ella made the most.  

     Anneka made Native American dolls for Ella and Ike as surprise presents for them to open Thanksgiving morning.  She made Ike's two-sided so that one side is frowning and the other side smiling.  They both loved their new toys.

Ike was very helpful in spraying the tablecloth with water to get out the wrinkles.

Anneka made the rolls

Ella made the "Mayflower" for a skit.

...and Anneka worked on other props.

     Nettie came early to make monkey bread with the kids.  Monkey bread is a tradition in her family, and it's one that we've been happy to adopt, too, the last several years.  The kids also treasure the tradition of preparing it together with Nettie.

     The girls decided on the seating arrangements.  Anneka is wearing an apron my aunt made out of fabric from her grandmother- so, our kids' great great grandmother!  It's over 100 years old.    Do you notice anything interesting in the pocket?  Ratty Pie wanted to be a part of the festivities, too.


     When people arrived, they added leaves to our Thanksgiving tree of things that they're thankful for.  We read them aloud at the end of the dinner.


     We made a couple of chickens, but Bruce also found a couple of large turkey breasts right before Thanksgiving and cooked them up for us all to enjoy.

     The day before Thanksgiving, Ike asked us if there would be presents.  We told him that Thanksgiving isn't usually a holiday for giving presents, but for being thankful for what we already have.  Then that gave me the idea to wrap things (one per person) that represent things that we have- food, shelter, Bible, money, etc.  Anneka had the idea for us to pass around the presents to music and open them after the music stopped.

 Anneka shared with everyone some words that she wrote about being thankful.

  

   We also played Headbands and a game kind of like charades.

Lots of giggles and sillies!

The kids along with Leif, Bruce, and Nettie acted out a skit about the first Thanksgiving.

They were quite entertaining to watch!

     The next day we were able to Skype with family on their Thanksgiving (as we're a day ahead).  It was fun to see their faces and hear their voices.

     We are thankful for our many blessings!