Meet our new teammate: Sophia!

SURPRISE!

I was at the University, having just finished teaching for the day when I got a phone call from Jeff [our teammate].  He asked if I could get the ministry van and come over as quickly as possible.  Natasha needed to go to the hospital!  I has surprise, shocked and worried.

Then he said, she just had a baby!  He totally had me.  I quickly reviewed the date.  It is NOT April 1.  What kind of joke is this?!  No joke, it's a girl!

So we rushed over (which amounted to more like 40 minutes) and spent some time with Jeff, his father and law and AJ while Natasha and little Sophia headed off to the birthing house to make sure everything was A-OK.

Wow!  Blessings upon their family!!!

Dr. Pepper?!

The Pepper gets its own post!  Can you believe we found Dr. Pepper in Russia?!  In Tyumen!!!  Amy found it and bought us a few cans for a special treat... yeah, it was like $3 a can, but worth it!!!

Honoring our teachers!

It's the second year of a great tradition!  We have our Russian professor and her daughter [also a teacher] over to our house for dinner to honor the first day of school (university students too!)

[l to r -> Jeff, Tatiana, Amy, Regina]

First Day of School

The first day of school in Russia is a major rite of passage.  We were really fortunate to be included in this big family tradition along with our friend Tanya and her son Igor.  Igor is 7 years old and just starting school.  Children go to school VERY dressed up the first day and they bring flowers or other small gifts for their teachers.  Then, on the last day of school their final year they dress very similarly to school (girls do their hair like little girls etc.)

Here are a few pictures of this major life event!

 Igor walking to school (gift in hand)

Igor sitting at his desk for his first year of school