Happy New Year!
Hi Friends,
We hope you had a great Christmas & New Year! We’re back in Florida after being up in PA for about two weeks. Although we had a great time up north with family, we are very glad to be back. One phrase that has been repeated lately in our family is “Good to see you come, good to see you go!” We love our family, but there is a lot of work to be done with GSI, so we were glad to get back. We have a pretty busy schedule this year with trips planned in the US and overseas, a “pre-field orientation conference” that Micah is contributing to, and an important GSI fundraising dinner. And that’s just in the first couple months! 🙂
We’ve also plugged into a local church, with Micah taking the reigns of the music ministry & Katrina and the kids getting involved in AWANA. Our church is passionate about reaching unreached people groups in restricted countries, so we’re excited to get involved there and be a part of their vision.
We’d ask for your prayers as we get involved with all these things. We are thanking the Lord for good health & and the comfortable house that we’re renting. We wish you a happy & productive 2015! Thanks for checking out our blog! Here are a couple pictures of the latest happenings…
Our Florida Winter
It’s never to early to start learning guitar!
A regular sight here in Florida – the orange truck!
Keith likes to draw this way.
Our office finally got a sign!
We had dinner with a good friend that was with us in Russia, it was so good to catch up with her!
Micah is glad to be leading worship again!
Many guests
Last week, Micah’s aunt and cousin were here in Russia to see the sights and visit with us while we are here in Moscow. Here is a link to her blog. They were in St. Petersburg very briefly, as in two days, then took the train to Moscow. Micah met up with them and got them settled into their hotel. We were planning on having them stay with us, even though our apartment is quite small, it’s just more convenient and cheaper, but we had other unexpected guests…lice.
I’m not totally sure where they came from, but it. was. not. fun. Violet, Keira and I had them. A hormonal pregnant woman + lice (3 weeks before due date). Not a good combination. And add to that mix, the fact that our hot water would be shut off for the next 10 days for yearly maintenance. I knew it was coming, but it seems like everything was happening all at once! Yes, there were tears!! Thankfully, they don’t last too long.
Back to family… Micah took them all around, trying to see as much as possible in the short time they were here. One evening, I met up with them on Old Arbat Street and we ate at a Georgian restaurant. It was very yummy!
Micah’s Aunt Trycia and cousin Ryan
Back at their hotel, the girls had fun playing with Aunt Trycia’s jewelry
They were so thoughtful in bringing us some requested coffee and vitamins. They also brought some really cute outfits for the girls and for little baby brother too. Also, Aunt Trycia’s other son’s girlfriend handmade the girls lots and lots of hair bows. I think there is one for every occasion and holiday. We are set! I’m sure you’ll see them in future pictures. A big thank you to her for those!
Cool view of the Moscow International Business Center on our walk home that evening
Ryan left to do some more traveling and head back to California on Saturday, while Aunt Trycia came with us to a birthday party of our friend’s daughter. On Monday, she left on a tour of the Golden Ring, a few historic cities outside Moscow. More pictures to come.
Christmas
We had a great Christmas with both sides of our family. Micah’s mom and brother were able to be here for Christmas this year and we also spent the time with Katrina’s family as well. We are cherishing this time together with all our family as much as possible, because before we know it, we will be headed to the ends of the earth.
Me and my girls
Christmas meal with family
Having fun with cousins
Enjoying the newest addition
Even Keira wanted to hold baby Afton
Five in Florida 