Flights, Friends, and Beets

(Sorry in advance for the serious formatting/photo issues in this post...I can't get the iPad to cooperate and I've spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to figure out how to move pictures..grr..FirstWorldProblems...hehe)

Here I am!  Back in Ukraine.  It feels pretty surreal.  I can't believe it was a year ago that we first stepped foot here.  Now, after a year of remembering, dreaming, loving Ukraine and it's people from afar, I'm back.  The only thing I'm missing is my family.  :)

My trip here was fabulous.  Really!  God took care of me in some pretty sweet ways.

For one thing, on my flight to Amsterdam I had the best seat-mates you could ask for!  I got to sit with some George Fox University faculty who were taking some students on a trip all over Europe.  They know some people I know...small world!  I got to hear all about their fun plans for the next 3 weeks and thn I got to share Wide Awake with them!  It was just like The Lord to make a way for two complete strangers to discuss listening for His voice and saying yes to Him as we fly over the Atlantic on an airplane full of other strangers.  What a gift.  It almost makes me want to cry it was such an unexpected blessing.

On the next flight I got to sit next to an awesome Dutch Grandpa with the best giggle EVER.  We had so many laughs.  I wish I could just tuck him in my pocket for future fun.  He was the coolest.  How often do you get to belly laugh with a complete stranger when you're jetlagged like crazy and your feet are swollen like sausages?  Good memory for sure. :)

My friend Olya met me at the airport.  It was sooooo good to see her face in real life- not on a computer screen!  We set off on buses, metros, and mini buses and finally ended up at Olya's flat.  I'm so thankful to get to stay with friends!




We rested a bit, I skyped my fam, chatted with my sis Carli who was watching the kids (technology rocks), and then I began the task of staying awake till a decent hour.  Goal: beat jet lag.  I was feeling pretty good till everyone was speaking Russian and it was like wonderful white noise lolling me to a nice, cozy state of relaxation....AH!  I gotta stay awake!  So, we headed out to run some errands.  Whew!  Jet lag crisis averted

We got me semi-set up with a phone, chatted in the park, and almost got in trouble over my awe of beets.  Hehe

I was seriously in awe of the GINORMOUS beets in the store.  Think small cantaloupe.  What in the world!??  Hahahaha!  I generally detest being "touristy", but I couldn't help it.  I had to take a pic of the beets.  Then we decided to have Olya pose with a beet, and it all went downhill.  The security guard at the store was feeling protective of the beets and got pretty upset about me taking pictures, so the beet fun stopped there.  :)  Good times, good times...

I successfully stayed up till 10:00pm, and managed to sleep off and on till about 5:00am, so I would say jet-lag was defeated.  We'll find out as the day goes on.  Right now I'm awake and everyone else is asleep.  I whisper-skyped Jed and the kids in the bathroom, so all is good.

Thank you all for praying.  I appreciate it more than I can say.  I'm excited to watch God have His way as He puts His plans into place for the forgotten children of Ukraine.  What a joy to play a part.

THANKFUL.