Two days ago we went and did all of the things we've been wanting to do in this area. We walked to Monastersky Island and they had benches with metal things to pose with along the way
Then we went over the footbridge to the island. There are thousands of locks-this seems to be an Eastern European thing since we've seen them in a few countries. The locks on this bridge are usually ornately engraved with a bride and groom's names and date of the wedding. Then again, some are in sharpie.
This is the church on the island. As we walked up to it, M asked if she could put coins in those windows. She doesn't have perspective yet, I guess. :)
They also had an amusement park. Everything was around two dollars, so they chose the bouncy house and a train ride.
Then we walked up to the holiest church in our area. It was still decorated for Easter and had this large pysanky egg out front.
A benefit to Orthodox churches is that it is impossible to avoid talking about things like the crucifixion, because there are images everywhere. We've talked about it in theory, but it's hard to avoid discussing the graphic details when they're life size in front of you.
After walking around the church for a little while, a man came and excitedly had us go up two flights of VERY treacherous stairs...and the girls got to help ring the bells in the belfry! It was pretty wonderful. And loud.
I had my 50 mm lens, so I couldn't get far enough away to get a picture of the outside of the church, but here is one of the belfry. Let's just say that it's a huge church, and had a large amount of tiny stairs!
There's a two story carousel in the middle of town. The girls have been asking to ride it, so we did yesterday. It's also in front of McDonalds. We have eaten more McDonalds fries-we've had them five or six times-than we ever do at home. But, when it's the only guaranteed place with plugs for computers and wifi and decent bathrooms when you have a three year old who has to go all the time.
I had been kind of sad to miss spring in Tennessee, but felt like God was giving me a gift when spring came early this year. Not only that, but spring is just coming here. So, not only did I not miss spring, I get it twice. God is good to me.
M said she hugged this tree so hard it's tongue stuck out. That seemed worth a picture. :)
Anyone who knows me knows that while I love making things from scratch and natural materials, I just do not love being outside. It's buggy and inconvenient and the weather changes at the drop of a hat. It's unfortunate, but true. However, I have really seen what a gift it is to take a walk along the same path day after day, twice a day. We've gone from seeing barren trees to seeing buds and blooms. We guess how long it will be before things start to blossom. Today we saw the very first tulips open, and I know they were the very first because I walked that path yesterday. There is a lady with a very large garden that we pass, and each patch is separated by dirt filled two liters half buried in the ground. We've watched it change from dirt, to tiny sprouts, to a full on garden now! I am certain it'll have new things all spring, summer, and fall, but I never knew how you could really watch leeks grow from day to day. I think this has been a true gift.
We just got back from our morning visit and I didn't take any more pictures, but little girl is feeling much better. She holds our hands and rows back and forth, and when she stops and we say "Yay Thea!" she puts her hands out flat so we'll clap them! We also figured out her nickname yesterday when I brought our facilitator to ask questions, and all the nannies were gathered around talking to her, and congratulating me for being "mama". It's variations on her Ukrainian name, and is Soo-sha, or Soo-shka, both by different people. Nina calls M M...ska, so it must be a term of endearment. She smiles when we say it, so it'll probably stick. :)
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