Best Birthday Ever!
Today, Palm Sunday, April 01, 2007 was my best birthday ever. We went to church in the morning and participated in a 3 hour service. A very nice man and neighbor of Michelle, Sasha agreed to translate for us. The pastor, Yuri gave a very inspiring sermon. Toward the end, I was blessed along with the pastor and another parishioner who have birthdays in April. The woman who instigated the birthday blessings did not know that it was my birthday, so she started to honor the other two. One of the other parishioners who was invited to my party later in the day mentioned that it was my birthday also, so the woman added me to the group. When she gave me a birthday package, she told me that for some reason she knew she had to make 3 packages, but didn’t know who the 3rd person would be. God must have told her to include the 3rd gift.
Then we headed back to Michelle’s apartment and waited for Ruslan and Olya to show up. They called us on the phone when they arrived so that we could wave at them out the window. Then Ruslan ran up the stairs (3 flights) very excited to see us again. He was a little shy at first, but warmed up in a brief time. He had made a gift for me; it was a shadow box with a paper vase with flowers. Very beautiful! We took him outside to play in a nearby park with another little 5 yr old girl named Leeza. She is the daughter of the pastor, who came back to spend the day with Michelle and us. Michelle and Olya stayed behind to get dinner ready, whilst we went off with the children.
Ruslan really enjoyed the park. They had really good play structures, something they don’t have at the Detsky Dom (orphanage). Ruslan had so much fun zooming down the big slide. He came backwards, feet first, head first, hands first, every which way; laughing all the way. He climbed up on everything with no fear at all. What a bundle of energy! He was very nice to Leeza and tried to include her, but she just couldn’t keep up with him. He played very easily with other kids in the playground. Then, I spotted a small carnival on the other side of the park. We walked over and rode on a few little rides.
When we made it back to the apartment, we were greeted with a boisterous chorus of “Happy Birthday” in Russian. The whole apartment was decorated with balloons and a big homemade H-A-P-P-Y B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y sign. Another friend from church, Rita came to join us for dinner. Michelle served up some homemade pizza, but Ruslan was having nothing to do with it. Apparently he had never had pizza before, and wasn’t about to start today. Instead Michelle made him some hotdogs. He ate 6 of them, along with a banana. Wow! I guess we have our food bill cut out for us.
After dinner, I was initiated into a Russian birthday custom. Everyone gets to ask the birthday person a personal question. They asked what was my favorite birthday ever, what was my funniest birthday and have I ever celebrated a foreign birthday. After I shared my birthday stories, everyone went around the circle giving a word to describe me. It was a wonderful form of affirmation. They went around the circle several times. When it came to Ruslan’s turn, he used these adjectives for me: “beautiful,” “caring,” and “gentle.” I almost cried. I will also share the words Ken used: “strong,” “fun-loving,” and “perseverance.” My new friends used: “attractive,” “people-loving,” “brave,” and “hospitality.” It was a great custom that I think we shall adopt for our future birthday celebrations.
Next, the kids went into the kitchen with Michelle to get the cake, homemade chocolate with white frosting, my favorite! They came back carrying the lighted cake and singing Happy Birthday once again in Russian. Ruslan was all set to help me blow the candles on the count of three. He has quite a strong lung capacity. Then, we had tea, coffee and cake. I was shocked to discover that Ruslan likes tea (with lots of sugar mind you). We will have to break him of that habit, or at least move him into a decaffeinated variety. With the cake, cookies, candy and tea he had today, I feel sorry for the staff at the detsky dom tonight. He was already bouncing off the walls without those toxic additions.
Unfortunately, the evening drew to an end and we called a cab to take Ruslan back to detsky dom, loaded with balloons for the other kids. Olya went with us, so she could make sure he got safely back inside, since they won’t let Ken and I on the base anymore. Apparently our guest passes have expired and they won’t renew them. We said our good-byes. It was sad to see him go. Soon, my love, you won’t have to go back any more.
Today, I know that I am very blessed.
Then we headed back to Michelle’s apartment and waited for Ruslan and Olya to show up. They called us on the phone when they arrived so that we could wave at them out the window. Then Ruslan ran up the stairs (3 flights) very excited to see us again. He was a little shy at first, but warmed up in a brief time. He had made a gift for me; it was a shadow box with a paper vase with flowers. Very beautiful! We took him outside to play in a nearby park with another little 5 yr old girl named Leeza. She is the daughter of the pastor, who came back to spend the day with Michelle and us. Michelle and Olya stayed behind to get dinner ready, whilst we went off with the children.
Ruslan really enjoyed the park. They had really good play structures, something they don’t have at the Detsky Dom (orphanage). Ruslan had so much fun zooming down the big slide. He came backwards, feet first, head first, hands first, every which way; laughing all the way. He climbed up on everything with no fear at all. What a bundle of energy! He was very nice to Leeza and tried to include her, but she just couldn’t keep up with him. He played very easily with other kids in the playground. Then, I spotted a small carnival on the other side of the park. We walked over and rode on a few little rides.
When we made it back to the apartment, we were greeted with a boisterous chorus of “Happy Birthday” in Russian. The whole apartment was decorated with balloons and a big homemade H-A-P-P-Y B-I-R-T-H-D-A-Y sign. Another friend from church, Rita came to join us for dinner. Michelle served up some homemade pizza, but Ruslan was having nothing to do with it. Apparently he had never had pizza before, and wasn’t about to start today. Instead Michelle made him some hotdogs. He ate 6 of them, along with a banana. Wow! I guess we have our food bill cut out for us.
After dinner, I was initiated into a Russian birthday custom. Everyone gets to ask the birthday person a personal question. They asked what was my favorite birthday ever, what was my funniest birthday and have I ever celebrated a foreign birthday. After I shared my birthday stories, everyone went around the circle giving a word to describe me. It was a wonderful form of affirmation. They went around the circle several times. When it came to Ruslan’s turn, he used these adjectives for me: “beautiful,” “caring,” and “gentle.” I almost cried. I will also share the words Ken used: “strong,” “fun-loving,” and “perseverance.” My new friends used: “attractive,” “people-loving,” “brave,” and “hospitality.” It was a great custom that I think we shall adopt for our future birthday celebrations.
Next, the kids went into the kitchen with Michelle to get the cake, homemade chocolate with white frosting, my favorite! They came back carrying the lighted cake and singing Happy Birthday once again in Russian. Ruslan was all set to help me blow the candles on the count of three. He has quite a strong lung capacity. Then, we had tea, coffee and cake. I was shocked to discover that Ruslan likes tea (with lots of sugar mind you). We will have to break him of that habit, or at least move him into a decaffeinated variety. With the cake, cookies, candy and tea he had today, I feel sorry for the staff at the detsky dom tonight. He was already bouncing off the walls without those toxic additions.
Unfortunately, the evening drew to an end and we called a cab to take Ruslan back to detsky dom, loaded with balloons for the other kids. Olya went with us, so she could make sure he got safely back inside, since they won’t let Ken and I on the base anymore. Apparently our guest passes have expired and they won’t renew them. We said our good-byes. It was sad to see him go. Soon, my love, you won’t have to go back any more.
Today, I know that I am very blessed.
posted by Ken & Elaine | 11:57 AM
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