Summer in the states

It's been a while since we have blogged,
where do we begin?
We got back to the States just in time for our first grandchild's birth! Maia Grace Wagner was born a week after we returned...and...she has captured our hearts! We thoroughly enjoy being grandparents and understand that we are truly blessed!

This summer I also realized that we are now the parents of 3 adults. I knew this was happening, but somehow it crept up on me. Three weeks ago, we drove our son to his college about 2 hours away and helped him settle into his dorm room. The end of this month, our younger daughter begins her 2nd year of college...yikes!

We are now visiting with longtime friends and folks that pray for us, sharing what has been going on in our lives, how God has been working in us and through us as we allow Him. We are in Montana one of the most beautiful places in the world! Everywhere we look, we see how creation displays Gods' handiwork...
We have been blessed by all and encouraged in our adventurous life...

Each time we talk about our life in Kiev, we are reminded of all our friends back there...and remember that God's plan continues on, we look forward to returning and being a part of it!

Fishing Season

(some of the sauna guys, Sasha, Yura, Yura and Volodia)


Well, we peaced-out of Kiev a few days ago. After a monstrous travel day we arrived in Kandern for Parker's grad. Grad is tomorrow and we've spent the last day and a half feeling like we needed to be doing SOMETHING, after all the activity of packing and goodbye-ing.

I hate goodbyes. That is, hands down, the worst part of the job- goodbyes to the kids going to boarding school over the years, goodbyes to pastors when we left Russia and now, goodbye to our really good, pre-believer friends from what may be our favorite place to live ever.

Once again I feel the way I've felt often over these years as an international worker: I get PAID to do this! There was a time when we were considering this calling that we wondered if it would be worth it. Now we know- most days it's not only worth it, it's an embarrassment of riches of excitement and fascination mixed with unbelief that this is my life. Ok, not every day, all day, is like this but enough are to make me ask the question, "What if we'd never done this? What if we just stayed in our own little world in that other place we loved so much, Wyoming?" Well, the happy answer is that we don't know but we're thankful that for us the truth stands proven and uncontestable: "He who loses his life will find it".

So, fishing season. I've never enjoyed fishing for fish as much as I've enjoyed fishing for men these past 1 1/2 years. Discouraging, exciting, rewarding, challenging, stretching, compelling. Pick any of these words, they all apply to the job we had the great privilege of doing. We have yet to see any outright conversions though friends like Galina now pray everyday, and Yura has made serious efforts to cut back on vodka drinking. These we take as signs that God is moving them towards final repentance and we keep our prayers up for them.

Sasha, our good friend, made 7 or 8 converts when he came back to the Lord after years of wandering in the gray. We got to work discipling him and this small group met at our apartment for a few months. We ask you to pray for the continued growth and development of Sasha and this group of new believers and most urgently for another place to continue this small group.

All these things are part of what made our time in Kiev so rewarding. Now we're on our way to Oregon for the year. Can't wait. I'm working the internet for info on fishing for finned fish and Kim and I are both trying to think of ways to keep the fish-for-men thing going, so much have we been thrilled by the chase. I see on-line that there are informal groups of anglers that get together for BBQs and fishing trips, maybe that will be a way in...?

Thanks for reading along.

Distractions

I should be packing,... our house is looking quite topsy-turvey, action packers piled high, stacks of stuff that needs to be sorted through and really thrown away, but will stay around and finally be thrown out on the last days. You know the stuff that just is too good to throw away, but not good enough to save...

I should be packing...most of our kitchen is already in boxes, the landlord's stuff is back in the cupboards. We are having some friends over to make Thai food together on Monday...hope we can make do with what we have...

I should be packing....I go from room to room bringing something to the room with the box full of "that" stuff and find another project that needs my attention and get caught up in that project, forgetting what I was originally doing. It is hard to stay focused.

I should be packing...on Monday Jerry will take a load to the storage place. That will help me see what is still needed to be done. I think we have just a bit left. It is always a challenge to figure out what will fit into our suitcases that we are bringing home with us and what needs to be put in a box.

I should be packing...but all of these nostalgic feelings come to my mind as I pack up our stuff again. I remember that when we first came over here, our kids were little...their whole lives ahead of them. Now they are adults ready to lead their own lives. I have been stepping into this new phase of parenting for a few years now and it still feels like someone else's life, not mine. I just packed away Parker's hand print from 5th grade, it makes me stop and count how many years that has been, and I begin to think of how he will start college this year. Beki is finishing up her first year of college. Laurel and Trent are getting ready to have their first baby.

Somehow this all snuck up on me. It seems that the kids were little just the other year and now they are grown up. When we come back, it will be just the 2 of us. Wow! time ticked right by us!

I should be packing, and I am...it just takes me a little longer as I stop and remember the times...

I should be packing....but we keep having friends over for one last goodbye, I keep reminding myself that God has a plan and He will accomplish it in these dear lives...I just need to be faithful to pray for them...help me to trust....

elevator music

This past month has been filled with special memories, meals and events with all of the good friends that we have made here in Kiev this past 19 months. One of the special friends, is Vitya. He has been studying medicine for 4 years, on his way to becoming a doctor. We met him a year ago and have met with him weekly this year, watching movies, eating food and speaking English with him. He has become a good friend. We have also gotten to know his parents and some of his friends. On Wednesday we had a fajita dinner at our place with his parents and a friend and then we went to an organ concert. It was a lovely evening together.
Vitya will be in the states this summer, we are really hoping that we can get together with him. We are trusting God and will be praying for him this year. Please pray with us for Vitya.

Our good friend and neighbor, Enver, wearing all of his medals from his service in the Soviet Army.


A Victory Day dinner at our good neighbor's home. We enjoyed getting better aquainted with another couple from our entrance. Our friend, Enver has personally introduced us to nearly all of our neighbors. We love them and are praying for their souls!

Another walk through the Botanical Gardens with Iilya, our good University professor friend.

They love to debate philosophical and spiritual topics.

May Day

Jerry and Vitya, our good friend in front of a monastery and lilacs.

We have been celebrating the many May holidays in Ukraine these past few weeks and hanging out with our friends as we begin our good-bye saying. The first of them was May Day, May 1st. We have met friends at the National Botanical Gardens just down the street from us. It is beautiful this time of the year, as the lilacs are blooming. The smell is at times overpowering and the views of the surrounding Orthodox monasteries are so beautiful!

We are trying to take all opportunities we have to spend with our friends here before we take off to the states.

We will miss them.