Finally in Ukraine

 

The first couple of days in Ukraine, we spent with the O'Briens at there home until our new dwelling was available.  In Ukraine, you have to peel your hotdogs, so that is what the boys are doing here :)

Not only do you peel your hotdogs, but you make your own hotdog buns, and the one's Ms. Cathy O'Brien made were very good!!! 

 



 

I am, slow but surely adapting to cooking without an oven.  Our new home only has a stovetop and no oven.  That did make things a little harder.  The language barrier is also a huge obstacle.  I go to the grocery store and have to shop by picture, or use my Google translator to try and figure out what things are.  Above is young capushta salad, Korean carrots, and boiled potato's.  The only thing I cooked was the potato's, the salads I bought pre-made.  I can't wait to get an oven and all my cookware from the states so I can cook a real meal!

 

They love their hot tea here.  I think Zach is a true Ukrainian at heart...he loves having his morning, afternoon, and evening tea :)  I'm not that crazy about it.  Many people here believe that you will get sick from drinking cold drinks....

 

This is our semi-private courtyard.  The front gate is also an entrance for two other dwellings behind us.  But everything to the right of the gate is just for us :)

 

We do take a lot of public transportation, but we can also walk to where we need to go.  We have a grocery store about 1/3 mile from our home, which is a huge blessing.  We just can not buy more than we can carry.  Here we are walking home from Caravan which is about 1.5 miles from our home.

 

Some of the Ukrainians are real patriots and have painted the trees the colors of the Ukrainian flag.

 

Some Ukrainians do not like the US.  Spray painted here says... USA = Terrorists

I wish they could understand we are not terrorists...

 

Overall, we are trying our best to get acclimated to this culture, the language barrier, and all the other things that make us a little less than comfortable.   There have been some hard times, times I want to go home as fast as I can get there.  But many times, the Lord reminds me why we are here, it's not to change them to Americans, but to teach them the truths of the bible so they can know true salvation!  I am learning the language and culture to be effective and used by God to reach that goal!  But as a person that thrives off of stability and structure and one that does not like or adjust to a lot of changes well....this has been one the hardest things I have ever done!!! 

I feel like traveling...to Ukraine :)

Getting packed up for our ride to Charlotte International Airport

 



At the airport saying our good-byes.  This had to be the hardest part!!

 



 

Saying Good-Bye to my mom was very hard for me,

but God gave me grace and strength not to completely fall apart in the middle of the airport! :)

 

Kids are ready, with passports and tickets in hand!

 

This was the boys first flight ever!  They were so excited!!

More excitement and anticipation, not knowing what to expect...

 



 

Our Lord was so kind to my boys.  As we were entering the plane, my boys were picked (out of all the children on the flight) to come meet the pilot and see the cockpit of the plane.  They were in there for a good while....the pilot even let them speak over the loud speaker :) 

They all said, "Hey MOM" :)

 

Our first flight was from CLT (Charlotte) to JFK (New York)...we finally arrived in the Big Apple :)

Waiting for the airline to allow us to start checking in our baggage....(FYI...we purchased 3 separate flights because it was much cheaper to do it this way...so we had to pick up our luggage when we got to NYC and check it back in...)

 

 

The plane that will take us from NYC to Kiev :)

 

Another great blessing from the Lord.  We purchased regular economy class tickets....but ended up with Premium economy class seats :)  Our seats were bigger and wider than normal economy... just another way our God showed us His tender mercies!!

 

I have no pictures from our stop in Kiev...we only had 2 hours to get though passport control, get our bags, travel to another terminal 15 away, and then get checked back in.  We made it to the gate just in time...I think we sat down for 2 minutes before getting back up to board the plane.  Another first for the boys...to get on this plane, we had to take a bus out to the plane and enter from the tarmac...

 

Finally in Kharkov, Ukraine

 

Bro. John O'Brien brought deaf Sasha, and Bro. Sasha to pick us up at the airport. :)  It's late, and we were tired, but we made it!!!

Ordination Day

Today was my husbands ordination.  I was not sure what to expect...but I can tell you it was nothing like what I thought it was going to be.  There were 7 great men of God my on husband council, and we were so honored they could all be there!!! 

 

Our pastor's wife sang "Across the Miles", and I was OK until then....then the waterfall started...

 

Our pastor preached an AWESOME message....of course....

 

Pastor had each man on Brian's ordination to give us words of

encouragement and then they prayed over us.

 

Starting with Bro. Whitmore from Anchor Baptist Church in Pisgah Forest, NC

 

Then a close pastor friend, Bro. Keith Troyer from Grace Baptist Church in Greenville, NC

 

Our family, from L to R, my mom, my mother-in-law, Brian's grandparents

 

They Bro. Mike Qualls out of Morning Star Baptist Church in Cleveland, NC

 

Next was Bro. Robert Taylor, Pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Chucky, TN

 

Now, it was Bro. Phillip Willis turn out of Life Baptist Church in St. Stephens, SC

 

They kids listening intently

 

Finally, it was Bro. David Trivette, a preacher out of our home church

 

After all the preacher's prayed over us, our pastor and the deacons of our church prayed...

 

Precious memories :)

 

Pastor giving Brian his signed Certificate of Ordination!

 

Our family :)

 

Some of my friends which I will miss dearly...