A weekend in Balta..

Dave and Barb came to Odessa to celebrate American Thanksgiving with us.
I decided to hitch a ride back to Balta with them on Friday.
We spent a wonderful weekend together.Dima (a seminary grad--who will be moving to Balta soon) came on Saturday for a visit as well. While cleaning out the church Dave and Barb stumbled upon these wonderful glasses.

We all took turns trying on these treasures....


Barb---

Dave---

Dima---

Barb and Donkey--

and I had to try both of them on---

Adventures in Krakow...

Jenny and I went to Krakow, Poland.
Our first mission was to get my visa renewed...

SUCCESS!

Then the adventures began...

The streets of Krakow were lined with flags....to commemorate their independence day.

Our tour guide, Peter, telling us the history of this statue....

The old city square...

Market Square...




Just posing by some graffitied wall....

On the train...

To Auschwitz and Birkenau.....

Jenny and I really enjoyed our time in Krakow. It is a great place to visit.
There were Polish words that were very similar to Russian. When I spoke a mixture of English and Polish we could usually get what we wanted.

Jenny stepped into a Ukrainian hole...

My dear friend Jenny Fey made her first visit to Ukraine!
We spent a week exploring....(but more importantly talking and laughing.)


Jfey posing by the Ukrainian mailboxes....

I am ssssooooooo excited!

Isn't she the cutest....?

This sums us up....

We stumbled upon this photo shoot and couldn't help ourselves....

I honestly didn't know what was going on behind me...

Just a bride at the bowling alley....

Enjoying a little tea with the girls....

This girl loves me.... (mutual really)

A day at the beach....

Just a grandma knitting in her bikini in November...

On the bus after purchasing souvenirs...

Serving lunch at the Gypsy/Roma school...

Jfey with some of the gypsy kids at church...

Jenny on the Potemkin stairs...

Seriously, honestly I have not laughed as hard as we did--- in quite some time. Her visit came at a time that I really needed someone here. Someone who knows me... Jenny was such a huge encouragement. Her visit was so timely...it was so magical! Oh man I love this girl! I am so thankful for the sweet visit with a dear friend!

God knew...

it's the little things...

I was feeling a little down.
I decided to take advantage of the nice weather.
I hopped on my bike.
I found my gypsy friend, Rogik...

Just the encouragement I needed at that very moment.
I am so thankful for these precious moments!