Oh so many things to write about! That's what happens when you don't blog for awhile. Where, oh where, should I start. Hmmm?

Mel and I celebrated our 35th anniversary on June 26. Thirty-five years! Where has time gone? Didn't we just get married a few years ago? Aren't our kids still youngun's? Nope. And nope. Amazing.

So, what did we do? It was a Sunday. We stayed home from church (naughty us) and never got dressed the whole day. We lounged around in what we wear at home when no one's looking :) :), watched a couple movies, read some, I cross-stitched, Mel studied, we talked some and just relaxed. It was wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.

Our celebration of things like this has really changed. We take our time celebrating. Ha ha! Sometime during the next week we went out for dinner together, just we two. And another time during the week we went out for a walk in the park and had an Italian Gelato, sat on a bench

and just people watched for a very long time (note: this is a G rated blog, so I did not take photos of the R rated clothing that walked by),

commenting to each other about this and that,

but mostly in silence - until Vyechislav showed up.

Good, old Vyechislav. Sigh. He's retired from teaching English at a local institute, has attended our Bible studies and English classes from day one (started when CoMission was here), has attended church from day one and the delight of his whole life, I think, is to bug me. :) Actually, he claims to just want to encourage discussion but I have often thought that he is a dart from Satan. I could go on and on but will not do so at this time. Let's just say that our lazy afternoon was interupted by a half hour discussion based on the doctrines and arguements of the JW's. Finally he decided it was time to leave, picked up his briefcase and sauntered off. Mel and I just looked at each other and kind of smiled.

A few minutes later we stood up, walked over to the bus stop and took a marshrutka to the 'big bus stop' closest to our flat and walked home from there.

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June 22 was our eldest son's birthday. Peter is now 33 years old.

Photo taken Nov 7, 2010 when we were home last year

Photo taken at Disneyland the end of December 2010.

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Why was Peter at Disneyland at the end of December 2010, you might ask? Well, I'll tell you!

He went out to spend some time with this young lady, Rebekah, who goes by the name of Skarlet on the internet. They've been corresponding now for several months, maybe even a year or two - must be more than a year since we knew about her while we were in the States last year... (time does fly and my mind is getting older now, you know!)

Peter was, and still is, totally smitten. I am under the impression that Skarlet is, too, since they announced on facebook that they are now engaged. Please note that we have not yet received confirmation of this via email or phone calls or even handwritten letters. We apparently live in a totally new world where announcements like this are made on facebook instead of in the local newspapers, and mom and dad had better read facebook, too, or they may be late for the wedding!

(Skarlet's blog photo) Peter went back out to California before his birthday and met Skarlet's family and, we are assuming, asked her to marry him. That is ALL the details we know. ALL. No date, no idea of plans, nothing.

Poor us!

hahahahaha! Actually, in some ways this does not surprise me at all, seeing that on the Myers-Briggs personality test I am a very high P and like to leave my options open until I must make a decision or choice. Maybe that is why I have not written to Peter yet, mama demanding all the details, right now, immediately, in my in-box. :) :)

I do need some sort of idea, however - hint, hint you two!!! Because I need to know what kind of things Skarlet likes. I do make things like the blanket for Ira, and although I know Disneyland is high on the list, I can't imagine making (or buying) a Sleeping Beauty, Goofy, Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse something or other for a newly married couple. For my grandchild, yes, but not for a wedding/newly married couple (whenever that is scheduled to happen!). So - I'm waiting, Peter and Skarlet. Waiting, waiting, waiting!

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There is more to write, but for now, I think this post is long enough. That, and the fact that I really need to go eat some lunch before it's time to leave for prayer meeting.

Longing

Happy Anniversary my dear husband! I've written about our wedding before, 6/26/76. Wow! It's been 3 years since I wrote that. Where, oh where does time fly away to?

Mel is gone today, out with the other two pastors, visiting a young man who is unable to come to church this summer due to his job as a life guard. He works 7 days a week and only has a couple hours off a day. This is life here. IF you have a job, you work the hours they tell you to work - or you lose your job. There are no such things as unions here. Altho I am not a fan of unions in the States, they really need a union here at this time in history.

It is rumbling and grumbling outside. The temp is 85 degrees F and it is humid. The sky is dark gray and it rained earlier. I remember rain cooling down the temperature in Colorado. In fact, it can get down right cold after a rainstorm (usually accompanied by hail). Here - nope. It just gets muggy.

So Mel is out on our anniversary. Out in the kind of weather he hates most. He would rather be in sub-zero temperatures, snow and blizzards than out in this.

Such is life.

I was listening to another sermon by Arthur Azurdia last night on The Revelation. I think it was in the last chapter. As he preached I realized again how much I long for heaven, for the return of Jesus Christ, for this world to be over and done with. How wonderful it will be when there is no more sickness (I'm better, but not 100% yet), no more uncomfortable weather (hot or cold), no more death (two famous deaths yesterday, Jackson and Fawcett), no more falling away from the faith (our dear pastor friend in another city), no more sin (me, I am full of sin continually).

Oh Lord Jesus, come quickly!!