Most pleasant

Most pleasant
I think I shall write this completely haphazardly. Today on the way to church I saw Maxim parked in the church’s big white van on the side of the road beside the forest. He so I came over and he told me to get in because he was talking people over to the church so the Babushka’s wouldn’t fall and die on the way. I got in and he mentioned that I was late and I said “like always” which he laughed at. He is a very jovial fellow, but I think he may be more jovial than usual… I dunno though. We waived down a bunch of old ladies and went to church. He made basic comments and then laughed like they were jokes so I laughed too. I appreciate joviality.
Dearest Masha had called me to wake me up, and I was already up and ready. I don’t know what it is about morning church, but I never can get to it in time. Everyone always asks me if I will sit in the balcony because I guess that is where everyone sits, but there are 3 different balconies so I was at a loss for which one they meant. I opted for the farthest back balcony as opposed to the left or right balcony, but once I got there I was aware it wasn’t the cool kids balcony but the older folks balcony. No big. After church I beat it, but not before Aleksey stopped by and said “Hi” literally. HE never spoke in English to me until now, and when the guys go into their English conversations he usually playfully chides them and says that if they keep speaking a foreign language he is just gonna speak Ukrainian. Oh, yeah, they do that. They’ll have like 5 minute straight of only talking in English to each other (or at least trying to). They say it is to make sure I don’t miss home, but I sometimes think they are trying to impress me. IT is endearing though. I love my menfolk here. Seriously, they make me very happy and generally relaxed (except when I am not sure if I am breaking a social norm by hanging with them all the time, but I am getting better at picking up on cues from Seryozha or Dima when I need to back off… at least I think I am).Then Paige and I did our ritual Pizza and Pasta.com. good times.
Then I went to church. Now, night church is the one I can’t be late to even if I try. I was supposed to be there about an hour early to practice singing (which really means get there 45 minutes or so early because Russia time is kind lagged), and I got there like an hour and 15 minutes early. It was snowing really wet snow so I decided to try to get in. Right when I got to the door it was swinging shut and I grabbed it just in time. Then I tried buzzing the room. To my suprize they let me in. When I got in there was a girl I’d never seen before. I said a greeting and put my coat on the hook she was confused as to why I was making myself to cozy and asked who I was there to see. I told her I was with the Church and she said that It was all clear then asked me about the times we meet and I told her. Then she went to some back room and disappeared… forever as far as I know.
About 20 minutes later my men come in. they had the keys and so were incredibly confused at what I am doing sitting in a room that is protected by 3 levels of security. I tried to explain it an dI know I got the point across, but I don’t like speaking much when I first enter a Russian social occasion. IT is like I like to get acclimated to thinking in Russian and to the way everyone is talking before I jump in so this immediate interrogation threw off my groove a bit, but not too long. Then in short time they were laughing and joking and asking why I didn’t sit with them at church and where I was sitting etc. My groove was still thrown off and I didn’t feel like admitting I tried to sit with them but failed because as usual I didn’t really know what I was supposed to do so I did a lot of shrugging and told them I was late to church. Dima told(in Russian), “We know. Late like always. We know everything, Deah.” Haha. That really cracked me up. I mean I guess I knew they must talk about me because I am something of an anomaly (a girl, the youngest person around, an American, and an all around strange person) and I see them about 7 times a week, but I just think it is funny that they had all talked about me being late to church like they are keeping tabs on me. I told them I was in the last Balcony and they told me they were in the left one, and I said I’d sit with them next time. They found this answer generally unsatisfactory because next time was a week away, but it was the only answer I had, so they’ll just have to live with it. I really was so glad when they all came in. My dear menfolk.
I had door duty while Aleksey and Sergey practiced their song, and Aleksey had door duty while I practiced singing with the gang. I sang a solo today. It was my first full song solo. I sang this weird song first in English then in Russian. I got all the words and everything, but the overall sound quality was below par as far as I am concerned. No one let on though. When the song was over they all joyously thanked me and praised God. They are so encouraging. Nicolai played the guitar for the song. The service was about faith and I found it personally quite encouraging and fruitful. After the service the fellows asked me if I was going to go with them in the van to Ozerki (which I’ve done last 2 times, from Ozerki I take the metro… it is slightly faster and cheaper then tramming and metroing) but I had already told Kristina and Raisa Semyonovna that I would go with them by bus. The men seemed disappointed and surprised. I road with the ladies home and it was pleasant, although I got a bit roadsick.
Friday we had the fieldtrip to the Hermitage, but just the area that was done to show how Peter lived. It was pretty uneventful. Then Paige and Helene and I went to KFC then Paige and I went to her place. Paige let me use her interwebs and I cut her hair. Ha, that made it sound like it was a trade. They were unrelated.
Normally I go to rehab on Friday nights, but Kristina called me and told me to go to Olga’s for Choir practice. I’m slotted to be at rehab from 6-7 (but if I can get away with it I stay longer) and the choir practice was on the other side of time at 7. I texted Seryozha and told him I wouldn’t be making it. At Olga’s there was a very pretty sunset outside of her 6th story window. I only took a picture with my camera phone so it is poor quality. The practice was fun and pleasant I love those people, but it really is a shame I didn’t make it to rehab.
Saturday slept in, hand washed my white wondrous sweater, and met up with Paige at Idealnaya Chashka (a café) before Church. Then I went to Wonderful Church and was delighted and refreshed, as per usual. I road with the boys to Ozerki and has a nice chat with Aleksey about the ways God speaks to us. That seems to be a major theme of my life right now the way God communicates with us directly and interferences with that and or Evil’s attempts to hinder it or trick us. I like the subject and it is very near and dear to my heart to this is a pleasant season all in all. I am learning to Trust in God a lot more and He is really encouraging me in that area. He also keeps putting people in my path that seem to have interestingly intimate relationships with God. I love it. :)

Still on a wonderful Jesus high so bear with me as I no doubt exude exuberance. Today is Monday. I slept in today because I don’t have any classes or anything. Paige wanted to go shopping, but I slept too late so it didn’t happen. IT was a GREAT day though. I stuck around in bed until like 2. I would wake up and roll around cozily and pray myself back to sleep in bliss. I did have one terrible experience with a nightmare and some rebuking was in order, but that was early in the night, and after that it was all wonderful!! :)
Then I peed and ate and had like the longest shower ever. And put on too much makeup (including liquid eyeliner) and clothes that I look alright in. I stopped by a knock-off teremok stand and got a coke and something cheap and yummy to eat and went to Rehab, one of the most delightful places in all of the earth.
A while back when Nicolai asked me if I was staying late or not and I told him I would be there as long as they said I could we jokingly said I could live there. He shouldn’t have joked about that. I would live there in a heartbeat. Seryozha seemed to be concerned about where he would live if I lived there, but Nicolai didn’t seemed too concerned with it. I had half a mind to take him up on the offer on the off chance that he was half serious. Anyways, at rehab I cut out the pull-tabs on more flyers (I need to get better about pasting them more frequently!). Only one new guy came in. And one mom came in who has been going to church and the meetings and she was supposed to meet her son there but he didn’t show up. It was very sad. She is such a sweet woman and she took it in beautiful stride but I know how much it hurts when someone lets you down and you could see the sorrow behind her eyes.
Then in short time we had the parents meeting which was wonderful. Peter Petrovich and I shared a hymnal and when Kristina came we shared with her and when this young girl came we shared with her too. It felt very cute. Everyone else had their own hymnal and we 4 were sharing. Peter Petrovich gave his testimony which was absolutely beautiful. He is an “adaptant” and I’ve known him for about a month now. He mutters A LOT and it is hard for me to understand him but he is incredibly good hearted and pretty raw and down to earth. I’d say he is in his 50s… but who knows I am bad at that stuff and it is hard to really guess an alcohol or addict’s age anyways.
After the lesson we had tea as usual. God had given me a message to give Aleksey so I gave it to him and he had Slava read it and they both seemed pretty happy about it I guess so that is good. This is the first time God gave me a message to give someone in Russian! That was exciting and when I told Aleksey that God told it to me in Russian he was just as excited about it as I am (but that may be because he’s had to endure my translations before, haha). IT is SOOO good when your brothers and sisters share in your joy! Last week, as I said, I had some issues with reading and so today Aleksey advised me to read slower. He said(in Russian) “I know you want to read fast and well like everyone else but read slow enough that you understand what you are reading. No one is going to mind or saying anything to you for reading slow.” I just kept saying “Mmmhmmm” While he talked to me about it because it rang true but he could tell I felt kinda ashamed I think so he went on about how if he were reading English It would be hard for him too. That was a sweet touch. I love Kristina. I love her SOO much. She is SO sweet and so spunky. I was glad I got to sit by her today. Let’s see what else? Oh, Seryozha and Aleksey sang together today and they did on Sunday too. I like it when they sing together. Dima wasn’t there for the meeting but he came after just to drink tea. He always makes me laugh.
Oh, I forgot to say! You know I always come to rehab at 6 for the intake and the parent meeting is at 7. Well Mikhail saw me walk up at 6 and I guess he didn’t know I come in for intakes so he said the equivalent of “wow, you’re here early.” And I said “I usually am here this early” and he said “I thought you were usually late” and I said “No, I’m only late in the morning.” And he said “Ah, you like sleep.” And then I went in. But I just thought it was funny that again they spread word around about that one conversation yesterday with Maxim when I said I was late. My men, I think I’ll keep them.
Also, guys keep giving me candy. I mean we eat candy at almost every tea-time so it isn’t a big deal, but it is still an almost daily thing (today it happened twice in a 5 minute period). I always try to refuse but then they are convinced I don’t like sweets or am on a diet and when I say I just don’t want it now they tell me to put it in my purse. It is usually pretty tasty though. :)
Nonna keeps making sushi. She is really good at it. She made some last night at like midnight and made some tonight too. It is yummy. I am the only one that doesn’t eat it with wasabi so for me it is like dinner and a show. Everyone’s face turns red and contorts and what not. I don’t know if they exactly like that I laugh all meal but they don’t seem to mind.