Aug. 18, 2008 - I'VE MOVED>>>>>

Head's up, I've finally decided to move my blog to Wordpress.....check out the new and improved at www.outofthesilence.wordpress.com and leave me a message!:-)

~Nastya

• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Aug. 10, 2008 - Zdrastvutye! And back to the blogging world......

Can you believe I didn't write my title in caps? lol. First time!:-)

And yes, a return to blogging. Things have been too crazy for blogging lately, so now I have a spare moment to update.

To finish out college, everything went excellently. I am in absolute love with college live!:-) I finished my class with a decent grade,, and I can't wait for my second semester to start! I will be taking Music Theory and College Choir. Hopefully this will help out with the Junior Girls Chorus I just started at church. Life will be busy in a couple of weeks!:-)

I got my SYS audition results back finally, and they wouldn't accept me - I couldn't agree to come to rehearsals on church nights and they wouldn't work with me. But God knows. And once I got into college, it didn't matter so much when I saw all my other options. My teacher has encouraged me to apply for a particular scholarship she has been looking at, so we'll see. I hope to have cds of both Connor and I by Christmas time. That is, if I can get my dear brother to cooperate:-P.

Sorry, no pictures with this post - takes too long to upload them to photobucket. I am thinking of moving the blog to wordpress, since everyone has gotten tired of homeschoolblogger:-). We shall see!

• 4 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Jun. 15, 2008 - HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

Once again the wonderful day to acknowledge a wonderful dad roles around. I have to say this day is especially special for me and my siblings......because WE have the very best dad in the world, hands down, no arguments, period. He's the best. Here's a picture or two of him with his Father's Day gift.

Coffee Daddy!


Dad says this is his "Shrek" face;-)

I love you Daddy!

*******************************************************

I will devote this portion of my post to some goofy pics of my brother and I.....we have quite the times together!;-)

AFTER CHURCH THURSDAY



ON THE WAY HOME FROM CHURCH SUNDAY



*********************************************

Alright, here are some pictures of the graduation banquet held last Friday.


Me in my not exactly "prom dress" lol.....


All us girls;-)


me and my best friend;-)


"I'll Never Miss Heaven for the World"






Twins! ;-)


Felecia looks distressed lol.....you can tell I pulled her into that one;-)


Go Grad!;-)


Had to include this one.....lol



The Crazy Two! lol

Here's a few of me and Felecia.


********************************

Me and my Poppy!

I just had to include this one last one of Grace....

LOL!

Now I think that should be enough to sustain you for the week I will be gone........enjoy, and leave me a comment!;-)

• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Jun. 11, 2008 - WHIRL OF EVENTS

The title says it all. Things have been too crazy for words......

Auntie and Co. spent last week with us(never has the Xbox been so used! It should have exploded), the graduation banquet was held, and college has started. College is so awesome - I'm loving it. My class is at 8AM(so I gotta get crackin'!) so Dad drove me over the first day. I was pretty nervous - after all, I've been homeschooled my entire life. So we see the campus then Dad goes......"Well, I guess I'm just gonna drop you off here." Im all, "WHAT?!?! I don't even know where my class is! What am I...." No use. He thinks a girl going on 18 had oughta be able to step on a college campus without her dear daddy. I had different opinions....

I was just as lost as I expected. I knew the general direction in which the class would be held, but other than that.......well, I eventually came across an old Asian guy and he kindly walked with me until I could find myself around. Eventually Mrs. Kelley came around and opened the door and class began.....

I went home relieved. But, I thought to myself, I think I'm gonna love that class. Today I went back. And I loved it;-) One problem - I didn't expect all the homework.....

We're leaving for Bodega on Monday, so just a heads up that henceforth my posts will be few and far between.....I still have all my homework to do and I've got to be in bed in 20 minutes;-) .......Poka, moy drugami!

• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

May. 30, 2008 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.......

College update - had to go to the campus today to finish counseling. Actually, the time I spent with the counselor was extremely short - basically she just looked at the paperwork I gave her. I had to go through the online orientation also. We saw Sister Mary there, it was a nice surprise because I had no idea she worked there.

Anyways, on to the fabulous birthday boy. He happens to be none other than my brother and he will be turning the big 14 tomorrow!!!!!!! Wanna know what 14 means?

1 - you are no longer 13
2 - 15 is just a year away
3 - you get to enter Young Peoples in the fall(wooooooo Connor!!!!);-)
4 - 2 more years before you can legally get a driving license(hopefully Mom will make him wait lol)
5 - you've only got roughly about 80 more years to love at very best

So, you see, a 14th birthday is pretty important! According to the Sister Shirley tradition, here are 14 random facts about Connor.

(he was being a Mohawk Indian in a skit - he doesn't usually go around like this lol)

At the Capitol Building - he's a harp transporter in training;-)

#1. Connor likes cars.

#2. Connor loves cars.

#3. Connor is obsessed with cars.

#4. Connor = cars.

#5. Getting the idea?

#6. Actually, believe it or not, Connor makes car sounds in his sleep instead of talking. When he is bored, he will lie on the couch and make car noises. When Connor opens his mouth, there's a 50/50 chance of his subject being cars.

#7. Connor is a little absent minded. It's genetic. LOL.

#8. Connor is very intelligent. He tends to be mathmatical/scientific in his skills. I get quite jealous at times.

#9. Connor has a slight lack of common sense. It's hard to be intelligent and have common sense at the same time;-)

#10. Connor is quite a gentleman. He has a well-bred air about him when he's out and about. I'm quite pround of him, I'll admit.

#11. Connor has a phobia about letting balloons go. I don't know how bad it is now, but when he was a toddler, he couldn't handle letting a balloon go. I remember loving to let balloons go "so they could go to Jesus". But every time I decided to let mine go, Mom would have to drag a 2-year-old inside screaming bloody murder.

#12. Connor is an excellent piano player. He isn't one for sitting down and getting to work though, so this keeps him behind. Playing by ear is his especial talent. But set some sheet music in front of him? It's like asking him to read Russian. LOL. He has a loud, fast, bold style - and when he begins to play, the house is filled with vibrant sounds for the next 20 minutes.

#13. Connor used to have an obsession with clouds. Kind of an interesting correspondence to his balloon phobia. Maybe he was trying to figure out if it was possible to get the balloons BACK. I don't know. Each could in the sky would bring forth a torrent of new words and classifications - was it a cumulonimbus, or was it a stratus? It would definitely rain, he would tell us. Sigh. Glad those days are over;-)

#14. Connor can talk. And TALK. And talk, and talk, and talk some more. It drives me nuts sometimes;-) I find it literally impossible to get ready for bed in a hurry, because Connor has something to tell me about Matt......or about the silver Nissan he saw.....or about the book he read.....it never ends. I shut the door to my room sometimes only for Connor to poke his head around as soon as it opens again with a new subject;-)


Happy Birthday Connor! You're a great kid!!!;-)

• 3 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

May. 29, 2008 - COLLEGE IN A WEEK!!!!

Will college ever come? lol I am starting on the 9th of June and am very ecstatic;-) I think I'm driving Felecia crazy;-) Actually, I will be starting a music class of which my private music instructor is teacher. So at least I will know my teacher very well;-) I want to major in music, so this will be a good start. I'd like to become a concert harpist, or work with a good orchestra. On to Carnegie Hall!!!!! Lol I wish. We'll see what God wants.

Presently, I am at Felecia's house celebrating her 17th birthday by spending two nights with her. We've had quite the time - Amber stayed over last night as well and we all talked until like 2 in the morning. Or, I should say, Amber talked until like 2 in the morning. Once she stopped, we all fell asleep;-) It is really interesting what girls talked about. We covered everything from the fashions of the gangarus in Shibuya, Japan to the martyrdom of William Tyndale(Lord, open the Kind of England's eyes!) - and everything in between lol. So, in honor of Felecia's 17th birthday, I have decided to copy a custom of Sister Shirley's and post 17 random facts about Felecia.

1. Felecia LOVES her sweets!!!

2. Felecia is everyone's best friend. Everyone loves her;-)

3. Felecia wants to become an OB/GYN or a midwife. In other words, she LOVES babies! She has an interest in the medical field - one not shared by most of her collegues ;-)

4. Felecia hates school. She'd give anything to be done!! She hates the thought of college  as fervently as I love it;-)

5. As a child, Felecia used to be obsessed with grass. She once was riding home in the car when they passed a field full of tall green grass when she remarked to Keri who was by her side, "Don't you just WISH you could be a horse and eat up all that green grass?" Another time she decided to be a rabbit, crawl on the front lawn, and eat grass. Unfortunately, her throat began to burn shortly after and her poor mother, once she heard the details of her imaginative daughter's escapades, quickly phoned the nearest plant nursery to find whether or not the grass in her front lawn was poisonous.

6. Felecia is a must for any social group. She is not a leader, but she is just as important. She is the quiet one that remembers everything everyone else needs to know, always has the things in her purse people need, always keeps the group running smoothly because of all her behind-the-scenes homework.

7. Felecia is ALWAYS right. Seriously. If you find yourself the right one, you should feel very flattered;-) Time and tine again we've had arguments where I was positively SURE I had the correct information - well, I didn't and Felecia turned up victor again;-)

8. Felecia volunteers at a local hospital for day surgery. Her director soon wants her to start training other volunteers!

9. Felecia is an artist. She may not call it her profession, but she has an awesome style all of her own. I've seen several of her drawings and they are excellent!

10. Felecia wants to get married and raise a family. Another proof that she loves babies;-) She's a wonderful, feminine homebody. Once, Amber and I were discussing our future desires - she wanted to have a mission in Japan and I wanted to start an orphanage in Russia. "This is no fair!" Felecia remonstrated. "Pretty soon I'll be left here all by myself!"

11. Felecia does NOT want to be a pastor's wife. Period.

12. Felecia is quite the cook! Try her monster cookies! lol

13. Felecia is best friends with her mother. No wonder either. Felecia is an exemplary worker and helper to her mother. I wish I could figure out her secret;-)

14. Felecia has a perfect personality. Immaculate, more specifically. This taste shows very much in her clothes. How often I have gone to church and sat by Felecia and suddenly noticed the stains, the wrinkles, and the holes in my outfit next to her perfectly ironed, perfectly fitting and matching clothing. Another secret I'm despairing to know;-)

15. Felecia has a sense of humor. When we are together, believe me, we spend much of our time laughing. Leave it to the two of us to find amusement in nearly everything;-)

16. Felecia sews. Not often, but her perfect taste and character shows very much when she does;-)

17. Felecia is beautiful!!!


Happy birthday to a wonderful friend of many years!!!;-)

• 3 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

May. 24, 2008 -

Yes, it has been a little while, and to catch up this is gonna have to be a very random post.....but hopefully it interests y'all!  My Uncle Ryan says that blogs are just a place to brag about yourself.....but I think they are a place for providing friends with interesting insight on your interesting life:-) Maybe that IS bragging. LOL.

Here's a tag I grabbed off someone's blog and I thought it was pretty neat.

Rules:
1. Pick up the nearest book (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the third sentence.
4. Post the next five sentences.
5. Tag five people.


Ok, that would have to be David Copperfield by Charles Dickens - an abridged version which happens to be lying beside me on the couch lol. Since page 123 is a picture, here's a selection from page 124.

"'Emily's run away," he said grimly, and he began to weep. "How can I tell Mr. Peggotty?' It was too late to wonder, for the door opened and Mr. Peggotty stepped out. One look at Ham's pale face, and he knew. As we went back inside, Ham explained that Emily had left a note."

Ok, let me see......who would be interesting to tag? How about......let me see....the girls I can tag are
felecia91.blogspot.com
luvdogs07
kerianna
And who else? I know Karl and Rebekah won't do it......so I guess that narrows it down to
shanevchick.blogspot.com
aussiewarthog ;-)

Ok, here's some more random pictures from the Star Wars Jedi Training Party -

The Birthday Girl!!!

Ready to Maul?

Han Solo(in his Jedi Training Uniform) preparing the Death Star

I call this one "An Undecided Career"


Dooku makes his approach


Chewbacca makes his:-)


Me and a Twi'lek Jedi


Like mother.....like son, right?


The Young Princess

Dooku and I settling a quarrel.....lol jk I challenged him to this one


Some neat pics Twi'key took

The Darth Approach

More Birthday Girl!!!


The Death Star


More Maul


Man, having birthdays is just tough! lol


Han Solo


A Jawa ready to attack:-)


Hey! Being a Jedi is hard work!



Baby Yoda;-)


The Two Princesses:-)

Enjoy........and leave me a message!:-)

• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

May. 15, 2008 - THE OLD HOUSE

Here's a story I am writing for a school assignment. It might leave you sort of hanging, but I'm not sure if I'm gonna write a sequel to it. I guess it depends on if anyone wants to hear the other half lol. Anyways, enjoy!!:-)

I had only been in the town a month. My Pa had brought me and Ma out here after my twin sisters had died and the doctor had ordered Ma to have a change of climate. But life wasn’t any easier out here than it had been back east. For instance, there was no place to live. The town was packed to the brim. Well, I take that back – there was one place to live. There was one decent house down on South Street that was good enough for the three of us. Pa had tried to buy it from it’s landowner, but he was a mean man, that Peter Flotsam. He would only rent it for a price far above any we could dream to pay. He said he didn’t care about sick women with poor constitutions. We knew it was just his money he cared about.

Meanwhile, we were forced to camp out in our old pickup, where poor Ma couldn’t even stretch her sick legs, let alone get better. I enrolled in the local school, but it was no easier there. I didn’t fit in with these Westerners. They all called me a greenhorn. I was very anxious to prove myself and earn their respect. But there was no way that I could see. Little did I know that a chance was around the corner, and I didn’t know how that Ma’s comfort and health, our reputation, and our comfort would hang on what I would do with that chance.

Here’s how it happened.

 *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *

The house was old. Real old. 150 years old. Maybe more. No one had lived in it since Old Smit died, Grandma Baker said, and THAT was long before even she had been thought of. Many of the folks believed his old ghost still hung around the old place. With many of it’s boards missing and an over-all collapsible look to it, I could see why. I wasn’t too sure whether ghosts were real or not, but every time I had to walk in that direction, I got the willies. The old two-story remains of what used to be a 19^thcentury gold miner’s shanty stood on the edge of town, lonely and foreboding, causing every child’s eyes to widen as he passed and inspiring many a youth to challenge his boastful companion to a night alone in the empty house.

Then Peter Flotsam’s boy George decided to take the dare and prove them all wrong by camping out inside the remains of Smit’s bedroom for a night. George was quite a fellow (at least, if you asked him about it), so everyone was pretty sure he could stick it out. But everyone heard him pelting down the road at 2 o’clock the next morning, screaming loud enough to wake any dead, let alone Smit’s ghost.

“So the old place was too much for you, was it Jim?” my pa chuckled as a crowd gathered around George the next morning inside Peter Flotsam’s local store.

Jim’s face colored as the boys all tittered.

“What caused ye to yell so, Jim?” asked Billy. “I’d a thought you were a-dyin’, you screamin’ like a gal all the way down Main Aveenoo!”

“Did ye give my regards to ole’ Smit?” chuckled an old-timer.

“If ye’d give me as much as a chance to speak, I could set yer mind at ease!” Jim shouted, much flustered.

“Shut up, and listen to him!” bellowed old Mr. Flotsam, glaring threateningly at the crown surrounding his son.

“Alright, Jim, tell on.”

“The place was fine enough, but the noise around the place! I couldn’t even close my eyes a second for all the moanin’ and groanin’!”

“Yep, the wind was pretty rough last night, Jim, sorry ye couldn’t handle it!” Billy whispered under his breath.

“Why, and would ye believe! Every five minutes or so, I’d hear the tread of heavy feet stomping past my door. Is that not enough to set a fella crazy?”

“Sure, sure, but what set ya screamin’, chuck?

Jim turned pale. “Would ye believe?” he almost whispered. “Those feet walked down that there hall and stopped at me door. I knowed I hear someone grab that doorhandle and turn it, and that door creaked open! I rolled over and I saw the hugest and ugliest ghostey I’ve ever seen in all me born days!”

Pa raised his eyebrows as if to say, “Well, Jim, how many others have you seen?”

“Aw, pshaw, Flotsam! Yer just makin’ that up to scare the tykes a little, as sure as I’m a standin’ here!”

“No Suh! Upon me word! One look at the monstey thing,  and I high-tailed it outta there as fast as me legs could carry me! I took out the door and headed down that road, and would ye believe, I took one look behind me and that creepin’ monstey thing was right there!” Jim was actually trembling and his eyes seemed to grow every minute. Jim - the invincible, who had always taken a dare without flinching. “With all the moanin’ and creakin’ and things, it’s a wonder I didn’t lose me mind!”

We were all thinking he had when Pa’s voice cut through our thoughts.

“Now George, you know old Smit has been buried and dead these eighty years now. What would he have to keep him on the earth on windy nights like these? No, Jim, I think it’s safe to say your imagination gave way last night.”

Jim’s face darkened.

“Suh, upon me word, I’m sure not meanin’ to be of disrespect, but I SAW ‘im!”

“Oh, I’m sure you saw SOMETHING, Jim, but I’m quite sure it wasn’t Smit.” A distant twinkle came into Pa’s eye.

Then Peter Flotsam stepped forward. He spoke, his face bursting with anger  as he rolled up his sleeves and walked around the corner towards Pa. “Mister, it WAS Smit – my son seen his photography before, and he’d know him anywheres! It was Smit, I tell ye! My son is no coward and he knows what he’s ‘bout!” he raised his voice.

He stood threateningly directly in front of my gentle Pa with his hands on his hips.

Pa gazed calmly at Jim’s red, angry face for a few moments. Then he searched the face of Peter Flotsam. I could see an idea slowly forming in his head. Finally he spoke.

“Peter, how about a plan. Say if I can prove you wrong about Smit’s ghost, you give us that home you’re renting on South street for the reasonable price I asked you for. You know how ill my wife is, and how badly she needs a roof over her head. What do you say?”

“How ye gonna prove me wrong?” Jim’s face turned ugly.

Pa slowly rubbed his chin, then tilted his head sideways and gave me a hard stare or two. I began to feel uneasy.

“I’ll do it like this. I’ll bet even my Fred here could handle a night in that old house better that you could. How about I’ll have him spend the night in the old place? If he sees anything, then we’ll believe you, Jim. If not, you give us that house. How about it, Fred?” he finished, glancing sympathetically in my direction.

“It sounds like a plan to me!” Peter Flotsam cut in. “He’ll never do it!”

I felt an icy fear come over me. Spend a night in that haunted shack when Jim had seen a ghost? Had my father gone mad? My face was deadly pale and I couldn’t help shivering at the thought.

I turned to Pa in desperation, ready to declare I couldn’t do it. But just at that moment, I happened to notice the look on Jim’s face. He must have realized my terror, for his eyes had an evil look of mischief and ill-will in them, and a sly smile played around the corner of his lips. “He’ll never do it!” The words echoed in my head. I saw the angry, sour face of Peter Flotsam glaring at me. He didn’t expect me to accept either.

I thought about the fame and honor I would crown myself with. No schoolchildren would again call me greenhorn, if I came out of that old place alive. IF! That was the question! Could I possibly risk it? No, it was too much to ask of anyone, let alone a lad like me.

“Will you, Fred?” Pa asked.

I opened my mouth to tell him that I wouldn’t do it to save my life.  But the look on his face set me thinking. I thought about Ma and how desperately she needed that home.  What if Ma’s life depended on me? What if she died, because her only child wouldn’t spend a night in a dark house alone?

That was enough for me. I would sleep a week in that house alone for Ma’s sake – I would l, even if I DID die in the attempt.

“When?” I asked softly.

Jim looked at Pa. Pa looked at Peter. The crowd held their breath in excitement.

“Tomorrow night.” Peter leered.

Tomorrow night? Only a day away. That meant that I would have very little time to prepare for defense against ghosts, using pistols, classifying scary sounds, the list went on and on. Only one day? The whole town hung on my answer.

I took a deep breath. I squared my shoulders. I opened my mouth. Somehow, I forced the words out, nodding in the affirmative.

“Tomorrow night.”

TO BE CONTINUED, MAYBE..........

• 8 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

May. 11, 2008 - TRAINING OF THE JEDI - FRIDAY BASH

PRICE FOR VIEWING PICTURES : ONE COMMENT:-P

Friday we headed up into the foothills to spend the evening with the D--- family. And - guess what? Taking crazy pictures is becoming a new fad! lol Take a look.

Can you believe it, Felecia? I managed the "bloated" look without breaking down this time! LOL


How many faces cam you make eh?

We played spoons and a long version of CatchPhrase, complete with watching some funny home videos - BESIDES doing a marvelous prank call on Trevor(a friend leaving for boot camp). We had Brother Casey do it, and everyone had to stuff their faces in pillows while he left the message, he was so hilarious:-)

Well, now, on SATURDAY we went to Uncle Leonard'sGabrielle's birthday party, Star Wars themed. We were supposed to dress up, and there were some pretty original costumes there, I'm telling you! Take a look!

Darth MuahahahahaL -
You'll NEVER guess who it was in a thousand years!!


Count Dooku, Princess Leia, and Chewbacca(he made quite a sensation as he walked in making Chewbacca noises LOL)


A Jawa


Me and Mr.Ms. Maul:-)


Franklin Vader and Connor Count Dooku


Me and Vadey!:-)



Me and whachamacallit Jedi - I have to ask her what her name is again lol

I still need to get permission from Queen Amidala, baby Yoda, Luke Skywalker, and Han Solo to put their pictures up here, we'll see if I can get it :-)

An obstacle course bounce house was present, as well as an unlimited supply of foam light sabers, so you can image the time we had lol. About halfway through the party, a bunch of adults took over the bounce house, and it was hilarious to see all these people in their 40s jumping up and having races lol. Sister Helene and Brother Joe had several racing competitions to see who could get through the whole obstacle course first lol.

I was surprised there were only 3 princess Leias there, considering the amount of girls:-) Uncle gave a Jedi training session, after which all the "younglings" were required to fight Darth Vader of the Dark Side.

I confess, I got caught in a couple of furious combats - 2 with Count Dooku(one I challenged him to, and the other occurred when he pulled out a bench from under me right as I sat down!!:-( and also Luke Skywalker, when Dooku and I raded his obstacle course and I headed him out. He was pretty furious, but we made up:-) lol

OH, and if you're wondering about my gray hair, well, I didn't really have anything to be, andI decided to use up the rest of Dooku's silver spray on myself lol. So I guess I was a character all in myself lol. That tends to happen anyways, sigh.

Again - *AHEM* lol

PRICE FOR VIEWING PICTURES : ONE COMMENT:-P

• 10 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

May. 5, 2008 - SYS PERFORMANCE - BRAHMS REQUIEM

LAST NIGHT I HAD THE WONDERFUL opportunity to go and hear the Premier Orchestra from my beloved SYS perform at - GUESS where?!?! - the MONDAVI CENTER!!!! Known as one of the most magnificent concert halls on the west coast, this prestigious building is big stuff, in my opinion:-) I've had the privilege of going there twice, and it is a dream of mine to once visit it - on stage:-)

The Premier Orchestra is the top of SYS's three orchestras. My friend Amanda has a very honorable place in this orchestra - she is second chair, first violins - the only way for her to get any higher in the orchestra is for her to beat out the concertmaster. They performed Brahm's Requiem with a very large choir along with two soloists, a soprano and a baritone. It was a GORGEOUS performance. And what was awesomer still - they had a harpist! She was not part of the SYS(lucky me:-), she was older and had to be called in.

The concert was about two hours long. The choir that accompanied the orchestra was 99% old people - but there were a couple young ones smashed in there. Connor pointed out a young boy that looked about 14/15 sandwiched between two old men. I happened to catch him later during the concert trying to sing and yawn at the same time, which didn't really work. He ended up just blinking lol. I noticed several others of the orchestra members yawning as well...ahem! lol.

One particular time, the drummist gave a particularly hard blow to his instrument, and suddenly the music flew off the stand of the percussionist next to him. The percussionist managed to grab the music before the music reached the floor, then gave an uneasy glance at the conductor lol.

After the concert, we wandered up to the platform because I was dying to talk to the harpist. I made mom start the conversation first though lol. She was really nice. She told us she had been playing since she was about 15. I told her, in more polite words, that I wanted to kick her out of her place on stage with SYS lol. She was very excited when I told her that, and she told us that SYS really needs a harpist thats not old like her lol. S maybe I have a little hope....

Then Amanda came running though the auditorium to say hi. She escorted us towards the lobby, but the Executive Director, Scott Leigh, happened to come back in. Connor had shaken his hand at the last concert,and I didn't want to be outdone lol. "Could I like, shake your hand?" I asked him. "Sure!" he responded enthusiastically. "You can even give me a hug if you want to!" he added, holding out his arm. I was like, "Um.." but it was a little late to refuse, and what could I do! lol So I got a HUG from the Executive Director too! lol I guess I outdid Connor a little more than I wanted too.....LOL.

Amanda asked us out to coffee, and since no one knew the city, we had to get a map to find a place to hang out. We ended up choosing a crepe place, and Mom got lost on the way there. She went the exact opposite way we were supposed to. She handed the map to Connor and he took a look. "Um I think we're going the wrong way. Wait - maybe not. Where IS the Mondavi Center?!?!?" "Connor!!" I insisted. "Give ME the map!" "I know how to read maps!" he insisted. "I think we're going the right way." I started. But I suddenly took a closer look at the map and realized we were going the opposite way we were supposed to. Finally I convinced Mom we were going the wrong way. "See!" Connor sulked. "I know SOMETHING about maps! I knew that all along!" LOL

Felecia, Me, and Amanda

Felecia and I had a blast hanging out at Crepeville with Amanda, two girlfriends of hers, and a Chinese kid from the orchestra. The kid, Adriel, quite took is by surprise - he talked like nonstop and was quite up outgoing. Amanda made everyone tell what their worst fears were - Amanda and Felecia were terrified of not being able to get married and have kids, Adriel of the never-ending Calculus problem. I said that my worst fear was probably being in the middle of a huge performance and my stool legs breaking.....but Amanda said that wasn't good enough, so I had to suffice her with being martyred or tortured. Our time together ended with thumb-wars, and then our traditional, arm-wrestling matches.

Well, so what do you do when you're on the 45-minute drive home after sitting for 2 hours at a concert? Take a look ~ this is the outlet for our energetic spirits lol.

I look like a cow in this one LOL! Mooooooooo......

Me cracking up LOL

So now you know how we react to being cooped up for 3 hours lol. If you happened to be amused by any of these world's ugliest photos, drop me a comment and let me know about it!:-)

~Nastya

• 7 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Apr. 25, 2008 - ALESYA - ALWAYS AND FOREVER!

Ahhhhhhh........so its all over. My goodness - ever felt like you've lived a year in a couple hours? Well, I've joined the club lol. Alesya's funeral took place this morning at 11. It was very interesting, being a Russian funeral, and - believe it or not - it lasted for 2 hours.

The funeral was out-of-doors, under a portico-thingy. There were more flowers - and people - there than I have ever seen at a funeral before. There had to be like 300 or 350 people there. Alesya's casket was beautiful. When we arrived, the immediate family was not there yet - just the relatives.

We got there the same time as Amanda L and her mom did, and poor Amanda was bawling. I managed to hold out until the family arrived and I went to see Oksana - then when I saw Mr. & Mrs. B sobbing by the casket with the little cousins wiping their eyes - well, it was a little too much lol.

The ceremony was very interesting in itself. They had several people speak - 4 pastors(including Bro. Dave), the youth director, her Sunday School teacher, her hospice nurse. Everything was translated - anything Russian was translated into English, anything English into Russian. One of the pastors did not speak a lick of English. I love listening to Russian for once - its so much more calming, much softer than English. I was amused to find that the pastors were not your typical funeral-everybody's-going-to-heaven preachers. There was some judgement preaching at her funeral. "Are there any here that are not sure they are going to heaven? If you want to see Alesya someday, you must be saved!" It was nice to see that some still preach judgement. The Russian pastors are very loud and somewhat dynamic - not your traditional Orthodox priest.

Did I mention how packed in we were? Whenever you go to a Russian gathering, the first things you learn about their culture is that they are much more, um, whats the word, personal than Americans. For instance, don't be surprised if you are absolutely squashed between a 90-year-old man, his wife, or smashed against a row of teenage guys. Squished to the point where you cannot move without really pushing against someone. If your Russian you are fine with it, you're used to it, but it's not something every American easily adjusts to. There were more people standing than sitting, and I was one of the standing ones - trying not to topple over a row of elderly gentlemen while trying not to press into the row of teenage guys behind me. Neither worked - I kept hitting the old guy in front of me, and l gave the teenager behind be a nice elbow in his stomach lol. When people would try to shove their way through, you would smash yourself against others as hard as you could, and then suddenly you'd be like, um, who am I leaning against? It could be anybody lol. One other thing you learn - they love to talk close to you - make that, in your face almost. You wouldn't run into this problem with younger people. but it's a tradition with grown-ups, and I would find myself trying to back away from the lady talking to me 6 inches from my face.

It wasn't too emotional until the hospice nurse got up and talked about Alesya. By the time she broke down crying at the end of her speech, Felecia and I were sobbing lol. Luckly none of us broke down when we sang "I'll Never Miss Heaven for the World" and "All the Way My Savior Leads Me".

Then the Russian youth group got up to sing. The youth leader took out an accordion and began playing and then the group began to sing. Many others knew the Russian hymns they sang and began singing with them. If you ever want to hear a good song, go listen to some Russian Christians. Their songs are SO beautiful. They are usually somewhat minor, but they are so calming and relaxing - just beautiful. Maybe I can somehow post a video......its so wonderful. Ok, yeah, I know what you're thinking. I AM obsessed, ok, I'll admit it:-)

After the sermons (one of those pastors brought a REAL sermon! about 30 or more minutes long) Amanda L and I played Ave Maria while everyone viewed the casket for the last time and walked to the graveside. Dad grabbed the harp and carried it to the graveside where Amanda L and I played "Time to Say Goodbye". Finally the pastor stepped forward and began to speak again. This time there was no interpreter, so most of our group was pretty lost:-) Then, as they carried the casket to the grave, the whole group began to sing a Russian hymn. The diggermen came and stood by our group, one with his head respectfully bowed. Then all the children opened envelopes containing butterflies, and we again played Time to Say Goodbye while they all rose into the sky.

Then followed a long prayer by the pastor, and it took some of us a long time to figure out he was praying before we bowed our heads and agreed also. Then Mr. B prayed - and that's where a ton of people broke down, including my mom, broke down, as he tried to sob the words out with his arm around his wife. It was so sad - Amanda L and my mom sobbing beside me and him crying....

After the service ended, we all headed over to their church for refreshments, or something more like a dinner(you know how Russians are with their food:-). Our group was squashed down a bench with people the didn't know, but there wasn't enough room for Felecia and I so we just stood there until Alesya's older brother came over and invited us to the young people's bench. Again, we were squished with people we didn't know(actually, I knew some of them) and across from us sat three guys(Alesya's brother included). Oh joy! :-( No, Eva wasn't on our bench......but Im sure she was longing to be.....lol. Another thing - Russians are alot friendlier than Americans. They took us right in. It wasn't a very awkward situation at all - before long we were all chatting away like we had all known each other since the beginning of time lol. The guy that sat straight across from me though, Daniel, talked to us like most of the time and he was a little....uh....different. Make that ditsy. lol. And a little *batty*. He wants to come to church - actually, alot of people asked for the churches address/info and said they wanted to come, especially to the youth servise this Sunday night. I really enjoyed the fellowship there - I was busy writing down email addresses and making friends lol.

Oh, and the food. Russian food is, well, very elaborate. I really enjoyed the food - we had chicken and bread and desert bread and there was some dill salad(which I respectfully abstained from). And did I mention kvas? Yes, they served kvas! Once I foud out it was on the table, I immediately took a glass - and it was very interesting. VERY. Kvas is a very old, traditional Russian beverage made from black bread that they basically ferment. It's a very dark brown drink. How did it taste? Well, it was too strong for me, and after a few sips my head started spinning. It's not alchoholic, and it tastes EXACTLY like yeast! You'd know the flavor of you've ever eaten homeade bread. Oksana wouldn't touch it, but Allah said it was good and Alesya's brother downed a whole glass. It was too fermented-tasting for me though.

The procedure ended with a very old man getting up and making a very long speech in Russian that wasn't translated (our ditsy friend said he would have translate but he was talking too fast) and then the pastor got up and spoke again and then we all rose to pray.

So this has been a very long post, and if you are not obsessed with Russian people and you still read this all the way though, I highly commend you!:-) Leave me a comment!

~Nastya

• 2 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Apr. 23, 2008 - ALESYA'S FIGHT - FINISHED!

~IN LOVING MEMORY~

Alesya
10.23.90 - 4.21.08

THE DYING CHRISTIAN TO HIS SOUL
Alexander Pope

Vital spark of heav'nly flame,
Quit, oh, quit, this mortal frame!

Trembling, hoping, ling'ring, flying,

Oh, the pain, the bliss of dying!

Cease, fond Nature, cease thy strife,

And let me languish into life!

Hark! they whisper; Angels say,

Sister Spirit, come away.

What is this absorbs me quite,

Steals my senses, shuts my sight,

Drowns my spirits, draws my breath?

Tell me, my Soul! can this be Death?

The world recedes; it disappears;

Heav'n opens on my eyes; my ears

With sounds seraphic ring:

Lend, lend your wings! I mount! I fly!

O Grave! where is thy Victory?

O Death! where is thy Sting?

Alesya left her sick body to take on a better one on Monday, April 21st, at 10 PM, at the age of 17. Her immediate family was all there, as well as some aunts and cousins.

Alesya was a straight A senior in high school. The high school she attended was a new one, and she was very excited and proud of the fact that hers would be the first graduating class of the school. Her dreams were to get married and have children, and to either become a pediatrician or a schoolteacher - something with helping children, I think. She was on television playing the violin when she was in fourth grade because of her exceptional grade level.

Alesya was one of the most amazing and beautiful - genuinely beautiful - people I have ever met. We met when we were both 12, and instantly were the best of friends:-) We seldom saw each other, but we wrote letters back and fourth and visited from time to time until she was diagnosed with cancer, when we would go over each week to be with her. She was also one of the sweetest people you could ever meet - one of those angel type, the type that seem too good to live on earth, that they belong somewhere else....which she did:-) She was always thinking of others, always concerned about them, always having a cheerful disposition. She was not a big talker, but I think everyone that met her fell in love with her right away. I was one of the victims, and have been very priviledged:-)

Alesya was born in Samara, Russia on October 23rd, 1990. Her family came to the states when she was about 7. Her mom can tell the BEST stories:-) Alesya began to grow weak and have a noticable limp at the end of 2006. Her mom finally decided to take her to the doctor in January of 2007, where tests and scans showed that a tumor in her brain was the cause of her weakness. She was rushed to emergency surgery where they removed the tumor and took it in for testing to see if it was cancerous. Alesya's mom told the story of a baby in the same ward as Alesya. The baby had been in the hospital almost since it was born and I believe it had undergone several surgeries and wasn't doing very well. Alesya was lying in her hospital bed after waking from surgery, barely able to speak and move her head, when she noticed a tiny baby lying in a bed near her. "Mom!" she mumbled. "The poor baby....."

After her surgery, my family went to pay her a visit in her home. She was as cheerful and happy as ever, although she seemed very tired and her speech was somewhat slurred. "This will be some story to tell my kids!" she laughed. Later she told Oksana to help her get up from the couch. "See," she said to me. "I want you to know I can still walk!"

In the beginning of February, the tumor tests came back positive - Alesya had brain cancer. She began chemotherapy and also, it seems, began to weaken from that point on. After chemotherapy ended in March, Make-A-Wish Foundation paid for a trip to Hawaii for the whole family. MRI scan results came back clear - cancer was gone. Alesya went home to recover.

But she never did. When she continued to rapidly fail, she was taken for another MRI scan. The results were quite different - the cancer had completely enveloped Alesya's brain. There was nothing the doctors could do at such an advanced stage. They told the family she could die any day.

Through her following 6 months of life that I spent alot of time with her, she showed more patience and strength than I really knew anyone could have. To the very last, she was always cheerful. She smiled almost constantly it seemed, until she was too weak. Even when she lost her ability to speak, she would always give us a thumbs-up to show us she was feeling good. We always would pray before we left, and whenever asked what prayer requests she had, it was always, "That I would get well!" How she managed to exist and lay in her bed for 6 months and slowly fade I don't know  I think I woudl have died from plain frustration. But she was the type, even though she was young, that YOU were the one who got encouraged when you went to visit.

It is so very hard to believe she is gone now. That we'll never visit her again, that we'll never again see her face light up when we'd sing the song she always asked for - "I'll Never Miss Heaven for the World." It's hard to imagine sometimes, how God's way can always be best in circumstances like this. I guess that's where the trust kicks in. But it is a great comfort to know that she is no longer suffering, that she no longer cries because she can't move or communicate, that she can walk and be normal again, even though it's at the expense of our grief. But she will be greatly missed.

And Alesya, if you are reading this from heaven, understand that I love you and miss you so much. Thank you for all the help and encouragement you gave to me through your sickness. You taught me that nomatter what anyone goes through, it's no excuse to have a bad attitude and give up. That you can always keep a sweet, godly spirit nomatter what you go through. That patience IS a real virtue - and that it is possible to place your life in God's hands and let Him do what He pleases. I was greatly blessed to know you and be a part of your amazing life - so blessed to have had you as a friend. Alesya, you were one of the most beautiful and amazing people I will ever meet  - and heaven must surely be rejoicing now that you are in it! Wait for me, and I will see you someday!

I would ask that perhaps all you that blog out there that read this could possibly show your support by saving this memorial picture of Alesya and posting it on your blog, or even putting it in the side column of your blog or if you want, you could use it as your profile photo for a little while. It's just one little way of showing support for the family. If you would like to do this it would be wonderful. If any are interested in emailing or sending a card to the family, let me know.

• 5 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Apr. 18, 2008 - A.B.'S FIGHT UPDATE

Thanks everyone for all your comments of sympathy - they are greatly appreciated! Lol, it was kinda funny, you all commented on the post before I was even done with it - I was typing it out last night and it got too late to finish, so I just posted what I had written, intending to edit it later. Then the next thing I know you all have already read it lol.

As you probly gathered from the comments, A.B. started breaking out in sweat on Thursday, and then today she was struggling to breathe so they put her on oxygen. Her parents have been pretty much constantly at her bedside, praying and crying. Sister Liz and Felecia took a meal to them today and Mrs. B, crying, told them how hard it was to sit and watch her daughter struggle to breathe. Pray for them!


I thought I'd include a random collage of her that I have on my computer. Unfortunately I don't have the ones of them in Russia anymore, but enjoy these:-) Feel free to leave comments and ask questions:-)

• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Apr. 18, 2008 - FOR A FRIEND........

Most of you already know, but we got an unexpected call from Mrs. B on Wednesday, telling us to come over because O.B. was dying basically - the nurse had come and said it would simply be a matter of hours, days. We, with the V--- family and our pastor, rushed over to say goodbye to her. The ride there was pretty rough lol, not knowing what to expect and all. I did NOT want to cry, lol, and I grabbed Pippi Longstocking to read on the way lol. But when we got there and Mrs. B took my dad and I first into her room. It was all dark, and seeing O.B. in a coma there, well, lol, it was a little too much. Both of our families gathered in her room and we began to sing "I'll Never Miss Heaven for the World", her favorite song she used to always ask us to sing for her. We began to sing, and suddenly her face screwed up as if she was crying. We got Mrs. B who came and turned her body around. Her eyes opened a tiny bit, and Mrs. B began rubbing her legs and talking rapidly to her in Russian. Poor Mrs. B, she was so absentminded that she even turned around to us and spoke to us all in Russian instead of English, while everyone looked at me for a translation lol. We stood there and continued to sing other songs, but it was pretty tough at times, singing such meaningful songs and watching her struggle. Then we slowly filed out of the room, stopping by her bed to tell her we loved her.

For the next 45 minutes or so, we all stood around the living room talking to Mrs.B. Sister Liz asked her, "How are you doing?' "I don't know, I don't know..." she sighed. Later she asked us if we would be willing to participate in the funeral, and sing O.B.'s favorite song and bring the harp - the "music" she calls it. "Surely, if it comes to that!" "It IS come to that." She said softly. "God can heal, but with the way His will looks now, He seems to have something else in mind."

• 5 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Apr. 16, 2008 - PORK CHOPS

I thought this was too cute not to share! Enjoy!:-)

In a zoo in California, a mother tiger gave birth to a rare set of triplet tiger cubs. Unfortunately, due to complications in the pregnancy, the cubs were born prematurely and due to their tiny size, they died shortly after birth.

The mother tiger after recovering from the delivery, suddenly started to decline in health, although physically she was fine. The veterinarians felt that the loss of her litter had caused the tigress to fall into a depression. The doctors decided that if the tigress could surrogate another mother's cubs, perhaps she would improve.
tiger skin and placed the babies around the mother tiger. Would they become cubs or pork chops??
Take a look...

After checking with many other zoos across the country, the depressing news was that there were no tiger cubs of the right age to introduce to the mourning mother. The veterinarians decided to try something that had never been tried in a zoo environment. Sometimes a mother of one species will take on the care of a different species. The only "orphans" that could be found quickly, were a litter of weanling pigs. The zoo keepers and vets wrapped the piglets in

Now, please tell me one more time .........?
Why can't the rest of the world get along??

• 4 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Apr. 8, 2008 - PRAYER REQUEST........

• 3 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Apr. 5, 2008 - NASTYA - A CHILD OF BRILLIANCE

Yes, believe it or not, I am brilliance's child. And I am about to offer some very convincing evidence of this phenomenal truth.

I had to work yesterday, so my dad took me to the office, and after a bit he went on some errands. Imagine his astonishment when he comes back to the office 4 hours later to find the warehouse floor covered in water. The only problem was....that was the second time that morning.....

This is how the story goes. One of my duties at work is to wash the towels the technicians use while cleaning carpets. Our washing machine is a rather dilapidated one, and to fill it with water, you are obliged to use the hose. This present time, the machine was filling up ever so slowly, and I decided to step in to the office and take care of a few things while it filled.....Suddenly I noticed my chair was starting to float and looking down, realized the water had risen to a level of about 2 feet....

JK, it wasn't that bad. Actually, I happened to look out the office door and was stunned to see water flowing in. I jumped up and ran out of the office to see the warehouse floor under water. Not all of it, but still.... I grabbed a carpet rake and began pushing the water out of the office. I opened the warehouse garage door and spent the next half hour turning on fans, using towels and taking a soaking piece of carpet outside to dry.

Finally, everything began to clear up. I began to have hope that everything would be dry by the time Dad got back and everything would be fine. Now, for the next load of towels.

I resolutely put the hose in the washing machine  and stood there. I might have been stupid the first time, but I had learned from my mistake and I wasn't going to do it again. The brain is a funny thing sometimes.....

I must have had a brain lapse, because the next thing I knew, I was in the office (what was I doing in there?) and water was once again sweeping through the office. The problem was, the flood was alot worse this time. I jumped out of my chair slipping to the door, feeling more frustrated than I think I ever had in my life. It was a REAL ego-booster, let me assure you.

Unfortunately, Dad arrived before I had the chance to dry everything again. He wasn't jumping for joy, as you can imagine. Luckly, he didn't make a big deal out of it. The only thing was, he didn't know I had done it twice. I hadn't had the heart to tell him.

Oh well, I guess it keeps you humble. I still haven't figured out how I got in the office that second time....lol. If you've ever done anything super smart yourself.....feel free to leave me a comment and make me feel better....lol. So, you see, I am indeed, a child of brilliance.

• 6 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Apr. 1, 2008 - TREASURE ISLAND

I've noticed blogging fever is back, and instead of Blogger.com, it's Homeschoolblogger.com I decided I'd figure out the system you all are using and see how it compares to others.

Here's a book report that's due sometime this week. It is in severe need of editing as it's the "brain storm" version before the rough draft. Have any of you ever read this book? If so, what did you think if it? If you've read Kidnapped, how does it compare to that? Anyways, enjoy my book report.

~Nastya

TREASURE ISLAND

     Treasure Island was written by Robert Louis Stevenson and contains 297 pages.

     Treasure Island is the story of a young boy and his unexpected encounter with a gang of pirates. Young Jim Hawkins lives a quiet, peaceful life with his parents, who own the Admiral Benbow Inn off the coast of 18^th century England. Until the arrival of an old buccaneer  who calls himself the “captain”, lodges indefinitely at the inn and causes Jim’s life to change completely.  Something like a friendship strikes up between young Jim and the rough, silent, old “sea dog”, who has Jim perplexed with his repeated requests to be on the lookout for a “sea-faring man with one leg”.  But the visits of several wicked-looking sea men rouse suspicions that the “Captain” and his friends may have been involved with the notorious terror of the sea, Flint – and Jim begins to wonder what his family has gotten themselves into. These suspicions are confirmed after the sudden death of the Captain while Jim and his mother are rummaging through the old chest he left behind. Realizing the danger they are in, Jim and his mother flee the house just before a band of buccaneers arrives and breaks into the inn. A stroke of luck leaves Jim and his mother undiscovered, and Jim runs to find the family doctor to show him an envelope he had managed to salvage from the chest. But when the doctor, Jim, and the local squire open the envelope, they find it is the map of an island with the awesome “X marks the spot.”

      Promising secrecy, the three make immediate plans to set sail for the island, where they are sure they will find enough to make them as rich as kings. The squire, in his efforts to outfit the ship Hispaniola with the best crew in England, befriends a one-legged, ex-ship’s cook by the name o f Long John Silver. Silver, a warm, friendly, and openly honest sailor, helps the squire choose the most able crew he can find. Although the captain of the ship expresses much anxiety about the crew chosen, his warnings are spurned and the ship sets sail. Jim, going along as the cabin boy, quickly warms to this kind sailor, listening to his stories and drinking in his advice and knowledge of the sea.

      Then Jim makes a surprising discovery when he falls asleep in an apple barrel – mutiny is on board, led by Silver himself! He discovers that Silver, a veteran of the island they are traveling to and Flint’s right-hand man, is determined to get the map of the treasure in his hands and get it for himself. The doctor and the squire know they have little hope and time wit work with, as the exceedingly cunning and deceptive Silver has most of the men already on his side. However, things remain under cover until they reach the island.

      As soon as the men set foot on the Treasure Island, the rivalry tightens and the crew splits. Desperate fighting and killing ensue, and all realize that they are in for much more than they bargained for. The squire’s group, dreadfully outnumbered, manages to hold their own until Jim cowardly disappears while on duty. But he has a brilliant plan in mind as he secretly sails out to the ship. Only two pirates have remained on board, and while they are having a duel, Jim cuts the anchor and lets the ship adrift. Now the pirates have no way of sneaking off with any treasure – but then all are stuck on the island for good. But an accident leaves Jim on board the ship himself.  Jim, just a boy, is confronted by a wounded but deadly enemy – death is in the balance for both of them. The battle will determine who is weaker. The fate of the whole voyage, the lives of all on the island, are in his hands. Can a boy outwit an experienced sailor and save the Hispaniola?

     I recommend this book - to boys and military-minded individuals in particular. It is rather wild, but fast-paced, exciting, full of strategy, fear, blood, war, and wit. It is one of those you have a hard time putting down, because you are afraid you might miss something.

I have read the entire book.

• 6 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link