Surprise! Look who came to visit...

That's right, folks!  Mom and Pops graced Ukraine with their wonderful presence.  It was fabulous. Simply fab.

Their trip started off in Germany visiting some friends from our Alabama days.  Those friends now live in the picturesque, mountain town of Garmisch, Germany.

one of the views from their house...not too shabby, eh?

Soooo pretty.

After a few days in Germany, they came  to Ukraine and we were reunited for the first time in just over a year :) I ended up surprising them at the airport, which was a welcomed surprise because they didn't have any grieven {Ukrainian currency} yet and would need some to pay for a taxi.  I am still recovering from pneumonia and maybe mono as well {a whole 'nother story in and of itself}, so most of their trip, I sat around a lot of the time and let them do the exploring.  My energy levels are nowhere near where they used to be, but I'll talk about illnesses in a different post.  I'll let the pictures do the talking today.

One of the entire reasons for them coming--Ukrainian pysanka eggs {click here if you don't know what they are}.  Mom was in heaven when she saw this giant one in K-grad.

Visit to the host fam's home in Oster. 

Mom, Pops, Andrei, Gala, and Christy

Pops was most shocked at the amount of dishes I wash by hand on a daily basis. 

Mom got to go in the root cellar at the host fam's house.  I was never allowed to go down there because it was too cold...guess that rule doesn't apply to moms? :)

Pops was most excited to go to the post office in Oster and mail post cards.  I was less than thrilled on that dreary, cold day.

We didn't take much luggage to Oster.  Important things that were left behind when we needed them: gloves.  Mom and I shared a pair of mittens while walking around Oster on the coldest day of the trip.

One-mittened Lydia, outside of the gymnasia school where I taught during training.

dinner in K-grad with some of my fellow k-gradders.  

Angie, her mom Dorothy {who also happened to be in town for Easter!}, Mom, Lydia, Vicki, Dan, Pops, and Phil

this picture deserves a post in and of itself.  Photo credit goes to mom. See if you can find something that doesn't belong...

doing pysanky eggs at my office

obligatory pic with the map in my office, and counterpart, Olena

the kittens were born while my parents were here too.  

SO SO SO cute.

Easter meal at Olena's

"The Frost's Take Ukraine"--could be a book.

Pops needed a pic of me with my OU wall art.  

This is what I did most of the trip.  Rest.  

on their last night of the trip, Mom trimmed my hair...this was the first time I've had it cut {other than me chopping off my bangs} in over a year.  

good job, Mom!

Obviously, there's lots more to elaborate on, but this gives you a good overview of their stay :)  they arrived back in Oklahoma last night safe and sound.  Gotta get to work now...toodles!

One last thing...we got to watch some of the kids from my work practice in their dance class.  They are amazing.

Kittens, inspired by kittens!

For those of you who don't know what the title of this post is referencing, you need to watch the following youtube video that went viral a few years ago: 

Some of my favorite quotes:

"AHHH!"

"AHHHHH!"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"I'm her mom!"

"Nooooo, she's not!!!!!!"

"La lalalalala la laaaaaaaa!"

"Bow wow chicka bow wow chicka bow wow"

"I have to go potty!!!"

("move down to his feet...")

"psssssstttt"

So, today, I was greeted with a surprise in my small entryway of my apartment.

4 teeny-tiny, itty-bitty, black and white kittens!!!

they are less than one day old...showing you my finger so you can see how tiny they are.

look at the tiny paws!!!!

 

I realize that I sound like the little girl in the viral youtube video.  Apparently, it's easy to talk like that to kittens.

I wish you could really see how small they are.

I've gone out to check on them at least 10 times today.  The last time I went out tonight, there was an older woman (not quite yet babushka status) feeding the mama cat.  This was the first time I'd ever seen her in my apartment complex.  Her name is Elena and she's super, super sweet.  She told me I'm always welcome to come up to her apartment on the third floor and pointed to which apartment she lives in.  Might have to make her some snickerdoodle cookies and take them to her!

I got my nails done for Ukrainian Easter tomorrow!  Lyuda came over to my apartment today and tried out a new painting kit that she got as a present from my mom.  This means that I got some pretty flashy/groovy nails for Easter.  Lyuda and I checked on the cats a few times as well and she told me the word for "kittens" in Russian.

I taught Lyuda the word for "bling" after she explained that they needed some glitter on top...

Word of the day:

kittens--котята {pron.: kahteeyah-tah}

Long post today, but too much to tell.  The last bit is a crazy video of the Norman tornado that happened yesterday afternoon.  It begins to get interesting around 1:18.  This guy caught the actual formation of a tornado in perfect view.  He then realized it was coming a little too close for comfort.  

  

More tornadoes are expected all over Oklahoma today.  As much as I hate tornadoes and am glad I'm not there, it is not easy to be 5800 miles away and wondering if everyone is okay!  Yesterday's storms uprooted a lot of incredibly old and large trees.  Praying that everyone stays safe today.  

The last bit of news for today is that it's a dear friends birthday :)  

Since this is our "friendship" picture on facebook, I decided it was too good {and truly captured both of us} not to post for your birthday pic, Darren!

You might remember this post here about Dare Bare.  I'm still on the lookout for a certain picture of him and Kyle in high school.  Another day, another post.  Stay safe Norman, and happy birfday Darren!

I need your help!!!

Dearest Blog Readers,

Peace Corps Volunteers in Ukraine are madly gearing up for all of our summer camp activities.  I'm super excited to be a part of a few different ones.  For one of the camps, I will be spending the 4th of July with a group of Ukrainian youth at a small beachside village in southern Ukraine.

Camp H.E.A.L. {Human Trafficking, Education, AIDS/HIV, Leadership} is a Peace Corps run summer camp.

Background info on the camp: here
A link to see all the counselors: here

Because this camp is Peace Corps run/organized, we raise a lot of the money to make it affordable for students.  For a 9 day camp, youth only have to pay around $40 USD.

That's about one tank of gas in the United States right now...maybe less. 

ANY type of donation is greatly appreciated.  Every dollar counts and goes directly to funding the camp...AND is tax deductible. We are looking to finish fundraising by the beginning of May.  Please please please consider giving.  Here are a few ideas on things you could do:

Skip your Starbucks for the day.

Instead of stopping to get a Chick-Fil-A in the drive-thru, make a sandwich at home.

Skip the queso at On The Border.  And maybe the dessert too...

Skip the impulse buying in the Target check-out.  You don't really need those pretzel M&Ms.

Forge past your 4th meal cravings of Taco Bell.  Your love handles will thank you later.

{can you tell some of the foods/places I love and miss right now?}

With those few extra bucks, donate the loose change to this cause.  I promise, you'll be able to see the rewards in my pictures from camp :)

I know some people don't do electronic payments...but there are other options!   However, if you would like to donate online, you can simply click >>>> here.  It's super easy and fast.  If online stuff isn't your cup o' tea, there are two other options:

1) Send a check to the following address:


Peace Corps Headquarters
Office of Private Sector Initiatives
1111 20th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20526


Checks are payable to Peace Corps Partnership Program.  Please note in the memo line: Project 343-310.  Also, print off the following sheet of paper, fill it in, and send it in {paper here}.

2)  Call the following phone number.  Credit card information will be taken over the phone.  Phone number: 1-800-424-8580 x 2170.  You will still need the project number {343-310}.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Please consider giving something...even $5 will help more than you know.

Way-Back-Wednesday #23: Happy Birthday, Jilly!

So, I had this post all written and prepared for yesterday.  BUT, no internet at my apartment.  Wah, wah.  That means I have to do it today, even though it's Thursday.  It does make a bit more sense because today is someone's birthday...which is what the post is for!

Meet Jill.

You might remember her from a few different posts {here, here, or here to name a few}.  As much as I love/hate the story of how we met, I'll go ahead and tell it.  Jill's probably laughing now as she reads this and remembers that day.  I met Jill my freshman year of college.  To be exact, the first day that we moved in to the dorms of OU's beautiful campus.  Jill and I went to high school together.  This is where the story gets awkward and embarrassing for me.

Jill knew me in high school.

I did not her.

I knew her name and her face, but didn't know they went together.  This has been a legendary story brought up ANYTIME Jill finds the time to make me feel bad :)  But, I love her all the same.

So, we were new freshmen in the dorm.  My roomie, Karen, and I were ordering pizza that night for supper.  I always {ALWAYS} eat ranch dressing with my pizza.  Jill stuck her head in our room and asked if we needed anything from the store; I asked if she would mind getting me a ranch dressing :)  we exchanged phone numbers then and I put her name in my phone as "Jill Ranch." To this day, she is  in my phone as Jill Ranch. Sometimes, I try to type that into facebook to search for her, but that's not her real name.  Enough with the chit chat though; let's take a walk down memory lane!

Jill has one of the most fun-loving personalities of anyone I've ever known . She never says no to any idea.

Road trip?  Sure!

Sledding?  Why not!

Move to Boston after college?  Done!

Rafting trip?  Duh!

I admire so much about Jill--her free spirit, contagious laughter and smile, and her willingness to leap when someone says "jump!"  I have a bajillion pictures of us together from 2005 on, so, without further ado..

dorm activities...

our hands were SO dirty with newsprint.

the dorms.

freshman year of college, 2005--Lydia, Ashlee, Jill

sledding adventures of freshman year!

anytime it snowed in Norman, a trip to Tecumseh and I-35 was in order...and Jill was always the ring leader of this activity :)

Jilly...

at Big Event--2006

the only time in my life I've ever made a human pyramid!

the last day in the dorms!

First OU game of 2007--Jill wore a green shirt and our opponent's team colors just happened to be green as well.  Smooth move... :)

This is "The Jill" face.  I could have posted a LOT of these, but I opted for others.  This one was at OU/Texas!  Our first time to go!

Boomer Sooner...

Tacky Christmas Party 2007

Tacky Christmas Party 2008--Jill sewed a stocking to her sweatshirt and gave out candy canes all night :)

If you would like to read more about the story of this picture, you can click here...

best of friends.

a very young Lydia, Jill, and Mitchell

and a very old Mitchell, Lydia, and Jill!

typical.

Allison, Lydia, Jill, and Bert--at a super warm game!

and Allison, Lydia, and Jill at a VERY cold game...

OU/Texas 2007

OU/Texas 2009

Halloween...no comment.

group timer pic.

Snow pics!  

Rafting adventures :)

fun at the OK State Fair :)

I'm the albino, Jill is the brown one.

Jill is always 10 shades darker than I am...

first time skiing!!

love you Jilly :) hope you have a blessed birthday!