City forest and news from Beijing

We were on our way to the tax office to get some kind of document for me. Of course, we get there and it is lunch time (12:00), "please come back after 2:00". What to do for two hours with four kids? Walk around and see what is in the area. We found a playground and that lasted for about 5 minutes. So we walk some more. Yura recognizes that the volleyball stadium is not that far away, so there must be a huge park around here somewhere. And it was. Right across the street is a "city forest". I call it the city forest because you are in the middle of these huge evergreens with footpaths running in different directions. If you could get off the beaten path (which is edged by stinging nettles), you could pick yourself some wild raspberries. You can't hear the traffic and since it is pretty much wild looking, you think you are in a forest out in the countryside. We found a couple of bridges that go over a winding brook. When it was getting closer to 2:00, we ended up in a clearing that looks like it has been there since the soviet era. Nostalgic rides for kids that would be deemed unsafe in the states, but in full operation here (and we haven't heard of any accidents as of yet). A huge playground area for the kids with an outdoor ampitheater behind it (which is hosting a concert as I type this). We took some deep breaths of fresh air, then headed back to the tax office. My docs aren't ready and to come back on Tuesday.

Upon returning home, I find out that a friend of mine that I haven't seen in 7 years has a SKYPE account and she is in Beijing, China catching up with athlete friends while touring the sites. Cool. We happen to be on line at the same time today, so not only did we catch up, but we got to see each other and introduce her to the kids. Her husband wasn't at the hotel because he was at the Olympic Village! Talk about the ultimate backstage pass in the athletic world! I will not covet...

If you would like to read up on what is happening with them and see some first hand photos, please visit her blog "Uraimov Update". It is the last one listed in My Blog Buddies.

Speaking of the Olympics, we are excited about the men's volleyball team. One of the players, William Reid Priddy, plays for the US men's volleyball team and he also plays for the professional men's volleyball team here in Novosibirsk. Whenever they are in town, he and his wife attend our church! So you can be praying not only for victory for the team, but for some awesome witnessing to be going on while they are at the Olympics. I've added his website under "Other interesting blogs". There is a post in there about getting to see the US men's basketball team. Have a blessed day!