Trip to Omsk

May is a tough month here - in a good way. There are two holidays within the first two weeks {May Day (1 st) and Victory Day (9th)}. There are also two birthdays within our family (hubby's and daughter's). Add the wonderfully warm weather and most people are ready for a vacation! Kids are day dreaming while staring out the windows of their classrooms (teachers are close behind them :-] ). People who have dachas (summer shacks on a piece of land for garden growing - usually outside the city) have left the city either for the whole summer or if they are still working, for the weekends.

We also took a family trip for the first weekend. Our church and our sister church in Omsk - a city about 380 miles west of us - had our first regional conference. About 70 adults and children were able to attend. The theme was I Timothy 6:6 "Now godliness with contentment is great gain." - NKJV. It was encouraging to hear from 5 leaders in our churches - 2 pastors and 3 elders. We also covered topics about financial responsibility, God's will for your life and being on fire for God. Of course, the food and fellowship were great. The conference center was on the edge of a village and forest. The kids loved playing in the playground under the huge pine trees. They also loved the freedom to just run in fresh air. Even Pasha got independent and would like to wander off on his own any time he felt he could. One young lady was baptized in freezing water even though it was an indoor pool.

We stayed an extra day to attend the church there and see our brothers and sisters that weren't able to make it to the conference. All in all, we were greatly encouraged and refreshed. It's always nice to get together for special times like these. It gives us a small glimpse of what heaven will be like!

Here are Kiana and Nikka enjoying a ride on the merry-go-round
at the playground among the pine trees.

Misha showing me his collection of pine cones.

Pasha exhausted from all the walking!

Have a blessed day!