Details.

Snowflakes are amazing! I have never seen ones like I have here. The snow we had last week brought out the biggest most amazingly detailed snowflakes I have ever seen (not that I am super familiar with snow ... ). Each little snowflake was big enough to see details that I thought only existed in paper cut out snowflakes that dangle in the windows. It is breathtaking to think of each little drop of water as it has fallen through frozen air collecting other water crystals to form a beautiful and unique snowflake.

All week this little snowflake has been on my mind. I can remember my amazement at realising how detailed a snowflake could be. It is wonderful to think of the detail that the Creator put into the process of creating one beautiful snowflake ... and overwhelming to think of how much more detail He is putting into the process of creating me to be the woman He intends me to be. Just as for the snowflake the process is hard and cold; it can come with clouds and storms. But if I will let it - it can also be an exquisite and dazzling display of love and provision.

Better Than A Vacuum.

I suppose the middle of a snow storm is the best time as any to clean the rugs in the house. Right?! Why not. This was the scene all over the neighborhood yesterday and several people are out today (I will argue that those out today are smarter because it is a sunny snowfall free day, so far). I am sure you are wondering exactly how one goes about cleaning rugs outside in the middle of a snow covered field?! Well, I would love to satisfy your curiosity.First, you roll up your rug, get bundled up and head outside ...Let your wife pick the best (read that cleanest) spot to lay out your rug ...Throw the rug down and unroll it on the freshly fallen snow ...Then proceed to kick some of that fresh snow onto the rug ...Continue this until the entire rug is covered ... Once it is covered (to the point that it looks like you are sweeping snow) begin brushing the snow around on the rug with your broom or special "rug cleaning stick" ... Then drag the brushed rug over the the football goal posts ...And hoist the rug over the posts ...So you can beat all the wet, now dirty sow, off it. Once that is complete, roll the rug and go home. Where you will need to drink several hot cups of tea and sit on the radiator so you actually begin to feel your fingers and toes. Seriously, I do not make this stuff up. Who needs a vacuum when there is fresh falling(en)snow?! Haha.

A New Kind Of Sunday.

These pictures are proof of a changing life around here ... there are certainly no more Sunday flowers! This is what I looked like about half way home from church. The snow is coming down like rain, it is snowing so hard. During the two hours I was in church I estimate we got about an inch and a half of snow! Oh the excitement ...

On a side note: Aunt K ... I LOVE my scarf! I am not sure it will ever be the same after this winter!

Christmas Party.

Last night we had a traditional American Christmas party with my ESL class. It was so much fun to share the Christmas Story, work cross word puzzles, eat delicious treats and snacks and sing carols in English! I had an especially good time watching my Ukrainian friends watch The Santa Clause. Either they really, really enjoyed it ... or the Russian subtitles are hilarious! Haha.

Merry Christmas from English class.

Early Morning Thoughts.

When the temperature feels like -15F (it really is only 0F) on the commute to work this is what I think about and what happens to me:

I had a super huge coughing attack upon exiting my building this morning because I forgot to breath through my nose. I inhaled air drastically colder than I had been breathing inside. My lungs did not appreciate it.

I inhaled through my nose with the next breath and immediately all the nose hairs, membranes and maybe even some of my brain froze on contact with the air. Each inhalation is now followed by a twitching of the nose or squeezing my nose between my thumb and finger - all in an effort to unstick the frozen contents of my nose.

As I was riding along on the marshurtka I was glad that I pretty much knew by feel where to get off. There was so much ice on the inside of the bus windows that I could not see out.

I became one of those people I usually laugh at. I became a runner! When I got off the bus at my stop I only had about five seconds to get across a very large street and if I did not get across before the light turned I would be stuck waiting a minute and a half on that side of the street and it would mean I would miss the crossing on the other side ... I refusing to entertain the thought of standing around waiting three minutes for the lights to turn and the cross walks to go my way; so I ran. All in an effort not to be standing still outside for longer than absolutely necessary!

I love the cold weather ... it always brings such new experiences for me (and moments of entertainment for you). Just think, its still early in the winter season here!

Frozen Tears.

A couple of nights ago I was waiting at the marshurtka stop outside my building. It was dark, cold and the wind was blowing. All I could think in my mind was that I wished the marshurtka to come quickly – I could not concentrate on anything other than the fact that I was cold (it was about 18 degrees).

Then I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. And I saw her.

An old woman had her crates lined up in front of the bench at the bus stop. She had her wares lined up in perfect rows, showcasing them in a deliberate and beautiful manner. She had her pickles and her chopped cabbage. She had honey, herbs and several root vegetables all begging to be purchased. I only noticed her because of the movement she was making, but when I really saw her my heart was heavy.

Her body was hunched over from years of hard labour and daily work in her garden. Her face was weathered and wrinkled with the years of life for everyone to see. She was bundled as best she could be in a long green coat that hung over her sweater and skirt. Her wool socks draped around her swollen ankles, having lost their elasticity decades ago and her feet were shoved into slippers that had obviously carried her many miles. With one hand resting on the seat and using her small cane in the other to steady herself she would shuffle four steps backward and then four steps forward. At the completion of the forward movement she would take a breath and start again. This routine happened so slowly and with great effort, over and over again. I knew she was trying as best she could to keep warm.

As I was getting on the bus she seated herself on the bench - ready to spend more of the evening selling her things. I wish I could have done something to warm her or to help her or give her comfort. But I had nothing. As the bus pulled away, I offered a prayer for her and wiped a tear away as it warmed my own frozen cheek.

PSA.

I like to share things I have learned whilst living in a foreign country. I think it helps me remember the lessons and gives people who read this a chance to understand somethings about where I live.

In an effort to continue with this habit, I have a new discovery to share with you. In the above photograph there are two bottles of what is obviously mouthwash. And in an effort to share for the greater good of mankind - do not ever buy the bottle of blue stuff. I promise it will leave your mouth tasting and feeling like you just ate the entire contents of the community ashtray. Unless of course, that is what you are going for ... I then highly recommend this stuff.

While I am all about cultural adaptation - I just cannot get on board with the blue stuff. My preferred brand is the green stuff. It leaves my mouth feeling clean and minty fresh (do not get to excited, it is no Listerine experience) and compliments my teeth brushing; all things I expect in a mouthwash.

Just do not say I did not warn you ... haha.

According To The Directions.

The recipe said it would yield 48 ... somehow I managed to get 12! I suppose it is not a secret how I only got 12 (and no I did not eat them all before I counted ...) First, I had to jerry-rigg a double boiler to melt my chocolate. Lovely, I know.Then I melted the beautiful, wonderful and delicious Korona chocolate. I mixed up the yummy goodness for the middle of my treat. And added it to the previously chilled "cups" of chocolate. Anybody know where I am going with this one?! Haha. Yep. Peanut Butter Cups. Here is where the answer of why 12 instead of 48 comes in. It is simply because the recipe called for petit four cases (yeah, I had to look up what that even was). Shock of the century to discover that I do not have such a thing in my kitchen. So my peanut butter cups were modified in muffin tins. If you do the math you will quickly discover that my muffin tins are 4 times bigger than the average petit four case. Thus only 12 instead of 48. Never the less, I had some dough left (and no more muffin tins) so I rolled the remainder into balls to make peanut butter balls like my Mum does. She's brilliant. I chilled the treats in my wonderful freezer - big enough to hold the world. I like to call it The Porch.Evidence of the delicious chocolate. 600 grams worth! Who could resist.Finished product. The balls.The cups.And one for a taste test. I think they were pretty good - we will see what my official taste tester says tomorrow.

Christmas Came Early.

... well for Brain it did! One of my favourite pottery purchases whilst in Poland was this amazing dog dish! Haha. I as soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to get it for Brain. Not that he really cares what kind of dishes he eats and drinks out of ... but because it made me miss him. Plus, I knew that my family and their friends would get a huge kick out of the fact that I bought my dog Polish Pottery! Since we all know I am really here simply for the entertainment of others; I just had to get it.
I mailed all the pottery I bought back to America (I didn't want to luge it all the way home from Poland and then have to ship it to Las Vegas after that). The box arrived in Las Vegas last week and Brain was already chowing down using his new bowl. Thanks Mum for the picture; even though I know you gave him an egg with dinner just to get him to stand still for the picture, I will let it go this time! Isn't he so cute. Haha.

Follow The Wanderings.

What follows is an account of the mental gymnastics of my afternoon. I attribute most of the following to the fact that the sun did not "officially" rise until 7:39 AM. It then refused to dislodge itself from behind the clouds and chose to "officially" call it a day at 15:56.

I planned to catch marshutka 407 from Seminary with the express idea that I would ride it over to the hardware store because I needed light bulbs. But then as I stood bundled in my coat with the wind whipping around my legs (protected only by my stockings) waiting for it to make an appearance, I began to reason with myself that I could just hunt for light bulbs another time ... "its cold. I just want to go home." That was at 15:15; imagine it to be a beautiful thing called sunset - that is what I do - imagine sunset to be beautiful!

407 showed up and I crammed on with fifty other people and off we went. Now you should realise that 407 runs right in front of my building. As we turned onto my street I again thought ... "its still early, I could just get off and go take a nap. Wait, I could work at convincing myself that it is Christmas and bake whilst listening to Christmas music." All this was followed by my afternoon mantra ... "stick with the plan. Stay on the bus. You will be glad you did in the end." Plus, I had to remember that if I did not stay on the bus and continue to the hardware store I would go home to a dark, dark house. Because all my light bulbs had blown out and of course, by this time the sun was "officially" quitting on me.

Being one to stick to the point - I stayed on the bus. Although I immediately began to go over my list of items to purchase ... "might as well get plant fertilizer whilst you are there (my valiant effort to keep the landladies plants alive); do not forget the light bulbs. And nothing else. You have to walk home and it will be dark and cold."

I arrived at the hardware store. It seriously looked like a Christmas tree had vomited all over the place. There was so many holiday decorations! It was almost to much to handle ... "oh geez, just what I wanted. Another reminder that it is not really Christmas." I rushed past and found my way to the light bulbs. After much examination of the ends of the bulbs I picked two kinds ... "one of these may be the right size. I will just get one of each in case one does not work." I checked off light bulbs from my mental list. That only left plant fertilizer.

I have been down the road with the fertilizer bit before. I always go home empty-handed because there are so many options ... "I will be braving the walk home in the cold and darkness with the wind. I will not make that walk with only two measly light bulbs. Susanna, you will stand here and evaluate each bottle and package until you pick something to take home." So I did. Thirty minutes later after deducing from the words and pictures on the packages ... "Oh, that says Rosa and there are pictures of roses it must be food especially for rose bushes; oooh that one says limon with a lemon tree on it, not what I need but very cool." This goes on for some time. I will spare you the details. I finally found one that had pictures of plants that I consider to be of the houseplant variety. I picked that bottle (brilliant, I know). Checked off plant fertilizer.

Having secured all the intended purchases I started toward the kasa (cash register). Only to come face to face with the live plants ... "look at all those winter blooms. They are all so beautiful and colourful. Oh man, I could get a Christmas cactus ..." Then I saw it. A small poinsettia plant. I wanted it. One of the things I love about Christmas in Las Vegas is that people from my church buy poinsettia plants and give them to decorate the sanctuary. Usually they are given in honour, memory or love of someone. I bought it because at that moment I needed it. I needed to be reminded of those memories ... This year, I dedicate my poinsettia in Honour of Christ the Saviour. The real reason for any holiday celebration ... no matter where I am living, who I am celebrating with or what the circumstances of life are that surround me. He is my reason for the season.

Tis The Season.

Christmas music in any language is amazing!