On the road for Thanksgiving

We returned from our week long Thanksgiving journey to a kitchen covered in soot. The floor looked gray, the counter tops had an ashen film all over them and the dishes looked dirty. These are the setbacks to having a wood and coal burning stove. So much work and I have to say that the floors might have been looking like that for weeks as Nathan gave up mopping in favor of wood chopping and coal hauling and I’ve long been in denial that it’s my duty now. I often reflect upon the gender roles of old and nod in understanding as to how it all must have naturally been delegated. So much work to do, each partner takes on what they prefer . . . usually.

Except, I still kind of hope that Nathan will develop bionic stamina and decide to mop these floors again.

We spent Thanksgiving in Astana with the humanitarian LDS missionary couple, the Wellings. It was a terrific day – filled with cooking and eating and relaxing and talking – just what it would have been like anywhere else. I indulged in their high speed connection again – Skyping and IMing to myhearts content. We all left the next morning for Almaty – the Welling’s on a 1.5 hour flight and us on a 23hour train ride.

:::Let us have a moment of silence:::

Thanks, it was tough.

But getting to Almaty had manymany rewards – we rented a nice apartment, went to church and spoke and listened to English in excess – had dinner and lunch get-to-gethers with more people I could talk and listen to and engage with. Oh the JOY! We met the other Mormon Fulbright family researching here in KZ, the Piepers (can you believe the odds of that?) they have a little baby and they are, I mean Evelyn is, really someone I need to learn from – it seems she has absolutely no complaints! She is who I thought myself to be: up for international adventure and hard things and leaving her heart open to love. I read her blog – she actually said she loved it here (or something like that) and I gasped, blushed, and felt guilty and then felt reassured that I still had 7 more months to get to where she is. I am determined to love it here (or at least love the essence of my experiences here.)

Here’s to another month to put myself to the test.

:::groan:::

All of us feasting -- except Zoe who was napping.

Des doesn't mess around with bite-size pieces -- the cake was too good!

The Wellings are expert pie makers and this apple was divine!!

Waiting on Sunday morning for the bus to take us the CHURCH!

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Almaty Kazakhstan!

Nathan and babes standing outside the church building.

We went with Evelyn and baby Sophie to the Zoo. Zoe got to play with the guinea pigs a little bit.

Gazing at the massive birds.