Boxes of our home...

After size months of being in storage and floating in the middle of the ocean and sitting in customs, our shipment finally arrived a couple of weeks ago!

Our huge sofa pivoting up the stairs

To prepare for this special day (which thankfully came without complications of any kind), we had to move all of the furniture that came with our house.  Most people here coming from the US only bring small furniture and personal items because the house is furnished already, but since our belongings were shipped from the UAE, we were required to bring everything we own here--couch, bedroom set, tables, everything.

 Moving truck unloading in the snow!

This is only about half
the boxes unwrapped!

Some of the sweet workers here helped move most of our living room furniture up into one of the rooms we are now using as storage.  Then the moving truck arrived with 150 boxes that make up our traveling home--only a few minor casualties!  After a week of redecorating, the house is finally feeling like our own--pictures and all. While we have learned to be content without our things for long periods of time, it sure is nice to have our familiar comforts--even if we cannot use that patio furniture for a while.

Jesse taking apart the layers of cardboard to get to
 our media cabinet! The packers did too good
of a job this time.

Here are some before and after pictures of our home (still a work in progress, but you get the idea):

After the movers took out all of
the furniture!

Living room before

Living room after
minus the yellow walls!

Seating area before

Dining area before

The dining area after

The kitchen afterward

Fun and games...

The big "gym" set up high school
dance style!

Elena, our Russian teacher,
sporting a Memorial Mustangs
T-shirt! Made me laugh!

There has been a lot going on here lately, and I am really behind with the updates.  Here are some of the highlights of the most recent events with the exception of our shipment--that is a whole other post in itself!

A few weeks one of the residents moved back to Houston, and we had a huge going away "western" party for her.  There is a huge building here that looks like a bubble where we have parties and gatherings--in this case boot scootin' and burgers!

More friends, Hannan, Azim,
Carrie and Red


                    

Emmie and Matt

Good excuse for boots!

The large busted woman in our parking lot. They burned
a similar one out in the field as part of the festival

Bunco night with the ladies!

Once a month we have ladies' night at Olypmia where we have started playing Bunco--always a fun time!  March is officially spring time in Russia (believe it or not) and they have a festival called the Ма́сленица Festival.  Traditionally the people here eat blinis and burn a huge scarecrow woman signifying the end of winter.  Here is a picture of the large busted woman in our parking lot.  A little creepy if you ask me, but then again I had to explain Easter egg hunting to the Russians...everyone has their customs and holiday traditions!

There is a huge ice arena here where they hold hockey games and other events. A couple of weeks ago a group of us went to see an ice circus. It was interesting to say the least!  I try to explore some of the local culture where I can, but being so remote, there are not always a lot of opportunities.

Last week the ice had all melted, and the snow was gradually going away exposing some green blades of grass! The pavement was all clear, and I only needed a light jacket to walk outside--the 40's here are like the 60's in Houston. However, the snow is back now for a few days, and there is already a new blanket of white covering our sidewalk. Such is life!

I look forward to my trip back to the US next week where I can wear flip flops again!  Excited to see my friends and family and shop for our upcoming vacation--woohoo!

More later,
Allison

Remembering Grandma Proch

God blessed our family with some incredibly amazing individuals, and I am fortunate to have spent a good amount of time being influenced by them.  One of those people is my dad's mother and my grandmother, Constance Alberta Rickel Proch (known as Connie).

Sadly, my sweet grandmother went to be with Jesus a few weeks ago after several months of health complications associated with her heart and diabetes.  She passed away peacefully in her sleep and did not suffer, and she even shared some quality time with my uncle the night before as they shared a meal and had a good conversation. 

My grandparents on their wedding day

On her 95th birthday in December 2012

This lady was probably one of the strongest women I have ever seen. To steal from my mom's poignant recollections: 

She lived 95 years always doing for others: caring for her parents as a teenager and watching them both pass, helping to raise her sister's 5 sons, then raising 2 brilliant sons of her own. She and her husband Mike were born and raised in Pennsylvania, but came to Texas just after WW II to seek a new life in Galveston, then in La Marque. Connie was a den mother (both sons became Eagle Scouts), a Sunday School teacher, a school volunteer, among other endeavors.  She worked for many years as the administrative assistant to the superintendent of the La Marque ISD--when she retired, three people were hired to take her place.  She is survived by her sons and their wives, 1 grandson, 4 granddaughters (and a great-granddaughter on the way), her sister Elma (100 years old), and brother Jack (90 years old).  She will be missed mightily.

One of my favorite moments, sharing joy at our
wedding in October of 2011.

In addition, my grandmother was a true example of Christian living. She read her Bible every day, was humble, gentle, kind, disciplined, hard-working, and always put others first. Until her dying day, she insisted on paying for everything herself with money that she saved by being very frugal her entire life.  After taking care of her parents and siblings and working hard during her first 30 years, she was 31 years old when she married my grandfather in 1949.  Because of that, she was always encouraging her granddaughters to wait on the right man who would "love us the best." I am fortunate to have had her at my own wedding.

My hope and prayer is that I will learn to be as strong and humble as this magnificent lady.  After outliving most of her family and her soul mate of over 50 years, she stayed busy serving others and still found a purpose for living well into her 90's. I have peace knowing that she is finally resting eternally with in Heaven with my grandpa--this I am sure of.  I will miss her very much and am grateful for days that I was able to spend time with her before moving overseas. 

We love you always, grandma!