Harvest Sunday

Harvest Sunday is the day that we set aside to Thank God for the Harvest that He has given to us. Everyone in the church brings in many fruits and vegetables, along with nuts and flowers to decorate the church. 

I would say that Harvest Sunday would be the closest to what we call Thanksgiving in the US. 

(Mom & Tamie, Do you notice anything in this picture? - Thank you for your giving heart, 

and making our church that much more beautiful!)

God blessed our service with 15 visitors! 7 people left before we had a chance to get a group picture but here we are! :) I'm behind the camera ;) There were a couple of our families that were unable to come today. You were Missed!

After Sunday is over we load up all the Harvest and take it to those who are in need of it. This year we took ours to one of the orphanages here. 

Thank you ladies for all your hard work in decorating the church!  You did a fantastic job!

Our Classroom

Welcome to our classroom!

I have been homeschooling our children since Marc (our first) was in 1st Grade. We had been doing school at the kitchen table for years until about 7 years ago. At that point we moved into this house and Praise to the Lord, it had a smaller room right across from the kitchen and bathroom. Perfect!
As you can tell, we painted the classroom in two different colors. Yes, this may seem a bit different, but what better place to have fun with your wall colors then in your classroom. I chose these colors because light blue helps with understanding and Light green helps with creativity!

This is where the children keep all the necessary books of theirs for school. They each have a shelf. The cabinet that has the door is where we keep the school books for the other grades that we are not using at the moment. I use to keep them in boxes for years, but this makes switching school books out from year to year a whole lot easier!

Here is our white board. As you can see we have many things written on it at the moment. We have our prayer list of the special prayer requests that people have asked us to pray about, we have the "trouble box" in the corner where their name goes if they do something wrong. Then a little reminder in the center, "1) Bible? 2) Jobs? 3) School -  Our children must be in the classroom by 8:30 each morning, but they must complete their personal devotions with the Lord and their jobs before school begins.

Here is Joshua's little 12th grade corner. At this time, he is watching his Speech class. Oh, how he loves this class! He has got the best teacher! If we hear him laughing during school, you can pretty much guarantee that he is watching Speech. 

Now, this is Caleb doing 8th grade. He is watching his Bible class, first class of the day. Our children so enjoy the Abeka Program. It has been a sacrifice but it has been so worth it! It is so exciting to see our children come to the supper table and anxious to share what they have learned in school that day.

This is my desk in the corner with Anna's desk in front of me. This year I am teaching Anna. She needed more one on one time. She is really making progress!
Over on the side is where I keep all my books for school. :)
Where is Anna, you may ask? Well, normally this is where you would find her doing her school but today she's sick. :(  So....

You will find her in her room. She is redeeming the time, and reading her book report book. "You make her do school while she is sick?" ha ha  No, she loves to read. Right now she is reading about Knute Rockne. He was an all American football player and coach at the University of Notre Dame. 

Well, this ends the tour of our classroom. Hope you enjoyed your stay!

Olympics for Foreign Students

Joshua, Caleb, and Anna competed at the University here in the Olympics for Foreign Students in Russian. They were the only students that were not in the University. I am so proud of all their hard work! 

Caleb was awarded with an honorable mention!  

Joshua tied with 2 others for 1st place!

 His certificate!

He was given this book and a dvd on St.Petersburg.

Another update!

I am excited to announce that Tonya and Lena are back home from the hospital as healthy as can be. :) Thank you all so much for your prayers for them. I would like to ask you to continue to pray for Tonya's grandmother which is still in the hospital and is suppose to be there for another 6 months. Her mother was also suppose to still be in the hospital but she left the hospital against the doctors orders and went home. She is taking the medication that was prescribed but did not want to stay in the hospital. So please keep her in your prayers as well, as for the continued health of her 3 girls.

Village Update

We want to thank you so very much for all your prayers for the people in the village where we minister. We were able to speak with Tonya today on the phone. Her and Lena are still in the hospital feeling ok but can not leave until some test results come back. Tonya's mother is home feeling better but her grandmother is still sick and in the hospital. As far Tonya knows everyone else is still healthy. Please continue to pray for these precious people. Thank you again!

UPDATE ON PRAYER REQUEST!

In one day I have received many different stories on who is sick and who is not sick. So who do you call when you hear different things? Right, the source! :)  So we decided to call one of the girls that are in the hospital. We were able to talk with her father and he told us who to call. Sooo, we called that man and he has been to the hospital himself and talked with the girls. So it looks like Lena and Tonya are in the hospital getting checked out because they were in close contact with Tonya's mother and grandmother which have open Tuberculosis. The mother and grandmother are both in the hospital as well. As for the other girls, they are at home doing well as far as anyone knows. Because Tuberculosis is very contagious, please continue praying for the village people. If I hear any more updates, I will be sure to pass them along. Thank you all so much for your prayers!

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!!!

I am asking everyone to please pray for our kids in the village. Nine of the Eleven girls that come to our Saturday Bible Club have come down with Tuberculosis. Two of the girls (Lena and Tonya) have been sent to the hospital along with Tonya's mother and grandmother who have it also. We are planning on checking on them on a regular basis so I will try to keep you updated. 

Last night we were marveling in God's goodness. We were suppose to go to the village Saturday for our weekly Bible Club but were not able to go due to our car breaking down and had to take it into the shop on Friday. :(  We didn't look at that as a good thing and were disappointed but as we got the call about the girls, we thanked our good Lord for protecting us!

Give thanks in all things! For you never know what God might be protecting you from!

2013 VALENTINE'S BANQUET

This year we were able to have it in our home again. We had so much fun! 

Each year just gets better and better. :) 

If you can't tell, I used rose peddles as decorations. Wow, did it smell good in the room. 

I am so thankful for our couples! They are all such a blessing and so fun to be around!

IT'S FINALLY DONE!!!

OK, yes it has taken me almost 3 years to finish my "Family Quilt". But I am a busy woman! :)  I was sitting working on my quilt one day and my oldest son said to me, "Mommy, are you going to have that done in order to give it to Anna for a wedding present?" ha ha  OK, my daughter is 11 years old. Well, lets just say that Marc encouraged me to get it done. :) So I decided to work on it every Saturday until it was finished. I am so excited! It's complete!

I look forward to the many memories we are going to make while using this quilt such as snuggling up in it while reading a book together or curling up to watch a movie as a family!  

I have several people I want to Thank. :)

My Mamachka for going with me and helping me pick out the fabric and then taking me to lunch. I love our special times we get to spend together. :)

To my Grandma for helping me organize those colors so they wouldn't all be the same. :)

My oldest son Marc for encouraging me to finish it. ;) Love you sweetie.

And finally to my family, Thank you guys for being so patient while waiting for me to finish. :)

Love you all so very much!!!

I would like to ask you (my friends) to please pray for our family at this time. We lost a very special lady this week. My mom and my siblings with be flying to Iowa for the funeral. I ask that you pray for their safe travels as well. 

Wilma Snell (My Special Grandma)

August 26, 1923 - January 27, 2013

We sure will miss you Grandma!

Wilma Grace (Lenz) Snell, daughter of Nicholas and Verna (Horton) Lenz was born on August 26, 1923 on a farm in Westport Township, Dickinson County, Iowa. 

Wilma grew up on a farm that was originally her Great-Grandparents’ farm. Wilma attended grade school in Westport #9 and high school in Excelsior and Lake Park. 

On June 29, 1941 Wilma married Dale William Snell at the Methodist parsonage in Worthington, Minnesota. Wilma and Dale helped on the farm of Dale’s father. 

In 1943 Dale was enlisted in the Army. After Wilma lived with her parents for four long lonely months without her new husband, she traveled by train to move to Camp Beale, California to be with Dale. Wilma and Dale lived off base in an apartment in Live Oak.

Wilma and Dale moved back to Iowa to run the family farm, after six months of service due to Dale’s Dad having a farming accident. Wilma and Dale moved into their original home and son, Lenny Leroy was born on March 11, 1944 and daughter, Becky Jean, was born October 6, 1946. Wilma loved being a wife and mother. She enjoyed farming with her husband, Dale, and her children. 

Wilma and Dale decided to give up farming after twenty-two years and purchased a home in Lake Park in 1963. They operated the Sunny Side Café and also the Lake Park Carstensen Locker Plant. In June of 1965 they sold their home and café and moved to Arnolds Park, Iowa where Wilma became self employed providing cleaning services and catering dinner parties. She loved helping people and continued this for the next thirty five years until she retired in 2001. 

Wilma attended the Calvary United Methodist Church in Arnolds Park. She served on the Arnolds Park City Council and marched on the steps of Washington D.C. She organized many card games, barn dances, and outings with her family and friends. Wilma was the one who built the cabinets in her home, put in bathrooms and built raised flooring. She painted and put siding on houses. She rented houses and sewed most of her own clothes. She served school lunches. On many days you would find Wilma smiling, chatting, spending time on the phone, giving her love out to everyone and spending many hours with her family. Wilma loved to garden. Whenever you stopped at her home, she was all smiles and insisted you stay for coffee or dinner. We will miss her deeply.

Wilma passed away at the Community Memorial Health Center in Hartley, Iowa on January 27, 2013 at eighty nine years of age. 

Wilma is survived by her daughter-in-law, Linda Rouse from North Carolina; sons-in-law, Roger (Vickie) Werner from Spirit Lake, Iowa, Roger (Sheryl) Schipull from Hardy, Iowa; grandchildren, Tamie (Mike) Joiner, Troy (Pam) Iverson, Tonja (Mark) Vaughan, Dawn (Tony) Hess, Mike (Stacie) Werner, Scott (Tammy) Werner, Kim (Troy) Tolman; 19 great-grandchildren; 5 great-great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Mildred Willordson of Oregon; nephew, John Lenz of Milford, Iowa.

Wilma was preceded in death by her husband, Dale; son, Lenny; daughter, Becky; her mother, Verna, and father, Nicholas.

Services for 89-year-old Wilma Snell of Arnolds Park and Milford will be Thursday, Jan. 31st, at 10:30am at the funeral home.  Visitation will be Wednesday, Jan. 30th, beginning after 3pm with family present from 5-7pm at the funeral home. Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake in charge of arrangements.

Thought I would share some pictures with you at our

 "Ladies Night". 

We are working on a pretty neat craft. 

You can find the instructions for this craft here. 

Nadegda and Luda

Vera

(She didn't finish her's but as soon as I have a picture of her finished letter, I will post it.)

Me :)  (H for Hess)

Nadegda

(Russian N)

Nastya

(A for Anastasia which is her full name, I just love that name!)

Sveta 

(She wanted an English S, otherwise it would have been a C)

Nadegda (Russian N)

Luda 

(She did two, the one that looks like an upside down V is actually a Russian L. She also did the T for Tonya which is for her sister-in-law which was not able to come at the last minute. We sure did miss her.)

Anya which is Anna in English.

We had such a great time together! What a GREAT group of ladies!

Resolution Sunday!!!

Yes, I have finally taken the time to sit down and share our Resolution Sunday with you. What a wonderful Service we had! We had 4 men decide to make the Resolution!

Marc, Alyosha, and Pastor Tony singing a special.

Something went wrong with the video, so this picture will have to do. :)

 

Here is a picture of the Table where the men signed their Resolution.

Pastor Tony, Vadim, Alyosha, and Valentene

We recorded each man saying their resolution to their family, but I decided not to post those considering it would take a LONG time to upload. But you can take it from me, it was a very touching time. I was so glad that the video was not recording through my eyes otherwise it would have been pretty blurry.

Here is a copy of Tony's Resolution. 

Each one was given a nice frame to put their Resolution in so they could hang 

it up in their home in a very special place.

Our special meal after the service. Not everyone is in this picture. There were others who were busy in the other room. :(

Russian Language Olympics

April 12, 2012

We have a lady come to our home to teach our children Russian. She signed up Marc and Joshua both in the Crimean Contest for the Russian Language for all the Foreign Students who are studying here, that wanted to be in the contest of course. There were three different levels. Joshua was placed in the 2nd level by his teacher and was awarded 3rd place in the Speech section. Marc was placed in the 3rd level which is the upper level by his teacher and was awarded a certificate for 3rd place by Ukraine and was also awarded a certificate and a Book for 3rd place by Russia. I have copied their certificates below with the translations of what they say. We were so excited for them both! By the way, this was a contest with college students! Marc was 16 at this time and Joshua was 14! (Great Job you guys!)

Certificate to Joshua Hess 

for winning in 3rd round (speech experience) in 6th Crimean contest in 

Russian Language among foreign students

Diploma to Marc Hess 

for 3rd Place in 6th Crimean contest in 

Russian Language among foreign students.

(Presented by Ukraine)

Representatives of Cooperation with Russia in Ukraine (Simferopol)

Diploma of 3rd degree is given to Marc Hess

A winner of the 6th Crimean contest in 

Russian Language among foreign students. (3rd Level)