Saturday, January 30, 2010


Anna had her second visit with the doctor on Thursday and it was a totally different experience than the first visit. As soon as we walked into the room, Anna started crying, but the nurses were SO sweet and gentle with her that she didn't cry for long. They let her sit on my lap while they worked on her bandage and talked with her. They loved it whenever she talked to them in Russian and seemed like they would have kept us all day...or Anna at least. She had another x-ray done and the doctor said that the bone was setting well. She is still wearing the eight brace thing, but should be able to have it off around the 12th of February. I must admit I was a little nervous about how the bone was setting because she had fallen at least 6 times between those two visits, and probably about that many just since our visit on Thursday! She now not only has a big, bumpy brace on, but a big black and blue bump on her forehead! (Pictured above, don't know how well you can see it though.) I don't think I ever remember her getting hurt this much BEFORE she broke her collar bone.

The following day as Eric was coming back from teaching a Bible study to a man named Boris (he taught the lesson himself WITHOUT a translator :)), he was attacked by a big, German shepherd. The dog latched onto his leg for a little while and left a nasty scar. Though his leg is still pretty sore, we are praising the Lord that the dog's teeth did not go very deep.

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Vladamir & Lydia

Committing My Way - Giveaway


I just saw this BEAUTIFUL scarf on Committing My Way which Julia is offering in her first blog giveaway. She has said that she will be making more scarfs for her newly opened "Tea Tyme Treasures" etsy shop. Normally I would not post a link to another site, but since I know Julia, I have no problems linking you to her blog. If you love music, crafts, photography, tea :) and the Lord, you'll enjoy her blog.

Her other blog, Teaching for Eternity, is full of craft/bulletin board ideas for Children's Church workers, SS and Christian School teachers and moms. :) She is also always looking for new ideas and would welcome any teaching tips, craft/bulletin ideas, etc.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Tying Down a Toddler

Okay, so maybe we won't actually do that but we sure feel like it! (Or maybe just wrapping her in many layers of bubble wrap.) It started on Thursday night and will go on for at least 3 more weeks. Here's the story from the beginning:

Thursday night as we were sitting down for supper, Anna fell sideways out of her chair and landed pretty hard on her left side. Eric and I took turns holding her for about 2 hours, then I laid down with her in her bed hoping she'd fall asleep. She kept pointing to the lower, left side of her neck saying that it hurt. One of my first thoughts was that she had either a broken shoulder or collar bone. Eric was thinking it might just be bruised or sprained because she could still move her hand pretty good. So, we turned to the medical books we have and the internet for answers. By the end, we were both pretty convinced that it was a broken collar bone. Since it was late and we couldn't call our doctor, we decided to wait until morning and not do anything until we could reach him. He suggested a hospital for us to bring her to for x-rays. We were still pretty nervous because sometimes the medical care here is not quite up to date, but we decided to go and at least see what they had to say. The doctor we met was excellent. Eric told him what happened and what we suspected. The doctor felt her collar bone for a second and agreed with us. After having an x-ray, we went back to meet with the doctor again. The nurse tried to make one of us stay out, but the doctor made sure we could both be there. Once in the room again, he told us that Anna would need to have an eight brace (can't remember the exact name, and it's probably different than ones in America, but works the same). Anna was brought over to a stool where two nurses were going to put the brace on her. Even though the doctor was very gentle and kind, the nurses were typical Ukrainian nurses (if you have ever watched a movie portraying Russian nurses, than you might have an idea). Anna started crying (screaming was more like it, I'm sure everyone in the hallway was scared to death to see that doctor after hearing her) and trying to move away, which made them jerk her around and raise their voices telling her things like "stay still". Again, they tried to make us leave but the doctor let us stay. I sat as close as I could to Anna, talking to her trying to calm her down. Eventually she settled down and talked with me. The nurses seemed better by the time we left and even told me "Good job Mama". When I talked to Lina about it afterwards, she told me that they don't really care, they just want to get the job done. She said when her son Max had to have stitches on a big cut on his head, they wouldn't even let her in! Eric and I were amazed at how bad the "bedside manners" were.

Now we get to the "tying down" or "bubble wrapped" toddler. The "brace" they put on Anna has made her feel much better, so much so that she wants to run all through the house! She is supposed to wear a sling (scarf) and not move that arm much, but every time I turn around she's has her arm halfway out picking up things. She has even fallen once since yesterday! I didn't want to put her on the couch while I was in the kitchen, so she decided to lean against it then ended up sliding to the floor. If we make it through the next few weeks without her making it worse or breaking it again it will truly be a miracle! We go see the doctor (and hopefully kinder nurses) again on Thursday to have them cut off the first "brace" and wrap on another one, just a little tighter than the first one. We praise the Lord that He led us to a good doctor and that Anna's injury is not a severe one (or one that we would have to worry about whether or not they were doing things correctly).


Monday, January 18, 2010

"A Joyful Mother of Children"

"He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord." ~Psalms 113:9

For 4 1/2 years of our marriage, I was not able to have a baby. I still remember those times of yearning, crying and begging God to give me a child, then again surrendering to whatever His plan was for our lives. It was not easy to stay surrendered and sometimes I would fall and question why. Now 3 years later (7 1/2 years of marriage! Wow! I feel old!), God has not only blessed us with 2 beautiful, little girls, but I am also expecting again! Whether or not God allows me to carry this baby full term, only He knows. Our prayer has always been (even before our first daughter, Anna) that the baby not even be born if they would reject Christ. Some may say that is a cruel way of thinking, but I believe it is cruel for a baby to be born only to die and go to hell. I do not believe that this prayer relieves me of my responsibility of training my children, for I feel the need to be more on my knees in prayer for them now then before, but I do believe if you desire more to just "have a baby" then you do for their soul before they are born, there is more of a chance that they will reject Jesus after they are born. I am grateful not only for my babies that He has allowed me to physically see and hold here, but also for my babies waiting for me in heaven. Below are pictures of my two baby girls when they were about 1 week old. Both were born here in Ukraine, at home...Eric actually caught Lydia, as she didn't want to wait for the doctor. :) (He almost delivered Anna too...she was born only about 10 minutes after the doctor arrived.) They both weighed about 6 lbs. If God allows, our third child will also be born here in Ukraine at home with papa and the same doctor, Doctor Larissa.



Anna Kaelyn Curtis (August 13,2007)


Lydia Renee Curtis (November 2, 2008)

Sunday, January 10, 2010

"Every Wise Woman Buildeth Her House"

Tonight as Eric was scrolling through my blog, he started laughing. He found my titles...or more the order of them...amusing. "Are you really going to eat that?" then "Better than Egg Salad". Guess I need to think about my titles a little bit more before posting them.

The services today went very well, except for the fact that Lina was home sick. (She usually shows up no matter what, so we know she's REALLY sick if she's not there.) Elena was able to come today and also Tamara's mom, Baba (baboushka - grandma) Shora! We were very excited that Baba Shora came as she has been one of our biggest village opponants. (She is a big reason that Feodosia stopped coming, wouldn't take Bible lessons any more, and gave her Bible back.) It sounds like she is planning on coming next week too and bringing two more baboushkas with her! Praise the Lord! Please be praying for her.

It has been an exciting time in our ministry as we have seen the Lord working upon the lives of those we have been praying for and to see the church growing in size. At the same time, this has brought to my attention how unlovely, selfish, hypocritical ... my heart is. As the church has grown in size, so have the responsibilities. Many times Eric leaves just after the girls wake up and doesn't return until close to their bedtime. People call early in the morning and late at night - all with 'urgent' problems. My selfish self wants to pout and say, "You don't love us anymore. Everyone else is more important. You do more for everyone else than us." I constantly need to quote Philippians 4:8 "Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." The more we see God work in this ministry, the more Satan wants to see it fail...and what better way than through the missionary's wife? The Bible is full of wives who turned their husbands astray. I pray that will never be my testimony. I praise the Lord that He has helped me to be supportive of my husband so far. I ask that you will pray for me in this area that I will continue to be my husband's help meet, encouraging him as He serves God in whatever area God opens up and also providing a peaceful, happy home for whenever God allows for him to be home.

Monday, January 4, 2010

~Better Than Egg Salad~

Our dear Valentina has been making this for us for a while, but I had never made it until just a couple days ago. It is definitely MUCH tastier than plain old egg salad.

4 eggs
8 oz cream cheese
4 cloves of garlic
mayo
salt

Shred eggs, cream cheese and garlic into a bowl. Add mayo and mix. Spread on bread or serve with crackers.


Not exactly sure on the amount of cream cheese and next time I think I'll add 6 cloves of garlic. You may prefer more or less. Also, I think our cream cheese is a little firmer than what I've used in America and it has a cream tint to it, but I think it taste the same.

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...