DUSHANBE

http://dushanbe.usembassy.gov/

http://dushanbepics.blogspot.com/

http://tjk.qsi.org/

http://www.geocities.com/dushanbe2004/

Estonia according to the NY Times Travel Section

http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/guides/europe/estonia/overview.html?inline=nyt-geo

The Mormons

Since playing "spot the Mormon" is one of our favorite games, this should be interesting!

Seriously, it's good for all of us to have a better understanding on what these folks are all about.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/30/arts/television/30morm.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

http://www.pbs.org/mormons/
Return to this page on April 30, 2007 and find --
Frequently asked questions and answers about the intricacies of the Mormon religion, its core tenets, its history, growth and controversies, and its contemporary issues and realities;
An interactive map on the Mormons' westward trek;
Profiles of key people and events in Mormon history;
The extended interviews with leaders and members of the church, leading writers and historians, and supporters and critics;
The major themes explored in this report, with commentary drawn from the extended interviews;
Teachers Guides on Mormon history and the issues of religion, politics and the separation of church and state;
Readings and Links;
A "Join the Discussion" area for viewers;
And, the full four-hour program video streamed for viewing online.

Lieutenant Colonel Paul Getchell

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/state/070429mia.html

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." (Romans 12:15)

support the troops by bringing them home!

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/viewpoints/editorials/070429iraq.html

this is where Mary-Kay teaches!

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/state/070428naturalizati.html

"Let Them Be Little" by Billy Dean

http://countrymusic.about.com/library/blbd-letthembelittle.htm

My favorite line is "let them sleep in the middle" but what made me cry was when the little boy turned into the young man (with the backpack on).

Evelyn

didn't they learn from Hillary's "baking cookies" fiasco?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/27/opinion/l27work.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

museums

http://www.bankofamericapromotions.com/museums/

Estonia

http://www.crisismagazine.com/april2007/wiker.htm

we're leavin' on a jet plane ...

Exactly one month from today, we will fly out of Tallinn on our way to America!

We'll be "home" 27 May till 21 June, spending most of that time in Maine except for a few days at the Salvation Army Congress in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

motherhood and four-letter words

Nice to read this after spending yesterday covered in puke and snot (Peter is sick).

http://www.christianitytoday.com/momsense/2007/002/9.36.html

Evelyn

TV Turn Off Week 2007

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9nPeTA0BeY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szjtqFB5EnQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po1gHbZulFc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xyQImA8bFY

because we're all at the Bean Supper at Elm St. United Methodist Church!

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/local/070423fastfood.html

from the Sonlight catalogue

www.sonlight.com

"According to some experts, [children] would be well-served to study no math at all until they are 11 or 12!"

http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/sanjoy/benezet/1.html

guess where Tim is going in 3 weeks!

http://www.travelphotography.net/section.asp?ID=30

Unplug the plug-in drug!

http://www.tvturnoff.org/index.html

Are you praying for Jay? For Darfur?

http://benwitherington.blogspot.com/2007/04/fasting-for-darfur-hungering-for.html

http://www.ushmm.org/

I keep seeing this!

There’s an old Latin saying—“Lex orandi, lex credendi”—which, loosely translated, means “the way you pray affects the way you believe.”

Peter surprised us when he pulled out a little puzzle we had and started putting it together on his own. He did need some help from daddy to finish it off, but he was very intent on getting it finished.

One piece was missing (we found it later), but Peter was still proud of the work he did.

please pray for my friend and of course for Darfur!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/13/AR2007041302195.html

http://www2.blogger.com/profile/13664297053460093858

come visit us!

http://www.hot.ee/poskavilla/prices.htm

We had a beautiful weekend in Tallinn. It was so nice, we decided to take a walk and have a picnic in Kadriorg Park which is near our house. We walked to the grocery store, picked up some pirukad, chips, kohuke and drinks, then walked on to the park where we found the sunniest bench to sit and enjoy our feast. We sat right near the big pond at the edge of the park, which was filled with ducks and seagulls.

Elizabeth is a real nature girl and loves all animals. She took some of the chips and started feeding the pigeons.

It was like watching St. Frances as they even started eating out of her hands!

Peter was fascinated by the birds.

But he is always ready to flash his cheesy smile!

On Sunday afternoon, we went to Oleviste Kirik (St. Olaf's Church, the tallest structure in Old Town) where there was a Juhhei concert, which is the children's singing group that Elizabeth was a part of in Tartu. It was a pleasant surprise for her to see that two of her friends from Tartu, Etthel and Sille, were there. Right when they saw her, they ran right up to her and gave her big hugs!

the real Patriots Day

http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/news/state/070415patriotsday.html

come live near us!

http://www.city24.ee/kinnisvara/korter;jsessionid=C9E004824FE67C854327549D59D2FF85?a&pageId=4&objId=SearchObject&stateId=ShowOne&eventId=%20&show_reo_id=227901

Longfellow and I share the same hometown!

http://www.hwlongfellow.org/poems_poem.php?pid=2064

"Hads't thou stayed, I must have fled!"

"Where are we going today?" "Portland, MAINE!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elnutCHMKw8

In six and a half weeks, we will make this drive from Boston's Logan Airport. When we cross this bridge, we wave hello to Aunt Joann, Uncle Reggie, and the Treadwells. When we see the sign that says "THE WAY LIFE SHOULD BE" we go crazy. Then we have to wait for another hour to finally see Portland!

The closer the time gets, the stronger I hear the siren song, like the gravitational pull of a planet getting stronger the closer you get to it (how's that for a nice mixed metaphor?!).

Evelyn

On Easter morning the kids were visited by the Estonian Easter bunny. They each received a large egg filled with sweets (which you can see in Peter's hands and on his face!).

Elizabeth with her egg and in her Easter dress.

Peter wouldn't stop moving when we tried to get this picture. He wore a suit that used to be Chris's and looked very handsome, although he was not so impressed with the bow tie. He kept saying, "I want a tie that covers my belly," meaning a regular long tie like Daddy and Chris wear.

Chris with his egg and looking smart in his uniform.

In the afternoon, the kids found bags from the American Easter Bunny, who was seven hours behind because of the time difference. There were special goodies, including marshmallow peeps and Reese's eggs (which you can't get in Estonia), that our friends Jud and Lori Laidlaw sent for the kids.

Elizabeth with her bag and egg.

Peter with his egg, enduring yet another picture.

Chris with his bag.

Peter was fascinated by the Cadbury egg that Tim brought back from England.

He was careful about taking off the wrapper ...

Before he devoured it!

Peter and Elizabeth colored Easter eggs in the afternoon. The dye was a kind of gel that you heated up with hot water and even came with plastic gloves so you didn't discolor your hands.

Peter was fascinated by the process.

Elizabeth carefully gets the dye all over the eggs.

Peter shows that he likes the candy eggs much better than the colored ones!

please laugh!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbRuiQDbsc0

Happy Birthday, Reggie!

Andy, Reggie, Kiara, Joann, Aunt Violet, Dequnyah, DeBrekah -- singing "Happy Birthday" to Reggie on his 43rd birthday.

There is a new shopping center in town, and they have this giant, slowly-spinning golden egg on one end. So we thought, "What a great place to take some pictures for Easter. Here's Chris, Peter and Elizabeth.

Evelyn with the kids.

Tim with the kids.

Tim and Evelyn.

Peter has a wooden Noah's ark set that he loves to play with. He talks with the animals and loves to arrange things.

Here he is with them set up on the wooden train tracks he has.

A close-up of Noah and the crew!

Suur Reede

Arm, kes oled taevast tulnud,
arm, kes jäävat head mul teinud ka,
kes sa minu palveid kuulnud,
kui abi Sult lootsin ma.

Palju tänu Sinu haavul, valurikas armastus!
Kui on viimne elutund mul,
mind saatku Su õnnistus,
mind saatku Su õnnistus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TfAyX8l5-g

my hometown

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ad/episode/0,1976,FOOD_9947_30319,00.html

Elizabeth the Entrepreneur

Elizabeth is the creative spirit of the family. She is always making things or finding something useful to do with the things we think are junk. And she loves to draw and design things. She also has a heart of compassion. The Army's Lastekeskus (childrens' center) that we visit once a week needs blinds for their windows, and the regional office is trying to find funding. But she took things into her own hands and made cards to sell and raise money for the blinds. Today she said she wanted to go on our street and sell them, so she go a box and wrote "kaart pood" and "card stand" on it (click on the picture for a bigger view if you can't see the words), grabbed a kitchen chair and her cards and set up on our street to sell the cards. We were so proud of her because that is braver than the rest of us would be.

She set up right across the street from our apartment, in front of the bare patch of ground she calls "Puppy Poop Park" because people walk their dogs there. Then she patiently waited and waited for people to come along. Unfortunately, we don't have a lot of foot traffic on our street, so she had very few potential customers. And those who did come along tended to ignore her, because this isn't something that someone would usually do. But she remained faithful.

Elizabeth looking expectantly down the street, hoping for someone to come along. And she did have customers: Chris (who couldn't resist his little sister looking forlornly here and there for customers) and a cab driver who actually stopped his car to look at her cards. She is an amazing girl and we are proud of her.

Hot Cross Buns

It's weird the food you miss when you're out of your home country. Holidays are always the biggest when it comes to this subject. So, I'm trying to find an easy recipe for Hot Cross Buns!

http://www.womenoffaith.com/whatsnew/march05-hcb.asp

Pope John Paul II

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/index.htm

Elizabeth took pictures one day when I was sick in bed this winter

some pictures that Elizabeth took of our apartment