Author Archives: Ellen

The First…

…baby expected to arrive in January for Tim and Jess.

The first grandchild for each of these soon to be grandmothers.

The first sweet little dresses!

The bunting says “Welcome Baby Girl!

I think it will be the first time these two sister-in-laws to Jess, my nieces will be aunties, too.

Jess and her mom.

Cousins and more of my nieces.

Jess and our grand niece, Avery.

Jess and her friend Michelle who was also her maid of honor.

The shower favors were hand made candles by my niece Michelle, All Good Things Candles.

We are all looking forward to meeting you Baby Girl!

 

On the Go…

Soon we’ll be in Huntington Beach again gathering for my BIL’s services and funeral. As we age we face the reality that family gatherings contrast dramatically between joy and sorrow. The last time I was in Southern California my time was divided between the Critical Care hospital waiting room and a beautiful setting at a joyful baby shower for a much anticipated arrival come January, a new grand niece.

I will do a full post on the lovely baby shower in the future.

This time when we head to Southern California more of us will gather around my sister and her kids as we lay Nick to rest at the Riverside National Cemetery. We don’t grieve as those who have no hope. We have hope and confidence that God has prepared a place for Nick. We will hug old friends and the Russians among us will welcome each other with a kiss.

When I was spending time in the waiting room at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Beverly Hills my eyes were opened to other families in the waiting room and how similar different cultures are at these critical times. Our first night at Cedar’s there was a Hispanic extended family taking up every chair and some on the floor of the waiting area. At least 20 or more. They vacated some chairs so my sister and I could sit down, too. As some of them left to go home they went around to each of their friends and family and gave them a hug and a kiss on the cheek. They even turned to us and gave us a kind farewell. The longer we sat together the more connected we became. The matriarch of the family offered us some food. She also shushed any of the younger folk who’s chatter got to loud. When we left we said goodbye and God Bless you. Their eyes lit up and they smiled and said God bless you, too.

We were glad the waiting room had large windows that made the space feel lighter.

We all find ourselves in a variety of waiting rooms throughout our lives. What are you waiting for? What is your hope?

Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you. Psalm 33:22

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13

For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. Galatians 5:5

For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe. 1 Timothy 4:10

Barn Collective

Joining Tom at Backroads Traveler with some barns and farm scenes from Duvall and Carnation in Washington State.

Thanks Tom for hosting the Barn Collective.

We had a very busy Halloween evening at this old house. We had lots of candy on hand an still ran out! Our daughter Katie handed out the candy getting many stares and comments on her make-up. She applied the make-up herself. She was a broken doll. I wish I would have taken a photo of one of the wide eyed kids standing and staring and being frozen on our walkway…

 12196186_10208070440627081_107226189245194434_nDid you get many trick or treaters?

O Christ, Who Hast Prepared a Place ~ Hymn

 

 John 14: 1-6 ~ “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going. Thomas said to him, Lord we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way? Jesus answererd, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

O Christ, Who Hast Prepared A Place

O Christ, who hast prepared a place
For us around Thy throne of grace,
We pray Thee, lift our hearts above,
And draw them with the cords of love.

Source of all good, Thou, gracious Lord,
Art our exceeding great reward;
How transient is our present pain,
How boundless our eternal gain!

With open face and joyful heart,
We then shall see Thee as Thou art:
Our love shall never cease to glow,
Our praise shall never cease to flow.

Thy never-failing grace to prove,
A surety of Thine endless love,
Send down Thy Holy Ghost, to be
The raiser of our souls to Thee.

Words: Jean B. de San­teüil, in the Par­is Bre­vi­a­ry, 1686, p. 503 (No­bis, Olym­po red­di­tus); trans­lat­ed from La­tin to Eng­lish by John Chandler, Hymns of the Prim­i­tive Church, 1837, p. 86.

ht: cyberhymnal

Absent from the Body…

…present with our Lord. Nick died late this afternoon at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Beverly Hills, California.

Our brother Nick’s suffering has ended and he is with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This next photo is of Nick and my sister Vera at our son Dan’s wedding June 27th.

Nick was my friend before he married my sister Vera. We were in youth group together at Bethany Baptist Russian Church in Los Angeles. His parents immigrated to the U.S.A. as did ours. Nick was engaged to my sister before he was drafted and sent to Viet Nam in the late 60’s. While in my first year of college (68-69) we exchanged letters while he was in Viet Nam. He returned to a world that did not appreciate his service. Nick and Vera were married November 22, 1969.

Not sure the date on this photo but it was shortly after Nick and Vera were married.

After Dear and I were married we spent many fun times with Nick and Vera.

Our first home that Dear and I bought was across the street from Nick and Vera. Our second home was around the corner from them. This photo is from our second home in Huntington Beach at a family gathering after Nick and Vera’s daughter Debbee was born.

This photo above was from a surprise anniversary party we had for Nick and Vera.

Debbee, David, Josh and Dan were such good buddies growing up. This next photo is in the backyard of our house around the corner from Nick and Vera in the early 80’s.

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Katie came into the family dynamics later in Ventura, California and soon learned of Uncle Nick’s antics!

Nick was a very generous and giving person and he was always willing to help a brother. We will never forget his acts of service to us through the years, the last being his help at our son Dan’s wedding.

I’m thankful I was able to see Nick and tell him that I loved him one last time before he died. We grieve the loss of our brother on this earth but we rejoice that He is with our Lord and we will see him again. Praying for my sister Vera and her kids as they navigate through their grief on earth…

Thank you to all of you who were praying for Nick…

 

Good Fences ~California

I was in Southern California for seven days coming home this past Monday night. My original plans were to be there on the weekend for a baby shower and to visit my pop but those plans changed when I got word that my BIL was in the hospital so I flew down earlier in the week. My drive to the hospital took me past Fairbanks Center for Motion Picture Study building on La Cienega Boulevard in Beverly Hills, California. Since traffic is a given on this busy road I was able to snap a couple photos while stopped, waiting for the signals to change.

I’m linking up to Good Fences #84 with TexWisGirl at Run*A*Round Ranch Report.

Signs from Huntington Beach…

While I was in Huntington Beach last week I saw some interesting signs at places we ate and walked.

My sister and I ate here one of the nights we were together.

This was my favorite sign that we saw as we walked down Main street. Very clever on the part of the Huntington Beach Police Department.

Dear and I lived in Huntington Beach from 1975 until 1984. Our two sons were born while we lived here. Our daughter was born in Ventura. So all of our children were born in beach cities in California. Here’s a Huntington Beach Pier photo, too, that I took just this past Monday.

I’m linking up with signs, signs hosted by Lesley.

P is for Pop!

I just returned last night from a week in Southern California. This is my dear old Pop. He is 92 years old and he is living with my sister Kathy and her family. We had lunch together on Sunday and enjoyed some story telling from him on his family’s escape out of Russia to Persia in the early 30’s and his time living in Iran before he, my mom and sister Kathy immigrated to the U.S.A. I provided dessert for our meal together which happened to be a pastry ring that looked a lot like this Bear Claw Pastry I bought from the same bakery on Saturday morning on my way to the hospital to see my BIL. Proof is in the Pudding on my re-fluffing.

The name of this bakery caught my eye because of Pondside’s name for her husband on her blog…The Great Dane!

My Pop had stood up from the table to go get more comfortable as my sister opened the box that the pastry ring came in and he looked at it and promptly sat down again saying “Oh!” He really enjoyed the pastry with soft yummy dough like my mom used to bake.

Since we are on the letter P for ABC Wednesday started by Mrs. Nesbitt and carried on by Roger and the ABC team here are a few more P’s I encountered in Southern California.

I was staying with my sister Vera in Huntington Beach and took a walk down to the beach my last morning in town where these palm trees line PCH (Pacific Coast Highway).

My BIL is still in very serious condition and I thank you for your prayers, a very powerful P word. Prayers are supporting my BIL, sister and their children as they pass through this storm. In the midst of the storm God is our Peace.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 (ESV)

Flying Home Today…

…but not on the Goodyear Blimp!

Lots to share when I’m home and rested up. Can you believe it’s the last week of October!?

Thank you for your prayers for my BIL. Things are still as serious as they were. It was so good to see so many loved ones while I was in town. I am not fond of driving the L.A. freeways but happy that I could get around even if it took way longer than it should have.

Hope to catch up with some of you soon!

O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus ~ Hymn

O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

O the deep, deep love of Jesus

  Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free!

Rolling as a mighty ocean

In its fullness over me.

Underneath me, all around me,

Is the current of His love

Leading onward leading homeward,

To Thy glorious rest above

O the deep, deep love of Jesus

Spread His praise from shore to shore.

How he loveth ever loveth

changeth never, nevermore.

How He watcheth o’er His loved ones,

Died to call them all His own;

How for them He intercedeth,

Watcheth o’er them from the throne!

O the deep, deep love of Jesus

Love of ev’ry, love the best!

‘Tis an ocean vast of blessing,

‘Tis a haven sweet of rest.

O the deep, deep love of Jesus

‘Tis a heav’n of heav’ns to me;

And it lifts me up to glory,

For it lifts me, Lord, to Thee!

Words: Samuel Francis (1834 – 1925)

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This is one of my favorite hymns. The words are so rich and the minor key  that it is written in takes me back to my Russian heritage.

Photo taken at Pacific Ocean just South of  Naval Air Station Pt. Mugu. Our son Josh is the one on the rock outcropping, April 21, 2007.