Category Archives: Heritage

We Aren’t Normal

My family is not normal. This is a good thing. Today I had brunch with my sister her 2 daughters and another sister’s daughter. We are friends. We are different from each other. We love each other. We like to get together and be together. We aren’t checking to see if we had our daily devotions today. We are loving on each other, caring for each other, accepting each other, praying for each other and waiting on God to do His sanctifying work in our lives. If we fall, we love each other and help each other get up. If we have an emotional melt down we wait for that to pass and see what God taught us through that. We don’t panic and wonder if we’ve lost our salvation. We’ve seen a lot in my family. There are plenty of people to watch after all. We trust God that He will bring us all through the ups and downs of our lives here on earth. What we do and need to do is to love each other dearly. Above all else, love each other dearly… That’s what I want to do. That’s what I want to encourage you to do.

I Peter 4:8  (ESV) ~

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

(NIV) ~

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

(NASB)

Above all keep fervent in your love for one another because love covers a multitude of sins.

The Message ~

Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything.

We’re not normal. We are certainly not perfect. But, we love each other and that covers a lot of kasha! (Russian for oatmeal, or messy issues….)

 

Show & Tell ~ Russian Heritage

Both of my parents were born in Russia in the 1920’s. They escaped into Iran and then met each other, were married, and immigrated to the U.S. shortly after WWII. I have a collection of Russian lacquer items and other souvenirs my parents brought back from more recent trips to Russia. Some of the items I acquired here in the U.S.

 Samovars

The little silver finish one is a gift from my SIL Christina that she found at an antique mall.

Lacquer Boxes with Fairy Tale Scenes, the larger one on top was an anniversary gift from Dear.

Matroyshka Collection

Chai-kneeks

Wooden Spoons and Cups

Russian Barbie (Katie’s)

Winnie the Pooh in Russian

This was one of the dreaded school books we used. I had to go to Russian School on Saturdays. I thought this was the worst punishment in the world! Sometimes I’d hide when it was time to go and then when they found me I would stomp my feet and declare “I don’t want to go to Russian School.! I’m an American! “

This is the group of close friends and family that immigrated to the U.S. from Iran after WWII. They were close even though they were from different religious backgrounds, Russian Molokans, Russian Baptists and Russian Orthodox.

There are more Show and Tell Friday sites to see at There’s No Place Like Home.

My photos are being held hostage at the Photobucket site as of July 2017.

Thankful Thursday ~ Romans 12:15

 

Romans 12:15 (ESV)

 “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”

My family has been taught by the example of our parents to always be ready to go where you are needed. My mother and father are the first ones at the hospital when someone takes ill. They are the ones that go to the house to grieve with the family members after a loved one dies. They care for the elderly (and they are elderly themselves) when they have to go into a care facility. Over the last several weeks my father and mother have visited a dying member of their church in a care facility one to two times a day. This is a sole surviving spinster with no family at all to care for her. My father will make all her funeral arrangements and make sure there’s a nice service for her. *We just got the news that this dear believer died last night and my father and mother are on their way right now to the funeral home to make the arrangements for her burial. Please pray for strength and stamina for my parents. I can’t tell you the number of funeral arrangements they have walked friends and family through. Today I am so thankful for them, their example and my youngest brother and his wife who seem to be stepping into my parents shoes with this wonderful service to people. This extends to the hurting and the rejoicing. My brother will fly to weddings, funerals, and special celebrations way more than the average Joe. I am so thankful today for the example in the flesh of those who rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep!

For more Thankful Thursday Posts head over to Sting My Heart…

Quick Family Fun in Huntington Beach

We had a last minute party in Huntington Beach on Saturday because our brother Leonard came into town from Dallas, unexpectedly. It’s his and Lana’s birthday on Sunday so we got everyone together for a meal and fun. (Lana was in Seattle so she couldn’t come to her party!)

Dear and I had to drive South for 2 hours to Huntington Beach because of …

traffic! Where are all these people going?

We had the mini birthday cake for Leonard.

Leonard always the life of the party!

Mom and Pop brought the lamb chops to barbecue. Nick (Mr. T.) barbecued the chops after marinating them in rosemary and mint.

The young T’s were there to join in the fun.

The guys (Levi, Caleb and Ryan) being nonchalant because of the camera, were discussing Caleb’s new (old) Fender Telecaster that he bought.

Michelle and Jack enjoying Unca’s cake.

I had to include this photo of my parents. Nadz (baba, mom) is stylin’ with her capri’s!

The moon from Huntington Beach when we left.

 

The moon from Camarillo when we arrived home.

I didn’t get photos of everyone there, but no worries we never pass up an excuse for a party so there are always photo opportunities in the future, Lord willing….

My photos are being held hostage at the Photobucket site as of July 2017.

Baba and Deda’s with the Girls and Jack

Deda and Baba

Niece Michelle, Daughter Katie, and SIL Kelly

We had a family “girls night out” gathering at my parent’s apartment since Katie is here for a short visit. As usual my mother went “over the top” in preparing a wonderful meal for all of us. We were doubly blessed this time because my SIL’s Kelly and Letty were able to make it.

Sister Vera, SIL Letty, and Sister Kathy

 

We had Apricot Chicken, a Honeydew Spinach Salad with a wonderful mint dressing, a mixed veggie basmati rice, not to mention appetizers. Now for that fabulous cake pictured above, yummy Pistachio Cream Angel Food Cake.

 

The sisters enjoying a laugh. What a blessing to have loving, joyful sisters with peace between us.

Vera, Lana, Kathy and Ellen

Nana Kathy with grandson Jack. “It’s a high mountain goat.” My nieces Debbee and Melissa were there but didn’t get into a photo shoot.

My photos are being held hostage at the Photobucket site as of July 2017.

Ellen B ~ My Childhood Home ~ 4635 Oak Street

Ellen b. ~  7 years old.

My parents immigrated to the US in the late forties and just after I was born settled in Pico Rivera, California for several years. The neighborhood I grew up in was called “The Jardines” Spanish for “The Gardens”. Let me tell you it was hardly a garden! We were a minority where I grew up. Most of my neighbors were Hispanic. My childhood was filled with neighborhood experiences, hide and seek in the street with the neighborhood kids, marbles, jacks. We didn’t spend a lot of time inside. The only books my home had in it were Encyclopedia Britannica that my parents were conned into buying by a door to door salesman promising us all a good education. We also had a Bible.

 

My childhood spanned the 50’s and 60’s. You can see the great 50’s furniture and accessories! Don’t miss the venetian blinds. We had a narrow long hall that we liked to run and slide down and we also would jimmy up the walls. One night before Easter Sunday I ran and slid down that hall and jammed my toes into the wall at the end. I had to wear one slipper to church because my toe swelled up. Talk about embarrasing being all dressed up in my Spring best with a slipper on!

One of my all time best family memories in this house was coming home from church on Sundays with bags of sunflower seeds from the sunflower seed cart across the street from our church. We’d sit around shelling and eating those seeds while we watched T.V.  Ed Sullivan Show was a standard.  I could go on and on but I’m going to spare you and save more for future posts.

If you want to read more about Childhood Homes go around the corner to Owlhaven…

My photos are being held hostage at the Photobucket site as of July 2017.

Fellowship ~ Food ~ Family ~ Friends ~ Fun

Father’s Day weekend was filled with time enjoying family and friends. On Saturday Ken and Heidi traveled North from Orange county and Jim and Jeanie traveled South from Central California to enjoy the day with us.

Heidi, Ken, Dear, Jim and Jeanie.

Heidi is an friend of mine from the Russian Baptist Church. We have had many traveling adventures together. She was living with Greg and me in Huntington Beach when she met Ken. I was the matron of honor in their wedding in 1978.

Jim is my cousin. His father and my father are brothers. I met Jeanie in college and we became good friends. I introduced her to Jim. They were married in 1974, eight months before us. For a few years all three of us couples lived in Huntington Beach and attended the same church.

Ellen and Dear

We have always enjoyed each others company and can laugh and cry together. This is the “front row” inside joke that got us chuckling. Jim, it’s true by the way…(call me)

The guys enjoyed talking about new digital camera capabilities, stereo high and low sounds, contractor woes, and the importance of accountability.

Still friends after all these years…

More family made their way to Camarillo yesterday and we christened the Condo pool! My sister Kathy, niece Michelle and her son Jackson came for lunch and a swim.

Jackson giving me the smile!

Enjoying the pool in Mommy’s arms.

Yippee!

Nana sitting close by…

until she’s needed!

Chicken nuggets at Great Aunties.

A lovely steamed pear and date dessert for the ladies made by niece Michelle.

My company left and I was off to pick up Dear from work.

Straight to California Grill in Camarillo to use the Father’s Day gift card from our children to their dad. Thanks Josh, Laura, Dan and Katie. Dinner was wonderful and we still have money left on the card!

Today I head North to the Seattle area for the next three weeks. We’ll be having a grand celebration over the 4th with Dear home for 2 weeks and family flying in. I’ll be posting from the North. Blessings on the rest of your weekend!

Photobucket blacked out all my photos and is holding all my photos hostage as of July 2017.

Father’s Day 2007 ~ Tribute to Two Men I Love

 

My Father (Pop) ~ Moisi Timothy Bagdanov

Pop

I am so thankful to God for how He called you and has led you all these years. I admire your hard work ethic. I admire the fact that you are always on time. You never make people wait. We were never late to church. Your contentment is admirable. Your hobbies take the back seat to anyone who needs help. What hobbies? You don’t golf, sail, cycle, surf the net. Well you do like the Price is Right and Wheel of Fortune.  In your retirement years you became a missionary. Since returning from Russia where you served on your own without a mission group to help you, you’ve helped those in need around you. If anyone in your circle of aquaintances and church dies, you’re the first one they call. You have helped so many people make funeral arrangements I can’t keep up. You would give any of us your last dime. Paul’s charge to Timothy has been lived out by you.

“But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilot made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time – God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.”

Here are his children, grands, and great grands.

My husband and the father of my children.

Josh & Dear

I’m so thankful to God that He called you and continues to work in your life. How many times have I said that I’m so glad I married you. Yikes, when I consider some of the people I dated, I wish I could blot out the memory. You are a man that I can admire. Your wisdom and wit have kept me from “stepping in it” so many times. You are humble where I’m haughty. You are patient where I am impulsive. You think before you speak and I speak before I think. You’re a good listener. You are a good teacher. You are the guy I want to grow really old with. Your children have learned so much from you and I think they will remember and appreciate more and more your example to them as they walk their adult lives. I love you. Your children are blessed to have you for their dad.

The photos in this post were updated because Photobucket blacked out the original photos on this post.

Show and Tell Fridays ~ Pigeons

 Time for show and Tell Friday ~

 

It’s hard to see but that’s me with the pigeon on my head. My sister Kathy is behind me and then my dad and my sister Vera are to the right. Love the dresses, shoes and socks! Also before I get to the point of this post (the pigeon) I’d like you to notice the clothesline behind us with all the clothespins on it. Yep…we used to hang our laundry on those lines and I had to get my first stitches from falling off a chair and hitting a porch while hanging laundry. But about the Pigeon…if you are an animal activist or are very sensitive don’t read the rest of this post. Consider yourself warned!!!

We were on the poor side growing up. Until my dad landed a good Carpenters job and was a member of the Carpenter’s Union he worked piece jobs, etc. He went to work everyday but sometimes the money got real scarce. My mother did not work outside the home. For some crazy reason my dad also decided to raise pigeons. We had a pigeon coupe in our backyard. Lovely, “rats with wings” is what we call them now. Back then we loved those pigeons and we all picked one to be our pet. There were 4 of us kids during this time, the next 4 hadn’t arrived yet. Anyway…my pet pigeon was named Green Neck. Not hard to guess why I came up with that name. One day when my mom didn’t know what she’d be able to cook for dinner my parents decided to kill some pigeons and make pigeon soup. THEY PICKED GREEN NECK to be one of the victims! I can’t begin to tell you how upsetting this was. (It did not traumatize me for life, I can chuckle about it now) The 4 of us kids had a “we will not eat that soup strike.” There was solidarity on this strike. I know there was no way I was gonna eat Green Neck even if it meant going to bed hungry…