"Finally, something that looks like real work!"

I have three events to report on, and I shall do them in order of relative importance.  Camp, 4th of July, and "finally, something that looks like real work" as a friend of mine put it.

What to say about the end of camp?  There was a big bonfire, the campers cried, the leaders were exhausted.  I'll be headed back to camp for most of August and at this point, I'm not sure exactly what I'll do.  The thought of being a counselor again is daunting, mostly because I was such a crank by the end of it I was worried about ruining the experience for the kids.  I don't think that actually happened, but it was a concern.  We'll see what exactly my job description is when I head back.

The 4th.  Happy birthday America!  I spent all day in the kitchen whipping up fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans and peach cobbler for my friends.  It was a lot of work, but totally worth it.  It really was fun.  Also, some friends of my Russian family and I started brainstorming about English projects I could do in the community.  They said that they really need it to be well organized to be successful.  Um hello, do you know how type A I am?  So we're not brainstorming ways for me to get a visa for a year.  I'm pretty excited.

Here I am cooking up what I'd like to refer to as "a storm"

A small portion of the party waiting for dessert

Now, actual work.  As I told you guys, I've been feeling like I don't have quite enough to do lately Than changed almost you immediately.  A couple of nights ago, Tanya (the mama) and Natasha (the a friend) were going to visit a woman they'd met a while ago, and who had been coming to their study.  She's very poor and lives in such a dilapidated house that the state opted to take her children away.  It's a very sad story, but not one without hope.

We were on our way to her house when both Tanya and Natasha realized that they didn't know exactly where she lived.  It was a neighborhood they were unfamiliar with and they had only ever been there with someone else.  We pulled over on the side of the road and began making frantic phone calls to someone who could give us directions.  As we're sitting in the car worrying about what to do, who comes walking down the road but my buddy Semyon?  He's from that neighborhood and knew exactly where we were going.  He hopped into the car with us and we were on our way in short order.  Our father was looking out for us before we even thought to ask him for help!

I feel terrible, but I didn't catch the woman's name.  I said all of two words the whole time.  We sat in her house, which really was in an awful state, and she began to ask us a list of questions she had from her reading. Tanya and Natasha fielded all of the questions and I just sat back as nodding support, but it was amazing none the less.  Our father has a plan for this woman and her children, and I feel glad to be part of it.

I sent Semyon a text afterwards to tell him how it went, and that's when he responded with "finally, something that looks like real work!"  He meant it good-naturally, though most of the time he's a bit of a sassy-pants.  God is good, guys, don't ever forget it.

Their cat had kittens.  They have a box of kittens.  Box. Of. Kittens.  Just thought I'd throw that in there.

Пока ребята!  Russian Jane