Patience IS a virtue

Have you ever wanted something right now? I sure have. In fact, I think I am one of the most impatient people in my household. Waiting just kills me. Waiting seems like such a waste of time. Standing in long lines at the grocery store, sitting on the porch waiting for a bus that is 15 minutes past pick up time, standing at the front door watching a 13 year old look for her shoes when 10 minutes have past since I first told her to put her shoes on.... and the list keeps going.

In my life, I've to do a lot of waiting, and with that, you would think that I would have learned to be patient. Nope.

I was engaged for almost 2 years... waiting for the visa's to come through, waiting on US Embassies, things way beyond my control, like an ocean away. Warsaw to be exact. And then when he finally was given his visa, we had to wait for flight arrangements. Ah, those last several weeks leading up to his immigration were so LONG.

And then, my first pregnancy. The last half was like a million years long. At week 20 I was told that my baby girl had only 2 chambers of the heart working, that her spine was exposed, and that her head was much larger than it should be. And for the the next 4 months, I lived with every doctor under the sun telling me, "We just have to WAIT and see." And then once she was born, until she was about 2, everything was "wait and see." Will she talk? Will she be aware of her surroundings? Will she have some mental disabilities? Will she walk? Will she, will she, will she.... Oh, I came to cringe at the phrase, "wait and see."

There have been many more examples in my life when I have had to exercise patience. And it has been very hard for me on the inside. God may have blessed me with grace on the outside but I've always been a basket case of nervousness and anxiety and impatience on the inside.

About a month ago, as I was driving, the Lord told me to practice my patience. Usually I am one who drives carefully but the slowest driver in front of me will drive me nuts. I will properly change lanes just to get around him. And somehow in the process, I receive a sense of satisfaction when I zip around the pokey driver. Oh, it is amazing the endorphins that are released when I am finally going my desired speed with nobody in front of me to slow me down. So, as I set out on this particular errand, the Lord instructed me to practice my patience. It was so hard to just sit and wait behind every driver! I did not allow myself to pass, I remained in the right lane, accepting whatever came my way. The first 5 minutes were like pulling teeth.... but then an overwhelming peace covered me and I was so proud to be driving in victory over my impatience. "Thank you God for this lesson!" I said out loud in my van. I was excited to report to my husband that I had been patient!

My kids! I tell them all the time, "Have patience!" when they are nagging or relentlessly asking for a refil on their milk. Usually I am doing something else for them such as making a sandwich or finishing the dishes. When I was a child, in Ft. Woth, TX we learned a song at church about a little frog Herbert. To this day, I remember "The Patience Song" and my kids know it quite well now too! We have sung that song a million times, no doubt. Yest we all need more patience!

"No great thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen."
- Epictetus, first century Greek Stoic philosopher. Although he believed "Fate" controlled his life, isn't it good we know the Master Gardener who truly controls all things!

I'm also reminded of something my friend Helen says frequently... "It's not the end result, it's the journey, the process, the relationship." That makes sense! It's not the dark ripe fig- any dehydrater can make do that. But if you let it alone to do it's thing on the tree, it's a large green thing first, and after many many days in the sun it becomes the sweetest of fruits. Oh, my grandfather has fig trees and my Meema makes fig preserves. Compare that whole process to the store bought version of fig jam. Just no comparrision!

A book I am currently reading Family Fragrance talks about the aroma of Christ. I see how patience needs to be my aroma this week. As I sit here writing before anyone wakes up, I smell my glowing Pumpkin Spice candle, and I realize that my impatience is rotten. I need to put on my patiece so I don't stink. Today I am going to smell like patience! Let's just see how much easier the day goes, not just my day but my children and husband's day as well.

Stay tuned for "The Patience Test" results :)

rambling

Here I sit on my couch, waiting for Boston Legal to come on. So the TV is on and I'm half heatedly watching the Dancing show on TV. When I get to heaven, I know I am going to be a dancer. I am a prim a ballerina in my heart. But one who worships and praises, not one who performs with costumes and judges with paperplate-type score paddles.

So since we are waiting for the show to start, he doesn't want to watch dancing and that's OK. So he is sitting in his car just listening to his book on tape. I'm sitting here doing my thing and I'm OK with him doing his thing, but why do we not have a CD player for him to play his book inside. I make a comment about him sitting in his car, just sitting and how it just seems odd, like I've kicked him out or something. He said that it was OK.

Went camping this past weekend with Crossfire. Had a more than wonderful talk with Pam Crane sitting in the sand on the playground. We want to take the kids to their homestead to see the farm and the cows. Nadia wants to give a bottle to the baby cows :) I wonder if they drink formula or if they drink milk that has been milked from the milking machine.
Back to camping... love that Lina came, enjoyed getting to know Margie better, loved to watch all of the newlyweds interact and only wished I could have sat around the campfire with Randi, Helen, Pam, and Lina more than we had time for. Wished it was only a tad cooler, so the hot tea and cocoa were needed, not wanted. Wished I had looked into the trails and the yurt... but caring for 2 kids while hubby was the firemaster was a lot. Glad to see Baby Deema roll and explore the pine needles, dirt, and pine cones. Really want to camp agin this fall... glorious weekend to remember.

My de Quervain's tendinitis got bad in the spring so I had the surgery over the summer. But yesterday it started feeling achy.... today it is in pain. I cant figure out if it is the exact same thing or something very similar in close proximity to the tendons. Not sure what to do... hurts a lot today.

carpets got steam cleaned today, walking around in very wet socks, so why walk in wet socks? Why not walk bare footed??

Costco... I know I spent a lot more money than I expected. I had a list, I had a teen ager and a husband, maybe that is why. I think I should go alone. Humm.... but then I would take my time strolling and going leisurely up and down each aisle. So, maybe not the best time management. But I did like the gas for 2.79 at the club price!!

Well, guess that is getting all of my thoughts out of my mind and through my arms and out into print, maybe that will save some time for a bit extra sleep! Love me some sleep!

Captain, my captain!

For so long I have been at the helm and although have not liked it, out of necessity I had to assume that position. The boat was out in unchartered waters and the captain had fallen ill. I had to learn how to steer the boat, change the sails, watch the approaching weather, give orders, read a compass, lead a crew, repair the machinery, and in it all, somehow keep myself in tip top shape as I was the only one capable of running the ship.
But the captain is back. I'm overjoyed! I no longer have to run this ship that I never really wanted to steer in the first place! I can reassume my place as skipper. I can enjoy the aspects of sailing that I haven't been able to as I've had to keep my eyes on the bigger plan.
My captain is recovering and is a bit squeaky. He needs some time as he eases back into his position. "Easy does it," some say. I'm very eager for my role as interim to be over. I am anxious to take commands rather than bark them. Once I catch a breath from the excitement of seeing my captain up and at 'em, I realize that this 'change of the guard' may take a lot longer than a handshake and a done deal. Almost like I shouldn't get my hopes up this soon, as the captain is still using a cane. So here I find myself.... in a state of some kind of holding pattern. I feel kind of lost, a bit discombobulated, not sure which way to proceed.
It is an uneasy feeling, nauseous even. I feel as though I've been dethroned, even though I never wanted to be King. I feel like things are in such disarray, but I'm paralyzed and don't know to continue as captain or to be just a skipper. I feel like we are at a turning point, but not quite at the intersection. Here are some other words that give word images as to my state of mind and my feelings:

in que
waiting
on the verge
wandering
empty
out of gas
change of the guard

I'll be so glad when this change has happened and I am happily back to my good ole skipper self!

Adventures in Mothering

Normally Deanna makes quite a large mess in the kitchen as she prepares her breakfast. Her bus comes at 7AM and since Nadia isn't in school right now, I don't get up until the kids wake me up, so I'm not always up when Deanna is getting ready.
Deema has been in DC since Monday doing some renovation engineering at various Smithsonian museums, so I've been doing the single parent thing. Last night, I stopped in the drug store to purchase my weekly "FREE with rebate" items. This week it was Colgate toothpaste, and 2 Fructis items. While perusing the aisles, I found the refrigerated spirited beverages. I felt experimental so I purchased a 4 pack of Mudslide. It looked refreshing... Khaula, Irish Creme liquor, and vodka. Once the kids were down, I tried some, and bleck! It was not what I was expecting, so I dumped the last half down the drain and then tossed the bottle in the recycling bucket. It also left my stomach feeling kind of unsettled, not fun.
This morning, as I started the coffee pot, made the various milk potions for the little kids, and blankly stared into the fridge attempting to decide what I would fix for breakfast, I noticed an empty looking Mudslide bottle. I picked it up and indeed it was completely empty. It puzzled me. I then checked the others and a second bottle was almost gone as well. Things were not really making sense as I had not yet had that first sip of coffee. It dawned on me, "Perhaps Deanna thought it was chocolate milk!" So my heart kind of did a skip or two and then I wondered if she were drunk at school!! I called her worker who laughed. I called my husband, he laughed too. I was laughing by now as well!
We all came to the conclusion that if Deanna was drunk, I would get a call. Hopefully she wouldn't be suspended, hopefully she doesn't reek of vodka. Hopefully she didn't really drink it. The entire morning was like a suspenseful slow motion movie! I just couldn't wait for her to get home at 12:30!
At 12:15 the phone rang. "Mrs. Zaichenko, this is Mr. Washburn at SECEP, I have Deanna here.... she missed the bus, can you come get her?"
So once I picked her up and we were driving home we talked about her day. She said her tummy was really hurting her all day. Also, she got really sleepy and even had to take a nap. The teacher had to wake her. So then I decided to change subjects. I asked, "How was your chocolate milk this morning?" She asked, "How did you know I drank it?" As we proceeded to discuss the chocolate milk, I finally decided to tell her, "Deanna, it wasn't chocolate milk, it was an alcoholic drink." She was STUNNED! She said, "Well, no wonder it tasted kind of funny! I thought it was maybe a detox chocolate milk!"
So, here is an adventure in mothering I share with you. One for the scrapbooks, one she will never forget!

Have you been to the pit?

"There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still"
Corrie Ten Boom

Our Docs

Nadia's Doctors

The Price is Right!

Shannon Zaichenko, C'mon Down!!!!!
I'm no Bob Barker but I have a game for you! It's called "Guess How Much I Paid."

Tonight, I went to Rite Aid and bought the following:
100 standard envelopes
80 security lined standard envelopes
50 business letter envelopes
2 packs of Crayola 24 count crayons
2 boxes of Malt O Meal (knock off of Cinnamon Toast Crunch)
Box of 20 Electrasol Power Tabs for the dishwasher


OK... so guess how much a paid. Scroll down to find my answer




Buy one get one free on the cereal
crayons were 2 boxes for 88 cents
Envelopes were 3 for 1.98
And if you read my previous bulletin, you would know that i MADE 1.74 on the tabs with the sale, coupon, and rebate!!!

Yeppers. I purchased all of the above for only $5!!
Oh Yeah, Queen of Thrift!

My Spiritual Giftings Test

Spiritual Gifts Test Results

God imparts spiritual gifts to believers through his Holy Spirit to enable each believer to play a productive role in His Kingdom. A spiritual gift is a significant ability given to each believer to equip and move them to serve in unique ways to perpetuate the growth of the church. Following are the top three results of your Spiritual Gifts Test:

Score Spiritual Gifts Scripture Reference 100% Administration Acts 15:12-21 89% Servant/Helps Acts 6:2-4 89% Missionary 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 These gifts exceed the normal ability level of an individual that may come through life experience or knowledge. In fact many refer to these gifts as a "supernatural ability" vs. "natural ability" that a person may posses. Everyone has God-given talents, but He also bestows supernatural abilities to those believers who will give themselves over to His Spirit. These individuals are used for ministry in His Kingdom to help members of the body of Christ. They are also used to extend the church’s witness and ministry into the world.

"It is not good for man to be alone" Gen. 2

God gives each of us different giftings and talents. I have been given the gift of administration and service. If I weren't married to my husband and lived a single life, I'm sure I would be nurturing children at church as I would more than likely be a youth leader or a children's ministry coordinator. I love doing things, practical things for others.
My husband on the other hand, is not as people oriented. He loves to work with things, computers, things which require logic and skill. If he weren't married to me and living a single life, he would more than likely still be doing Russian/English translation and computer lay out and design for his church.
BUT God saw that it was not good for Deema to be alone so he gave me to Deema as a help meet. I am the supporting actress, he is the lead actor. Deema is a wonderful provider for our family, he takes his work very seriously and spends a good amount of time investing, saving, and budgeting our money. He sees the big picture, I see the smaller day to day frames. I love overseeing our home. The calendar, the meal menu, the clothing purchases, the chore charts, the activities, etc... I love reading book after book to the children at bedtime, Papa likes to measure and administer medications and change diapers.
Together, we make an excellent team. Neither of us really like the dishes so those can pile up easily.... but all in all, we compliment each other very well. Without him, I would just be living in the today, no clue about IRA's, retirement, etc... Without me, he would be hungry and without any concept of who, what, where, and when.
God knew exactly what He was doing when he gave me to Dmitri as a helpmeet.
I like my guy. I think he likes me too!!

Silly Goose!!

We have been carrying around half a loaf of stale bread in the car for several days now hoping to pass some ducks in a pond or something. FINALLY we were able to feed the ducks today. Actually they were Canadian Geese. It was a Mama sitting on her nest of eggs and the papa goose was closely guarding his wife. I respect him for standing by his woman, but I wonder why he picked the median in a Target parking lot to encourage his wife to make a nest and lay her eggs!! Such a silly goose! We didn't want to get too close so we just tossed the bread out of the side door.
Later, as I was thinking about our earlier moment with the geese and I was reminded of a friend of mine, Mary. Mary has been on absolute complete bed rest in the hospital since she was 24 weeks pregnant. She is expecting twins and currently is about 31 weeks. Mary is like that mama goose... just sitting and putting her life on stop for her little two gooselings. Then it went a step furthur. Didn't Jesus do that for us? He put His life on stop permanently, he died for us, his gooselings.
So the next time someone calls me a "silly goose" I think I am going to give praise to God for being one of His geese.
Footnote: Sometimes I feel like I am sitting in the median and life is so busy all around me. Perhaps I should look at is as a deserted island, an opportunity to be with my Papa Goose :)

faith as a mustard seed

She's gone. I didn't know her personally although I am an acquaintance with some of her sisters and her mother. Her family has asked for prayers for her immediate physical resurrection. As a parent, I have a pit in my stomach, just a fraction of what they must be feeling. As a parent, I know I would want my daughter to rise to life again. I've never prayed such a bold prayer before in my life. Do I believe God could raise someone from the dead? Yes, God is God. Could I pray that prayer with full belief that He will raise her from the dead? I don't know, I just don't know. Then again, what is there to loose? If I pray for her to be raised from the dead, that is an exercise of my faith. I am stretching my current faith to be larger than it is daily comfortablity factor.

It makes me think of when I was pregnant and I had to decide whether or not for God to heal my unborn baby baby before she was born. I ended up praying for her healing but I also was prepared for what might be, if His choice was to allow her born with defects. I guess that is my prayer for this young lady as well. Lord, heal her body, please restore her to live on our Earth. But if you choose to keep her in heaven with you, comfort her family, her friends, our church.
Help us come to terms with such a beautiful young lady taking her own life. Help us find You in this unthinkable situation. May You be glorified in this. "I'll praise you in this storm!"

If I Had My Life to Live Over

I was so grateful when the babysitter came over this week and my house was a wreck, I apologized to her for the mess and she said, "Oh, our house is much worse!" Our sitter that evening was the pastor's daughter!
I'm sad sometimes that I'm in my 30's and am just beginning to learn some of life's real lessons. For the past several months, I've been learning to let go. The house will not matter in eternity. My kids do and my relationship with them. My mom gives me nice candles from time to time and I always save them. I think I'm gonna go grab that cinnamon bun scented one and light 'er up! Read this poem and then tell me what is one thing you will change in your life today.

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER - by Erma Bombeck

(Written after she found out she was dying from cancer).
I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would
go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.
I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in
storage.
I would have talked less and listened more.
I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained,
or the sofa faded.
I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less
about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.
I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day
because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I would have sat on the lawn! With my grass stains.
I would have cried and laughed less while watching television and more while
watching life.
I would never have bought anything just because it was practical,
wouldn't show soil, or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.
Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every
moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance
in life to assist God in a miracle.
When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. 
Now go get washed up for dinner." 
There would have been more "I love you's"; more "I'm sorry's."
But mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every
minute...look at it and really see it... live it and never give it back. 
STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!
Don't worry about who doesn't like you, who has more, or who's doing what
Instead; let's cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.
Let's think about what God HAS blessed us with, and what we are doing
each day to promote ourselves mentally, physically, and emotionally.
I hope you have a blessed day 

The big picture

For well over a year now, I have known something just wasn't right with my daughter's left ankle/foot. We saw a PT who instructed us with proper streching techniques. We have religiously streched Nadia's foot daily, sometimes several times a day but her ankle just continues to be in state of not quite right. So I set out to find a fix.
Finding a fix wasn't a quick trip to one doctor! The first orthopedic doctor said that with enough streching she should be fine. So we did that for awhile. Her school PT said that she didn't think anything was the matter at all (I knew that wasn't right!), the Rehab Medicine doc said to pursue more private PT if it bothered her. Well, she doesn't have sensation below her waist so how was I to know if it bothered her?! It bothers me when I look at it! So, for about a year, we have just watched it and from time to time, my husband and I would look at one another and kinda scratch our heads and wonder if we could do anything else. Then we began to think it was her stander's fault, perhaps she was not getting enough weight on the foot. We had the stander evaluated and the wheelchair sales rep suggested considering a new stander purchase ($4000!). The second orthopedic doctor suggested that when she couldn't wear her AFO's anymore, and she was bothered by it, he would be willing to perform surgery and do a heel cord release, but she would be immobile for about 6 weeks as the heel cord healed properly. Nobody had the same answer for us, and nothing really sounded desireable. And so we remained stuck with no clear direction.

Yesterday we went for our routine annual AFO (ankle/foot orthosis) brace casting. I just expected them to fabricate new braces for her, never did I expect to walk out of there with a new outlook on life for Nadia's foot. It was as if each of the previous specialists only saw Nadia's foot in light of their specific discipline, but this therapist opened up a whole new world for us. I felt like I was in a large theater, my husband and I the only ones in the audience, and as the curtain was raised, Nadia and the therapist sat on the stage. The therapist began to lecture and revealed the big picture to us. We were amazed! Why did nobody ever see this before? How was it that we have gone to splint clinic for the past 3 years and not once have we met this lady? How was it that numerous therapists and doctors with real MD's were so off in their own world?!
A preacher friend of ours calls this "navel gazing." When one is just so absorbed with himself, he sees only what is within, not anything else around him.

As I rejoiced that we will not only non invasively fix Nadia's ankle, they will also fix her knee which turns out and will not straighten all the way! The answer to this is serial casting. She will wear a cast, one week at a time, which will gradually increase her Range of Motion. Each week, she will have one cast removed and then after some deep stretching, they will fit her with another cast which will stay for another week, and hopefully within several weeks, she will have full Range of Motion to both her ankle and her knee!

As a side note, as they were casting her ankle to use as a mold for her new AFO braces, she rubbed the hot pink plaster cast on her leg and told her Papa, "This cast is so beautiful!" I am thankful that she sees it as beauty because soon it will become part of her for well over a month! Leave it to a child to see the beauty in something we tend to look at as a burden!

On a deeper level, my step father had this comment that I'll use in closing, "Isn't it wonderful that God allows us to see the big picture through His telescope? Although the picture He lets us see through His microscope ain't bad!"

right or left?

So, I was wondering if I've got a case of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or if I'm just plain normal. When I put my socks and shoes on, I ALWAYS start with the left foot. I'm right handed and even if I pick up my right shoe, I'll put it down and grab the other.
My kids... still too young to put their own shoes on so I do it. Odd, I always start with their right foot, which is on the left when they face me when I'm donning their shoes. My 4 year old wears foot braces (AFO's not to be confused with UFO's) and I will complete one whole foot sock, AFO, shoe before moving onto the other foot. Why don't I do both socks, then both braces, and finally both shoes? Why are we wired the way we are? My husband puts both socks on and then his shoes. Just curious, how to you donn and doff your socks and shoes?

This is the second time this has happened to me lately, I just start off writing something down and it kind of takes a devotional form. I wonder if God is up to something! Read on and enjoy His sense of humor!

Devotion to think about:
Ephesians 6:15 "And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace ."


How long can anyone walk gravel road without a decent pair of shoes? What if the shoes are on the wrong feet? What if they are scuffed and have holes in them? My Crocs are wearing thin on the bottom and when I step on a pebble, I can feel it good, and not in a good way.
So with the armor of God that we are supposed to put on daily, what are these shoes of peace??
And what if we leave home without our peace shoes? When we leave home without physical shoes, our feet would get tired and sore real fast. And depending on where we are going, it may just be impossible to go barefooted. So spiritually speaking, God wants us to be fitted for peacemaking. When we are out in the world and encountering battles, we need to have the right shoes on. What soldier do you see wearing slipper socks? No, they wear heavy steel-toes giant boots that lace all the way up to their knees.

How do we get this peace shoe? Whether you put it on the left or the right foot first, the shoes come from knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

More of Ephesians 6:
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes...so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand firm.

Stand firm friends!
And let me know how you put your shoes and socks on!
:) shannon

My favorie word

I've always like the word cheery pa ha. I didn't even know what it was but it just sounded really happy and green. It ends up, it means "Turtle." I also liked the word Che-tear-ree, that is the number 4. In Russian, they have a letter that sounds like "ch." It looks like a lower case h turned upside down.
I also have grown fond of a combination of syllables that sound like, "ma ma ma ma." A very sweet 9 month old boy is learning to call my name. My favorite sentence is "I love you!" when said by a 4 year old sweetheart. I love it even more when she says it on her own and doesn't need any cues. Another favorite is when a 33 year old handsome sparkly eyed man says, " Ya lublue tebya."
What is your favorite word?