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!!