It is cold in Zap! I really didn't bring any warm clothes or nothing but sandals. Debbie Moran, you would be freezing here but I know you would have come prepared since you wear fleece jackets in the summer time! Today Nina, Victor and Yana took us to see the horse show or horse theater as they called it. It was really neat as we went out onto the island here and guys rode horses and performed their skills and really did a play for the audience with the horses. Of course it was really authentic russian dress and performance. After that we went to eat and had very ukrainian food- which I liked. Our driver is Alec and I know that several of the families had him while here. He said that he learned English from Patricia Knipher and that he just practices when families come. He really is a good communicator so thanks Patricia for your lessons! We don't have a washing machine or dryer in the apartment so Nina brought over what Marina described as an old Soviet style washer. It really is pretty good. You plug in to the bathroom outlet (it is a big tub with a motor on it) place it in the tub, fill up with water and detergent , turn the timer on for 6 minutes and it washes your clothes. It sounds like an ice cream maker though and for a minute I was hoping to open up the lid and find homemade vanilla ice cream. Oh well, then you have to hand rinse out the water and find anywhere on your porch ledge to hang out to dry. Reminds me of when I was little and Momma would hang all of our clothes on the outside clothes line. Now our subdivisions restrict us on hanging a clothes line on our patios! Bring back the old days! It has been so good to receive all your emails and skype phone calls. To my "Hot Wings Moms"-please go have Mexican food for me and to all of Andy's friends-please tell him how he might watch the first NFL game over the computer today or tonight (we don't know what time it is on there and we are 8 hours ahead of you. I really thank my God for choosing us to be new parents to two wonderful children and that it was His will for us over the last four years that have sustained us. For those still waiting please know that I pray God's will for you too! Until we write tomorrow - thank God for all the blessings in your life!

Terri and Andy