It Was Puzzling

        For our anniversary my brother-in-law gave us a bag of puzzle pieces.
                                   It was a nice gesture, we like puzzles. 

  

Soon we realized it wasn't just any ordinary puzzle. Some images started to look familiar. 

There were some strange and ambiguous messages.

It even got a little weird.

Then it came together.

                                                A friend is someone

who knows

                    

the song

in your heart

                     

                                                          and can

sing it back

to you

when

you have forgotten

the words.

In conclusion, a picture is worth a thousand words

But a thousand pieces is worth more than I ever imagined.

Taking Flight

                    Our first year of marriage was all about learning to fly. 

So was our one year anniversary celebration.

Akron to Cleveland

and a 180 around our neighborhood

It's not fair to the rest of the world that I get to be married to Bogdan. He's incredible. This celebration is even more fun than getting engaged; instead of celebrating what may be we are celebrating what is. 

I love you honey

Beats and Jams

We think my dad was in a band called "The Greasy Monkeys". He will never confirm or deny this; it's an old family legend. Regardless, my dad was a drummer, and hadn't picked up sticks since his days of glory.

My husband has had his own touch of glory, in a Ukrainian hard rock band called "Lesya."

Recently they put their genius together in a practice room of an old warehouse. This is what they got.

Our First Christmas

We've never been together on Christmas, and have pondered what it will be like. We tried to plan, but decided that whatever happens, happens. Tonight is the night we celebrate just us, before we go home to Chicago tomorrow. This is the sketch of our evening:

Bogdan gets home from work in a few minutes. We're having Ukrainian take-out for dinner. Nutella crepes are on the stove. We're going to read some of The Christmas Carol, watch the Grinch, and there's a gift waiting for him under our tree; a scrapbook of his life. That's it. I cant wait.

Little Boy Soup

I have a little friend named Tima, who sometimes comes over to play. Today we were stuck inside, because it was raining. We did what I found that little boys do best. We made soup.

We filled up a whole pot of water, one spoonful at a time.
And mixed in all the nondamagables my kitchen had to offer-
corks, lemons, wooden sticks.
Finally we seasoned it with coffee beans, stirring until most of it ended up on the floor.

Today was a wet and wonderful day.

The Wedding Crashers

That's us. We crashed a wedding.
We had wanted to go dancing our last night on the island. We went for a walk and followed the music. Then we got to the ocean. There were lights and lanterns and beautifully adorned tables. These festivities were set among pools of sharks and sea turtles and sting ray fish. This wedding was breathtaking.
We helped ourselves to some hors d'oeuvores.
And mingled. Like good wedding guests.
We were about to get to the dance floor when we were stopped by some security guards.
"Please leave" they said. So we left. For a while. And returned. We wanted to dance. This time we didn't get as far, and were escorted away.
I dont get it. If somebody crashed my wedding I would be so pleased; I would let them eat cake.

Take Two

We played shuffleboard in the sunset.
Read in the pool for hours.
Floated down the lazy river, as lazy as can be.
Danced in a brick paved street.
Swam with jelly fish in ocean.
We were in the Bahamas, and just returned.
It was what a honeymoon should be.

Lost in Translation

I want Ukrainian people to come to faith, and I don't want my someday-children to think their mama isn't very intelligent. Therefore, I'm learning Ukrainian.

I have had some moments of glory, like at the market when I order "dvi charne buhanki"- two black breads.

I have had some moments not quite so great, like the time I greeted my mother-in-law into my home for the very first time, "sprizdom d'domu"- welcome to my prosthetic leg.

I don't have high hopes of her opinion of my intellect, but "ya natyskayu na"- I press on.

A Bedtime Conversation

Miriam: Can you pass me a pillow.
Bogdan: Here you go. Do you want to watch a movie?
Miriam: No, I'm pretty tired.
Bogdan: Can I get you some water?
Miriam: No, but I do want coffee in the morning!
Bogdan: OK. Goodnight Sweetie.
Miriam: Goodnight, I love you.

There's nothing interesting about this conversation except for this:
it was all in Ukrainian

The Donut Princess

There's a little girl at church
whose frame is not nearly as round as her face
and whose face is not normally as round as that of a walrus.
only on Sundays.
when she drowns in frilly lace dresses,
her face under the powder of bavarian creme donuts.
Back and forth she goes, between her seat and her treasure box,
with no regard for the populace around her.

It's by her influence alone, I'm sure of it, that her family comes back again and again.

The Barber Shop.

 Welcome to the Bilskiy Barber Shop: home of where my husband gets a haircut.

Today has been a photo documented experience: due to our lack of spare mirror situation. 

Were nervous.

"Sweety, please, this is a face you can trust."

So here we begin.

It goes on and on.

And on.

Consultation.

Missed a spot!

We think we like it.

My husband is so handsome.

The Mohican Forest

We hid far away from the world
Built a polyester home in the trees
Fell asleep to the flow of the river
And awoke to french press on the fire.