Anniversary

May 22 It is the day after our anniversary, which was May 21. Not that we are counting, but that makes 39 years we have been together, does that make us old? Probably. It has been another busy week, working to help support the missionaries, having Institute, arranging a branch barbeque and even surviving. What did we do for our anniversary? Good question, we went and arranged the branch barbeque. It was on a hill in the south of Chișinău, where Moldova was dedicated 15 years ago by Elder Ballard. It is a beautiful spot, and is a park. However when we say park and they say park, it means two different things. Access to this park, think quad trail , up a steep hill, then think no tables, no facilities except trees, nothing but trees, grass and goats- domestic. Ah, the road. I went up fast enough Deb could not tell me to stop and let her out, only bottomed out once, I stayed between the ruts. Our poor little Opel was loaded with food, meat, 3 small barbeques, briquets ( that are more partly burned wood), bags, people, in other words, we had to get up that hill. And we did, amid gasps of horror. It was a beautiful place. So what do people barbeque here? Pork mostly, and Ruslan Stepanenco helped me. We got meat of the front shoulder of the pig, called ceafa, and marinate it in onions, salt and pepper. You slice it thin so it will cook, 1.5 cm is thick here. Then you barbeque it. It was very good. We also made pasta salad, which is rare here and gets eaten very quickly. We had lots of meat, enough for another BBQ. So it is all done over a briquets like coals, but is very good. I was a skeptic, but verily, now I believe. We also had a YSA activity with balloon sculpting and then cupcake decorating with much sweetness ( yes, more than the Edwards) We had a great turnout as well for this. Wednesday we were in Bălți and had 13 for Institute, it is hard to describe how great it is there. All in English and response in Russian, and we absolutely love it and them. Now I will say we took cookies and banana bread and now they even love us. Today was my first meeting at conducting Sacrament in Romanian, it is sooo slow in coming to me. But I did nothing too embarrassing, so it was all good. The weather is beautiful, we just love having to drive out in the country, seeing the people working the fields. There are so many old people in the fields working, and leading animals by ropes, this really is an agricultural place. Okay, back to the original thought, what did we give each other for our anniversary? Ice cream at Andys. Anyway, too many pictures for one post, so half are here, half on the next.

The poppies are in bloom everywhere. At first there were just small one, but now the big red ones are out. We picked a few, they do  not survive that well.

A few more, literally thousands along the road.

This purple flower is out now as well. They are lupine like, but are probably some type of weed. Pretty anyway. My granddaughters would go nuts here.

Country side , a field of early corn.

Small village on a hill, Orthodox church in the middle. Everything is green and beautiful.

We have been seeing a few storks from time to time, only one nest so far. These were busy getting bugs in the fields, I do not know where they left the babies.

Okay, we are into the balloon sculpting contest. The designs were not that great, each group  had 30 balloons, tape and free rein to create. As you can see, all had fun, missionaries and  friends.

Sevghi on the left knows the mission president has her mission call, she gets to open it next Wednesday. Tough to wait!

Deb and Sister Cooley getting toppings ready for the cupcakes.

The winners, well not that great, but fun. From L, Elders Jerome, Broberg, Boud, Alex, Nina, Eldes Brown and Paterson, Valeria, and sister Draper

From L, Tolic, Nik, Sister Brinkman, Elder Seiach and Brownell, C.- member in 3 weeks, waiting until she is 18. Maxim is trying to get out of the picture

Nik, Trifon, Maxim and Tolic