My Life with Anya: Just Like Home-Snow in the Winter.

Dave’s brother and his family live in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and it was their turn for hosting Christmas this year, so it was to the snow we went. Luckily the snow wasn’t bad on the way up and we were wondering if it would snow at all while we were there since it looked like it would rain instead. The first morning we woke up to a couple of inches of snow and the second day, twice that much, just for Anya. She loves it and runs at super fast speed and slides in this weather. In Moscow, we did buy her a pair of winter boots so I figured they would have the best grip and apparently between her skill and the new boots, all is safe and good. Our little Russian, who is quite resourceful, adorned the snowman she and Scott made with twigs to make hair and arms. Scott also took Anya out to ride saucers down the hill and he was impressed with her determination and level of adventure. Oh the stories she told all of us after coming inside from her sledding trips.

It was a bit sad before we came up to Hume, because Anya thought that we were moving up here, not taking a trip and was very worried about leaving Chico and her new friends. Some tears ensued until she understood it was a trip only.

A little work on the laptop with Papa before we left.

A stop at Bravo Farms in Fresno to eat and pet the animals on

the way to the mountains.

She told Dave all about how she was going to make a bolshoy (big) snowball and toosh (the sound made by throwing something or kicking a ball), throw it at Mama. So they concocted a plan which I knew meant I had to be hit by a few snowballs. Like I’ve said before, she and the ball are one and the ball and I are not, so she got me plenty of times. Anya also loves animals and the first night she here, she got a little prick in her hand from one of the cats but since has made friends with that one (which includes brushing him) and has even has coaxed the shy cat out from hiding for a petting session.

The greatest thing I am enjoying is watching her being able to play games. She has basically learned Uno and War and is incidentally learning the English words for the numbers and colors at the same time. I just love that her attention can be held for the length of a game and it is satisfying to see evidence of her intellectual growth. Another one of her favorite things is sleeping in the loft on the bottom of one of the bunk beds with the older kids. Today she found out that we will open gifts later and I showed her one of the gifts for her to clarify what will happen later. She said three times in English with great joy, “Oh! Thank you very much, thank you very much!” A few other phrases that others have taught her are, “Nice to meet you”, “Merry Christmas” and a very clear and loud “You’re Welcome”. Plus she still loves to sing the phrase “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow” and has learned even more of “Jingle Bell Rock.” We all now know that the Russian word for snow is “sneg” since we heard all about it when the snow began falling. We’ll decorate cookies, open gifts and have our Christmas dinner later today.

"This one?"

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I don’t know if I’ve mentioned Anya’s strong and quick task work ethic, but she’s got one and she’s got it good. The cookie decorating session turned into Anya’s cookie factory as she put sprinkles on all the frosted cookies that I could throw her way. She jammed through it and wasn't interested in eating any. She looked at us like we were crazy for doing so.

Anya was thoroughly thrilled that her relatives gave her gifts for Christmas and kept thanking everyone and hugging them too. I thought ahead and realized that since she is big about sharing that I’d better have gifts that she made to give others. She was able to give Dave’s mom an ornament that she painted and it has a spot for a photograph as well. She loved her matrioshka (Russian nesting doll) glass ornament and the watch the best. The morning after getting the watch she was in Scott’s face, while he was in bed, tapping on her watch telling him it was time to get up.

As Dave predicted, Anya was sad about leaving the mountains to go home. The easy main road was closed from rock slides and we had to take the road my sister-in-law calls “throw-up country” and both Anya and I were nauseous from the ride!!

More Christmas to come with my side and then our own family. I’m so glad this first celebration was limited in its crowd size and gift amount. She really did well at taking it all in. So proud of her!