My life, especially since being Jason's wife, has truely been an adventure. An adventure with God and Jason. Sometimes I'll have to admit I'm struggling to keep up. But most of the time, it has been great fun. This past month was a true account of how exciting things can get around here. We have been saving up sky miles for several years with the plan to go on a anniversary trip together (without the kids). Well, we have dreamed for years of going to AK and this time it seemed like it was meant to be. We had enough miles to get free tickets and friends who invited us to stay with them and also we had to leave Ukraine to take care of the paper work with our visa. Everything seemed to be working out, but I should've know better. You see this isn't the first time we have tried to go to Alaska. Twelve years ago we were on the way when we had a terrible accident. Then 2 1/2 years ago we were making plans in that direction and Jessica had a accident and cut off her finger. Well once again our plans were rerouted when there was a volcano in Iceland. Yes, a volcano. The ash from the volcano shut down all the major airports in Europe and all fights to the USA were cancelled as well. So no trip to Alaska. But we still had to go somewhere because we had to leave the country. Jason said, "How about Georgia?" We have wanted to go to the country of Georgia, so I was game. We took the train from Kiev, down to the port city of Odessa. Then we took a boat across the Black Sea to Georgia. Maybe I shouldn't say boat. It was really a cargo ship, no fancy cruise ships for us. Yes, we did have a room. It was clean and small, very small. But this trip really turned out to be one of the best we have taken together. The kids stayed with our friend, Katrina. So we had time to talk, rest, pray together, plan, nap, read together, and think about the important things in life. It was a much needed time of rest, but also planning. Now before any of you start laughing about us taking a romatic cruise on a cargo ship, just wait. My husband is a very practicle man and it really was fun, and well, cheap. That made it romatic for Jason, cheap is good.
On the ship we met some very nice Georgians that spoke English. They told us so much about their country and we had a great time talking with them. When we finally did get to Georgia (our 2 day trip turned into 5 days) our new found friends helps us along and made our trip wonderful. The people in Georgia are so friendly and kind. And when you hear the stories of their past and how it has been one war after another, you have to admire their courage. The last war was only 2years ago, when Russia invaded. One city we were in had been hit by bombs in this last war. You could see bullet holes in the buildings down town. Yet the common greeting on the street, in literal transalation, is "Go and Win." Isn't that great! What courage. It was wonderful to have met these brave people and visit their country.
The kiss says it all. It was a great trip!!!!!
I need to get over my obsession of trying to please everyone. I should do my best to please God first and my husband second. But after that, I need to stop and think about who it is that I am trying to please and taking advice from. Are they people that I really respect, admire and want to be like? Is their marriage one I want my marriage to be like (if they are even married)? How about all those mothers that have given me their "wonderful advice"? Do I really want my kids turning out like theirs? How about their relationship with God? Are they Christians that I admire? I guess what I'm trying to say is, have they earned the right to speak truth into my life? Don't get be wrong, I think counsel is great, I just need to stop and think about Who I'm getting counsel from. 
