It's that time again

Dear friends,

I have begun yet another blog (I seem to do that frequently these past few years...). If you're still game for reading, here you go!

Yours very truly,

Erin

I'm horrible

I know. This really is the MOST despicable time lapse ever. In the history of blogging.

My sincerest apologies.

In my defense, I have been a little busy. I went and got married! Yay! I have a whole list of blogs that I'm intending to write about all manner of things, but it's so intimidating to think about tackling it all at once.

I'm also thinking I'm going to need a new blog address (you know, seeing as how I have been getting my name changed legally...) and title (Brad's not an Amerikrainian, although we did christen him with a "Ukrainian" name: Bradislav. Sounds super Slavic, right? Yeah, we thought so, too).

I don't have wedding pictures back yet, but when I get them, I'll be sure to post some for those of you who couldn't be there (or for those of you who were and just like to relive important moments via photos...hi Mom!).

I'm working on it. Promise!

It's my birthday!

Yay! I love birthdays. Especially when it's mine. :)

I was thinking this morning (as I was getting ready to meet Brad at Chick-Fil-A for a birthday biscuit!) about the great birthdays I've had through the years. Here's a little run-down on some of the highlights:

1. 4th grade: My friends and I were picked up from school in a limo! We had a "Star" themed party (of course, I was the star of the show). The limo was talked about for several days after that. Way to go, Mom.

2.. 5th grade: We lived in the Middle East and thusly had a Middle Eastern hoopla which included a room FULL of Muslim women, sans sharshifs, DECKED OUT and ready to party. Henna was involved and a lot of dancing.

3. 15th birthday: Surprise party! It's usually pretty difficult to completely surprise me, but, once again, way to go, Mom!

4. 21st birthday: I lived it up big. I got The Complete Sherlock Holmes and a mutual fund. I did have a sparkly tiara to wear.

5. 22nd birthday: My roommates blindfolded and kidnapped me. I remained blindfolded for TWO hours until we arrived at Lambert's in Sikeston. Surprise that I never saw coming. (<-- I wrote that and then realized that it was a terrible and unintended pun. And then I left it because it made me chuckle a little.)

6. 23rd birthday: Tornado warnings in Jackson, so we (roommates, Brad, and Hunter) were hunkered down in the hallway of the apartment, waiting it out. However, in the midst of the tornado, I got a phone call, letting me know that I would be moving to Ukraine for two years. No big thing...

7. 24th birthday: I was in Ukraine, and my Ukrainian friends threw me a surprise party! It included a lot of tasks in Russian. Stress...

8. 25th birthday: Spent on the road between Poltava and Kiev, in an effort to travel back to America for Amiee's graduation. It was the same day that public transportation was having some sort of strike and my marshrutka was FLYING across country. It was one of my least favorite public transportation experiences ever. When I got to Kiev, I wanted to kiss the ground (but not really because...ew) but rather went to bed at 6:00 p.m. because of my 3:45 a.m. check-in time. Good times.

9. Today! 26th birthday! Breakfast with Brad at Chick-Fil-A. Surprise office decorations, courtesy of Amiee (pictures will come tomorrow...Lord willing). Scones with my boss. Phone calls, cards, Facebook posts, and a cook out at church (this wasn't solely for my birthday, but it was great fun). All-in-all, it's been a pretty good day.

I love birthdays.

I love my mom.

I do. She's just the best. She's super smart and clever and thoughtful and wise. She never forgets important things (it's true), always has the right gift for every occasion, and always knows exactly what you need and also exactly what you want (even if you don't know exactly what those things are). She travels oceans/braves blizzards to see you in Ukraine or drives 3 hours to Jackson to take care of you when you have a migraine and can't get out of bed. One of her super powers is finding a way to keep in touch- no matter where you are or how limited your technological resources are. She knows how to fix basically anything, as well as clean any kind of wicked stain you can acquire. She plans the best birthday parties and vacations (I'm not EVEN kidding). She has a scripture for every occasion and will pray for any and every need that comes her way. She's an encourager and a comforter. She's so brave and strong and mighty, taking care of so many responsibilities. She's pretty much magical.

She's the best. Love you, Mama! I'm so glad you're my mother. Happy Mother's Day.

No one will second-guess Alabama being in Tornado Alley ever again...

I wrote my last post while sitting in the windowless, interior hallway during a tornado warning. Thankfully, we had no tornado damage- just a lot of flooding. You should have seen my street. And by "street," I mean, lake.

Yesterday, tornadoes pummeled Alabama. My home, Alabama. The last time I checked the death toll, it was around 170, just in Alabama. Tuscaloosa was all but obliterated from the map. My hometown of Huntsville, along with the rest of the Tennessee Valley (in North Alabama) is without power for the foreseeable future. They're looking, realistically, at a week. One of the main power plants for the area was hit. When I talked to my parents yesterday, they told me that the water processing plants have been imploring residents to conserve water, as well, because they are unable to purify water at a fast enough rate.

When the tornado hit Union three years ago, we discovered a strange emotional phenomenon which we called "tornado guilt." This was experienced primarily by those who were not injured during the storm and who did not lose much (or anything). They felt horribly guilty that they didn't suffer with the rest of us. There was no reason for that; none of us who went through the actual tornado or lost things would have wanted it to happen to anyone else.

Weirdly enough, even though I already went through my own tornado, I felt tornado guilt yesterday. I felt like I should have been there to go through it with my parents. Why? Who knows...it's not a rational feeling at all. My parents were really glad that Sister and I were in Jackson. Mom and Dad have an AWESOME storm shelter, so they were completely safe throughout the whole ordeal. Nonetheless, I still felt like I should have been there.

Union students are taking donations for students in Alabama, particularly at the University of Alabama. I felt like I'd come full-circle as I went through my clothes and rounded up things to send to my home state; this is exactly what people did for us just a few short years ago. I guess it's a tangible way to a) help and b) deal with Tornado Guilt.

I'm so thankful to the Lord for His protection for not only my parents but also my friends and all of my extended family (that's right, we're ALL Alabamians). He's so good.

Tornado warnings are kind of like WWII air raids

I've lived in Tornado Alley for about 2/3 of my life. I think because Alabama is not Kansas, many people don't realize that North Alabama is right smack in Tornado Alley and gets those suckers right and left. Spring is peak tornado season, and you start recognizing warning signs: greenish-gray sky, unnatural clamminess in the air (although, Alabama- and Tennessee- are naturally quite humid places, so clamminess is sort of par for the course), squirrely-ness in all the critters, in my Tennessee town there's also an increased inability of the local inhabitants to normally and safely maneuver their vehicles...

Anyway, I take tornadoes very seriously. A super massive F-4 tornado all but destroyed my college campus in 2008, and I was most definitely present when it did so. I don't mess around when those sirens go off. Much like WWII air raids, those of us who have a healthy level of respect for funnel clouds realize the following:

1. You really should seek shelter immediately. Not even kidding. You should also know that the sirens will keep going on and on and on- no matter how much stress it causes you.

2. You must put on shoes. I have a story about that...

3. Pack a bag of essentials that you would need if something happened to your house (i.d., money, valuables, cell phone AND charger...have stories about those things, too)

4. It is quite terrifying to be sitting around and wondering if your house is about to be smashed to bits at any moment.

5. Have chapstick on your person. Otherwise, you might be reaching for it for the rest of the night- only to be constantly reminded that you lost it. Along with everything else.

We've had 4 tornado warnings in the past week. One of them had roommate and me sleeping in our hallway for half of the night...it's messing with my blood pressure, y'all.

Sightseeing in Kiev! (For, like, the 27th time)

It's a good thing I like visiting Kiev (note: I said "visiting"- I decided early on during my time in Ukraine that I wouldn't actually like to live there. I prefer living in my "big village" of Poltava.) BECAUSE I've done it a lot now. However, it's really fun to go with folks who've never been before.

Our last full day in Ukraine was spent hanging out in Kiev...seeing the sites...buying the souvenirs...It was extremely cold (never fear: I had layers and my hat.), but we were champs and used up our entire hour and 45 minutes in the souvenir market.

Here's Amiee posing in the exact same spot where she face-planted in the mud 3.5 years ago. Ah, good times. She managed to stay upright this time around.

Tower at St. Sofia's (Orthodox church)

More St. Sofia's. The bottom part of the building (that you can't see) is actually the original structure from the 1100's. It's oooooooold.

Amiee and me...and St. Sofia's. I got a lot of pictures of St. Sofia's, apparently.

St. Michael's.

...and this is a picture of me back in the States, sporting one of my finds from Kiev. The little guy on the t-shirt is a Soviet cartoon character. Nastia used to get me to practice my Russian by watching episodes of Cheburachka and Crocodil Gena. This is Cheburachka. Yea, me, for snagging this awesome shirt!

Sorry I don't have truly awesome Kievian pictures. It was RATHER cold, which made me forget to pull out my camera.

Thanks for sticking with me through the super drawn-out chronicle of the Ukrainian Adventure 2011. It's finally wrapping up, and I will do my darnedest to update more frequently.

I will. For real this time.