Fiddler on the Roof

This is our first year being involved in some outside activities (other than visiting the library and testing) at one of the international schools here in Bishkek, Hope Academy. It was a fabulous experience and one we hope to repeat next year. Gwangi wasn't so sure about trying out for the musical, even though he was old enough...and Sissi was so bummed that she was too young to audition. I think that in the future, they will all want to be a part of the production.

Krypto auditioned and was given the role of Lazar Wolf, the butcher. Here we are on the first night of the show, all in costume and ready to go.

Krypto really hit it off with the lead actor who played Tevye.

Also, he made friends with the guy who played Avram.

Just a few of the other characters...getting ready back stage.

Some of the moms and the students that worked on costumes.

These two girls were who I worked with back stage on costumes. They were excellent!

The two directors.

Another shot of one of the directors.

Some of the villagers.

And a few more.

Krypto with Indy and Gwangi after the first night.

Getting on makeup before the last show.

Folding the programs before the last show.

Sissi liked to hang out and help with the girls getting their makeup on.

The guys, being goofy in their dressing room.

Tevye and Golde in their nightgowns for the dream sequence.

Girls in their dressing room.

The happy family.

The Fiddler and Fyedka, the Russian.

The Rabbi and his son.

Backstage tech crew.

Beginning of the mannequin challenge.

Everyone, freeze!

Night of the last show...with his friend after the show.

Krypto with his mommy and daddy.

Krypto and Gwangi post show.

Another picture with Tevye and Lazar Wolf.

Lazar Wolf and Avram.

Krypto also became friends with some of the back stage tech crew.

Flowers for everyone...well, since we know everyone gives flowers, we gave chocolate instead.

Dress Rehearsal picture for the dream sequence.

"To Life!"

Welcome to our new girl!

Sissi always said she wanted a younger sister....well, now, she has one!

Welcome to the Stamp Clan, Vera Sasha Stamp.

Here is our new little cutie pie. She is a 4 month old Bernese Mountain dog that we found at the dog bazaar here in Bishkek. We knew we had wanted a dog for some time. It's been 5 years since we had Smokey, back in Tanzania, and particularly Indy and Sissi have repeatedly asked for a dog. Well, it was never a good time...we were back in the US visiting and on the road, then living in an apartment, then back in the US, then we got back to Kyrgyzstan and they both kept asking and talking about it...well, the mom and planner in me said, "No, we just got back...we're still settling in....it's Christmas and we're traveling...it's winter and too cold for a puppy...we're busy with "Fiddler on the Roof" practices...." Finally, the time was right.

I had been praying that just the right dog would be available when we went to the bazaar. You just don't know what will be there, it's different every week. A month ago, a good friend found a sweet puppy at the bazaar, and there were siblings, but I wasn't ready. Then, a week ago, another friend got a Bernese Mountain dog there. I saw it on Facebook and ran to tell Indy. I had always wanted one, but knew that usually, what is there one week, is not there the next week.

We had all been reading dog books, so we would know about different breeds and what to look for at the bazaar. We also took along a friend who knows quite a bit about dogs, and his wife speaks excellent Russian since she is local to Kyrgyzstan. We were trying to decide between this sweet girl and a 6 week old Labrador Retriever. We went back and forth between the two dogs, but this one won our hearts.

What a sweet face, and she is super smart and loving, and training so nicely. We've been using the book, "Perfect Puppy in 7 Days," and she's really taken to the method.

Vera, sitting on the back porch.

Sitting with Sissi in the backyard.

Scratching her neck.

A few more treats for her sitting and obeying Sissi.

Not the best picture, because when I go outside it distracts her...but, we are also getting the boys involved in her training as well, so she will listen and obey us all.

Resting in her new bed on the back porch.

So, what I've learned about getting a new puppy...

- They are more work than I remember them being.

-They have more love and affection than I remember.

-I am getting more steps in every day with walking a dog again.

-I am getting a workout with my limited Russian as it seems many people on the street want to ask me about her, but only speak Russian!

Ahhh, so exciting and we're so grateful for the Lord providing an excellent dog for our family.

The first birthday of 2018!

Our oldest is 15!

Look at that sweet face! He is almost as tall as his dad and a full head taller than me, his mom.

He is the peacemaker in our family; the one that can reason with everyone, that everyone listens to, and his logic and rhetoric in time of crisis is always right on.

For his birthday, he wanted to spend time with everyone, individually. This boy's love language is a toss up between Words of Affirmation and Quality Time.

He always puts his best foot forward and tries his hardest. He really took to heart the poem from "First Language Lessons for the Well Trained Mind" that I taught him all those years ago...

Work while you work,

Play while you play;

This is the way to be happy each day.

All that you do,

Do with your might;

Things done by halves

Are never done right.

His birthday was Friday, so we started off the day with gifts and going around the breakfast table making a list of the 15 things we love most about Krypto. We had done this 2 years ago and everyone still has their lists, in plastic page protectors, hanging in their room!

Actually, while I was making breakfast, he got on Skype and talked to his friend back in the US. They try to talk about once a month, and it's been so great for them to keep in touch.

Then, gifts!

A small token of his "cuteness" to us...a Disney pin for his lanyard that is Buzz Lightyear Mouse ears. He just loved Buzz Lightyear when he was younger. His first real super hero obsession!

From his siblings, a Capt America pin...his current super hero obsession.

From Mommy and Daddy, shaving stuff...so he can start taking care of that darker peach fuzz coming in on his upper lip.

Comics, because we all love comics. He asked for the Avengers one, but we had picked up the older ones when we were back in the US at a comic book store with his Uncle Tony as a surprise.

Another picture to show the Mickey Mouse, Flash Gordon, and Phantom comics that he received.

And, this....the thing he has been asking for every birthday and Christmas for the past 3 years. It was finally in print, just after Christmas, "Space Empires: Replicators." He was so excited!

Our list of things we love about our boy!

Learning to shave after breakfast.

Mom taking pictures in the back yard.

Love his half smile.

My handsome boy.

"Mom, are you done yet? You've taken 50 pictures."

Me and my boy!

Dinner with his friends after Sambo...well, at this point, only one friend had made it over. The other one came a bit later because he is in a more advanced Sambo class.

Dessert was a Buckeye Pie. It was delicious and quite the hit!

After blowing out the candles.

A view of the inside of the pie.

Getting ready for a slumber party and movie night. We watched "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" together. The next day was a game day and the boys played "Space Empires: Replicators" and I should have taken a picture, but I got super busy going to pick up the newest member of our family. Stay tuned for the next blog post to find out more....