Easter Re-Run

I know, I know -- 2 posts in one week.  It's got to be a most recent record for me!  But I can't pass up this opportunity to wish everyone a Христос воскрес!  Yes, I'm on time as today is Easter in Russia!

No, we don't celebrate every Russian holiday here at home because if we did, I think we'd have a celebration of some sort every other day.  (Sure seemed like Russia had tons of holidays when we were in the waiting period!)  But the Easter holiday is a special one for us.  It symbolizes new beginnings.  Three years ago, we spent Easter here in the States packing all day (and all night) before catching a plane the next day and arriving in our daughter's homeland on April 15.  Landing in Ekaterinburg began our 5-week journey abroad and many of you were right there with us.

We were sad to have missed Christmas with our little one and then Easter --- but we were so surprised several days later to learn that Easter in Russia is one week later!  We **did** get to spend Easter with Kristina!  Click here to get a glimpse back in time.  :)

Easter in Russia - and the first time we were able to take our little one outside of the orphanage!

Kristina enjoyed pointing out "Mama" and "Papa" in the photo album.

All bundled up!

Our happiest Easter (albeit, Russian Easter)!

For the last two Easters home, I didn't have the chance to color eggs with Kristina.  Kristina had colored eggs over at Nana's but we hadn't done it together.  (In fact, I can't recall the last time I colored eggs...) So today, that is what we did.  We really had so much fun doing it; only sad that Daddy couldn't join us since he was doing our taxes.

These are the eggs Kristina colored with Nana last week.

We're all set...for Kristina to show me how to do it!

Most of the eggs ended up with a "K" on them...except this one...

Please don't notice that my color dye didn't necessary match the color of the cup!

This is what Kristina wrote on the egg - LOVE!  It's the first word, besides her name, that she has been writing on her own for about a year now.

Focus on the beautiful eggs...and not the lack of make-up, sleep, etc! 

Our batch of eggs with a Russian flare.  (Only, we didn't dye our eggs red using dried onion skins like they do in Russia.  Maybe next year!)

That was fun!

As a little token of our love for Kristina and the joy she brings us, we usually try to give her something special on these holidays.  This year, one of the gifts is a paperweight with a little Russian girl on it and it has Христос воскрес (Happy Easter).  Actually, the little girl has white/blonde hair which reminded me of Kristina.  The other gift is a pink Romanov Russian Egg box with a Russian Orthodox cross inside.  I thought it was so pretty and just couldn't pass it up.

A little cup of surprises...

Wow...a paperweight that says Христос воскрес and a cute little girl!  Just what a 5 y.o. wants...or maybe not.  But we'll use it to secure all her homework.

Kristina was more excited about the egg and that it opened -- only to find a Russian Orthodox cross inside.

Kristina's favorite color is pink.  On the back of the cross it says "Save and Protect" in cyrillic.

Our Russian Angel.  Words can't describe how much we love this little girl!

I'm sure these gifts won't rank high on the "I love it" meter like her stickers, Lion King animal toys, or M&Ms but some day it will mean something to her.  She's definitely all-American (loves hot dogs, mac & cheese, McDonald Playlands [not so much the food!], and singing like a rock star) but we will not and can not forget her heritage -- for that was her beginning long before she was a glimmer in our eyes.