A Touch With the Tsars

A Touch With the Tsars

In the last couple of days I have once again been thinking of this time last year....So, today in honour of my memories I did another 4 pages of my Scrapbook Journal what I coin "Our Grand Day Out!"

Yes....you are correct from the Wallis and Grommit film involving some very suspicious engineering in the basement and some very "extreme sports" and wild walking on the moon.

To me out trip was a

GRAND DAY OUT

So I scrapbook to commemorate the event, today I achieved a big 4 pages...WOW I remembered how DD my 12 year old danced on a 60 foot stage at GORKY PARK in Moscow (yes the one in the film)

I also started to journal the Military Tattoo, that DS then 14 year old and hubby performed in with a MASSED PIPE BAND from around the world, in front of St Basil's Cathedral and the Kremlin wall, with the Red Square under their feet and Lenin's Tomb in the background......all lit up like a Christmas Tree sparkling and glorious.....Can't repeat those memories. EVER.

But there is a story to tell that needs an audience....

Wally is a Russian immigrant from our state, he diligantly taught my hubby to play Tenor Drums (the twirlly ones that have fluffy sticks). He is about 65 years old.....he went with the band to Russia, he had not seen his Russian family for 35 years, his little brother he had never even met before.

During the Tattoo his family traveled for 3 days (remember Russia is huge and spans a 1/3 of the globe, 12 or so time zones!!!) One brother, sister and his baby brother (now in his late 30's) made their way to Moscow and visited together......

Imagine their conversation, the exquisite moments of sheer joy especially between the 2 brothers that have never "met" before.....that was a moment I will never forget let alone those involved, they spent 1 night and morning together......they did not sleep....they talked and talked, laughed (Russians do not laugh all that much), drank vodka and smoked Russia Cigarettes. Then morning came, the band went to rehersals and when we drove away on the bus waving them goodbye tears welled in my eyes....oh my!!!

Wally also explained to us the honour that our bands were experiencing. There is a gate in the Kremlin that opens up onto the majestic Red Square called the Saviour's Gate. This Gate has been hallowed for years the only people that have ever walked or been driven through that gate were TSARSand RULERS... PRESIDENTS like Putin. In a majestic and concillatory gesture thee Russians allowed Pipe Bands from around the world to march from those sacred gates.

The down to earth Aussie Blokes in our band probably did not realise the significance of this Russian gesture, but Wally did!

He left Russia feeling like a Blessed and very happy man, to see those most beloved whom he had never touched or latched eyes on before, and to tread where few Russian Men have trod, in the Paths of a Tsar.....what an enormous experience it was for the Russian Immigrant from Croydon South Australian, and what an experience and priveledge to watch him feel those things.

I love life,

God has given us such a capacity to feel, think and be grateful, oh that we may be grateful to Him for his many Blessings He gives us, just like Wally was humbly grateful for the opportunity the Russia Military Tattoo gave him!

Signing of for now

Cath

Walking with Kings and Time in the Day

Time in a day!!!

Do you guys feel like me that we NEVER have enough time in the day...not for yucky things like housework, bookwork or whatever...but whatabout crafts, knitting, sewing, crosstitching, like a a scrapbooking project on my HUGE adventure to Russia....

Like time for a bath and a snooze.....

NOT THAT I AM MOANING OR RANTING

HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

I guess that is what I am doing now, some time for me, free expression, and the freedom to rant if I want to.....

I guess the diff is this is quicker.... a scrapbook page takes hours and this takes minutes. HUH small mercies thanks God!!!

Today a year ago we woul have been in Edinburgh in Scotland, visiting a Farm and seeing the awesome HIGHLAND COW...huge ugly snotty muddy things they are.

We went to a kilt shop and explored our tartens....sigh

Yesterday we visted the Edinburgh Castle....what a sight....what history.....this was our first castle. I cannot explain what it is like to walk around places that Queens and Kings have walked. There is such a sense of history.......my history too. God is so good!een there

It is warm here today, it was blowy and cold in Scotland, dry here lush and green there. What a contrast.

Life is like that, today I touch my heritage...we go to Highland Dancing.....so maybe I am not there in person but I can taste and feel the essence of the past. As I watch my kids dance I realise that they have something i never had, a link with my past.....I may be a different person who knows.

Blessings to all

Cathy

Highland Lads and Lassies

Feeling a little travel home sick now......we would now be in our traditional homeland Scotland, last week we travelled up to Wick to see the still standing cottages of my ancestors....what an experience. Although Scottish roads were a bit scary. Especially coz they do not have Catseyes like Aussie roads do.

We explored Loch Ness...the monster in all of his glory, Urqhart Castle, the deep and huge Loch Ness itself (we had a cottage on it's banks) The mist in the morning, the jets that skimmed the surface of the lake for training (!?) purposes...the croft which we explored that was 400 years old......Aust has not even cracked the 300 mark...history...beauty....heritage....there is a lot to say about touching your roots...knowing where you came from.

The beauty of history and the foundation of history.....I know what the Jews must feel to know your ancestors walked the same soil, breathed the same air and saw the same sights. it really inspired me and almost took my breathe away.

God is good, gracious....who would have ever thought the Troups with 6 chn would travel to faraway lands.....this is what home education is about.....freedom liberty and experience.

Only believe!!!

ON A LIGHTER NOTE....

Travelling with 6 kids was novel too....2 cars, I had to drive with a little girl in a red car seat screaming if she had enough of that seat!! So it was exhausting fun! In Edinburgh we stayed in a gorgeous farm cottage...2 stories very pretty .

We tasted Scottish Iron Bru for the first time, bad for health but yummy....we had a family night on Fri with pictures of holidays and 3 bottles of Iron Bru to wash popcorn and choccy down! Sounds unhealthy YES but it will be a family memory that will be talked about for years I promise...........

We had out share of flesh moments especially me!! I am a photo lover, but when you are a driver you rely on kids!! Hmmmmmmm how many out of focus piccys can you collect....NEVER MIND!!! But what really freaked me was when oldest lad would FORGET TO CHARGE THE BATTERIES.....a true test of my faith......I felt like Mutlly the hound in that cartoon Wacky Racers...."shusser , frusser rushere mrusher........." beacuse we all know good Christians do not swear..........on the outside anyway. I am just honest, from 20 years in the world of drugs alchohol and wild party living, swearing was my 2nd language literally. So internal lapses after 18 years I think is a VAST improvement.

Praise God.......I never manifested that bad in the car!!

I love Scotland , the green lush land, the stone walls, the black faced sheep, the hairy Highland Cow......what a treat for this mum of 6!!!

Travel sick, but content.....if I was not a Homeschooler that holiday would NEVER have happened, school fees, uniforms, tuition.....etc. Would have never allowed it. Praise be to God. i love him so much, he saved me from myself. If I did not get found I know I would be dead.

If you read this do not be harsh......from a heart to heart....I can only be ME. Faults, tears, smiles, giggles....headaches too.

Must go, have Bagpipes and Pipe Drums reverberating in my ears....chn Dancing the Fling is really cute. But the bagpipes can be a bit hmmmmmmm....especially lots of times in a day, but i NEVER fail to enjoy watching them jump and extend their arms to the sky...

Here to is Heritage alive and well in the family, do real men wear kilts? Well in my family ALL of my Boys Hubby included do....their roots and genes. No shame or embarressment.

JUST US!!

I Begin

I BEGIN

This day a year ago I was walking around the banks of Loch Ness....exploring the Loch and a 400 year old croft....

Last week I was walking through the Metro in Russia with MILLIONS literally of Russians and 5 kids!! Watching hubby and 15 year old perform a Military Tattoo in a Massed Band from all over the world.....playing Amazing Grace in front of Lenin's Tomb in the Red Square...now that is Amazing Grace.

Not many people experience that (in the pouring rain under humongous rain ponchos with a Toddler on your knee, in a stand with no safety nets and a 2 foot gap under your legs, and a 40 foot drop.... mind you!!!)

BUT

Today I schooled my 6 kids, talked about Scotland and Russia, tested, finished Beijing Olympic Project and was so exhausted by 2.00pm I had to lie down with Essie, feed her and slept myself!!!

How life can change from year to year!!

Holidays, new babies, church life, your own spirituality, your relationships with hubbies and kids!!!.....So i decided I would Blog, at least I could look back on it and laugh ...no-one else may care or laugh....but life really is not about ME...so I understand really!!