Serve Day

The final event of our Servant Leadership week was to have "Serve Day" on Saturday.  We went out into the community and did service projects.  When we returned from our work we shared a meal together.  It was a great day.  I spent the day with my FYS group and most of them had never done any service work like this before...something that was hard for me to wrap my head around given the US's emphasis on service.  I love exposing students to new ideas like this.

My group shopped for clothes to take to the Salvation Army to be given to homeless men in the Klaipeda community.  Here are Oleksandr and Ina.

Here's my group outside Humana with all our purchases.

Dasha, Vladslava, Ina, Virginija, Kate, Viktoria, Oleksandr, Pogos, and Zydrune

Pogos showing off our apple art at the meal.

Noah had me in stitches with this new fashion statement during clean up from the meal!  Love this kid!  :)

Greta turns ONE!

Kim & Andrew's youngest turned one on Thursday.  This was particularly fun for me because she is the one who was born during my time here at LCC.  I feel a special fondness for her because of that and because she is the youngest!  Us babies of the family need to stick together!  :)  I joined the family for the "family celebration" as I had with Ieva's birthday the week before.

Isak helping make Greta's birthday cake.

Big sis being silly!

Such a big girl!

Opening her gift from "Auntie" Susie

Too cute!

Isak is ready to party!

Checking out her new "Little People" toy

Mmmm...that cupcake looks good!

Such a precious gal!

Baby Greta and her Auntie Susie  :)

Hosting begins!

Hosting season has officially begun!  One goal that I have for the fall is to have several groups of students over for dinner.  I have 6-7 groups of students in mind to host.  I hope I can get them all in!  I will admit that I am off to a good start!  :)  On the 3rd, Levi and his East side staff came for dinner.  We had chicken enchiladas...YUMM!

Levi, Zhenya, Roma, Ira, Natallia, and Roman

Olena's CMAP leaders came over the next night, but we forgot to take a photo.  :(

Donating blood!

Student Life organized a "Servant Leadership" week last week on campus.  We had various speakers and events that emphasized the importance of being a servant leader.  One of the events was a blood drive.  I participated in this event and was surprised by the "goodies" I received!  I've given blood in the US and am used to an egg salad sandwich with some kool-ade, but here I received much more!  I received a framed certificate commerating my first Lithuanian blood donation, a couple candy bars, and a free movie pass for the local cinema! 

Here I am with my framed certificate, candy bar, and tightly wrapped arm!  It was so tightly wrapped that I couldn't even bend it! 

A trip to Vilnius!

On September 30 & October 1 a group of faculty went to Vilnius for the weekend.  This is an annual trip that Robin plans for all the new faculty.  I wasn't able to go last year, so she let me tag along this year!  It was a welcome break from the busy start of the school year - especially the flurry of the 20th anniversary the weekend prior. I stayed with the group for the morning of sightseeing, but took off by myself during the afternoon to shop and find a lovely bench to sit on in one of the squares to read and people watch...it was perfectly lovely! 

The view in the courtyard of the b & b where we stayed.

St. Anne and St. Bernardine churches

The Three Crosses - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Crosses

The Cathedral of Vilnius

Henry and I place our foot on the "Stebeklas" tile for our miracle.

http://www.vilnius-life.com/culture/culture_details/90-The_

Fabulous ceiling in the cathedral!

If you look closely you can see the basketball hoops and basketball that decorated the wires between stoplights in honor of EuroBasket 2011!

Ugly Soviet architecture...remodeled into beauty!

It is sad to see lovely buildings turned into casinos.  :(

Statue of Žemaitė

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%BDemait%C4%97

me and the "nearsighted dog" outside an optical store 

The sign at the KGB/Gestapo museum.  No photos were allowed in the building.  It was a disturbing, thought provoking, and challenging museum to visit. 

Ieva's birthday party

The day after Ieva's birthday there was a party for her little friends at the Play Place in the BIG Mall.  She really wanted me to come, so I tagged along with all the little kiddos and moms & dads.  It was fun and I was honored that she wanted me to be a part of her festivities!  :)

6 years old...so tall!

Isak playing in the balls...Andrew creeping in the background!

Chayah posing on the zebra!

A ladybug cake!

Pure joy!

Auntie Susie bringing the helium filled fun!  :)

Happy Birthday Ieva!

The day after all the 20th anniversary crazyness was over was Ieva's 6th birthday.  Before church that afternoon the Staves and I went out to Chili Pica to celebrate her birthday.  I'm pretty much family, so I participated in this "family" celebration.  :)

Ieva, Isak, and Andrew...checking out Ieva's new backpack full of new Legos!

Ieva holding her gift from Auntie Susie.  :)

A beautiful 6 year old smile!