4 Brauchler Boys 2008

turkey day!

well this is julia and my first thanksgiving together, last year i was on tour so this year julia went all out. i arrived back in the united states on thanksgiving eve and when i got home julia had everything ready to go complete with decorations and a HUGE turkey.

we invited some friends over who couldn't go home to see their family, and everyone brought a dish or three. we had so much food, but im not complaining because i have had the best leftovers!!! hope everyone had a great thanksgiving and hope everyone is on a workout plan to get rid of the lbs we just put on!
love you all,
mr. & mrs. arnold

Praise God, I have 5 jobs! As of today, I am a nanny, a personal assistant to three doctors, I am writing up a manuscript for a local author, and a volunteer for hospice. I need more. I have too much down time yet. Thank you Lord for work. Love, Ruth Marie

This summer I read "The Unquiet Ghost." This amazing book is about a journalist traveling through Russia and talking with people about the Stalin years. He interviewed people who were prisoners, servants, guards and others who had unique perspectives of those years. Stalin was extremely paranoid and suspected everyone was an "enemy of the people." Neighbors betrayed each other and families kept secrets from one another. In one servant's interview, she said that Stalin never slept in the same bed. He was afraid someone would come and kill him during the night. His secret police had conviction quotas and they were good at getting confessions. People who were not shot on the spot were sent to Kolyma, a camp in north east Siberia. Life for these people was torture.

This book made me think about Oma and Opa. In 1937, Opa was my age and I can't help but wonder what he was experiencing at that time. Why did opa think it was good to move from a communist country to a Nazi country? What year did they move to Germany? Did opa see any of secret police or know people that were sent off to Kolyma? Was the Ukraine too far from the hand of Stalin? Oma and opa met in a work camp. What kind of a camp was it? Was it the horror camps like Kolyma or were they like the CCC camps in America?

I thought I had an interview between my mom and oma concerning her courtship. But it was a very short interview about how oma loved school when she was little.

I was talking to Paul the other day and he was telling me some stories about opa that I have never heard before. I would love to hear your favorite opa/oma story. Or any answers to the questions above.

I do apologize that I (Tanya) haven't updated in a while... can this thing send an e-mail notifying me someone has posted something? I kinda (don't hurt me) forgot about this...

Okay first off (as many of you may know because Oma loves to tell) - It's a Boy! Due Jan 19th.

We are busy busy... with cleaning up a watery mess of a basement, school, soccer, swimming (all 4 of us have been swimming actually, meaning Oma is getting some good therapy in); Young Families / Young Married events; still busy with the LMCC worship team (Matt-guitar, Tanya-vocals); the Bridgman Church Softball League season is over (the Prez & V.P. of the league, aka: Matt & Tanya, sigh with relief... Matt was our church's coach, and played short-stop too... I think he can also juggle while standing on his head); Matt's into the semester at Purdue, Tanya is done with her BBA (except one itty bitty exam that must be made up from when we were in FL during Stephen & Julia's wedding... the teacher forgot about it, threw everything out from summer, the exam software became corrupt... you name it! The exam will allegedly be ready in October - oh just pray for grace). Nathan will be home soon! That's good news! Sorry to be jumping all over the place with this update, but additionially, Isaiah learned to ride a 2-wheeler, thanks to the greatest dad in the world, and he's working on mastering swimming. (I'm just happy he's now comfortable in the water. The Arnolds remember how he felt about the pool this summer. I mean, we still have much work to do before he becomes Michael Phelps, or even as good as daddy, but we're making progress.) He's also reading very well, but he's only in kindergarten (at a private school with only four other kindergarteners and two 1st-graders in the classroom, so the teacher-student ratio is good enough that they can keep challenging him).

Okay... I can't think of much else, but praise God for a much emptier basement! Aunt Mary - I should send you some pics. Oh, and what's this I hear you're on facebook? Debbie Stanford told me... with the Babbels and so many others on there, I'm comtemplating getting one. I'm thinking it might be better than myspace.

So one more thing to share, because it makes me laugh. Isaiah wants to be a rockstar like Stephen. I catch him in the living room one day (which has now become a regular show he puts on for guests), having made a little runway stage, black plastic guitar in hand, and singing along (some of the words are made up) while playing Anberlin music from my mp3 player of a cell phone... okay, I'll just let you watch the video and enjoy. Oh yes, he also said he wants hair like Stephen's (Stephen, man I meant to tell you all this, but I figured you were busy on tour and I knew a text would get lengthy. Matt's like, "Have you told your cousin about this?" as he chuckles at Isaiah's behavior. So, sorry I'm a bad cousin). Anywho, if my memory and eyes don't fail me, this might have been the day that Isaiah decided to cut his hair himself to look like a rockstar... maybe he couldn't want to wait for it to look like Stephen's (which would take a miracle), or maybe he's working on his own image. He says his band is called "Crazy Boys," which in the car on the way home from school one day sounded like "Greasy Bones," which made for lots of laughter for the rest of the ride home. Now he's contemplating a name change. He told me I'm his manager so I should decide, but I just don't think I'm ready to make that kind of a big decision. :) Anyway, watch and enjoy. Talk to you all soon!

(If you're up to it and have one that I don't know about, look up yiddiegirl@hotmail.com on myspace, or maybe one of these days I'll look for you on facebook.)

St. Joe Photos

Hey everyone (at least those of us that live outside St. Joe), I found a link to a St. Joseph photographer's blogger. I really liked these pictures because it reminded me of living up there. Enjoy!
http://khakis-camelbak-camera.blogspot.com/

Update from Markus

Dear Friends and Family,
"You have to help me…" I cried out to God that Tuesday afternoon. "I don't even want that kid near me." I found myself kneeling in the entry of an Orthodox Church in Uzhgorod. I needed a place to pray and thought any open church would do. It was our day off, and I was hunting for my heavenly Father, in desperate need of Repair.
I had spoken often to the camp staff about expressing unconditional love to the children. Yes, the kids are dirty, invasive, clingy. Some of them had head lice. But they're precious to God. I had prayed once that God would grant us "x-ray vision" to see through the outside and the obnoxious behaviors. Inside there was a beautiful person, created in the image of God, but it needed so much nurturing.
Now I was facing my own words. Here I was, the supposed spiritual leader of this band of mostly twenty-somethings. I was avoiding Joseph (not his real name) like an infectious disease. I caught myself praying, "God, please don't let him be there" as I left the cafeteria. That's good honest prayer for a kid. But not me, the adult, the kids pastor, the fearless leader.
Joseph might be 12 or 13 years old. When he saw me coming, he would shriek like an animal and hurl his body at me, clutching on to me with at least three appendages. His hand usually had just been in his mouth, or somewhere worse. Traces of all the meals he'd eaten in the last several days were on his purple shirt. Red shorts were pulled high up, giving him the "all-day wedgie." Any attempt toward creating personal space, would result in more noises and more desperate clutching. It was wearing.
Our relationship was my fault. One day, one of our staff was teaching about Zaccheus outdoors. Joseph had a temper tantrum and decided to race a wheelbarrow through the crowd of listening children. I saw it coming and stopped him, and decided it best to leave the group and minister to Joseph personally.
"He probably needs something cast out," I told God as we walked around the building.

"Be gentle," the Voice inside spoke to me. So I walked him with one hand on his back, and I prayed quietly in English that God would give him peace, that he would touch his mind and his heart. Oh, and by the way, if there was any foul spirits, I command you to go in Jesus' name. (I am, after all, a Charismatic)
He did calm down, and right then I think Joseph pegged me as his favorite staff member. From then on, I think he'd be outside waiting for me, to grab me and scream and to chew on my t-shirt. Aarggh! If he saw me on the balcony he'd lift his wet hand out to me, howling to come down and hold it. He used very few actual words, that boy. Not that he didn't have the ability to speak.

On this Tuesday I was praying for grace. I didn't have x-ray vision. I had frustration. Kids laughed at him and beat on him. The orphanage staff avoided him, and I… I was just like everyone else. I needed God to do something.
There was no trumpet sound in the heavens, no angelic visitation. I didn't feel a surge of the Spirit. I just gave God my dirty laundry and he accepted it. He must've washed it, because the next day, I was okay.
Wednesday morning, I opened the door to step outside. Joseph rocketed to me, squealing and grunting.

"Joseph," I said firmly, using my best Russian, "Do you want to be my friend? Or do you want to be my dog?"

"Friend," he looked up at me.

"Then you need to speak to me." There was a pause.
He looked at me and said, "Can we take a picture together?"
Something happened that day, God changed a kid's life. No, not the one in the filthy purple shirt. The other one, the guy holding his soggy hand.
Don't stop praying for me,
Markus

From the Guide to Fun : Join the Palm Beach Parasail Team. Fly high above the Atlantic Ocean and the Singer Island Skyline. Enjoy incredible aerial views 800 ft. above the Palm Beaches. We did (7/8/08) and bought the t-shirt to prove it!!!! Who knows together we might jump out of a plane next... Yes, maybe this is our second childhood.

Opa and Oma Kosachuk's wedding day

Here are our parents, Anton and Helen Kosachuk.

The John & Rachael Brauchler Family

Tyler was our first baby. He was born in Guatamala February 9, 2002. He was 4 1/2 months old when we adopted him.

Zeek (Ezekiel) was born to us July 12, 2006 He just turned 2 today.
John on the back 40.

Our wedding 2-3-01
Our Bulgarian son Bozhi. Born 1-17-01.

We adopted him when he was 4 1/2 years old.
Jayden is 3 1/2 years old. We fostered him from when he was 3 months old and have now adopted him. He was born 1-5-05.
Jayden, Zeek, Bozhi, And Tyler.

We would love to hear from the Brauchlers

I just located a web site for Tony and Debbie Brauchler. They have a ministry in St. Peters, Mo (outside of St. Louis). Check it out: www.Kingdombootcamp.com
Tony is the first born son of Anne and Adam Brauchler. We would love to have him and his siblings participate in this blog.

Our Family has expanded

Look what the Lord has done... We now have 3 wonderful daughter-in-"loves"(!!!) and have 2 wonderful grandchildren. Steve and I are so blessed we can hardly contain God's goodness. Just to remind you of who these amazing people are: from left to right - Ruth, Diana (Tim's wife), Timothy, Mary, Thomas (son of Paul and Tina), Steve, Stephen, Julia (Stephen's wife), Paul, Tina (Paul's wife) and Hayden (daughter of Paul and Tina). I could write much about each one of these loved ones but I'm hoping they will get on this blog and personally tell you what's going on in their lives.

Happy Forth of July!

This is a video that Paul made for Steve and Mary 2 years ago. Hayden is 4 years old.

Graduation!

I finally Graduated! It was a beautiful ceremony at the Tallahassee Civic Center on May 3, 2008. After the ceremony we headed to Tom Brown Park for a picnic and some Sonny's Barbecue. It was a really great time. Now I get to look forward to the Florida Bar Exam on July 22! Fun stuff!

April Is My Favorite Month

Dear My Absolutely Wonderful Family,

This is my first time blogging because I didn't think I had any updates that were significant (like babies, weddings or engagements.) But I thought you would like to know all the wonderful stuff I have been up to this past year.

I graduated last spring and worked at SpringHill (pic)with Diana for the summer. At the end of the summer we decided to drive to Montreal{pic(i'm in the bottom left)}. What an incredable city! We then drove home to Florida hitting the big sights on I-95 (NYC (pic), Port Hope, Greenville,SC, Gainesville)

Last fall, I began to study for the Graduate Record Exam. I want to be a School Psychologist one day and I need a master's degree. (great job, get to talk with kids all day and then when it is too hot to go to school I can go where I really want to go, the Ukraine) On November 2nd, I found out that I get to take the test over again. Not only that, I need to beef up my application. That's why I am a volunteer for Hospice, looking into Post-bach classes and trying to get a job in social services. It is really hard but it is going to be a great challenge.

Right now, I am in need of a job. I can't go to school if I don't have enough money to live. This is something I have learned a few months ago. I have been out of work since last summer. Paul is amazed I have lived this long without a job. I can contribute my almost 9 month unemployment streak to God, parents, and my strict policy not to give my money away unless it is absolutely necessary. I am learning that God will provide, someway. I have found a few odd jobs like substituting and working with the nanny family again. It is so good to do something productive (other than learning really ostenstious words to build my inchoate vocabulary for the misanthropic GRE).

The first two weeks of April, I house sat for a friend in southern Georgia. My roommate and this friend went to Southeast Asia to see our other friend there. It was great to be in a unfamilar place. I saw much of the small city from the seat of my bike. I found a prayer chapel on the edge of a pond and I got to meet many locals. I was so funny that I drove north to Moultrie but felt I went to the south. Even the little kids, that I got to spend sunday school with, had very southern accents. There is place downtown that I ate at, called Cheese and Feed, that started out serving only cheese but they now serve really good sandwiches. They turned an alley into the patio (pictured).

I have had a great weekend. I got to go the beach friday and saturday. I took my surf board out for a spin. I didn't do so well but a friend let me use his longboard. I tried standing up. I only got to my knees. It was really fun.

I hope you are having a fun April and have a Merry May.

Love you,
Ruth

Arnold Family

Hello everyone! Here is the Arnold update. Thomas is 6 months old and growing so fast. He is a thinker. He loves Hayden and watches her every move. Alexandria is 5 years old. She is almost done with kindergarten and she just lost a tooth on Easter. I am staying home with the baby until the fall. In the fall, I plan on going back to teaching. I am currently, studying for a science certification to extend my teaching to middle school. Paul is graduating from law school in three weeks. We are very excited for him. His graduation is May 3rd with a party following.

I want to encourage people to keep posting. I love hearing about what is going on in all of your lives.

INDIA!!! winter 08

Faceless International is taking a trip this winter to Kalcuta India & YOUR INVITED to come with us! the dates for the faceless trip will be: December 26th-Jan.5th.

We will be flying into Kolkata India; the day of arrival and will be staying there for 2 days for a time of sight seeing, good food, shopping, and relaxing. We will then take another short flight to Hyderabad, in Southern India. In Hyderabad, we will be volunteering at a school that is in desperate need of help.

The school is in a remote part of India where volunteers do not regularly come. They take in girls who have been trafficked, and teach them things like English and other school courses. Having an education gives the girls a chance to create a successful life for themselves and limits the chance of them re-entering the sex trade.

We will be participating in construction, to teaching English or music, or applying your gifts/talents to these beautiful children. Other activities that we will be helping with are up to the group and their individual talents and desires (i.e. hair cutting, photography, musical, medical, art, etc.) We could put your talents and skills to good use-either with the girls or by building them a great school! Even if you don’t know what your talent’s are yet WE NEED YOU! There is SO much you could help with. We will then end our trip again in Kolkata for a brief stay before we head back home.

please contact sarah(sara@facelessinternational.com) if you would like more information/application.

come become the change,
Stephen Christian
faceless international
facelessinternational.com

Greetings from the Babbels

Hello Family! I am finally on the blog thanks to Paul Arnold's patience! We are doing well and miss you all soooooo much. I looked at every single picture of Tim and Diane's wedding and cried. We missed yet another wedding!!!!!! British Columbia is beautiful but so far away! So excited about Paul and Tina's little boy! And Stephen's wild and crazy elopement...good thing all of those guys are the only ones getting older! hahaha!

We just returned from two cheap weeks in Hawaii...flights were very inexepensive and we made our own meals. It was so fun to go!

John is a general contractor now, I am teaching voice lessons and singing...and I'm taking teen singing group to Europe (including Kiki and Sarah)>>>I am tired of traveling alone so this time there will be 10 teens and 6 adults...FUN!

Hope more people contribute to the blog! It's a great way to stay in touch. You can also find us on Facebook!

Uncle Bill and Aunt Marcy Family Bulletin

This is a newsletter from Uncle Bill and Aunt Marcy. Click on each individual page to zoom in:

Aunt Sandy and John family photo