The family first celebrated New Year in their own home and is now looking forward to Christmas.
January 4 2017
It is located in a residential complex 50 kilometers from Moscow, in the ancient city of Sergiev Posad. The four-story townhouse was renovated in just three months. In the middle of the living room there is a Christmas tree up to the ceiling, a small artificial tree on the windowsill, and outside the window another forest beauty shines, which was installed by the inhabitants of the village.
Everything in the living room is made for children. The main feature is the double-deck ship, the favorite place of the games of Masha and Vanya
Everything in our Moscow apartment is equipped both for children and for receiving guests. Familiar priests who stay with us, arriving from all over the world, jokingly call it “Makarsky courtyard”. In the living room, a wooden house of ash was built, with large bunk beds, and the walls were painted with apple trees, birches and lilies of the valley. But now we only visit the apartment on short visits, with children it is still more comfortable outside the city.
We fell in love with Sergiev Posad as soon as we first visited it many years ago. Then we could not even dream that we would live here. The city is the spiritual heart of Russia (the Trinity-Sergius Lavra is located here, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. – Antenna’s note). And being on the holy land is a great responsibility.
Much has not yet been completed, but it does not bother at all. One of my old dreams has come true. We now have a real aquarium! They even gave names to our fish – Nemo and Milli. Among them are two couples in love, which is rare.
And my childhood dream also came true. In the basement, I equipped a gym, where I even bought a dummy for boxing, now “Bob” is dubbed by the whole family! I’m sports addicted. And if I don’t work out twice a week, a real breakdown begins. So I train everywhere, even during a tour on the nearest horizontal bar, even during a hike in the forest on a tree branch. And here there is such a luxury – real shells.
Victoria: “We dreamed of a big aquarium. We got hooked on fish that live up to 30 years, during which time they become members of the family. “
Mashenka (she is 4 years old. – Approx. “Antenna”) ours went to kindergarten here. I declare with full responsibility that we would not find such a wonderful garden in Moscow. The new municipal one with a swimming pool and near the house is a real creative and educational laboratory for children and parents. And what amazing teachers there! The manager is a real professional and amazing, not indifferent, loving her job, a person with a capital letter. When your child is brought up both at home and in a team in the same value-semantic space, this is happiness in our time without ideas!
We have a new lever of pressure: “Masha, if you misbehave, you won’t go to kindergarten.” While it works!
Twice a year Anton and I go on tour for 3-4 weeks with our “Live Concert”. The rest of the time we are with the kids. We never had a nanny. It is fortunate that with Masha and Vanya (he is seven months old. – Approx. “Antenna”) only native people. When we lived in Israel, Anton’s mother, Lena’s grandmother, was always helpful. And six months ago, my sister Monica moved to us and became an indispensable helper in everything. She is a wonderful stylist and hairdresser, but to help us, she actually quit her business in Minsk and, by the way, made me return to my natural hair color. Now not a bleached blonde, but a natural one.
When we go on tour, it seems that Vika and I miss more than children. Still, discipline with parents is stricter, and beloved relatives can pamper you. Masha is a smart girl, but, like any child, she has whims. For this I have the magic words “Not discussed”! I am convinced that a child must know the word “no”.
In our family I am the “weak link”. Everyone makes ropes out of me, but believe me, I’m happy! Because only a mother can give so much unconditional love to everyone in the family, including the husband. And our dad is strict, but fair.
Victoria: “Masha is very attached to Anton. He loves it when he plays with her, puts her to sleep “
For many years in a row, Vika and I celebrated the New Year on stage. And only with the appearance of children in our family, traditions began to arise. The longer the tree is in the house, and the gifts under it, the brighter the feeling of a holiday and a fairy tale will be. But initially I had a categorical condition – the tree must be real.
Already in early November, Masha persuaded us to put a small Christmas tree with lights on the windowsill. If a daughter goes to bed in the evening on time and without whims, in the morning she will definitely find a present under her. And it doesn’t matter what it is: even if it’s a candy, or even a firecracker, the main thing is that the morning begins with a surprise. And once Masha asked me directly: “Mommy, who puts gifts under the Christmas tree?” I realized that the moment of truth had come and honestly answered: “Me, daughter!” “And why?” – “Because I love you very much!” – “Well then, ask Santa Claus, let him give me a real microphone!”
So there is one more singer in our creative family. And Vanya is still enjoying everything. He has a holiday every day!
During the Christmas days we learned about the firstborn
We met the beginning of the year in the company of the closest people … There were my mother, sister Monika, nephew Levushka, our friends from Israel Dina and Ilyusha arrived. For the first time in many years, they celebrated the New Year with snow and frost with delight.
Victoria: “In the basement, where the gym is located, everything is decorated in calm colors, as Anton likes. But the kitchen, living room, bedroom, nursery and bathroom are left to me at the mercy. There is a riot of colors. Our kitchen is orange, I selected the sofa in color, and painted the picture myself on canvas, using the remnants of paint from repairs. “
We have a very friendly courtyard, which is rare in our time. On the street, in front of the windows, all together put up a large Christmas tree, to which after the chimes came those who wanted a holiday.
We were lucky with our neighbors, they can always come to visit us. And the New Year was celebrated joyfully, cheerfully, but without alcoholic courage. In our residential complex, thank God, almost all people are believers who are preparing for the main winter holiday – Christmas!
The best way to celebrate it is to be in the church and receive communion. In the new house, another dream has become a reality – to live next to the temple. We have to become its true parishioners in the coming year, this is our number one goal.
For us, Christmas is a special holiday. I became pregnant with Mashenka on Christmas days, after the broadcast about Matronushka on Channel One, in which I took part. During the Christmas service in the temple, I had a vision of my departed relatives, all of them young and incredibly happy. And soon we realized that we were waiting for the first-born, Mashenka. I am often asked how to start talking about God with a child, I always answer: 1. To teach how to say thank you and thank people. 2. Explain why you shouldn’t litter the streets. 3. Not discussing guests when they leave our house. And, of course, the main parental rule, as one saint said: “You can not talk with your children about God, but you have to talk to God about your children constantly!” A mother’s daily prayer works wonders.
As for the Christmas fast, with our profession and work schedule, it is difficult to follow all its rules, and I’m not just talking about its outer side.
Victoria: “There is a playground next to the house, but sometimes you can’t take our kids out for a walk, so they like it at home. But if they come out, they come off with might and main. “
Fasting is not a diet and not a restriction in food, for which, by the way, one must definitely take the blessing of a spiritual father. For those who work and travel a lot, there can be indulgences in food. Try to live at least a day without judging anyone! And when you are constantly judging others, it doesn’t matter if you drank coffee with milk or not. I would like us to understand the main meaning of fasting – spiritual work on ourselves. I do not understand the “tasty” lean recipes. What kind of fast is this if you are wasting time preparing them instead of helping orphans, making peace with your neighbors, forgiving those who have offended you, stop hating those who do not like them? And also to help those who are near. In my opinion, this is the most effective charity. We all have neighbors, acquaintances, relatives, friends who absolutely need our help and support. On the eve of Christmas, it would be good to distribute all the good things that are “for beauty”, bought by chance or donated, which you do not use. Dishes, unnecessary bicycles, clothes, curtains, perhaps some kind of equipment that is dead weight. Do not be afraid that all this will come in handy for ourselves someday. There are a huge number of low-income families who desperately need all this. If you do not use it, give it to the one who needs it now! (Some of the toys were provided by the Azbuka Vkusa company to help the Podari Zhizn fund.)