Involving her family

[Diplomacy]

I was just wondering some different ways that you all have done to include her family as part of the family?

[Chicagoguy]

My fiance is from Cheboksary - overnight train ride from Moscow. In June we met her daughter in Moscow. I brought gifts for daughter and she for me. Plus daughter paid for dinner !

I send a package each month and always include a gift for fiance's father and for daughter. Nothing fancy but with thought behind them.

[Diplomacy]

Very Good Thank you!

[Vaughn]

The distance is tough on us. We consider our Russian family a very close one,
with at least a weekly extended phone call. We've had my wife's Mama visit
America twice. Tried to secure a visa for her younger sister but the bid
failed. We were advised here on RWD to wait before we reapply and that's
what we're doing...

Mama's a pensioner. She holds an ATM card which we load occasionally from
this end, making her life far easier. She also occupies the apartment
my wife vacated. It's a perfect situation for us - we didn't want to sell, nor
did we care to rent it. Over the past few years she's done some major
remodeling of veranda, balcony, kitchen and bath.

We hope to visit them next spring with a boatload of gifts - but the gifts are
minor compared to the enjoyment we share in one another's company. While
we're there, someone's always arranging a dinner party with music & dancing.

I'll never forget the display of group grief at the train station when I took
their beloved Elvira away.

[Jet]

To keep family involved you have to recognize opportunities as they present themselves  . When we brought Lil's father over for a visit, we flew him into JFK rather than Miami, so we could pick him up and go spend a few days w/ my parents and my brother brought his family in at the same time (her Mom has passed on). Yesterday, we drove to West Palm to meet up with her Uncle Alexander and spend the day taking him and a close family friend sightseeing/shopping. (They were in town for the WPC World Powerlifting Championships and Uncle Alex kicked @$$ taking gold medals in the senior and the overall for his weight class ) There is also a tradition going all the way back to before we were married that the parents exchange cards at Christmas/New Year and Easter which we translate. These are just a few ways, outside of the phone calls several times per week and the annual 6-8 week summer visits back home, that we try to keep everyone involved.

[Diplomacy]

Thank you guys.

BTW Jet I flew in with the US Arm wrestling team and spent the layover in London with them.  I got to meet the Ukrainian team also.  Congrats to Uncle Alex.

Yes, my parents and their parents are becoming friends for sure.  Her father has been in hospital and my Mom talks to my Fiancee with me just translating a few words into English words she knows.

I tried to explain the Bostonian Accent is hard for people here to understand, not to worry about having a hard time understanding Mama lol.

My Mom is so proud of her. She even tells her how proud she is of her, and she is so smart to learn so much English in this short of time.  I think next I am going to try a conference call and have her translate to Russian. 

On a side note Mom now knows Privet and Poka.  She is trying to lead by example.  I do call her parents and have very short conversations due to my lack of proficiency in Russian.  They are wonderful and I am sure it is like when a grandchild is learning to talk.

I think it is the same on their end, they are proud I am working hard to learn.  I just want to make sure they are included as much as possible.

My family had a painting done in the White Mountains of New Hampshire for a Christmas Present.  They asked if it was a generous enough gift lol.  She has a Russian Doctor at work teaching her the culture. 

Papa loves my pictures, but I have not been able to hunt much this fall.  I know those are what he really wants to see.  I am just burning the candle at both ends and something had to give right now.  Between work,charity and time zone difference it is a lot.

It is really good, especially since when I first told my mother about Ukraine she asked me where it was.  Just taking it one step at a time, and poaching any good ideas you guys tell me.

My Mom found out about nesting dolls and hinted I should get one for my niece getting ready to come into the world.  Little does she know I got everyone some nice ones for Christmas.  At least I know it is going to be a real hit.