Russian!

So, my parents are now learning Russian! The area in Ukraine they've been asked to be over is the Doneske' mission! They are predominantly Russian but do have a few areas that speak Ukranian, so they will keep brushing up what they have learned in Ukranian, but really start on Russian.............which has been quite a challenge. They are so similar in lingo, which makes small things confusing when having to change sounds and letters around. My mom was trying to explain the Russian alphabet to me Sun. night.........Um......yep, one ear and out the other.........it's gibberish to me! So fascinating but so hard to understand.........letters that look like our alphabet aren't the same sounds, then they have a whole bunch of interesting and neato signs that, again, over my head.............but my parents are awesome and know so much already. Here's the alphabet and our names in Russian! on the other side, my parents wrote our last name and our first names on down! Pretty nifty don't you think?