Age — 26; Russia, Moscow.

I knew for certain that I would have a girl, and when Masha was born, she was a very calm baby.  By 3 months of age it was hard to say that there even was a newborn in the house.  We often laughed when she would not even wake up for her next feeding, and I had to pinch her nose to get her to open her mouth.

When Masha grew a bit more, she could be left at home without worry, for she was a such a calm and bright little girl.

When she was 3 years old we would go to the Luzhniki sport center, where she was taking figure skating lessons.  She put up with these trips without complaint.  At 5 Masha entered the gymnastics section of the Olympic reserve school, but, unfortunately, she had to leave after 2 years.  Her hands were very small, and even protective bindings did not prevent the bloody blisters that interfered with her learning to write.  When she grew up, though, she often regretted this.

I had the impression that Masha always knew what she wanted from life.

Her whole life, she was my helper and my support.  Thanks to Masha, I could find a way out of even the most complex situation.  She was but twelve and a half when I had little Olga.  When Olya was but two months old, I had to return to work to earn enough to feed the children, and Masha became her little sister’s nanny.  When Olya said ‘mama’ for the first time, it was to Masha.

Masha was a good housekeeper and knew how to cook and knit.  Her ‘house specialty’ was sharlotka, and no one ever made such a tall, fluffy, and tasty one as she could.  And such dances we performed as a threesome!  Masha was her sister’s favorite person, and Olya mimicked her examples.  To Olya, Masha was mother, sister, and girlfriend.

Masha was not the head of her class, but she attracted many classmates to her, and they even celebrated graduation evening at our place.

After finishing 9th grade, Masha had to leave school to work, and in her short 27 years of life she put in almost 12 years of labor.  At her job she was respected for her kindness, affability, peaceful spirit, and readiness to help everyone.  While working, she continued her studies at night.

In 2003 Masha was to graduate from school.  Her teachers and girlfriends still cannot believe that she is gone.

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