Let's roll

Big brother Wayne came over and took care of the kids while Teresa & I went to a parenting seminar. He did a great job. This was the first time that we left the kids alone other than at school.

Friday the training wheels came off of Nadia and Alex bicycles. Look out world.

Two months home today

Two months home today. The kids have made great strides in just a short time. More English every week and the bonding/attachment is better than I expected at this point. The kids have been to the doctors several times. Most vaccinations need to be updated. We love doing stool samples. Okay the kids had great timing and I've only been home to do one of them. Yes the kids have some parasites that need treating/killing. The dentist should do just fine this year if she only has a couple more families like ours. In other words the kids teeth are in pretty bad shape. Luckily they are mainly baby teeth. We couldn't love the kids any more than we do. Call it the honeymoon period if you like.

... and a wedding!

Well Wendell asked Kelly so there will soon be a wedding. She is a really nice girl so we are excited. They are very good for each other.

This is starting to look like a pattern so be warned if you adopt three kids and have older kids you may get a wedding in the same year.

Veloseepead Budlaska

Well I didn't quite make it to post for the one month home anniversary. It's amazing how kids who haven't had one on one time with parents really seem to need alot of it. Okay I know that is not surprising at all.

We took Wayne's old bike and lowered the seat and handlebars. It was a pretty good fit for Ivan. Of course then I spent the rest of the day listening to the two younger ones beg for a veloseepaed budlaska (Bicycle, please, Pleeeeeaaseeee) We held out until about 4 pm. Then went and bought a couple of bikes with training wheels. They road until dark and then wanted the cars moved out of the garage. I figured fine a few minutes in the confines of the garage and they would be tired of it. Silly Dad. Except for supper they spent the rest of the evening until worship riding in the garage.

For worship we decided that at least until they understand more English that we would do videos. I figured Adventures in Odyssey would be good. They liked those but they really love the "Love Comes Softly" western series. They will cheer when the good guys do the right thing or when the bad guys get tripped up and caught. It surprised me that they liked the western. Maybe it helped that school took the kids to the National Western Stock Show. Proud Papa here, I have to add that Ivan got an award (ribbon) for being one of the fastest on the peddle tractor race. At the end of worship we have what the kids now call Heysuss, tank you, tank you. I know they are listening because that is pretty much how I always start prayer. Dear Jesus, thank you....

When we were raising Wendell and Wayne we would always rotate who had prayer that night. This round the kids think it is an election and they vote. I tried a few sentences in Ukrainian which they found terribly entertaining, probably because they were too informal or baby talk like. Anyway I am now elected 90% of the time. Ivan and Alex have each tried a time or two in Ukrainian, I'm not sure what was said but I am sure that there was someone who did and loved it even more than Teresa and I.

We went to the airport to meet Richard and Anastasia (Cindy had come back earlier.) Unlike our evening at the Roge's our kids were much more relaxed and interacted with other Ukrainian kids. We had eaten together with Richard, Cindy & Anastasia in Kyiv when we were all there. When I showed them pictures from church of all of us together they were very excited to go to the airport. Nadia wanted to hold the little bag with a small gift for Anastasia and be the one to give it to her.

There are challenges but I think we and the kids have done really well together. The damaged items list continues to grow but nothing as expensive as the first couple of weeks. We have key locks for the master bedroom, office and basement. We also invested in about a thousand paper plates and half that many paper cups. We won't win any environmental awards but it sure makes life easier.

We are still hoping and praying for Felix and others who are currently in Ukraine trying to complete adoptions. Ukraine has again changed the rules and now requires that prospective adoptive parents also get Interpol police clearances which may take up to 40 days to process.

Ukraine also completed their presidential election today. Victor Yanokovich won by about 4 or 5 percent. Interestingly he was the one who the Ukrainian courts ruled had fraudulently stolen the election five years ago. So it looks like Ukraine will probably drift back toward closer relations with Russia and will be unlikely to be looking for NATO membership. Ivan was very surprised when we were watching Internet TV from Ukraine. He said he didn't know many people in the part of Ukraine where he lived who would have voted that way. He gave thumbs down to Yanokovich and also to current president Yushenko.

Enough rambling for tonight.

Two weeks home

Well, well two whole weeks. Some of the newness is wearing off. School has gone well and all of the kids are adding more English words. Conversation is still 90% in Ukrainian. They are now challenging to find out where the limits are. In other words typical kids.

We ventured out for our first visit to another home on Friday. Heidi and Felix opened their home to many of the adoptive families. We were surprised that they did not seem more interested in some of the other kids who spoke Ukrainian. They clung to Mama for the first half hour or so. Then played chase/hide and seek with big Nadia. By the end of the evening they were climbing all over Jim V and Felix just like they do with Papa at home. These are great, safe guys, just something for us to watch and consider in other settings.

Sunday the kids enjoyed getting on Skype with Grandma and Grandpa J and also with big brother Wendell and Kelly. Also built a snow ramp with rocks for traction between the levels of the back patio to play with the remote control cars. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa B.

This weeks damage report. One DVD recorder, DVD's slammed in half way will break both the machine and the DVD. The old digital camara lens no longer will deploy even with new batteries. New lock for Mama's office door. The hole punch is very facinating no matter what documents are being punched. The 50 state quarter collections that Mama carefully put together from both the Denver and Philadelphia mint is scattered who knows where. Probably not damaged but certainly flatter than any gym or exercise program has been able to get Papa's stomach in years.

Two kids are sleeping in their own room, one is still sleeping with us in the master bedroom. That will change soon!!

Hey we love our kids, these are the problems we have worked so hard to have.

Please pray for Richard & Cindy and for Heidi & Felix. Both are adding to their families over the next few weeks. And remember there are many children who need parents and families.

Pictures Part 2

The first picture is Ivan in Ukrainian costume for his last class play.

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures Part 1

Our kids from November and the best ad against drunk driving I've seen.

One week home & belated Thanks

We have now had the kids home for one full week. They are doing really well. English usage is increasing daily although still just a little bit. Nadia was helping with dishes and had a dish in one hand and a sponge in the other we have foaming soap at the sink and she said "Papa shampoo that" for me to put soap on her sponge. Alex shook the soda and then opened it three times in one day. He cried all the time he was helping wipe it up the third time. We also have implemented a food is only eaten in the kitchen rule. He regularly violates that one and when asked if he wanted us to throw out food he had taken out he said "No Thank You" Ivan's new words for today included Tennessee and France. Tennessee coming from his class studying the civil war. All of the kids can count to twelve now.

Today was the kids first day of school. Nadia who has usually been the most overwhelmed by things told the translator to tell me to go away she was a big girl. Ivan waived and said "It's okay Papa" Alex who is usually our most out going child cried when Mama left and Papa took about 30 minutes to ease him into his group. All in all no major blow ups or crisis and pretty good at getting to bed at a reasonable time.

We really do have a great host of friends who have supported us in this journey. Thanks Donna and Larry for looking after the house. Thank you Shawn & Yvette for getting the driveway and sidewalks shoveled. Thank you Darla and family for decorating the house for Christmas and the food and gifts. Thank you Kari for coordinating communication among the adoptive families with all our last minute changes. Thanks Heidi, Felix and family for the gifts, clothes, food, welcome stuff at the airport. Thanks to the Barretts, wow even a new vegetarian recipe. Yes Teresa and I are and we did okay in Ukraine. Some of the things at the airport I'm not sure we could tell who brought what but we do thank you also. Thanks Matt for the description of the whole gang following my family around the parking garage. It was only important to get to the airport who knew we would leave it. And whoever coordinated half my office showing up for the welcome home at the airport. And the gang from the church staff. I'm probably leaving someone out and for that I am sorry.

In the first week damage report: One garage door opener. The emergency release to operating it manually proved too tempting. Evidently trying to get it locked back in caused some type of binding. One chair with wheels rolled down the stairs. Plastic wheels do not survive the landing.

Most fascinating items around the house. The treadmill, Mama now holds the key so no kids operate it without supervision and fly off the back end. Mama's can opener. Papa using his electric shaver in the morning. And the nerf guns. Yes I've shot my kids already. Trust me I lost that battle.

It's great to be home. America has lots to offer each of us and our kids. Who knows I may even get some pictures up this weekend.