Our Week, part 2

Melenki Dom..(Camper), and big Machina (Sprinter Van).


Andri showing off the sun fish that he caught and being "serious" in the photo with Mama.

Natasha & Chance by our wood pile. Alesia at the lake.

Update on Everyone...

Alesia: We started a ROUTINE this week, so that has been a little bit harder and better. The first day, after 7 children complaining about their work load, and my own emotions, I pretty much lost it. I think that day everyone cried except Papa. Of course Papa doesn't understand. Anyway, that was day one of our routine.

I manage to drive the kids here and there, get in some skating, swimming, walking the dog, cooking, cleaning, laundry, and a phone call here and there. I am pretty tired at night when my head hits the pillow. Kids get frustrated at night if I can't lay with them for a half hour (even my children). So I think I'll just read stories to all or do movies and do tuck-ins twice a week or something with singing. Otherwise it's a 2 hour affair. It's important though as it's the time all can really tell me about what's going on.

Chris: He has been taking the Sprinter this week and hopes to get it ready for us with speakers in the back. He did all the camping prep, and set up our pool on Monday after the holiday weekend. He has managed to visit his mom after her surgery and heart attack a few times and continues his usual work week at 3M. He doesn't undestand my stress, or know how to handle it, and I realize that know and will handle it with friends or just find ways to let it go. All the kids have bad memories of their Papa, so they carry that over to Chris, which is not a good way to get things started.

Katya: She has started guitar, is a good help with the scheduled routine. She has started some art projects, and cooked some fish the other day. She likes to organize and keep things in order. She has not been frustrated or very angry since she has been here. She went with Jaclyn and Papa to a Teen party the other night. We couldn't tear her away from fishing up at Mom & Dad's on the lake. She keeps us laughing, enjoys ice skating, and started track yesterday. Ice Skating lessons start for her, Sophia, & Natasha on Monday. She has opened up to me some and we understand each other.

Jaclyn: She is still in violin, guitar, piano, and enjoys ice skating 3x per week at the St. Croix Rec Center with all of us on MWF. She enjoys her new sisters, and is adjusting well. She wishes I could tuck her in at night for a long time, and if I don't, she thinks I love others more than her, just like everyone else says, so I'm getting used to it. She started track as well yesterday (everyone did), and her knees really hurt, so I need to take her to a specialist and see what is going on.

Sophia: She enjoys ice skating, swimming in our pool or the Maplewood community center, and biking. She loves babies any time that she sees them. She loves to help cook or prepare meals. She has a little problem of leaving a trail here and there, but so do some of the other children as well. She also does not like to hear the word no as do some of our other children. She is fun and sweet to talk to.

Natasha: She is almost always the first one up and wants to sit with me and would like to do computer, but she has her list of chores to do first. She wants to cook a lot, and sometimes burns herself trying too hard. She started violin, and piano and loves them both. She loves track and joked about going to the doctor because her legs hurt (in the thigh muscle) from running. She loves swimming, biking, and doing her list of chores, even though she complains.

Jonathan: He wants to know when we will get him to a chess club and get him rated. He loves track that started and skating 3x a week, but doesn't want to skate with the big boys playing hockey, but I think he would do great. He doesn't like his chores and complains a lot about doing them. He helps with the dog, and has walked the dog with Natasha for 30 minutes the other day and that went well. He likes to read the encyclopedia and books.

Andri: He has taken off on the skates and will have absolutely no trouble at hockey. He's what I would call a natural. He works hard and sweats a lot, and is not afraid of the big boys skating. I think he will be fast. He loves everything, keeps his room in some order. He cries when his big brothers give him a hard time, and loves running around with them and squirting them with water.

James: Wants me for all love and affection, and seems overly sensitive to correction which is hard for me to handle as well. He loves tuck in songs, especially the Wise Man Built His House on the Rock. He loves his new math book even though I can't find my lesson guide. He loves to play chess with Jonathan, and giggles when Jonathan tickles him. He is quiet and shy around his new

sisters, but loves being with them.

All skate 3x a week, and all are in track.

Our biggest problems is me getting tired and finding time to talk to Chris. The toilet overflowing. Keeping the kids doing their chores. Me keeping encouraged. Chris' biggest problem is when I have problem, he doesn't know how to handle them, and tells me what to do to "fix" them. So basically adds to the pile of problems. So as I settle in, and draw up some boundaries, I will have less problems so he will as well.

All the kids have been reading Russian or English except James and doing a great job of reading. Pasha is reading Tom Sawyer in Russian, Katya is reading Girl Book Devorchek, Jaclyn is reading Scarlet Letter after Tom Sawyer & Robin Hood (unabridged). Jonathan is reading space and encyclopedia books, and Natasha is reading the children's bible and little books here and there. Andri is reading a little book from Novelselki. They are all writing words or paragraphs. All chores need to be done before computer time or film time. I think I'll ease up on reading or chess. I don't mind them playing games, or reading, but begging for computer time doesn't fly for me right now when the chores are not done.

We pray at dinner, laugh and cry. Sing praise songs in the car Russian and English, watch movies together, swim, walk, bike, and hang out together. We are doing well all in all. We all fight with one another at various times and most of us make us and say we are sorry.

Our next blog will be next Week sometime. Love from Chris & Alesia