Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day..........Picnic on Kreschatyk

Parade, just one of many photos. Katya & friend cooking.

Andri at our picnic on Kreschatyk.

I think yesterday was a combination of all three! Today was good after we figured out what we were doing. We tried to find a good place to watch the parade, and a good place to find Katya's friend, but after we found her and our place to watch the parade and had a few pictures, it was hot and the kids wanted to go. I didn't but, it was good that we went as we couldn't see the rest of the show from where we were. So we went home. I was a little upset, as I love picnics on Mother's day (but now I know why I was upset as it is that time of the month!). Anyway, we came home, and Katya and her friend cooked an amazing soup! WOW...I can't wait to have her make it at home as well, and I asked her to cook it the day before we go home as it was so healthy. They made a great salad as well.

While they were cooking, the kids did crafts, and we watched the parade. It was great! And everyone was calm and relaxed. Katya's friend stayed with us for awhile, and then when she had to go, we walked her to her bus. Then we went to church in English. It's kind of boring, but the people are nice, and they serve treats there, and we sing hymns in English so thats fun. During Church, I was thinking about if Chris would call, and I was worried my phone would ring, so I took it out and looked at it, and 2 minutes later, Chris called me! : ) It was during a hymn so I could talk a little! There is one family there that "fosters" children, so they are really fun to talk to as well. They have invited us to their farm. We just don't know know when or if we will go out there.

After church we picked up a shirt for Andri, as some how he came home with me with only the shirt on his back. It cost 99grievna (about 12 dollars, and that was the cheapest one at Benetton store, the only store we could find easily.

After the shirt we picked up a couple more photo albums, as they keep the kids busy, with their stickers and writing. Natasha would like stickers for her birthday in July : ) She is sitting with me right now smiling asking what I wrote about her. Katya is on the phone. Sophia just got done with her album, and her and Andri are watching "Machina" Cars.

After the little shopping, we had a picnic on Kreschatyk with juice and chips. Now we are chilling out at home doing computer etc. We will head back to Kreschatyk for the show.

Mother's Day: Sometimes I feel like a "super mom" being here with 4 new children, and sometimes I feel like I have lost my "motherhood" by not being with my other 3 children. sometimes I miss them and cry, and sometimes I am very happy to be growing our family. I will be so happy when we are all together, and I think we all will be.

Sophia and I had a nice talk last night while drifting off to sleep. I held Andri's hand while he fell asleep. No crying for him, except today when Katya wanted him to change into his clean WET shirt from Jonathan's too big jersey! We survived and went on with our day.

All is well. Thanks for your prayers. We do not have plans for tomorrow yet. Maybe a museum, maybe Hydropark. We'll see. Some of the metro's were closed today for the parade, but I'm assuming they will be open tomorrow. The parade was a big deal on the TV today.

Love from Ukraine. Alesia

Today is not as good as some days..

I don't know if its that I miss Chris, or it's that time of the month, or if it's being all together and us all being different but today is a little "foo" like they say here when things are bad.

Natasha has a fever, but otherwise is doing fine. We went shopping and bought some art supplies, and projects to keep the video/tv/computer to a minimum. Also, there is a big difference in music styles. I'm just trying to slow the "hype" down.

I need to sign off and "sleep" with the kids, so they slow down and rest a little. We are all camping out in one room, so not much space for privacy.I wish I could tell everything, but I'm sure people are reading this, and I don't want to compromise privacy.

I love you all and appreciate your prayers. We just need to work on right attitudes, truthfulness, and being able to say we're sorry. We will watch a parade tomorrow which should be fun.

Love Alesia

Comedy Club....

Today we said good-bye to Chris & Jonathan and as I write this they are in the air headed for NY, and then on to MN. I was able to ride with Natasha (helper), to pick up a new child for the orphanage, boy age 9, beautiful, kind boy. Then we headed to Noveselki where the kids were packing and getting ready to go to Kiev with me.


When we left their home, there were a lot of tears, mine included! Everyone is so beautiful there. One babushka came and gave me a HUGE hug and said Spaciba (thank-you), Mama! I did not get a photos as I was thinking of the luggage and other things, but Natasha(woman) will give me a copy of the photo.


We did some business at the Passport office, and now need to wait for passports. They all had photos, so I don't know if passport photos were even needed before. I will find out.

Once at home, we unpacked, had a little snack of pickles and drink. We then went shopping without Katya. She called companions. We bought tooth brushes, and eggs and a few other little things.

When we got back, we had been back for awhile and someone came to our door and rang our door bell. I knew it was a salesman, but Katya said I didn't understand what he was saying. So she called our helper from the orphanage, and he talked to the man and said it was a gift and to accept it...however, it was just buy some of these at a discount...and it took me a while to explain to him that YES I understand, and NO I do not want any!!! And after I explained to Katya that next time Mama says, Niet (no)...it's niet.... : ) and she understood. And during this visit Natasha started holding the woman's hand who was here, and I pulled her aside and asked her "WHO" is this woman that you hold her hand..and that it hurts Mama's heart. And that if we were on the main street of Kreschatyk, and I saw a little girl who I didn't know, would I run up to her and hold her hand..and she understood. It was a "Comedy Club" for us for a few minutes!!!

I am so glad we are all together, as we need to spend time alone together. Also, I feel as though I am taking my kids from a high speed fast forward, to slow down and calm down. I hope to get some art supplies tomorrow somewhere. I think tomorrow we will go to a museum we went to before, a park that is close by, and then we will look and see how much ice skating is. We need to be on the move, or they go crazy inside our little apartment.

Lots of laughter today, and no tears, except saying good-bye, and when Andri wanted to buy a tooth brush, but earlier he said he could use the extra one we had in our apartment. He was just sad to not get a "new" one. And he had about 3 tears.

We hope Chris and Jonathan make it home safe, and we pray for bedtime before 10pm with sleeping children. Katya has a favorite show on for the kids, so I am doing e-mail, blogger & shower. Right now we are eating Keiffer "ice cream" that we made ourselves with kieffer, jelly, and a little sugar and put into the freezer. They love it, and it's 0% fat! : ) Yeah!

Love Alesia

Saying Good-bye..Thursday

Katya, Natasha, Sophia, us, Andri, Natasha (social worker), and Jonathan.

Photo 2 is Rustam, Sasha, Andri, Jonathan, & Shauni...saying good-bye to Jonathan.

Photo below is all the older children, and helpers and us having pizza and cake.
It's a beautiful photo! Some of us had tears today.

We had a good-bye party for the kids today, and it was nice. We had pizza, cake and juice.

The kids sang and danced, and we handed out a few good-bye mugs with our children's photos on it. I hope you enjoy the photos as much as we enjoyed our day.

Chris & Jonathan go home tomorrow, Friday, and I will be picking up the kids and taking them home to Kiev until May 19th. Jaclyn's birthday back home. I hope I am home before the clock strikes midnight so I can kiss her goodnight, but I missed Andri's birthday, and Pasha's so if I miss Jaclyn's exact date, so be it.

We are planning a birthday party for her and a family party for Katya & Jaclyn, so that will be fun, and I have to keep looking forward to coming home, as this process seems to be taking so long.

Love from Alesia & Chris