Holiday Weekend

After Chai with Liliya, kids played out side before we had guitar & piano lessons.

Papa helping clean up the kitchen. Chai with Liliya.
Katya made borsch even though we didn't have any chicken. I always love it.

Please let us know if you want information about hosting children for 3 weeks this summer. Today is the deadline. Next host time is Christmas.

Please keep Chris' mom in your prayers as she has had a heart attack after therapy for her knee surgery.

We are hoping to go up north pending Chris' mom's stability and health. We're getting the camper and car ready now as we speak.

Everyone wants to do something other than what I ask them to do, so we have our work cut out for us today. Planning on ice skating, grocery shopping, and packing and cleaning today. If we have time, I'll go shopping with Natasha for a few things. Shopped with Pasha yesterday for a lot of things. Adds up quickly.

We all need to work on our hygiene better around here. Lots of learning curves, but no big tears or problems except Natasha wanting to go shopping with Pasha. But I am taking them one at a time.

Well, I have lots of kids hanging on me watching me do this, and I need to upload photos. So I guess, I want to say that we are healthy and busy! : )

We'll blog next Friday again. Love Alesia & Chris

Wednesday May 26th,

Only 1 day left to consider hosting a child for a summer holiday, if you are interested.

We didn't take the camera with us yesterday. Natasha & Andri cooked pancakes for breakfast.

We ice skated for an hour and a half. We plan to do this MWF. Andri has really improved and loves his hocky gear. He even ventures into the hockey rink with the big boys and loves it. And they love to help little guys. The girls will take ice skating classes (maybe Andri too), in June. They are progressing as well, and seem to love it. I love it because I can do it, and I ran into friends yesterday and shared our adoption message.


After skating, we headed home for a little of this and a little of that. Afterward we went to the Post Office to send a package to 3 of Natasha's friends in Ukraine. Then to the library to pick up some films, and drop some books off, then to get Daddy as we have had our big van getting the air fixed. It's fixed down and much better.

Then Katya and I went shopping for fitness clothes. Sophia had a hard time with that, why do we love Katya more, etc. But all is well after, and she knows it is her turn next. We need to go through her closet today with Natasha and see what's keep and what's not. We did that with Andri yesterday and put shorts in his drawer. Remember there was snow on the ground when we left for Ukraine, so I have a little Spring/Summer organization to do.

After supper we all went swimming again at the community center. That was really fun.

Boys went to bed after swimming and got up about 3 times before sleeping and went back and there were no problems. Natasha and I practiced her violin. Sophia & I did her piano. I mowed a little but have troubles with the current mower not working for me. So Chris mowed.

Sophia did my nails, Natasha did a little computer, Katya did computer and then it was lights out. Jaclyn snuggled with the girls after I tucked them in. Chris & I had a "date" doing mail from who know when.

Love Alesia & Chris

Katya's Birthday/Our Anniversary

Ice Skating is 1.5 hours and we hope to get on the ice 3x a week. It's $5 per time per family at St. Croix Arena, and that is AMAZING! Of course all the gear is expensive, but that will last a long time.

James is learning how to use the camera : ) . Katya & Sophia waiting for Jaclyns violin recital.

Jaclyn did great at her recital. We are really proud of her. Natasha started lessons today and like them.

I'll blog frequently for a while, and then once a week.

Katya's birthday was wonderful. Lots of e-mails (even though we can't read them yet in Russian). They get all messed up with our Juno account so we need to do some homework there. A neighbor girl stopped by and gave her a home made card with Bible verses on it, and she talked to some friends back home.

Our Anniversary could have used some work, however, Chris had to go and fix the van's battery. And we're adjusting to our new family, so, I guess we'll post pone a date until next week. We know 2 older sisters that can come and watch the kids. Katya's capable, but I don't want to put that on her right away. And the girls need new companions as well.

Some interesting details/problems:

-Toilet problems upstairs & down! Chris fixes them.
-New van, no airconditioning, Chris is fixinging it..and it's hot.
-Natasha went to close or open the door and the door knob fell out in her hand, Chris fixed it!
-Kids aren't used to closing the doors when the air is on.

-Sophia cried last night for the first time since I have seen her in Ukraine. Chris said lights off, door open, etc. firmly, and she said she wanted to go home. In some ways I was sad, and in some ways now as I think of it, I'm so glad she finally cried. She said she gets to stay up until 11/12pm at the orphanage. I think it might be a tale, and maybe some days that is true.

-Yesterday at the recital we all went into the church, but someone must have played with the lock and locked Chris out. He got in and everything was fine.

-We went through 4 loaves of bread in 2 days.

Update on all of us:

Chris, is busy working, fixing stuff, and laying down the law. When things are settled, he's a lot of fun and makes everyone laugh. We had imitation crab last night and said it was perfect for him. He knows he needs to soften a little, but is doing good. I think their Dad prior to the orphanage was very harsh and abusive in some ways, so the kids seem wary at times.

Alesia, I am trying to get things in order, need to start a routine (want to after the holiday weekend), am getting the kids geared up in their activities, I say yes way too much, and needs to tighten up a little! I am doing good and feeling good. I am really glad to be home and spread the word about adoption.

Katya, is doing well, loves her new computer, cooks great soup, has a great sense of humor, enjoys night time tuck ins, and hangs out with us when that works. We enjoy e-mailing each other, and seeing if our Russian English works, and it doesn't.

Jaclyn is a great help. Also she needs her mom. She is doing well and loves the kids alot. She is sad when Daddy cracks down on the rules as well. So in some ways her and Sophia are at that same stage of life. She put on a little weight while we were gone, so hope her hockey camp will help with that and Daddy will get her out running. She loves having her friend Kassie over as do all the kids. We still need to plan her birthday party.

Sophia, has been doing well, until last night when Chris cracked down on some night time rules. We put the kids to bed at 8pm as we needed some time, and the night before it was 11pm after the Sound of music. She loves to help Jaclyn with her hair. And when she was skating she found a little 3 year old to help skate.

I think I would like start a little babysitting drop off program or something this summer for $1/hour per child, with me being there. The kids will love the chance to see babies, and make a little money. We tried to start a bank account yesterday, but they need their social sec numbers.

Natasha is full of life, almost so excited she wants to literally crawl inside you and kiss you all over. She loves piano and violin. She loves skating, but her skates hurt her and I might ask about it today as they are new. They hurt around the rim of the skate digging into her leg (not her foot like normal).

Jonathan is literally addicted to Chess, and is reading about people from Russia & Ukraine that won tournaments. We are checking out a local "professional" type chess club. He is doing well, but said the other day that we love Natasha & Katya more because they got to do computer. Mind you, Natasha swept and mopped the whole upstairs kitchen/dining room floor, and the computer was used for Ukrainian praise songs to listen to before church! He has been running a bit with Papa and was happy to get on the ice. He almost forgot how to put his gear on!

Andri is running around and loving life as well. He likes to help take care of Chance our dog. He is very sensitive. He and Natasha picked up piano very fast. No tears from him yesterday. He is excited to have so many clothes, but he wears the same ones every day. We'll work on that. Jonathan does the same thing too.

James is very serious right now. He doesn't want hugs or touch from anyone most of the time. And when he does he wants it from me. He wants me to snuggle with him, so I need to take turns with him and Andri. I think they understand. He took some photos yesterday and enjoyed that. He loves playing chess with Jonathan & beat him yesterday which was "high" for him. He enjoys the girls and Jonathan tickling him. I hear him laughing a lot. He cries if anyone raises their voice at him. I am wondering how things went when I was in Ukraine.

At dinner we all pray and so far I have heard Andri pray at night, and Natasha at the table. It is a sweet time.

We try to take a quiet time each day, so I don't go to crazy.

We will work more on English today and write some thank -you's. However, we get English everywhere we go, so I'm letting them decompress a little. I know how it was for me in Ukraine, it took awhile.

Ok...after Memorial Day weekend coming up, I'll blog once a week. Just wanted you to know how things are going : )

Love Alesia & Chris

Today is Katya's Birthday & Our Anniversary.

Piano Lessons with Mrs. Everitt. She did great with the kids!

Natasha with a Guinea Pig at our friends home Sunday Evening.
We shared our CHAI message with them, and the kids had a lot of fun together.

It is the start of the day here, 6:27am on Our Anniversary & Katya's Birthday.

We suited up for skating and hockey yesterday. Had piano lessons for Andri, Natasha, & Sophia. All went great. I can honestly say that all our children are quick learners.

Katya has been trying out her new computer, and I will send a message to as many people that I can with the address. The only problem is we don't think Juno can handle the Russian/English input, or something. So we might need to get a different account. Our next Step is Skype.

Katya cooked soup for us yesterday. It was great. Jonathan doesn't like any kind of soup, so I had to explain to her that it wasn't her soup. He sat at the table for awhile "trying it out".

Yesterday I biked with Natasha & Sophia while children took turns on the computer in 1/2 hour increments, and when Natasha & Sophia took their turn, I biked with Andri. A great way to get a little excercise in! Did some laundry as well.

By about 3pm I was shot and everyone took a quiet time! We finished the evening with piano lessons, and The Sound of Music movie with popcorn and 1 can of pop.

I have more photos on a different camera of the lemonade stand they had yesterday with a neighbor girl.

Our only problems are keeping up with anything left out, or not put away, and for me it's pretty loud around here so I ask them to keep it down. And when I say no, it's sometimes a huge disappointment, so a few things to work on. Andri & the boys had their first "big" fight yesterday over turning the fan on or not. It was all a misunderstanding, and we worked it out. Those 3 need to use their WORDS...will be my schooling to them. A few tears, and no bumps or bruises. And they made up as far as I can tell.

Andri prayed the other night and thanked Jesus for Mama & Papa, and I'm not sure what else as it was in Ukrainian. He asked me yesterday when he is going back to Ukraine, so I think he's still trying to figure things out. He said he was happy to be in America and loved it. I think because he came once and returned, it just seems like that will happen again.

I have told all the girls that on good days or bad, that we never want them to leave us. And I am not sure if I have had that same "conversation" in my broken Russian/Ukrainian/English.

Please pray for 4 more host families for children this summer. The deadline is this Friday! Thank-you so much!

Love from Chris & Alesia