Saturday Happiness

I've been slowly pulling out the crafts that were gifted to us little by little. 

It is amazing how much fun they had with a bag of pipe cleaners and pom poms. Thanks RP!

 Even Mishka got in on the fun! Had to also include this photo of Ethan. 

He truly has spent most of our time in the apartment upside down. 

 We enjoyed lunch with Kristina and her adoptive family at our favorite restaurant. 

 The kids loved this man posed like a statue. 

 We enjoyed some outside playtime today in slightly warmer temperatures. 

 Our daily trek back from the market with a huge water jug and groceries for dinner.

 Watching "Peppa Pig" in Russian while Mommy made dinner. 

 More braiding :) and Irina begging Daddy to call her friends at the orphanage. We allowed her to make a call today and she was thrilled. (An older girl at the orphanage has a cell phone.) But now, once is not enough! She is VERY persistent when she wants something.

Stay tuned… I have an update on our return travel plans coming up! Day 12 done…and we know when we're coming home! Hooray!

Silliness and Souvenirs

I chose not to take many pictures today. It was enjoyable to take a break from camera duties. Even a camera could not record this scene. Let's see if my description will do it justice.

It was about noon. We were done with school work and beginning to get ready to wander about for lunch and fresh air. Darin and I were bustling about packing up all our electronics to put in our bags. (We were advised against leaving anything valuable in our apartment so we carry everything with us. When we get home it's going to feel like I'm floating without carrying my very heavy bag!)

Irina was giggling in the kitchen, so we knew that meant trouble. Darin found her filling the freezer with a dozen kiwis. (yes, I bought a lot and I'm so glad we found them before they were frozen and ruined.) At the same time, I hear Aaron shout out "Cannon Ball!" The boys were launching themselves off the window sill and landing on their bed in cannon ball position. Oh my!

This is not an unusual scene. We are like a traveling tornado. Darin and I need to be constantly on duty.  Even group activities like a game of Uno can quickly become madness. They are all so excited and out of their routine -- even though we are trying to keep a routine. Their energy is off the charts. We haven't had any complaints from our neighbors, but surely they hear us.

This afternoon we attempted a brave feat. It's wisest if we all stick together, so we ALL had to participate in a little Christmas shopping. I don't love bringing the boys with me shopping in the USA, so I wasn't sure how it would go with all four of them here. Could they keep their hands from touching all the fun trinkets? Would they beg for everything they see? I was so pleased with how well it went. Phew!

We allowed each of the kids to select one souvenir within a price range. They were very thoughtful and individual about what they decided. Take a look…

Luke: wooden trinket box          Ethan: Ukrainian boys costume shirt

Aaron: stacking doll set 

Irina: Ukrainian Doll 

Thanksgiving

We've had a lot to be thankful for over the last 10 days. Of course Ukrainians don't celebrate Thanksgiving, so there was the usual hustle and bustle about town. We chose to keep up the momentum of schoolwork in the morning and planned a special afternoon outing for the kids. It was not your typical Thanksgiving for us, but that's just fine. 

We took a taxi to a "Dolphin Circus." It was a very bizarre experience. We bundled up as usual to keep warm in the frigid temperatures. The wind was whipping. It was flurrying and yet the kids climbed on these strange sea structures. The circus was actually called "Nemo."

At first it seemed disappointing that the auditorium was so small. 

In reality, it was to our advantage because the dolphins were so close. 

We had a much better understanding as to how high they were really jumping. 

I did not zoom in my camera lens to take these pictures. They were that close!

We were in the third row so that we didn't get wet.

Probably the best part of this experience was watching Irina. The boys had the chance to see a dolphin show last May at Sea World. I didn't have to worry about missing their reactions as I zeroed in on Irina. She was beside her self with delight. Clapping, squealing, making sure I took pictures of every thing. Made me a little choked up to see the joy light up her face and to get to be a part of it.

Today, I am thankful for the gift of this sweet girl and the privilege to be a part of her future. I am thankful that the boys have truly embraced her as their sister. I am thankful for the prayers of so many as we walk along this journey that is often hard.  Most importantly, I'm thankful that God loved me and you enough to adopt US into His forever family as His children. 

"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!" 

1 John 3:1

Getting to Know Irina

We've officially been parents to Irina for five full days. (Are you getting tired of all my blogging?) She is more comfortable with us every day. We certainly have a lot to learn about her, but here are some things that have become very clear. We ALL love her very much.

1) She loves joking around. She is constantly flipping off the light when you are in the bathroom, putting various items in the refrigerator or freezer (dish soap, sponges, etc.), hiding your toiletries, or other various jokes. Then she giggles hilariously. We love that she has a sense of humor, but are trying to teach her when it's not appropriate. For now, it is a work in progress. We love to see her smiling and happy.

2) She is very eager to help. She always wants to help put away groceries, clear the table, wash the dishes, carry things for you, clean the floor, etc. Let's hope the boys attitudes do not rub off on her and that she teaches them a thing or two. ;)

3) She loves to clown around with her brothers. Once she and Aaron get silly, it is tricky to get them to settle down. (chasing, tickling, running around, screaming, pulling off hats)  Ethan is quick to join in. Luke usually stays on the sidelines observing. She is certainly not a wilting flower and will not be lost in the shuffle of all the boy energy.

4) She is very generous. We gave each of the kids some Ukrainian coins to keep. Irina pulled hers out of her pocket and showed them to me at least 10 times in the span of 30 minutes. She was so excited about her coins. Thrilled to have coins that were hers. Then we passed a needy women sitting on the side of the street with a bucket for coins. Irina immediately pulled out her coins and put them in the bucket. The smile on Irina's face was priceless!

5) She is strong willed. We learned the phrase, "Nee ha choo" when she was here last time.  I have no idea how to spell it, but it means: "I don't want to." I've had to carefully decide what is and what is not important. The good news is that if something is really important, she responds positively to me being firm. It's amazing how much attitude you can pick up even in another language. Perhaps that's a universal tween girl behavior? It's new to me.

6) She has occasionally begun calling me "Mommy." The term "Momma" was used for all her female caregivers in the orphanage. It is so sweet to hear her differentiate between a general caregiver and a Mommy. She is quick to hold my hand and give me a side hug, but otherwise is a little reserved. This morning, she greeted me in the same way the boys do. (And she's been watching closely!) With her arms wrapped around my neck for a big hug! It melted my heart.

7) She enjoys food. After being deprived of consistent food for so long, food is very important to her. Food is likely associated with love. What we've observed so far is that she eats very fast and eats quite a lot. If food drops on the ground (no matter how gross the ground), it is still quickly popped into her mouth. (10 second rule?) Every bite of food is precious and none is wasted. 

 7) She really loves her new Daddy. Darin is very patient with her jokes and persistent begging for attention. She loves to hold his hand and lead him around. She has never had a father before and is learning what it means.

We are thankful that God knew before we did that Irina would one day be our daughter. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Freezing Family Fun

Today, we started our day with school work for all the kids.  Darin worked with Ethan and I shuffled between Luke, Aaron and Irina. How awesome to have a teacher's aide!!! Irina and I began focusing on letter sounds, specifically the letter "f." She caught on very quickly and eagerly and was so proud of her work. Her first experience with school was when she was placed in the orphanage at age 8. She is now 10.

Then we ventured out for some freezing family fun. We were all supposed to look for things that began with the letter "f" and teach Irina the new vocabulary word. We found flags, fans, flowers, fish (in the market) and more. The high temperature today was 32 degrees F at 12:30pm. It is currently 25, but feels like 14. Can you say brrr!!! Thankfully there was some bright sunshine and clear skies.

 We visited the Golden Gates of Kiev. You can read more if you click HERE.

Visiting the Russian Orthodox Churches

 f, f, funny boys

 Too bad all of our family photos are in the same jackets and hats. 

We are changing our clothes, although from these photos you wouldn't know it. :)

Let's see how many kids it takes to lift Daddy. They are loving the see saw!

Riding on the Funicular… fun, fun, fun! You can read more about it HERE.

flying through the air

No matter how many miles we walk, these boys are constantly climbing and jumping. I'm glad for all their energy, but it does make us a bit weary. These photos were taken at their request, "Mommy, take a picture of me jumping." I'm just glad that we have not visited a hospital for them yet due to all their crazy stunts. Although, they have broken a broom and a lamp. Oh my! 

You can pray for them, and us. :) 9 days down, ? to go!

Back in Kiev

We are moving along little by little. It is hard to believe that it has only been a week since we left the USA. It actually feels like much longer. When we arrived in Kiev at 9:00am on Tuesday, sweaty and stinky from the train, we were whisked away to a waiting van. 

We fit all seven suitcases in the van and the six of us (plus our driver and translator Nikita). 

We drove about 45 minutes directly to Irina's medical appointment. She was examined and we got to speak to a doctor about her health history. He was very nice and kind with us and Irina. She has a bad cough and cold, but no history of any serious illnesses or diseases. Unless you count being allergic to chocolate as a serious disease!! :) gasp!

The kids had been cooped up in the train for 14 hours. Then in a van for 45 minutes. Then in the medical office for another hour. Then we dragged them along to the US Embassy where we were all checked thoroughly for bombs or other dangerous hidden weapons. Throughout all this waiting and sitting, they all did GREAT! Really unbelievable. Thank you for praying. We continue to work on paperwork for Irina's visa into the United States. Right now, we are waiting for her Ukrainian passport so we can complete the rest of our paperwork. We filed it on Monday and it could be anywhere from 3-12+ business days before it is sent to us in Kiev. Please pray for sooner! It's in the hands of the Ukrainian government. (Well… really God's hands, but you know what I mean.)

Finally after another long van ride in traffic, we arrived at our apartment. We dropped our bags, washed our faces, brushed our teeth and went for lunch at a restaurant Darin and I had gone to before. Lots of yummy food that cost only approx. $30 for all 6 of us. 

We went to the market, grabbed some dinner supplies, stopped at the 

pharmacy for a prescription for Irina and went home. 

 We are staying in the same apartment that Darin and I stayed at on our last trip. 

Here is where the kids are sleeping. Irina requested to sleep on the couch (where she and Ethan are sitting). Ethan and Aaron are sleeping on the pull out sofa in the background. 

 They opened one of the locked doors to reveal another bed where Luke is sleeping. 

I'm so happy to be bunking up with Darin again. :) 

We've been eating breakfast and dinner at home and eating lunch out. 

Dinner tonight: eggs, kiwi, apple, banana, cheese and bread. 

And here's our porch with some laundry drying. I had to climb that ladder to reach the clothesline, but I'm so glad to have a place to dry clothes. I'm VERY thankful for a washing machine. (Darin was able to download the washer manual in English so we knew which buttons to press. Not a surprise… it was a good project for him.)

What's next? Waiting for the passport, continuing to work on schoolwork and being tourists. Did I mention we enjoyed some snow flurries today? If you're still reading, thanks for bearing with all the details. Many of these posts are more for our own memories then what you really want to know about. This is a trip we don't want to ever forget!