Summer Daze!

Whew!  I cannot believe that summer is more than halfway over already!  It seems like we have been going non-stop since we brought our little ones home, I haven't had enough time to enjoy it yet.

Our oldest 5 children headed off to camp this week-- I miss them already!  I know they are having a wonderful time though, and they look forward to this week all year.  It is a Christian camp and the kids always come back with a renewed zeal for the Lord which is incredible to see.  The counsellors are fabulous and really care about these children and their walks in life.  There is lots of Bible study and lots of outdoor fun.  Can't wait to see them at the end of the week and hear all about their experiences!!

So with them gone, that frees me up a little to spend some extra fun time with the 4 I have left at home. As you probably know we have been hosting a wonderful young lady, Luda, from Ukraine for the past week.  She will be here until mid-August and we are enjoying every moment we have with her!!  This girl has gone from a little shy and introverted, to full-tilt in just a couple days of arrival!!  :)  She is spunky with a ton of energy, she loves our other children and adores the little ones!  She really tries to please and is so, so sweet.  Still breaks my heart every time I think of her in an orphanage, with no parents, no one to truly love her and care for her like she deserves.

But while she is here she has been having tons of fun, and is being lavished with lots of hugs and kisses.  I can tell her need for a mommy and a daddy.  She clings to us, snuggles up in church, comes down to kiss us goodnight, and my room is always her first stop in the morning.

She loves to help me in the kitchen with preparing dinner or baking a treat.  She has no problem helping out with the chores around the house either, and she begs to feed Atticus at dinnertime.  I have barely held that child in the past week, she won't let me!!  :)  She has accompanied us pretty much everywhere.... the post office, grocery shopping, the chiropractor, the optometrist for Charlotte's glasses, you name it.  I think she has gotten a pretty good idea of what life is like so far here in America.

We have been trying to do some fun things with her while she is here.  The pool has been a huge hit and we try to go a few times a week.

We also got to have some fun in the sun at another pool last week!  The sweet Erikson family who is hosting Yulia, one of Luda's friends, invited us up for a swim day.  Luda, Yulia and Anya were reunited for the afternoon and really enjoyed hanging out together.  That was fun to see!!

Yulia definitely remembered Schuyler from our time in Ukraine!

Tim had also been dying to take her for a motorcycle ride since she arrived.  Well a few days ago she got to experience her first time on a motorcycle!  The verdict??  She hated it!  However, that seems to have changed because since then she has been begging him every day for another spin!  Too funny!!

She held on SO tightly and would NOT let go!

We headed out to IKEA this morning too for breakfast.  It was three of her favorite foods-- eggs, bacon and potatoes.  That made her happy, which is good because we have been hard pressed to get her to try much in the way of American food.  She is pretty picky and usually won't even try something if she thinks she won't like it.  But eggs are a huge hit, and ice cream of course.

Also made a pit stop to Tim's office after IKEA.  She decided to play a little dress-up with his safety gear.

Wearing Daddy's hard hat with style!!

We are probably going to head to the pool again this afternoon if it doesn't rain, and then tonight it is off to the soccer fields for Grayson's first practice of the season.  As for other plans.... tomorrow is movie day, we might try a little miniature golf this week too, and she will also have her first experience with horseback riding!  Can't wait for that one.

We have also scheduled her a trip to the dentist this week, which she really needs.  (She even lost a tooth while she has been here! The Fairy brought her one American dollar which she was quite happy about)

Then Thursday it is back up to Ashboro to see her friends from Ukraine again at the Zoo!!  Hopefully it won't be too hot.  While we are there we are also hoping to see some children we met while in Ukraine-- Radion and Kolya!  They are being adopted by a wonderful family, The Hamiltons, and are here visiting them for the summer.  It will be really nice to see them again, and this time with their new future family!

So, lots going on.... as usual!  But stay tuned, more to come!!

Luda

Well we have finally settled in and I have a few minutes to update my blog!  It has been full speed ahead since Miss Luda arrived VERY late on Thursday night.  The plane was due in at 11:22 but was 40 minutes late  :(  And considering that we live 2 1/2 hours away from the Raleigh airport as it is, that made for a very long night.


BUT it was all worth it when we saw this smiling face coming down the walkway to the meeting area......

We were so glad to see this shining, smiley face!  It has only been a couple months since we saw all these children at their orphanage but it really feels like ages ago.

 We made welcome signs for them in Russian, which we double checked with people who actually speak Russian when we got to the airport.  Didn't want them saying the wrong thing!!  ;)

Schuyler was so happy to see her wonderful friend Natalya again!!

Since that time just a few days ago, we have been having a lot of fun!  We are just trying to do some "normal" kid things with her, things that our children enjoy and are a regular part of our summer.  First stop the next night was the pool......

And of course there were baths afterwards  :)  She is so good with our two little ones, I have to pry them away from her at times  :)

Of course some shopping was in order!  We found some really cute clothes, shoes, and even a great purse.  These earrings however did NOT make the cut....

These Converse sneakers did though, hers are on the right.  Cute huh?  Have to have a pair-- very American.

She REALLY loves the babies!

Then of course we had to paint nails.....

And we had fun with a few different crafts like bracelet and keychain making....

Here is one of their finished products....

And there was even time for a movie.  Look at their faces!  This must have been one of the action packed moments.....

Last, but certainly not least, we had a little belated birthday party for her last night

She picked out all the ingredients and even wanted to help make them.

The look on her face as we sang Happy Birthday was so sweet.  She was SO happy! 

 Not too bad for a finished product, and they tasted really good!

 Just a little celebration with a few of our friends... 16 kids in one house last night!  Little Atticus was already asleep by the time we took this picture.  And all these kids are just from two families....

So, so far, a great time is being had by all.  She is really seeming to be enjoying herself.  She is really comfortable with all the kids, comfortable enough to tease and tickle and poke... and try to drown them in the pool  ;)  We are really enjoying her being here!  More to come!

Randomness

I don't even know if my title is a word....... but I thought it would be appropriate nonetheless for this post.  I just finished downloading over 1000 pictures from my cell phone to my computer, many of which have never seen the light of day.  So I thought I would do a "last few months in review" kinda thing through pictures.  So here we go!

Starting with Christmastime 2011, they were hooked on doing puzzles....

kitties in boxes...

a fun coffee date with my Pootie...

and the whole gang!

Valentine's Day Couples' Dinner.....  It was my turn to host this year!

A lost tooth....

And some hang-time with the kiddos....

And a friend's birthday at Nascar Speedpark!

A soccer themed birthday for Grayson.....

With lots of friends....

And Momma and Gray sharing the same birthday!

A cool "family portrait" by Georgia as we awaited our little ones' arrival home...

Soccer....

Soccer....

And more soccer!!

And more mommy-daughter(s) time... canning jam...

And going out for a birthday lunch!

Then we headed off to the other side of the pond to fetch our kiddos!!

Our train ticket...

And Schuyler sitting high on her perch  :)

Our first meeting with little Bubba Bean, and his silly faces...

Down the alley we go to our apartment.

Some beautiful architecture!

Right outside the DAP office.

And some SUPER colorful buildings in Kiev....

Our first meeting with little Miss Charlotte....

Some last little daddy-daughter time before he headed out....

Seeing the Singing Men of Texas perform in Simferopol...

 Hitting the beach for the day in Evpetoria...

And then we were HOME!!!

Time for a little strawberry picking with friends...

A LOT of eating....

And Target shopping....

And whoops! Getting sick with Fifth's Disease.  Yuck!!

But pretty soon he was feeling better, so it was back to the soccer fields...

Then a fun shower for Mommy in honor of Charlotte and Atticus!

The kids got some wonderful gifts!

Then play....

play.....

and more play....

and a fabulously fun VBS at our church from which Charlotte is still singing songs!!  :)

Then we have gotten in a little sprinkler time....

A little pool time.....

And some Fourth of July fun!!

And of course, some family time.  Love!

Then we had a BIG day.  I mean a really big day.  Atticus's 2nd birthday!!!

His first birthday home with his family.

Complete with cupcakes, which he didn't care much about...;)

And later a party with all his buddies!

Quinton was there too!!

Sesame Street of course!

Then we also got glasses.....

Had our teeth cleaned....

Oh and yes, went to the Urgent Care.  Ah well, not all firsts are good!

Sooooo, that about catches you up on our last seven months or so and my last 1000 cell phone pictures!

But never fear, there is a lot of summer, and a lot of 2012 left..... so more to come!  

In the meantime, have a slice of juicy watermelon.....

and enjoy your summer!!