The past few weeks..

Has anyone out there ever used Rosetta Stone?  My friend gave me the Russian one and the activation code wouldn't work, so after a few weeks that is finally up and running for me.  We just bought the English one for Victoria.  She gets pretty frustrated by it, but I'm hoping that it is something for her to use and practice to improve her English.  She is HATING learning English.  It's funny (not really in the laughing way) because when we ask her about it she says she really likes learning English and is excited to learn and speak.  This is a lesson in believing actions over words.  I was explaining that to her yesterday when we were having a 'conversation' about her resistance to learning or speaking English.  She honestly believes that she is doing everything that she can to learn the language.  I see things very differently!  We had a discussion about a lot of things actually.

 Things seem to be overall improving.  I think that time will do the trick in our case.  I just hope that we have enough of it.  I am starting to really panic over the summer.  What in the world am I going to do?!  Victoria gets bored while we are playing games or watching movies! We did have the opportunity to go and visit one of her friends from Matveevka orphanage who happened to be adopted the week before she was to a family who lives just over an hour away.  She really liked that.  They have fun calling and talking on the phone.  I just wish I knew what they were saying!

 A lot has happened around here these past few weeks.  The biggest news right now is that my Mason is now 7.  I really can't explain how that happened.  My preemie newborn tiny baby boy who was never supposed to make it through his first few months, and then would never make it to a year, then to 2 years, etc. is now in fact 7!  He's my safe place.  I am at least Ethan and Victoria's safe place right now, maybe even Ezra's, but when I need to just feel better and talk to someone who won't judge what I am saying and will just give me the love I need I go to Mason.  It may be a big burden to place on such a young man, but he seems to be handling it with a smile! 

 Mason is nearly always happy.  He likes to entertain himself, but he loves to play.  He is very social and loves his teachers and friends at school and church.  His happy place is in a doorway.  He loves himself a good door.  He's a lot of fun to watch.   

 I really love it when he gets all chatty and just jabbers while he plays.  It makes your heart warm and happy to see him happy and it just breaks your heart to see him sad.  His emotions are so pure and real that you can't help get sucked into them.  He is our angel.   

 Mason's aunt Karie helped him open his presents this year.  He really liked that I think.

 I have mentioned before that I think my kids are magic.  I really do.  It's weird how they can be so welcoming and look past the obvious and the things that may be intimidating to some and can just see the potential.  I think that Mason is the mastermind behind the magic act.  He is the one who can teach people how to open up and be themselves.  He makes it easy to love if you just give him the chance to teach you.  He has already changed Victoria.  It's amazing. 

 The other great news around here is that both Mason and Victoria have been accepted into Shriner's Hospital.  That basically means that they will be treated and taken care of free of charge to our family.  I won't go into details about why Vika is being seen there because she is a bit embarrassed and overwhelmed by it all, but Mason is hopefully being seen in the Cerebral Palsy clinic as well as Orthopedics and Equipment!  This was big for us.

 Mason makes a lot of friends and as a benefit of being his mom I get to know some of the most amazing people.  There is one person who is going to school to become a physical therapist who volunteers his time and comes to our home to stretch and work with Mason every week.  That in itself is a huge blessing for me and for Mason.  He is putting together a fundraiser 5K run for our family to benefit and assist us in paying back our 3 adoption loans!  I am overwhelmed with gratitude.  What a blessing for our family.  We really did just follow our hearts and felt truly inspired to do everything we could to get to Ukraine to ask Victoria to be a part of our family but now we are trying to pay for it!  I'm sure I will post more information about the 5K, but keep it in mind to join us and spread the word.  It is scheduled to take place on July 16th.  Please, please, please come! 

Ethan is doing great with his baseball.  It's so much fun for me to go and watch him play.  I think that he gets bored sometimes in the outfield and has a hard time staying interested in the entire game, but that should come, right?!  He's very excited for summer and swim team.  I am looking for a place to take him for private lessons a few times to help him improve his strokes.  Let me know if you know anyone.

Ezra loves to go watch baseball.  He really wants to play and practices at home with his bat and his tee.

 Victoria isn't really a big baseball fan yet.  At least we get her there!

 Ezra is the Tasmanian devil.  He is everywhere!  He is so much fun and so adorable though that I hardly notice the destruction that follows him.  He is my little shadow and I can't tell you enough how amazing it is to be home and not have to leave him for work.  I love it.  I adore this little boy and can't get enough of him. 

 It's nice to have a minute to sit and write about what we are up to.  I feel sad that I can't write daily blog updates anymore.  Life is taking up a lot of my time!  I am hopeful that we can stick to our new plans for practicing English.  I copied my friend's idea of using poker chips as 'money/time' but put my own spin on it.  I have given her a poker chip for every 30 minutes she practices English.  I have a few items that she really wants and have put a price in 'English minutes' on them.  It hasn't really taken off yet because the price for the thing she wants the very most is pretty steep and it feels daunting right now.  I hope that it works for her though. We are also trying to have a better attitude about young women's!  This week they gave all of the girls these aprons.  She wasn't very nice about them because she didn't really like it, but she put it on and smiled for the pictures.  (That was a huge step of progress by the way!)

I've been thinking a lot today about my new friends who are in Ukraine right now and some that are just preparing to start this process in the next week.  I am so happy to be past the stage they are in, but even this recent I am oddly a bit jealous of them going to Ukraine!  It's a surprising feeling for me to have, I must admit!  I didn't think I would like the thought of going back there for years, but it only took me a month.

I suppose I should check on the fans drying out the flood in the basement for now.  I've decided to make a bigger effort to get to my blog more often.  Thanks for reading.