Super Boy Alex!

This is Alex as Clark Kent and his friend (and our neighbor) Katie as Super Girl for "Super Hero Day" during spirit week at school. (Alex made his own Super Man t-shirt. It was my idea to go with the Clark Kent look.)

Alex is really liking Jr High. We just went to parent teacher conferences and he's actually doing pretty well!  It was fun to see him say hello to new friends and point out people he knows.

Today we were talking about going to the Russian store and Alex was trying to remember what the name of the scone like things filled with meat, cabbage or potato's are called. He couldn't remember and exclaimed, "Mom I am forgetting my Ukraine." "Honey, I think you've already forgotten it." I say this as during parent teacher conference he pointed out another boy adopted from Ukraine and I just happen to know this boys father and went to talk to them. The father introduced Alex to his son and told his son that Alex was also from Ukraine. All Alex could think to say was "Priv-et". ("Hello?" Even I can say that!)  Then Alex whispered to me in a panic, "Mom, I don't speak Ukraine." Luckily the boy was whisked away to talk to the teacher that had just become available, saving Alex from having to confess that he doesn't speak Ukrainian anymore. Alex likes to keep it on the low down that he came from Ukraine. One of his teachers didn't know until just last week.

On the way home from the orthodontist today Alex told me that they need to put a Russian store closer to our "village". "Our Village?" I asked trying to suppress my laughter. Curious I asked, "What is the name of our village Alex?" "Murray." he answered. That just made me laugh. We defiantly live in a city not a village. But I love that Alex calls Murray OUR village. 

Sunday Rylee pulled "Oliver" - the musical - up on Netflix and we started watching it. It's the opening scene where the orphans are eating that terrible looking gruel and little Oliver comes up and asks for more. Alex turns to me and  with big eyes says "Mom, we even had better food than this!" Then minutes later he looks at me baffled as it dawns on him, "Mom, did you think my orphanage was like this?" I had to confess that while I was completing his paper work, I had visions of it being this bad. He assured me it was nothing like this. Then he turned back to the show as they started the next musical number, "Why do they have to keep singing!" he complained. (Sigh) Because it's a musical my dear....

Lately he's been walking down memory lane. Yesterday he wrote in his journal about all the things he stole in Ukraine. He confessed that he thinks he probably stole over a hundred things. Sunglasses, phones, DVD's, wallets, shoes, jewelry, credit cards, food, etc. I was pretty surprised. I had an inkling but really no idea he had stolen so many things. He wrote about how he never got caught, that sometimes people would yell bad words at him, how the orphans would go as a group and distract the clerks and how he would always share whatever he stole with his friends.

That night he came in and crawled on my lap - something that he does less and less these days - and he brought up his stealing. I could tell he was feeling a bit bad. I reminded him of his baptism and that all those times he stole in the past he has been forgiven for. He hugged me tight. 

So, after talking so much about Ukraine he decided he wanted Bogdan (Josh) and Vulva (Benson) to come "hang out" (he refuses to use the word "play" because that's for babies). He normally doesn't want much to do with his past or ever mention kids from his orphanage so I called Danielle and we arranged a time for her two boys to get together with Alex. Benson was unavailable. I am sure Danielle's boys have retained their language - it's easier with two than with one as there is someone to talk too - so, I hope things will go well. They'll probably do just fine. Rylee is excited for Windsor - the boys sister to come play - that's one of the perks of adopting through our foundation, our circle of friends just keeps expanding, not only my children but for me too. I love talking with the other moms. Love it. 

We had a little set back with Alex and his bath last night. I really thought he had mastered using soap but I just got this very strong feeling to check and see if he was using soap.  The good part is he told the truth and  admitted that he had only used soap on his forearms, so back in the bath he went. Only this time, mama scrubbed him from head to toe - minus the boy parts. Good grief. (I let his cover himself with a washcloths- but he was still pretty mortified. Mortified but clean!) 

Tonight he came down squeaky clean. 

I sure hope that at 13 years and 2 months old this is the last time I have to bath him. I assured him it would be the last time....as long as he always uses soap!! 

Today he was working on homework on the computer. He had to fill out a form and he came up all perplexed. "Mom, am I a boy or a girl?" I looked at him puzzled and said, "Uhm.....a boy?" He started laughing - realizing what a silly question that was once it left his mouth. Sometimes I do worry about this boy of mine. He doesn't stop to think. He gets overwhelmed and his favorite answer for any and everything is "I don't know." There are times when I'm talking to him that I tell him he cannot say "I don't know". I just ban the phrase from our conversation. I'm always saying "If you don't know, then who does Alex? You are the only one that knows what is going on in your head!" 

I will end on a happier note and with one of my favorite journal entries from Alex last week:

Here verses There

So, I am going to write about here verses there. 

Here will be America, there will be Ukraine.

Here I get to eat as much food as I want, there I get to eat small amount of food.

Here I get to go to stores, there I don't get to go to stores.

Here I get to be treated nice, there I don't get treated nice.

Here I get to shoot my airsoft gun, there I don't get to shoot them.

Here I get a family, there I don't get one.

Here I have nice mother, there I didn't.

And along with being grateful for scissors to cut things, tomato's to make tomato juice and  and a piggy bank to hold his money, here are a few of my favorite grateful entries:

I am grateful that I have a safe lovely place were (where) I can be loved.

I am grateful that my mom gives me good advice. 

My mom and dad are the best parents I ever had.

Can I just say....the grateful journal is the best thing we ever came up with!? 

Seriously, we wouldn't get this kind of feed back and sweet thoughts without it. Sure he says "I love you so much mom." and squeezes me tight daily, but to have it documented and in his own writing on his own accord makes nights like last nights scrub in the tub all worth it!

  

Homecoming 2011!

 The table.....

The boy before picking up his date.....

 The boy with the middle sister.....

 The boy striking a pose.....

 The boy standing normal for his mothers sake....

 The boy holding the dog that the littlest sister dressed for homecoming too.....

 The boy saying "This is the last picture Mom!"

Setting out the appetizer while waiting for the group to arrive...

 The littlest sister/waitress lighting the candles.....

 The couple.....

 The group.....

 At the table...

 As the night got darker, the night got more romantic.
A shot without the flash....

  And with the flash....

 The groovy ride....

The chef & the waitress....

As much as Austin will hate me blogging about this.... 

I am going to.

I was so impressed with this group of kids. (My kitchen sits around the corner from this dining area so they couldn't see me but I could hear everything!)

They were so polite and well mannered towards each other. The girls were dressed so modest and were just beautiful and the boys smelled so good and were so handsome but my favorite part?

That they offered a prayer before they ate.

Warmed my mothers heart.

That and all the compliments.

The menu consisted of :

Shrimp Cocktail

Orange Julius
Strawberry Spinach Salad
Roll

Chicken Cord on Bleu

Asparagus

Rice Pilaf

Fudge Mint Draping Cake

Overheard comments:

"Wow. If we were at a restaurant we could never afford all this."

"This is so great, we should do this every time."

"This is so awesome I can't help smiling."

"Austin, do you always eat like this?"

"I bet we're having the best dinner ever."

Seriously.

How can you NOT love making a fancy dinner when the kids are this complimentary? 

Cost:
New purple shirt & corsage?
$35
Groceries for dinner?
$60
Pulling this off without burning, dropping, forgetting and/or spilling anything for this awesome group of kids?
Priceless.

Cell Phone Saga....

Alex has it in his head that he is going to buy himself a cell phone. 

A crappy Cricket phone. 

He's calculated that at the end of this month after mowing lawns, he'll have enough for the cheapest-crappiest phone and possibly two months of service. (He has yet to factor in taxes and connection fees - I'm going to let the Cricket people surprise him with that info.)

I've just let him plan and plot. 

Whatever. 

It's his money.

However, in true Alex fashion, the idea of this cell phone is consuming him. Everyday it's more and more questions about the cell phone, the service, where the store is, how long will it take if to get the phone if he buys it of the website etc.  Finally, yesterday I signed off. 

"Alex, I think buying a cell phone is silly and torturous. You can only afford two months of service and then you'll have a cell phone in hand that will be good for nothing. If you want to buy a cell phone, it's your money but you are on your own. I will not be helping you with a purchase I don't agree with."

I know.
I'm mean.
But really?
Two months? And with the lawn mowing season coming to a grinding halt for the next seven months, there is no way he'll be able to come up with the money for another month of service. 

As I was tucking his disgruntled self into bed I tried a different tactic. 

"Why do you need a cell phone? Who are you going to call?"

"I will call you when it is raining." 

"I know when it's raining. I can see the rain. You don't need to call me." 

 (This would be for me to come pick him up from school.)

"What if you are in Smiths and don't know?" 

"Then I am in Smiths and I can't come pick you up until I am done, then I will see it's raining when I go to my car and come get you or you will have walked home in the rain. Either way, calling me won't help. Who else will you call?"

"I will call friends far away."

"Like who?"

"I don't know....Chase. I will text Chase."

"What will you text Chase about?"  

(I am laughing inside just picturing his ability to spell and how impossible it would be to read and understand his text. I am sort of thinking maybe texting might improve his spelling? But I quickly dismiss that notion. Writing in his journal daily has yet to do that and it's not like his little friends will correct him. His text will probably consist of Alex writing something and whoever responding will write, "What?") 

"I don't know."

Then I tell him the reason I am not supplying him with a cell phone is, he hasn't proven he can take care of one. I remind him of how he puts away his laundry - just shoving it in any available drawer - the condition of his locker - that we clean out weekly but each week is crammed full of wrappers and garbage - and the fact that I have found his chap-stick, his entire bag of orthodontic elastic bands, numerous batteries, pocket knives and candy wrappers- some with candy still in them - at the bottom of the washer on beyond numerous occasions.

He grumbles, 

"I know how to take care of a phone mom."

"Really? Like how you took care of your watch?"

"That is watch not phone. I put it and someone shook it." 

(He threw it on a blanket at the lake rather than store it in his bag and when we cleaned up, someone probably shook the blanket - sending the watch into the bushes?  Of course Alex didn't think about his watch until the next day.) 

"It is the same thing. It could have been a cell phone. You only had your watch for a month."  

(And that would be his third or forth watch he's had since arriving home.) 

He sighs.

He knows I'm right.

I know I'm right.

I know he's not ready and if it's not lost, stolen or broken in the first month - it will be sitting useless the next. It will really be torture for him and in return, torture for me!

"Okay. I have something else I will buy for one hundred dollars."

"Oh really, what?"

"A light saber."

Then I sigh.

Give me strength.....

Family Report

Bedtime Report:

Last night I snuck over to my parents to check out the leak they had in their basement. I gave everyone instructions to turn off screens, finish reading, turn off lights and get to bed at 9:30. I came home around ten and could hear muffled giggles and the scurrying of not so little feet running to their bedrooms.

I went upstairs to find that Devree, Alex and Rylee have been having tickling wars and that they are all wide awake! Alex was complaining that Devree tickled his "armpit to death" and Rylee and Devree were so wound up, wide eyed and bushy tailed!

That's what growing up with siblings should be like. 

I remember the minute my parents would leave we would grab pillows and have a pillow fight. I also remember playing chess in the hallway after bedtime with Jeff. One of us would push the board out and we'd both lay on our belly's - our rooms were across from each other - and play chess or checkers. The minute we'd hear a parent coming we'd sit up - one of us grabbing the board and slide back into our rooms. We did this all the time! 

It's memories like these that build relationships. Despite Alex's protest and armpit issues, I knew he had a blast. With teenagers, these moments are often far and few between so we just have to embrace them when they happen and hope that someday they'll happen again.

In other warm and fuzzy family news:

Alex has taken to calling Austin "Broski" as Austin has always called Alex "Broseph". 

Endearing brother names. 

(I love it but I won't tell them that. They're at that age that if mom thinks it's cool, then it's not!)

College Report:
Kambree called yesterday and shared that she has been called to be the 1st counselor in her student ward Relief Society presidency!
I could tell this freaked her out a little. It would me too at the age of 19! But she'll do great!
She is also dating a TON, loving her roommates and got a A on her first CNA test. 

Morning Report:

Today, Austin came up ready for school in jeans and a nice shirt. He approached me from behind and warned me not to freak out when I turned around.

I did of course. 

He looked so nice. 

He announced that he thinks he's going to wear jeans more and that we need to go shopping. 

(Be still my heart!)

I tried to refrain from complimenting him anymore but  I couldn't help point out how nice he looked to Devree.

Austin rolled his eyes in exasperation.

He tried to tell me that the reason he doesn't dress nice is because I make such a big deal of it. 

Please. 

I told him I was just appreciating him. He told me he doesn't like to be appreciated, how would I feel if he went on and on thanking me and complimenting me for...making lunch? I explained that if I hadn't made lunch for three years, that I would be happy to hear compliment after compliment!! (Yes, he's been wearing gym shorts and white T-shirts to school everyday for three years!) 

Besides, I'm a mom. It's my job to compliment and praise. How would he feel if I had turned around and looked at him and had gone... "Meh?" and acted like it was no big deal.

I got him there.

I think I'll wait and see how things go though before we go shopping. This could just be a one day phase. However, truth be told, this change in apparel, I think has everything to do with a certain girl. Nothing else. Amazing how a girl can change a boy. I'm just glad he's liking a girl that encourages nice jeans, shirts and yummy smelling cologne, not shaved heads, piercings and black combat boots!

Blessings I tell you.

You got to count 'em!

And yes, I had to take a picture. Much to Austin's chagrin! Not the best picture as he's eating breakfast and I of course had to snap it quick. But it's proof! Documentation! Jeans and a nice shirt! 

Hodge Podge Of Pictures!

Rylee's "Spaghetti" Cake....

We thought we'd try to fool the family and set it out for dinner!

(She saw this done on cupcakes and I told her we should try it as a cake. It's a white cake - baked in my barbie doll dress pan - I think a bowl would work too? Then the canned frosting is tinted with a bit of cocoa to make the right color for "noodles".  Frost the entire cake lightly with some of the frosting then stick rest in a ziplock with a small hole in the corner and squeeze  all over the cake to make the "noodles". The "meatballs" are made out of Ferroroche's, dipped in strawberry jam and placed strategically on the "noodles", grate white chocolate over all as "parmesan cheese" and wha-la......Spaghetti Cake!) 

I grew basil for the first time this year and had my first "pesto day" with Amy & Sara!

Here's last weeks harvest out of our garden:

Hum....what to do with all those HUGE zucchini's?

Send them to school to Rylee's teacher!

(The three older girls all have the same teacher!)

We thought it would be so funny, luckily their teacher thought so too! 

4 down 5 to go!

I canned chili sauce with 25 pounds of those tomatoes. 

As I poured the last of 36 bottles I noticed two little white balls plop into my bottle. What the heck? AIR SOFT BB's!! Apparently someone shot into the tomatoes?  Someone? Who am I kidding? It was ALEX!!!!

(I just hope I found the only two!)

Court Of Honor

Alex received SIX merit badges and.....one rank advancement! 

Call To Fast!

Hello my blogging  friends!
I have a dear friend having some serious medical issues and her doctors cannot figure what in the world is wrong with her.
It's very scary. I know this first hand after spending time with her on Friday.
My friend - just six weeks ago - ran a triathlon, was camping, water skiing etc. She is super active, has two darling , adopted daughters from Ukraine in fact, she was in Ukraine when I was and seriously saved my sanity by staying with me while I was stuck waiting on Alex's passport. She is one of my most favorite friends. (I know that we must have been friends in the pre-existence and that she was sent into my life at a time when I needed her most.)
About a month ago she started having seizures - out of the blue. The only thing she could deduct was it might have something to do with a car accident she had a few weeks prior? She had whiplash and pain in her head and neck and had started having migraines. She's had test after test run and the docs can find nothing.
Now, in addition to the seizures, she is passing/blacking out, often times can't walk or get her limbs to do what her brain tells them to do and has even started having breathing issues. It's like her brain is telling her body what to do, but her body is not getting the message. It is very scary. I can't even imagine how sad and scary this is for her husband and daughters.
The doctors are stumped and suggesting she may have to go to the Mayo clinic - as they have yet to find anything on any of the many tests they have run and re-run.
Friday, she passed out at lunch, again while we tried to get her into the car -she's in a wheelchair - and then two more times in the car.  One time she had a little seizure during her black out. It was so scary.
But despite this, her attitude is amazing! Her girls are stepping up to the plate taking care of her and the household chores. Her husband has been so caring and protective. She has an amazing support of friends in her area. But it's her attitude that just blows me away. I don't know that I would be as stalwart. I think I just roll up in a ball and cry.
I was telling James about my concern for her tonight and he suggested that we have a fast on her behalf. He reminded me of the scripture where Jesus healed a man and... explained "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." (Matt 17: 14-21) and then I came across the scripture about the sons of Mosiah, they “had given themselves to much prayer, and fasting; therefore they had the spirit of prophecy, and the spirit of revelation," (Alma 17:3)
She needs this illness to "goeth" and if not, she needs her doctors and health professionals to get some "spirit of prophecy and revelation" to help her.
I am proposing that next weekend we fast and pray on my sweet friends behalf.
I hope you will join me and my family and invite any family and friends to do the same.

Tomatoes & Airsoft BB's

"Only two things that money can't buy,

that's true love 

& 

HOME GROWN TOMATOES!"

James happens to grow amazing tomatoes. Some of our plants are 7 feet tall. And each year around this time I can tomatoes. I come from pioneer stock - you know stout women that walked across the plains with a baby slung over their shoulder and a toddler in hand - they lived in log cabins, sewed their own clothes, grew everything and canned it all - yes - those are my ancestors. Both of my grandmothers canned. My Grandma Johnson canned just about everything and it is from her I learned all that I know. Not a canning season goes by when I don't think of my grandma and wish I could ring her up and ask her a question or two.

I am not a professional canner -apparently that's not a real word - by any means. I can tomaotes. And every 5 years or so I can chili sauce. 

Guess what? 

It's been five years.

So last Thursday, after harvesting our garden, it was time.

I have to get myself all psyched up to do this. 

I like to can little pint sized bottles as when using chili sauce, you usually just need a little.

So as I'm pouring my 36th bottle - I see two little white things plop into the bottle.....??

I pour the contents back in the pot and look for it.

Nothing.

I pour again, and again I see very quickly two little white things, plop, plop.

I fish them out and what do I find?
TWO AIR SOFT BB's!!

Apparently, the were IN the tomatoes? 

Oh great.

Apparently some boy child of mine has used the tomato plants as target practice?
ALEX??

Conflicting Reports...

I checked on Alex's grades yesterday and found he's getting a D+ in Health.
Nice.
I emailed his teacher and besides one missing assignment - that's he's turning in today - I got this:

I can tell you that he talks way to much in class.  I have spoken to him about being disruptive in class twice already.  His behavior will keep him from doing his best work if not controlled.  We discussed him in Team Meeting yesterday....many teachers are concerned about his success.

Yet, in English -he is getting an A - I got this:

I'm glad to hear Alex is liking junior high!  He really is doing well in English; he struggled at first with raising his hand to ask questions, staying in his seat, not blurting out, etc., but he's really improved with those behaviors in the last couple weeks.  He's such a smart kid!

Hum....so is the TEAM really concerned about his success? Or is it something more with the Health teacher? According to Alex, she's boring. (He does a fabulous impersonation of her nasally whining voice. Which, I know isn't nice but it's so accurate that it's hard not to laugh.) My older three - who have all had the same teacher - side with Alex but he does need to stop talking in class.

However, despite the fact that talking and blurting out answers is wrong, isn't it a little great that he has enough confidence to do so? That at least he's listening enough to blurt out answers? I don't know. I have to give him a little credit there. 

As for the staying in his seat.....he is a wiggly kid. At dinner on Sunday he was kneeling on the bench with his bum in the air and I had to ask him to sit on his behind. "Why, I am not on a date?" I explained that he can't just miraculously have great manners on a date if he doesn't practice it at home. I don't think he agrees with me. I also made him take his elbows off the table. Such a mean mom, I know.
I sent the following email to all his teachers:


I got the following email from one of Alex's teachers:
"...I can tell you that he talks way to much in class.  I have spoken to him about being disruptive in class twice already.  His behavior will keep him from doing his best work if not controlled.  We discussed him in Team Meeting yesterday....many teachers are concerned about his success."
I  have found with Alex that direct and straight forward is the best way to handle every situation, that he does not learn by example, or subtleness. Needless to say we'll be discussing his behavior tonight. Could you please let me know if he is being disruptive in your class and/or if there are any behavior issues we should address at well?
He is a good boy but he takes social cues from those around him and doesn't always make the best choices with his behavior if he has the chance to be funny or the center of attention. 
Any input or feedback you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
~Wendy Richhart

So, I guess well see what the other five teachers have to say.

He started making a "video" journal as one of his days of journal-ling. It was short lived because yesterdays video was 6 minutes and 48 seconds of him trying to add up the money he's going to make mowing lawns this month and the cost of  a cell phone. He's determined at the end of the month he can buy a crappy Cricket phone and pay for service for two months. 6:48 minutes of him adding and subtracting and wiggling around without him really talking in full sentences proved that "video" journal-ling is not working.

However, here is last weeks journal video. The sound's not so good but the kid sure is cute.

She said "YES"!

Austin's homecoming date that is!

She doorbell ditched this HUGE bucket of Oreo cookies on our doorstep Sunday, late afternoon. 

Poor girl, probably had a problem making the drop off as Austin and Alex were running around the yard trying to assassinate each other with Airsoft bb guns. Yes, I know it's Sunday but my rule is playing with FAMILY only so....meh? The boys had came in to show me Alex's welts on his chest and arm - which he showed off with pride - right before the doorbell rang. 

(Yes, Alex's face is this red due to running from Austin for the past hour.)

Jeff and Troy were there and helped open all the Oreo's. 

Devree got the lucky one that said....

Oh, a little closer you say.....

Confessions in Kiev....

A friend of mine - currently in Ukraine finishing the last steps of adopting  two boys - reminded me of an incident that happened when I was in Kiev with Alex.  An incident I chose not to blog about as it does not paint me in the best light but now that he's been home and has survived his first couple of years, I think I will confess and add this to our adoption journal.

Here goes....

When you fly half way around the world to a foreign country to adopt a street wise orphan, your sense of right or wrong gets a little skewed. You feel more like the child that can't understand people and/or what's going on around you. You are there to pay and sign. Sign and pay. What you are signing and what you are paying for is often times not explained to you. You just do it and hope that whatever you are signing and paying for will get you one step closer to getting on that plane and going home with your new child in hand. You just nod and smile and hope everyone around you does not think you are the idiot you feel like.

So that's where I was, Nodding and smiling and delayed a WEEK due to passport picture issues when the unthinkable happened.

I lost Alex.

In downtown Kiev.

It was stupid and my fault. He wanted to go to the store and I let him go. We had been together everyday through the ten day wait and then another ten days solid and we were both going stir crazy! There was a little store across the parking lot that I assumed he was asking to go to and I didn't think anything of it. I gave him money. I think he was wanting a snack and to buy me chocolate? Yes, chocolate is what I needed to get through the day so, off he went. 

And then he didn't come back.

For a very long time.

In fact, after an thirty minutes, I walked to the store to see what was taking so long. No Alex. Anywhere. Our apartment was just minutes from "the square" and the heart of the city and all of a sudden it hit me. What have I done? I thought of downtown Salt Lake and how I would NEVER let my children wander around alone there. Never! And what had I just done? Let Alex do that very thing only in a much bigger city! I had no idea what to do. How could I explain this to the police. What was he wearing? Do I even have a printed out photo to show around? 

Luckily, Amy and Mary were with me - and they offered to go look for him and told me to stay put in case he came back to the apartment. I was frantic. Here I was his mother for just over a week and I lost him! Oh my gosh. 

I realized just what a terrible mother I was to this boy already. The fact that he could understand people and had to do the talking for us, gave me this warped sense of his ability to take care of himself. Not to mention that he had pretty much been taking care of himself most of his life? Unless you've been there, you don't understand what it's like to not be able to understand people. He could. He could talk to people, ask questions and he was respected and recognized by the adults we had transactions with because I was backing him with my fist full of Grivina and blank look. I had grown lax. I had assumed too much. Kiev is not a family friendly city and unlike Dnipro where he roamed the streets and knew every nook and cranny, he had never been there before.

What was I thinking?

I kept thinking about all the irresponsible parenting I had dished out so far: I  had given him money to go buy and haggle with the street vendors while I checked emails and wrote blogs at the Internet cafe. He was no where in sight as I desperately made contact with home. He could have very easily been kidnapped, hit by a car or carried off by a pack of stray dogs.

I had him navigate us to a terrible Mexican restaurant - where it was rumored we could get real Mexican food. He was the lone native speaker leading a bunch of adults through the subway AT NIGHT. Would I expect that of my home grown children at age ten? Please. 

I had  him order at all the restaurants for the both of us,  tell the waitress I wanted ice in my drink, and ask for directions and instructions. He did all this and more.  He would even check our bill and count the change and make sure we were not being taken advantage of. 

He would warn ME not to step on the man-hole covers (where there were any) pantomiming how I would fall down the hole and die and hush me up in the stores so people wouldn't hear my English and try to rob us blind. He would carry my bags and remind me to lock the doors. He really took care of me and yet HE was the one that needed a mother? Wat kind of mother did he get? One that let him wander off in a major, crowed city full of people (with questionable morals based on their dress and inebriated walk), with no address, no phone number, no way to call me. I'm not even sure he knew my full name.

I could picture the headlines: "Brrusht furcust ver gerrs htick zer surk zerer stera" Translation:  "Dumb American loses child with in days of becoming his mother!"
An hour later he walked in without a care in the world with package in hand!
I wanted to hug him and strangle him at the same time!!

Yes, he went to the store but not the little store across the parking lot. He went to some store clear across the square  that he had seen earlier that day, the line to pay was long and it took an hour but here was my chocolate. I wanted to hug him and strangle him all at the same time! 

I was minutes away from calling my translator to help me contact the police.

I-Yi-Yi!

So, there you have it. 

The truth.

9/11 May We Never Forget....

All week my youngest two children have been coming home telling me about 9/11. They act as if I don't know about this tragic event? I realize for Alex this is all new information for him* - not growing up here and all but I thought Rylee was pretty familiar with the attack.
* I did talk to Alex about 9/11 last year sometime when he wanted to make an art project about the "towers that got hit by plane" only because he found it cool, like boys do when they think of war and guns and fighting - he didn't grasp the sadness and significance of the attack. I couldn't seem to get him to understand, I finally just told him he had to find something else to focus his art project on much to his dismay.

Upon realizing this is the tenth anniversary of the attacks and that Rylee is only 11 1/2, it hit me. Of course she doesn't remember! She was here but just a baby. And as much as I feel we're a patriotic, apple pie eating, American loving family, it's not something we talk about very often. (Unless you're making a cartoon about it for art!)

It was just so sad and tragic.

I think 9/11 is one of those events that you never forget when and where you were when you were made aware of it. Just like older folks that remember when and where they were when John F Kennedy was shot. I know where I was when I heard about the attacks, I was right here, sitting in my office. I had a little TV in my office then so my littles could watch PBS while I worked. I can't remember if someone called or if I had the TV on and it came across the screen, I just remember the panic and the search for my mom and brother who were flight attendants and working at the time. I know that for most of my family when they remember their when and where, it will be "When my sister/daughter, Wendy called and told me to turn on my TV."  I wrote a post about it a while back on the day OSB was killed. 

I am so glad my children are learning in school about 9/11. And I vow to do a better job of teaching them about important historical events at home.

Alex wrote this in his journal this week:

In Utah Studies we watched a movie about Twin Towers. The sad part is the people were jumping off Twin Towers and Twin Towers getting hit by a plane. I am grateful that some people survived from the Twin Towers.

His teachers this year have managed to convey to him what I couldn't get through to him last year. The horrible sadness, the loss of innocent lives, the terror of that day.

Has it really be TEN years?

It seems like just yesterday.

I feel so badly for the families that lost friends, family and loved one's that day. Some were just going to work like any other day or taking a flight. Others were trying to save those that were attacked. They rushed in without thought for their life in order to save another. I am sure there is a place in the Kingdom of Heaven for these fire fighters, paramedics and police.

I feel badly for the families that have lost soldiers who went to war because of the attacks.
How many children have lost parents? How many wives have lost husbands? Husbands lost wives? Children lost both parents? Grandparents? Aunts, Uncles?

9/11 is just so sad. So tragic and we should never forget.

We're watching footage and a documentary on 9/11 this morning. How unfortunate that when I checked out Netflix, the first movie to pop up was on the conspiracy of 9/11 comparing it to some of the atrocities  committed by Hitler.  I have to remind myself, that this is what sets the United States apart from so many other countries. Freedom of speech.

God Bless America.

For some odd reason....

I didn't publish some of my posts over the last year. 

I was looking in my blog for a certain article for one of our families having issues with her school district and noticed a BUNCH of unpublished posts?

I cleaned them out today, publishing the one's I think I missed and deleting the duplicates.

Sorry for plugging up your reader!

Homecoming??

I came home from my SAC lunch (Thanks everyone that came, it's so nice to catch up with each other.)  to Austin announcing in a rush, "I need your help!" 
I have been bugging him about going to homecoming. This being his senior year and all but his answer? "I've already been to homecoming." 

Good grief.

Well, apparently he has decided to go (Because his friends are going? Thanks Austin's friends!) but he heard it through the grape vine (or from this girls friends) that someone else was going to ask the girl he wanted to ask today (Supposedly said girl would really rather go with him? Ahh...the drama of high school.). So, time was of the essence!

Time to put on my creative-cool-ingenious-spontaneous mom cap! And quick!!
(Insert sounds of heroin music -face paced and full of energy - right here.)
I had lots of ideas (we do have a spare toilet in our side yard. Imagine the possibilities??)  but due to my impossibly quick deadline, this is what we ended up with......

"It makes a lot of "cents" 

for you to go to 

homecoming with me. 

Will you?"

???

And we filled a jar with over 1,000 pennies with his name spelled out one letter at a time on 14 out of the thousands of pennies. (I even tied a bow on the jar much to Austin's dismay, "Mom, that's gay." Well? That's what you get with a mom helping my friend. A little fru-fru!!) 

No, we did not have over a thousand pennies just lying around. Austin ran to Smiths and bought rolls of pennies while Devree, Alex and Rylee scrounged through the house for all our spare pennies they could find. I made up the little saying and Dev wrote his name with Sharpie on the pennies. Austin arrived with the rolls of pennies, unwrapped and dumped them in the jar and we were set!

The poor girl was at soccer practice and I had a brilliant plan! I talked Devree into wearing the Yettie suit and hand delivering it to her on the soccer field! (As she knew who the girl was by sight - if not I would have done it! Yea, I'm crazy that way. In hind sight, we should have had Austin dress up as he's so much bigger and walks and runs like a guy but it worked out fine all the same.)

Here is Devree in our fabulous Yettie outfit (I knew this costume was going to be a great investment when I bought it three or four years ago! We use it all the time!)  with 5 pound jar of pennies before we left:

We all jumped in the car (because everyone wanted to watch) and we were off! 

It turned out great, just wish I had a camera that would zoom in WHILE I was videoing....

 
This is the stuff that makes being a mom so dang fun!

Can't wait to help Devree answer her date!
Maybe then I can wear the Yeti suit!

Still Needs A Mama....

The speech teacher from the junior high just called. She had just given Alex a test and told me how well he was doing and hoping he'll be wrapping up speech therapy at the end of the school year. Woot! I asked what class she'd be pulling him out of? I gave a plug to pull him out of his least favorite class "Functional Literacy" because A: he doesn't like it and B: none of Alex's friends or peers are in it with him so it will save him the embarrassment of being pulled out of a regular class. (Yes, mom points for me!) She thought that would work great.
I talked to her about his "th" sound - as his IEP addresses the "s" sound and she agreed that he had a few more sounds to work on, then I explained  that we adopted him from an orphanage for children with speech disorders.  I asked, "You did realize he was from another country right?"
"Oh yes. I figured something like that."
"Oh good, he doesn't usually like to tell anyone, he keeps it on the low down."
"Well , he didn't actually come out and tell me. I asked him to tell me about himself but he didn't mention anything about being adopted. Then I asked him to tell me more and he did but still nothing about Ukraine or being adopted. Finally I asked if he had always lived in the country and he admitted he hadn't."
Ha! Nothing about Ukraine. Nothing about being adopted. Zero. Nada. I told her that he is 100% here and just wants folks to think he's always been here. I am fine with that except I think some of his teachers need to know he's only been in the country for just over two years and still struggling with the language. She said he was doing amazing. I was tickled. That's my boy. My all American boy.

Alex decided he wanted to start blogging again. I had to help him with his post a lot and I'm not sure it's going to help his English as much as journal writing. I'm thinking maybe I'll just let him publish his post in their original form? Mistakes and all? Before I was correcting in a different color but I hate to mark up his posts for all to see. Well, see. Last time blogging died off quickly. It might again. (Stop by and say "Hi" if you feel inclined. He loves comments!)

Last night I was examining the scratch he got riding his bike. It's on his arm and it's sort of bruising around the scratch. He got it on his way to school yesterday on his bike. It looks very tender and sore and I asked if he cried? He looked at me with a look of disdain and obvious disgust. 

"No."  

Teasingly I said,

"Oh, okay. You are thirteen now. I guess you don't cry for your mama any more when you get hurt?" 

"No, I didn't cry for my mama."
He was laying against me - tucking ME into bed  - because he was so slow at getting to bed - I was already in bed, reading. I was rubbing his head and I asked,

"When do you cry for your mama?"
He answered without any hesitation or embarrassment,

"I  cry for my mama when I get HUGE hurt."
And I reminded him,

"Oh, and in a freezing, cold snow cave when you can't get warm?" 

"Yes. And in the middle of night at scout camp when bugs bite me." 

"So you still need a mama?" 

"Yes.....to give me food." 

"Oh, so you need me to feed you?" 

"Yes, and teach me English."
And he sighed and hugged me real tight.

Thirteen.
Thirteen year old's still need their mama's.
And it sure is nice to hear that they do......

Rockport Labor Day Weekend!

Saturday the Fishermen/woman set out at o'six hundred to go fishing.....

Love this picture of Alex and James in their matching "do" rags.

Here comes grandpa with the bigger boat.

The rest of us didn't meet until 8:30 ish and leisurely got to the lake around 9:30 am. 

The younger kids immediately started to build sandcastles because it was too cold to even consider getting in the water.

The big kids fell asleep waiting for it to warm up.....

and some tried to study....

One of the fishermen was still intent on catching a fish. No bites during the morning.

The sand village....

The beach girls:

The tube boy's heading off on an adventure:

On "Gwampa's" Boat

Getting pushed off the beach.....

Recruiting MORE help to push us off the beach!

Austin:

Kambree:

Devree: 

The Captain:

Troy:

The newest boat was the tubing boat and the younger kids got lots of tubing time in.

And right before we left - the smallest three found this mud pit!

Yes, that is MUD not knee-high stockings!

All and all  it was a lovely day. Beautiful weather, good company and no major injuries. A few sunburns and sore muscles but that's to be expected!
Goodbye summer. You will be missed!