Home Almost Six Months

June 11th marks six months home. My home time has flown by!!! Here are some updates on what Louba can do now:

• TALK! she is a talker and will talk with anyone who will stop and listen. Right now, she's speaking in 6-7 word sentences. I can understand most of what she says. She gets frustrated when you can't understand her. 
• Her favorite things to say/ask: "Whatcha doing?" "Where you goin?" "I like your fingernails" (but only if they are polished. She does not like a french manicure). "Go fast momma!" She does not like to stop when we are in the car. 
• PRAYERS. She says her daycare lunchtime prayer at dinner every night, and "now I lay me" at bed time. Most of the time it's in a whisper.
• Her TRIKE. She loves riding her tricycle outside or in the house. The Easter bunny even brought her a kitty helmet to wear.
• BUBBLES. she likes to blow them, pour them out, play in them.
• EAT. She's finally trying new things thanks to daycare. She'll eat chicken nuggets now, green peas, fish sticks, spaghetti, french fries, chicken tacos, chips, salsa, bananas and peanut butter, pbandj sandwiches, and loves milk and water. She's even gained a couple pounds since January. 
• CLOTHES. she wants to wear dresses ALL.THE.TIME. if we go shopping, we have to look at shoes. 

Book List

Since I'm a Reading/Writing/Language teacher, I thought I'd do a little blogging on what I've been reading and writing.

Books I've read over the last six months to a year:
Hunger Games trilogy--who hasn't? I love this trilogy. The kids love this. JD has seen the movie and is listening to the second book.

Matched and Crossed dystopian society. Boys and girls are matched to their "perfect" mate the year they turn 16. They are also given a "last supper" on their 80th birthday to control the population for optimal living.

Divergent A close second to the Hunger Games. Love this book and can't wait to read the second, Insurgent. Tris must choose her new adult life after she finds out secretly she is a divergent.

Why Me?

I ask this question a lot. Not for pity from anyone, and not that I am angry at anything or anyone. But why did God choose me to parent three of the most precious children in the world? I am not the kindest, gentlest, or even most compassionate person. I am selfish, needy, and like to be left alone. But He gave me three of the most amazing things in the world.

My first born. My all-star. My sweet little man. I love this kid. I love his kind heart, his dirty knees, and the way he holds his sister's hand when she is scared. I love how he gives everything 110%, no matter what it is. I love that he still holds my hand and gives me kisses. He is a helper. He wants to help others. He is learning to serve alongside his daddy at church and that just makes me smile.

1 Corinthians 15:58

So, my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Don't let anything change you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. You know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.

My princess. My dancer. My softball sweetheart. She is FULL of personality. I see so much of me in her and it scares me. She has the most beautiful blue eyes. I love how she tries new things. I love how she makes up songs and belts them so loud. I love that she tries to teach her little sister how to pose for pictures or what she should wear. She is growing up way too fast (and frustrates me beyond belief). She is growing in God and I see how he is truly working on her heart to lead her to Him.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

My Russian. My unexpected surprise. My smile in the morning. This girl is amazing. She surprises me everyday with the new things she's learned. In four short months, she has learned English, gone to school, and left everything she ever knew to join our family in the US. She loves. She loves to get attention by asking everyone she sees, "What's your name?" or "Whacha doing?" or "Where you goin?" She loves to give me hugs and kisses even when I don't ask for them. She loves her bubba and sissy. I am excited to see what God does with this little one. I know she is going to move mountains with her personality and like-ability.

Jeremiah 29:11 

For I know the plans I have for you declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 


I am blessed to be the mom of three beautiful children. I am still in awe that my God has given me this amazing gift, one that I am so not deserving of. 

First Day of School

Today, Louba started daycare (or Louba school). I go back to work on Friday, and this was what we decided to do. She's used to being around lots of kids (hello, she grew up in an orphanage). We were a little nervous that she would think we were "taking her back" to the orphanage, because the school is very institutional looking when you first walk in. We visited the school a couple of times to get her used to walking in the door and realizing that we weren't going to leave here there. We've talked about her going to school for a while now. We've really built it up, in hopes that it would get her excited about school. When we turned onto the road that the school is on, she ask, "Are we going to Louba's school."

"Yes," I said.

"YEEESSSS!!!" fist pump from the back seat. I think she was pretty excited (she told Eric she was cited last night about school).

I picked her up after lunch today to ease her into going and being away from mom. She even ate while there (two servings of cereal for snack, and two servings of peas for lunch). When I walked in, she finally saw me and I got the biggest smile. She immediately  began telling me that she got to use scissors today.  Before we even got out of the door she said she wanted to go back tomorrow. We may try nap time at school tomorrow.

Some of my favorite "Pins"

These are some of the things I've pinned and actually used:

Bathroom cleaner: http://pinterest.com/pin/133771051401601392/ (AMAZING cleaner! Gets all the gunk off the shower walls and floors, even on the gross bathroom at our house).

Cake Mix Chex Mix: http://pinterest.com/pin/133771051401596791/ (Like a mini cupcake. Fast and easy. I did thin with about 1-2 tsps of shortning)

Laundry Detergent: http://pinterest.com/pin/133771051401333267/ (clothes come out super clean with very little detergent. I also use vinegar for my rinse instead of regular fabric softner).

Household Cleaners: http://pinterest.com/pin/133771051401323775/ (Great, economical cleaners. No strong, harsh odors to deal with).

Jule's Valentines with glow sticks: http://pinterest.com/pin/133771051401404475/

JD's Valentines with glow sticks: http://pinterest.com/pin/91690542383338161/

Spelling App: http://pinterest.com/pin/133771051401581897/ (both JD and Jules love this)

Two Months Home

We've been home two months!! The whole family is doing great. Louba still won't try a big variety of foods. She loves anything with peanut butter (apples, bananas, crackers), french fries, especially fast food fries, sour kraut, chips and pasta.
She speaks almost no Russian anymore. We do listen and watch Russian cartoons and CDs, but her Russian is almost all gone. She still says a few words in Russian (pee/poop, girl/boy).
Louba sleeps in her own room and goes to bed with no problems anymore. She turns her own light out, crawls in bed, and we say her prayers.
Cute (or maybe not so cute things she says): "Stay in tha Be-ad," "Louba do it," "Brusha your teetha," "I go see _____ (everyone we know)," "I told you."
She got her first American haircut this month. We had to get rid of the mullet that she had going on. Now to work on the bangs. Trying to train them is hard. She sat super still and did great, and now wants to go back and have it cut again.  

Growing up... Her Superman was Adopted shirt (get yours here)

 Hanging out while the big kids are at school...

 Louba and Daddy

 This girl would take a bath 3 times a day if we would let her.

 She also LOVES lasagna.

Sweet Big Sister

We played around with perfect365.com...JD wouldn't let me post his "perfect" photo, but Jules looks beautiful (not that she doesn't already). I love this big sister. She has done amazingly well the past couple months giving up her role as little sister and assuming the big sister role. She's had a little trouble not getting as much attention as in the past, but you can tell she loves Louba. We ended up spending a few hours of just me and her Saturday. We went to her small group party at Chuck E. Cheese and she didn't have to share her tokens with anyone, then to Justice to get some new sun glasses and earrings, and Michael's for some craft supplies. She kept telling me thank you for letting her buy the sun glasses.
She has her moments, and we decided that we would take a date night every other week or so and do just what she wants without her brother or sister tagging along. I don't know who's more excited about the dates, me or her.