A Great Day...

Today was the first day we had NO behavior problems!  Praise the Lord!  No one got in trouble for misbehaving, hitting, provoking or temper tantrums!  What a blessed day and to me, affirmation of some settling in.  I know they are children and there will continue to be ups and downs, but I count today as signs of 'progress'!  

We love to paint!

We moved the tables from the deck into the shade...

James spent a couple hours today casting his new fishing reel Barry gave him.  He is an outdoorsman...

I had him move to the driveway (you can see his head just over the fence)...

Titus catching his breath...

The girls chant "Babushka!  Babushka!"

I struggled to draw the girls a picture of Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" for them to paint...

Sprinkler fun...

Taking steps toward learning to ride a bike...

Friday Fun...

This evening Tony and I were able to escape for almost two hours for our first date night since our adoption. We enjoyed sushi and shopping at Walmart... so romantic.  :)  We dropped the kids (as well as my dear mom) off at the pool with Kelly and Amy.  High School friend, Allison Slusher, came by to help manage the kids in the pool.  The kids had a blast and didn't miss us a bit!  They were spoiled with one on one pool buddies, not to mention Barry's return with a fishing pole.  James now knows how to cast!  When we got home, James allowed Tony to trim his orphanage hairstyle.  For some reason, the Ukrainian orphan cut for boys includes short on top with long bangs... one step toward Americanization... 

(Notice James' slippers... Titus loves to tug on them)

Angela and James...

Momma mia...

Jana and Victoria worked up an appetite after swimming...

Mom made a smiley face chart for the kids to work on English... Jana got a hold of it and decided to fill in a few more for herself...

Friends Heading to Africa...

     We are excited for friends, Adam & Jill Hodge (as well as their two children), as they just received "the call"!  Lord willing, they are heading to Uganda tomorrow (Saturday) for the next phase of their adoption journey.  Please pray for the four of them as they travel and prepare to meet their two new family members!  You can follow along on their blog:http://hodgepodgeadoption.wordpress.com. They are also listed in my blog roll.  Thanks for your continued prayers!  May our Lord Jesus be glorified for the great things He has done and is doing!

Teeter Totter and Chores...

Memorial Day with the Merida's...

Our first Memorial Day as a family was spent feasting with friends Barry, Kelly & Amy.  We enjoyed a delicious "cookout to go" of steak, potatoes and so much more at our house followed by afternoon swim over our friends' house...

Amy and Mom...

Titus getting spoiled...

Vica loved the television in Amy's bathroom...

Living the high life... :)

James was quite the daredevil.  On three different occasions Barry, myself and Tony had to jump in to keep him afloat... Looking forward to swim lessons!

Angela had a blast...

Mom and Dad enjoying the "show"...

Barry the "Cooking Machine"...

Titus running away from splashes...

The hot tub became the "kiddie pool"...

It took awhile to pry Victoria away from the water.  She did not want to get out!

Nice hair...

Didn't quite figure out the goggles...

Focused...

Coming up for air...

Jana was the other daredevil...

Sweet fellowship...

This afternoon (Tuesday) the kids all played "house" together for the first time.  It was precious.  I could hear them talking earlier about "Ukraine" and "Mississippi".  Wish I could be a Russian fly on the wall to understand...