Seven Quick Takes: Overwhelmed!

:: 1 ::

Bogdan update: he is loving his lessons at art school. Going to his lessons, not so much. I mean, peeling him off of me and getting him into those classrooms is not easy. But, as soon as he's in class he's relaxed and happy and talks about how wonderful it was for the rest of the week. I can already see that he's learning there, too.

:: 2 ::

I'm going to school, too. Hence the overwhelmed title. On Saturday I'm leaving to go to the first session of this year's Agape school, and I'm trying to pull everything together for a week away. Yikes! Not ready at all. Hopefully I'll be like Bogdan: dragging my feet on the way, but then able to relax and learn once I'm there.

:: 3 ::

Jaan had a birthday last week. He's twelve now! Oksana and Alys celebrated with us. We had lots of fun and games, pumpkin pie, and a late night movie, since Oksana stayed over night, too.

:: 4 ::

Raia is working at settling into her school-year schedule. The beginnings of her weeks are FULL this year, but then the rest of the week slows down for her. We may have to adjust a little, just so that she can handle it better. She is enjoying it, though.

:: 5 ::

Asya has a birthday coming up, too. She's been a bit under the weather with a cold, but it hasn't slowed her down much, and she should be feeling better by the time she turns eight. Her little friend in the other half of this house has been even sicker than she has, so they have been "playing together" through the windows.

:: 6 ::

Karina... the sweetest part of the past few weeks has been Karina's family coming for her. We finally got to meet them--well, some of them--on Saturday. Karina's new papa and her new sister, also just out of an orphanage, came over to spend some time with us. We adults talked and talked, and our children loved playing with little Raia. (Yes! She has the same name as our Raia.) Then the next day they got Karina, and we saw them off to Kyiv. I posted photos on Facebook, and I also love this one that Karina's papa got after they left the orphanage:

(Probably her first time feeling the wind. She would have been in cars before, but a good Ukrainian caretaker would never have allowed wind to blow on her. Apparently she loved it. Freedom!)

:: 7 ::

Our children sitting out in the street with the babushki most evenings really amuses us. I always wish that I could sneak photos of the circle of elderly women sitting on stools and our children right there with them. This evening was the funniest, though. We were running a little late with supper, so I guess they had all gathered while we were still eating. Babushka O. came charging back here to demand children, because the babushki were bored without them, she said.


I'm overwhelmed... by all the fun and busyness and wonderfulness of our life!

Bogdan's first lesson

He has a funny camera face these days.

Bogdan has waited and waited to start art school. He thought summer would never end! But it finally did. Today was his first day. We signed him up for both art and a weekly preschool-ish class there at the art school. The latter was what he had today.

We told him that he needed to go to sleep right away at nap time, because I would be waking him up to go to class. I didn't know how that would work, because I tried to wake him up for a special program at church yesterday, and I couldn't do it. But today he jumped up, flew to get his shoes on, grabbed his snack, and ran for the bus stop. After we got off the bus, he ran again. I could barely keep up with him. But then we got to the classroom... and he froze up. I asked if I could leave him, and he said, "Better not to." So, I sat in the back for the first bit. The teacher had the kids introduce themselves. Bogdan did say his whole name (not Bobo!) loud and clear. Then she asked his last name, and he slid right down in his chair, so that she couldn't see him under the table. She asked his age, and from under the table he held up a hand showing four fingers, but he wouldn't say it aloud.

The teacher was really good about trying to draw him out, but not overwhelm or force him. He seemed to be warming up a little later, so I went out into the hall to read. I could hear his little voice off and on, and he seemed to be doing fine. They did riddles and clay and matching and coloring and talked about the letter A and more. When they finished--the class is a whole two hours long!--he came out jumping up and down and so excited that he could barely contain himself. I asked him if he liked it, and he said, "Very!" (That works in Russian.) He hasn't stopped talking about it since.

So, we have a real preschooler in our family now, not just a homeschooled one. 

Seven quick takes: starting school, orphanage, and more

:: 1 ::

We had the best first week of school ever. The first day, first week, aren't really supposed to go smoothly, right? Well, somebody forgot to remind my children about that, because it was just idyllic. They have all been really excited to get back into school, and they slid right back into the routine.

:: 2 ::

In the week ahead, we should be moving into the full schedule for other classes and activities, too. Jaan and Raia have both had their first meetings with their music teachers. Raia came back with the award for excellence that she earned at the end of last year. Today both girls had their first lessons of the year at art school, and Bodgan starts there on Monday. It looks like we'll have someone (or two someones) at art on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Bogdan is going to be taking a preschool-ish class there one day a week, too, not just art. Jaan and Raia will also have their individual and group music lessons; that schedule isn't set yet. Sunday school and church choir start back up tomorrow. Busy times coming up!

:: 3 ::

Jaan and I had another fun time at the orphanage today. (Raia was sad that she can't go now, because of art school.) One of the nannies told me that this is the hottest day of the summer... and it's already fall! So, we're still playing outside. Today we took sidewalk chalk, balls, and music for a song time in the shade. The kids love chalk, but the adults there don't, so I made sure to help with getting everyone cleaned up afterwards. One little guy had gotten so into his artwork, that I had to wash him down and change his clothes completely. Since most of them are in wheelchairs, getting them down on to the ground to draw and then back up again can be quite a production, but it's worth it. Another boy decided to stay in his chair and just give orders for what Jaan should draw for him; I thought that was pretty funny.

:: 4 ::

I already posted this on Facebook, but it was just so sweet: On the way out to the orphanage today, Jaan and I were discussing what he wants to do for his birthday next week. "Can we have all the boys over?" All the boys? Huh? "Mama, these boys. The ones we're going to visit now. Can they come?"

He's been having a hard time with leaving his friends there. He feels like just visiting them once a week isn't doing enough. As Will pointed out, that's pretty much what anyone who works with orphans feels.

:: 5 ::

Oh, she makes me laugh.

I have a whole series of photos along these lines. Raia was in rare form for school photos! She said that I could share this one with grandparents and the rest of you.

:: 6 ::

A really quick take: I sent out a summer newsletter, if you're interested and haven't seen that yet.

:: 7 ::

And... I'm running out of things to say. How can that be?

Indiana/Florida trip, part 10 (!)

We had a great first day of school today. I'll tell you about that later, though. For now, here are the last photos from my trip to America. Then I think I have one more post of what I noticed there this time, and then I'm done with recording that wonderful time.

My childhood best friend kindly had her baby while I was in Florida. I know that she planned that just for me.  Mom and I visited them in the hospital.

I was horrified that all the bouquets in the store had FOUR blooms. (Honestly, I'm not superstitious, but that's just ugly.) So, I had to separate the flowers that I bought for my friend out into one for baby and three for mama, in cups that I labeled:

I think Mom was amused.

Then we went back to the house for...

Cousin Skype

Massage!

The picture is of Aliana's turn, but I was the one who got the real massage. My sister is studying to be a massage therapist. She brought her table over and gave me an amazing treat. So, so nice before setting out on another trans-Atlantic trip!

Snuggle time

Dinner with friends

That night we had a great time of fellowship with beloved friends. I got to share my photos and stories with them, and they prayed over me at the end.

I left early the next morning. Again, the travel was really easy, all by myself. Although the way back seemed much longer. I was very glad to finally be back at home with my family. Now I have so many wonderful memories from my trip. Thank you to everyone who was a part of it! Should I say thank you to AO for sponsoring it, too?

Photo credits: most of these photos are from Mom.