Summertime Blues

Tolya

Zhenya

Dima (with Nick)

The Ukrainian host kids left today.  :(  The airport scene is not much fun.  I didn't have to go because one of the moms found a real translator, and another mom was traveling with the kids to Atlanta.  Turned out easier for me -- they had to be at the airport at 7:30 this morning.   (NHFC wanted them there by 7, but our airport is so small, nobody here thought that was necessary.)  The farewell party on Friday afternoon was nice -- pretty relaxing.  At least 2 of the kids have found "forever families!!!"  Dima's and Tolya's host families are pursuing adoption, and both boys have said they want to be adopted.  Zhenya also would like to be adopted.  He is a sweet kid; turned 13 while here; small for his age, and probably immature like so many orphanage kids are.

This is Nick's last week out of school.  It may just keep him alive - lol!  He is having a little problem with attitude and a smart mouth -- he argues and talks back to us.  At the farewell party, he was misbehaving.  When I corrected him, he argued with me that Tyler started it.  I told him to get out of the pool for a time out.  He muttered under his breath, and jerked his head around, showing his attitude all the way to the chair.  When I walked over to him to correct THAT behavior, he said something else smart-alecky.  I told him very calmly that he would now be grounded for a week.  He decided to carry that a little further with turning away and saying flatly, "Who cares??"  I just couldn't let that one go.  I quietly told him to dry off and come inside for his spanking.  GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!  I followed through with the punishment, then told him to calm down before going back outside to play.  Well, I "ungrounded" him yesterday because I just hated for him to be grounded this last week before school starts.  I am trying my best to exercise mercy, kindness, and gentleness with this child.  He is a sweet boy.  He is a good boy.  But, boy, is he ever aggravating!  ha!  I need prayers for patience with him, because I just suspect that as he becomes a teenager, this stuff won't get any easier with him.  He continues to talk to me, however, about how much he appreciates being in America and having the opportunity to have a family that loves him and takes care of him. 

We will be going to visit the fam later this week.  David has a meeting in Jackson on Thursday, so we'll drive up there Wednesday evening and stay the night, then head over to Tyler after the meeting. 

Nick and Tyler have been playing outside for hours today!  Love it!  They just came in about 20 minutes ago after running around with their bb guns for a few minutes, after having killed a snake (killed one Sunday at the restaurant after church, too).  It looked like a very young water moccasin, all stripey and dark colored, but Nick had already beheaded it, so I didn't get a look at that.  I think they tried to feed it to a spider.  They've been all about spiders and snakes the last several days!  ewwwwwwwwww!  These boys...

Tyler wanted a luau for his big #10 birthday party, so that was a lot of fun.  Teri came early, then Donald, Mama, and Becca (and Rachel) came late the next day.  The birthday is July 16, and this year happened to fall on a Saturday, so it worked out just right for him.  We smoked a pig, laid out the leis, and passed a good time at the cochon de lait!!!!