Evan was tested for Township Preschool

I took Evan today to get tested to see if he would get accepted into the free township preschool that is part of the local school here in town. I definitey want to get him into this program since they offer Speech Therapy as part of the program. Evan's speech has improved to some degree, however, there are many times we all can't understand a word he says. He understands everything that we ask him, however, when it comes to him talking and expressing himself to us it is like he is still talking in Ukrainian to us since none of us can understand most of what he says.

The teacher that evaluated Evan today, asked me if I can understand him when he talks. I told her that I can understand the basic everyday language such as anything pertaining to eating, drinking and bathroom needs. She said that Evan definitely qualifies for the preschool program and will get the Speech Therapy that he needs. I am so excited. Evan is so ready to be in preschool and it will also help him prepare for Kindergarden for the following school year.

Easter and Egg Hunting Fun

The boys had lots of fun dying Easter eggs and finding eggs at the egg hunt we took them to.

We surprised the boys with new bicycles for each of them on Easter morning. They all have been sharing/fighting over the one preschool size bicycle that we had for Andrew before Steven and Evan came home. So we felt it was the right time to get them all bicycles that they could call their own and grow into as well. They all were surprised and love their new bicycles. Our sons are quite the active boys and definitely need something to burn off their energy.

Andrew of course knew the drill on Easter morning and was quick as lightning gathering up handfuls of eggs at a time as I was trying to help direct Evan and Steven find some eggs on Easter morning. After church service, we went over to Robert's families home and had Easter dinner. Mom mom and Pop pop surprised all of the grandkids with an egg hunt in their yard. There were eggs every where. The boys had fun finding eggs and opening them up to eat the candy inside.

Behavior issues at church

Over the past few months we've been challenged with behavior issues in church with the boys. They don't want to go into their class room without me being with them the whole time. I could understand in the beginning, soon after we brought Steven and Evan home, however, being that they are older, and understand the routine of church and knowing that Steven and Andrew go to school fine with no issues on their own, we just don't get it.

Part of the problem I think is that they are so close in age that all 3 of them wind up in the same class room in church. This is not good, since, when the 3 of them get together they start goofing off and not paying attention to what is expected of them or what the teacher is saying. This was one of the main reasons why I don't want Steven and Andrew in the same grade. They are so much better individually and they focus and behave much better when they are on their own.

It's getting frustrating dealing with the same behavior issues week after week and myself missing the service because of it. We've taken privelegdes away, put them in time out, used incentives for the correct behavior....and still end up with the same misbehavior. Please keep our family in prayer. Our patience is running thin and we are open to any kind of parental advise.

Gardening, Tree Climbing Boys and bonding

Steven climbing our apple tree.


As Alla our translator would always say, "Boys will be boys." Today, we spent a lot of time outside getting the garden ready for planting. The boys love digging in the dirt, therefore, they were more than happy to help me prepare the soil for planting. They helped me rake and dig up the weeds that grew over the winter and early spring and just digging holes anywhere in the backyard they had the desire to dig. Of course I was doing my best to keep them focused on the garden but at times I just let them go even though we had a few divets in our yard.

At one point a wiggly worm appeared and Steven, being the bug lover that he is, picked up the wiggly worm. This little worm open the door to him first sharing with me about some memories of the deskydom (orphanage) and of his birth mother and birth family. Here I am digging and pulling up weeds when he starts to tell me of the worm him and his "brothers" (other boys in the orphanage) from the orphanage found in the orphanage garden. He then went on and told me a few other stories about what he remembered about his birth mother and family. I was surprised, but yet thankful that Steven was so open and free to express his memories and his life in Ukraine. Periodically I would ask some questions, wanting to find out as much as I could (since he was ready to share) and mostly to make sure that his experiences were positive ones. I am pleased and am thankful to say that he was treated good in the orphanage and that he has positive memories of his birth family. I was surprised when he talked of his birth mother that he showed no emotion (positive or negative) when he talked of her. I made a point to mention that his birth mother loves him very much and I'm sure she misses him and Evan. He didn't react the way I thought he would. He just kept talking and kepting playing in the dirt like I was talking about a stranger. I know he was young when he entered the orphanage, about 3 and a half years old, however, it surprised me that he remembered so much and was willing to share so freely.

Evan hugging the apple tree.

Later on that afternoon, we walked up to our apple tree in our yard and were checking out the buds on the trees. Since the branches were low enough to the ground the boys of course started climbing up the tree. I used to love climbing the trees in our yard growing up, and remember hiding from my brother, David, by climbing to the tippy top of the tall oak tree in our backyard. He was so furious that he couldn't find me that day since he was supposed to be watching my sister and I that day. Anyway, here are a few pictures of the boys climbing our apple tree.

2 More Cavities Filled - 4 more to go

Well, we barely made it through this appointment. Steven was more wiggly and was losing his patience during this visit at the dentist. Whether he was nervious or got tired of his mouth having a contraption in it to hold it open or just plain scared of the drilling sound...but he had a harder time at sitting still. The dentist finish filling the cavities, thank goodness. All the while, I was doing my best to calm him down and talk to him, hold his hand, while I was sweating it out trying to keep my cool at the same time.

Our pediatric dentist is wonderful with children and ever so patient. I don't know how she does it day in and day out.

Well we have 4 more cavities to fill before we can relax. I set up another appointment to get the rest of them filled. Hopefully the next appointment will go a little more smooth.

The Greatest Circus on Earth

Steven and Andrew's preschool put on a play, "The Greatest Circus on Earth". It was so adorable as the children all had a different part. Steven was a biker bear, which entertained the crowd riding on tricycles and Andrew was the strongman...imagine Andrew (one of the smallest kids in his class) the strongman. Andrew gets nervous infront of an audience, believe it or not, since at home he is the comedian of the family. Here are some pictures of Andrew, Steven and Evan posing for the camera hamming it up before the show. Too cute.

Mommy & Poppi

Isn't this picture so adorable. The boys were trying on Daddy's shoes and Ukon hat. Too cute.

Steven and Evan have notice that at times Andrew will call me Mommy instead of Mom or Mama. Both Steven and Evan picked up on it and would call me Mommy from time to time. I prefer them calling me Mama since that is what I am used to with them and Andrew. It just reminds me of how we became a family and our first few months with our children.

This week Evan assumed that since changing Mama to Mommy was the correct thing to do, he changed Papa (what they call Robert..means Daddy/Father in Ukrainian)to Poppi. It is so adorable to hear him call Robert, "Poppi". Andrew and Steven picked up on it and now are calling Robert, "Poppi".

Steven Started Preschool

We started Steven in preschool a couple of days a week to get him familiar with the structure of school and what will be expected of him once he attends public school in the fall. He sees how Andrew goes to school and how we pick him up every day at the preschool to bring him home. It's been obvious that Steven has taken a liking to the school when we pick up Andrew and now since Steven is fluent in English we thought it would be best to give him a feel for school and what is expected of him. This way it will help to prepare him for September when he will start first grade. Of course we are still homeschooling the other days Steven doesn't attend to get him up to speed for first grade since he is skipping Kindergarden.

The teachers, Miss Debbie and Miss Brittnay have been wonderful to Steven and very helpful with redirecting certain behaviors of his into the proper behavior. They tell me he is a quick learner and a very sweet boy. Thank you Miss Debbie and Miss Brittnay for all of your help with Steven and Andrew!