Okay, so this time I feel I have a fairly good excuse for not keeping you updated. We did move to Kansas on Thanksgiving weekend and besides some unexpected house repairs, everything is going good. The kids are LOVING school and we really feel that Caleb and Deianna are receiving just what they needed to thrive. Deianna is now able to receive an extra hour in ESL help and Caleb is also being assisted in OT for hand dexterity to help with his writing skills. The school they are going to begins teaching Spanish in Kindergarten, which makes me laugh. Ukrainian/American children that speak Spanish! We have had a couple of episodes of what I call stealing when in reality one was just not return $$$ that was found at school to the teacher, but was brought home and stuck in a drawer. So maybe it was more being sneaky than actually stealling since it was found in the floor by the cubbies, but I don't like to quibble over details. I handled it as stealing because I new it wouldn't hurt for them to have to take it to school and explain they had taken something that wasn't theirs. Later, I found out that the note I had written out for the teacher and put in an envelope was not given to the teacher. So, the money was returned and the teacher thought they had just found it and thanked them for returning it. Unfortunately, because the intended method was to make the child feel uncomfortable and have to deal with consequences...two days later they stole again! This time there was severe consequences from me. We did have another episode where we asked Caleb not to unlock and open a bathroom door because it went into Deianna's bedroom. The door was to be kept locked at all times. After about the 2nd time, it became a battle of the wills. I guess the youngster won because we ended up turning the lock around to Deianna's side. Yes, we tried spanking, standing in the corner, grounding, putting a sign on the handle that said STOP!, you name it....he was not going to conform. Later, we found out one of the other kids, had actually unlocked the door a couple of the times that Caleb got the punishment for. Yes, we were shocked that a sibling would allow the other to get in so much trouble.

Other than those episodes, nothing much more to report on the "sometimes kids are a lot to handle" list. Oh, the normal, clean up your room, don't leave stuff in the floor for the dog to eat, take your "urine sheets to the laundry and don't sleep in the again" and "do what I say when I ask you to do it" are ongoing life issues. We are just thrilled that the transition has been so good.

We now have Andriy living with us from Ukraine. He is attending Johnson County Community College. He is the son of one of the families we stayed with in Ukraine. Andriy tries to talk to the kids in Ukrainian, but they just say he sounds funny. It's sad, but I think I can remember more Russian words than they can, now.

As for the other children, my daughter is finishing up her CNA in Oklahoma. My eldest son moved to Oklahoma to start college in an EMT program. Paul's oldest is trying to adjust to the move. Be in highschool, I think the move has been the most difficult for him. Nathan is doing great in his new class and is, how can I say it, "growing up". All the kids have leaped a clothing size and the snow is finally melting!!

Paul and I are obviously stressed with so many changes in a short period of time. Adjusting to being layed off, trying to close on a new business, moving a huge family to another State, moving into a house that has unexpected repairs, still looking for a church, Evan moving to Oklahoma at the last minute because 3 days before the class starts God says: I think you need to go to Oklahoma and be in this EMT class, Paul finding out his Uncle passed and having to go to California 2 days after I got back from Oklahoma and the normal day to day kid stuff has been a challenge. But.....it still feels right that we are here in Kansas and we are still looking forward to what God has in store!

So enjoy pictures and as always....feel free to email post and give me your email if you want to correspond about adoption. I started a new blog a couple of days ago that you can check out, too. Let me know your comments....dzeropski.wordpress.com