Winding Down..

We enjoyed another fun weekend with the boys! Saturday we enjoyed a great backyard BBQ with friends. There was wonderful woman at this BBQ who actually came over from Ukraine with her mother when she was 14. She still speaks perfect Ukrainian and the boys loved having someone to speak their language with!! I have never heard them both talk so much as they did Saturday night. It was wonderful to see and hear. This was the first night that Anatoly had translated for us that he loves America and does not want to go back to Ukraine! He says it is dirty and that they are always hungry! In one sentence he broke my heart! Yet at the end of the night, he is all smiles, gives great big hugs before bed and my heart is "lightened" just a little! How can one child hold so much "power."

Sunday was supposed to be a fun day at the Nascar Speedpark, letting the kids race the go karts, but the weather was not cooperating with us. So they waited in line just to get to the front and have it closed for lightning. Then we go to buy winter coats for the boys to take back to the  Ukraine and head back to the Speedpark. They wait to ride again and actually get into the go karts, go around ONE time and it starts to rain! So they close for another 45 minutes. At this point Matt has had enough of Concord Mills for one day and we head home with some disappointed boys! But no need to worry they will be back there tomorrow - hopefully racing go-karts! My boys really want to show them Chuck E Cheese (not sure why, b/c they know I loathe the place), so I may be "brave" enough and take 6 boys (Alex will have a friend) to the Speedpark and then Chuck E Cheese - we'll see!

Ivan had his dental appt. today and it was long for him. He came home in pain and I felt really bad for him, but he was trying so hard to be brave and stoic. 3 baby teeth pulled, 7 cavities filled, 4 sealants applied to the back molars! We happen to have a wonderful pediatric dentist that informed us today that she was not going to even charge us the Medicaid rate that we had discussed, but instead perform all of the work for FREE! LOVE our kids' dentist - Dr. Sharon Holly!!

So as the days wind day of hosting these two amazing boys, Ivan continues to open up and trust us. Anatoly has gotten much more vocal about his parents and the abuse the boys went through with their parents in their early years. He now says each morning, "Lisa, I not want Ukraine." " I want America." Tonight he came down with a drawing from himself, gave it to Matt and I and said that it was from Ivan and himself. We opened it and he had drawn a boy crying and under the boy were the words - his spelling - "Wi want a famili!" with hearts and flowers drawn all around the boy! So tonight my heart is heavy again!

Lisa