Memory Lane

One year ago this week, this first family photo was taken. Oh, we look so relaxed! Just a couple quick updates from my recent post -- Thomas turned his nose up at the Borsht. He much prefers hot dogs, chicken nuggets, macaroni & cheese ... I got my keyboard fixed, so blogging has gotten much easier.

The good news is that we don't need a new refrigerator. The bad news is that Thomas discovered where the controls are and that's why most of the contents of the freezer defrosted. (Stop laughing, Donna.) That'll teach me to stock up on groceries.

Another Momentous Day

It was one year ago today (Jan. 22) that we met our sons. We played for a few minutes, named them in 7 minutes and then headed off to Krasyliv to get permission to adopt and to witness a prolonged argument in Ukrainian. while in Krasyliv we took in the sights, sounds and smells...communist architecture, Lenin, stray dogs, junk cars...good times. We still had no idea that we'd have to bribe , er "bring gifts" a mere 24 hours later.

We celebrated the day by reading the note from Thomas' Pre-K teacher wherein she suggests he may be on the verge of getting bounced...kind of makes you long for Lenin and the stray dogs of Krasyliv.

Everyone had said that children change your lives, but there is no wa we could have imagined how all encompassing that cold be. That said, we can't imagine life without Matthew and Thomas.

From the Archives

One year ago today, our post was titled "Time to Take Off". That's right - one year ago today Chris and I boarded a plane in JFK not knowing what our family would consist of when we returned. As you know, it's been a wild ride.

Except for Thomas, who tends to live for the moment, the rest of us have been thinking about Ukraine a lot lately. It's probably because it was this time of year when we were there and found each other. Although it was stressful in many ways, Chris and I look back on it wistfully now and with great fondness. It was a simpler time, for sure. The days were all pretty much the same. Some might say boring. There was not the hectic pace that we find ourselves back in. We learned a lot and came back changed, and it wasn't just because we became parents. In honor of the event, there is Borsht (beet soup) simmering in the Crock Pot for supper. We highly recommend it, in case you've never tried it.

Matthew is a funny one, when it comes to his feelings for Ukraine. Though he insists he does not remember the language, does not miss any of the people and, in general, does not speak very positively about it, it's obvious that he cares about what happens there. When the energy problems of that region were in the news the past couple of weeks, he prayed that Russia would turn the natural gas back on for Ukraine.

As we approach the anniversary of our return to the U.S., and the Americanization of Matthew and Thomas, I'm sure there will be more to reflect on. Blogging continues to be a challenge, not only because there is no free time anymore, but the little darlings got at my computer and busted a bunch of the keys off. Trying to type is quite an effort!

Happy Birthday, Matthew!

Today we celebrated Matthew's 6th Birthday. He partied at Timbergyms with about 13 friends. Everyone had a great time. There was pizza, cake, a treasure hunt, a moon bounce, magic show, and lots of space to run around and climb. The kids were all so happy to see each other again after the long Christmas break. Matthew's been planning his party for months. He's very outgoing and loves a crowd. He didn't want to leave anyone out.

Wishing everyone a Happy & Healthy 2009!