A Daily Dose...

Everybody really should have at least two blogs, right? OK, not really. We had the hairbrained idea the other night to start posting one picture, funny quote, etc. that pretty muched summed up our day. In order to not clutter up this blog, we started a micro-blog, titled Наша Пригода...щоденний (which means, "Our Adventure...Daily"). Our aim is to post something everyday, but we'll see how long our faithfulness holds out.

We've linked to our daily blog above and also on the Links section in our sidebar. Enjoy!

P.S.--In case you've been completely out of touch with the weather in the Southeast U.S., Hurricane Gustav is bearing down on the Gulf Coast. Much of Southwestern LA has begun evacuating, to our house, now dubbed Chateau Gustav or Hurricane Barracks--just kidding, it's only Rachel's family plus my mom on an ill-timed pleasure trip. All that to say we may not be posting for several days because a) it's going to be busy around here and b) we might end up evacuating ourselves, depending on the course of the storm.

A visit to see Noah, oh I mean Santa....

Clark's latest funny is that he is convinced that Santa is Noah...yes, Noah from the Bible. We realized last night at bedtime it is because in a children's Bible we read from at night...the picture of Noah has him dressed in red clothing...and you guessed it, a hat! We just kept wondering why every time we see something with Santa on it he just says "Noah"...every single time. In fact, if you ask if that is Noah or Santa he will tell you Noah! So we think it is so cute, we just refer to Santa as Noah now.

Here's a picture of the cover of his Bible storybook...of course he confuses the two, have you ever seen Noah dressed like, well, Santa??

I took the kids to see "The Nutcracker" yesterday. One of the perks of homeschooling is that I can get them into school performances for the school price...SWEET!! So we all 3 attended "The Nutcracker" for $22.50! The evening performances will run you are whopping $35(each) for the cheapest seats...see why that is exciting? Clark really enjoyed all the costumes, the huge tree, the snow falling on stage, etc. He did great up until about the last 15 minutes and he got a little antsy to move around. Then, after the ballet I took them to have their picture made with Santa. Ali humored me and got in the picture also! (she wasn't too thrilled..ha) Clark really could have cared less to see Santa...but he did hop right up for the photo. It was pretty cute. He LOVED the HUGE tree that is in the mall, though. He is enjoying that much more...seeing all the trees, lights, etc. rather than all the presents and Santa hoopla! We aren't complaining...I am sure by next year he will be the typical American kid telling us he wants this or that...or this AND that!! Right? So we will enjoy the awe and wonder of all the more wonderful aspects of Christmas through his little eyes.

At the mall the kids were able to play in some pretend snow that they had shooting from machines. It was so neat...it was soap suds. It looked real from a distance. It was not bubbles like you think...but actual suds like when you are washing your hands...but blowing out in small clusters. That is all you get here in Texas! If you want to see snow.......you have to go to the mall and get soap suds. Heehee!

Today the kids and I attended the SWAT group at the church we are visiting. It stands for Servants Worshipping All Together and it is for 3rd-5th graders. They meet twice a month for fun activities as a way for this age group to get to know each other. Today they met and went shopping at Wal-Mart to spend the money they earned for a needy family in town. (they made and sold cookie mixes to the congregation to raise the money) It was wonderful to see the kids picking out items for others. Then in 2 weeks they will get together and wrap all the gifts. Ali is really enjoying this children's group. We are attending a great LCMS church called Hope Lutheran.

I think that is about all the not so exciting news that we have. I have posted pictures of our trees, etc.

preparing for Christmas

Thanksgiving in Louisiana....

Well, Thanksgiving is officially over and the Christmas season has begun. We had a nice Thanksgiving in Louisiana with my parents. My brother and his family stopped by later that afternoon for a while, and Ali was able to spend the night with her cousin. I, as usual, ate WAY too much! The food seemed endless. Now I must try and watch the waistline until Christmas when I will turn around and do the same thing. Heehee!!!

My mom and dad already had their Christmas tree up so that the children could enjoy it. As you can see by the pictures...Clark spent most of his time by the tree. He LOVED it and couldn't get enough of it. It was so cute...I would tell him time and again not to touch the ornaments (which he would take off and rearrange)...and he just couldn't help himself. He could NOT keep his hands off. Finally I just quit trying and watched him closely so he wouldn't break any. He loved this tiny nativity set they had out. He would take the pieces for rides in his trucks. We were forever on the lookout for missing pieces. We even found him outside looking intently at their fence.........and he had stuck Mary in part of the fence and gotten her stuck. However, T.C. came and rescued her! In the pictures you will see Clark carrying around a breakable duck. Mom has these breakable ducks and cats that people have given her through the years and Clark just loves them for some reason. He is always carrying them around, rocking them, holding them, etc. He HAD to have them in the pictures!

We are tackling our Christmas decorating at the moment. It is taking WAY longer than ever before. While we lived in our little townhouse in Louisville, we didn't get out all of our decorations due to space. Add that to the fact that it is my FAVORITE time of the year and I can't keep myself from buying up MORE decorations...and my mom is forever giving us more cute things she finds as well. Long story short...we have boxes and boxes and boxes of decorations!! I love snowmen, so we also have TONS of those. Anyway, it is taking us a long time to figure out where everything is going to go. We actually need to get another tree to put upstairs for our extra ornaments. We already have 2 trees downstairs. (a little overboard, well perhaps) It will be fun...until it is time to pack it all up!! But, we will enjoy it while it lasts.

Let us hear how your Thanksgiving was!! Here are some pictures from Louisiana and also of Ali and Clark putting up his little tree in his room.

Thanksgiving

A turkey hat?

Thought I would mention a few cute things Clark has done lately. A couple of days ago I noticed Ali's bedroom door was closed and I knew that Clark had gone in there. I went through her bathroom and peeked in to find a photo shoot going on. Clark had his "view master" and a stool and was sitting in front of Ali's door. He was acting like he was taking pictures of Ali with his view master. He would tell her to sit this way or that way...have her hold a stuffed animal, etc. Then, when he was "finished" he would tell her "good job!" It was so funny. (do I take too many pictures, or what?)

We bought Clark a Thanksgiving set from Fisher Price. It has pilgrims, Indians, and a picnic table with food on top. It also came with a plastic turkey for the table that is hollow underneath. Well, I bought him a Thanksgiving book and sat down to try and explain our Thanksgiving....feeling pretty proud of myself that I made the effort...I turn around and find that he had put the turkey on an Indian as a hat. Well, guess he didn't quite get it.......maybe next year. :)

To give a little background on this one...every once in a while I will joke with Clark when he has done something like...oh say...called "MAMA" for the millionth time in a row. I will say "oh Clark..you are killing me"....so anyway, Ali had taken him outside the other day to jump on the trampoline and had forgotten to take his socks off. (they turn black) So, when he ran inside for something I caught him and told him to take his socks off before he went back out and without missing a beat he yanked the socks off and said "oh, you are killing me."

Another funny he has done lately is say something is nasty. It is the way he says it. I think he heard us say it when he does something like burp at the table or whatever. I will tell him "that is nasty, say excuse me." So now he will say that when something happens. Timmy yawned in is face the other night (and yes, I admit he has TERRIBLE old doggy breath) and Clark told him "oh Timmy that is naaasty."

turkey hat

Four months ago today...our lives changed forever!!

Four months ago to the day...we loaded up the black Lincoln Navigator in Kiev and headed on a 4 hour journey that would change our lives forever. (I will mention that it WAS a 4 hour journey that should have been at least a 5 hour journey..heehee...remember that story?) On the afternoon of July 13th, we met a 3 1/2 year old little boy that we new nothing more about than his name, Ruslan...and he stole our hearts from the moment he was escorted into the room to us. He gave us a shy smile with his head tilted down...and here we are 4 months later and he is an active, talkative, and (trying at times) little one that has learned to receive love and give love in return. God, in his infinite wisdom, made the more than 2 year wait all worth it. We knew from that moment that God chose this child to be our son before the creation of the world. He brought me into this world to be his mother. How awesome is that? Maybe not flesh of my flesh, but nothing short of a miracle. A daughter and a son...oh how we have been blessed beyond measure.

Just thought I would post some more beach photos. We returned to the beach on Monday for a little stroll along the sea wall. Our kiddos can't get enough of that place!

beach

Ali's first 200........

Ali swam her first 200 this weekend...let me just say...she HATED it! She was so mad that her coach signed her up for a 200! It takes a lot of endurance to make it 200 (and she doesn't have a lot of that). But you know what, she finished it and we were proud of her...ok, so she was the last one in her heat...but SHE FINISHED IT! It was quite funny...on her last lap her coach finally started yelling "Ali, just finish." Ha!!! Me, now I would have sunk to the bottom after the first 25...ha!! However, she did well in the other events. Between today and yesterday, she swam in a total of 9 events. Her backstroke really improved today compared to yesterday (yesterday it was another one of those...she was just glad to finish sort of things). This was her first "REAL" swim meet. The summer league meets were much more relaxed...this was the real deal. It is all about your swim time at this point. In the end, your time gets compared to all the other kids in your age group. It is interesting to see where she lines up. She was pretty much right in the middle...so not too bad for her first real meet. But let me tell you....there are some majorly overzealous sideline parents. UGH! We would just stand around and listen to all the yelling and screaming...that was something else. One mother yesterday completely tore into her little girl (maybe about 8 years old) saying how "she had wasted her whole day at that swim meet and she didn't swim like she should have"..the poor little girl just kept telling her mom she was sorry. I thought it was quite sad. The mother just packed up their things and left the kid standing in the hall (because she was still trying to get her clothes on). Anyway, I don't think Ali has another meet until after the new year. One of the coaches is already asking us why Clark wasn't swimming yet. She wants me to bring him for a trial lesson soon...she doesn't know what she is getting into!! Heehee...he has no fear.

swim meet

I never knew..........

I never knew I could be so excited over an inch......ONE WHOPPING INCH! But, I am! Clark had his monthly height/weight follow up with his pediatrician today. I was initially disappointed because he has not gained any weight since he came home in Aug. His weight today was the same it was last month... 26 1/2 lbs. However, our boy has grown a whole inch since we got home. The doctor was really excited about that, as was I. He is still only the average size of a 2 year old...she showed me his growth chart. So...he still has a lot of catching up to do. But, she said she is more concerned with the height issue than the weight. If he continues to grow...we might not have to have the test run checking his growth hormone. YIPPY! All in all things are going well. She said his incision is healing well, he finished up his antibiotics this morning!

Ali has her first swim meet since summer this weekend. YES...both Sat. and Sun.!! It will be interesting to see how she has improved since then. Nona and Poppy are coming to watch her on Sunday, so she is excited about that.

I will explain the pictures....the other morning Clark put his boots on as soon as he got out of bed. He then decided to climb into our bed...boots and all...and he had put his shoes on his baby! Too funny. Then, the ones of him at bath time need some explanation. T.C. made the mistake one night when drying him off after bath, of saying "oh baby Russie...look how cute..." (on and on and on...because he was all wrapped up in his towel like a baby) WELL....Clark LOVED it so much that he demands we do that EVERY SINGLE night. As soon as I get him out of the tub...first thing out of his mouth "BABY...PAPA"!!! Translation..."where is Papa, I want him to do baby!" Ha!! (every night!!!) It is really pretty funny...he loves it. The poster is Ali's geography project. She had to draw a map from a country of her choice and tell about the country. She, of course, chose Ukraine. It came out very well.

boots in bed, baby Clark, and Ali's map

Just another day at the beach.....

Today was Clark's official first day of preschool. Ummm, ok...maybe we are just working on letters and colors...but it's a start. He knew his colors in Ukrainian, but is having to relearn them in English. He likes "doing school" like Ali. So it only took about 5 minutes or so, but you gotta start somewhere. Ha! We worked on the color red and the letter A. (he is clueless about the letters...but I think he gets the colors)

T.C. has been working CRAZY hours the past 2 weeks (due to being in mission control), so we headed to the beach for some relaxation this afternoon. The kids (including T.C.) built a huge sand castle and Clark loved helping tear it down before we left! He loves going to the beach, as does Ali. Ali was disappointed that we didn't hit the old fashioned ice cream parlor on The Strand!

Sat. we took them to Build a Bear to build a new bear. They both chose a cute dog! Clark thought that place was pretty fun! Ali has loved going for years now.

I thought I would include a couple of Ali's recent poems. She enjoys writing poetry...but she should really do it more often...she is actually pretty good at it! Enjoy.....

(T.C.: OK, I moved her poems here)

Build a Bear, first day of schooling, and Galveston

Tea party anyone?....Halloween....and cowboy boots!!!

What a combination...all in the course of a few days here in the Judd house Clark had a tea party for one of his stuffed animals, went trick or treating, and absolutely fell in LOVE with his cowboy boots. He had a doctors appointment today and actually wore shorts (yes, it is warm here!!), t-shirt, and cowboy boots. (black boots at that!) I probably used to think..."why would a parent let their child go out of the house like that?" But...now I am the one doing it. Ha! He even wore them with his pj's this morning. So, I honestly just didn't want the battle of trying to get them off of his feet.......so off to the doctor we went....boots and all. I remember with Ali every hair had to be in place with bows to match. Heehee!

The video is so cute of Clark having his tea party. I just came around the corner the other day and found that.

Well, another American first....TRICK OR TREATING!! I am sure he was a little confused at first, but he got the hang of it. We went with some friends from the neighborhood, and he tried to keep up with them...then he just quit trying and wanted to be carried. His little legs just couldn't make it. He loved it when the people were standing outside with their dogs dressed up! He would kiss them all...the dogs that is. (ick, but he did it) After trick or treating, Ali went to a fall festival with her friends that we trick or treated with. I didn't want Clark to be overwhelmed with Halloween...so I brought him home. She had a great time though.

Clark had a follow up appointment today with the surgeon. He said everything looks great with the exception of the redness. He said it should not be this red after a week and a half. He put him on antibiotics to be safe. Pray it heals just fine and that there isn't any infection. (you always hear about people getting staff infections from hospitals)

Oh yes, the picture of his "baby" on his potty chair is hilarious! I heard him in the bathroom this morning and that is what I found. He just looked at me and said "baby, potty!" Like...DUH, Mom!! Ha!

tea party and Halloween

The star of the show.....

We are back from Shreveport, and Clark didn't know what to make of being the star of the show. Our joke for the weekend was that he had his own fan club and was being followed by the paparazzi. (everywhere he looked there were flashes!!) Lisa, he will be calling his agent soon...he is wondering where all the photographers went! We had a great time visiting with family for a few days. We had not been there in WAY too long. Clark was able to meet his Uncle Sam finally. I hope to visit there more often. Friday evening there was a get together at my cousin's house. It was so fun for us all to be together and for them to meet Clark. Ali was able to spend time with her cousin, Christopher, and they had a fantastic time together. It really made me appreciate that we are closer to them now that we are in TX. THANKS SHREVEPORT CLAN FOR A GREAT WEEKEND!!!

This evening we took the kids to a Trunk or Treat. We kept wondering what was going through Clark's head. (so you mean I have to dress up...say trick or treat...and I get candy? HUH!)

Well, this is short tonight...I am exhausted from the trip...and have miles to go before I can hit the sack...(bags to unpack...yuck!)

Shreveport trip and Trunk or Treat

3...2...1...Blast Off!!!

The space shuttle Discovery launched a few minutes ago...with T.C.in the "safety" mission control room. He is assigned to this flight...so he will be working 11 days straight with crazy hours. He will be ready for a day off when his 11 days are over. I am packing up the kids and taking them to Shreveport on Thursday while he works mission control. Samuel Clark hasn't met his Uncle Sam whom he was named after as of yet. We are all excited to be going and seeing some of our family there.

Clark did just fine during his surgery yesterday. The hospital is a trauma center, so we knew there was a possibility that his surgery time could be bumped. Well, it was! We arrived at 6am and he wasn't taken back to surgery until 10am. It was a rather long morning in a small hospital room...with a toddler. We were so glad there was a t.v. in the room so that he could watch cartoons. He did such a good job being a brave boy. When it was finally his turn, they gave him some medicine to relax him mixed with some Tylenol. So after he took that, we were able to walk him down to the holding area and we met the nurses and doctors that would be working with him. The medicine had kicked in at that point and even the medical staff was cracking up watching him. One doc said "I looked like that on my 21st birthday." He was just laughing, jabbering, and rolling around. I was laughing so hard I had tears rolling down my face. I caught a little of it on video...which I am sharing...shame on me...I know!! But, the laughing ended and reality hit...our sweet boy was undergoing surgery. He tolerated the anesthesia well, which was my main concern. He awoke slowly while I was with him in the recovery room. They like for children to wake up on their own as they tend to wake up more happy that way. It was sad, he would wake up for a minute...cry...and drift back off. After several episodes like that...the nurse gave him some morphine for pain. That knocked him out yet again...and we had to wait for him to wake up enough to drink some juice and potty. He did so, and we were able to leave the hospital a little after 2pm. However, the ride home ended up being more than his tummy could handle with the anesthesia. I won't go into detail...but after returning home his WHOLE car seat had to be taken apart and scrubbed...as did the van seat. Poor little fellow. He ended up eating some in the late afternoon and even played with his train set. I asked him when we got home..."do you want to go lie down"...his response "no, Thomas!" Well, ok then! However, the hospital pain meds wore off in the early evening and our little man was miserable! He was in so much pain last night before bed. The Tylenol with codeine helps take the edge off some...but he is definitely fighting getting his ointment applied. He is pretty happy today...already fighting with Ali...so definitely on the mend. Ha! He is still VERY sore and in quite a bit of pain. I hope this intense pain doesn't last long...we hate seeing him like this.

Well, that is about it for now. I am off to get him some chicken nuggets...his all time favorite food!

lookin' cute and hospital....

Toddlers are just so precious....

Remember when I would go on and on about what an angel Clark was....just so precious....wow...what a difference a week can make. He is testing his boundaries left and right! Here is a glimpse into our daily lives..."Clark, I said not to do that...if you do it again you will go to time-out...what did I just say...(meanwhile he decides he will try it again)...ok, you are going to time-out on the stairs...(then followed by scream, kick the floor, you get my point)" I have said a million times...doesn't he know there are going to be consequences? Human nature I suppose! But, as quickly as the madness comes...it leaves...and he is our sweet boy again. To be expected with toddlerhood, I suppose.

I am posting some recent pictures. We took the kids to the Houston Zoo this morning for the Halloween at the zoo. Clark enjoyed getting a little candy, picking out a mini pumpkin, and coloring a couple of masks. There are a few from a park yesterday evening. A co-worker of T.C.'s has a wedding photography business on the side and he offered to take our first family pictures.
http://sivanov.exposuremanager.com/g/judds&gallery_page=&gallery_all=&view=1&photo_page=1#photo_s

I love the picture of Clark over T.C.'s shoulder. The few I took are funny...if you notice the ones of Clark by the water...he is wet...he decided to pretty much scoop the water out of the pond and put it all over himself.

Pray for our little man on Monday morning. We are to have him at the Children's Hospital in Galveston at 6:00AM for his little surgery. (getting circumcised) I am nervous, but we are just trusting God to guide the doctors. I hate the thought of him being in pain afterwards.

Houston Zoo, park, etc.

Fall??

I know it is Oct. 14th.....and officially it is FALL, however, it is too stinkin' hot here in TX to feel like fall. I kind of miss that about Kentucky...the cool, crispness of the air in the fall. Oh well, it is what it is...right? So, even though it was 85+ degrees here in TX yesterday...we still did our annual outing to hunt for a pumpkin to carve. Clark just doesn't get why we would go and pick out that funny round orange thing! But I know he will enjoy scooping out those OOEY GOOEY seeds. (what kid doesn't) Oh another thing we REALLY miss is going to Huber's Orchard up in Indiana and picking our own apples and pumpkins!! The closest pumpkin patch I could find around here was like an hour away...how sad is that? Ok, enough about what we miss.....we truly do like it here. It just doesn't quite feel like fall to us.

I wanted to get some "fall" pictures of the kids this weekend. It takes me about 50 pictures to get even a few good ones of Clark. Ha! He either just stares at me with a blank look on his face...or moves RIGHT as I am snapping the picture. But, some came out cute. The ones of him with our pumpkin were so funny. He just kept saying "oh pretty."

Fall pics

Clark the puppy....what is going on?

I thought I would share a little humor from our lives and then get on to something a little more serious. Clark has discovered that it is totally fun to pretend he is a dog. Yes, he is continually all out canine! When he gets into his "puppy mode" he won't even speak...he crawls around, follows Timmy, rubs his head up against things, rolls over on his back, when we ask for kisses he rubs noses, etc. It sort of freaks me out a bit, but T.C. thinks it is hilarious. Ummmm, the jury is still out on that one. He will, however, snap out of it if he knows MOM is serious...I can only take so much puppy business! (he even crawls up/down the stairs) A friend of mine assured me that her son did the same thing and even went as far as barking at people when they asked him a question. Thanks, Suzanne, for letting me know we didn't have the only puppy boy out there!!! Ok, and to clarify the pictures of Clark pushing the vacuum...NO, we don't really put the kids to work...he was having a fit when he saw me vacuuming...so I had to let him push it a little! He kept telling me "me, me, me".

On to other things....
I still smile every time I say the word "kids"...it hits me again and again and I tell myself "it is plural..KIDS...it is finally plural." I waited so long for this. I truly believe I was put on this earth to be T.C.'s wife and my children's mother. That is what I live and breathe for. I can't imagine my life any other way. However, there were days I doubted everything. Most of you know that we suffered several miscarriages when Ali was a toddler. It was devastating. That is all I ever wanted to be was a mother...and I felt like I was being held back. I questioned God every single time it happened. Why me, God...why? I never understood, but trusted in God's sovereignty over our lives. I knew he loved us and had a plan for our lives. Now, we fast forward 7 years and God is allowing us to catch a glimmer of his plan. Had we carried another child/children, we would have never considered adoption. Oh, what we would have missed! He sent us a little angel..so full of life and love and so ready to BE loved. We would have missed so much. We would have missed watching our son enjoy an ice cream cone...chase frogs with his big sister...play at a park for the first time...eat his first chicken nugget (and oh how he loves them!!)...meet his grandparents...and anticipate watching him discover who God is!

I have always LOVED this song by Mercy Me (one of my favorite Christian groups) called "Jesus, Bring the Rain"

I can count a million times
People asking me how I
Can praise You with all that
I've gone through
The question just amazes me
Can circumstances possibly
Change who I forever am in You

Maybe since my life was changed
Long before these rainy days
It's never really ever crossed my mind
To turn my back on you, oh Lord
My only shelter from the storm
But instead I draw closer through these times
So I pray

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings
You glory And I know there will
be days When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to
praise You Jesus, bring the rain

I am yours regardless of the clouds that may
loom above because you are much greater than
my pain you who made a way for me suffering
your destiny so tell me whats a little rain

Holy, holy, holy
Holy, holy, holy
is the lord God almighty
is the lord God almighty
I'm forever singing

Bring me joy, bring me peace
Bring the chance to be free
Bring me anything that brings
You glory And I know there'll
be days When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to
praise You Jesus, bring the rain
- Mercy Me "Jesus, Bring the Rain"

How true it is! We are here to bring God glory regardless of our circumstances. Though that is so easy to do when things are going well, isn't it? We have all been there...then things turn dark and we question God...but God is still God and STILL the ONE in control. I think we have to go through difficult times to truly appreciate God's amazing power. He is the only one that can sustain us.

Enjoy our blessings from heaven...

Ali and Clark

A day in the life of Rachel.....

Well, there isn't anything new going on in the Judd house really...just trying to keep up with school work, a toddler, and swim team. (that in itself doesn't allow for much else!)

However, my sister in law, Sarah, wrote the funniest blog entry this week on her blog and I am going to copy some of it here. Sorry Sarah...but stealing yours is MUCH easier than coming up with my own! Not to mention the entire time I was reading yours I was going "uh huh...yep...no kidding!!" Ok, here it goes....

You know there is a toddler in your house when:
…it takes 5 minutes to open a door or cabinet.

…you don’t remember what it was like to go to the bathroom by yourself.

…you clean out your car and find a petrified goldfish cracker.

…you realize that puppies are not the only creatures who will eat paper, shoes, and food on the floor.

…you find yourself answering the same question 10,000 times.

…the most “popular” song you sing is “Old MacDonald had a Farm.”

…you find yourself eating mini corn dogs for lunch.

…you find yourself secretly laughing because someone (under the age of 4!) has passed gas during a meal…and has NO IDEA that it is funny or inappropriate.

….you can discipline a hysterical, yet inappropriate behavior (such as passing gas at the dinner table) with a stern and serious face while your spouse is across the table secretly laughing into his napkin.

…you find yourself driving in the car saying (w/ MUCH enthusiasm) things like “yes that IS a cherry picker.” “yes that IS a cornfield.” “yes that IS WalMart.”

… you aren’t embarrassed to wear stickers on your shirt (even in public).

Good job, Sarah! Now for a few of my own...

-to add to the going to the bathroom alone thing..I find it funny that Clark will open the bathroom door and want to talk to me..acting like he doesn't even realize where I am sitting. Meanwhile I am thinking "can't we talk about this in a second?"

-(this happened last night) I wanted some juice and grabbed a plastic kids cup off of the drying rack in the sink and T.C. asks me why I was drinking out of a kids cup when we have nice glasses? (Ummm, because that was easier!!!)

-we used to pride ourselves in a very neat house...now neat to us is when all the cars, trucks, trains, and Army men make it back to the baskets before bedtime...who cares if they are ALL over the floor the rest of the day!

-my purse now consists of fruit chews, sippy cups, disposable bibs, wet wipes, Hot Wheels...

Ok, I could go on...but this is probably getting a little boring. I will, however, share with you a day in the life of Rachel. This week Russie Clark had an appointment with the surgeon that will preform his circumcision on the 22nd. His appointment was at 10am in Galveston (about 20 minutes away). Well, we leave early so that we can stop by the social security office to apply for his social security card...along with ALL OF GALVESTON!!! We waited a few minutes, our number wasn't called...so we leave to head to the hospital to see the surgeon. We get called back rather quickly..I get a little full of myself thinking "wow, that wasn't bad at all"...we meet the doctor, hear the scoop...learn that if we want to go ahead with the surgery we need to go to 2 other visits while we are there. Ok...no problem...we get walked down to registration...enter the waiting room and HOLY COW...are there REALLY that many people waiting to register. I am seriously thinking of paying off some people, but decide I must wait my turn. It is now around 11:30...we finally get called back to the registration/finance office and find out how much this is going to set us back...OUCH...then when I regain consciousness...I find out we have to meet with the anesthesiologist...yep, you guessed it BACK to the waiting room. We again finally get called back...yada yada yada. Keep in mind that we are dragging our school books around, missed lunch, and have now missed nap! Ummm...he was finally lying on the floor with his cars and trucks. My first instinct was to shiver with the reality that he is LYING on the floor of a hospital...GROSS...then my mother side took over and thought "heck he's quiet for the most part." I heard an older lady tell another lady..."he is lying on the floor." I bit my tongue from saying "hey lady...I can pick him up off of this floor and hand him to you...could you do better?" Heehee...but I didn't! So...we finally leave the hospital around 2:15...grab some fast food and head back over to the social security office. Shew, I was tired when all of that was done!! For those mothers with 4 and 5 children...I quote Wayne's World in saying "I am not worthy!"

Clark is still doing great. He finally starting saying "yes" today. He had been saying "da" which is Russian. He also said "oopsy daisy" and "looka here." He surprises us all the time with a new English word. He is still jabbering his heart out and we usually just say "oh yes"...He also said "careful" the other night in the bath. It is funny knowing he is listening and hearing all that we say...even just the little sayings. We went to story time at the library this week. He loved it and did so well. However, it was rather funny as we were walking out to the car...Ali was going to have him jump off this thing and she was counting...1..2..3 and we both look down and at the say time say "oh my goodness"...his shorts were around his ankles. OOPS! Told you he was small...and those were 2T!

Just a few random pictures from this week....

pictures

It's all in the PANCAKES!!

On Thursday, I loaded up the kids and headed over to Lake Charles for a quick visit with my parents and brother/sister in law/niece. It was a quick trip...but very good to see them all.

Pancakes are of the utmost importance when we make a trip to Nona and Poppy's house. Is it because pancakes are just THAT delicious? Probably not, in all honesty...but Ali and Abby sure think they are a MUST have when they visit. Why? It is because since Ali and Abby (and now Clark) were able to eat pancakes, Nona made them "pancake ladies" (just like she did for me when I was a little girl). "Pancake ladies" you ask...yep, pancakes in the shape of ladies (sometimes perhaps a little oddly shaped...but the girls just don't care at all!). At 10 and 8 these girls still want their pancake ladies first thing in the morning. Clark got his very first "pancake man" this weekend. Who cares if he totally didn't get it yet...oh he will! Before long, he too will be demanding those pancake men! Nona lets them put all the chocolate chips their little hearts desire all over those pancakes...and syrup...yep, they each get their very own little bottle of syrup...to empty on those pancakes!! It will be a very sad day for Nona when these girls no longer ask for the blessed pancake ladies! But not to worry yet, Nona, I think you have many more years of pancake cooking ahead of you. :) Ali, Abby, Clark, and one day Addison...will grow up remembering their special pancakes from Nona!

Congrats to my brother, Jay, sister in law, Paula, and niece, Abby as they have made it ONE step closer to bringing home their daughter (and sister), Addison, from China! They made it to the "review room" (as they call it in adoption lingo)...which is when the "powers that be" in China are actually reviewing their adoption package and will ask for questions to be answered (if there are any...and we are praying there aren't as it will slow down the process even more) and then send them on to the next phase of the process. China adoptions have slowed down significantly over the last year...which is delaying their entire process. They have been logged into the China system for one year now...and have quite a while to go! However, each step is a praise and ONE STEP closer to holding their precious china doll. T.C., Ali, and I can totally relate to the wait...that is for sure...but now being on the other side, can also add that the wait is most definitely worth every second.

I am adding a few pictures from our quick trip to Louisiana. The motorcycle belongs to some friends of my parents. We decided to take Clark by and let him play on it. To say he loved it would be an understatement. He was so sad when we had to leave...he kept saying "motaaacyyycle"...

Lake Charles

San Antonio....

Well, we had a great time in San Antonio over the weekend. Sea World was crazy crowded and hot...but we all had a good time. Friday we went to The Alamo, the San Antonio Missions, and took a boat ride along the River Walk. Since the missions are a National Park, Ali earned another Jr. Ranger badge. (which she has been collecting since she was 3 years old and living in New Mexico) She has earned many badges with all of our travels...we love going to National Parks.

Saturday was our trip to Sea World. We wanted to hit the shows first...so we saw Shamu and then a dolphin/beluga whale show. Russie Clark was fascinated with the Shamu show and sat for the entire 25 minute show just staring!! We weren't expecting the crowds to be like they were, so it took longer to get from one thing to another...with a stroller. But we managed and we stayed at the park until 7:00pm! Ali really enjoyed a ski show, but Russie Clark decided to sleep through that..ha! He and I walked around while Ali and T.C. waited an hour to ride a "rapids" ride...they got SOAKED! It was so sad...Clark and I were watching from "the sidelines" and we saw T.C. and Ali ride by...I was pointing and waving...and I thought he was glad to see them...then when they were out of sight he starting crying his eyes out! He didn't understand where they were going. Anyway, he finally calmed down and was glad to see them when they got off the ride. From there we headed over to the dolphin touch pool and the aquarium building. He LOVED watching the dolphins...as you can see by the pictures.

Hope you enjoy the pictures...we can't wait to go back to San Antonio and explore the town some more. There seems to be a LOT to do there.

San Antonio

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears...OH MY!

Russie Clark had his first visit to the zoo today! We went to the Houston Zoo for the first time since we have lived here. Aside from it being a little hot (no...not in TX!), we had a great time. Ali brought her friend, Sierra, and fun was had by all. Clark loved the monkeys best of all...I do believe. It is just so neat for us to watch our little guy experience all these new things. It is wonderful to imagine seeing things through his little eyes....everything is new, everything is exciting. He examines everything...a plane up above, a flower on a bush, a frog in the yard, OR...a monkey in a zoo! What a gift we have been given to be able to watch him explore and learn so much about our world.

zoo

Just couldn't make it through lunch.........

Just wanted to post these funny pictures from lunch today. I had walked out of the kitchen for a minute only to return to a sleeping boy. Now as I type this Clark is thinking he already "napped" and can't seem to fall asleep in his bed. :)

The video is of him kissing all his babies after he put them to bed. Yes, he is in his underwear...the babies just HAD to be put to bed as I was trying to get him dressed. (then I couldn't resist a couple of cute shots in his undies!!) The end of the video clip looks funny...Ali had walked into his room and he was showing her the motorcycles on his undies...too cute!!

I will be sharing some studio pictures with you soon. I took the kids to JCPenney's yesterday and had their pictures made together. They turned out so cute. I had purchased the kids traditional Ukrainian shirts while we were over there. The shirts were too pretty not to have their picture made in them! I will get a link to the pictures in a week or so and will email it.

sleeping boy and putting babies to bed

Grandparent's Day

You gotta love grandparents, don't you? I called my dad on Saturday evening to tell him about a Grandparent's Day breakfast at our church the following morning...and you know what...he hopped in his truck and headed over! He didn't want his grands being there without a grandparent. My mom was out of town visiting her brother that had 2 strokes last week. (pray for him, my Uncle Sam...whom we named Samuel Ruslan Clark after) Anyway, he came over Saturday night and came to church with us the next day for a breakfast, and then after church there was a luncheon for the preschool department. It was a lot of fun. THANKS DAD (POPPY)!!!!

Russie Clark is still doing very well. His new thing is gathering up his "babies" (about 3 teddy bears) and putting them to bed. He will put them in his bed, cover them up, and kiss them all "night, night"...it is so precious. He also loves his Playhut set that we bought for him before we traveled to Ukraine. It is little tubes and cubes that connect together and then you dump balls in one tent on the end. He loves crawling through it all and tossing the balls around.

Ali is still enjoying swim team. It will definitely keep her in shape...she swims 3 times a week for an hour and a half. (I should jump in the water and swim also...but that won't be happening)

Here is a sweet poem I came across that I thought you might enjoy reading...

The Gift of Life

I didn't give you the gift of life,
But in my heart I know.
The love I feel is deep and real,
As if it had been so.

For us to have each other
Is like a dream come true!
No, I didn't give you
The gift of life,
Life gave me the gift of you.

--- Unknown

Enjoy the new pictures and video clips...

Grandparents Day, Playhut, etc.