Bananna Peal Caper

We had something happen while we were in our last days in Kyiv Ukraine finishing up our adoption of four lovely girls. We had been out most of the day and returned with some food from the local store. Among the items purchased were banana's and other fruit and eggs. As we had come to learn of the girls, they loved banana's and eggs. The apartment we had was on the 7th or top floor of the building we were in. It had a small balcony off the kitchen and another one off the living room. We were all watching TV and talking and the kids were enjoying eating all they wanted when they wanted. This was something they couldn't do in the orphanage. All of a sudden the door bell rings and son and oldest daughter come running in from the kitchen to answer it. As the door opens I hear and can barley see, two women just giving son and daughter the what for about something. Daughter says something to them in Ukrainian and slams the door in their face's. As I get to the door this happens and I ask what was that about? They both shrug their shoulders and son says they were at the wrong place.

Now.... we have been in Ukraine for about 8 1/2 weeks at this point and I can understand a little bit of what is said. Son doesn't know too much more that I do and don't see how he could have understood what they were saying. I think there is more to this than they are fessing up to. As I continue to question them about this I walk into the kitchen and notice that all the banana's are gone. I look in the refrigerator to see if they got put there and I notice the egg carton is open and four eggs are missing. As I am looking daughter is looking at me with a strange look on her face, like the one of the cat Sylvester with the Tweety bird in his mouth. I also notice that the door to the balcony is open and since it is about 40 degrees out I think it see what they were up too. As I look out over the balcony into the street I can see banana peals all over the side walk and eggs splattered there as well. I turn tell them to get garbage bags and come with me. Son starts to tell me that daughter was doing it and that he tryed to stop here. She understands enough English at this point to realize that he is blaming her and starts to protest in Ukrainian. I hush them up and tell wife what has happened and that we are going down to clean it up. All the way down in the elevator they are arguing as to who did what. Once down on the street they pick up all the peals and egg shells as people are walking by. Some of these people see what is going on and say something that only daughter understands. Her response was to stick her tongue out them.

After completing the task we go back upstairs and wife gets her two cents in. Later as I tell her what happened down in the street with daughter sticking her tongue out we start to laugh. With that daughter comes in and asks " ok now?" All the kids come in and start tickling and playing and finally son tells all.

It seems he and daughter were eating a banana when he went to throw his peal in the trash can , he missed and they started to take turns throwing it in. One of them got the idea to open the balcony door and put the can out there and throw them in so if you missed it would go over and down to the next balcony. Except it went further than they thought and hit the side walk and the street. After throwing a lot of the stuff son looked over after having just tossed an egg to see where it all was going. As he looked over he saw that all of it was in the street or side walk and that he had just missed two ladies with the egg. They were the two who came up to the door fussing at them.
We still laugh at that one, especially when a banana peal misses the trash can.

Home

As I sit here writing this I can hear two my girls practicing their clarinet's. The third one started playing two years ago. Her younger sister started this year. They practice together most afternoons. The oldest girl is preparing dinner. It is soup made from scratch, a stew made with potatoes, sausage and vegetables. Corn cut off the cob and fryed with seasonings and raspberry and cream cheese mix in home made batter for dessert. The next oldest girl is dragging around because of hard practice she went through today. As she improves each week at running cross country she is pushing herself more and more.
Four years ago the couldn't speak ten words of English, had no idea what it was like in America and were very cautious about us not knowing what they were getting into by being adopted by this family from America. Now.... They have become Americans in the truest sense. The youngest has an American southern accent, the next one has lost almost all her Ukraine accent. The older two still have a strong Ukraine accent but have learned the true art of shopping in America. Shop until Mom drops is the call !! Wife is not a shopper but has done well to show the art to the girls.
It is incredible to see how far they have come. The language, the change in customs, being in a family, all was new to them. I remember the oldest girl making a statement after having trouble adapting to some of our rule. She looked at wife and said " It's a lot harder to be in a family than I thought it would be."
Now all the girls cling to wife and always get excited when she returns home from work. Daughter #3 still runs out the door and to the car when she arrives to be the first to give her a hug. I love them dearly but I would feel smothered if they clinged to me like they do wife. She is a trooper and shows much love and patience with them. Unlike most teens that our friends have who want out of the house and to run around and have fun, our girls want to be around us and at home. They 18, 16, 14 & 12 now. They enjoy doing things and going places but home and family is something they craved when in the orphanages and are just happy to be here.
Two years ago we moved from the house they knew upon arriving here to a bigger house with a lot more property, in part to buy a horse. They took it hard and one of them said that the other house was there first house they lived in with a family. Even though they shared two bedrooms and now have their own they still talk of the other house with fond memory's.
This is a good life we share together and we are Blessed to have them as our children.
Over the next few blogs I will share stories about our trip to get the girls.
Ah !! The dogs are barking and the kids are running out the door....Mama's home !!!!!!!!1

Catherine again

My daughter Catherine, the runner, ran today and knocked another minute off her time. She also finished first of all her school. It rained here all night and all day. She ran in the rain and developed a blister during the race and still finished strong. Wow, we are proud of her and excited to see how good she can get. In Ukraine she would not have even been allowed to do any thing like this.

Speaking of rain.... we have had a lot of it. Three inches today, five yesterday, one and a half the day before and one inch each day for the two days before. No end in sight, this could go on for another four days. Even the ducks are starting to cry foul.

RUNNING

One of my daughter's is running cross country this fall. She is the most athletic of all the kids and a natural runner. In her first meet she ran very high 29 minutes and change. In her second she cut almost 5 minutes and last week she cut about 30 seconds. This past week she ran Varsity instaed of JV. She said it was differant, the girls would push her as they passed. She is a gamer and has a good kick. Her attitude is to try and pass just one more before the end.
On one of her starts there were about 400 giirls atarting across about 200 yards. The course funneled down to a normal ten yard wide opening with in the first 300 yards. She didn't want to get caught in a crunch so she sprinted out to the lead for about the first half mile before falling back.
While we were at the orphanage Our son, who thought himself to be a fast runner, and the girls were playing with a soccer ball in a field next door. At one point he grabed the ball and started to run across the field. He had a bout a 30 yard lead when Catherine, who was in flip flops and he in sneakers, took off after him. She caught in no time and decked with her forarm. He went head over heals and she returned with ball telling him Ukraine not to do it again.
The first time she touched a football, American that is, she threw a perfect spiral about 40 yards. She can do just about what she wants too.
We now have two daughters who are learning to play Clarinet. Alexandra has been at for two years ans Olivia is learning this year. Olivia has a good ear for it, she has been able to play things by ear. Not an easy feat if you are learning to play an instrument.
This time of the year always reminds me of our adoption of the girls. It was on 8/28/05 that we went over and returned on 1o/31/05. I remember writing in my journal during the end of the time there that as I was praying to God thatall I wanted to do was get home in time to see a little football and could He help speed things up. It worked, out oof the blue we got a phone call that all things blocking us were removed and we had a court date set. I wonder what would have happened if I had prayed that a few weeks earlier? Oh well, it was worth the struggle because we have Blessed abundantly since with four of the sweeetest and loving girls that anybody could have.
I love my wife and I love my children. I only wish there was a way for us to get more. After seeing all those children we left in that orphange I still dream of ways to get some of them home. Lord willing it will happen one day.

He's My King

This is something I've heard in church before. It is really worth the read. It's worth the listen too if you look it up.
The spirit of sickness has been in our home but is almost gone. Three of us had the crud, not the dreaded swine flu, or as the younget called it the "swamie" flu.


The late Dr. S.M. Lockeridge, a preacher from San Diego, California who said these words in a sermon in Detroit in 1976

My King was born King. The Bible says He's a Seven Way King. He's the King of the Jews - that's an Ethnic King. He's the King of Israel - that's a National King. He's the King of righteousness. He's the King of the ages. He's the King of Heaven. He's the King of glory. He's the King of kings and He is the Lord of lords. Now that's my King. Well, I wonder if you know Him. Do you know Him? Don't try to mislead me. Do you know my King?
David said the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. My King is the only one of whom there are no means of measure that can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of the shore of His supplies. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing. He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful. That's my King. He's God's Son. He's the sinner's saviour. He's the centrepiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He's honest. He's unique. He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He's supreme. He's pre-eminent. He's the grandest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He's the supreme problem in higher criticism. He's the fundamental doctrine of historic theology. He's the carnal necessity of spiritual religion. That's my King.He's the miracle of the age. He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. He's the only one able to supply all our needs simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak. He's available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He's the Almighty God who guides and keeps all his people. He heals the sick. He cleanses the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharged debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek. That's my King.Do you know Him?
Well, my King is a King of knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory. He's the master of the mighty. He's the captain of the conquerors. He's the head of the heroes. He's the leader of the legislatures. He's the overseer of the overcomers. He's the governor of governors. He's the prince of princes. He's the King of kings and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King.His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His light is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you . . .but He's indescribable. He's indescribable. That's my King.He's incomprehensible. He's invincible. He's irresistible. I'm coming to tell you this, that the heavens of heavens can't contain Him, let alone some man explain Him. You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hands. You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him. The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree about Him. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my King.He always has been and He always will be. I'm talking about the fact that He had no predecessor and He'll have no successor. There's nobody before Him and there'll be nobody after Him. You can't impeach Him and He's not going to resign. That's my King! That's my King!Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Well, all the power belongs to my King. We're around here talking about black power and white power and green power, but in the end all that matters is God's power. Thine is the power. Yeah. And the glory. We try to get prestige and honour and glory for ourselves, but the glory is all His. Yes. Thine is the Kingdom and the power and glory, forever and ever and ever and ever. How long is that? And ever and ever and ever and ever. And when you get through with all of the 'ever's, then . . .Amen.