Sping is in the AIR!

And Ty and Zach are READY for school to be OUT! Last night, Tyler fell apart with papa. He started crying when it was bedtime about how in Ukraine, they had a time when school was out and they got to run free and stay up and do whatever they wanted. He was not pleased to find out that he would not be running free with no one watching him here in the states. His thinking is that after school gets out, he and Zach should just be able to stay upstairs and do whatever they wanted while we are at work...no need for anyone to watch them. Little does he know that he is coming to work with me and attending the daycare all day. The school-aged program is going to be great for them. They do all kinds of field trips and they are kept busy. I KNOW he would rather watch TV all day and play video games all night. But I DO think he would get bored after a few days of that! At least I HOPE so!

I had my first official Mother's Day. We went to eat at the same restaurant that we go to every Sunday. It is a Chinese buffet that the boys refer to as the "manoga myasa" place. We have since started referring to it in English as the "Much Meat" restaurant...because that is what Zach named it. So, we ate at Much Meat and went home (OH and we went to the manager's office at Wal-Mart...but more on that later).The week before Mother's Day, the boys made cards and a tissue-paper flower in school. I got home on Thursday and Tyler ran up with something behind his back and said, "Momma! Momma!!!" whilst holding his gifts behind his back. He pulled them out and yelled, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOMMA!!!!" Ahhh. Zach waited until the day after Mother's Day to give me his card and flower. It is interesting to me to note that Mother's Day has always been hard for me BEFORE I was a mother. Now, on my first Mother's Day...I feel like I have been a mother FOREVER!

In a few days, we will have been home with the boys for 5 months. I am amazed at how well they have adjusted and at how GOOD they are. I mean, sure, we have our little bumps (I will tell you of a few funny ones in a minute) but for the most part, these boys who SHOULD be basket cases are actually very normal, very sweet, wonderful kids. The majority of our bumps are typical 9 and 10 year old things - not post-institutionalized, screwy, warped things! I am convinced that these boys were covered on prayer (by MANY people) before we knew them and that God and prayer is the reason they are doing well.

Hmmm...let's see. Zach has had a few rough weeks - but not at school! I get Zach up to "go potty" every night. I got him up last Friday and walked him in to the bathroom, positioned him in front of the toilet with the seat up and then I went outside the bathroom to clean the cat litter. The next thing I hear is the sound of soft rain on paper....no, wait...the next sound I hear is ZACH piddling in the TRASH CAN!!!!! The next thing Zach hears is "ZACHARY FANELLI!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!?" He has by then, of course, stopped everything - and is standing and staring at me wide-eyed. His words..."Momma...I forgot." Hmmm. Because in Ukraine we used to piddle in the garbage can all the time? No - they did have bathrooms and the bathrooms didn't HAVE trash cans. It wouldn't have ticked me off so much if I hadn't LINED HIM UP in front of the toilet. He had to MOVE to hit the trash can. So, in miffed-mother-mode, I said "FINE. YOU are CLEANING IT UP!" I made him dump the soaked trash into another bag and then put the trash can in the tub and wash it with soap and water. Then I had regained a shred of composure, dried the can, apologized for screeching at him and told him that I really hoped he didn't "forget" that in school - that would be embarrassing!

On Saturday, we went about our day waiting for the return of papa. He had been gone for a whole week this time and true to their form, they started asking when he was coming home the day before he was due. We went to Wal-Mart on Saturday and the boys got a giant frisbee and some other little stuff. Tyler is sly. He asks for the big stuff but asks by saying, "Me, I want this but you say no..." Then I SEE the $5 or $10 item and then I DO say no. But typically, they get something every time we go to the store. Usually at $2 or $3 item. A ball, a yo-yo - something. Well, we checked out and papa called as he was on his way home form the Indy airport. We went home and unpacked groceries and waited for papa. About an hour after we got home, Tyler comes up to me and tells me that Zach has taken a pack of gum from Wal-Mart. WHAT?!?!? I ask him to tell me what went on and he tells me that he "found" it on the floor at Wal-Mart. We went through the whole "is-it-yours" and the "did-you-pay-for-it" things and finally I got him to admit that yes, he had stolen it and no, it wasn't his to take. I am absolutely angry with him but trying to not lose it on him (you ungrateful little TURD!!!) and then I decide to let papa in on this. He is less than 10 minutes from home when I call and tell him (and he is furious, too).

Okay, so now he has to come home after being gone for a week and pretend like he doesn't know and greet them with hugs and kisses. I must say, he pulled it off very well. I read Tyler a book and Zach and dad went to the other room to talk. Ty told me that he saw the gum on the floor and asked Zach about it and he said he found it on the floor but "shhh - don't tell momma..." which, of course, he immediately did. At this point, I am glad that Ty tells on his brother. Someday it may be annoying. Anyway, Tom got Zach to crack and Zach was bawling his eyes out. Tom told him that after church, we were going to go to Wal-Mart and he was buying the gum with his own money (20 cents - wooo hooo)and then we were talking to the manager.

I called the manager ahead of time to make sure they wouldn't hall my kid to jail for a pack of gum and they assured me to bring him in. They had two managers talk to him and he said things like since Zach took something that belonged to Wal-Mart, they were taking all of his videos and games. Did that sound okay to him? Of course, Zach said "Yes." He talked for about 5 minutes about all the opportunities that Zach had now that he is in America and Zach just sat there and responded with appropriate responses. He got it the night before with his father. He seemed to understand this was a big, huge, monstrous NO NO. I think he won't ever try it again. I hope.Sunday came, I let his Sunday School teacher know what was going on. We hit Much Meat and then Wal-Mart.

But the best part of this story is what happened on Monday night. Tom said that they wanted to pray at dinner time (a first) and so they did. They each prayed and Ty said "Thanks for food and house and momma and papa" and Zach said "Thanks for grandma and grandpa and please help grandma's leg heal" and then they ate (I was working late). Then, Tom said they wanted to pray before bed (COOL!! Another first!). Tyler prayed that I would get home soon and Zach prayed about being thankful for momma and papa and grandma and grandpa and then...he said, "I sorry God for stealing gum." He really DID get it! Tom said it was all he could do to not just drop to his knees and start sobbing right there.

It is so hard to explain God and the whole concept of relationship with Christ to a 9 and 10 year old. It is different when you have them in church from the time they are born. These boys have had a lot of stuff happen to them. A lot of things that I would ask WHY to if I were them (Sometimes I ask why anyway!) To know that they are understanding forgiveness and grace and God and the love of Christ (okay, I know they don't understand all of that) but to know they are starting to grasp that they even need to SAY "I'm sorry" to God. It is just too cool.

Well, tomorrow is our combined birthday party for the boys at the church. They took invitations to their class at school and apparently Zach had a few left over and went in to the 1st and 2nd grade classes. The school has a deal where if you invite at school, you have to invite the whole school. Sooo - I got a call from school wondering if the 1st grade teacher should make copies of the invite for the entire class or if I really MEANT for the 1st and 2nd grade class to come.... Uh, NO! So far, we have had one RSVP from a 2nd grader - and the boys don't really know her. Go figure. We shall see if a million of if 10 show up - it doesn't matter to me. I know that we are having a giant jumping balloon and I know WE will have fun!

Saturday we are going to a wedding in Chicago and staying in a hotel so the boys get to swim. Sunday night is the Children's Spring Musical at church...both boys are in it so - we will have their first church performance. Two weeks ago we had their first school performance as they played their recorders. Zach is a complete HAM!

Next week, papa is gone for half the week and then we are going to St. Louis next weekend for Zach's birthday weekend. I take cupcakes on Tuesday for his birthday and school is OUT on Wednesday. And then, it is almost SUMMER TIME!!!