Love for Orphans

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

AUGUST 29, 2012

On August 29, 2011 I walked into a Baby Home, in St. P*te and met my daughter...

A year later, here we are...

Look how much my baby girl has changed!

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

First day of Pre-K

Today was Vika's first day of Pre-K

Vika with her teacher, Mrs. King

Vika with her favorite principal


Vika and her new friend, Charlie

Vika had a great first day, minus the fact that the bus dropped her off 37 minutes late. SERIOUSLY, I was one UNHAPPY mama. Thankfully, she only has to ride the bus to school, and not home as well. I'm hoping they got things figured out today, because that was a bit ridiculous!

Okay, so due to my pride, I didn't post this before...but I feel I should edit it, because I'm sure one day in the future, I will be glad I wrote it down. As a teacher...and a parent...I want my baby girl to be the best :) There I said it! When I compare her abilities, it is not to other ELL students, or kiddos coming from a similar background. In fact, it's just the opposite. I compare her to the kids who have it all...all the possible advantages there can possibly be, and that is who I want her to be "competing" with.

Anyhow, today Vika was tested our building's ESL teacher. The results surprised me to say the least...and I'm ESL certified...so I thought I had a good idea where she was performing. Well,...apparently not to much, because according to the test Vika is non-English speaking. Now, for all of you who have spent any amount of time with my baby, I'm sure you're thinking, "what the heck!". But sadly, it's true. :(

So, you, like me, may be asking, what did she miss? Well, let me tell you. First off, it's NOT COMPLETELY Vika's fault.

Error #1 went something like this:
Teacher: "Vika, do you have any sisters or brothers?"
Vika: "Yes."
Teacher (knowing me quite well): "What?"
Vika: "I have a sister."
Teacher: "Who is your sister?"
Vika: "Alex"
Teacher: "Where does she live?"
Vika: "At my house."
NOTE: Vika does have a "big sister". In fact, she wears a necklace almost daily (including today to school) that says lil' sis. And Alex has the other half that says: wait for it...BIG SIS!!! However, Alex is not her sister, but her COUSIN. However, Vika loves Alex and Alex loves Vika...and they are like sisters! When Vika is in Ohio, all she does is talk about her Babushka, Auntie Jen, and HER SISTER ALEX!!!!

Error #2 went something like this:
Teacher: "Who are the three people in this picture (after giving a lil' background info about what is happening in the story?"
Vika: Points to the lady: "Mama." Points the the child: "Vika (me)." Points to the man: "I don't know." Answer: Daddy.
As Vika overhears me telling this to my mom, Vika responds, "my daddy's in the sky." With that said, come June 15, 2013, she will have TWO daddys...one in the sky and one living in her house...thus she will know who that third person in the picture is suppose to represent!

Error #3 went something like this:
Teacher: "Point to the man."
Vika: "What's a man?"
Teacher: "Point to the lady."
Vika: (Again) "What's a lady?"
Note: Vika calls a man a "big boy" and a lady a "big girl". Guess that's my fault for never giving her the appropriate vocabulary word.

As bummed as I was...okay, am...I am soooo proud of my baby girl and all the language she does have! For only being here eight months, she really is doing fantastic! I definitely have a SMART daughter...even if the test does have her as being NON-English Speaking!!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

July Photo shoot

A few of my favorite pics from our July photo shoot with Chuck!
Enjoy! My baby girl is growing up!

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Stories from July (Seven Months Home)

PART 2: Good Times in Ohio

So, following a week at PCB Beach with the lovely O'Shields family, Justin, Vika and I all hopped a plane to Ohio to spend some time with my family. Fun is always sure to be had when we are with my fun-lovin' family! And that's just what we had...tons of fun!

Our week started with a fun day of boating out on Apple Valley Lake. And what a day! First off, Vika had never been out on a boat before, and she loved it. She kept asking for us to go faster. Then we threw her out on a tube and my fearless lil' girl did great...until...she...well, let's just say Auntie Jenny always keeps her promises. So, when she told Vika that she wouldn't let go of her, that's exactly what she meant...even if that meant flying into the air and landing right on top of Vika! Poor lil' girl didn't know what hit her!!

Then...Justin...yes my Justin, found out what happens when he shares a tube with me! Someone has to fly off...and that will not be me!! Yes, between Kathy's terrific boat driving skills and my element of surprise, Justin found himself in the water shortly after the ride began. :) He left me hanging on...nearly dying over the fact! It was too easy! Note: He's an amateur tuber :)

Then my beloved Justin sent not only himself but Vika and I both into the lake...yes, me AND VIKA! He lucked out and we ran outta gas, because Auntie Jenny was out to get him after that one! In hind sight it wasn't ALL his fault, but we blamed him! You see, Kathy (yes the same "expert driver" from above) came to nearly a dead stop, and Justin leaned too far forward, causing the entire tube to sink making the THREE of us tumble off the front of the tube!

But back to the humor of the afternoon (which wasn't funny, in the moment), but mom kept asking Kathy if we needed to refuel the boat as we had been out ALL day! And of course Kathy would reply with something along the lines of "no, we have half a tank"...well that half a tank wasn't half full but half empty. And at 7:00 pm we found ourselves sitting on the lake with no gas! Needless to say, we looked like a boat full of idiots! Thanks Kathy for keeping the afternoon eventful! We love you!

Justin, Vika and Mama

Babushka and Vika

Vika also went to her first county fair...and none other than the Knox County Fair. She pet some farm animals, ate her very first cheese on a stick, (which she enjoyed being the cheese lover she is), and rode every ride in the kiddie area, multiple times, and was bummed when they told her that she was too small.

We also went with the Mullins clan to Zoombezi Bay. It wasn't the hottest day, by any means, but it kept the crowd away which was great. The big bummer was that Vika was once again "too small" for many of the water slides and being fearless, she was bummed. :( But she still had a great time at Barracuda Bay with the girls.

Also, during our two and a half week visit to Ohio, Vika also watched her very first movie in the theater with Avery, Addy, and Alex. I took all the girls to see Ice Age: Continental Drift, which was a cute movie.

She also watched the Kansas classic: The Wizard of Oz with the flying monkeys and all!

We also celebrated my birthday as well as Babushka's. My poor baby wants to turn five so bad, so she can have a "Dora and Boots" cake. Until November, she has had to settle to helping Auntie Jenny, Mama, and Babushka make birthday cakes, blow out candles, wrap presents, and rip them open :) Not nearly as much of fun when it isn't your birthday, but she's content with being the PRO-HELPER!!!

Auntie Jenny being a "unicorn"

V at Mama's birthday "party" :)

Dedushka trying to blow his party Blowout
key word: TRYING

Vika's getting it!

Mama and Vika

Time to blow out the candle

Yes, the card Vika chose for me was DORA!!!

BamBam wanted to wear a hat too!

Vika making Babushka's cake

SOOooooo EXCITED!!

time for a lil' taste testing...

yes...it's all over, but I couldn't resist that sMiLe!!!

Time to add the sprinkles

Babushka and Vika

Time to blow out the candle

helping Babushka with her gift

Vika also experienced her first bonfire, complete with roasting her first hotdog and making a HUGE smore (which she wasn't a fan of).

Babushka helping Vika roast some weenies

Trying the smore

Vika also had the opportunity to meet her second cousin, Baby Kohen just three days after he was born. Just two days after we left OH for KS, Baby Kaylee was born. Can't wait to see them both at Christmas!