Autumn Fun

We took the kiddos to a pumpkin farm outside of Murfreesboro!  They had a BLAST!  This is the first family outing we have had since returning home.  We seem to always have to work...especially Jeff.  His job has made him crazy busy.  He hasn't had a full weekend off yet.  This is not normal for his job.  After he finished working a radio van stop at Border's yesterday, we head to Lucky Ladd Farms for a couple hours of fun!

First day of school

Leeza had her first day of kindergarten today!  Everything went great!  Only a few tears from Leeza and none from mama!  Will post pictures tomorrow.  I am too exhausted to download them!

One month!

Amazingly enough, we have been home for a month. In some ways it seems like it has been longer than one month and then in other ways, it feels like less than one month.  I still stare in awe at these beautiful children God blessed us with everyday.  I love watching Leeza sleep..her long lashes on her cute cheeks.  I don't think I will ever tire of doing that.  I love watching Zhenya absorbing the language and trying to read everything he sees!! . 
Here are some of our accomplishment in the short/long month we have been home:
Zhenya knows all the letters/letter sounds in the alphabet.  He can count in English to 1000.  He reads to me almost daily.  He knows 80 percent of the sight words.  He can spell his first and last name correctly as well as write all the letters of the alphabet!  He is a great helper with his sister.  He has picked up numerous English words....too many for me to count!  He loves school.  Yesterday, he told me that he really loves America. 

Leeza has had three rotten teeth removed.  She can count to 6 without help and to 10 with a little bit of help.  She knows about 30 percent of her letters.  She put together an alphabet puzzle all by herself for the first time yesterday.  She can identify some of the letters in her name...still working on writing them.  She understand 70 percent of what we say to her in English.  She can climb up and down stairs and the jungle gym without any assistance or without tripping over her own feet.  She has stopped falling down when she walks, except when she has been spinning in a circle as she was just doing..LOL.  She fell flat just as I was writing this!!

They both are able to dress themselves, brush their teeth, feed themselves and take their plates to the kitchen without any help.  They are also now participating with GLEE in family chores. Leeza helped her papa put away dishes the other night and she was SOOO proud of herself. 

Tomorrow is a big day.  Leeza starts kindergarten!!!  She is currently in denial about it!!  If Zhenya or I mention school, she indicates that she is not going!!   She has never had any schooling, so I am eager to see how things go.  There are comments in her Ukrainian health records indicating mental defect.  We have been teaching her at home as much as possible, but she often won't try to hard for me as I have seen her try for other people or when I am not asking!  If there are cognitive issues, then we will deal with them.  However, it is difficult at this point to determine low intelligence or lack of development due to neglect.   From my observation (as a Special Education teacher)  I am leaning toward lack of instruction.  Either way,  she is our girl!  We love them both no matter what!!!

I will post pictures as soon as I can!

Doctors and dentist

I feel like I am torturing my baby!  I know it is all for her own good and improvement of health, but it is tough when you can't explain it to them. Last week, we went to the family doctor and Leeza got 4 shots for her immunization.  Yesterday, we took her to the International adoption clinic at Vanderbilt to see the doctor there.  She had a whole list of things on her medical form that caused us concern, so we wanted someone to look at her who has experience with institutionalized children.  While there, they took 4 vials of blood.  Mama and Leeza both cried.  Papa held her while they took the blood.  She screamed so loud and I cried right along with her.  I tried not to let her see me cry, but it was utterly heartbreaking.  Today,  we went to the dentist.  I thought we were just going for an assessment of the situation, but it ended up as an extraction of 3 teeth!!  They were seriously infected and needed to come out right away.  She did much better at the dentist.  I guess the laughing gas helped.  She laughed and smiled through the whole process.  Thankfully, it was quick.  She has to go back in a couple of weeks to get some of the other teeth crowned.  Her entire mouth except her teeth in the very front have terrible cavities.  Bless her heart, they have to hurt.  She claims they don't.  The interpreter at the adoption clinic asked her if they hurt.  But then she always says no...she is never hungry, never has to pee, never tired...etc.....  So there is no way to know for sure if the teeth hurt.  They look horrible however.  I am thankful that they can crown the rest rather than pulling all of them.  She only has two of her adult teeth in the front.  Her adult teeth were all there in her gums, thank God!  The dentist didn't want to pull anymore because he said the baby teeth are the guide for the adult teeth to come in correctly.  She is still going to need braces one day, but why make it worse if we can avoid it. 
She cried the entire ride home in the car.   I held her hand and kept telling her we love her.  Zhenya was sweet too...he would pet her hand and tell her it's okay.  Once we got home, she just wanted to cuddle papa.  She slept for a bit. 
This is one part of the having children process, you just don't think about.  It is heartbreaking watching them cry from something that is for their own good and not understanding why.  She still has a way to go medically, so any prayers her way are greatly appreciated! 

Soo our kids!

Jeff and I are somewhat electronic geeks.  We like our gadgets and use them alot.  Not sure what I did before laptops, high speed internet and cell phones.  That being said.  I walked into the other room a couple of nights ago after working for an hours or so on some work for my online graduate classes.  This is the sight I saw.  Zhenya and Leeza are SOOOO our kids!

Jeff on the laptop, Zhenya on the Nintendo DS and Leeza on the Gameboy!

Randomness

A few random pictures and thoughts from our days at home.
I am outside right now with the kids.  Zhenya is teaching Leeza how to pedal her bicycle.  He is doing a much better job than I was doing.

Now after adopting these two precious angel, I think back on the questions in the homestudy and we had to answer questions about our ability to love adopted children.  Seriously!?!?!  Leeza was standing at my chair a few minutes ago and rattling away in Russian.  I started to cry a bit, because I can not imagine loving her and Zhenya anymore than I do now.  I don't care who gave birth to them.  They are MY children and I love them completely and fully. 

Jeff showing Zhenya how to shoot the basketball.

I thought this picture was so cute.  She is trying to throw the ball.  She throws like a girl!

Zhenya watching his papa.

Leeza and her basketball.

Zhenya's bedroom

 I would like to comment that despite the Tennessee Vols item in the above photos.  Mama does not like UT, however we live in Tennessee....so we get free UT stuff.

Leeza's bedroom

Home Two Weeks!

Wow...time flies at home much faster than it did in Ukraine!  We have been home for two weeks.  Amazingly enough, the kids fit into our family so well that it seems like they have always been here.  They are adjusting well...as far as I can tell!  I know we are in the honeymoon phase, but they seem really happy.  We have no trouble getting them to bed or to eat.  Zhenya LOVED his first few days of school.  He made sweet friends who are taking care of him.  He befriended a tall African American boy named Chris.  The second day I took Zhenya to school, Chris was standing at his desk.  He saw Zhenya and said "YES!!" with the little arm motion that goes with it.  It was great and it made my heart happy to know that there were kids in his class who like him.  Chris then ran up to tell me " Zhenya is so cool!"   One of my co-workers was at his school and said that Zhenya and Chris were so funny to watch.  Apparently, Chris was up reading some cards and Zhenya stood beside him just petting him on the back.  TOO Funny!!  One great thing about the kids going to schools in my school system is the number of people I have around to keep an eye out on them and to come tell me sweet stories about things they do during the day. 
Zhenya rides the bus to my school at the end of the day.  The first day I was a nervous wreck......he bounced off the bus following my assistant's( Kasey) little guy Dylan.  He said hi to Kasey and I was standing further back.  I said his name......he ran full speed across the grass yelling "MAMA!!!!" and grabbed me for the biggest hug ever.  I am struggling not to cry even as I write this.  It was so precious and  a memory I will never forget!  The other teacher who witnessed it struggled not to cry as well.    I can't tell you how nice it is to have these sweet kids love to see me everyday.  If I go somewhere, they are excited to hug and greet me when I return.  A couple days last week, I didn't get to see Leeza much.  She stayed home with papa.   On Tuesday, I came home from work and she grabbed me around the neck and just kept saying mama, mama, mama over and over again.  She just held on so tight!! 
My co-workers had an adoption shower for us.  One co-worker gave the kids bicycle!!  THEY LOVED THEM!!  The kids received a lot of nice things and we also received some much needed money and gift cards.  I really appreciate the kindness of those who have helped us out.    Leeza is set on clothing for awhile...unless she grows really fast this year!!  Zhenya has clothes, but still needs a few things.  It is tough to find clothing for him...he is so little.  He has been eating better.  I say that and then turn around to see that he is not eating the food I gave him thirty minutes ago!! 
Leeza's skin has completely cleared up from whatever was all over her.  She is no longer scratching and broke out.  Today she counted to ten in English with only help on a couple of numbers!!  Papa and mama were quite excited!  Zhenya can count to 100 with ease now.  We had been practicing, but the few days at school have helped.  
We have fall break for the next two weeks...so we are going to work on learning English and other school related things.  I almost have their bedrooms organizer.  Zhenya's room is a sports theme.  It is looking very cute!  Leeza's room is a Tinkerbell/ flower theme.    I will post pictures when I finish them. 
Well all is well in the Fellers's household!!  Thanks for all the continued prayer!