Cheyenne Canyon

Picnic at Cheyenne Canyon

The view during our picnic!

The other view during our picnic

The start of our climb by Helen Hunt Falls.

Climbing Up!

Almost there!

My loves!

Getting closer!

Dancing because we reached the end of the climb!   We are 7575 above sea level after completing a 1000 feet climb almost straight up.  I can't believe they have the energy to dance!!

An extremely friendly chipmunk...he was about 1 foot away from us.

The rodeway to Seven Falls

Scenery outside of Seven Falls.

Is there a bad view in this state?  I don't think so!!

Ponderings!

       I read other blogs and follow user groups about adoptions from Ukraine, and I am thankful that we did not/ are not experiencing some of the issues other families have gone through in their adoption and with their children once they get them home. ( Please pray for all adoptive families, as this is not an easy journey.)  I have read several posts from families who have had their children for 9 plus years and once they become teenagers, the child is being diagnosed with RAD (reactive attachment disorder)...it makes me wonder... how do you know the difference between an attachment issue or just teenage rebellion?  Rebellion is in the heart of everyone....look how rebellious the children of Israel were and they had God literally guiding them day and night!!  I don't need to be educated on attachment issues, because I read the books and the horror stories...we were required to read them for the adoption.  I still own all the book.....not to mention that a major part of my profession is helping children with emotional issues......I AM JUST PONDERING the state of mankind.....
      My kiddos are far from perfect and I suppose this is on my mind today because of their recent behavior.   Leeza had a semi-major meltdown last night, and Zhenya had a major pouting episode today.  Leeza has a minor sometimes major meltdown about once a month and she lacks a certain level of empathy at times that gives me some cause for concern.  Of course other times she is very empathic. Her frustration level is very high...she will cry when she thinks she can't do something.  She is definitely a drama queen.  Zhenya is a serious pouter/whiner/stuffer/quitter when he doesn't get his way, or he claims that whatever he wanted is no longer a desire to the extreme.  For instance, if I ground him from his video games, then he claims he will never play them again for the rest of his life.  This is laughable of course because I know that will not ever happen.  We rarely even respond to these behaviors because I have found that when I engage either child when they are in their irrational state that it tends to make matters worse.  We have the constant need/request for reassurance of our love forever.  I understand most of these behaviors for what they are...insecurity over losing and rejection from their parents as well as manipulation to get their way from time to time.   Overall, they are great, well behaved kids both at home and in public.  My heart breaks for the families dealing with the things they are dealing with, and I pray for them constantly.    
I know the answer to all my ponderings for my own children.......ultimately, I believe that when I dedicated my children to God that I gave them to Him. God is the healer of all hurts and issues.  Jeff and I are doing our best to teach them about God's love and grace as well as wholeheartedly love them in action and words. We don't give them an excuse when they make a bad choice in behavior...we talk about the choice and pray for forgiveness.  We let them know that mama and papa make bad choices sometimes too and we have to pray for forgiveness as well.  Jeff and I have worked with and attended an addiction recovery group for over two years, and we have met/seen case after case of people who let their past dictate and control their present and future.   There are some sad heartbreaking stories from these extremely broken people....but for those who allowed God in his mercy and grace to touch and change their lives..........it has made all the difference. For those who have not...they have lives that are destroyed and families that are broken.  (Jeff and I have an amazing story of God's grace in our lives and marriage.)   So the plan for Zhenya and Leeza.....as parents and followers of Jesus...we will be an example of God's grace and mercy.....teach them about God's grace and mercy....then if the time ever comes (though I pray it does not)...they will be equipped to know how to handle their past and their emotions, and not let the devil control their future.  God loves them more than I ever will, so I am just going to put it in His more than capable hands!!

New family member

Leeza finally got her long awaited dog.  We found a Chiweenie...which mostly looks like a dashchund.  We named her Chai because Jeff wanted the dog to have a Russian word for a name. Chai is the russian word for tea....I assume it the word for tea in other countries as well.  He was pulling for spaciba which is thank you, but I told him that was too long for a dog's name...so we settle on Chai.  We think it fits her anyway. Leeza is in "dog" heaven.  She will just sit and stare at the dog if we let her.  She has barely touched a toy all week, unless it has been the dog's toy.   Chai loves both of the kids.  She isn't as fond of adults, but we think she has been mistreated by adults.  She is a rescue.  When she first came home, the kids couldn't understand why she wouldn't just play with them.  I asked them if they remembered how they felt when they first came home to America...kinda scared and not sure what was going to happen.  They both remembered...I explained that Chai was feeling the same way.  It is a new home and she doesn't know if we are going to hurt her or be nice to her.  Both of them really seemed to understand after we had that conversation.



This is Chai!  The newest addition to the family!

In other news, I got a job offer on Friday!! Yay, God!!  I will be working as the Special Education teacher at Academy Endeavor Elementary.  It is about 7 minutes from the apartment...which makes me super happy!  I have driven about 45 minutes a day for the last 5 years for the school I worked in before.  So the change will be nice.  School doesn't start until 8:20 each day, so I definitely will get to sleep a bit later.  I have to talk with them about my kids coming to school there.  According to the locals, the district is the best school district in Colorado Springs.   I had to take our turtle to the vet for an ear abcess, and when I was telling the vet about the job...her comment was " They have Special Education kids in District 20?"  At any rate, I am very excited to have a job.  Please pray that God show Jeff and my mother the right place to go to find a job. This is certainly a walk of faith for me, but if God sent us as we feel He did..then He will provide.  Chai is going to the vet tomorrow morning to get her girl parts taken care of...please pray for her...it would be horrible if something happened after Leeza has waited so long to have her own puppy!!  I am also praying the turtle heals quickly...Zhenya adores the turtle and I would hate for him to die.  An ear abcess procedure is major surgery for a turtle!!
More later!!
Sheila

Colorado Settlers we are!

Hello!!!  (Jeff writing today)

We are loving COLORADO.. NO HUMIDITY and in the 80's... I guess its brutal in the South and Midwest right now....  saw a heat index of 109 in Murfreesboro... WOW

Moving in was a challenge, we are not use to the elevation... its 8500 feet above sea level here. I guess in thin air you need more red blood cells to adapt.  I read that when you go back to sea level you feel like your a super human..hmmmm  .  Olympics train here so I guess it is a benefit. We love the weather, no humidity... it has rained 7 days of the 12 we have been here.. I think we brought the rain from TN,  they say they are having a drought that is bad, so hopefully it has helped.
The area we live in is very nice,  5 mins from everything..  Some of the stores here are smaller like Marshalls- only 1 in town- and no men's shoes. what is up with that?    We have been to walking trails, big park, indoor pool, playground a block away.   Ash, our cat, decided to crawl inside the hidabed and couldn't get out.... and then later he jump from our deck to the ground 20 feet below... we had to ban him from going on the deck.. he figured out when got down there he didn't want to be outside and just meowed .  A new addition to the family is on the way- we found a Chiweenie puppy- (sounds like a mixture from Dr Frankenstein to me!)   even had to have  a home visit to get the dog- guess were adopting again LOL  Leeza is beside herself to have a dog, we should be getting the beast sometime this week or next.

We went to Cripple Creek, CO,  old gold mind town. Saturday. It has a train ride that gives the history of the Gold Rush and also talked about wild donkeys that roam.  We were told how a guy who found the gold there drank his stake away and sold it in a card game and they found $10 Million in gold... today that would be worth  $750,000,000.  They still have an active mine there that runs 24 hours a day.. they made $600,000,000 last year. They have massive dump trucks that take the rock pieces,spread them, and pour a cyanide mixture that leeches out the gold to process.  We saw two mountain goats on the drive too...but  no bears!    We went to a nice park the week before called Mueller park.. hope to camp there sometime soon... very kid friendly - Zhenya and Leeza got to pet a bear, a skunk, a bobcat, and a mountain lion.... don't worry they were fur pelts for an exhibit! 

Our first day of moving in we met a nice lady that was from Gallatin TN- small world!!  She helped us move some items and welcomed us to the neighborhood.    Charis Bible College  was kind enough to send out 3 people to help us move in - our saviors were- Steve, Clint and Beatrix- who were super!!  Thank God they helped us as the elevation wore us out quickly and going up stairs was hard.

During our first week, Andrew Wommack Ministries had their annual summer camp - the kids enjoyed the kids camp and wanted to go both morning and night!    At their camp they met a girl that we thought was Ukrainian... she spoke Russian and named Natalia. She even looked Ukrainian/Russian, but was from TX. She had been to Ukraine for 3 months and just picked up on the language.   Leeza told her in Russian she was 6... she hadn't learned her numbers in Ukraine, so she is very smart to  know that, maybe Zhenya taught her.    I visited the new campus for Charis Bible- amazing view of Pikes Peak in Woodland Park, CO-  should be done in 2013. I was told about guy from Murfreesboro that worked for Charis and I met him on a tour!      I was told to look him up, just didn't think I would meet him this soon, he will be building the campus and knows some of the same people I do back in Murfreesboro. 

A verse I have been meditating on is 2 Peter 2:1 -  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

This verse go along with what we are doing in CO and my attending Charis Bible- to share this grace and peace that is needed for those that are considered throw-aways, but precious in God's eyes whether here in the US or Ukraine. I realized that I have only scratched the surface on the knowledge of who God and Jesus really are and what I have received so far-- the blessings of an amazing family, friends and freedom to not live in the past bondage of myself.

God's Grace and blessings!!! more updates soon....

Sincerely,

The Fellers Four- Jeff, Sheila, Zhenya and Leeza  

With our side kicks:  Ash the wonder Cat, Spitz the Ninja Turtle and our soon to be new addition Chai the Super Chiweenie.. still in super pet training ..but can bound over small food bowls..