Jog Blog!

Oh, if only I could blog when I jog.  Those joggers out there know exactly what I mean.  My thoughts as I jog come to me so clearly, and make so much sense.  By the time I come home all sweaty and shaky.  Not only do I collapse, but so does my brain!  I can't say or write anything that made so much sense to me 30 minutes ago.  If only I could put a memory card in my head. (Hey I may be on to something!) 

I haven't blogged in a while, out of concern for the families that are in, and are going to Ukraine in the next while.  I have been so broken hearted for them that I can't write.  Unaffected, however; is the fact that my kids still drive me insane.  I didn't want to write my frustrations while the others were in distress over their kids.  I'm still keeping the faith for them, but I can't hold my feelings in any longer.  I either blog about it, or take it out on them, like I have been doing for the last two weeks.  So far, I'm pretty sure I'm out of the running for "Mother Of The Year!" 

I'm going to try and put a few thoughts over the last two weeks together, so this isn't too drawn out.  

Cutting to the chase.   All of my kids are driving me insane!  I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later.  I think having one move back in, after being on her own for a year, has certainly put me over the edge.  It hasn't been that bad, but combining that with 4 other strong minded teenagers is really overwhelming.  All I want them to ever do, is go to school, and let me be feel free for a couple hours.  (Okay, now every Mom here knows exactly what I mean!)  

Here is a sample of an e-mail that I had been venting on, while taking a break from blogging. Just to show you how I got in to this insanity.  Sorry, if this is offensive to anyone.  It is not my intention.  

 "I need my boys to find something to do after school, they are driving me bananas!  "Mom, I need a new computer, this one sucks!  Mom, I need a job.  Mom, I need money.  Mom, I want to go to Jordan High School, Brighton is gay.  Mom, I'm sick.  Mom, maybe no school.  Mom, I hate Mr. ?????? He is (well you name it, and more)  Mom, Cat's not doing her jobs.  Mom, Cat's not doing anything.  Mom, I need new shoes.  Mom, I can wear these shirts.  Too small.  Too short.  Mom, I know English.  Mom, but I don't know English.  Mom, I lost this.  Mom, I broke that.  Mom, the teacher took it away.  Mom the bus driver is gay.  Mom reading is gay."  That and more was said in one day!  They need to find another word for gay!  It is just so politically incorrect. 

Yesterday, I took them to get their hair cut, from a friend of mine that also adopted from Ukraine.  I guess Artem was listening to our conversation, because he repeated it word for word when he got frustrated with me last night while reading.  He has a very heavy accent when he speaks, and I was just trying to get him to say the words correctly.  He wanted to speed read though the whole book.  I kept slowing him down, and he kept getting distracted.  I thirsty.  I need drink.  I said No, I am thirsty, I need "A" drink!  He smiled and said "Yeah, you need, I get!"  thinking he is so funny.  He is suppose to read for thirty minutes straight, but that isn't working lately with all of his distractions, so I have been making him read to a certain point in the book.  Well he thinks it's still 30 minutes and looks at his watch the whole time anyway.

  He then pops up and says "OKAY, 30 minutes, I go!"  Of course, I make him sit down and we argue for another 30 minutes, why he is wasting time.  He knows who will win, as we are sitting there doing nothing.  I then tell him that I'm going to start to hug and kiss him if this continues any longer.  "I hate my life!  I want to go back to Ukraine!" -  Excuse me?  I don't think so buddy!  I chased him up the stairs and he was laughing.  "Mom, I joke!"  Okay two can play at that game.  I said in my saddest voice "Oh, you don't like us anymore, that makes me so sad."  I start to play cry in my hands.  He comes up to me, and says "Mom, I joke, I joke!"  I looked up at him and said  "NO!  It's Mom, I am JOKING!"  I grabbed him and gave him a nuggy and a bear hug!  That is bonding at it's finest!  He loves it, I can tell.  He will give me that knock out smile of his, and I know that he loves me. 

Let face it, they do drive me crazy, but those moments are priceless, and worth every gray hair and laugh line.  Sasha comes home almost everyday, and gives me a great big hug, tells me that I'm his Mom, and that he loves me! (Try not to cry folks!)  My girls and I will have our little chat sessions, and its great!  It's just enough to get me out of bed in the morning!     

Another Day, Another Dollar! (or $100.00)

It's been a good day for a Monday.  I took the kids to their tutor, and we had a good talk while driving the 20 miles or so to get there.  It was either a fairly mellow day for them, or I'm mellowing out!  They still are for the most part, great kids.  They just don't appreciate what they have here still.  They say that school is so boring, because it is so easy.  (They say this about everything mind you.)  

They had their last soccer game last Saturday.  I reminded them that they were playing the only team that beat them, and that they better get their game faces on.  Sasha just laughed and said, "Oh Mom, It's easy!"  That's when I knew, they were done for.  I was right, as a mother always is;-).  They lost 3 to 7.   Oh well, they had fun, and were in pretty good spirits afterwards.  It is so great to see them together on that field.  Home at last, with their "Brothers."  I can't express enough, that with this team, it is not the winning that counts.  It is seeing them all together as a "family team."  It's pretty amazing that they are all here.  

I got a really nice e-mail from Cindy yesterday.  She is doing really well, despite the fact she adopted 3 teenage girls at the prime of puberty.  Your a super woman Cindy!  I know for a fact now, that teenaged girls are a lot harder then teenaged boys!  She said something that really struck hard with me.  When the kids don't seem to appreciate all the things that we have done for them, don't you think our Father in Heaven feels the same way when we don't talk with him on a daily basis.  I know that I forget to pray a lot these days.  I will put it off, until I have a free moment at times.  I remember the night that we brought them home from the airport when we hosted them.  I fell on my knees and just cried to him, I was so grateful that I had such a rare opportunity to take care of such beautiful good boys.  Now it seems that I take it for granted.  I still feel so incredibly blessed to be able to be their Mom.  Thanks Cindy for that little reminder.  We miss you at our lunches.

The boys are also growing like weeds.  It's just been a little over 5 months and they have grown out of just about everything!  Of course, they now want to wear what everyone else is wearing.  I can't get away with the D.I. anymore.  It is a good thing that most of the store's have such amazing deals right now.   These kids aren't cheap!

The Keller's are leaving tomorrow for Ukraine to pick up their kids.  I wish them a safe arrival, and hope they have a wonderful experience there.  Good luck with everything Kellers!