A social worker gave us some advice a few months ago. She told us to make mealtimes important with these kids. We learned about attachment and how vastly different the process would be with these older children than with our biological children. Attachment forms when a need is met consistently and repeatedly. That is easy with a baby who has needs for touch, food, clean diapers, etc. many times throughout the day. It's hard to consistently pin down the needs of teenagers but one thing you can count on - they're always hungry. We have a lot in common.
As I stood there whipping up a fine breakfast masterpiece, Ilona and Alina asked for my phone so they could type me a message. Coincidence? I think not.
After breakfast Aaron called and wanted to see the kids for lunch so we loaded up the car and went to the office. As usual, windows were rolled down, music was up loud, and I was questioning my sanity. As we barreled along the Mopac Expressway and I pulled my blowing hair out of the gloss on my lips, the song, "It's Gonna be a Good Life" came on. Luckily there was enough wind and commotion that nobody noticed the tears welling up behind my oversized sunglasses. I had a question for God just then. I asked him, "Is this what you wanted me to do?" He didn't answer. I kept on driving and working the hair loose from my lips.
A friendly visit turned into a small dental appt with each one taking reluctant turns getting x-rays and making fun of each other. Aaron has his work cut out for him if they will agree to sitting in his dental chair. Sasha is missing most of his front tooth and the x-ray revealed that the tooth has an abscess so it will need to be completely removed to make room for a future implant. I wonder how google translate will deliver that message to him.
We left the office and took them to one of our favorite Austin hot spots - Sno Beach. They turned their noses up at the snow cones but Sasha finally agreed to get one. Maybe since they're from one of the coldest places on earth, they don't want a reminder of anything with the word "snow" in it. I had another friend with a host child tell me yesterday, "If I have to serve another glass of room temperature milk I'm gonna scream!" These kids t'aint too fond of cold things on their teeth.
On the way home we stopped by our friends who have 2 children adopted from their same orphanage. The kids really wanted to see each other but it turned out that we had horribly impeccable timing. I forget that 7 children just dropping by unexpectedly is usually a gift you should reserve for people who have to love you, despite all the stupid things you do - like your parents. Our friends are those kind of people who love us no matter what, but we hated to burn the bridge so soon in the game. I loaded up the short bus and we were on our way.
As if I hadn't had enough excitement for the day, I decided to take Ilona shopping for a swimsuit. Sasha heard that we were going to the store and insisted he come along. These kids are no dummies. They know if they get a tired mama into a store, their chances of coming home with some serious goods goes up exponentially.
Before I tell the story, I'll give you a little background about our family. We are christians, and more specifically, Mormons. We've been so all our lives and the standards we live by are as natural to us as breathing - but introducing those standards to others, we realize, might seem downright fanatic. For instance: we have a certain (high) standard of dressing modestly, we don't smoke or drink, we go to church for 3 hours each Sunday, the high school kids attend a religious class at 6am every morning during the school year, our boys age 18 and girls age 19 serve missions various places around the world for 1 1/2 to 2 years, our kids don't date until they are 16, we pray before each meal and together each night, we reserve Monday nights for family night, we pay 10% of our income to tithes, we participate in various callings within our church family without pay, we believe our families are together after this life, and more. (If you're curious about the "and more" part, you can always get your questions answered at www.mormon.org.) But this story is about swimsuits, which becomes about our beliefs, because it's something I won't back down on. Kind of like smoking.
We walked into Target and I put Faith in charge of helping Ilona while I looked at sunglasses with Sasha. They were in the swimsuits for about 30 seconds before I heard Faith call my name. Naturally, Ilona wanted a bikini. I walked over and said, "Oh, no Ilona, we wear these," and pointed to some lovely one piece and tankini swimsuits. She got the sourest look on her face and called Sasha over. She spoke loud and fast in Russian and then he looked at me like he swallowed a lemon. I said, "Collins family, no bikini. We cover." And then I gestured across my stomach. There was a big poster hanging above us with a lady in a string bikini and I pointed to it and said, "No that! Jaxon no look." And I covered my eyes, pretending to be Jaxon being horrified of seeing someone's stomach! They spoke in Russian again and then Sasha stuck out his tongue and did that noise that you do when you roll your tongue and spit goes flying like you're really disgusted with something. Then his hand did the wave me away like a wild dog gesture. So I did my breathy "OK" and again pointed to the modest swimsuits. Ilona said, "NO!" We walked away. No swimsuit today.
Upon returning home, we hurried to get ready to go to a friend's birthday party. I shut my bedroom door and went into my bathroom to get dressed and realized I had forgotten my underwear. I streaked across the bedroom and bent over my drawer when all of a sudden there was a knock on my door. Then I heard a girls voice loudly call, "TADA" (the Russian accent for Tara) and my door flung open. I screamed bloody murder and bent over, trying to shield the intruder from my former, now sagging 6-pack, and all those other parts that should only come out in the dark of night. I looked up and there stood Macie, laughing her guts out, yelling "gotcha"! Not sure my heart can take much more of this.
As I stood there whipping up a fine breakfast masterpiece, Ilona and Alina asked for my phone so they could type me a message. Coincidence? I think not.
After breakfast Aaron called and wanted to see the kids for lunch so we loaded up the car and went to the office. As usual, windows were rolled down, music was up loud, and I was questioning my sanity. As we barreled along the Mopac Expressway and I pulled my blowing hair out of the gloss on my lips, the song, "It's Gonna be a Good Life" came on. Luckily there was enough wind and commotion that nobody noticed the tears welling up behind my oversized sunglasses. I had a question for God just then. I asked him, "Is this what you wanted me to do?" He didn't answer. I kept on driving and working the hair loose from my lips.
A friendly visit turned into a small dental appt with each one taking reluctant turns getting x-rays and making fun of each other. Aaron has his work cut out for him if they will agree to sitting in his dental chair. Sasha is missing most of his front tooth and the x-ray revealed that the tooth has an abscess so it will need to be completely removed to make room for a future implant. I wonder how google translate will deliver that message to him.
We left the office and took them to one of our favorite Austin hot spots - Sno Beach. They turned their noses up at the snow cones but Sasha finally agreed to get one. Maybe since they're from one of the coldest places on earth, they don't want a reminder of anything with the word "snow" in it. I had another friend with a host child tell me yesterday, "If I have to serve another glass of room temperature milk I'm gonna scream!" These kids t'aint too fond of cold things on their teeth.
On the way home we stopped by our friends who have 2 children adopted from their same orphanage. The kids really wanted to see each other but it turned out that we had horribly impeccable timing. I forget that 7 children just dropping by unexpectedly is usually a gift you should reserve for people who have to love you, despite all the stupid things you do - like your parents. Our friends are those kind of people who love us no matter what, but we hated to burn the bridge so soon in the game. I loaded up the short bus and we were on our way.
As if I hadn't had enough excitement for the day, I decided to take Ilona shopping for a swimsuit. Sasha heard that we were going to the store and insisted he come along. These kids are no dummies. They know if they get a tired mama into a store, their chances of coming home with some serious goods goes up exponentially.
Before I tell the story, I'll give you a little background about our family. We are christians, and more specifically, Mormons. We've been so all our lives and the standards we live by are as natural to us as breathing - but introducing those standards to others, we realize, might seem downright fanatic. For instance: we have a certain (high) standard of dressing modestly, we don't smoke or drink, we go to church for 3 hours each Sunday, the high school kids attend a religious class at 6am every morning during the school year, our boys age 18 and girls age 19 serve missions various places around the world for 1 1/2 to 2 years, our kids don't date until they are 16, we pray before each meal and together each night, we reserve Monday nights for family night, we pay 10% of our income to tithes, we participate in various callings within our church family without pay, we believe our families are together after this life, and more. (If you're curious about the "and more" part, you can always get your questions answered at www.mormon.org.) But this story is about swimsuits, which becomes about our beliefs, because it's something I won't back down on. Kind of like smoking.
We walked into Target and I put Faith in charge of helping Ilona while I looked at sunglasses with Sasha. They were in the swimsuits for about 30 seconds before I heard Faith call my name. Naturally, Ilona wanted a bikini. I walked over and said, "Oh, no Ilona, we wear these," and pointed to some lovely one piece and tankini swimsuits. She got the sourest look on her face and called Sasha over. She spoke loud and fast in Russian and then he looked at me like he swallowed a lemon. I said, "Collins family, no bikini. We cover." And then I gestured across my stomach. There was a big poster hanging above us with a lady in a string bikini and I pointed to it and said, "No that! Jaxon no look." And I covered my eyes, pretending to be Jaxon being horrified of seeing someone's stomach! They spoke in Russian again and then Sasha stuck out his tongue and did that noise that you do when you roll your tongue and spit goes flying like you're really disgusted with something. Then his hand did the wave me away like a wild dog gesture. So I did my breathy "OK" and again pointed to the modest swimsuits. Ilona said, "NO!" We walked away. No swimsuit today.
Upon returning home, we hurried to get ready to go to a friend's birthday party. I shut my bedroom door and went into my bathroom to get dressed and realized I had forgotten my underwear. I streaked across the bedroom and bent over my drawer when all of a sudden there was a knock on my door. Then I heard a girls voice loudly call, "TADA" (the Russian accent for Tara) and my door flung open. I screamed bloody murder and bent over, trying to shield the intruder from my former, now sagging 6-pack, and all those other parts that should only come out in the dark of night. I looked up and there stood Macie, laughing her guts out, yelling "gotcha"! Not sure my heart can take much more of this.
 |
| Dasha's birthday party |
No comments:
Post a Comment