December 12, 2007

The annual Santa picture is done. Caelia LOVES Santa - always has. Michael is of the opinion that he is too old for Santa photos. He has been informed that until he is 13 he will be visiting Santa. This is our last year of Michael, Caelia and Santa. Next year, we hope to have Santa, Michael, Caelia, Lena and Lera. After that, in the interest to our son's dignity, we'll just have the girls in the pictures.

Our flight is booked for January 27th - arriving in Kyiv on the 28th with our appointment sometime on January 29th. We were going to stop over in Paris, but this way is quicker and Randy won't have to miss the extra day of work. He is trying to save some vacation days to spend with the girls when we get them home.

Winter is Here! - December 8, 2007

Okay, that is possibly the biggest understatement that could be said. At our house there is close to a foot of snow and our temperatures are hovering around the zero mark. We went out a couple of nights ago and had to unfreeze the doors on the van in order to get Caelia into her seat.

We do have HEAT in the bedrooms - thanks to our friend, Gary, who has been making sense of our duct work and putting it to rights. A little more drywall and some carpet and Michael will have his new room! I think I am more excited than he is.

I can't believe how quickly time is going. We have so much to do before we leave and it is making me so scatter-brained.

December 1, 2007

I was going to write about our weather, but that can wait until tomorrow when I have assessed the damage from our first "significant snow storm of the season".

I have great news! Lera and Lena are both still at the baby house, thanks to their excellent caregivers, and our Olena is WALKING!!!! She is now able to play with the other children. We are elated to hear this news. (In addition to down syndrome, Olena also has a heart condition has not been mobile until now.) I think that if this is not a sign that her health is better than we feared, I do believe that it is a sign that she is a very determined little girl.