2016

Life the last couple of years has been quite the adventure as our life continues with two beautiful Russian boys. Both boys are Russian proud, have lived in America and now live in Canada. The International Family has brought us the ability to live in different places and enjoy various cultural experiences.

Alexei is now a goalie in hockey and loving the challenges of fast pucks coming his way. He trains with older boys so he can work even harder to do what he loves. His life goal he says is to play for the WHL. He has plenty of work ahead of him. He was asked to skate out with the Victoria Royals this past season and was a little guy flying out there as fast as he could when they introduced the team in the beginning of the game. He stood proudly next to a popular Russian player he loves while the anthem played. We could not be more proud of him as he was so nervous at first to be the only young kid out there.

He is playing baseball and soccer in the off season while continuing his hockey training weekly. He's already asked to try out for the rep team, however he needs to wait a year.

Ewan is doing ten times better mainly due to working on his dietary needs and healing his gut through the Plexus probio5 he has made an incredible strides as he is more focused so that I can work with him. He still has his moments of going after other kids or sensory overload or taking apart the house. That's just life with Ewan and we come to accept that we just need to keep working on his understanding of how things work in life despite his incredible belief he already knows what life is all about. He is funny and our comedy guy in the family. Extremely sarcastic at age 6. Hoping he will be able to attend kindergarten this fall in a classroom. He is very snuggly and loves me reading books to him. He took ice skating lessons and did very well despite a couple of set backs. He also is going to hockey this fall. We think padding is best for him to have and others as baseball he has proved that the opposing team should watch out. His strategies can be painful if you make it to his base lol.

Michael is still working hard and doing all that he needs to and more. He is an amazing teammate in this journey.

As for me, I had to take time off from my passionate love for helping orphans for my own time and working with Ewan until he gets to school. It has proven to be extremely beneficial, however I desperately miss my friends and my work through Orphans at Play and World Children Hosting. The love I have for orphans and the needs kids have for developmental goals and cultural exchange is so important and I think about our team at OAP and WCH daily. They have done so well to keep the missions going. It is amazing how life changes so quickly and at times we have to take time to catch our breath. I cannot believe moving countries at the last minute, renting out our home, then moving again within the new country, renting our home out yet again and becoming permanent residents and getting everything straight with our boys, our goals and we even hosted for a summer time period in Palm Springs and Washington. The list goes on as we lost our dear Bernie who was our first kiddo together, 4 legged that is to cancer and we also lost three of our kitties in this short period. Sometimes, I wonder how we get through but we do and we keep on going.

We have also gone to the UK, Toronto, Niagara Falls, America and toured so many places. We loved the UK and Alexei is already begging to go back. I told Michael he could leave me there hahaha. It was amazing.

We have also had amazing house guests during this time from France, America, Canada and Scotland. We are so honored to have such beautiful people in our lives and cannot wait until this Christmas when our France Family comes to spend the holidays with us. We are on count down.

And Disneyland for my 40th birthday and my son's 8th birthday! Woo hoo!

Until the next post...

Hockey, Hockey!

The season is ending and the summer session is almost here. Our house is Hockey, Hockey with two boys who love their hockey sticks and ice time and a Papa who also spends his time on a team, video gaming hockey and watching his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs. Go Montreal! ;)

Here are some recent photos:

A Hand to Hold Lasts a Lifetime

Check out my Donation Page

Orphans at Play has received an official invitation from Russia to take the curriculum we have developed and present it to a panel. We need your help in flying our Medical Board to Russia! This program would give orphans sensory development through attachment, love, play and growth. A hand to hold lasts a life time. Help us make this happen.

When I look at both of my boys, I can only imagine how they felt for all of those months and in some cases years without anyone to hug, make eye contact, laugh with, receive comfort and play. Our Give a Grandma program can help to prevent and support RAD (Reactive Attachment Disorder), Sensory Processing Disorder among others.

On a personal note, my son Ewan was never taught to feel, love or have appropriate emotional responses. Without this stimulation he now has RAD and possible other issues, which could have been prevented. The Give a Grandma program brings encouragement, love, social skills and help to orphans that will change the course of their lives. An entire life changed. It is worth every penny, every hope and we cannot complete this mission without your help. Take a moment to make a difference and impact a child's life forever.

Orphans at Play is a 501c3 non profit organization. All donations are fully tax deductible.

Alexei, the Rink Rat

We are very proud parents of Alexei who has become a Rink Rat. His first hockey team starting in 6 weeks!!!

On Saturday after his normal skating lessons, try outs were being held. It was a bit last minute for us so I didn't expect Alexei would want to be on the ice for 4.5 hours but with his endless energy, it was not a problem.

Most of the children a couple of years older than him were learning how to skate and the hockey coach paid a lot of attention to them more one on one. Alexei was hockey geared up with knee pads, elbow pads, helmet and stick where the coach told him how to hold the hockey stick and for the next couple of hours he went out there and hit pucks, skated around and overall absolutely enjoyed his time.

By the end the coach said he couldn't believe he was 4 years old and if he continues on this path at 6 years old he could be part of the real team and skip ahead.

Alexei's goal he said is to be a defense man. Well he stood by the goalie net and hit in angle shots much of the time. I suppose he is a boy who knows what he wants.

As for Mama and Papa I don't think I have smiled so much than to watch my serious hockey player do what he has so longed to be able to do. Even when he made a goal and the coach yelled, "GOOOOAAAAAAL!" and put his stick up, Alexei was like, Moving on... he didn't even smile, he was just like I am going to do it again.

Our baby amazes us so often.

H-Pylori and Giardia

H-Pylori and Giardia

Well, we found out news we have been waiting for with answers to help our Alexei. This may be the answer to his sleep issues, hyperactivity and overall stomach aches and headaches, which would be so great.

He is positive for H-Pylori, often found in Russian children and many parents come home with either H-Pylori or Giardia so I always recommend a test for all family members who have traveled.

Ewan came home with Giardia and Alexei has H-Pylori. Ewan is treated but Alexei's treatment due to the longevity of the issues will be a long process. We are waiting on 3 medications, which he must take at the same time for a few weeks and he will be doing an outpatient entropsis treatment center where they will x-ray his stomach and begin a treatment plan, which could last up to a year or so.

What I found most interesting about this outcome is that they told me I would most likely have an entirely different personality in Alexei and he will feel so much better and much more even tempered without all of the pain. I cannot say how relieved I am at the diagnosis as we feel like we had tried everything in the past couple of years and all of the medications were just treating symptoms and not really helping Alexei. I about cried when I heard we finally had an answer.

As a parent trust your gut no matter what. I had a feeling he had H-Pylori this entire time. I just knew and now here we are with a whole new plan.

Our California Trip

We just returned back from California where we had a wonderful Vladivostok Russian Reunion and all of the children were able to see each other again. Lots of fun. There were three 4 year old boys and two girls. They had a great time playing with each other and I still can't get over the smiles and how incredible each child has grown so much.

We went to Disneyland, Sea World and my youngest got to go to the Zoo too where he spent time with his uncle, aunt and grandmother. We also had a fabulous Mexican dinner at Alfonso's and enjoyed so much of the pool and beaches.

As a California girl, of course Michael and I had to eat at In and Out every day.

Alexei is still have a lot of issues with sleeping but not unusual so Ewan got to stay with his grandmother while we took care of Alexei at the hotel and watched some Olympics.

The Hilton Torrey Pines was very nice with a pretty view.

Looking forward to the 2013 Russian Adoption Reunion in Florida!!!!!!!!