Papa Day

Today has been a Papa Day.  Cassie and Clay were tied up most of the day at a swim meet here in town.  Instead of making Eli and Isaac sit in the hot, crowded stands all day, Curt took them out for some more firsts: first American haircut with a scalp massage that made Isaac giggle, and first trip to Subway (GOOD restaurant, Papa!).

It's been a great week.  These boys love their school.  They are making friends, using more and more English every day, and enjoying learning.  They love swim lessons, too.

So, that's all well and good, but what challenges are we dealing with?  The language barrier, mostly.  We can get basic information across, but more in depth conversations will just have to wait a while.  There are times when I wish I could explain something that doesn't seem fair, but it's just not possible right now.  Another challenge is keeping my energy level up and spirits high while the boys still need almost constant attention.  

Have I settled back in at home yet? is a question I hear often.  Not completely.  I'm still haunted by events, people, and places back in Ukraine.  I've only spent a total of ten weeks there.  Imagine what's going on in Eli and Isaac's heads.  I pray that they will be able to remember and cherish the good things about their lives in Ukraine and put the bad stuff behind them for good.  There is so much to try to forget.

The things I get excited about: their new haircuts!  And yes, I do think their hair is growing in thicker.