First Day at Children's House

UPDATE: DAY TWO AND NO CRYING!!!!


Nina started at the Hudson Montessori School this morning. She will be attending every morning from 8:30 to 11:30. This morning and all this week her group will meet for just one hour per day as the new kids get used to their new environment.

HMS starts at 2.5 years thru 8th grade and it is where the boys attended preschool and early elementary. We love this school and it was really neat to see many of the same teachers still there. When we took Nina for registration it was funny to watch as the staff suddenly put together that Dart and I were there with another little one. Jaw dropping shock would best describe their reactions. When we updated them that Kiefer was now in college and Aidan in high school we all sort of nodded in disbelief. How time flies!


So this morning Nina was very excited about going to school, until we actually got there. Then she was a little more hesitant. I walked into the classroom with her and helped her hang up her backpack (BTW the only thing in the backpack was a spare pair of underwear but it looked so cute we had to have it). I brought Nina to sit with the other kids who were listening to the teacher (called the "Directress" in Montessori speak). I told her I would be back and walked out without looking back....like a band aid-rip it off fast and get it over with!

No tears for me. I'm never very teary with beginnings, the graduations and moving out stuff was much much harder. Perspective of a battle weary mommy I guess. Poor Nina Bea though had a bit of a rough time. When we came back after 58 torture filled minutes she was sitting on the assistant teacher's lap. Apparently she started to cry shortly after we left.

She seemed very relieved to see us and quickly wrapped her arms around me. Sweet baby, she was living in an orphanage less than 8 months ago and I can only imagine what is going through that little head of hers. Add to that the fact that Nina is the youngest child in the Children's House (plus already being small for her age) and I almost wondered if she was too young to be there but then my independent Nina came back to me. Soon enough she was giddy and playful and pulling me thru the school like she owned the place. She strut down the halls showing me around the other classrooms and instructing me to look at books in the library. As we left the building she was saying, "My Nina's school" and "Nice teachers, not scary, nice" and for the moment she seems to want to go back again tomorrow.

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Kiefer's Graduation/Moving Out Party

We finally had a graduation party for Kiefer this past Saturday. Yes it was the day AFTER he moved into his dorm but better late than never right? I wanted to post other pics by the internet connection at my house is beyond frustrating but that's another story :). Out with the red and black in with the blue and gold.
Ummm, you're a freshmen now buddy!
Seems like all his friends are girls????
Grill Master/Fire Fighter.
The Velcro Wall was really funny.
Arman enjoying an American BBQ.
One down, three to go!
Party Central

Nina with her Akron U hair bow...Go Zips!

Man of the hour.

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Move In Day

Kiefer moved into his dorm at The University of Akron on Friday. It was quite a sight to see the long lines of shopping carts filled with dorm essentials all queued up for the elevator. Of course Kiefer's cart was a little lighter than most since he didn't pack any clothes! (They got there the next day.) After we got him settled into his room we took a tour of the campus and made a stop at the bookstore. Silly as is seems because he's just a half hour away, I had to fight back the tears when we said goodbye.

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Nina Czarina...lolly pop sucking diva!!!!

Lately Miss B’s favorite words and phrases include a whole lot of the toddler classic, “NO!” mixed in with the equally lovely; “Go Away”, “Dooon’t dooo that”, “Stop it” and “Nooooo, I do it myself”. Of course this is nothing compared to her virtuoso screaming in a screeching pitch that could shatter a wine glass. Ahh the terrible two’s are here. It made me remember this classic rhyme. These days I think it was written for our little princess...

There was a little girl, who had a little curl,

right in the middle of her forehead.

When she was good, she was very good indeed,

But when she was bad, she was horrid.

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We are strong because the journey demands it.

I stood in front of this banner while waiting to begin the Cleveland 3Day. I couldn't help but notice how the words could easily be applied to adoption. Substitute the word "wait" for "walk" and there you have it.

This November I will walk in Phoenix with a incredible group of women who have each adopted from Kazakhstan. Our bond is our shared experience. That same experience I believe has prepared us in many ways for the 60 mile course ahead of us.

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