Well, we have had a lot happen in the last few weeks. Kristina and Karen have both been to the dentist; and both had to go have some fillings taken care of. They did very good. Karen has to go back again to get two more taken care of. The care of teeth in Ukraine is apparently not so good. I also got a call today from the girls’ doctor; and they both have to get some shots before I can register them for school. I am thinking I will let Tim take them, as I am very tired of always having to do the mean things to them. I doubt that will work, but it sure sounds good to me.

I thought by now we would be further down the road with this mom and girls thing. I have days that no matter what I say or ask I get rude comments back, or no answer at all. Most of it comes from Kristina which I am sure has a lot to do with her age. Her newest thing was to say, “Shut up!” which is not something we allow in our home. So, now most of the time it has changed to, “Mom, just be quiet,” which, of course, does not go over well at all. I hope that once they get to school and see how other children treat the teacher and other adults it will help. I spend most of my day telling myself that they don't know any better, but then around Tim, Vicky, and my mom, they know how to act. So, it must just be me.

On the English front we have made great strides. They are understanding quite a lot. I wish I could have picked up on Russian as fast as they have with English. One night we came home from Wednesday night church. We were all hungry as I had worked late that day. So, I come in about 7:30 to make dinner and Kristina looks at me; and in her so cute voice says, (without a smile) “Hurry up, Baby. I am hungry.” Tim was laughing so hard. Then, she says, “What are you laughing at, Baby?” That got him laughing even harder; then she says, “Kristina is so funny. She good at making funnies for people to laugh,” but then says to Karen, in English, “What did I say funny?” Karen, not even thinking, translates to us in Russian. Tim, of course still laughing, says, “Karen, she asked you in English. Why did you tell us in Russian? We can't understand Russian. She responded, “Oops! Me no good at this. I messed up big time!!”

Over the Fourth of July weekend we took a very quick and long trip to Minnesota. We had purchased Tim's mom’s old car. It was the last one she had before she passed away, so we thought it would be nice to have it. So, on Friday night the girls and I went and picked up a rental car from the airport. Karen was very upset. She was afraid that I was sending her back to Ukraine. I told her, “Not ever. We might go for a visit, or a mission trip, but nothing she ever would do would make us send her back.” I think that made her feel good to know. We went home packed the car, picked up Tim, and then off we went for a SEVENTEEN hour drive. Kristina was beside herself with excitement to meet Justin for the first time. We had a great visit, but a very short one. I hated to drive away from him. We left Sunday night to drive home. Tim and I both know we can't do two non-stop trips in a row like that. So we drove about five hours got a room with a pool so the girls could wear off some energy. But Kristina did not want to swim. Instead, she just walked in circles around the pool. I do think in the long run that she was sad she had not put her suit on. And we did not have time to go up to the room for her to change. It is one of many small lessons she has to learn. It is not easy, I am sure.

The following weekend we were off to Atlanta. Tim had to take a class; and the girls and I decided we needed a much deserved trip. Hehehe!! So, we swam, laid by the pool, went to a wildlife sanctuary, visited Christopher for a day and a half; and shopped. We also spent a couple days & nights with old friends from our time in the Marine Corp. It was good getting to see them again.

While there, Kristina did not think she needed to do any homework. She is going to be shocked when school starts. I think she really believes we are joking about sitting in a class room most of the day. The school at Kiliya was not very good. The kids would line up about 9:00am to head upstairs to their classes. Then they would be back down within twenty minutes for a twenty minute recess... Followed by twenty more minutes upstairs and another twenty minutes of recess. They got somewhere around forty minutes for lunch and were done with school by 2:00pm. So... not much time sitting down and listening to someone talk to them. I have both girls signed up for an after school program in hopes that being with other kids they will get to have some fun, enjoy some field trips and games, and the best part, get help with homework. I hope they will listen better there than they do with me. We keeping asking Karen to talk to Kristina in English as hers is very good, but she just looks at me and keeps on going in Russian. I have planned to be off work for the first few days of school. I am sure one of them, if not both, will have a melt down; and I want to be close.

I will close on the subject of food. It is still not going real good. Kristina has been caught a few times in the bathroom with her baby doll getting sick. She told my mom it was her baby doll, but we all know stuffed dolls don't get sick. Karen is still not eating well, either. She has lost some more weight. She thinks her size six pants are too little for her. I saw her in the bathroom the other day sucking in her stomach until her ribs were sticking out, and overheard her say to herself, “There. That is how I should look.” I was glad she said it in English so I could understand what she said. Somehow she thinks eating junk food is okay, but continues to fight us on eating healthy foods. Being in a hotel room for the last week I have been able to keep a better eye on the getting sick. Kristina has told me that I am fat and she does not want to look like me. If she only knew that I have lost almost 100 pounds. They have been told that when they get here they will become fat like all Americans. These kids come with such messed up ideas what life is really like.

Lynn