It seems that the last few years have been filled with changes for our family. Some happy, some sad and painful. This past week has finally been an exciting happy time for us. Tatiana is here and is adjusting well. Jared and Caleb have begun first grade. Kevin and I are amazed at all we have been through and where our family has come.

We took Jared, Caleb, their friend Andrew and Tatiana out for ice cream today to celebrate the beginning of school. Then we went to millennium Park and played at the playground and in the water park. Tatiana was so happy! She would play and then run back to Kevin and I and hug us. When we went to get a snack Tatiana and I were walking holding hands. As we were walking I told her we were going to eat and she looked at me and said "eat?" in Russian. When I said yes she stopped and kissed my hand. It is such an incredible experience for me to be with her through all of her excitement and joy.

We are working on teaching her that we go to the bathroom in the house. When Tatiana is outside she will pull her pants down, urinate, and then pull up her pants. I am talking her inside and putting her on the toilet when she does this to try to tell her that we go inside and use the toilet. I am not sure if this is something that she has learned at the orphanage. In addition, I know that at the orphanage they did not use toilet paper when the children urinate...Well we are teaching Tatiana the appropriate amount of paper to use....I have no Russian words to explain this so I am hoping that she will get it if I continue to show her. Going into the street is another thing that we are trying to explain to Tatiana with little Russian ...I do know the word for car but that is as far as I can go. So let's hope that she begins to understand that mom is getting excited because it is dangerous and not because it is fun!

Tatiana is enjoying having two older brothers and loves to follow them and be involved with them. She laughs and squeals when they play chase around the house with her and laughs when they try to get her to speak English. She also has intermittently been calling me Mom, as the boys do, instead of Mama, as the mother is called in Russia.

Overall, as I wrote above, this has been a good week! Kevin and I are very tired at the end of each day...so many things are intense and need all of our energy right now. But it is a good feeling to be tired at the end of the day after taking care of children. Each day we are thankful to God for having given us the opportunity to care of our children: Jared, Caleb, and Tatiana and for the time we had to love and care for Anneke. --Melanie