Ears pierced



While we were at the coast Alona got her ears pierced!!  Our really close friends, Lisa and Kenny, were at the coast the same time we were.  We had planned in advance to surprise Alona and let her get her ears pierced while we were there.  It was her "Happy 12th Birthday" gift from them. 

A little apprehensive...,

All over...,all smiles

As Alona would say..., very, very beautiful

The beach.., very, very beautiful

We took Alona to the beach for a few days and she loved it!!   She had never seen an ocean or even been to the Black Sea in Ukraine.  So even though I tried to explain what it would be like and showed her pictures on the computer, she was completely "WOWED" by the whole experience.  I can not even tell you how many times she said "it is very, very beautiful" and "it is very, very, big".   We spent several hours at the beach during the day and then Alona wanted to walk along the shore at night.  There was a full moon and yes it was "very, very beautiful".  The next morning when Alona walked out onto the balcony of our condo she got all excited.  "Mama, waves morning and night and next day?"  It was just another reminder of things I sometimes take for granted.  God's creation is "very, very beautiful" and yes it is incomprehensible to think of those waves never ending.  It also was a gentle reminder to remember the life that Alona has come from..., to never have seen an ocean or gone on a family vacation.  To remember that there are many, many more orphans all around the world just like her...,

Oh my goodness, are you okay?

I always have good intentions of writing a post about our day, but then by bedtime I always find myself saying tomorrow.  I know I will regret it in the future as I have found this blog is the best way to journal. 

Our days continue to be filled with alot of activity..., swimming, riding bikes, rollerblading, washing cars, and even mopping the garage.  We tried to talk her out mopping the garage which usually doesn't even get swept out, but there was no discouraging her.  We are still working on the concept of some things are "mom's" and some are "papa's" and some are "Alona's".  She is always exploring drawers, cabinets, closets and moving things around.  So we are always looking for things. 

Even though we have challenges at times with behavior, we also have a lot of laughter and love!!
Last Sunday, I needed to buy one of our dogs a new collar and I thought if I went to a pet shop instead of Walmart or Target it would save time and having to say "no" a million times.  Well Alona loved it and wanted to bring every animal home.  She made me laugh when she went up to a tank with turtles in it and said in a loud voice "Hello".  One turtle swam right up to the glass and Alona say "Look mom, he speaks English".   Her favorite animal in the shop was a Kinkajous which sort of looks like a monkey but it is in the racoon family.  The manager let her hold it and she fell in love.  She decided right then and there that is what she wanted for her birthday.  I told her no way were we having a monkey in our house.  Yesterday, I told her because she had been listening and obeying she could pick a treat and I gave her some choices.  She picked going back to the pet shop.  Well we didn't see the Kinkajous anywhere and so I asked a clerk if they had sold it.  She said no it was in a cage behind the counter but that it was asleep.  They are nocturnal animals and usually wake up at 6 or 7 p.m.  Alona asked how much it cost and the lady said thirty-five hundred dollars.  I explained to Alona that would be 35 one hundred dollar bills or 28,000. ghrivnas.  Alona looked at the lady and said "Oh my goodness, are you okay"?  We are working on not saying the first thing that pops into our head! 

Swimming Lessons

Mike took Alona to her first swimming lesson today.  Alona loves the water and would swim morning, noon and night if she could (and sometimes does).  She has a basic idea of how to get from point A to point B but with no technique.  We thought swimming lessons would teach her technique, make her a stronger swimmer, and also get some of her excess energy out of her.

When she came home you could tell she was really proud of everything she had learned and how well she did.  She said that the pool was really big and the teacher made her swim back and forth and back and forth.  She said that he would say "Keep going, keep going" and she said she would say "OK".  I asked her if she spoke any other English to him and she said "Mama!!", he said "Keep swimming, keep swimming' and "Alona say..., she just started acting out how she was gasping for air"!!  I asked her if she wanted to go back tomorrow and she said "Yes, Alona good". 

She also told me that tomorrow when I take her and see how big the pool is and how far she has to swim that I will say  "OH MY GOSH"!!!