Buddah's 1st Day of Preschool, CQ reads, and Exciting News UPDATE...not yet revealed, but some hints. :)

Buddah really enjoyed his first days of school. When he was dropped off, in the classroom, CQ screamed and cried for him. She was so upset that he was leaving her. Poor baby. The second day was much better. She was still slightly sad, but once she found out that Nana was going to take her to McDonalds, she was ALL smiles. She really is much more ready for school than Buddah was at 2years, but I have decided to keep her home, with Nana, for 1 more year. Due to some of the attachment issues that we have had, it's just better for her to work on those things for a little while longer. She will have FOREVER to go to school! Here is a very short video of her reading...she gets mad when my sister gets up, she tells her to "sit down, sit down" to listen to her read. It's so funny and cute!
Buddah also started his 2nd session of ICE HOCKEY/beginning skating, and he loves it. Here is a very small clip of his 1st skating lesson. He's the one with the CCCP jersey...we got that in Moscow last Dec.

Well, I would share my exciting news if I really knew that it was "a go"...but it's not yet. NO, it's NOT another baby (yet :)), but IT DOES have to do with Russia. I promise I will let you all know really soon! BUT in the meantime, I would like to ask everyone a few questions.
1. If you had the chance to go to Russia again, to visit, or adopt, would you?
2. How ready/serious are some of you thinking of going to Russia to adopt again?
3. Would it be worth going back to Russia to help other children and/or orphanages as well as learn more about the culture, even if it meant leaving your kiddos at home (with family)for a week or so?
*Just a few thoughts... (big hint too!)

Thank you

Thanks to all of you for the kind words about my dog. We are all slowly healing, and getting better each day. It really helps to heal by remembering all the good times that we all shared together.
I am now back teaching full time, and our 4.5 year old, Buddah, is getting ready to begin pre-school next week...4 days a week! Kills me how big he is getting! I am totally in denial that he is growing up. Maybe it will sink in sometime soon, but He'll always be my baby. I admit that we do have that special "mommy/son relationship" that some speak of. It's hard to explain, but there is definitely a difference and I'm lucky to experience the girl and boy relationship and all of the differences!
CQ continues to grow and improve with attachment. She is getting more and more beautiful each day.
When I first went back to work, things got crazy for a while, but now they are beginning to calm down. I am slowly regaining some energy for my own kids when I return home. I teach a 2nd and 3rd grade multi-age class this year. It's fun, but it's challenging with so many different ability levels.
Anyway, Some excited news is on the way...so stay tuned.

Letting Turtle Go

I think that my heart is aching more than ever before in my entire life!!! Just a few hours ago we had to put Turtle (our dog) to sleep. She had been sick for some time, off and on. This sickness was so bad. She couldn't move. We had been trying to get her sugar levels down, through IV, for two days and it did go down, but today they realized that she had a parasite that was eating her insides (due to her failure to fight off flies b/c she was so weak and when she would go outside to potty the flies would attack her) and I couldn't bare to make her go through the pain that she was in. We had asked the Dr. to tell us if he thought her quality of life was at stake, and he told us today that there was barely even a slim chance, and that the state that she was in currently, would be the best shape that she could be in, which was weak, and in pain.
When I walked into the room she was staring at me with her white (from old age) face and gave me the saddess look. Jason and I both were crying so hard. She started REALLY crying when I started kissing her, like she was saying "Mom I don't feel good". We made the HORRIBLE decision to let her go and I have to say that it was the hardest thing I've ever done. I cannot even begin to explain how much emotional pain I'm in, and it's totally unexpected. My heart just aches.
I feel so awful for doing what I had to do, and I miss her already sooooo much!
I knows she's in a better place where she can run, jump, eat all the treats she wants and is the fastest dog EVER...! Wow, this is some intense emotional trama!

Turtle, you were the best and you'll always be in our hearts...forever and ever!

MONDAY IS ALMOST HERE!

I have a love/hate relationship with my job. I'm a elementary school teacher (the best job ever) and every end of summer I have such a love/hate relationship about going back to school...work. I enjoy the summers so much! This summer was EXTRA special b/c of CQ finally being a part of our family and Buddah's relationship with his sister is finally getting better. He has matured so much, I just cannot believe it. What a BIG change from 4 yrs. old to 4 and a half yrs. old...huge! He began taking Hockey lessons this summer. So cute. He wore his CCCP Hockey Jersey (one that we purchased in Russia last Dec.) to every practice. He was so proud of himself. He is a great listener now. He even shares alittle! Trust me that's a big one for him. This pic was taken of us the first day I met him...


And this pic was taken of Buddah this summer...




CQ has also made huge strides. First, her walking. As you may have remembered me talking about it before, CQ was born with a club foot and in Russia they did the surgery to correct it. Unfortunately, the job that they did was not the best, so we are going to have to go through another surgery (a tenden transfer) when she turns 3. She is walking, running, jumping, etc... but is still having some issues with leg fatigue and strength every now and then. I know that her leg and foot will be just fine.
She is so loving now, she doesn't long to go to strangers anymore (although she still shows off and is EXTRA friendly to strangers), makes wonderful eye-contact, listens even though she's 2 :), is communicating/speaking amazingly well, is still potty trained for the most part, she doesn't rock herself to sleep anymore...she is truly an amazing little girl.
This is a picture of the first day I saw my beautiful little girl...

And this is a picture of beauty now...







I am thankful everyday for my kiddos. Don't know what I'd do without them. I know that I won't be there every waking moment for the next 181 school days, but I'll be thinking about them all the time...:)
Tomorrow is the first day back to work and I will cry all the way there. :( Wish me luck!!! Thanks to Nana for coming everyday to keep my munchkins safe and happy!

Fun in the Sun!!!

The kiddos and I went on our 1st vacation. We went to St. Petersburg/Clearwater area in Florida. We visited with Nana C. and Papa R. for a couple of days and then they went home and Daddy came from his business meeting in Orlando, and met us at the beach house. CQ got to see the Gulf for the very first time, and Buddah was a fish in the pool and in the ocean. We had a very, very, very relaxing time, but the kids both got really homesick after just 3 days. Buddah just started crying in the pool, totally out of the blue, talking about how he missed his Nana and Papa at home, dogs, and all of his friends. It was so cute, but he was really homesick! He kept asking me, "Hey mom, are you sad here? Do you want to go home?" I remember those days. He is so much like I was at that age...loves schedules, his own things, and familiar places and people. There is nothing wrong with that, right?
I had only 2 rules, no cell phone, and no computer for 6 straight days. I think I did pretty good.
Hope all is well with everyone, I'll post some of my favorite pics...enjoy:-)