YAY!

We are finally settling into a routine...somewhat. They boys now know what to expect next as far as after breakfast is outside time....etc. This is helping calm them a lot. Thanks to those of you who suggested we establish a routine fairly quickly and try to keep things the same each day for them. THIS HELPS A TON! It still took a few days...but it definitely paid off! (Jhonda...that one was for you!)
They are actually outside right now playing. Last night went MUCH better. We laid off the benadryl...it seemed to be hurting more than it was helping. My kids are going to be some of the few on earth that Benadryl doesn't touch! YAY for that long plane ride home! Any suggestions anyone???? I'm listening!
They both slept all through the night last night and mama and papa were able to catch-up on some MUCH needed rest! YAY! That put us in much better moods this morning when we were awakened by screaming children at 6am. That's another thing those of you adopting need to be aware of. These kids have NO volume control. It all screaming all of the time. Even in normal conversations they are screaming. I think that is partly the fault of not ever being heard in the orphanages. They are used to having to scream to get what they want!
Eating is not as big of issue with Blue Eyes as it was......he's coming around. We had noodles and mashed potatoes and chicken last night....he ate a good amount and wanted more...so that is good. We are having trouble out of Oksana these days. She wants to undo everything that Left Brain and I are doing. For instance...she snuck in the kitchen around 4pm, right before I went in there to cook, and made GQ a huge snack. Once I realized....it was too late. He wasn't hungry at 5 when we had supper....kinda stinks cause we were trying to all eat as a family. Oh well. It's just the little things like that that happen all day that make me more than ready to come home. I also think that at this point I am probably looking for something to complain about because I am so miserably homesick. Enough of my whining!
Back to the boys...that is what you are really here for, right?!?! Ha Ha!
Last night was the best night we have had so far. We tucked them into bed and they stayed there. YAY! We sat with them for a while and let them watch a few minutes of cartoons. Then we turned off the tv and hugged and kissed them goodnight. When I told each of them "I Love You" they repeated it back to me in English. Awwww. I know they don't really know what it means yet....but it still melted my heart.
GQ told us last night before bed that he couldn't go to America. He is scared about the trip....I would be too. There is no telling what those meanies at the orphanage have already told him about it. Oksana translated for us and we told him that we were going to just take it step by step and do it a little bit at a time. He seemed ok with this. He knows about the train ride tomorrow night back to Kiev, and then the airplane ride to Amsterdam (a not so nice airplane by the way) and then the plane ride to America. They are most excited about getting in the machina (car) in Memphis to ride home. THEY LOVE RIDING IN CARS!!! Blue Eyes screams CINA CINA CINA when you stop at a stoplight! It was funny for a little while....but the child does it EVERY TIME!!! Good thing that the ride from Memphis to Murray is a lot of interstate where we can go CINA CINA CINA (faster).
We are trying to eat all of the food here at the apartment so that we don't have to waste much. It is going to be an interesting mealtime tonight at supper. We will have a hodge podge of things to eat. Oh well! We still have chicken left...that goes with about anything, and the boys love chicken. We may have to run to the market to get a few potatoes...we ran out of those last night and they are a big hit.
Hope everyone is doing well....we will be home before you know it! Only 4 more days(not counting today). See you all soon!