Memory Verse - week 2

Week 2

We are hanging in there! It was promotion Sunday last weekend at church so Daniel moved up to his First grade Sunday school class. Yes, we got called out of church again - he had to be removed from the class for refusing to participate and crawling under the table. Monday was a good day at school, but Tuesday he was back in the Principal's office for running around the library and refusing to join the group for story time. UGH!! What gets into kid's heads? I honestly think that most of his trouble stems from the fact that he is trying to be the class clown and make the other kids laugh. (I edited out some of his other antics in the school library out of sheer embarassment!) Yesterday his teacher was out and they had a sub (poor lady!) so I didn't get much of a report. At least I didn't get a call from the Principal's office either! At this point we are just celebrating our small victories!

One of the most amazing things to me as a parent is how much it truly grieves my heart when Daniel makes bad choices. On his bad days - I am just so down. It has really opened my eyes to how much my bad choices must grieve my Heavenly Father. That's something I really couldn't understand until I had a kid of my own and can see it in our relationship. Forgive me Lord for grieving you and being foolish enough to think my bad choices only affect me!

Please continue to pray for Daniel as he works his way through this transition. We are definitely seeing improvement, but we have a lot to work on. Someone told me that it takes at least 3 weeks for them to adjust so not to worry about it too much yet. I am going with that! As long as we're seeing improvements, I know he'll get there. Daniel is so amazingly smart, but I keep saying - it doesn't matter how smart he is, if we don't get this behavior under control he won't have a happy life. We know that the Lord loves him even more than we do and we are trusting that He will see us through. (and still praying for wisdom!)

Memory Verse - wk 1

Friday behavior update - another good day! Woo hoo!! 3 good days in a row - now we're on a roll!

One of the things we love about having Daniel at a Christian school is that he gets Bible teaching every day and he will learn a new verse each week. I will try to post them so you can see his progress. Here is the first:




I don't know if you can tell, but he has his T shirt on from his favorite restaurant - Skyline Chili! This kid is a Kentuckian through and through. It is so hilarious to hear him learning English with a Ukranian accent (he still says some old words) AND a southern accent. You should hear him say, 'What is thay-at?' Too cute!

Ah just have no ah-dee-yuh where he gits it. :)

At the lake

We tried to cram as much fun as possible into the last couple weeks of summer. This is a catch up posting. We met some friends at the lake one day and they brought their boat. It was a beautiful day and we had an absolutely great time reconnecting with them and their boys and enjoying the lake.





Another first for Daniel - he got to ride on the tube. I didn't know if he would be scared and we weren't going to do it if he didn't want to but he was so excited about it! Mom rode with him to make sure he didn't fly off. He loved it and I did too. It all depends on the boat driver and Robert really knows how to turn the boat and ZING us across the waves. Whew - what a ride!








And then afterwards, we went back to their campground and roasted hot dogs and marshmellows. As any boy would be, Daniel was entranced by the campfire. He didn't even want to go play at the playground, he just wanted to stay and watch the fire. We really had fun. Thanks Mr. Robert and Ms. Bunny!

Behavior update - Monday was a good day, Tuesday was a bad day, Wednesday was a good day, Thursday was a good day. Is it too soon to think maybe we are on a roll? We are celebrating our good days, and reviewing the expectations on the bad days. Thanks for your prayers and words of encouragement!

First Grade, first week

Did I mention that Daniel was going to grow a tomato plant this summer? I thought it might be a good science project for him over the summer (and I love to eat tomatoes). I told him it was his responsibility, he had to water it all summer and we would see what happened. This was him on Memorial day doing the planting:


He was good about watering all summer long - even reminding me when I didn't feel like it. And here is our little farmer at the end of summer:

He did so great, we might actually plant BIG tomatoes next year!

The beginning of school has been rough. Daniel's latest stunt is running away when he gets in trouble. He is running off from the teacher and it's very dangerous. We're doing everything we can think of to discourage this behavior. I knew that a transition to a new school would be tough, but I didn't anticipate it would be like this. We are hopeful that if we stay consistent, he will learn that this is not acceptable. He hasn't even been there a week yet, so we need to give him time. I know he was nervous on the first day. He said to me on the way there, 'Mom, will you go with me?' Of course! I wouldn't miss it! But that shows me that he was nervous. Check out this face.....

Not a happy camper, huh? We have had a lot of screaming and crying and standing in the corner and drama at our house. We would appreciate your prayers as Daniel adjusts to yet another change in his life. He is a tough guy! And that sweet smile is never far off. On Friday they were supposed to dress like a character from a book we read this summer. We chose 'Froggy goes to camp'. I know you can't tell from this picture, but his hat is a frog face and he has a bowl of BUGS for lunch!

'If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.' James 1:5

We are clinging to that verse and praying for wisdom and discernment in parenting this special little boy!

First day of school

Today Daniel was headed off to First grade! We had orientation on Monday and got to visit his room, meet his teacher and sit in his desk.

We were so excited about his chance to go to a Christian School! It's not like it's the first year in school. I didn't think I would have any trouble leaving him. But, I was full of emotion. He did better than I did - I cried all the way to work. He didn't look very happy when I left him, I am sure it was just anxiety (the stutter is back today!). I felt so bad for him. I feel like all we have done since he's been here is thrust him into a new situation and new rules and expect him to adapt. Poor kid. It's been tough, I know and he has done so well. I just felt so guilty.

But of course he did great. He was all smiles when Pop picked him up. Here is our big First grader:

And compare this to his first day of school picture from last year. He has grown so much in one year!!

Great Video

Turn your sound on, sit back, and be moved!

That's My King! [no live band] from Albert Martin on Vimeo.

Yellow belt!!

Friday night they had the summer camp graduation from Karate school and Daniel also tested for his yellow belt. It was fun to see all the kids go through their moves and he did very well. For his test, he got to break a board. We were amazed! Pop held it up and after a few, 'Aiiiyah!'s then he broke it. They were only allowed to break a board if they agreed to break a bad habit. We picked a bad habit (not listening) and wrote it on the board and then he agreed to break it when he broke the board.

Karate school has been good for him this summer. The focus on discipline and self control - all things that we need to work on. He has done so well there that I think we are going to have him continue the classes into the school year. Oh - and by the way - he did get his yellow belt.

OK - so as I read over this and my last few posts, I realize that it sounds like I am bragging. I don't mean to be bragging. We are just so proud and amazed by this little boy. I take no credit. We've worked very hard but he is 'fearfully and wonderfully made' and we are just marveling at the miracle God has worked and is working out in Daniel's life. So many things (challenges, struggles, issues) that we anticipated, expected and tried to prepare ourselves for in adopting just have not come true. Sure, we struggle like any parents. Raising a nice, polite young man is challenging! But, we are so WOW'ed by God's handiwork in Daniel.

(and he didn't have anyone to brag over him for almost 5 years, so I am just catching him up!)

Swimming lessons

Daniel is doing amazingly well in his swimming lessons. He has just had a few, but he's come a long way in a short period of time. Today he was working on breathing to the side as he does his stroke. He picked it up fast. The instructor even said, 'Most kids don't pick it up that fast.' He is Mom's little fish!