Recap of the past month or so...

Yeah, been AWOL. Sorry.

Lots going on... Our school schedule got kicked up a notch or two after Christmas, so I've had much less computer time, (well, less time to be "composing" things, but still time to read here and there). I've been really having to spend some one-on-one time with Adam's reading time, and as the other two got jealous that Adam "got to read to Mama and they didn't" they have started that routine as well. Fine and dandy with me, but it takes more time. I have found though, that it has helped them all a lot with their vocabulary. Instead of must shrugging off a word they don't know, they have me to ask a quick, "What's that mean?" It's been good for them all.

I got a Dutch Blitz game for Christmas, and it has rapidly become a favorite of "us girls." Adam doesn't mind it, but will only rarely join us. He'd rather hang out with Papa. :O/ It has been really fun though, that the girls have caught on so quickly. It's kind of a tricky game, but they've really gotten hooked. Leks and I had a Grand Champion of the World Competition while the older two were out (more on that in a sec), and she actually stomped me. Hmph.

Adam and Liana are helping a neighbor lady clean their house (starting today). She has had chemo/radiation and doesn't have the strength to do it herself the way she likes, so on Saturday came to the door asking if she could hire Adam. I thought it wisest to add Liana to the mix also, (which Liana was tickled pink about!), so off they went today. They each brought home checks for $25, and you should have SEEN them running home. They ran home hand-in-hand with the HUGEST smiles on their faces! Priceless! I had to take pictures of them with their checks. First "real" job you know! Much Excitement over here today.

We've been wanting to do a birth family search for a long time, and have finally gone for it in the last month or so. The search was a success, though it wasn't all "happy news," but I suppose that is to be expected on such a search.

We did, however, get many pictures of their village, house, birthfamily, (including grandparents and extended family!!), a precious few baby pictures of Adam, plus a pet dog. We also got a photograph of the children's older half-brother, Anatole (Tolik), who is now 20 or so. He and Liana are spitting images of each other. The P.I. even took pictures of a stream/river where the children remember fishing and swimming. Priceless stuff, and the children have been pouring over the pictures comparing memories/stories. Aleksa doesn't remember a thing, though, and who knows how much of all this is really registering to her at all. (Leksa still draws pictures of me with her in my tummy...)

A big bonus of all the pictures is that we finally understand why the kids look so different from each other! Aleksa looks just like her birthmother, and the older two look like their dad's side of the family. It is so neat to see such strong resemblances between the kids and their birthfamily - I'm sure that will mean a lot to them in the future. Very happy we went for it. Our questions were answered, and then some, and it is really a relief for me and John to have a better understanding of their pre-Fisher lives. Actually, it feels like we've given them a part of their life back.