First Camping Trip for Andrew

We went camping up in Lake Tahoe this weekend. This was Andrew's first camping trip.

                                      Learning how to hook up the trailer.



                                               Our camping site.

                                                    Playing cards





                                                Virginia City, Nevada






                                                    Cowboy Andrew

                                                  Cowboy Zachary








                                               The bros being serious!

                               The Mickschl kids who settled the West!

                             Who gets the next bite of hot cereal? Yum yum!

 

                                                    Our view

                                Andrew skateboarding down the hill!





                                             Here comes Zach!

                                            Morgan and Layla

                              Having some pie before we leave for home!

  The weather was perfect this weekend! The kids can't wait to go camping again.  We are going to Coloma for Thanksgiving and then back up to Tahoe for the rest of Thanksgiving weekend! Blessings,
Hansina

Our Week

This last week Andrew asked for a place at the dinning room table where we do homeschooling and some more school work. I had already gave him a math book to work in, but he asked for a grammar one. So now he is doing Rosetta Stone, grammar and math. He hasn't wanted to participate in the other subjects, but I'm believing that will come soon.
We are changing the bonus room around to accommodate a long table on the back wall for homeschooling, so everyone will have more room. There is a computer station up there already, so this will work great!
Here are some random pictures from this last week. Millie loves John-David. She holds him every chance she gets. Here they are watching a video.




This is a 16 year old boy crashing his bike. He and Zach said it looks like a smiley face.



Andrew and I not wanting our picture taken. We were having a moment....eating peanuts!


And life isn't complete without my Mackenzie being Captain America!



Blessings,
Hansina

Andrew at 9 or 10 years old

Andrew has only one picture of himself when he was yonger.  It is the earliest photo we have of him.  I wish we had a baby picture, but this is the one I'm going to blow up and put on our "baby wall."  This is before the orphanage.

Things have been pretty quiet lately.  We went for a drive this last weekend and Andrew says, "I love Mickschl Family!  They are crazy!"  That's because we didn't know where we were going....we were just driving! Isn't that fun?  To just take off and drive and don't have a destination....just drive and see where you end up.  We had a great day!

Andrew has been Skyping less and less with his friends in Ukraine. That is a big deal because that means he is bonding more and more with us. He is getting four hours of Internet a week and that is after he does his Rosetta Stone. He will Skype once a week with a friend, but that's it.

We have been saving our money for Disneyland and are hoping to go in the next two weeks.  I am going to hook Andrew to my belt! He has a tendency to take off!  He already knows he's to stay close to mom and dad.  I hope he does.  I really don't want to lose him at Disneyland. Although I know where he would be.....he loves Pirates!

I am so glad we took the step of faith, jumped off that cliff and adopted Andrew!  I would encourage any of you out there thinking about adopting, go for it!

                                         "I heard the voice of the Lord saying,
                                   'Whom shall I send and who will go for us?'
                                 Then I said, 'Here am I!  Send me!' " Isaiah 6:8

The Ring

Esto Castus.....to be pure.

When we took a drive through the foothills after church today, we stopped in Sonora to look through the shops. Andrew picked up a ring and asked if he could buy it with his own money. After examining the ring and what it said, dad told him yes.


Little did he know it was a purity ring with an inscription on the inside that reads, "Thou wilt be pure." The outside is Latin "Esto Castus" which means to be pure. I don't believe this was a coincidence. I believe The Lord led him to that particular ring. Out of all the shops, and all the rings, this is the one thing Andrew really wanted.


Lord, you bring all things together in the right place at the right time!

TO BE PURE!

Blessings,
Hansina

Andrew Sings!!

Andrew sings this Russian song about a boy and a girl going for a boat ride.  I love it when he sings! So much fun!

What a difference two months can make!

So it's been two months since Andrew came home and a lot has gone on.  I think of things to write, but sometimes it's too much. So I thought I would write some things that have happened in the first six weeks and how Andrew is doing now.

To be completely honest and open, the first six weeks were the hardest.  Let's talk (I will write).

1. Didn't want to learn English............works on his Rossetta Stone EVERYDAY!

2. Stole.......doesn't steal anymore.

3. Lying.........isn't lying anymore.

4. Attitude........rarely.

5. Uncertain........gaining confidence.

6. Wanting to be alone in his room..........desires to be with family.

7. Leaving the kitchen table as soon as he was done eating..........sits and participates with family conversation.

8. Would want everything: Internet, videos, bike ride, food, swim, going, going, going...........is content to just be.

9. Would not come in for Bible study...........slowly getting curious.  Has asked to read a verse or two this last time.

10.  Wanted to go to public school...........would like to be home schooled.

11. Did not want to spend holding time with mom, very rigid...........LOVES holding time with mom.  Snuggles right into her!

12. Pretending everything in his life has been great...........openness with tears.

13. Knows everything.......please teach me.

14. Didn't want to hang out to much with Zach...........asks Zach if he wants to ride their skateboards to the park everyday.

15. Not very clean.........showers daily.

16. Would take the sassiness from his sisters............dishes it right back out to them!

17. Was not interested in toys..........plays with Hot Wheels and LEGO.

18. Wanted Internet all the time..........goes days without asking for Internet.

19. Would not help around house.........dumps garbage voluntarily.

20. Would not even look at Mackenzie.........will intentionally sit by her and baby talk with her.


I'm sure there is much more, but this is off the top of my head.

Andrew has learned a lot and come a long way in such a short time.  He is not the boy I picked up from the airport.  He is not the boy I met at the orphanage. He is not the boy he was two months ago.  His heart is slowly starting to heal.  He's getting comfortable being in a family.  He's starting to understand what family is. It's been a slow process, but he is starting to love and trust his mom.  Andrew is where he's at because of prayer.  I'm so grateful and thankful to all of you who still pray for Andrew.  It is a reward and joy to watch his growth and see the true happiness in his eyes.

                                                 Now for some fun!!!

                                         This is Andrew smiling for Mom!

                                                                        

            This is Andrew's Ukrainian smile.          This is Andrew's Russian smile.

 

This is Andrew's crazy smile!

                                                         

Family

John-David's 3rd birthday

 

Sunday afternoon with family 

 

Andrew jumping in the pool 

 

Aunt Karrie and Mackenzie 

 

Chuck E. Cheese's 

This last week has been very busy!  We are back to home schooling and still trying to enjoy the last of the warm days of summer.  Swimming at Aunt Karrie's and Uncle Donnie's was a real treat!  Andrew loves to swim and there was plenty of swimming and eating! (His two favorite things!)

I have been printing out the welcome home Andrew comments many of you left on Facebook and giving them to Andrew.  He always tells me thank you and has enjoyed reading them.

His English is getting better all the time thanks to the Rosetta Stone. He said when he first got home the English would give him a headache, but it doesn't anymore.

Mark and I are enjoying the look on Andrew's face, the excitement in his voice, when we go somewhere or do something new.  Even from the food I cook, he LOVES everything! I can't imagine being a 16 year old and having so many new things to see and try.  I'm glad he's home so we can experience all these wonderful things together!