We went to church this morning and Sergiy went downstairs to a class which was a first for him. Usually he wants to stick pretty close to us. Shara Fish, who taught his class, thought there might have been some confusion as to the purpose of class and where exactly soccer fit into it!
In the afternoon, we went to Des Moines with Riley and Levi Collins and saw the 3D version of the latest Narnia film. It was a first for Sergiy and I think he enjoyed it.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Jan 8, 2011
Today we took Sergiy to the Monster Truck Jam in Des Moines. I had never been to one myself. We were warned to take ear plugs which we forgot but fortunately, Deborah found some for sale at the Events Center. We had great seats and it was about a 2 hour show. Sergiy liked it and took the rest of his pictures that he had left on his disposable camera.
On the way there, we stopped at a Eastern European grocery store that someone had told us about. Sergiy saw dried calamari for sale and really wanted it. So we bought it and some type of Ukrainian cakes. Both things were only $5.00 so it wasn't expensive. He liked the cakes and has really liked the calamari. The problem is....the calamari smells terrible! Right now we are sitting on the couch watching "The Night at the Museum" and he is eating it right beside me. The stench is terrible. He keeps asking me if I want some....no thanks.
We also shopped today to complete buying some clothes before he leaves. He needed a few more things and we had to exchange some jeans that were a bit too small. His favorite purchase was some camouflage pants. We also bought some birthday gifts and will be having a birthday party on Thursday. We got an off brand mp3 player and picked up a plug adapter combined with a voltage thig a ma jig that will allow him to recharge it with their different electrical voltage. Hopefully he can manage that but I know that many kids have cell phones and keep them recharged.
On the way there, we stopped at a Eastern European grocery store that someone had told us about. Sergiy saw dried calamari for sale and really wanted it. So we bought it and some type of Ukrainian cakes. Both things were only $5.00 so it wasn't expensive. He liked the cakes and has really liked the calamari. The problem is....the calamari smells terrible! Right now we are sitting on the couch watching "The Night at the Museum" and he is eating it right beside me. The stench is terrible. He keeps asking me if I want some....no thanks.
We also shopped today to complete buying some clothes before he leaves. He needed a few more things and we had to exchange some jeans that were a bit too small. His favorite purchase was some camouflage pants. We also bought some birthday gifts and will be having a birthday party on Thursday. We got an off brand mp3 player and picked up a plug adapter combined with a voltage thig a ma jig that will allow him to recharge it with their different electrical voltage. Hopefully he can manage that but I know that many kids have cell phones and keep them recharged.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Jan 7, 2011
The big event today was to go to the sale barn and watch the cattle sale. Some of our friends, Dan Dennison and Joe Kearney, were selling some of their calves. So we went out to the sale and the first thing we saw was someone selling Australian Shepherd puppies. Sergiy wanted to hold one for a bit and at $200 a piece holding is all that was going to take place.
I thought he might have been getting bored and offered to go but he wanted to stay longer. He liked watching them butt each other and get a little fiesty in the pens. He came home and told Deborah what had happened by "acting out" in charades what the calves were doing in the pen.
We watched the first Narnia movie tonight. He told us that he had seen it once before in Ukraine so he understood the movie even though it was in English. I have really been surprised how much he likes movies. I thought not knowing English would be a huge barrier to him enjoying movies but it doesn't seem to impact it. We are hoping to go see the new Narnia movie before he leaves. It is in 3D and we haven't yet been to a movie theater since he has been here.
Tomorrow we have tickets to go to the monster truck jam in Des Moines. A commercial came on TV today and after seeing it, he is very excited about going.
One more week....and he flies back to Ukraine...
I thought he might have been getting bored and offered to go but he wanted to stay longer. He liked watching them butt each other and get a little fiesty in the pens. He came home and told Deborah what had happened by "acting out" in charades what the calves were doing in the pen.
We watched the first Narnia movie tonight. He told us that he had seen it once before in Ukraine so he understood the movie even though it was in English. I have really been surprised how much he likes movies. I thought not knowing English would be a huge barrier to him enjoying movies but it doesn't seem to impact it. We are hoping to go see the new Narnia movie before he leaves. It is in 3D and we haven't yet been to a movie theater since he has been here.
Tomorrow we have tickets to go to the monster truck jam in Des Moines. A commercial came on TV today and after seeing it, he is very excited about going.
One more week....and he flies back to Ukraine...
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Jan 6, 2011
Deborah was home today so she cooked us breakfast. Sergiy has taken to a liking of fried eggs so that's what we had.
We went to the store and when we got back Jake and Lacey had arrived. Jake, Sergiy and I went to the driving range in Grimes where Jake coached Sergiy in golf. I hit a few, Jake hit more than I did, but Sergiy did most of it. He finally agreed to change his grip to the way Jake taught him (most of the time). He had a great time but you could tell he was getting tired after an hour or so.
We stopped for the McDonalds fish sandwich per usual.
For dinner tonight, Deb made roast beef, mashed potatoes, broccoli, corn and Sergiy ate very big portions and went back for more potatoes and beef. He really likes broccoli a lot. When we went to the store he wanted strawberries and apples (which weren't on the list). He has eaten almost all of the stawberries already and selected two of the biggest apples I had ever seen....At least he likes fruit for a snack.
Since most of the Christmas candy is gone, he doesn't eat alot of sugar. I asked him if wanted to spend some of his gift money on candy twice and he said no when we were standing right in front of it. The other day, I had him try a milkshake and he didn't like it because it was too sweet.....I don't have a grid for not liking milkshakes.....
We went to the store and when we got back Jake and Lacey had arrived. Jake, Sergiy and I went to the driving range in Grimes where Jake coached Sergiy in golf. I hit a few, Jake hit more than I did, but Sergiy did most of it. He finally agreed to change his grip to the way Jake taught him (most of the time). He had a great time but you could tell he was getting tired after an hour or so.
We stopped for the McDonalds fish sandwich per usual.
For dinner tonight, Deb made roast beef, mashed potatoes, broccoli, corn and Sergiy ate very big portions and went back for more potatoes and beef. He really likes broccoli a lot. When we went to the store he wanted strawberries and apples (which weren't on the list). He has eaten almost all of the stawberries already and selected two of the biggest apples I had ever seen....At least he likes fruit for a snack.
Since most of the Christmas candy is gone, he doesn't eat alot of sugar. I asked him if wanted to spend some of his gift money on candy twice and he said no when we were standing right in front of it. The other day, I had him try a milkshake and he didn't like it because it was too sweet.....I don't have a grid for not liking milkshakes.....
Jan 5, 2011
Well, Sergiy had never been to McDonald's for breakfast so we decided to go today. However, he wanted to do English class first thing so we went through two readers and did some vocabulary. I have noticed in the past few days that he is doing more "parroting" of what I say....saying phrases instead of just single words. It was interesting when he was talking to his Ukranian chaparone on Sunday (who is also the director of his orphanage) that when she must have asked him a question, he would immediately say, "yes", and then correct himself to say the Russian word for it, "da".
After that we went to the rec center to play some basketball and kick the soccer ball around. During our soccer play he kicked the ball, I was trying to block and he kicked it to a direct hit on my mouth. I thought for sure I would have a split lip but it didn't even draw blood. The poor kid felt terrible but I told him it was no problem, it was an accident.
In the afternoon, I thought I would try the library. He has little interest (maybe no interest) in books. We kind of walked through. Tried to get him to look at some animal books...not interested. Got a book out on how to draw monsters (he loves monsters)...no interest...but when he saw the DVD section I lost him. This kid loves movies. So we picked a few and came home.
He now goes to the chicken house ahead of me to collect eggs and is always sure to take Buddy with him.....
After that we went to the rec center to play some basketball and kick the soccer ball around. During our soccer play he kicked the ball, I was trying to block and he kicked it to a direct hit on my mouth. I thought for sure I would have a split lip but it didn't even draw blood. The poor kid felt terrible but I told him it was no problem, it was an accident.
In the afternoon, I thought I would try the library. He has little interest (maybe no interest) in books. We kind of walked through. Tried to get him to look at some animal books...not interested. Got a book out on how to draw monsters (he loves monsters)...no interest...but when he saw the DVD section I lost him. This kid loves movies. So we picked a few and came home.
He now goes to the chicken house ahead of me to collect eggs and is always sure to take Buddy with him.....
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Jan 4, 2011
Today, Sergiy finished building his last 4 rockets. Andrew came over this afternoon and helped him launch them in the area behind our house. There was so little wind, Sergiy was able to retrieve all 4 of them. You could see them go up and then watch them fall back to the ground.
Sergiy wanted to watch some movies and finally wrote on the translator that he was "hunting for monster movies". After looking on Netflix, I couldn't find any I was very comfortable with so I ended up taking him to Family Video for the first time. He ended up wanting to rent Jaws and Jurassic Park.
We watched Jaws with Deborah which he enjoyed. I don't think that he had seen it before but had seen Jurassic Park in Ukraine. He told me (through the translator) that he had seen it in Russian and was having difficulty understanding the english in the movie.
One odd thing that always happen when he is outside is that he always notices jet trails and points them out. I don't know why but he always scans the sky for them and tells me about them and says, "Aeroplane".
It is hard to believe there are only 10 days left. We told him today that we are planning an early birthday party for him on Jan 13th. He actually turns 15 on the 16th, the day he lands back in Ukraine. When I was showing him on the calendar, he pointed out the days remaining and told me he leaves on Saturday, Jan 15th. I wonder how much he is thinking about how many days are left in the hosting trip. I am trying not to think about it at all....
Sergiy wanted to watch some movies and finally wrote on the translator that he was "hunting for monster movies". After looking on Netflix, I couldn't find any I was very comfortable with so I ended up taking him to Family Video for the first time. He ended up wanting to rent Jaws and Jurassic Park.
We watched Jaws with Deborah which he enjoyed. I don't think that he had seen it before but had seen Jurassic Park in Ukraine. He told me (through the translator) that he had seen it in Russian and was having difficulty understanding the english in the movie.
One odd thing that always happen when he is outside is that he always notices jet trails and points them out. I don't know why but he always scans the sky for them and tells me about them and says, "Aeroplane".
It is hard to believe there are only 10 days left. We told him today that we are planning an early birthday party for him on Jan 13th. He actually turns 15 on the 16th, the day he lands back in Ukraine. When I was showing him on the calendar, he pointed out the days remaining and told me he leaves on Saturday, Jan 15th. I wonder how much he is thinking about how many days are left in the hosting trip. I am trying not to think about it at all....
Monday, January 3, 2011
Jan 3, 2011
Today Sergiy was definitely improved. He slept in later than he had on any day yet. He must have just had a virus because he looked almost back to his usual self. We didn't do too much today...ended up a movie day. I looked for some movies my son loved. One he watched was the Never Ending Story. He asked for another one but I wasn't sure if it was good or not so I said no. He takes "no" so well, let's it roll off and doesn't argue or even pout.
Andrew came over late this afternoon and gave Sergiy a Christmas present. Andrew had bought him some Estes model rocket engines. He then brought over all the items to help Sergiy build some model rockets. They got two built this evening and had a night launch. There was no wind so they came down very close to the launch site.
Now it's Animal Planet time. Small pets show..he is teaching us the russian word for "parrot".....
Andrew came over late this afternoon and gave Sergiy a Christmas present. Andrew had bought him some Estes model rocket engines. He then brought over all the items to help Sergiy build some model rockets. They got two built this evening and had a night launch. There was no wind so they came down very close to the launch site.
Now it's Animal Planet time. Small pets show..he is teaching us the russian word for "parrot".....
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