Finding Bio parents...trip to Ukraine Part 1

Sometime in May 2018, our oldest son Danilka decided to go back to Ukraine to see his Bio dad.
We fully supported his dream! Don't get us wrong, it was not easy...we are people and we have our own insecurities!  We had many what ifs? We didn't show any of it to our son, and told him that we will support him in anything we can! We knew that financially we would not be able to support his dream, with only on person working and feeding 13 of us, it was just not possible. Danilka told us that he will provide, and cover all the expenses for this trip! It was very mature and thoughtful of him!

The plan was to go sometime in August, so we would be back before school starts.
We knew that if he would get any fast food place job, it would not be enough money by the time we travel. Danilk
He decided to try out a farm. A year ago, him and one of the sisters tried, but they were still 15, and not strong enough and it didn't really work. This time he was sure that physically he will be able to do it.

First week of June he started working on the farm! It was  hard work! Every day me or my husband (mostly him) would take him at 5:50 am, and I would pick him up at 2 pm or 4 pm.  He worked 6 days a week, most weeks, until August 7th.

Danilka asked me to go with him...

The tickets were purchased, most things were done, and we were getting closer to our trip. We had tickets for August 8th, Sacramento to Washington DC, Washington DC to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Kiev.

Danilka was so tired... He was falling asleep everywhere... As a mom, I felt so bad... I knew that it was a good life lesson, and experience for him, but still I wished to not see him struggle, and being so exhausted!

To be continue...

One week in May 2018

Today is Sunday...tomorrow is a new week...

This week will be almost like any other weeks, except... we will complete one more adoption, adoption of our sweet daughter! RG will be officially Mironyuk :)

Anyway, this post is not about her adoption, it is about a week ahead of us!


Monday-

8:30 am we all have to go to court, to finally adopt our girl :) (details later)

11:30 am- school counselor meeting about IG

1:00 pm-meeting with school specialist about AG

2pm Lunch together as a family in one of the buffets, celebrating adoption day of our daughter!

Tuesday

 our last, official day of school! We will still have our regular school day, which includes:


9:00 am Speech Dimcho
9:00 am speech Denny
9:00  am piano lesson Elliana
9:45 am piano lesson Rose


11:00 am Ilianna special ed tutoring/class at the library
11:15 am I have a meeting with Educational Specialist
12 :00 pm Denny special ed tutoring/class at the library
1:00 pm Ilianna special ed tutoring/class at the library

2:00 pm Dimcho special ed tutoring/class at the library
3:00 pm Daniel J special ed tutoring/class at the library
4:00 pm Dimcho special ed tutoring/class at the library

Wednesday

9:30 am Piano
10:15 Piano
9:00- 9:50 am -school counselor meeting about AG
10:00- 10:50 am -school counselor meeting about RA
11:00- 12:30 pm -school counselor meeting about DJ and DA

1:00 pm-2:00 pm- AG, DJ , RA, DA, EE, SN, DN, DD, EE have Gymnastics

3:00 SN doctor appointment
3:15  DA doctor appointment
3:30  EE doctor appointment


6:40 pm Awana for youngest 5, and the rest of the kids would go to church for other things.


Thursday

9 am Speech DD
8:30 pm-Guitar lesson DA

Friday

12 pm Phone appointment RA (specialist)

Plus, homeschooling, helping each child, and cooking :)

IG is working, and not driving yet. I do take her to work most days (she works 4-5-6 days a week). Some of her coworkers will bring her back, which is a huge blessing, only sometimes we have to go to get her.

This is what I have on my calendar... Most of our weeks looks the same :) We also had tutoring for each child, one hour each week, so if I would post this schedule few weeks back, you would see 10 hours of tutoring :)

RG is driving now, and I use to take her to school each morning, and would pick her up after school. It is a huge relief that she is driving, and taking her everywhere (school, job and activities). Also, when she is home, she will take IG to work, or older kids to church.

Older kids have to be in church few times a week for practices, and etc. and this is my job to take them :)


*** I am posting this just to remember....I know that some day our kids will be out of the house and I will have no one to drive, take care of  and cook for! I am trying to enjoy this time, and actually do get very emotional thinking that someday all of this will be GONE!

RG-6 months home

This beautiful young lady joined our family almost 6 month ago! She was 18 when she came to us.

To be honest with you, we thought that we will not make it, and her stay with us will be very short. She came with a lot of trauma, hurt and trust issues!

We are blessed to know God and to believe in HIM, we are thankful that He gave us His eyes! We saw a beautiful, happy, honest, respectful child under all those layers of hate, hurt, and pain! She was like a wild animal when she came to us! She was in survival mode, and her goal was to survive no matter what! She could rely only on herself! She didn’t trust anyone, and we were no one to her!

There are two reasons why I am not sharing everything we went through:

 #1-This is her story to tell, and if someday she wants to share it, it is up to her!

#2-If I share how hard it was for us to love her, and accept her, and how we survived… I will have to share everything what she went through in her life, everything that is still a mystery to us, everything that made her the way she was 6 months ago and today!
The way she was or is, it is not her fault! Life, trauma, not caring adults, made her!She learned to not trust anyone, and hurt everyone who love her! She learned to not attach and to not show emotions!

If it was a hard time for us to accept her, and learn to love her, can you imagine how hard it was for her to trust us, and love us after what she went through?
After her traumatized life as an abandoned child, after spending years, years in the orphanage?!
After all those years, and everything that had happen to her, today she is making progress! She is trying! She is healing!

We are still having issues! We are still working on things, but with God, and His help, with love we can make a difference!

We are thankful to you my dear daughter, thankful for not giving up!

 For not giving up on adults!

For not giving up on family!

For not giving up on your life!

Today, you are still fighting “monsters” from your past, but you are strong, and I and dad know that you can do this! We will do our best to help you with anything you need and we will be there for you! 

Just remember, you are loved!
You are a daughter!
You are a sister!
You have a whole "gang" behind you! Yes, it is not easy to learn to live as a family, and it is not always easy to learn to love, get along with your siblings, but believe me, it is a blessing to have a family! All of us learning to something everyday, and we all have issues to work on! 

We believe in this beautiful lady! 

Please stay the way you are while you dance through this life! We love you! 

I wish I could...

***A letter from my 11 year old...

 I wish I could....

I am 11 years old and as you see, my topic is,
I wish I could...be a better person that makes his dear mom proud!
 I wish I could be someone and I wish I  would be a person that does not bother people, and has lots of friends!
God please help me be an obedient person and a person who does not make his mom cry
 God I have a question:
"Why does mom have to waste her life loving us?"
God please give her strength and a gift that she will not die
and please God I ask you to make me a better person
 I let you take my life and give it to my mom.
 I don't want her to die! I want her to to live!
I don't want her to die because of me disobeying her!
 I don't want to see her stressing with me.
I love her dearly but I don't show it her. I just wish I could  !

 THE END


mom I love you

Piano Concert June 4

A big day for all three, but Elliana and Dimcho had their first concert! They did awesome, and we are so proud of them! 

Before Concert...

Elliana, Dimcho and Denny :) with their piano teacher

Dimcho playing! 

Elliana's turn

Daniel D is doing a great job! This is his 4th concert! 

They are doing great! We are so proud of them!

Blessings

Arrowbear 2016-Mironyuks and Reeds

For Memorial Day weekend we were invited by Reeds family to go spend a weekend in the mountains.

We are so blessed to know them, to be able to call them our friends and and be able to spend this special time together!

This is our second time getting together, first time was in 2014. Our kids getting along well, and they all miss them already!


We woke up early Saturday morning. This is Dimcho at 4am....we were about to leave our house. It was 7 hour drive...

 These two had a lot of fun together, especially they loved playing basketball

Usually not good with changes but did so well 

She is super friendly and had no problem playing with older kids, or younger kids

Breakfast time

 Daddy and his daughter...

My oldest princess making pancakes

Just playing

Boys did a lot of fishing

Some girls too :)

Rope swing

It was a first time for some of our children. Dimcho and Elisey were afraid to try rope swinging two years ago, and this time they did great! So proud of them! I don't have Dimcho's picture but I do have a video, will add a video of him later

Kids did a lot of rock climbing

He was so proud of himself. He does have problems with heights but he did enjoy rock climbing, and he enjoyed the sun!

 My sporty girl and Elisey! 

 Sergey,  our kids, and some of the Reeds went up the mountain

This is the view from the top of the mountain. Our house was by the lake...

This is the sweetest picture. One of the Reed's boy helping our youngest. I am just amazed how helpful, thoughtful and sweet Reeds family is! 

Best buddies! 

Rose's first fish

These two are the most fun to be around. Also they do get in-trouble often :) Good trouble :)  

Elliana's best friends :) 

Saying goodbyes

Most of us together...missing two people

 

Kids did a lot of rock climbing, exploring and playing...They were able to catch a lizard, found few snakes, and just have fun! It was an amazing time! The Reeds have 18 children, and 16 were able to come. So we had 16 Reeds, 9 Mironyks, and 2 extra girls, plus adults. Kids got along great! Many memories were made, and we are looking forward to get together again!