How to motivate Daniel

Daniel and I have come to a new understanding.  I have tried not to have the kids play on the computers on Sundays.  I have been good about this off and on depending on how tired or busy I happen to be on any given Sunday.  I have been praying and asking my Heavenly Father to help me to not only teach my boys about the gospel to help me motivate them to want to learn the messages.  It started a few Sundays ago when I asked Daniel if he would practice some Articles of Faith with me.  I told him that for every Article of Faith he could memorize I would give him 10 minutes on the computer.  He told me 6 that day.  He then began earning minutes doing other Sunday appropriate activites like reading articles in the Friend.  Now he does these activities without even a suggestion from me.today he read a quote from Elder Russell M. Nelson that said "The influence of your mother will bless you throughout life."  

This touched my heart because that is my ultimate goal in life to influence my children's lives for good.  I realized that just like different children need different discipline they also need different motivation.  What is right for one family may not work in my family and it is my job to figure out what works and how to motivate my children to want to learn the gospel.

A Wonderful Temple Experience

We had a wonderful time at the temple today. We arrived early, sat through the training meeting and then went through the temple with a VIP group. It was beautiful, of course, and the members are so excited that live here. While in the Celestrial Room during the tour, I saw not one but two members bend down to pick up small pieces of thread that were on the floor. These were members that were going to be hosts and they we brimming with pride of the temple. We asked to help put the booties on but they said that they could use us for hosts of English-only speaking people. So we simply hung out and talked to Americas and missionaries and waited to be called on. It was so cool, we loved it. We met a cute girl who served her mission in Donetsk about 3 years ago. Come to find out, she is majoring in speech-language pathology at BYU. She is actually getting a double major in Speech and in Russia so she has been in Moscow the last three months on an externship. She came back to Ukraine for the temple open house. So come to find out, while she was serving in Donetsk she was able to go to the orphanage with the Aids/TB babies were located and hold them. After she left we realized that she would have been there perhaps when Dimitri was living in that orphanage. Later, she returned and we confirmed it. It was so awesome to realize that this wonderful girl gave Dimitri loves and cuddles years ago when he needed so much. We are so thankful to her and to all the people who give up their time, energy and money to love and help these orphans. We hope to make a difference not only in Dimitri's life but in many of these children's lives.

A Few Days in Donetsk

We have been visiting Dimtri the last 4 days two times a day and I think I am seeing lots of progress. He is now signing 4 different signs (all related to food of course). The signs are more, eat, drink and apple (for apple juice). He is also able to attend to a task longer and is making much more eye contact. He continues to have lots of tantrums especially when the apple juice is gone or he is taken away from an activity (water) that he is obsessed with but we are relishing the small steps. We met the neatest couple here who are adopting a little girl from Dimitri's group. They are from Italy (an hour outside of Rome) and are just wonderful. They love their little girl and were so friendly and generous with us. We feel lucky to have met them. They didn't speak alot of English and we speak no Italian but when you met like-minded people whose hearts are experience the same emotions at the same time you instantly bond. I really hope to stay in touch with them. It was sad when we had to leave Dimitri to go to the airport and I often wonder what he is going to think when we don't come to get him for a while. We are in Kiev and are missing him already but John does a very good impression of him but it is not quite the same.

Adoption Court

We were able to see Dema yesterday and play with him for an hour in the morning and about half an hour in the evening before court. I swear he was looking around for Daniel as he was constantly scanning the area. He was waiting for his big brother to pop out. He was much more mellow that we remember and we all really enjoyed each other greatly. We heard his cute little deep laugh for the first time as he loved to be held time and then spun around in my arms. It was awesome because he would give me tight hugs and put his head on my shoulder (so I received the snuggles I so crave). He held my hand for most of our playtime (which we are finding is the secret to success- so he in not constantly running to danger). Then, at 5:00 we had court. There were a lot of people but we knew most of them: the social worker, the lawyer from the baby house, one of Dema’s caregivers, Olga and then there was another lady with a broken arm the judge and the court clerk that we did not know. We meet in his office because the courtroom was not available. After we started, the judge noticed that the prosecutor (which our interpreter calls persecutor) was not present so we had to leave the office and wait for them to find her. We finally got started again and it went quickly and smooth. Our request was granted and we were told to come back on the 13th to pick up the adoption decree after the 10-day waiting period. This is a time period where any Ukrainian can come and claim him before we legally adopt him. I understand the reasoning but it is just more time to wait before we can get him back home.

More Blessings

We just got home from church completely excited. First off, we were able to reconnect with some of our friends from our last church experience in Kiev. We again met an Elder who is still serving in Kiev and he was fun to see again. He has a new companion who is the first missionary who has ever served from the country of Georgia (formally part of the USSR). The Georgian Elder was quick to tell us that there are now two Elders serving from Georgia. We also had the pleasure to see Sister Larsen again. She is an adorable sister serving from SLC and seems to be the whole package. She translated for us during Fast and Testimony meeting and after as well as we reconnected with our friend Brother Alexander. He was delighted with the State quarters we brought him and talked to us about the Temple open house. Well, one thing led to another and after talking to 2 different Bishops, and getting directions three different times, John and I are working the open house as a couple on August 7th and John will work again when I am gone by himself on August 10th. We told them that we would do anything they needed us to do but reminded them that we only speak English. They said that there may be many visitors that speak English. So we will see but it is going to be the coolest no matter what we get to do. We love these people and this Church, which is spreading across the world. Brother Alexander gave John a big pile of temple invitations to hand out in Independent Square or wherever we may be. They are all so excited for this temple to open as all the testimonies born were about the Temple. They have been waiting for it since 1998 when it was announced. We leave tomorrow morning on the 6:30 plane to Donetsk to get to adoption court. I think our apartment this time will be closer to the baby house so it will be easier to get there two times a day during visiting hours. We will hopefully be able to visit D before court but I don’t know for sure. I wonder if he will remember us when he sees us. I know he will be thinking, “Now, where is that little one that was with them last time?” I know he liked Daniel the best out of the three of us (can’t blame him-most people do). Bye for now! Will write again in Donetsk.

Back in Ukraine

So here we are again back in Ukraine. This time we left Daniel with Courtney. This is the first time that we have left him and we are freaking out. I think he will do fine but I am not sure about John. The flight went quickly and we love the apartment that we are staying in for the next two days. Then, Monday morning bright and early we leave for Donetsk because we have court Monday evening. I am getting so excited and am starting to believe that this might really happen for us and Dimitri. I also received good news on the fostering front today so I am floating on air right now. If you are willing to put your future in Heavenly Father's hands you will receive all the blessings that you have been praying for, I believe. Even though we do not speaking the language here, we do now know how things work and it is nice having a little bit of control and independency here. I slept a little on the plane but I am still really tired. I might take a nap but I have to be up by 6 p.m. so I can Skype Daniel at 8 a.m. in Arizona. I am so lucky to have a sister who is willing to fit nother kid and a pain in the behind dog at a moments notice into her crazy, busy life. I don't have to worry about Daniel because she has always been his second mom. And being with her and Kate (his favorite person in the world) will make him be okay for the next 10 days until I can get home to him. Well, John's back with the water so bye for now.

Court Date

We finally got a court date. It is August 2nd at 5 p.m. I can't believe it is so late. We will fly out again on July 30th. Daniel will stay here this time and I will only be gone for a little over a week. I am going to still have a hard time leaving him. He has already instructed his dad to skype him twice a day.