Trying to Process.....

We were in Illinois for the past few days for grandpa's funeral (which was beautiful, by the way). While there, we stayed with some friends who have an indoor pool, so Vitaly was able to go swimming. He walked immediately to the diving board and jumped in, and we quickly realized that he does not know how to swim. So while all of the other kids jumped and played in the deep end, Vitaly stayed on the shallow side. Adrian and Ashton played basketball in the pool, and kept swooshing the ball through the hoop. Vitaly tried a time or two as well, but couldn't make it happen. Again, I found myself grieving the fact that this dear boy has never had anyone to teach him how to swim or how to shoot a basketball. He has missed out on so many of life's little experiences that we take for granted with our kids. He certainly had fun, though, and stayed in the pool for over 2 hours.

Vitaly has been acting out a little more this week, and we can tell that he is nervous about his trip back to Ukraine. He has become comfortable with our family, and he's not too sure about leaving behind the love and opportunities he has had while in America. We can feel him trying to distance himself from us a bit more, which we learned is a typical reaction with hosted kiddos. He is trying to prepare himself, but it is hard for him to process his feelings. We have experienced some tears in the past couple of days, which is not normal for this usually happy child.

The other day, V accidentally broke something that belongs to Chris. He was scared that he would get into trouble, so he hid the item. Last night we were looking for it, and asked V if he knew where it was. He lied and said he didn't. We later found it in the trash can, and we could tell that V was scared and nervous. We used it as a teaching moment, though, and Chris explained that he always needs to tell the truth, no matter what. He explained to V that mommy, daddy, and Jesus would forgive him, and that we love him unconditionally. V sobbed and was so sorry for what he had done, and there were lots of hugs and tears all around. It was a great bonding moment, and he was so relieved when Chris told him that it was not a big deal - the item could be fixed. He told us that he loved us, and went to bed a happy boy again.

Every child needs a family, and we know that Vitaly would thrive in a home that could provide unconditional love and direction. We are advocating for him, and earlier this week I posted a write-up and photo on Facebook that I would like to share here as well. If you know anyone who may be interested in this dear young man, please don't hesitate to contact me. 

Vitaly is a happy 11 year-old orphan boy from Ukraine. He is a wonderful and energetic child who loves to help around the house, listen to music, play musical instruments, sing, and eat (especially bananas)! His favorite color is yellow, and he loves to play outside and visit new places. We have been hosting him for the last 3 weeks, and he has adapted very quickly to his life in America, bonding well with adults and children. Vitaly speaks both Russian and Ukrainian, and is quickly learning some English words as well. His favorite school subject is math. He has a medical condition, but strictly follows his medicine schedule and seems very healthy and active. We would love to help Vitaly find his forever family! Thanks!