GREAT NEWS!!!!! THE BOYS' SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS FINALLY CAME!
I CAN DO MY TAXES NOW!



Words of Advice for parents of internationally adopted children: Make sure you tell your child where you can pinch someone who isn't wearing green on St. Patrick's Day BEFORE they go to school! (We told them before they got on the school bus, I can just imagine the phone calls we would have gotten).


Matthew knocked on the bathroom door while I was in there a couple nights ago. I said "What is it?" He replied "I need some privacy here!" and I was the one in the bathroom.

Alex used the word "Actually" in a sentence the other day. His English is pretty good, in fact sometimes he talks so fast we have to stop him and tell him to slow down.

The truck is tied to the wagon and the wagon tied to the bike for a train.

Alex and Matthew had lots of fun playing outside yesterday in the mud. It was about 55 degrees and they were outside for most of the day. They both had to have baths afterwards

Alex with his second place trouphy for wrestling at South Sioux. Check out his glasses!

Jack got the same trophy but wouldn't let me take the picture.

All 9 Donnelly Grandkids together for Ben's (center front) 6th birthday!

Matthew loves to watch the coffee drip.

I left my empty bed to go wake up Jack and Alex for school and this is what I found when I came back. (That's my pillow!)

Doesn't he look sweet all cuddled up with Puffy the whale.

Jeff, Alex, Matthew and Ginny the dog made a snowman yesterday. Ginny kept chewing off the sticks they put in for arms.

Alex making the head of the snowman.

Alex placed 4th in Youth district wrestling, my nephew Ben placed second. They get to move on to regions next weekend.

Funny story.

Matthew and I went to Sioux City on Friday to go to the Social Security Office (not the funny part but hopefully three months after I applied I should get the boys' SS# so I can file our taxes) and the eye glass store. I need glasses for driving and watching tv-not reading (yet). So Matthew and I went into Eye Mart -the same place where I got Alex's glasses. I told Matthew "make sure I don't pick out the same ones as Alex has." Guess what we did anyhow, so now we match.

Matthew wanted to get a pair of pink ones-he hasn't stopped talking about it since he tried them on.

HOME 16 Weeks, 4 Long Cold Months.

It has been a long four months, partly because it has been so cold and we have all been trapped inside. Yesterday was nice and we were able to be outside, I am getting spring fever, I want to start working on the garden. I need to expand it this year because the boys love cucumbers and tomatoes.

Alex is really starting to come around behaviorly. He is also starting to understand slang and seems to be playing with kids at school-hopefully making friends soon. Hopefully these better behaviors become habit and he doesn't fall back into his old ways. Alex started CCD on Wednesday afternoons. He seems to like it. I would like for Jack to start going, but I don't know if his English is good enough yet and I don't want him to start hating church.

Jack just can't seem to understand that rules are rules, he thinks they pertain to everyone but him. He has gone two weeks without tv because of his yelling at us, talking bad to us and doing things he shouldn't. Last week he decided to ride his bike 7 miles to town without telling anyone. We were able to figure out where he went with help from several people who saw him. He rode home in the dark wearing a black sweatshirt and black pants-not very smart considering it is a pretty busy road. We printed out (in English and Russian) what needs to be done in order for him to watch tv. He was at least trying for a couple of days. The problem is all he does is watch tv-even when it is nice out-the more tv he watches the moodier he gets. He doesn't play games with us or even want to go out side.
Jack and Alex wrestled in a tournament in South Sioux City last weekend. They both got second place and they received huge trophies. I will try to upload a picture soon. Jack is done wrestling now but Alex will wrestle at youth wrestling districts this weekend. If he does well he will go on to regions. My nephew Ben will also wrestle this weekend. I love to watch the tiny kids wrestle they are so cute. Hopefully Matthew will want to participate next year.
We are trying to get Jack to go out for track. He is pretty fast and I think he would do well if he would try.
Matthew's vocabulary has exploded, he uses all sorts of words and frequently I have to explain them to Alex. Some of the words have been: disgusting, ingrediant, oh and he explained how fog is made this morning. He is a funny little guy. He is getting his 6 year molars and has two loose teeth.

Remember the little girl I posted about last, well if anyone wants to adopt her (I would still love to) the shriners have an orthopedic hospital in St. Paul and would most likely pay for most of her treatment.

Thanks to those who posted advice about the boys, I have read those books (some more than once) and used quite a bit of it in parenting. The problem being is that Jack has had so much independance that he can't accept any of the boundaries that are set in the books and when everything is taken away he lashed out at us and starts harassing his brothers. The things work ok with Alex.