More Snapshots

Snapshots

Love these photos of Venya (and Palina) at surf camp. Thank you to IndoJax Surf School for giving these kids this awesome experience!

Snapshots

He's Back!

Well...he's back and we are once again enjoying the sweetness and the joy that goes along with having a humble boy from Belarus in our home. This year's arrival was different from years past...Bobby and I had the privilege of driving one of the vans to the Charlotte airport to pick up Venya and the group. We knew that although the kids would be quite tired after already traveling for so many hours, it would still be great to be there to welcome back our sleepy little visitor and all of the children for that matter.

He was walking down the ramp from the international terminal when I first spotted him. He was pushing a luggage cart as he walked which was sort of funny since the only thing resting on it was one small bag that wasn't even stuffed full and I certainly wouldn't classify it as heavy. He pushed it only so far as he took the last ten steps toward me with empty arms and free hands. Our tight hug was sweet and also comical as I looked over his shoulder at all the people who were now trying to make their way around the cart which I later learned contained the bag belonging to someone else...Just like Venya to be pushing someone else's stuff and just like him to ditch it for a hug.

Bobby and Don Teter were in the vans out in the cell phone parking lot (parking that day was an issue) and Yasmin and I texted back and forth to them as the kids continued to congregate and shuffle in and out of the bathroom. Yasmin distributed the motion sickness medicine. She has learned all too well over the years that motion sickness can be an issue, and this year was no exception. We had some that were sick before we even stepped out of the airport which broke my heart...imagine your child traveling all this way and they are now sick...and tired...and in some cases, probably scared and lonely. Yasmin and I tried as best we could to be of comfort to these kids...there are times when you just hope and pray that the language of motherly love (even when you are not their mother) is universal....AND that the medicine begins to start working!

We made it home safely and enjoyed one of those touching ABRO scenes as the vans...the Teters and then ours...slowly turned the corner into the church parking lot and drove between the lines of host families that were on both sides of us. Standing in the dark under the large lights of the parking lot, families were cheering and clapping and in some cases, yelling out the names of indivdual kids. I heard the unbuckling of seat belts as some of the Belarussian kids scooched forward to press their faces to the window and look for their American "home." It was sweet in such an unexpected way, and I was a bit emtional as my eyes scanned past all of the families and friends that create this amazing group and finally landed on our sweet Sydney standing with Grandma. It was, like I stated earlier, a privelege to drive the van, be with Don and Yasmin, to greet the kids at the airport, and finally, to be greeted by this group as we returned home. I'll never forget the day.

So since last Tuesday, we've been doing the usual things that we all enjoy during the summer. I'm happy to report that Venya jumped into the pool this year with no swim test and laughed as he said, "Me remember, America one, Me" and then acted out the scene as if he was drowning. (America one is what he calls his first trip to America. Last year was America two, so you get the picture.) We love having him back and know that six weeks tends to go a lot faster than we sometimes want it to. Makes me think of one of my favorite Bible verses, Psalm 90:12, "Teach me to number my days." Yes Lord! Every single one of them...espeically those that will become known as, for Venya and for us, "America Three!"