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I Said “A Boom Chicka Boom…”

September 12, 2010 by Kelli

This post has nothing to do with that title – I have just really wanted to title a post that for a long time now…

Actually, this post really has to do with nothing at all. You’re ripe with excitement to read further aren’t you?

Maybe I should do an entire post of one liners.

So there was this blogger who walked into a bar…

Nah.

We’re T – four days and counting until the big trip. I’ve had some freak out moments in the last few days, the biggest being when I realized that we might have to cut Hallstatt out of the itinerary. My Hallstatt. My preciousssssss.

I fretted and fraught (fraught?) and worried and moped. But it was a reality that we had planned way more than we could probably feasibly accomplish in our short time over there. And I really didn’t want to cut out Tuscany. Something had to go. Until…wait a minute. Maybe not.

What it boiled down to is this: We need to be flexible. We I need to be willing to cut out Hallstatt if it becomes apparent that there is just no way we’re going to make it all the way there and still have time to book it down to Tuscany. And so I still have hope, my friends. You see, the goal is to try and stay off of the AutoBahn (and Autostrada) as much as possible. We want to explore and get the flavor of the land. We want to round a curve and be looking down at a village nestled in the mountains. This means that it will take longer to travel. But it also means we’re going to have an adventure.

And if we miss Hallstatt, we’ll just have to go back, right? Deal!

Moving on…

See? More one liners. There is always room for one liners.

Too bad these aren’t the funny kind of one liners.

They’re kind of boring actually…

Ah well.

Sloan woke up with a low grade fever tonight. I gave him some Tylenol and piled him back in bed where I hope he’ll wake up fever free for school tomorrow…because I’m that mom. If you’re not dying, you’re going, kiddo.

We’ll see.

We will also be buying Emergen-C in bulk tomorrow. And Zinc. And Echinacea. I will not come down with a fever on my dream vacation. Oh, and to our parents who are splitting kid duty for the ten days while we are away: I’m so, so sorry. Here’s to hoping whatever Sloan has doesn’t spread. Or maybe he doesn’t have anything. Here’s to hoping that.

Speaking of Sloan – he and I had a duke it out, we-might-not-make-it homework session tonight. I won. Barely. We’re having this minor issue with child #1 in that every.single.time we bring him to the table to do homework, he brings along a massive chip on his shoulder. He is heaping with sass these days and it’s never more apparent than when he is under educational duress. It is especially evident when it comes time to do russian homework. Ay-yay-yay.

When it was all said and done and that which could have been completed in twenty minutes was finally finished after an hour of sweat and tears (no blood, thankfully) I felt defeated and dejected. Now that I know he is running a low grade fever I feel a little better, but the truth is – homework is often painful.

But, just before bed, Sloan grabbed my hand and led me back to our bedroom and sat me down on the bed. “We need to have a little talk,” he said.

“I had a bad attitude tonight and I was just angry and upset and sometimes russian is really hard and I feel like I can’t do it. But I didn’t act right. I wasn’t ‘quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry’ and I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?”

He did that on his own. Without any prompting.

My heart is still a little gooey. Of course I was quick to offer my forgiveness and apologize for my lack of patience. Amends were made and we agreed to work as a team to make homework more fun. It is moments like those that I truly, truly love being a parent. Sure it’s cool when they hit a home run or draw you a picture, but when they exhibit a heart attitude that you have worked so hard to help shape and mold? That is when parenting is most rewarding. Just when I felt like I was the worst mom ever and totally incapable of successfully parenting that boy, he reminded me that his sweet little heart is full of gold nuggets just waiting to be dug up and harvested.

Do you harvest gold? Did I just mix metaphors?

So yes…parenting is wicked hard. But I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

I wouldn’t even trade it for Hallstatt, Austria.

I Said “A booma ticka rocka ticka rocka ticka boom!”

The End.

Post edit: Sloan woke up fever free this morning and he happily skipped to school (well, happily skipped onto the school bus anyway). Whoop!

Filed Under: Family, Kids, Kids do the darndest things, Life, Motherhood, Random, Russian, School, Sickness, Sloan Tagged With: Hallstatt, Hallstatt Austria, Homework, Motherhood, parenting, Raising Kids, Random, Sloan, Working with Children

Where Two Or More Are Gathered

June 24, 2010 by Kelli

I was fifteen years old. A sophomore coming out of a time of rebellion. I was dealing with a lot of questions and deep hurts. Some of the questions are still unanswered, some were the creation of youthful immaturity. But the fact remains, my soul was ripe for harvest.

I was approached one Sunday afternoon about an upcoming mission trip to the former Soviet union with an organization called Student Venture. “Would you like to come?” he asked.

I blinked.

“Let me ask my parents,” I replied.

How does one ask her parents if she can go to the former USSR for Spring Break?

Turns out, I didn’t have to do much convincing. My parents were not only supportive but were quite excited for me to take this trip. I am indebted to them for their willingness to push my brother and I to experience life to the full.

And so it came that in March of 1994, I embarked on a journey that would forever alter the course of my life. And the man who led me on that journey was Gary Varner. For two weeks, Gary led our team through the streets of Belarus, and on a side trip to Moscow. Because we were not that far removed from the dismantling of the Iron Curtain, we were treated like rock stars. It was baffling and exhilerating to be followed and clung to. We visited schools and shared the Gospel of Christ, we put on night time events, we made friends, we traveled on public trams and buses, we visited Lenin’s tomb and stood before St. Basil’s cathedral, we played wicked April Fool’s day pranks and we laughed much but slept little.

I came home a changed young woman. Suddenly life was no longer about me. And I knew I would be back. Not just because I felt an odd kinship to that area of the world, but because I couldn’t imagine a better way to serve, learn and grow than under Gary’s leadership.

Two more times, I returned to the former USSR with Gary and his wife Carol. They became a guiding force in my life, pouring countless hours into my development as a young woman. They prayed for me and with me. They held me accountable and challenged me. And they were a grand example of living out the calling of God with passion and zeal.

I grew such a passion for that area of the world, in fact, that I decided to minor in Russian in college. I even lived in Ukraine for a time, studying the language and reveling in a culture that has become like a second home to me. Today, my children are learning Russian.

All of this because Gary took notice of my yearning heart and poured into me as a fifteen year old. He didn’t have to. He could have passed me over, assuming me too spiritually immature for such a trip. But he didn’t. He believed in me and he continued to encourage me throughout those very confusing years called adolescence.

Over the years, as life ebbed and flowed, I lost contact with Gary and Carol on a regular basis. We kept up via the cyber world and through mutual friends and I learned how Gary’s ministry in Russia grew and expanded. For some reason, the door never really opened for me to go on another trip with Gary. Part of that was my fault – I let the business of life convince me that taking off on a mission trip for two weeks was simply too difficult. Part of it was simply circumstances.

This past November, Gary was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. And he has been in a fight for his life since that moment. A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to see my former mentor again – to soak up his wisdom and wit in person once more. And I realized how much I had missed him. And in the three hours that I spent sitting in Gary’s living room, he blessed me in a most profound way.

The cancer, and the treatment required to fight this particular brand of disease, has left him in a lot of pain and with little ability to do much other than sit, think and pray. And, of course, pour into the hearts of those who come to see him.

When my friend Lindsey, who was with me visiting Gary, asked him what his times with the Lord have been like he stopped and thought. “I can tell you what they haven’t been,” he said with a smile. “I determined from the moment I heard the diagnosis that I would not ask God ‘Why.‘ It’s not my position to question the Sovereignty of the God of the Universe. And to be quite honest, God doesn’t owe me any explanation.”

I’ve mulled over Gary’s words quite a bit in the last couple of months. And I have fought the urge to ask the question myself. But Gary is right. God is Sovereign. I don’t understand Him. I’ll never understand Him. For all of eternity, I will be in awe of Him. So who am I to question His Sovereignty?

This Sunday, June 27 has been deemed an International Day of prayer for Gary Varner. For over twenty years, Gary served overseas, working with orphans, teenagers, newlyweds, and the elderly. He has been the hands and feet of Christ and the thousands who have directly benefited from his sacrificial love want to gather now on his behalf.

Would you consider joining with us in prayer for Gary this Sunday?

Here are a few ways you can pray:

Pray for a miraculous healing of Gary’s body. Medically speaking, the kind of cancer that Gary has doesn’t look good. But we serve a God who is the Great Physician – the Gentle Healer. May we pray with boldness, placing our urgent request before Him.
Pray for Gary and his wife Carol as they deal with the stresses of chemotherapy. The regiment Gary is on now is brutal – pray for strength to endure.
Pray for Gary’s children. His son, Lt Clayton Varner is currently stationed in Iraq. Pray for his safety and return to the US in August. Gary’s daughter, Jessica, is currently serving in Athens, Greece with Campus Crusade for Christ. Pray for her safety and protection in that unstable environment.
Pray that Gary, who is also an accomplished writer and author, would be able to finish the second installment of his popular novel. Outside of missions, Gary has a deep love for writing, but the chemo has left him unable to finish his book. Pray that he would have miraculous moments of clarity throughout his days to be able to release the creative giant inside. As a writer myself, I know and understand how desperate it feels to have pent up creativity and no way to release it.

I’m sorry this post was so long, but my urgent and desperate hope is that thousands of people would unite and lift this man up on Sunday and that together we would all be partakers in God’s unfailing miracles.

If you would like to join the thousands who will be praying for the Varners, would you do me a favor and leave a comment letting me know? I’d like Gary and Carol to have tangible evidence of the working and moving of the Spirit through the faithful prayers of many.

Thanks everyone!

Filed Under: Blogging, Life, Random, Russian Tagged With: Gary Varner, International Day of Prayer for Gary Varner, Miracles, Portage Perspectives

Random bits of information and a question

April 21, 2010 by Kelli

* Today is the day. We’ve waited four months for this. We’ve cried and labored. We’ve thrown our hands up in frustration and cheered at small victories. We’ve begged and pleaded and felt utterly desperate. And today we will see if our hard work and efforts paid off.

What, pray tell am I talking about? Why – I am talking about Landon’s weigh-in! Yes, we are going to see if he’s gained the 3/4 of a pound that the doctor wanted him to gain. Given that he still eats only a few bites of food per day, I’m a little nervous. But I think he’s gotten taller so I’m hoping that compensates for everything.

* Speaking of Landon, I love his hair long. It’s so very cute the way it hangs in his eyes and bounces when he runs. But the other day, I must admit I started to feel sorry for the him as he had to tip his head back to an uncomfortable angle just to see anything. So I trimmed the front of his hair just slightly…

Slightly too much. I’m going to need to take him in because now he looks like he has a mullet. Remind me to never, ever, ever try and trim my children’s hair. I really should know better…

* I’m sitting next to my daughter who is wearing the most adorable little bubble dress with her hair up in frilly bows. I would take a pictures to show you, but I’m lazy and don’t feel like it – you’ll just have to trust me. She is sugary sweet and looks like a little doll. It never gets old dressing little girls.

* I’m still upset about the russian adoption situation and frustrated that no charges have been brought agains the woman who sent her adopted son back to Russian with a note pinned to his chest. Why on Earth hasn’t she been charged?! I don’t get it. The child was legally hers, he was officially an American citizen and by the letter of the law, he was her son. Does this mean when I’m having a particularly difficult day with my son, I can ship him to Russia without fear of repercussion? Because, trust me, there are times when that sounds appealing…

The whole situation makes me angry.
* Lee and I took the kids to the local high school last night and ran the track with them. It was really fun. We sprinted, raced, jumped and laughed. Lee strapped a parachute to his back for wind resistance. He looks ridiculous while running with that thing, but it’s a great workout so he does it anyway. It was fun to watch to watch him use it until he ran past Sloan and the parachute caught the back of his head, yanking his feet out from under him and resulting in a fat lip. Good times…

* We watched our two favorite shoes last night: Glee and LOST. LOST did not disappoint. Seriously, I think I’m going to go through withdrawls when that show ends this year.

Glee, however, was a little disappointing. It was Madonna night so I expected big things. It did make me laugh out loud several times (I love Sue Sylvester), but it also made me uncomfortable. The whole high schooler’s dealing with sex thing makes me squirm. Remember how I felt after seeing the movie Valentine’s Day?

To Glee’s credit, they did handle it as well as I would expect a Hollywood produced show to handle it. It was all about female empowerment and girls taking control of their bodies and not succombing to pressure. So, you know, that’s good.

But as I watched all I could think was how in the world do parents with teenagers deal with shows like this? Because I don’t know that I would want my kids watching that show if they were older. And yet it’s such a piece of popular culture, I wouldn’t doubt that they would want to watch it. So what would I do? Would I let them watch it and then dialogue with them afterwards about what a healthy, godly view of sex is? Or would I simply not let them watch it? Parents with older children, give me your thoughts. I really want to know.

Do shows like Glee that are light hearted and fun and uber-popular make parenting a headache? Do you let your children watch them? How do you handle these pieces of culture that bombard our kids with messages that aren’t enitrely healthy?

Do share!

Filed Under: Adoption, Exercise, Family, Kids, Landon, Life, Random, Running, Russian

On the Russian Adoption Situation

April 15, 2010 by Kelli

As a family who is seriously praying over and considering the possibility of international adoption (particularly from Russia or Ukraine – I’ve written about my love for the adoption process before here), we are following this story pretty closely. It breaks my heart to read about this situation and I find myself frustrated and angry.

When any parent enters an adoptive situation, particularly with an older child as this one was, there is the potential for psychological or emotional issues. Any child that has been neglected and virtually unloved for much of his life is going to have problems adjusting and accepting love.

If what the adoptive mother in this situation says is true, then I agree that the little boy she adopted had severe emotional problems and that she likely felt overwhelmed and incompetent to parent him. But here’s the kicker:

YOU DON’T PUT A CHILD ON AN AIRPLANE WITH A NOTE PINNED TO HIS CHEST AND SHIP HIM BACK TO RUSSIA!!!!!!!

The absurdity of what she did is astounding. This is a child – not a defective puppy or a ripped shirt that you can just return. It’s a CHILD. A child she agreed to parent, incidentally. She never told her adoption agency of the problems she was having with her son.

Her SON. She adopted him. He was her son. In my mind, that is abandonment and she should be ashamed of herself.

No. She didn’t make anyone aware of the struggles. She didn’t ask anyone for help. She just shipped him back. What did she think was going to happen?! Did she think the Russian government would send her a thank you note?

Thank you, Madam, for your honesty and forthright thinking in this sensitive matter. Of course, we would be happy for you to come over and take a look at our other children and find one that better suits your needs. Perhaps a mild and meek little girl who will sit quietly and let you brush her hair all day long.

Ugh! Can you tell this story has gotten me a bit riled up?

There are so many ways this woman could have handled this situation. She could have given her adoption case worker a heads up, first of all. She could have gotten counseling both for herself and for her son. The fact is that she hadn’t even had this boy for a full year. So no – I don’t think she put any effort into helping this child overcome his obvious issues.

There are even reports that in December, this woman told her adoption agency that she would like to adopt a second child from overseas – something she was discouraged from doing right away. So clearly, this woman has an equal amount of problems and likely shouldn’t have adopted in the first place.

But what about the child she shipped back? What happens to him now? He’s branded as being violent and psychologically unstable. He spent the first seven years of his life in a Russian orphanage and he is finally told he has a mother – someone who will love him unconditionally – and what does she do? She abandons him. Sends him packing. What will this do to this precious boy’s heart? It literally makes me sick to think of this little boy and what he’s been through.

And now, because of this woman’s foolish, careless and selfish decision, Russia has shut down adoptions to the U.S. until better regulations can be set in place. I don’t blame them. I just hope that this doesn’t destroy the trust forever. I also hope that this doesn’t set into motion stipulations and regulations that are so impossible to meet that U.S. families will no longer be able to afford Russian adoptions.

The fact of the matter is that adoption is never to be taken lightly. In my viewpoint, if you are called to adopt a child and a child is placed in your care, then that child was ordained for you by God just as your biological children were ordained for you by God. I know not everyone probably holds that same viewpoint and it’s probably really easy to say that if you don’t have a problem child. But I know many people who have adopted or fostered children from around the world who had severe emotional problems and I have seen the power of perseverence and love in the life of a troubled child.

Does that mean it was an easy road for those families? Nope. Not at all. But they didn’t love their adopted child any less than they would have a biological child who had a difficult temperament.

If Lee and I choose to follow this route of adoption, we will, of course, pray that God spare our adopted child of severe emotional distress. But I trust beyond a shadow of a doubt that should God choose to give us a child that is more difficult to parent, He will also equip us with the grace to parent the child well.

I could go on and on about this, but I think I should stop now before I break out in hives. And I shall now climb off my soap box and carefully tuck it away once again…

Filed Under: Adoption, Family, Life, politics, Random, Russian, things I don't need to hear

Valentine’s Day: The Movie…aka One Hot Mess

February 15, 2010 by Kelli

Spoiler Alert! If you’re set on seeing this movie then you probably don’t want to read any further, although you may want to save your money and pass on what I thought was a ridiculous film. Your choice.

Three years. That’s the last time Lee and I saw a movie in the theater together. So yesterday we decided to go see a movie. We wanted to do something low key, easy and relaxing. A movie seemed like a good idea.

And what better movie to see on Valentine’s Day than a movie titled…Valentine’s Day? We expected it to be sappy, cheesy and predictable. What I didn’t expect, however, was for it to be bad. Horrible even.

I know that Hollywood is out of touch with the real world. And there is no better evidence of that fact than the train wreck that was Valentine’s Day. It was pretty to watch, yes. The stars were in full force and were all fun to look at, but there was no substance. And the view of “love” portrayed in the movie? Ah…pitiful.

In this movie, love was portrayed as sex. I don’t know that they were intending to give off that message. In fact, I kind of think they were trying not to convey that exact message, yet everytime characters discussed matters of love, it was done so parallel to the topic of sex. It was hard to find a separation between the two. Characters were in and out of bed, married, gay, phone sex operators, in high school and on and on and on. It was seriously dizzying to try and keep up.

Adding to the ridiculousness of the storylines was the fact that none of them really made sense. It was like the writer wanted to tell ten stories and somehow had to make all of them connect and the connections were random and haphazard.

There were teenagers trying to find the perfect time and place to lose their virginity only to decide ultimately that they didn’t want to force a “magical moment” but wanted to let it happen naturally. The Taylor Swift teenage line? Pointless, silly and as dumb as her character.

Then there was the story of the angsty, love-starved gay football player (played by McSteamy, aahhh…like I said – the only positive thing I can say about the movie was that I got to ogle Hollywood’s most beautiful men for two hours). This storyline had no.thing. to do with the overall plot of the movie. It was political and it felt political and the entire theater laughed out loud when the storyline came to fruition because it was just, well…stoooooopid.

Then there was the adulterous cad played by Patrick Dempsey (McDreamy – I hated seeing him play such punk). Jennifer Garner and Ashton Kutcher were, perhaps, the only storyline that were vaguely enjoyable (though entirely predictable) to watch. But most of the story involving those two was just sappy fluff. It was D-U-M, Dum.

And speaking of adultery, the one couple that seemed to have it all together was the older, supposedly wiser couple who were preparing to renew their wedding vows for their 40th wedding anniversary. And when counseling the young teenager who was trying to decide when to have sex for the first time it comes out that the wife was unfaithful to her husband years earlier. They ultimately patch things up and stayed together, but it added to the idea that fidelity is just unattainable so why bother?

And those were just a few of the storylines in this convoluted movie.

As we sat in the crowded theater, I found myself squirming and cringing as I looked down at the row of high school girls sitting in front of us. Oh the terrible messages they were receiving about love, sex, marriage. Love isn’t sex and sex isn’t love. It’s possible to fall in love and stay in love with one person for the rest of your life and *gasp* enjoy it!

I know…crazy concept, huh?

There’s so much more I could say about this movie, but I don’t want to so I’ll move on. But my recommendation? Save your money and skip this movie. I wouldn’t even recommend wasting one dollar on it at Redbox. Seriously, it was that bad.

There you have it – my one movie review. And given the fact that it will probably be another three years before Lee and I make it back to the theaters, I’ll likely not be offering another for awhile.

*sigh of relief*

Filed Under: Russian Tagged With: Valentine's Day: The Movie

America the Bo-ring!

December 21, 2009 by Kelli

It was a packed weekend and there is just so much to share and document! But by far, the highlight of the weekend was the annual Russian-American school Christmas party. I look forward to this party every year. It’s loud, chaotic and loads of fun.

I’m tellin’ ya – the russians know how to throw a party! It just makes me happy because it makes them happy. Seriously, grown ups and kids alike have a ball. And who wouldn’t when characters like these come out for Christmas?

This is Winter. She sang, she dance, she whooped and hollered and kicked up her heels. Who knew winter could be so much fun?

See? She’s having a ball.

Then there was this fella. He was the MC and he sang everything in a warbling, Dean Martinesque voice.

Then, of course, there was Baba Yaga, the forest witch who’s always trying to ruin Christmas. She sings too…

And what is Christmas without Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf?

Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up.

And look how much fun they’re having? Don’t you wish you were there? And yes, that’s a singing tiger on the end. I told you it was a fun party.

And then the older fella on the left came out (I’m not sure who he was supposed to be – his mic was muffled so I couldn’t understand him) and he went fishing and pulled out the singing fish, which you can see on the right.

And of course, the highlight of the party is the unveiling of Ded Moros (Father Ice aka Santa Clause) and his granddaughter, Snegurichka.

They sing too…

Sloan and Tia thought it was rockin’ awesome.

And why wouldn’t they? They got to sing, dance, play toss the ring on the goose…

They didn’t dress in costume because I forgot about the tradition of kids dressing up for Christmas. But other kids dressed up, like this little doll:

Who can resist a little blonde boy in a cow costume?

And at the end, Ded Moros, alongside all the other characters, gave out Christmas gifts. Sloan came home with a digital photo ornament, which he thought was the bee’s knees, and Tia got a huge art set.

Ded Moros gives good gifts.

I gotta tell ya, when I go to parties like this I realize how boring America is. I mean, all we’ve got is Santa, Frosty and Rudolph. Bo-Ring. Give me a singing tiger and dancing bear and then we can celebrate Christmas!

S Razhdyestvom! (Merry Christmas)

Filed Under: Christmas, Holidays, Kids, Russian, School, Uncategorized Tagged With: Russian American School

Is this Russia?

November 19, 2009 by Kelli

Tonight was the semi-annual Russian-American School concert and it was nothing short of adorable (albeit a little drawn out…).

And because this is a mommy blog and I’m a proud cheesy mom, I am going to document tonight’s happenings with great zeal. Because that’s what I do! I don’t scrapbook people – this is all I’ve got.

There was singing, dancing, acting and so much adorability (totally a word) I left with a sugar high. Just take a look:

Isn’t she yummy? She did so well. She said her poem loud and clear and wasn’t nervous at all. It was an on night for sweet Katya (or Katinka as the Russians call her).

My performance shy first born chose to play it cool. But when he recited the poem I told you about a few weeks ago, he incited quite a bit of praise from the very proud and impressed crowd. And so as not to embarrass the poor child, I did not let out the “Whoop!” that so desperately yearned to escape. I simply gave him a tender golf clap and blinked hard against tears of pride.

I. am. a. dork.

And because I know you’re dying to watch, here is a short clip of them reciting their poems. Seriously, it’s 38 seconds long. Happy viewing and Happy Friday!