Cup of hot tea, quiet room, sleeping baby, warm scent of candles, and soft music are a perfect mix for blogging :) This time I will post pictures from our trip to the States. It takes forever to post pictures on this blog (at least for my technology-challenged self); this evening seemed to be perfect just for that. An interesting book is calling my name, but I have to really savor it..because I wont have the second part for a couple of months. So here we go :)

on the way to see Daddy

making Christmas cookies

cool 4wheeler at Seth and Avry's

Christmas with family in North Carolina.

hanging out with Seth and Avry. Fun times!

dinner with Nathan and Brianna

more fun with cousins at Monkey Joe's

I just love this picture of Seth and Lucas cracking up :)

watching planes in Chicago for 3 hours!

McQueen for Christmas! Yayy!!!

Lucas and Mama's lazy days

my helping hand

*ahem* Lucas insisted on having lunch undressed and in his new boots.

What can I say, he is my fancy fashionista.

These two wonderful people came all the way from the moon to hang with us. We loved having you over and thoroughly enjoyed your company!!! (and,Denny, your b-fasts will go in the books :)

funfilled girl day with my bestie: lotsa laughter, gossip(ha!), good food, some shopping, and overall good company. Miss you, Flyer!

and....THEY ARE ENGAGED! Oh, it just warms my heart and fills it with joy and butterflies :) cant wait to see you two on the happiest day of your lives!

photo session courtesy of Anita R. Flier :)
my handsome guy

fun at Jumping Jane's

amazing time with Ann and Yvette: good conversation, good company, fun stories, encouraging words, and, of course, good Mexican food

sweet Amanda and Vanessa - we miss ya! hope to see you more often once life calms down a bit
time to say good-bye to Daddy...but its never that, its always "See ya later"

I figured blogging can be very therapeutic during these looooong winter months, and even though winter is almost over, March is promised to be gloomy and rainy. I dont do rainy -I get sad and moppy -hate being that way. So bring on the SUN and HOT SUMMER! I will be rambling a lot (plus I get interrupted about every 3 to 4 minutes by a cute fellow to look at cars, blocks, cartoons, etc.) so bear with me :)

Here is what we have been up to...
Lucas
- sick seems like for weeks but getting better
- trying to talk but so far just in his own baby language ( I cant wait to hear Mama)
- LOVES movie "Cars" and anything with mcQueen (he can watch the dang movie 12 times a day if I let him)
- loves to "read" books and play with cars (when he doesn't watch "Cars" :) )
- recognizes his Daddy on Skype - super cute!
- loves bologna and hot dogs for b-fast, lunch and dinner
- professionally turns decently clean house into a disasterous mess
- getting tall and heavy :)
- 'terrible twos' are in full swing, although there are moments of sweetness and loveliness that I thoroughly enjoy


Myself
- being a mom - staying busy taking care of Lucas - the best job in the world! (though sleepless nights with a sick toddler are kicking my butt)
- taking Make-Up class twice a week and loving it!! Learning a lot about the world of cosmetics and getting to know new people in class. Fun times :)
- hanging out with friends
- really missing my friends and family from America :(
- enjoying being outside everyday
- talking to Everette on daily basis (thank you Skype! miss you, honey)
- reading a very good book by Francine Rivers "A Voice in the Wind" from Mark of the Lion trilogy - highly recommend it! (book reviews is for another blog, so keep an eye out)

miss seeing my two guys play together

oh home, sweet home, how I miss you...

No way I can keep up with blogging!! NO WAY! But I thought I'd let yall know we are alive and well.
We are on the last leg of our journey; our hopes and prayers that in mid-august we will be safely touching down in the good ol' US of A!!! I'm thinking of doing something super crazy once we leave the airport to celebrate our arrival (***think 'happy dance' in the parking lot)...Any ideas? The crazier the better!
But for now..its a waiting game...waiting for Everette in April...waiting for application approval...waiting for the interview...waiting for God's perfect guidance in this whole process...waiting...and waiting...And I SUCK at waiting...but they say its good for you.

And for now...
Listening to: Rihanna singing and Lucas snoring loud due to stuffy nose

Eating: bublik

Drinking: fruit tea

Wearing: black yoga pants, gray t-shirt - I'm suppa fancy like that

Feeling: anxious....missing my best friend-my Everette (if you are reading this-you better start packing!)

Needing: Starbucks grande Carmel Macchiato (more like really wanting one)

Making: nothing anytime soon

Thinking: about what to do for our 5th year Anniversary this August...

Wondering: will my heart heal in time....will the pain go away...what my life will be like next year at this time

NOT: looking forward to another 2.5 months of waiting....

Family Pictures 2009

Catching up

Lucas and I are back in Odessa, Ukraine. We arrived on March 19, 2010 and are finally getting over jetlag. We had such a good time with Everette in Iowa and family in North Carolina. We miss you all very much! Everette will be joining us in Odessa later this summer so we are looking forward to his arrival. But until then SKYPE keeps us close!

My space button is somewhat broken....thanks to the cutest brown-eyed guy...so I will post more pictures than words (its hard to type!). They will not be in order :)

fun with Mom and Dad "Corn, anyone?"
"Mommy thinks I'm pretty awesome..."
who can resist chocolate ice-cream? Not me! favorite past-time: reading with Daddy We wore pink to one of the basketball games to honor and encourage people who are fighting breast cancer. Anita came to visit!!!!! So fun! Pink student body
always wanting more food he used to fit under that table in December "Hmmm..what can I take out of this cabinet?" Sneaky :)

found some hidden candy, and even unwrapped a few. Too bad Mom knew something was up due to the complete silence in the house.

bad parenting idea (although kept him occupied for a bit :) )

celebrating Everette's birthday! My two awesome men.

"Mom, when will the cake be ready?"

first puppy encounter

messy cupid

our friends came to visit - we miss yall!
this boy LOVES corn

Guess who came to visit?!!

we are so beautiful....LOL

great couple, fun times with Anita and Denny

Lucas turned 1!!! Woke up to ton of ballons

he wasnt sure about them at first, but with the help from his obnoxious parents he enjoyed them eventually

blueberry pancakes for the Birthday Boy Two days later we celebrated Lucas' 1st birthday with special friends. He had a lot of fun, and thoroughly enjoyed his cake :)
Awesome people - we miss you all so much

Elmo cakes

"not sure about this, Dad. Mom never gave this to me before."

"ok. this is pretty good" "i meant REALLY good!""I think I'm DONE. Can I have a doggy bag?"

I had to post this smiley picture - it shows Lucas' fun and easy personality.

We love you little boy, and are so proud to be your parents!!! May God Bless you!