Hello All! It has been so long since I have posted on this blog. We are going on 2 1/2 years now that our sweet new additions have been part of our family!! Trust me, there were days throughout this journey that I DID NOT really feel that they were sweet! Finally, we have been through the rough patches and are settling in to feeling like a family. I love love love them soooo much and am amazed at the accomplishments they have made is a few short years. Next week starts their 7th grade year at Triton. Alison spent the summer in band camp and is part of the TCHS Color Guard team. She went everyday without complaining and has improved so much. Jayson played soccer for the first time and loved it. He will now start practicing for the TCMS 7th grade football team. This should be interesting. So, for all that are still reading my blog or come accross it by accident, adopting older children is NOT an easy task. It takes alot of prayer, patience, and perhaps an occassional ZANAX (just kidding). But trust me, it is completely worth it! We have loved to watch the changes in them and hearing them tell us they love us is sweet words to my ears. They did not understand the concept of love at all when they first came to America. Now, the love just shines through them. Blessings to All!

Some additional pictures from Ukraine

Here are a few other pictures I found from Ukraine! Such beautiful faces!! Things are pretty much NORMAL here at our house. The kids are just part of the family now. So different from a year ago!! The kids still struggle to find the words in English and are kind of in limbo between not remembering Ukraine and not knowing every word in English. I am sure that it gets pretty frustrating! School is going well for both children. Jayson still had problems with respecting and listening and Alison still struggles with friendships and girl drama! It was told to us that it can take up to two to three years before a child from another country can get totally acclimated to the States. I am excited for their futures and appreciate them more and more each day!! Well, I am super tired! Good night all~

Approaching One Year Mark

Well, this time last year Todd and I were getting very excited about our departure to Ukraine to get two children with the names Oleksiy and Iryna. Unbelievable that a year has already passed and now these two children only answer to Jayson and Alison! Christmas was a great success. The kids seemed very pleased with the American Christmas Tradition of spoiling your kids!!! Alison also celebrated her 12th birthday and they have changed so very much. They finally understand what "family" means and also what having a mom & dad is all about. Sometimes they don't like that part much (lol). Still are struggling at school but their confindence levels are increasing everyday. I find them absolutly amazing!! Now don't get me wrong, there has been some REALLY HARD TIMES as well. It takes alot of hard work to get to this point. Adopting an older child is simple not easy!! The first 6 months sometimes were unbearable!! Somehow, with God's help, we got through it though and we now feel like a complete family!

Almost Christmas

The tree has been up since before Thanksgiving. This is typically not a tradition for the Thomas Family but our new additions would not leave me alone until decorations were out!! We have a few gifts under the tree now and Jayson comes home from school and checks to make sure nothing is there for him. Yesterday I wrapped a present from us and put it under there. The expression on his face when he seen it was priceless!! Christmas will be such a joyful occassion for two children who only recieved a piece of candy on Christmas morning. Now on another note! Adoption is not an easy thing to do. I think people have a picture in their head that you adopt and the kids will be so appreciative and loving. Truth is that is NOT the truth. They do not know love and have no clue how to appreciate. This has to be taught. I am here to tell you that it is exausting and wears you down. There are days that you want to run away and never return. It tests your marriage and your faith. Make sure both of those things are very strong and that you have lots of support before making the decision to adopt older children!! Your life will never be the same again! So be prepared for that. Some days are really good and some are really bad. I am not saying this to scare away someone from adoption. It is a wonderful thing. But I do not want you to go in thinking things will be wonderful and then be blindsided by the truth. Also, make sure you have an adoption agency that will support you after the adoption process is OVER! I feel very blessed to have these two beautiful children in my life and would not change my decision to adopt, but I don't feel that I was prepared for what was in store after adoption. It just felt that once we returned home, the agency we used had no use for us anymore. There were no phone calls to check in on us and we have been home for nine months now and we still have had no communication from them. Thankfully we stay in touch with the other families that traveled with us to Ukraine and get together often to share stories and de-stress!!! Thank you Peters, Alderinks, Campbells and Helton's for always being their for us!! Love you guys!! MERRY CHRISTMAS~~

October is my favorite month!

We have been pumping the kids up for Halloween festivities and they are excited. They cannot believe that people will just give them candy for no reason!! Alison is going to be a vampire and Jayson a Zombie. I have decorated our front porch and we have been to several Halloween stores so we are ready! Carved our pumpkins Sunday and Alison's wanted her's to look like a vampire! She is obsessed with VAMPIRES! Things are going really well around here. I am TIRED! Jayson wears me out with his constant chatter and need to be busy. Alison still spends alot of time by herself which concerns me but she seems to be happy. We talk often about their feelings and I reassure them that they can tell me anything. It has been a little over seven months since we came home. The English is improving daily but I will be so happy when they can speak fluently. The following are some pictures that my son Trents girlfriend took at the park this weekend.

If you want to follow the adoption from the beginning, go to August 2009 postings!

Six Months...REALLY!

We have now been the parents of Alison and Jayson for six months! Half a year!!! This is crazy! It seemed like it would take forever this time last year to get them home. Things are going well. Jayson still is very jealous of Alison. If she shows us something, he has to as well. If I correct him for something, he always says, "what about Alison" SO ANNOYING! But he is my cuddle bug and is such a loving little guy. Last night, Alison was on the trampoline doing some tricks. When I went to get her for supper I noticed she was crying. So my big fat body climbed up in the trampoline and layed beside her. She said she was stupid! Everyone in Ukraine told her she was! I told her God made no stupid people! You might not be very good at something,but you are not stupid. Then of course I started crying and she said, "Mommy, why are you crying" I said, "because I love you so much that I hurt when you hurt" She jumped in my arms and we just had a really good cry!! Not every day is easy, but days like last night just melt your heart and I realize what a blessing these children are to me! God knows what he is doing.....TRUST HIM!!