[lastpaige]

The boys (now 9 ½) have been home for a year and a half and what a time it’s been!

Language – I used to be on the cel phone with my personal interpreter (husband) many times a day for assistance and now require this help once every few weeks. For a while we thought that perhaps Piotr would have to stop speaking to them in Polish, as their English wasn’t really picking up. Then one night after watching Star Wars we heard the boys speaking Gungan (no, I’m not kidding) and it was decided (unbeknownst to the boys) that yes – it was going to have to be all English starting the next morning. The next morning the boys came down and were chattering away in English like we had never heard. Go figure!

Their English is really good now – enough so that their English no longer requires interpreting to people outside our circles. Grammatical details and speech problems (like personal pronouns and getting that pesky ‘r’ sound) are making steady progress. They are also now getting the hang of knowing when they can use only Polish, only English, and when they can mix the two.

Character – The boys are extremely loving and pretty obedient. They love to help and serve and if they’re missing, you just have to look around and see who was in need of help – that’s where they’ll be. They are gentlemen in training and it shows. They have the most loving and protective hearts. We’re still working on honesty – but even that is coming along well. They know that if they want to be men, they can’t be lying like babies – and boy, do they want to be men! Now, if I can get them to quit crying every time they don’t understand something - that will be great. If anyone has experienced this and managed it successfully, I’d love to hear what you did, because it’s making me crazy!

Logic – By the grace of God, it’s coming along. A lot of it was just never having anyone explain the ‘whys’ about anything – so they had no base from which to launch in thinking things through. They are thinking now, and we really try to talk through what we do so they can understand. There are a lot of ‘systems’ in place so they can do a good job. (i.e. brushing teeth – start at the top left outside, count to ten, move the brush to the right, do it again, then move to the chewing surface, repeat, inside, repeat). We just look for different ways to fill in the holes left by their neglected past. The class I took for Cumulative Cognitive Deficit has helped as well.

Learning – We took the first year off from academic work to focus on letting them settle. They had never been settled before and it showed. They learned what a family was, how it operated, language, what we do, what we don’t do, how to take care of their room, their belongings, how to brush their teeth, how to shower, they learned that if they don’t feel well they need to tell me so I can do something about it. (That was a foreign concept for them – they had never had anyone care before!) They learned the routines of the family and experienced stability and want of nothing for the first time. We got neurotransmitter issues taken care of, as well as a boat load of dental work done (8 teeth removed and 8 cavities filled total) and vision assessed and managed (two pairs of glasses). They also learned how to pack an entire house in two weeks, and that when a family moves, they ALL GO TOGETHER!

Academics - While we were a little concerned that we were losing academic time (they were 8 when they came home, just repeating the 1st grade in Poland – and the classroom was a joke, so we were really starting at ground zero), the decision has really paid off. A year ago if you explained how to add 2+2 they couldn’t have done it again one minute later. Out academic year started in January, and they moved through the first level of Saxon math in less than one semester. At the current rate they will finish the second level and start the third before our year is over. Their handwriting is beautiful, their copy work attentive, and they will read to anyone who is willing to listen, including the dog.

Being Boys – at first they could each sit on their quilt and play near me (they couldn’t be trusted any further or with any other activity). Now they are free and responsible enough to make their own decisions. They play what they want and know what’s appropriate and what isn’t. (Wrestling is fine on the trampoline, not inside their bedroom closet!) They started swimming lessons this past Monday and love it. Both had a talking to after the first lesson (can you say, “over excited”?) but settled nicely. I spoke with their instructor and she understands them, and has them repeat back to her what she wants them to do. Both came up from the bottom of the pool with dive rings and are quite pleased with themselves. If they continue to follow instruction well, we’ll try soccer in the fall.

This adoption thing is not for the weak of heart. There have been many tears, much frustration, lots of questions, “What have we done?”, “Can we survive this?”, and “What about military school?” . But each frustration is met with a breakthrough, and every heart break is answered with the biggest hugs one could ever receive.

Our sons are home, and we are blessed indeed.