Ukraine Adoption

Rainy days and Mondays

It's so hard to prod Tara to wake up in the morning for school when the rain is hitting softly on the window and her room is still kind of dark. Her little face is so innocent on the pillow. Down the hall, her brother Austin is also sound asleep, twisted around the covers with his long arm dangling down. I feel like the sleep thief. But it's time for school!

We have lots of routines here. I think that's the only way you can raise children without losing your mind. I get ready by myself in the morning, get my coffee, finish making their lunches and load up the car. Then I slip into their rooms to wake them up. Sometimes I sit on their beds to get a glimpse of them so peaceful--and quiet.

But that often comes to an abrupt end.

Tara doesn't want to wear THAAAT! Austin can't find (insert anything here). Tara's shoe won't go on, (EEEEE!) but don't try to help her! I'm running to one room's crisis and then back again. Sometimes my car is also running in the driveway. Hurry! I say. They don't seem to care about the price of gas. If one wanders toward the TV, it's over. I might as well sit back down and stay home. Hah.

We have had a lot of rain and the forecast calls for more this week, and Tara saw other children with small umbrellas. Somehow, in all the STUFF that she has received from wonderful friends, family, Santa, the Easter Bunny and us...she didn't have her very own umbrella. So despite my attempts to try to say no more often---we stopped on the way home today so Tara could pick one out.

She looked at them all, opening and closing, examining each one, noting the colors and designs. She picked up a soft purple Barbie umbrella. "This one," she said. It's another first for the girl from Ukraine. She carried it wide open into the house, so proud of herself. The cat and I were ducking out of her way. Now, she is hoping that it rains again tomorrow. She can make even the rainy days seem sunny.