Reflections on Mother's Day

Ken and Ruslan are playing catch outside with a baseball and mitts. I just finished the dinner dishes and am taking a moment to reflect. Tommorrow is Mother's Day. A day I have dreaded for so long. This year I am completely and totally amazed. I still wonder if I am in a dream or if all this is real. I realize I am blessed beyond my wildest dreams. This little boy charms me everyday. He often picks flowers from the yard or park, wild daisies or dandelions, and gives them to me as a "padarik" (gift). When I picked him up from school yesterday, his big brown eyes lit up and he ran to me yelling "mamichka, mamichka," and wrapped his little arms around my legs. When he kisses me, he kisses both my cheeks and my chin and forehead. These are joys that bring me to tears.

Ruslan started kindergarten this week, Thursday. He was shy for about the 1st hour the teacher said, then easily fit right in and participated in everything willing. She had several stories to tell me of how he charmed her and the whole class. Our little boy has quite an infectious personality and I have no doubt will soon be a major ring leader in his class. Regardless of the language barrier.

There is another boy in Ruslan's class who also speaks only Russian at this time. His name is Anton. Everyone said that Anton was so happy to have Ruslan in the class, he was smiling from ear to ear the 1st day. They were great friends from the start. Anton has only been in the class for a couple of weeks, so he has a small jump on Ruslan. We had a couple of playdates after class on Thursday and Friday and both boys were so excited to have another to play with. It is just another example of how blessed we are. His class is only 19 children and one other is a boy who speaks Russian. How great is that! Also, I know the ESL teacher, she is a mother of several of the kids I have had in my youth ministry program at St. Luke. She pulled both the two little Russian boys out during the day for a special tutoring session. I was so excited to hear she would be working with them. She was very excited to know that Ruslan was our boy. We are very excited to know that his is our boy, too!!!!!!!