Company Has Arrived!

Nene and Papa have arrived. Yin and Yuri are beside themselves with happiness. Yuri and I were to go to the library, but he decided to stay at NeNe's and visit. I ran home to change the laundry and clean up a little.

I have very little time all to myself. I am not sure what I will do with the next two hours!!!

Picture Day -

Today I went with Meg Meg to Olan Mills to take pics of the kiddos. Yuri is the BEST. He could be a model, but Yin wow! Let me say it is almost impossible to get a good pic of her. She never wants to look where you want her to look. She refuses to smile.

I am GLAD it is over. The pics turned out pretty good all in all. It was my Nephew MT's first pics and they were cute. I never had any new born pics taken. Yin's first picture is when she is 6 weeks old and Yuri 1st picture is when he is 9 months old. I really wish I had earlier pics of Yuri... ON the other hand I AM so BLESSED to have pictures of Yin.

This week several new families have received their referrals from China. It always make me happy when someone finds their child. All these referrals and happy news brings back that feeling each time of the first time I saw Yin and Yuri's beautiful face! Congrats to all the new mommies and daddies!

Happy Fathers Day to Rudy!

I remember even as a young girl. I would always tell my family that I DID NOT want to have kids. I am not sure why? I got along with my brothers as well as most. We had our fights and fueds, but we loved each other. I remember as I got older telling my Gramma Mick that someday maybe I would adopt a baby from Russia. I love St. Basil's, and I have always wanted to see it.

When Rudy and I got married we were in no hurry to have kids. We were only 20, and we still wanted to have fun. On May 1, 1995, we made the big leap. I went off the pill and the rest was a nightmare... At the time Rudy worked for a company with several Asain workers. I remember going to the picnic and seeing those girls and trying to convince Rudy that surly we could kidnap one of them and from that point on we both had the love for little Asain girls.

When it was "confirmed" (not so sure about that) that we would not have bio kids. We checked into egg donors and sprem donors and the like. Rudy was really great during this time. He was supportive and never made me feel "defective". He loved me and we made a plan. Infertility is very hard and although I have two beautiful, wonderful kids. I still have these "defective" feels about myself. Alot of the infertility stuff is just too painful to share except with my dear Rudy.

We decided to adopt. We did not know much, but I knew that I wanted RUSSIA! We met with a couple and after talking with them I asked Rudy "Can we get a son?" Little Yuri came along less that 6 months from the decision to adopt, but not from Russia from the Ukraine. That is a whole different story. We did not try for China or anyother Asain countries becuase. China's age requirement at the time was 35 and we were 26. We were not willing to wait that long.

We decided that one child would be great for us. Altough I had the baby bug we decided that we would not adopt anymore kids. Then briefly in 2003 we had some events that changed our minds. IN August 2003 we decided to adopt from South Korea. Rudy I am sure was not totally on board, but he knew how important this was to me and he stepped up again. On February 1, 2005. Yin arrived into our live and things have never been the same.

Rudy has been a great dad to Yuri and Yin. Each night he reads to Yuri and I love to hear the sound of his voice lulling Yuri off to dream land. He also loving carries Yin to bed everyother night and sings "Jesus loves me" to her. I love to his his voice as he sings to little Yin. As soon as he pulls in the driveway each evening Yin and Yuri began to yell "Daddy Daddy". Rudy is the most patient with our kids when we are all at home together. He often feels the need to be a little harder on them when we are with family and friends becuase he doesn't want people to think that the kids are brats and that we let them get by with murder.

Rudy works very hard to provide for our family. Working crazy hours and traveling away from home. Without Rudy's job at MOC we would never have been able to afford to adopt Yin and Yuri. I will always be grateful that each day he goes to work diligently to provide for our family.

Rudy is my best friend. He is a great dad! He is not very lovie dovie in front of people, but he is really a big teddy bear! Occassionally he says stuff that makes me want to beat the Shit out of him, but all and all I wouldn't trade him for anyone else in the world. Happy Father's Day my dear Rudy! I love You!

BTW... When are we getting number three?

Easy Go... Easy Go...

Well today we bit the big one. After Rudy put in the new patio we knew that it would be a while before we could get new furniture. I wanted a very specific type of furniture that is comfy and durable. Most sets have the huge pads which are nice until they get wet and then they are just a pain the the butt.

We decided that we would wait until next year do to the cost of the set I wanted, but Lowe's had to go and mark all Patio sets and grills 10%off and free financing for a year. It will fit much better into our budget this way. So this is what we got...

This is not the picture that I wanted, but I couldn't find the beautiful picture that is in the flyer... Anywho... It comes with a beautiful slate blue umbrella, and that is the color that I am going to paint the back door. I was originally going to go with a Gray color, but didn't think that would have enough flair.

In another color matter. I took Yin and Yuri to the library for the summer reading program. Yin was cranky and so she and I went upstairs to the main floor to look at books. We were coloring and Yin picked up a crown and said purple. I couldn't believe it becuase it was purple. Aunt Needles will be very proud. She is a Genius or so I thought.... When we were at Lowe's I picked up a paint card that was very purple for her and I asked her. Yin what color is this?? Green she replied. Oh well what should I expect. She starts her counting with 5!

I Believe I can Fly...

That song should be Yin theme song. This weekend she decided to try and fly off the back steps onto the patio. Needless to say, Yin does not fly well. Her face looks like a car spun out on the side of her cheek.

On Sunday we decided we were going to eat Chinese food, but I was somewhat afraid to take her in for fear that they would think we are child abusers. We got to the Chinese place and the lady said that it would be $9.50 each. Wow! I did not want to spent $40.00 for lunch so we went to Long John Silvers and ate for $10.16. The we went to Wal-Mart and bought all the necessities. We came home and we to Ed and Wana Wana's for supper.

During this time I was trying to catch up on laundy, four people make an AMAZING amount of laundry in a weeks times. We had been outside so much these past fews days that it was starting to creep out of the baskets.

We had a pretty good garage sale making almost $550.00 not to bad. Since the large priced item wsa $10.00.

I am planning to try and get some house work done this week. A like a clean house, but with my kids I might as well give up trying. I made Rudy clean out his closest ( How many flannel work coats does one person need?). Then I put all the shirts back in by category and color. I am waiting to see if he notices. YES I am that Crazy, but it gives me joy okay!

Spend today with my good friend J and her kids. She has been so busy with three kids in different ball leagues and summer camps that I have not see her for a month. A good time was had by all. She was buying plants for one of her many landscaping jobs. I love to learn about plants and she knows a ton.

They gave Yuri his b'day gift of cars from the movie CARS. He was happier than a pig in mud. Right now they have these toys at McDonalds. So if anyone gets some save the ones that you don't want for Yin and Yuri.

Gotta go finish supper for my dear Rudy and Gang. A woman's work is never done.

Week in Review

What a very busy week we have had here at Casa Brando-Rudy. Last week Rudy with the help of our neighbor "Ed" (his name is nothing like Ed, but that is what Yin call's him, who know why?) Anywho... worked on clearing land and pouring me a beautiful concrete patio. I cannot wait to do the landscaping aroung the patio.

On Monday we headed with "Ed" and his clan geocaching in Evansville. It was so HOT and we did not have great luck. It seemed that we spent a good deal of time looking and not finding caches. We then headed to Nene and Papa How's house for the week.

We had a great time. We visited with most of Rudy's family and and on Thursday my little Yuri had his 7th birthday!! Happy birthday Yuri!! We had an excellent day. Rudy and I took Yuri to Mammoth cave on the Historic tour. It was very good and we learned alot! When we got back to Nene and Papa How's we traveled to Memaw's with the Yin and the rest of the gang and they had a surprise party for Yuri. We had Long John Silvers and Ninja turtle cake. Nene made a baby bootie cake for Yin also. Yuri was agreat help serving all the people at the party.

Yuri got $43.00, an FM radio, to Captain Jack Sparrow books, and a dvd from the party. Rides were given on the golf cart and a good time was had by all.

On Friday we started for the long jouney home. Yin fell asleep and so we decided not to stop until she woke up. She woke when Rudy took her out of the car to carry her in the house.

Ed and his family came down and presented Yuri with a Wal-mart gift card and then Pilot and Needles came with the Mt. tiki-soki it looks like a volcano with a face and can blow water into the air 20 feet. We tested it and laughs were had by all. Yuri cannot wait to run through the sprayer.

It was a Super week!!! My baby is 7! Sniff Sniff... Tomorrow we plan to work outside.