Randomness

Today's post (Ha! That makes it sound like I actually post everyday.) will be mostly a bunch of random things that I wanted to be sure to mention. Hopefully they won't be too random for you, dear reader. All 3 of you.

• When we went up to my Grandma's house we stayed in a hotel. Ira's first. :) Little One was sharing one bed with me and Ira was on the hide-a-bed in the other room. Little One REALLY wanted to be able to sleep on the hide-a-bed so the last night there I told her she could share with Ira. Ira threw a MAJOR fit. Complete with sobbing and refusing to even touch the hide-a-bed. She was going to sleep on the chair all night. I tried to explain what an “I'll show me” is, but she didn't care. Mom finally went to talk with her and Ira kept arguing. “In all my 12 years I've never had to share a bed with anyone!” Excuse me? “In all my 12 years?” LOL! Besides, that's not true. When we had Kristina in Dnepro with us they shared a bed. Nice try. She ended up sleeping there with Little One in the end, but man what an ordeal. Mom and I have had lots of fun teasing her since then though. Whenever she starts getting upset over something we just say, “In all my 12 years....” at her and she kinda smiles and usually says something like, “Yeah, that true.” It doesn't take care of whatever the problem is usually, but it at least helps. At least she's good natured about our teasing her.
• Speaking of Kristina, that's been a bit of an issue with her. We were talking about prayer for some reason one day and she told me that she's prayed that Kristina will get adopted. Since she hasn't yet, she assumes that either there is no God or that He doesn't answer prayers. I tried to tell her that He always answers. Sometimes the answer is “yes.” Sometimes the answer is “no.” Sometimes the answer is “not now.” Whatever it may be though, He always answers. Well, we were sitting at the baptism of my friend Kerry's daughter Vika and they were showing a movie in Russian while we waited. In the movie Joseph Smith is talking to his dad and his dad told him that the Lord always answers prayers. They are answered in His own way and in His own time, but they are always answered. Ira was unusually attentive during that part and I leaned over to her and said, “Just like Kristina.” She said, “Yeah.... How you understand??” LOL I told her I could read the English captions. :) I was impressed that she was listening and understanding how that worked in her life as well. She's still thinking that He's not really listening to her, but at least there was a break-through. Brief though it may have been.
• For some reason Russian speakers tend to get the “v” and “w” sounds mixed up. I have no idea why since they have both sounds in their language. Why in the world would they mix them up when learning English? Ira and I have worked on them in phonics and she's getting better. It's at least not “vwhat?” all the time anymore. Awhile ago I was working on Rosetta Stone. Every once in awhile Ira would wonder in and watch/listen to me. At one point I was having trouble saying, “Nice to meet you.” It wasn't what I'd been taught before the hosting and one word was particularly giving me trouble. You see, there aren't too many small words in Russian and I could recognize it, but SAYING it was a different story. I asked her to help and she said it just as fast as the person on the program. I tried and she just laughed. She'd say it again, slower, and I still couldn't get it. “No, Mama. /w/ /w/ /w/” Then she smiles and says, “My turn. Mama.” LOL I guess English speakers have the same trouble mixing them up when learning Russian.
• A couple of weeks ago Ira called her friend, Olja. We were trying to get a phone number for a friend of ours. When she called Mom told her not to mix up her languages. Sure enough, as soon as Olja picked up, Ira says, “Hi, Olja!” Then she laughs and says, “Privet, Olja!” The funny thing was that wasn't the only time. She would be talking away and then all of a sudden I could understand her. I'd look at her and she'd realize what she'd done and she'd laugh and fix it. Then one time I could tell Olja wanted her to ask me something. Ira looks at me and starts asking whatever it was in Russian. Poor girl was having trouble keeping everything straight. :)
• A couple of weeks ago, my friend Stephanie came home with her two boys. What an adventure she's had trying to get these two! It was quite the ride. I had a horrible time actually getting to the airport and I was so late leaving that I didn't even take my camera since I knew she'd be out already. I should have anyway though because I don't have any pictures. Poor girl had a SUPER rough trip home though so maybe it was better I didn't take any. LOL I'd asked her to pick up some books in Russian for me while she was there. Apparently I wasn't the only one because she came back with suitcases filled with books for people! She'd gotten me the Narnia series, the Percy Jackson series, a popular children's story, and then some classics for me that were originally written in Russian. It's going to be a while before I can read them, but it gives me motivation. :) Tolstoy, Chekhov, Dostoyevsky. :) Ah, the fun of it all! I love to just look at them. Some day I'll be able to read them too. Ira has been devouring Percy Jackson. She's already almost to book 4. I think we'll study some Greek Mythology when she's done with them.
• The day after Stephanie came home I happened to have a wedding reception in the small town where she lives. I went up an hour early and hung out with her for awhile. I wish I'd gone earlier because it was such a nice visit. :) I know getting home and getting into a routine can be hard so it's nice to have all the support you can get. I just hope I didn't make things worse by having her think she needed to entertain me or anything. It was awesome to visit with her though.
• I've been asking Ira to read a chapter out of her scriptures before she reads any Percy Jackson for the day. It's been going well actually. No complaints. I decided to ask her about what she's reading, just to be sure she really IS reading it before she reads the other. So, a few days ago I did just that. She told me she had no idea what she was reading. “Ha,” I thought. Well, she brings me her scriptures and guess where she is. Isaiah chapters. No wonder she doesn't understand. I told her most people don't understand that section. LOL Bad timing to ask her what she's reading.
• So, there are still issues with the glasses. One day last week she was almost late for the bus so Mom went to look to see if kids were still on the corner or not. They were so off she headed. She had her glasses on though and looked down the street the whole time she crossed it. Knowing I was watching her, she even went so far as to wave. to. no. one. Then she got across the street, hid behind a peach tree and took the glasses off before anyone could see her. Seriously? We had a little chat on the way home from the school that morning. It was so important to her to loose all her screen time for the week just so no one would see her. The child KNEW I was watching her and didn't care. I asked her if she really thought so little of the kids here to think they would think she was stupid and ugly just because she had glasses on. Yes, she did. Did SHE think the kids that wore glasses were stupid and ugly? No answer. Come to find out when she got glasses in Ukraine the kids were pretty mean to her. It's the first time she's ever said anything about that. So, it's possible she's making it up, but I doubt it on this one. The conversation seemed to actually have an impact on her though because the next day she wore them to the bus stop. HUGE. She's also seemed to care if she gets a dollar for the day and I'm happy to announce that even though it's taken almost a whole week, she's finally earned one for today! Progress? Perhaps. My skeptical self thinks it won't last. I hope I'm pleasantly surprised.
• I gave a talk in church two weeks ago. It was fun embarrassing the girls. Ira especially. And I didn't even say that much about them! Afterwards a couple in the ward that are from China came up and told us welcome. It was really neat to talk to them. He told Ira something that has really stuck with me. He said, “It was part of God's plan that you came to America. But, it is also part of God's plan that you were born in Ukraine. Think about that.” How true.
• And last, I will stop with this thought since this is such a LONG post. I've been having trouble with the girls (Ira mostly) trying to concern herself with Little One when it's none of her business. I've been struggling with finding a way to help her understand, but all I end up saying is something along the lines of “Worry about yourself.” Well, I'm reading the Narnia series to them and in The Horse and his Boy, Aslan says something twice that really struck me, once to each of the main characters. I took Ira aside and read her the two quotes. He said, “I tell no one's story but their own.” That has now become my phrase. Whenever Ira is getting into business that isn't hers I just calmly say, “I tell you no one's story but your own.” It's actually having a MUCH more powerful effect than anything else I've been telling her. She still doesn't like it that I won't tell her something, but it's a different attitude. I LOVE GREAT LITERATURE! :)