The Old Has Gone The New Has Come

When the kids head to America from their home countries, they bring several chaperones with them. These chaperones are being hosted in homes across the country. There aren't nearly enough kids being hosted in California to warrent a chaperone here, so Dzintars' "assigned" chaperone, Ija, is staying in Georgia. She also happens to be the lead translator for all the Latvian kids so she can communicate with me as well and she works at Dzintars orphanage so she has known him for sometime. Dzintars is required to check in with her via phone at least once a week. Today was that day. After she spoke with Dzintars she asked to speak with me. She said he was like a new child. He was so happy and full of joy as she told him about our family and all that he had done. And I believe it, I myself am amazed at all that God has done in our boy after experiencing the love of a family for just 11 days. He's a completely different kid than the one we picked up at the airport. I told Ija that we had found Dzintars to have a great sense of humor, that he jokes and teases us with ease and is really quite silly and fun to be around. I assumed he was like this back in Latvia, and that it had simply taken him a few days to become comfortable in our home and with us. But that just isn't the case, she said this experience, this time as a part of a family has awakened a side of him that she has never seen before!

Please understand that I don't say any of this to "pat myself" on the back. I am telling you this so that you will know that you can make a difference in the life of a child. That by simply following where we felt God leading us, we have quite possibly changed this boy's life forever!

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

2 Corinthians 5:17

Later in the day we had a sweet conversation via Google translate (seriously don't know how I managed to live in Russia for a month without it, all we had back then were books-imagine that). I digress, but seriously, Google translate is my most favorite thing at the moment! Today we picked up our first set of pictures from Costco to begin a photo album for Dzintars to take home with him. When I told him he gets to take all the pictures home he was very happy, but then via Google translate he told me he doesn't want to return to Latvia. He is tired of Latvia and would like to live somewhere else.  He wants to stay in California and said that our family is very nice and he loves us. I immediately told him that we love him too, but I want so much more for him! I want to be able to tell him there is a family just waiting to love him forever! But I can't, I will not! I do not know what the future holds for Dzintars. But I do know I LOVE this kid! He has me laughing nearly all day long and has even taken to calling me "Stace". He is something special!

After two quite serious posts in a row you've earned yourself some new photos.

After Dzintars and I cleaned the garage this week Peter's extremely disorganized rolling toolbox was looking out of place so the boys set to work organizing it. 

Attempting to hide from my camera.

Today we visited the optometrist, also required for all host kids by NHFC. He did great. The Dentist was a breeeze though compared to this. Think about it, you have to be able to read AND speak the language in order for them to be able to test your vision. I was seriously impressed with his mad English skills though. He didn't know the letters by name, but he did know the sounds that each letter made. He passed with nearly flying colors. No glasses needed. This made him VERY happy!





We headed out on the trail for some rollerblading fun today. My Latvian is not used to the heat and today was the hottest day since he arrived. He kept needing to stop and told me over and over how hot he was:) I was just happy that I didn't break anything as it's been YEARS since I'd last been on skates.

Took this one while I was skating in front of him, you know you are impressed with my mad skills:)

Checking out his first set of prints from Costco:) He was so excited and looked through all 100+ of them on the way home. We started his album when we got home.

Seeing as how it was so hot today I decided today was a good day to introduce him to otterpops. He made a rookie mistake near the end and a 1/3 of it fell on the grass. Ooops.

He loves to help in the kitchen. Tonight we made lasagna, which he loved and had two heaping servings of.