So...

So... Sunday was not the best day. It wasn't horrible or anything and it actually was about what I had expected with reading about other's experiences. A lot of the problem I believe was due to the language barrier and tiredness.

We had a mandatory meeting that we were supposed to be at Sunday night with the boys, chaperone, and our whole family. The meeting was doubling as an ice-cream social. I also need to add that I, too, received hugs from the boys the first morning, it was just more exciting that huz did too.

After the whole church incident we came home and had a lovely lunch which was enjoyed by all. We gave Chaperone some American medicine, American "sick" tea (what I call tea that we drink when we are sick), and an herbal pack for his face. Then we put him to bed where he stayed the rest of the day. Hopefully all the magic was helping and didn't just make him pass out.

The meeting was to start at 6 which meant we would need to leave by 5. At 4:30 I began to get everyone ready. When it was time to start getting kids in the car and start the whole "go pee before we get into the car" routine, BoyOne said he didn't want to go.

OK. Just realizing that I have to back up a bit. After lunch, Chaperone, Three, Four, and Huz all took naps. One, Two, and BoyOne decided to go on a bike ride in the rain. (it was light rain. and they promised to come home if the rain got heavier) As I was cleaning up, wishing I was napping, I had a feeling to go check on them. I grabbed my keys, ran out to the car and was just leaving when Two ran up the driveway.

"MOM!! ONE is stuck inside the tennis courts!"

The tennis courts are sometimes locked so One will climb over and open the door from the inside. Apparently this time the lock had been jammed and the door wouldn't open. Then it began to rain really hard. So, Two jumps in the car with me and BoyTwo and we jet down the hill. The whole time I'm thinking, just climb back over the fence.... Anyhow, we get there, I hike down the hill, in my church clothes, in the MUD and tell One to climb back over the fence. She says, "I don't want to." Hello. Then stay there and get wet. Natural consequences. Love it!! So I start hauling the bikes up the hill back to the car along with the umbrellas and tennis rackets. One finally decides to climb back over the fence and we all make it home. And we are each soaking wet. This is no exaggeration. I make everyone change into dry clothes and put all the wet, muddy stuff in the wash.

Now, back to where we were.

I am about done putting up with this crap for the day. Any of you that know me know that I am fairly laid back when it comes to housekeeping things. I don't even care if the kids jump on the furniture or roller blade or scooter inside the house. I always wanted to and sometimes did that stuff when I was a kid so it really doesn't bother me. However, I don't put up with any crap. When One was almost 3, she wouldn't put her toys away. I told her to pick up now or I'd throw them all away. She did not comply, away went all the toys. Ever since then I've learned that it is best to just follow through AND to not be quite so hasty in threats that I make...

I walk over to BoyOne, pull him off the couch and hand him his shoes and in Russian say "NOW." By the way, Russian is great when you mean business. It always sounds so harsh anyhow. He appears very frustrated and puts his shoes on. I think, "ha! Go me!"

Only I was wrong. Just because he put his shoes on didn't mean jack. At this point all of my biological daughters are in the car, they know the drill and even huz is out there waiting to go.

45 MINUTES later, Chaperone comes out of his room and again tries to reason with BoyOne. Chaperone at this point is not going to the meeting because he is too sick. He tells me that the boys are tired of driving down to SLC and just want to stay home. And honestly, I completely understand. Then, he tells me that BoyOne doesn't like the pants that I gave him to wear, he only wants to wear his jeans that are now in the dryer (from the earlier tennis court experience). And now I am totally annoyed. This is not a fashion show. He lives in a stinking orphanage! And he seriously cares that much about how he looks?!? I am starting to remember my brother being like this in his teen years. And now, I just want to stay home too. However, as a host family part of my responsibility is to be to certain meetings and this is one of them.

In desperation I call my awesome team captain. She advises to just bag it due to the time frame. She has hosted in the past and really understands the difficult balance you are trying to achieve of allowing these kids to have a once in a lifetime sweet vacation, while still trying to parent and allow them to catch a glimpse of what family life is like.

I tell huz to come inside and we decide to bag it. Then we bring in our kids who are all sobbing because they really wanted to go to the ice-cream social. Apparently this gets to the boys and while I'm using the bathroom evaluating the situation, they get into the car and in their broken English say to huz, "let's go."

Exasperating? Yeah. So then we decide to go to the meeting anyways because there were several business items that were supposed to be taken care of AND because huz's car was still at his parents house and we had to drive down to pick in up. (different story) Plus, we thought it would be nice to give our poor Chaperone some quiet time. Six kids are pretty loud...

I get into the car and as we begin to drive away, BoyOne from the back seat says,

"Sorry, Mama."