A New Champion!

Well Gloria and I had one of those "moments" yesterday...one that make you so proud of what your child has accomplished that it takes everything you have in you to keep it together. As many of you know we enrolled Kristina in Cheerleading this fall. Early in the season we got a note from the team asking if any of the girls were interested in being on the "Competition Squad" for this year. After thinking about it we decided that it would be a good way for Kristina to begin to transition her competitiveness that was a daily way of life for her in the Detski Dom into something that more fit her life as it should be moving forward. We asked Kristina what she thought and she said OK if I can win a trophy! Well after many long hours of practice, yesterday was competition. Competition was set up for squads in each grade Kindergarten through 5th grades in two categories; Cheer and Poms. Winners were chosen for each category in each age group and a Runner up and Grand Champion of all of the squads competing. In addition there were Overall Special Awards Given for teams displaying certain characteristics. Kristina's squad competed in the 2nd grade cheer category. After doing a great routine a little after 9 in the morning we had to watch all of the other squads performing through the morning. Then around 11:30 it was time for the awards ceremony. First the Special awards...The announcer says; For the award of the most Electrifying Transitions between stunts...The 2nd Grade New Lenox Mustangs Cheer Squad! We went nuts! Yelling and screaming and beaming with pride. After awarding the remainder of the special awards The Kindergarten and First grade winners were announced...Now it was our turn...the announcer picked up the microphone and announced; "In second place for 2nd grade cheer, The New Lenox Mustangs!" Kristina's squad...we went crazy (although slightly disappointed)...then the announcer said..."Wait, I made a mistake...they are written in the wrong order" (This of course only meant one thing! our girls had to have won right?) "In second place the Oak Forest Raiders and in FIRST PLACE the New Lenox Mustangs 2nd grade cheer! Now it was crazy, all the screaming and yelling! Gloria and I looked at each other and the tears started....Now we had to stay in the stands until after all of the squads were announced and then the Grand Champion was announced. We wanted to rush the podium and give Kristina the biggest hugs ever...we would have to wait, 6 more categories to announce...it was painful! The announcer finished announcing the 5th grade champs and started with runner up for the grand championship...we crossed our fingers...to no avail we did not make runner up...Gloria, Keegan, John and I began picking up our coats and walking down the stairs when we heard..."And the 2010 Grand Champions...The New Lenox Mustangs 2nd Grade Cheer!



Needless to say we lost it! From a 8 year old orphan who did not speak any English and never even knew what a cheerleader was to a 9 year old Member of the Grand Champion Team in a few days more than a year! Tears were flowing from both of us! We could not have been prouder! Next Sunday at her awards banquet Kristina will get that trophy she has been dreaming of for the last 10 weeks!

Halloween 2010

Kenny took the picture!

Kristina's pumpkin!

Keegan's pumpkin!

John's pumpkin!

Gloria's pumpkin! (Carved by Kenny)

Kenny's pumpkin!

John as a skeleton! (He actually wore the mask for a little while!)

John

Kristina as Tinkerbell!

Kristina

The kids!

The kids!

The kids had a blast trick or treating! They enjoyed this Halloween very much. Last year they went trick or treating but didn't quite understand it. They had only been home 3 days. So this year was so much fun for them. They enjoyed carving pumkins with Dad and Keegan. Mom does not carve pumpkins - cause I am no good at it. John had been wanting to carve them since we went to the pumpkin patch and picked them out. Try to explain to a five year old why you can't carve them until it is closer to Halloween. Not an easy task. Both kids had parties at school and were very excited to give their classmates treat bags. All in all it was a great Halloween. Now if we can just get them to all share their candy with their big brother. Just kidding - they share with him quite well. Happy Halloween Everyone from the Duda Family!

Home one year - 10/28/2010

Arriving at O'Hare Airport on 10/28/2009.
At Dollinger Farms on October 3, 2010.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES..........

The kids and I returned home one year ago on 10/28/2010. That is when we became a family of five. So many things have changed over the year. The kids have grown so much! Keegan has become an awesome big brother and we have all learned so much about eachother and could not be happier!

Kristina's 9th Birthday Weekend

Kristina turned 9 on October 25th. She had a very fun filled weekend. She had a party for school friends on Saturday and a family party on Sunday. Then on Monday she had a treat delivered to her class for all of her classmates. Here are a few of the pictures. She had a blast and was so excited that she stood by the front door on Sunday waiting for people to come. We aren't sure who she was looking for but she had lots of fun watching and then would get really excited when someone was coming to the door. We finally told her that everyone was here - go have fun!

Kristina and all of her presents!

The extra yummy birthday cake!

Party at the Jump Zone with her school friends. We had about 13 kids show up and they all had a blast.

The birthday girl and some of her friends at the party.

Gotcha Day...

Yes the kids have been with us one year as of the 20th...It's hard to believe that a year has flown by this fast. Our bond and love for each other grows every day! Both Kristina and John have grown about 4 inches and put on a few pounds in the last year. They both enjoy school and right now they are looking forward to Halloween. It took a few weeks to work John into his mask as he does not like his face covered, his mom has done a great job in working on this and he now puts on his Skeleton mask and examines himself in the mirror - not sure how long it will last during Trick or treating next Sunday...we'll see. Kristina got new wings from her gramma and grammpa for her Tinkerbell costume and is excited about wearing it outside to show all her friends. Last night was parent teacher conferences at school and both teachers asked us to come...if they don't want to talk then things are OK...we were a little worried but things were fine. All of Kristina's teachers continue to rave on how far she has come in the last year and they agree that once John gets a little more used to his teachers he too will blossom. He is a very open and playful child at home but in school it seems it is a different story...teachers say he is shy and quiet at times. We are sure he will break out of this shell once he is a little more comfortable.

365 days ago...

We were a family of 3, Gloria and I were prepping for court, nervous, worried yet excited to be taking this next step in the adoption process. We visited with the kids the day before and told them that we would be asking the judge to make us their mom and dad. They seemed to understand and agreed that this would be ok. Court went so quick and I remember standing out in front of the courthouse in the bright sunlight in 40ish temperatures sweating profusely. We had done it! The judge had asked all the questions we had expected and prepared for and even joked about my birthday and our anniversary...What a relief to see that she was human and not some communist brut that was going to look at us and say "Americans NO!". We had stuggled emotionally for months trying to understand the process and it was pretty much over in an instant. Now here we are almost a year later...The kids are thriving physically and striving emotionally to understand all that has been coming at them. They are completely comfortable in their own home, rooms and beds. We have had no sleeping or eating problems in more that 6 months. School is a challenge that they are both taking to...letters, math, science we see them learning more each day and do all we can to help them to learn and adjust. We love them more and more each day! Thank god for putting us in the same place at the same time in a small town in the Russian far east.

A year ago....

I can't believe we left for Russia on trip two one year ago yesterday! Seems like it was just last week...all the excitement, concern, emotions...What a magical time it was then and has continued to be for us. Watching the kids grow, adjust, learn and bond with us. We know for sure now that our match was a moment in time that was just waiting to be made, Gloria, Keegan and I love the kids more and more each day and we feel they grow more attached to us and our family with each visit. Their speech and language skills have grown and improved many times over.


We took them yesterday for their first ever visit to the pumpkin farm to pick out their own pumpkins, ride a hay ride, ride a train and navigate a corn maze and we all had a blast!

Looking for the best pumpkin!

The train ride!

Coming out of the corn maze!

Kristina in her dark shades!

John with his "guess what I'm thinking about" look!

"Daddy, can I have one of these? Please!"

"Or maybe one of these?"

Look how tall he is!

Look at her!

"I don't want to put my head in this thing!"

"Hello Everyone!"