Liszts

Today at noon marked the halfway point of our full stay in Hungary!!

Things that we love about parenting our children:

• 8:00 p.m. Sweet back rubs, prayers and goodnight kisses
• Hearing, “Anya!” “Apa!” and the occasional “Mom!” and “Dad!”
• Fixing Vivian's hair each day (Annie Kate doesn't exactly love this part yet.)
• Seeing their growth with behavior and English so far
• Everyone's excitement and encouragement back home
• Hearing them say “Yummy!” when they see us preparing a meal each night—even when it's a pot of Ramen noodles (I promise to feed them real food when we get home. I did add real carrots and chicken to these noodles so that has to count for something)
• Giving them their first ice cream cone
• Letting them see themselves on video for the first time
• Taking them to their first cinema/theater experience (Rio 2)
• Taking them on their first city bus ride
• Laughing at sticky faces as we dig into a juicy watermelon together on the front porch
• Their enjoyment of simply being chased around the yard playing tag

Things that are difficult right now:

• Watching Hungarian cartoons at 6:00 a.m.
• Bath time with the girls screaming while getting their hair washed
• Meal times—still learning table manners
• Hygiene
• Hearing their conversation tone turn into an argument but not knowing the reason
• Being misunderstood from both sides
• Being away from our family in the states
• Back talking/moaning (in Hungarian) when being reprimanded
• Wondering what the kids are really dealing with under the surface (uncertain future, detachment from foster parents, etc.)
• Working with Annie Kate during learning time, who cries each time we start and tries to pack up the supplies every 2 minutes
• Being outnumbered
• Being in public when our children are holding a conversation with someone and us now knowing what it's about

Things that make us laugh:

• Annie Kate's fashion sense. She tucks in shirts and jackets into her pants, tucks her pants into her socks, and lately wears her 3D glasses and bathing suit cover-up on top of it all
• Matthew's sound effects for play cars, airplanes, guns, explosions, matchbox cars, etc.
• Vivian saying “Mish-uh-pip-pee”
• All of them singing their version of “Itsy, Bitsy Spider”
• Translating the kids' Hungarian words into words that sound like English words
• Matthew wearing a belt even if his pants don't have belt loops

Things we love about Hungary:

• BREAD! We eat a loaf a day. It's readily available and delicious.
• Cave Bath. It's a 10 minute walk from our apartment. We plan to go next week!
• Tesco
• Relatively easy bus system
• Free Wi-fi a block away
• Two mini grocery stores within a 5-minute walk
• Our general location (close to pools, pizzerias, grocery stores, lake, park, produce stand)
• The food/water is pretty safe
• Towel warmer in the bathroom

Phrases we've apparently said a lot that the kids now mimic:

• It's okay!
• Yaaaay! Good job! (Today Vivian said this every time I put something in the basket at Tesco)
• I don't know.
• Thank you.
• You're welcome.

Things that give us hope:

• Marking out June days on the calendar
• Family and friends through Skype, email, and Facebook
• Looking back and seeing progress (language, behavior, response to structure)
• Giving each other breaks (even for just 15 minutes a day)
• Knowing there are relatives who can play and spend time with kids back home
• Keeping the big picture in mind (We have the opportunity to give these kids a home they might not otherwise have, and being used for God's purpose here in Hungary.)
• Good translators
• You reading this blog!
• Parents at school/community of friends who have adopted and will listen to our stories with personal knowledge and experience
• Eventually being immersed in English culture so they can learn with more focus

Blooper/photobomb:

23 more days to go!!