Things I need to write down so I don't forget...

Garrett said in his preschool graduation that he wants to be a pilot when he grows up. This week, in the car, he asked me what a pilot was again. I told him that they fly the airplanes.
Garrett: "Oh yeah! Who are the ones who pass out the drinks?"
Me: "flight attendants. Like Dee."
Garrett: "Ohhhh! Do they get to have drinks and snacks after they pass them out?"
Me: "yes"
Garrett: "then that's what I want to be. I know one thing - I do NOT want to be a builder-guy because they have to work every day."
Gotta love a good work ethic!

We went to a sporting goods store tonight to buy a birthday present for one of Garrett's friends. They had these Dallas Cowboy Christmas stockings on display (I know, weird...they weren't even on sale). Anyway, Halle Grace got so excited, took two off the rack, and put them on her feet! She had no idea what they are for. Good thing she's a fast learner... :) How FUN will Christmas be at our house this year???!!!

Out of the blue, on the trampoline today, Halle Grace started doing forward flips. She even landed on her feet sometimes! I had no idea she could do that. I don't think she did either.

Earlier this week, Halle Grace complained that her head hurt. I told her that she couldn't go to the water park the next day if she had a headache - too much sun would be bad for a headache. A couple of minutes later, she smiled and told us that God had made her headache all better! It was a miracle! ;)
(It was funny, but I LOVE that she has picked up already who our healer is!)

Grant is spending the night at Grandad and Dee's tonight. He and Grandad are designing a tree house for their backyard, and Grant is beside himself with excitement! Can't wait to see what they come up with.

No Fear!

This little Ukrainina/American of ours has no fear. Today we finally went to the water park. Here are the kids getting out of the car - ready to go! The boys and I have been getting season passes to NRH2O for ages (I think this is our 5th summer). I wondered how she would do - there are some pretty big slides there. Well she took it all like a true Hinshaw! She wanted to ride every slide over and over and showed no hesitation whatsoever. We were in line for this steep racing slide, and the middle-school-aged boys behind us kept making comments about how scared they were to ride it and how they couldn't believe "that little girl" is riding it!
Yes, our Halle Grace was in heaven today. We had so much fun and can't wait to go back! We saw some of our neighbors there and plan to meet them there a bunch this summer. :)

This is an overview of the water park. We rode just about everything - including the Green Extreme, which is like a water roller-coaster (SO FUN!).

More pics from our fun day!

Home about 6 weeks now

(Sorry the video's a little dark. It's dark and stormy here today!)Here's just a little sampling of how far Miss Halle Grace has come in her English. We have been home about 6 weeks now and she is speaking tons of phrases and many full sentences as well. She can almost always get her point across to us now, which is a huge difference. She has started taking words that she knows and forming her own sentences with them (rather than just memorizing the sentences we teach her). We are so proud of her!

She goes to Bible class at church by herself now (although she cries when we first take her, she gets over it quickly)...she's had her first sleepover (at my parents')...she learned to ride a bike (with training wheels)...she is well-bonded with her family...she loves to pray...she loves our food (finally!)...she loves dressing pretty...she has made several new friends...she has gained 2 pounds...she loves music, books, flip-flops, sweets, hair bows, cooking, and swimming...and she's made us all fall head-over-heels for her!

It's really hard to believe she hasn't always been with us. This morning, she was looking at some pictures from the past year, and kept asking where she was in the picture. I told her she was still in Mariupol. She kept saying "no". She doesn't grasp that we had a life and a family here before she came. It's getting harder and harder for me to grasp that, too!

Yesterday we went to see Prince Caspian with some friends. We loved it! Especially Grant - it was right up his ally. It was a little over Garrett's head and he got a little restless. Halle Grace did great. I'm sure this particular movie wasn't really her thing, but it was her first time at the movies and the experience itself was enough to entertain her. It was definitely more of a war movie than the first Narnia, but I really liked it.
We were supposed to go to the water park today for the first time, but it cooled down and started storming. Poor kids - they have been counting down the days! I think we'll head to the library instead.

Indiana Jones and Princesses

Many discussions on our house right now revolve around Indiana Jones and Disney Princesses. I have to hand it to Disney. They are just a bunch of marketing geniuses over there. They have my boys obsessed with Indiana (Grant's excitement over these movies come from the ride at Dinseyland! Garrett pretty much likes it because Grant likes it! :) We have shown them two of the old Indy movies, with our close supervision and actively using the fast-forward button when needed. And boy do those movies need it... :)

Halle Grace LOVES the Disney Princesses. Cinderella is her favorite, but this week she saw Beauty and the Beast for the first time, and loved that one too. She wants everything princess - bike, helmet, fruit snacks, band-aids, toothbrush, bubble bath. Marketing geniuses I tell you!

What is even more amazing is that these are the SAME movies Scott and I watched as kids. That's some serious miles on those movies! Who would have even thought that we would all be watching those same movies we loved as kids with our own kids. I wonder which ones will stick around for them to watch with their children?

Decisions

I made a big decision this week.

We have some friends that work at a local Christian school - one that we are interested in sending our kids to someday. Our friends told us there is a 6th grade opening this Fall. Our plan eventually, is for me to teach at a Christian school so our kids can attend there as well. This is not the timing we anticipated, but I love 6th grade! Their positions don't come available very often, so it was a big decision whether to apply or not.

After much prayer, we decided that this is not the time for me to go back full-time. I know that Halle Grace and Garrett are both going to need me quite a bit this year as they begin Kindergarten, and I just feel that I wouldn't have enough time to give them. I met with the headmaster of the school anyway and gave him my paperwork. I wanted him to know that I would like a future there at some point, but didn't feel that I could really put my heart into it this year. He was great about it - completely respected my decision. I feel like we hit it off well and hope that he'll keep me in mind for the next opening! I feel complete peace that this is the right choice for our family at this point. I can't make the decision to go back to work out of fear that this would be my only opportunity. I know the Lord will provide the right one when the time is right.

In the meantime, I am so blessed to be able to stay home with the kids, give them my full attention, volunteer at their school, etc. This has already been a big year, and I am happy to just have a low-key rest-of-the-year (low-key is a relative term...:)
And who knows what God will bring in the next few years!

Garrett, Halle Grace, and I just hung out this week. They have really had time to play with each other, and are so bonded. They will go off and play for hours! We also visited our city's new library - and it's amazing! Grant got a new Magic Treehouse book, which he read in two days. Garrett chose basketball books, and Halle Grace chose gynmastics books. We signed her up this week, and she is SO excited! She got a leotard as a gift from a neighbor, and she has been sleeping in it every night - dreaming of gymnastics! Funny girl! She starts in June, and she is counting down the days. Garrett has chosen a basketball camp this summer, and Grant is doing a football camp. Other than those, swim lessons and our church's VBS, thats about it for our summer. We plan on camping out at the water park or the pool most days. Can't wait!

Big week...

I don't think I've mentioned what my sweet husband got us for Mothers (and Fathers) Day. New patio furniture! We feel like we've added on to the house. The kids love eating breakfast out there, too. Thanks Honey!

Halle Grace's Highlight this week was getting her new bike! She started asking for one last week (or should I say crying for one). Grandad and Dee just happen to drop by on Monday with a princess bike for her! (and just in time for "bring your bike day" at preschool). She jumped right on and learned in no time! Just one spill, but she went right back on. By the next day, she was a pro. We continue to be amazed at her coordination and motor skills.

Grant's Highlight - Field Day at Liberty Elem. This was a greatly anticipated day, and they all had so much fun! I was so impressed with how organized it was. Our PTA is amazing, and they just went all out. Grant loves a party, so he was just in heaven. Halle Grace and Garrett went with me and loved playing on the playground with the other little siblings! They are both chattering about being in Kindergarten this fall and are so excited.



Garrett's Highlight - he got to have his cousin Tyler over to spend the night this week. They had the best time and can't wait to do it again! They are so cute together and truly are best friends. We can't wait to have him over again!

Saturday was one of those days that felt like a week. Lots of fun packed into one day. We started early with a garage sale at our back neighbors house. We put a few things in it, so we helped work the sale. The kids had a ball just playing and riding bikes and scooters. Garrett found a new friend that he grew very attached too. He even gave his new friend skateboard lessons (did I mention he got a skateboard last week? He's been begging for one, and we let him use his allowance money to buy one. He's quite the little dare-devil - already working on some tricks!).

Halle Grace loved playing outside with all the garage sale junk. She and Garrett made little forts out of old boxes. I am amazed at how often kids just love boxes. Why do we spend money on toys at all? :) Finally, after lunch, we called it quits and headed home to rest.
Then we headed to my parents' house for a big family cook out. My Grandma Prince is visiting from California and my sister's family came also. The kids had a blast in the pool (as usual). The water's getting a little warmer, but not quite enough for me! Halle Grace is getting braver in the water, and had so much fum paddling around in her ring floaty. I can't wait for her swimming lessons to start (in 2 weeks). Notice she is wearing arm rings AND a floaty. :)
Here's my sister with Halle Grace and Zoey.



Tonight at home, we had popcorn with M&Ms and watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (the original). We love that movie! Some classics just don't need to be remade.

Halle Grace is learning English so quickly - and she is truly adjusting and attaching like a dream. Garrett has been having a harder time than Halle Grace has. Poor little guy is trying to find his new place in the family now that he has this "twin" sister all of the sudden. He's always been our more sensitive one, and just seems to have a short emotional fuse lately (like pretty much any time he is told "no"). Any adoptive families have experience with this? He loves his sister, and for the most part, they are great playmates. We want to help him through this and give him the time and comfort he needs, but we also are trying to make it clear that fits and tantrums are not acceptable and will have consequences. He really is such a sweet-spirited kid - this is just not like him. Last week, when Halle Grace was crying for a princess bike, Garrett offered to buy her one with his allowance. How sweet is that? THAT's the Garrett we know and love. This fit-throwing, screaming kid is just not him. Ughhh!

One more thing to throw out into the blog world... I want to do some homeschooling stuff with the kids this summer. Garrett could use some practice to get him ready for school. His preschool wasn't terribly academic, so I'd like to help fill in the gaps. Of course, Halle Grace is starting from square one, so I'd like to work with her on just about everything. I am also looking for some independent ideas for Grant (Valerie sent me the Book Adventure site - THANKS! That looks great!). Any ideas, resources, suggestions? I'm thinking just an 1.5 to 2 hours, maybe 4 days a week.

Thanks and have a great Sunday!

First and Lasts

Another big first for Miss Halle Grace! She had a sleep over at my parents' house. They rotate, having each of the grandkids over to spend the night individually. Garrett had his turn last week, and Halle Grace has been asking for her turn ever since. We were really surprised that she was so excited about going, since she has wanted to stick close to us everywhere else. She does LOVE her "Babushka Dee" though! Last night was her turn and they invited Zoey too (my sister's 3-yr old daughter), and they went swimming, played, had a tea party, slept in Cinderella sleeping bags, and had pancakes for breakfast. She hasn't stopped talking about how much fun she had! So cute!

Today was Garrett and Halle Grace's last day of preschool. I am officially no longer a preschool-mom. It was sad saying goodbye to this part of my life. For almost 8 years, I have had young children at home (the fastest - but greatest - 8 years of my life). In just 3 months, they will all be in big-kid school. In 8 more years, they will all be teenagers! Everybody slow down PLEASE!

Prayers and Pom Poms

The boys were so excited this week when Halle Grace advanced her prayers from "May I please" to "thank you for...".
Here is her more advanced, English prayer: "Thank you for the mommy. Thank you for the daddy. Thank you for the Grant. Thank you for the Garrett. In Jesus' name, Amen." At dinner we get a thank you for the food as well. We are so proud of how quickly she is learning English! The past two weeks things seem to be speeding up in that department. Hooray!

Today we got a sweet surprise gift from a friend left on our doorstep (the gift, not the friend). It's a dress-up Cheerleader outfit complete with pompoms (thank you Chelby!!). We're ready for football season so this girl can figure out what pom poms are for. Last time she played with some at her friend Adi's house she mopped the floor with them. Who wouldn't enjoy mopping more if the mop looked like a pom pom? Football season at the Hinshaw house will Americanize her pretty quickly I think! The boys are counting down the days... Maybe when the real thing is on, they will stop watching those old football documentaries on the NFL channel. Did you know they have an NFL channel year round? That's just nuts.

I know the prayer update and the pom poms don't have anything to do with each other...but who doesn't enjoy a little alliteration. :)

Happy Late Mothers Day

Mothers Day is such a great idea. I really think it should be twice a year, though. I think we earn it, don't you? :)

Thank you to my husband and my kiddos. Without them, I would not be a mother. Just being Scott's wife and Grant, Garrett, and Halle Grace's mother is the greatest gift I could ever receive. What a fun family the Lord has blessed me with! They make my life great! :)

I want to wish a happy mothers day to all of my blog friends that have either just completed their adoptions, or are in the process. To those who have yet to travel - happy mothers day. You may not be with your children yet, but they are in your hearts. Anyone with a child in their heart deserves to be honored on Mothers' Day -and those mothers are often overlooked. Praying that you find your children quickly...

And a happy Mothers Day to my sweet mother - who has taught me so much about life and love. She's inspiring and fun, and just one of my favorite people to be with. I am so proud to be her daughter. Thanks mom - you're the best!

Garrett the Graduate

Here's Garrett in his first day of preschool, 2005. And here he is
last night, waiting to begin his program. What a big boy! I can't believe my baby is a preschool graduate! It feels so strange saying goodbye to this stage of his life (and this stage of my life too!).

June (our school's director) had all the parents who were "graduating" from the program stand up (those of us with our youngest leaving preschool), and I just about lost it. I hadn't really looked at it that way. My babies are growing up!
We are so proud of Garrett! He is a great little student and really focuses on what he does at school. He is quiet and thoughtfully creative. He is sweet and kind to others. I can't wait to see what awaits him in Kindergarten (and neither can he!).
I know he's going to love it!
As usual, my sweet Garrett barely sang and looked like a deer caught in headlights during the program. He's not my spotlight kid. He definitely does not have a future in Hollywood (his future will be much better than that, I'm sure!)
Halle Grace, on the other hand, who has been at school a total of 4 days stood up there and sang her little heart out. She did all the motions, too! Everyone commented on how amazing it was that she did so well. She had a great time and was just precious!
We are so proud of our little "twins"! Here they are singing in the program.

The video turned out way too dark. Bummer. You'll just have to imagine the cute little songs in your head... :)

Halle Grace's Adoption Announcement

Here it is! I ordered them today, but they won't be ready until next week. I know I should probably wait until I've mailed them to post a copy, but oh well! I've never been one for waiting... :)

I'M BACK!!!

We are switching our phone service to Vonage. To to this, we had to disconnect our internet (since it was a package deal with our old phone service), and then have our internet reconnected under a different plan. Apparently, this is rocket science because AT&T could not figure out how to do this without us being without internet for a week Then they had trouble getting it reconnected and had to send out a technician today. Crazy!!! Anyway, thanks to Cliff at AT&T, we are finally back online. I feel so out of touch and can’t wait to catch up on the world of cyberspace. The boys have been dying to visit their Webkinz. : )

It’s been a great week for us - full of firsts for Halle Grace. The kids had ice cream cones the other night. I don’t think she’d ever had one before because at first she wanted a spoon to eat it with. They all had faces and clothing covered in chocolate. Is there anything better than kids with ice cream cones on a warm night? It reminds me of those Drumstick commercials – “she’s not growing up too fast, she’s just a kid…eating a drumstick”. Remember that one? I could write a whole blog on classic commercials.


A big first for Halle Grace was starting preschool! She has been terrified of school, and would start crying every time kindergarten with Garrett would come up. She kept saying she just wanted to stay home with mommy. Sweet…but not going to happen for a little girl turning 6 this fall! We thought it would be a good idea to let her go with Garrett to his preschool for a couple of weeks. I could sit in class with her to make her more comfortable, and this would give her a happy school experience (in hopes that kindergarten will be less mysterious!). So, last Tuesday, we packed her lunch and headed off to school. It’s just a 9-2, Tues/Thurs school at a church down the road, so we felt it was a good starting point for her. She loved it! She felt like such a big girl! I showed her how to write her name. She looked at it one time, and wrote it perfectly. I told you she was smart!


Before lunch, they had a few minutes on the playground. She had been looking forward to this all morning. It was the perfect time to leave her – she yelled “Bye Mommy!” as she ran over to the slide, smiling ear to ear. When I picked her up, her teachers said she did great. She was SO proud to show me her work from the day. Thursday was about the same. I tried to leave a little earlier, but she started tearing up and didn’t want me to go. So I stayed a little longer. Then, out of the blue, while coloring, she turned to me, smiled, and told me I could go now! She was so proud and felt like such a big girl! Yippee! : ) Now she talks about school all the time, and asks every day if she gets to go today. She even wants to sing in their little graduation program on Thursday night. How cute is that? I’ll take some video and post it. : )

Other firsts include…
Drive-through car wash – she LOVED this….just giggled the whole time.
Birthday party – it was the boy across the street, and it was at the fire station. She was a little intimidated, understandably. She loved the cake and the candy, though!
Horse races – we went on Saturday with some friends, and she had a ball!
McDonalds with a playground – it was her first trip to a US McDonalds (the ones in Kiev had no playgrounds). I spent most of the time hearing, “Mommy, look at me!” over and over again. I always say she must be making up for 5 years of no one looking. : )

This is another busy week. I’m so ready for summer – so we can slow down a little. It’s teacher appreciation week, and since I’ve had no internet, my sweet assistant room rep took it over for me. She is the best! : ) I’ll be up at school a couple of days this week to help out. On Wednesday, Halle Grace and I are going to eat lunch with a family who lived for many years in Mariupol as missionaries. I am so excited to spend time with them, and for Halle to be able to speak with people that will actually know what she’s saying (that’s got to be getting old, poor thing!). Saturday, we are heading to Amarillo to spend some time with Scott’s side of the family. Won’t Halle be surprised to ride a plane for just 1 hour instead of 13? We’re heading home on Mothers Day. What a great day that will be for us this year! I remember this time last year, thinking that THIS year, our daughter would be home with us. It’s just the strangest feeling – it’s not like I expected. I expected to have my emotions out of control, with plenty of waterworks. It hasn’t been like that at all. I just feels like I brought her home from a long trip - like she’s always been ours (we just didn’t know it yet). I know she feels the same way. She’ll see a baby picture on the fridge and ask if it’s her. When I tell her no, she’ll ask me where is the picture of her as a baby. It’s so heartbreaking to tell her that I don’t have any. But it makes me feel good to know that she obviously feels that she was meant to be with us – so much so that she expects us to have baby pictures! It just feels so natural for her to be with us. I have thinking a lot about adoption in that light and how it compares to God adopting us into his family, to be his children. We tend to think of it as this big, difficult step, but I think God must think of it as so natural. Because we have always been his, we just didn’t know it yet. It has been so easy to fall in love with Halle Grace, and it shows me just a fraction of how easy it must be for God to fall in love with us.

People tell us all the time how much she looks like us and how it just feels like she’s always been here. We feel the same way and we know it is because God has planned, since the very beginning for her to be with us. He is the author of adoption – he invented it, and he’s good at it. We feel so blessed that we are getting to experience it with our daughter, and we can’t wait to tell her one day how God worked to bring us together. Don’t you know that’s how God feels about all of his children? About how much he wants to tell us the story of how he worked to bring us to him? I am daily astounded at how incredibly spiritual the concept of adoption is and how it echoes God’s plan for all of us.

Julie