Day 28 - Goodbye

It's taken me all week to write this post. I've just been "blah." We all have. This journey has been wonderful and we've all loved every minute. If my family and The Preacher would let me, I would do this again in a heartbeat . . . especially with a kiddo from the same place Denys lives. And we are completely at peace with God's sovereignty and sending him home to the amazing Larysa. But, the fact remains, we miss him. He added something to our home and without him here we're just sad.

Three a.m. came very early Tuesday morning. We had clothes laid out and Denys was packed. A quick shower, everyone dressed and off to the ATL we rode. Surprisingly most everyone remained awake on our trip over. Check-in was a breeze and the NHFC staffer on-site was incredibly helpful. I took a couple of pictures of the crew and it wasn't until I was home that I saw the face.

(Oh, and do you see this? I made sure to get a picture just for all of you who prayed so diligently those last few hours. The bag came in at FIFTY POUNDS - even. Thank you, Jesus!)

I knew he wasn't thrilled about going home, but I was surprised at the pouty face he gave in those last moments. What he couldn't say in words I think he was trying to tell us by his looks. When asked via Google Translate was he ready to return to Ukraine, he always said, "No." But was unable to elaborate on what he was really feeling. But, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. (Can you see the humor here, too? He's such a funny kid!)

 Then we waited.

At first we were a solemn bunch, but then Denys pulled out the juggle balls (Koosh balls are WONDERFUL for juggling) and he and J quickly began playing. In a short while he caught a glimpse of some of his buddies and was absolutely THRILLED to see those boys. They began talking non-stop and introducing us all to one another. Interestingly, their families had the same things to say about them we had to say about Denys. I believe their director, Larysa, does a fabulous job with her her children. She has taught them to be polite and loving. They are respectful and joyful and love to have fun.

From the time the friends arrived, he was involved with them and then it was time for them to leave. My children were broken hearted. J wept. We thought Jason was going to have to carry him to the vehicle. MG began sobbing also and AR chased Denys down and kept saying, "Bye, Denys." They were certainly a sad crew and it broke this mama's heart to see her babies hurt.

We watched them descend the escalator and turn the corner into security. And that was that.

We headed home and have all be mopey ever since. We know that God is BIG and will have his will accomplished in the life of Denys.

We would love to see Denys find a forever family here, in the USA. And if you're interested in learning more about Ukrainian orphans we would love to help you get into contact with the right people. Also, we have found out that Denys will be available for summer hosting. We have decided to opt out (for now) since we don't want to deprive a family who may be very interesting in having him in their home on a long-term basis. (hint hint) There again, please let us know if you're interested in more information.

Before

After

Denys is a precious 14-year-old Ukrainian boy with a high-wattage ready smile. He is conservative in dress, but very ready to play and have a good time. He is energetic and is a bit of an acrobat and hip/hop dancer. He rides bikes, swims and likes fancy cars. Drawing is a passion for him and he can freehand nearly any illustration he sees. Denys plays well with children of any age and does an amazing job keeping a close watch on the youngest ones; making sure they stay safe and out of harm. He is empathetic and kind to others and animals. He was delighted to spend time with our extended family and loved on them as much as they loved on him. Video games are perhaps his favorite quiet time activity and he is quick to figure out any type of electronic device - even the ones in English. 

Please help us pass the word to anyone you think might be interesting in learning more about Denys or any other older Ukrainian orphan! He is a wonderful kiddo and certainly our favorite Ukrainian!

~Megan

Day 27 - The Final Hours

Solemn. Somber. Rather uneventful. These are the adjectives I would use to describe today. Monday's are always busy here and today was no exception: piano lessons, errands, gymnastics, and any number of other small necessaries that pop up.

Denys opted to stay with Mimi and the girls while I took Jonah to piano lessons early this morning. He has enjoyed playing with this piano during this trip. Were he here any longer we would be talking with Mrs. Sue about piano lessons times two!

Home to begin packing was next on the agenda. I finished all the ironing. We stuffed what we could into Space Bags. Those suckers are great for fitting just a few more things into a very cramped space, but too bad they can't do a thing in the world about weight!

Pouty faces packing 'cases.

And speaking of suitcase weight - Prayer Request - please pray now that his suitcase is not over weight. We got word this morning that the cases were supposed to weigh 44 lbs. That SIX pounds under 50. Six whole pounds. We are mighty close to being right in between those numbers. Please pray Delta's scales are kind in the morning.

He also packed his backpack and it is tight as a tick! A few more people have asked these last few days could they give him something for the return trip. We have been begging them not to give anything. We knew we were close and he doesn't even have an excessive amount of things to take back to Ukraine. I did find a cell phone in his backpack. Those are one of the "contraband" items, but this is one I am pretty sure came over with him. (I don't know where he's had it hidden all this time. I searched diligently for one when he arrived!) I've not seen one of these mp3/slim/flip phone styles in several years so no one I know gave it to him. In that case, it gets to return home!

Before gymnastics this evening we stopped by an auto parts store because Jason needed something for the truck. The kids and I knocked around just to see what was there. Denys found a display of key chains. He asked me to show him a "T" and then he asked for one. Please note that this is the first and ONLY thing he has asked for on this trip. When offered he would accept or decline something and might choose one style over another, but, other than water, he has not, outright, asked for a single solitary thing since arriving. And this "T" key chain was not for himself, but for a friend, Toni. Wow. (And of course it was purchased immediately!)

At the end of gymnastics the boys were given the opportunity to jump on the trampolines and into the "Pit" for a few minutes. They enjoyed it, but wanted more time to play. We headed back to Mimi and Pops for dinner. I finally had a chance to fix a Ukrainian-style meal. Well, it wasn't the cabbage rolls I was hoping to fix (btw - if you need some cabbage, I have plenty!), but a nice Kielbasa and veggie "roast" was easy and very good. He ate a plateful and promptly put his dirty plate into the sink. (I'm gonna miss this kid for more reasons than one! lol)

He did not want to leave when it was time to head home, but got into the vehicle anyway. We talked for bit, went through all his photograph and I marked them with people and places as best I could. (I had to explain that The Varsity was not McDonald's!) And he asked again were we leaving at four. I told him, "Yes," and he held up ten fingers and said, "No. Six!"

If my Ukrainian is incorrect just don't even tell me.

I finished up a little goodbye card and sneaked a couple of very small goodies into his backpack for him to find during the day tomorrow. The candy I purchased will not fit, so off to The Preacher's office it goes. We are heavy-hearted, but still holding up well. Prayer for the early a.m. appreciated.

~Meg

Day 26 - Church and Party and Church and Party

We love to spend time with people. Even better, we love to spend time with family. And even better than that we love that Denys loves to spend time with our family. Since today was within 48 hours of his departure, we decided a party was in order.

After church most of the Robinsons, a few of the Hatchetts, and some Griffiths gathered at Gmama's for pizza, salad, and cake. We had a wonderful time visiting and enjoying each other's company. And every single person in attendance had pictures made with the Guest of Honor!

Now, this silly boy gets excited easily, but his thrill was palpable when I pulled out the camera. When he arrived he'd already hugged everyone in the room. (He discovered early on this is way we greet each other in our world!) But the wattage of his smile was amped up immeasurably for these photos. I wish there were room to post every single one of these, because they are precious.

This is how we roll.

I know I can tell you all day how much fun we have together and how close we are, but I had a chance to grab a picture that sort-of explains this "Robinson Phenomenon" in a way words cannot. See, even Daddy Mac was in on the action!

The kiddos played like crazy in the yard and were completely filthy. MG was in such bad shape she had to have a shower before she could leave Gmama's. Jason then took her and the boys home for showers before church began - Because NO ONE wanted to sit and sniff "stinky boy" during the service. (I'm not sure anyone loves The Preacher that much.)

AR is still a bit puny so I let her finish her nap and then headed to church a bit late. But seeing as how I brought pizza and cake for dinner after the service, no one seemed to mind my tardiness.

So we ate and talked and just enjoyed each other's company. (Did I mention that we love to spend time with folks?) Of course, the kids were bored with pizza rather quickly and went to wreak havoc on one of the Sunday School rooms. Amazingly enough, when time came to clean up, the mess had not been made by a single one of my children! Too bad for them; they had to clean it up anyway.

Dad wins again.

We came home and, as I'm trying to get the kiddos settled in, I hear a roar coming from J's room. Apparently Dad and the boys had decided a little wrestle mania was in order. I think Jason whipped them all pretty soundly, but they returned again and again. Yes, Mom just stayed on the outskirts and watched and managed to avoid being dragged into the melee.

Monday's are always wild around here. I've got several loads of laundry that need to be finished and a suitcase, looking smaller and smaller, that needs to be packed. We'll also do our usual piano and gymnastics. It's probably a very good thing we'll be rather busy and somewhat distracted since no one is looking forward to Tuesday morning.

~Megan

*There will be no 4 Under $40 this week.

Day 25 - The Final Countdown

ящірка (yeshuka) - lizard

There are 3 days left. THREE DAYS! Where did the time go? I am amazed and delighted that 12 weeks ago I didn't not even know there was a Denys in the world and now I feel about him nearly like I feel about my own children. This boy is a precious treasure.

Today we spent time with Uncle Dan - who, if he didn't already have a middle-schooler, would bring Denys back to live with him as soon as possible. The kids rode bikes and came home with the majority of stuff Uncle Dan was cleaning out of his garage (isn't that always the case?!?).

AR is feeling a bit puny today, so she and I stayed home while The Preacher took the kids out to Luther Ranch for the afternoon. They caught fish . . .and LIZARDS! I heard a tale that one host kiddo made it home with a lizard in a small aquarium-thing on one NHFC trip, but I didn't share that story because, sure enough, it wouldn't work this time. So, the lizards remained at the ranch and the rest of the dirty crew came home.

Showers and movie time and maybe we'll be in bed before 11pm?!?

Just like I promised, here are some pictures of Denys' artwork. Yes, the "Angel" is copied from a book illustration, but it's a  freehand copy. He sees a picture and he draws it in his sketch book. I happen to love the blowfish (not copied, just drawn). It's a favorite.
I had one downloaded entitled "Soccer Dad."
I'm not sure why "Soccer Dad" won't rotate correctly, but it's sideways . . .and tonight it will just have to stay that way and not make the cut.

Yesterday was also a fun day. Denys had seen my portraits of the kiddos and had expressed interest in them. I asked him if he might like to have some nice pictures made. He indicated that he would, but that he would especially like a photo in a frame. I had a "Picture People" coupon (those things are GREAT) and so we had portraits made of all the kids together. The nice thing about the "PP" coupon is that it only costs $20 for a about 20 pictures. The down side is that you only get to choose one pose. I let Denys make the final choice of the one he liked best. Of course it's probably the most precious photograph ever made, but then you probably knew that! (he he)

Look at those babies! They are precious and I love them like mad.

I can't believe our time is nearly up. I can't say I'm going to be ready for Denys to leave early, early Tuesday morning. But, we are at peace and trusting God to be as BIG as we know he is. I'll end with a copy of the letter we're sending home in his suitcase. (And there are no words when you're writing a letter to a child that feels like yous that you may never see again.)

~Meg

Dear Denys,

We are so excited that you came to visit with us this year. We could not have asked for a young man with better manners or who played so well with our other children. We will miss you and thank God you came into our lives. 

We believe that God has a great plan for your life and we cannot wait to see how it unfolds. Be encouraged that you were created intentionally and with great purpose and the God who already inhabits the future will continue to protect you.

You have been a blessing to us. Jonah feels you are one of the very best friends he has ever had. Millie loved receiving the piggy back rides you were always willing to give. And even though she doesn’t understand it, we are grateful for the protection you always showed to Anna - watching out for her and keeping her safely out of trouble. 

In the future choose your friends wisely and strive to make good decisions that will keep you from harm. You can always ask God for help and protection and he will certainly guide you. Continue to read your Bible, especially the book of John. It will help you understand exactly who God is and precisely how he feels about you. 

We are sorry we did not finish your care package before you left, but we wanted to make sure you received these letters from all of us in it’s place.

We love you and we will miss you. We are so glad that we can call you friend. 

Love, 
Jason & Megan

Day 23 - A Heavy Heart

NOTE: This blog has been edited and changed from it's original content. Denys has expressed an interest in viewing the blog once at home and we want to make sure he enjoys it 100%!

We had another busy, busy day. I headed off to see our pediatrician this morning for the girls' annual well-checks. They both got Mary Poppins reports (Practically Perfect in Every Way)! Yay! AR does have a bit of a sinus infection, but amoxicillin should clear that right up. The boys did some more wood hunting with Dad, who commented that Denys is a "Great Wood Hauler." I suppose in The Preacher's world that is a high compliment. I'm not sure it's resume worthy, but Jason was impressed. I was worried when they walked back into the house this afternoon because I noticed right away J had worn his "new" tennis shoes (a "no no" for wood hunting). Fortunately he didn't get out of the truck so his shoes remained in decent condition . . . lucky for him and his dad!

We all ate an early dinner at Mimi's (thank goodness for Mimi and fried chicken), left AR in her care and headed to the University of West Georgia basketball game, courtesy of our good friends from church, The Grays.

Because we are those people, we made sure we were at the game plenty early enough to get the free t-shirts on free t-shirt night. And yes, they are wearable. And yes, you will see us in them again. Denys refused to put his on, he suddenly decided he was a Valdosta State Blazers fan - as much to drive J bananas as anything else - but the rest of us Hatchett's donned ours immediately.

The games were good - big fat "W's" for both the gals and the guys. It was also a record setter being the most highly attended basketball game ever in Gulf-South Conference history. Our highlight was a special trip made by Wolfie, the mascot, particularly to see us! When we got home J decided he was going to draw a picture for Wolfie and send it to him. I told him I thought that was a wonderful idea.

And now we're home and it's 11pm, again, and all children are so wired from snacks and Cokes and another late night that they're having trouble falling asleep. Surprising? Nope.

~Meg

Day 22 - The Preacher Blogs

My apologies before you read for the lack of eloquence tonight as my wife has given me (Jason) this responsibility for day 22.

Today began early with a return trip to Southern Dental in Carrollton.  Our appointment was for 7am so we arrived about 6:45 and waited in the lobby with my now new friend from Cuba- who introduced himself as follows:

"Hey!  Do you speaka da englas?  Well Me very little!  I from Cuba- my wife over dere- she Spani- You probably never understand me"

So it was me, a Cuban his Spaniard wife and a Ukrainian in the Lobby at 6:45- At this point I'm thinking I should have been more on time!  Denys was mostly asleep and my Cuban friend was sharing his disgust with Obama (that I understood as it crosses all language barriers).  As everyone arrived I was invited to go back with Denys and sit right in front of his chair.  I love Denys and was glad to be there with him...however I am not a fan of dentist office noises- especially the drill!  I've never seen it from that angle however and am almost certain that I will not cry the next time I sit in the chair now that I realize it is not an 18 volt Dewalt with a 3/8 in bit

I do still here the noise in my mind and it creeps me out.

Denys however could not have been more calm.  Two cavities filled and one old filling fixed with no Novocaine!  Way to go Denys.  (I asked for some and was rejected)

Thanks be to our God for His servants!  The Doctors Mr. and Mrs. Drew donated their time and service for Denys.  That's right- no cost!  I tried to pay and expressed that people had given us money for this expense however I was told to spend the money on Denys and to keep them informed as to Denys' future. THANK YOU DREW FAMILY!!!

Let me say if you are looking for a dentist- try this place.  If you are not looking for a dentist try this place.  Yes they blessed us and Denys, but more importantly they loved on Denys as well as provided extremely professional service (not to mention they are in a really cool historical house!)

The rest of the day included a trip to MiMi's for chicken dumplings (everybody say Yeah!) and ice cream, oatmeal pies, apple pies, rice crispy treats..... the list goes on and on- it was MiMi's

It was so good to see Mamaw up and about showing glimpses of her old self again.  Thanks for your prayers on her behalf.

The afternoon featured bicycle riding in the yard and a special appearance by Papa Jim who carried Jonah, Millie and Denys across the road to ride the bikes on the track.  They loved it- however Denys was a bit disobedient on the way back across the street and rode his bike instead of pushing as instructed by Papa (and did not look for cars).  I understand that a death threat from Papa Jim translates to most any language including Ukrainian so he got the message never to do that again.

Next Tuesday is looming- pray for us but mostly pray for the will of the Almighty in Denys' life.  We want him to know Christ and live out his purpose.  We want him to have a forever family

Day 21 - Less Than a Week to Go

I promised the kids a surprise this morning when they woke up . . . at nearly 10am! (Did I mention we know how to wear some children out?!?) They had to pick up their rooms and make their beds, but I promised to tell them the secret after I was ready to go. The big surprise . . . SWIMMING!

Yep, swimming in the middle of January. Around here that is not your usual January activity and although MG has been wanting to swim weekly since the mercury began falling she was a bit panicked when I mentioned a pool. "Mom, it is cold outside." "Mom, you know it's the middle of January." And from Jonah, "Mom, are we going to swim in the creek?" I made them wait and ponder where we might be going and whether or not this would even be fun or merely an exercise in abuse. They continued to question, but obediently put on the summer's swimwear (Denys in his gym shorts and slippers) and we headed out the door. Thankfully Dad decided to go too; we hate for him to miss out on the fun.

Are you an Olympian?
No, but I did "swim" at a Holiday Inn Express.

We headed to our local Holiday Inn Express where the manager had graciously permitted us to swim, today only, without the purchase of the room. (Yes, I pulled the "Ukrainian Orphan" card again, but swimming was an activity we were strongly encouraged by NHFC to do while they children were here.) He asked that we come in between check-out and check-in; working out perfectly with my plan for the day. We arrived. Swam for an hour and half and came home for lunch.

Now, if we were smart and reasonable people the busyness of today would have ended there. An hour and a half is a enough swimming to wear out any kid. But, for some reason we decided we needed to go bowling again. And not only did we need to bowl, but we needed to take friends.

Our favorite dumpy bowling spot is closed on Tuesdays and after a quick Google search, Newnan offered the what appeared to be the most cost friendly option - though I did forget to print off the coupons. Off we rode Mom, Dad, Denys, J, MG, and AR, our friend Matthew, Cousin Jack and Grandmother. Yep, you're right, there is not a family vehicle made to carry a group that size. We commandeered a 15 passenger van and hit the road. Oh, you saw that correctly. My grandmother DID go with us and enjoyed herself and we were so thankful to have her.

There have been many, many times in these past two months we have seen God do some pretty incredible things, but I must confess, it's when He shows up in the common and simple places I am often most humbled and overwhelmed. Tonight, early Tuesday evening, all 8 of us bowled for $21. Yep, it was league night and we were there early, bowled our hearts out for an hour and it cost us no more than $21. Oh yes, dear friends, that is, indeed, a Mighty God in action in my life.

A well-behaved crew at the Olive Garden.

After bowling our boisterous crowd need to eat and Olive Garden sounded goo to us all. I was concerned that our 6 children would not remember their manners. Other than realizing we need to have, yet another, spaghetti pasta lesson, I was very proud of the way each one used their manners. A funny moment - Denys chose broccoli as his side dish. It was delivered to him steamed and he didn't seem to know what it was. With his fingers he ate every piece and seemed to like the flavor. It was a giggle moment for me as I debated whether to correct him or not. Eating steamed broccoli with your fingers is improper, but it is not disgusting and unappetizing to the rest of the party, so I just let it go.

Home again, home again. Jiggity jig. Everyone was dropped at their necessary locales and our kids had showers done in gold medal time. Teeth brushing was going well and Jason had to tell Denys they would leave early in the morning to head back to the dentist. Boo! He remembered what I had told him about repairing his fillings so he doesn't seem too worried about the procedure. Whew.

Prayer for his mouth tomorrow and that Dr. Monicha will be able to do all that needs to be accomplished quickly and without delay. Pray that he will tolerate the procedure well and recover without difficulty.

Your prayers for his continued improvement in communication are being answered. Slowly, but surely, he is opening up and using more English. We are working to memorize Philippians 1 and he repeats everything I say very clearly and, if he doesn't feel the need to be too silly, rather correctly.

Also begin praying for his return and especially for a little seven-year-old boy who will be left here to sleep in his room alone. I'm pretty sure he's going to be devastated.

~Meg

Day 20 - The Dentist

AHHHHH . . . Not the DENTIST!

I never had dentist problems. I grew up seeing Dr. Wylie, in Americus, and he was a friend. At 34 years-old I've still never had a cavity. Jason, on the other hand, hates the dentist (I met his and I may know why . . .). He has pretty good teeth, but abhors the biannual cleanings - they always seem to come up with something wrong.

At some point, Denys has had experience with the dentist. That experience may not have been terrific, but at least he didn't run screaming when we broke the news he was going. And like any good parents, we didn't tell him until we were headed out the door. (No sense worrying over the inevitable, right?)

We arrived at Southern Dental, in Carrollton, 15 minutes early for his appointment, and they took him right in. The hygienist (whose name I am embarrassed to say I have forgotten) was awesome and did her best to make Denys as comfortable as possible. She asked me if he had any mouth pain or problems, and I told her he had not mentioned any, but that I would ask - via Google Translate. He denied any mouth problems. Then she asked me to tell him she would be doing bite-wing x-rays of his teeth. I told him:

"She will take pictures of your teeth. X-rays."

Which translated:

"вона буде знімати ваші зуби. рентгенівських променів."

He freaked out.

Unfortunately, on the Google Translate app you cannot easily double check what had just translated. Once home I tried it again and posted it back from Ukrainian to English and it translated:

"She will remove your teeth. X-rays."

As I'm writing this I am laughing my head off! No wonder he panicked. Poor kiddo! But, together we calmed him down and she showed him on herself first every procedure she was going to perform on him. And the rest of the visit was a breeze. Just like my other kiddos, he thoroughly enjoyed "Mr. Thirsty." (That suction thingy.)

After his cleaning the dentist came in and said that his teeth look really good. He has no new cavities, but . . .

Sidebar: The word "but" is one that I don't often love to hear or to see. The only place it's ever good news is in Biblical prophecy when God is showing his great grace. Otherwise "but" generally leads to a big fat mess.

But, she continued, the four fillings done earlier (in Eastern Europe) were completed with a material that is falling to pieces. There is more decay around the fillings where they are coming loose and one is even leaking. It's not urgent, but these need to be fixed. There are also some orthodontic issues that will need to be addressed in the future, but are fine for the time being.

Want to know how much fun it is to tell a kid that you're doing great and have no cavities, but your fillings have to be redone so it's dental work for you?!? Well, it's not. In fact I'm probably going to have to call the translator to explain this one. Great. And not only that, but we have to squeeze this work in this week because he leaves early Tuesday morning. Double Boo! (Insert prayer request - Pray that the dentist is either able to complete all the work early Wednesday morning or that there is another opening this week so the work can be finished before he returns home.)

Before I move on let me just say that Southern Dental was wonderful to us today. They covered the cost of this first visit and gave Denys a great gift by doing so. Their treatment rooms are bright and airy and immaculately clean and their staff all seemed happy to be working. Visiting there ranks as one of the most pleasant dental experiences I have ever had. (We're seeing if they're taking new patients!)

After the Dentist we came home and the kids played for a bit before Jason took them wood chopping. I know, it seems he thinks we live in 1872 in a Little House in the Big Woods. (ha) And yes, Shane Smith, our heat works just fine. But, the man loves a fire and a fire requires wood, so off to the lease to chop down trees it was for him and the kiddos.

I met him later and took J to piano while he continued wood hunting with Denys and MG. We all met up back at the house just in time for me to grab MG and take her to gymnastics. Finally all meeting up at Mimi's to watch the stomping that is the SEC. (Alabama #1. Georgia #2. Thank you very much.)

We introduced him to what our friend, Brent Vohun, refers to as "football food:" buffalo chicken dip, chips, rice krispy treats, fried pies, etc. I left after the first quarter to bring the baby home and put her into the bed, but the word on the street is that he's eaten so much junk he may puke tonight. Great. I told The Preacher that was all him.

I only took one photo today of Denys and didn't love the way it turned out. Instead of pictures tonight I'll leave you with this little jewel of a video.

~Megan

Day 19 - Sunday, Sunday

Another lovely day that did not see too much action - or did it?

A vicious rumor was spreading around the 1st & 2nd grade Sunday School this morning that Denys showed up and brought his "MF" with him, but the teacher denies hearing any such thing so we just let it go and moved on. :o)

I realized during the service I probably should have cracked down early & strongly on behavior during worship. There's lots of talking, too much wiggling, and loud coloring going on, but the worst offender is not Denys, it's my other two! So, it's back to the training grounds where the kids only sit with Mom on Sunday mornings and they learn to sit quietly - whether they like it or not. (And though they think it makes me the worst mom EVER, I can honestly say I'd rather farm them out because then I actually get to to listen to the sermon! However, parenting trumps pleasure every time.)

Dear friends invited us to their home for lunch and it was WONDERFUL! We always enjoy visiting and talking with them. And they have kiddos, too, so we can let the crew play with casual observation and everyone has a great time. Rhonda fixed a simple, but yummy lunch of soup and sandwiches - all recipes from Pintrest. (And yes, I'm still utilizing the last ounces of self-control I have to stay off that web site!)

I don't know if you guys have been lifting up my prayer requests or if I've just been praying a lot, but God chose to show up while Denys was on the trampoline. He wanted Jason to see some of his acrobatic tricks and . . . Breakthrough #1 . . . he began yelling, "Da - dee! Da - dee!" Yay! He acknowledged (at least one of) us and called us by name! It took 19 days, but we both thought that moment was super exciting.

We brought the boys home and let them play video games and watch Sponge Bob. If you remember, I mentioned that Denys was not speaking much English. Well, he does know the entire Sponge Bob song and can name all the characters in his cute Ukrainian accent. That counts? Right?

Then it was back to church. While Dad talked the boys colored. They were going to town and probably went through half a ream of printer paper. Their work turned out very nice and . . . Breakthrough #2 . . . Denys brought me one of these pictures (flowers) just before bed and told me it was for me! He also gave his balloon picture to Jason. He's not done anything like this before and, for me, it makes me feel all oozy and mushy inside.

After church we visited with cousins and had (really expensive - never paying for delivery again) pizza. All 7 kiddos played like they'd known each other forever. Denys showed off his acrobatics again. His amazing one-handed-cartwheel-dodge-ball-throw will probably be marked down in the annals of Hatchett/Sanders family history.

At bedtime all the kids were brushing teeth and getting into bed and Denys appeared upstairs. He usually hops into his bed quickly and we don't see him again once bedtime is announced, but tonight he came upstairs and . . . Breakthrough #3 . . . asked to sleep in Jonah's room. Now, we had wondered in the beginning whether we should put him upstairs with us or downstairs on his own. He was excited to have a place of his own when he got here so we didn't push the matter. I often felt he was too far away and that maybe we were treating him like a very formal guest, but I also felt if he wanted space to be alone then he probably needed that too. No, he didn't ask in English, but there was no doubt from his pantomime what it was he wanted to do.

So tonight, after a quiet day filled with remarkable breakthroughs, all 6 of us a snuggled down and tucked in tightly, together, upstairs in our cozy home. Glory to God.

~Megan

Day 18

I think I woke up with a hangover this morning. A "I had way too much fun yesterday and ate way too much sugar" kind of hangover. I had a headache and didn't want to get out of bed. But, I did and our day progressed nicely.

The kids got up and, with some gentle prodding, went outside to work with Jason. I'm not sure how much "work" was accomplished, but they certainly played hard. This was the filthiest I've seen Jonah and Denys the entire trip.

A new Georgia 'boggin.

A late lunch, some Sponge Bob, and a visit from MaMac and Daddy Mac and our day was about done. (MaMac did bring over some cookies that I am going to be needing the recipe for ASAP - delicious!) Jason worked on dinner while I made a quick trip to the hospital to check on a dear friend. Pork chops, America's Funnies Home Videos, and it's off to bed.

On the upside we are hearing Denys using some English phrases like, "Millie, stop." "Anna, no." and "Jonah, don't do that." He's calling the kids by their names which is great to hear. (I'm not sure he's addressed either Jason or me with or names during the entire visit.) The down side is that is all the English we are hearing from him. He will repeat after me if I demand it, but is taking no initiative to try on his own. I'm sure he's learning - being stuck slap in the middle of American culture for 3 weeks. (And yes, before you ask, we work on our Ukrainian and repeat phrases after him; it's not a one-way street.) After watching him closely this week it really does seem to be a lack of desire. He still prattles on to us in Ukrainian hoping we figure it out. I'm glad he's comfortable enough to talk. Maybe we all just wish we could better understand each other.

It was a quiet day, but a pleasant one. If you say a prayer for us tonight begin praying for the dentist appointment on Monday and that he won't have significant problems that can't be fixed. Also pray that whatever barrier is keeping him from wanting to speak English with us be broken and we are able to learn something about what's really in this fella's heart.

~Megan

*And if you're interested in joining some friends and I in a challenge this year we are attempting to memorize the book of Philippians in (generally) 2 verses a week. Email me (RemarkablyWhole@gmail.com) for a pdf of the outline/note cards we'll be using.

Day 17 - The Very Best Day

Today has been an AMAZING day. It didn't necessarily begin that way . . . I had a bunch of late sleepers who decided that if they slept in they wouldn't have to do chores before we left on our adventure. However, I quickly informed them they were going nowhere if the house was not in decent order. I probably wasn't as nice as I could have been, but when time is short Mama's patience is short. Fortunately that did not stop us from fun the rest of the day.

We met my mom and dad, Honey and Papa, at the Georgia Aquarium just after lunch. It had been several years since I had been and my parents had never been. None of us were disappointed. The place is AMAZING and it's not too far from home - we were there in under an hour. We got there just in time for the aquarium staff to tell us we were too late to get tickets to the dolphin show. Boo! But, as we began to stick our fingers into the first touch pool (the one with the sting rays that don't sting and sharks that don't bite . . . How much more fun would it be if . . . ) one of the staff people came over to explain to Denys he was doing it wrong. He looked at her like she was nuts and we tried to explain he didn't really understand English and that we were having a difficult enough time keeping his body out of the pool. She asked if we were going to see the dolphin show and we said, "Nope." She told us to get in line anyway. So we did.

We nominated Papa as our spokesperson and stood in line to see what fate would have in store. When we got to the front the guy wasn't going to let us in and Papa asked, "What if we have a Ukrainian orphan?" The gate keeper was then interested in our story and, well, we got to see the show, Dolphin Tales! Not only were the dolphins AMAZING, but we actually played the "Ukrainian Orphan" card. Seriously, how many chances in life to you get to do that?!?!

 Did I mention how much we all enjoyed today? AR didn't even have a chance to get fussy without a nap. I think everyone had their favorites: J liked the penguins and rivers, MG enjoyed the slides, AR hit it off with the piranha (weird kid), and as I mentioned early Denys LOVED the touch pools. My favorite moment was this one -

Blue Silhouette

I had been looking forward to this moment all day, because if you're doing 1000 Gifts then you know one of today's gifts was "Blue." I knew I wanted to sit in the under sea observation room and be blue and see what I could see. What I found was three littles absolutely absorbed in their smallness and the sea's enormity. This was a moment of celebrating God in his Bigness. I will treasure this moment for a long time.

Purple Jellies

All Smiles after the Dolphin Show.

We scurried and scoured every other corner of the aquarium and soon I will write a post on jellyfish - my "new" gift of the day. What an AMAZING God we serve!

After the aquarium it was off to The Varsity - "What'll Ya Have?" I remember I was petrified the first time I went as I child. I couldn't understand why all those people were yelling at me. Now, I love it! It makes me smile to see a place where folks truly seem to enjoy their jobs . . maybe because they CAN yell at customers?!?

We introduced the kids to Varsity Orange drinks as well as Frosted Oranges - an AMAZING mix of orange sherbert and Dreamsicle. Yum! We couldn't leave until everyone got Varsity hats. (I think I forgot to send myself those pictures from Mom's phone.) And we couldn't leave Atlanta until we stopped by Krispy Kreme. Besides, we were less than 2 miles away!

Fascinated with the donut process.

I believe Denys was enamored with the entire donut process. He stared at the conveyor belt for a long time. We weren't there too long and, surprise of surprises, in walk some of our missionary friends. The Dye family are church planters in the Metro area. They are originally from Kentucky, but felt God calling them South. So they packed up their bags and moved to . . . Atlanta. We had a great time visiting with them, meeting their ministry partners, and introducing everyone to each other. It was also fun to be out with other families who have international flair - 3 Ethiopians between them. (Though ours is short-term theirs is of the more permanent variety!)

We decided once J & Denys began slapping one another and AR was acting as a dry floor mop and MG was whining to beat the band that it was time to head for The 'Poosa. We passed hugs around several times, pottied, changed diapers, hugged some more, and finally headed for home. Denys' English improved enough to tell J to "STOP!" (pestering him) a couple of times and before we were out of town good most of the peeps were sound asleep.

Home. Teeth. Bed. Blog. It was a long day for our crew, but it was worth every moment of effort and anxiety getting there. Thanks Mom & Dad for an AMAZING day. We all had a wonderful time - and I think our little Ukrainian made some memories he'll never forget.

~Meg

Day 16 - The Ups and Downs of Being Far From Home

Today began a bit roughly and ended rather that way too. But in the mean time we had a wonderful day and lots of fun and I believe it was a banner day for the entire visit.

We had to drag Denys out of bed this morning. And is the remarkably abnormal for him. He's usually up & playing video games before the rest of us get downstairs. Today he wandered into the kitchen and declined breakfast. Even with use of Google Translate I couldn't find anything he was interested in eating. So, a talk with the translator it was. I explained the problem to Sergiy - Denys is beginning to skip multiple meals and doesn't want to even sit with the family at the table. Sergiy spoke with him and he grunted a few responses. He told me Denys claimed to be fine and that he liked the food, he was just not very interested in eating. Sergiy also informed him that he must sit at the table at meal times whether he wanted to eat or not. Denys agreed to do so and that was the end of that.

Marshmallow Brownies ready
for the oven.

Several minutes later Jonah walked into the room and said, "Mom, I think Denys is homesick." (Have I introduced you to my prophet-child?) I thought this was rather insightful and figured I needed to drop my plans and get fully engaged in the kids today. So we began:

Brownie making was first on the agenda. We added marshmallows just for fun. And while they baked into an interesting texture they were delicious to the palate.

I fixed lunch while the brownies were baking and decided on Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. If the blue box can't fix his eating problem then nothing will! And that, my friends, was the genius move of the day. Three helpings later (and some chicken salad), Denys claimed he was full. Of course, all three still managed to find room for the fantastic brownies that were finally done.

Showing off their washer necklaces.

I put AR down for a nap and we finished our washer necklaces (see yesterday's post). They turned out super-cute in spite of the fact Dad laid something across MG's before it had dried. The kids loved them and wore them all day. In fact, I didn't check to make sure they were removed before baths.

Jason and I had also decided some family fun might be in order. Christmas had been so busy and things had stopped rather abruptly after the holiday. We needed an outing to get the grumps gone and smiles on everyone's faces. Bowling? Sure. Why not? So off we headed to Hiram and decided we are VERY thankful for the (genius) inventor of lane bumpers! Wahoo! I did manage 2 strikes, but got stomped pretty heartily by both Jason AND Denys - who happens to be a remarkable, though wild, bowler . . . especially with bumpers.

I have to confess that J and MG made the night. They cheered every time someone knocked down any pins. It was hysterical and frankly encouraged me. They didn't care they didn't get strikes. They were just thrilled that anyone was knocking down pins. It was a blessing and a memory I will cherish. I've included pictures of the kids making their bowling debuts. And I couldn't resist the one one of AR cheesing for the camera! It doesn't get any cuter than that!

Two games was certainly enough for this crowd and after a dinner at Zaxby's and a quick trip through Academy Sports (The Preacher's new favorite store), we headed for home. Now on the way home things began to get a little hairy. You see, I thought earlier today that I head Denys use the "MF" phrase. I attempted to address it mildly and didn't hear it again - until we were nearly home. And then he thought it was funny to say it over and over and over. Um, not funny. You see, I can handle it when he doesn't know what he's saying is wrong and we can have a chat and fix the problem. But tonight he was not interested in fixing the problem. He thought he was being funny. Yeah, so funny he nearly got yanked from the vehicle by two parents who were not about to let a goosey Ukrainian kiddo teach that vulgarity to their kids. Thankfully, he got the message. He and Dad still had a chat once we were home, but I'm hoping that little phrase is going the way of the other and we will not hear it again.

Tomorrow I'll post photos of his art work. He loves to copy illustrations from books and he is rather good. I'm glad we gave him a sketch book and colored pencils for Christmas. I'll close with a picture of the whole crew at the bowling alley. Now that is a cute bunch, if I do say so myself.

~Megan

Day 14 - We're Halfway There

Denys and an opossum.

I can't express what a delight it has been to have Denys here, in our home, these last two weeks. There have been stressful moments and the occasional rhetorical "What on EARTH are we doing" questions, but I am so very thankful we made this decision and chose to have this young Ukrainian spend Christmas and New Year's with our family.

My entire crew slept late this morning. Compared to some of you, we sleep late around here daily, but today I don't believe we heard from Denys until after 10am. They all had fun last night, but by the time Spencer (the 'possum) was actually dropped, they were about to drop themselves and ready to be in bed. (If nothing else we can wear a kid out around here!)

Cheering for the Dawgs!

We headed to Grandmother's house just in time for the traditional New Year's lunch of greens and black-eyed peas. Delicious! Of course, we added in some hog jowl, mashed potatoes and corn bread just for good measure. Denys chose not to partake in our Southern delicacies and, since he'd just eaten a bowl of Mini Wheats, I didn't push the matter. We checked in on the various footballing taking place around the nation and settled in to watch the Dawgs whip up on those Midwestern corn-fed boys.(I think I mentioned before that we are not afraid to indoctrinate our Ukrainian regarding the importance of God, Family, and the Georgia Bulldogs.) During most of the event, Denys was curled up with his new appendage (can we have that DS surgically attached?), but by the end of the game he was yelling "TOUCHDOWN!" with the rest of the uncles and cousins.

After Grandmother's we headed over to Mimi's to visit and check on Mamaw Sanders (quick trip back to the hospital for an allergic reaction, but otherwise home and doing better, thanks for asking). They were fine and attempted to feed us. And we were obliged to eat a bit more and watch more football. I had some errands to run with MG so I came back just as the Rose Bowl was ending and in time to load up my crew and head for The 'Poosa.

Cars at Mimi's

The boys are now finishing up Spiderman I. Thanks to Aunt Debbie, we now have the entire Spiderman Trilogy so I foresee a movie marathon in my near future. They are bathed and ready to hit the sack.

Yesterday I had asked Denys to check out an Oriental Trade magazine to see if he could find something he would like to take home to the children he lives with. He chose a Celtic cross necklace. It was one of only a hand-full of items they carry that was out of the budget. I found some dog-tag necklaces with crosses and verses on them as a compromise, and he agreed.


 Tonight was check-in with the chaperone. This was the first time I'd heard them talk and he do more than grunt a few syllables. He was animated and excited to tell her whatever it was he was telling her and I was very glad and relived he sounded happy. Apparently she asked him about photos and I told him I was working on a picture book for him. I had planned to keep it a secret, but he was concerned so I let him know a picture book was in progress.

Denys is gaining weight and looking good. He plays hard all day and sleeps well at night - No, he's not playing Guitar Hero into the wee hours. In our final two weeks we are planning trips to fun places and fitting in some more clothes shopping. If you have ideas of things we can do, please let me know. And feel free to join in with us on our excursions. We want to expose Denys to life and love here in the States and you are a necessary part of that exposure.

Happy New Year, Friends!

~Megan

Other Life Stuff - Tomorrow night some ladies and I are meeting at the church @7p for prayer time and to look at how God has moved in 2012 and prepare for Him to do so again in 2013. I'd love to have you join us!

Day 10 - Mama Needed a Break

I don't know if The Preacher realized it, or if God just orchestrated our day in such a way, but Jason took the boys out with him for most of the day and I spend the morning and most of the afternoon with the girls and my Grandmother. I even fit in a little nap while Anna Ruth was snoozing. (Best part of the day!) It was a much needed break for this mama who is still battling laryngitis. Ew.

My fellas went rabbit hunting with some dear friends that are in town from Jacksonville, FL. I'm not sure they saw any rabbits, but the boys had a fantastic time running around and being boys.

After the trek through the outer reaches or Haralson County, Jason dropped the boys off with me at the newly renovated library (very nice!) and went to check on his grandmother, Mamaw Sanders, who has been put back into the hospital. Please stop now and ask God take care of this very special lady who has experienced more than her fair share of illness the last 3 weeks.

We met some of our BFFs at the library and we moms quickly decided that maybe a library wasn't the best place on the planet for 8 kiddos to play and catch-up on the goings on in kid world. So, we moved our little (he he) party to Chick-fil-A. Let me give a big fat shout-out to the inventor of the indoor playground - GENIUS! Thankfully, we were there for an early dinner so our babies got the run of the place for a good hour; they worked that little playroom over. Once other families began to arrive we figured it was time to move our brood home and call it a night - early.

I had my crew showered by 6:30 and settled in ready for a movie. I was attempting to start a fire - failing miserably - and Jason came in and saved the day. We watched Madagascar 3 (not as funny as the first 2) and they are all in bed before 9pm! Wah-hoo! We are learning that Denys really prefers the Tom & Jerry/Looney Tunes type movies and this wasn't his first choice tonight. Usually J & M will give in to his desires, but he was out voted and the creepy, but hysterical, King Julian won out.

Obviously we got no school done today, but without a voice that would have been an effort in futility and we would have all ended up frustrated. I figured I would let it go and shoot for Monday. No voice does mean that there's a certainly level of control I feel I don't have right now and attempting school might have added to that feeling. The finger snap is working and the "Mom Look" can still shoot flames into their souls. However, I miss a nice elevated vocal rebuke. Maybe it is time to get creative and look for other ways to keep attitudes and actions in check. Ideas?

It's better late than never, but pray for us all as we try to begin a real "routine" next week. We've got to get some discipline back into our lives and need to figure out what our new routine is going to be. Of course, throw New Year's into that mix and it's looking like Denys's entire trip here will be nothing but a big party. I feel we'll be doing him a bit of a disservice if that is the case, but am at a loss as to how to fix it. From the outside looking in, we play all the time. This mama is tired of playing and is ready for some order in her life and home again.

So, the 3 prayer requests tonight are:

Mamaw Sanders
A Voice
Returning to Discipline in our home!

~Meg

Day 9 - Are We There Already?

The first week has flown by. We have all learned a lot about each other and not an insignificant amount about ourselves.

We've been a bit slower yesterday and today. (Thank goodness!) And we have cousin Jack over to play today. I'm officially down for the count and am hoping that the good Dr. Hendricker has some excellent pharmaceuticals in his stash he is willing to share with my poor sinuses and throat. Jason is going to take over this afternoon and keep everyone busy and away from the video games. That being said . . .

There are some members of the fam
that LOVE the snuggle time that comes
with  video game time!

We've hit our first hump in the road and, not surprisingly, it's over video games. The truth is, I don't get video games; I never really have. I enjoyed The Super Mario Bros. back in the day, but there's so much more I could be doing with my time I don't understand why someone would want to sit and play in an imaginary world all day long. That being said, I realize there are plenty of people who do enjoy them and find great relaxation in that imaginary world. I also remember a gal who spent 2 weeks in Costa Rica when she graduated from high school. In the evenings she would watch MTv - not because she was particularly fond of MTv, but because it was in ENGLISH and after a day of Spanish-only communication she needed something that (sort of) resembled home. So, I totally get that Denys is needing some down time and a way to relax away from this crazy world where we go and do all the time and people are always trying to talk with him and he doesn't understand. However, I must draw the line at the Nintendo DS at the breakfast table. No dice, kiddo.

I had planned to start school again next week, but it's looking like tomorrow morning might be a better idea. School early and then play in the afternoon. Video games for only a short while before bed. Does this sound like a good plan? Anyone?

Denys and Jonah at the Christmas Tourney at HCHS.

Tonight was our first high school basket ball game of the season - Go Rebels! Denys seems to have a good time, but in the middle of a free throw by one of our good friends we had to have a quick lesson via Google Translate: Ми не використовуємо слово "лайно". Це не дуже гарне слово.  (We don't use the word "s**t." It is not a very nice word.) He just gave me a big grin and I kept a straight face, but had to giggle on the inside. It's a smart cookie that tests his bounds so subtly. He realizes we run a pretty tight ship, but he seems to be up to the challenge!

I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment to brag on the rest of the gang around here. I caught this picture in Jonah's room early this morning. Do you see what it is? It's his Bible; open and laid out and ready to pic up where he left off. It's an awesome (and convicting) thing when your kiddos realize the need to pursue God in their own lives and without prompting. I'm thinking the Bible was a good "Santa" choice this year. Thank you Lifeway for great deals on fantastic Bibles during the summer!

We also had an exciting event here last night (Day 8). Jason received a call from the Atlanta CBS affiliate wanting to interview him regarding some ministry the church had done over Christmas. So, we did a 10 minute quick-clean and had Mike Paluska and his cameraman, Ray, in our dining room taking video of our Christmas tree and The Preacher. Unfortunately, Ray had his wide angle camera lens going and caught me hanging out in the corner. Ew. But, it was fun and something that certainly doesn't happen every day. It was also a cool thing for Denys to see and to be a part of . . . though he was quickly more interested in playing video games. Surprise, surprise. (Watch the video link here:  CBS Atlanta Video ) We encouraged Mr. Paluska to check into NHFC while he was looking for "feel good, holiday stories," and gave him the NHFC contact info. Hopefully he will have an opportunity to do a story on hosting and promote these amazing kiddos very soon.

It's getting late and I have one kiddo screaming for her daddy, two talking in bed, and one (are you ready for it?) playing video games in bed. They're all supposed to be sleeping. Thanks to Doctor Hendricker and his great shots and new cough meds I plan to beat them to it. Here's to a good night's sleep and a tomorrow that brings with it the ability to talk!

~Megan

Here's a bonus pic we found

in the HCHS Hall of fame? 

Who is that handsome football player?

Days 4 & 5

I am so excited about a long afternoon and evening with nothing to do! The 3 big kiddos have been riding bikes and playing. The temperature is entirely too cold for me, but if your general geographic location is closer to Siberia, then temps in the 40s don't seem painfully low. (That means Denys doesn't even have on a coat!) We are short one adult sized bicycle helment, so we are improvising and Denys will be riding in a baseball helment. Hey, the rules say he must wear a helment; a helment is a helment? Right? Once inside, it was time for the Wii. Here's a little clip of the moment I like to call "I Might Lose My TV."

This morning was our first time at church. The nursery workers were stoked we brought the screaming monkey Anna Ruth received from Honey & Papa. (Hmmm . . . another video might be in order.) Denys went to class with Jonah and Millie Grace. That crowd was probably a bit young for him, but Mrs. Wanda and Mrs. Pattie are two of the best Sunday School teachers we have at FBCT so if he was going to learn anything he would certainly do it there. I'm sure he didn't understand much, but our church family loved on him anyway. I caught him copying the inscription of the Lord's Supper Table on his doodle paper. "This do in remembrance of me." I was gently reminded that it's in remembrance of what Christ has done that's entirely the reason Denys is here!

How Denys would've spent the entire weekend,
if we'd let him!

We had lunch at the wonderful Crossroads Restaurant here in Tallapoosa. (If you've never been let me share that it gets 4-Stars for a great Sunday Buffet of country cooking at incredibly reasonable prices.) Denys's plate looked a bit different than what I would have let my kiddos choose normally - fried chicken, puree (mashed potatoes), twice baked potato, macaroni & cheese and a biscuit. A plate full of starches! He put a hurting on it and as long as he's not hungry, I'm good.

I had every intention of blogging when we got home last night, but our 2 hour trip was rather elongated  We were all very sleepy and grumpy when we tumbled through the door at 9:30pm and I sent everyone to bed - ASAP!

Trying on Papa's old helments!

I have always known I have a fantastic family. Dad, Mom, Abby, Wes, and Taylor are some of the coolest people I know, but getting to see them in action, loving on a kid with whom they can't fluently communicate and whom they've never met, is truly a beautiful thing. These guys did such a great job helping Denys feel comfortable that we all got to learn more about him that we didn't know - he can do back-hand-springs!

Since Abby and Wesley shared Dexter, their boxer, we got to see how much Denys loves dogs and how gently he is willing to play - or not so gently as the case may be. Mom & Dad shared their time and food and home and toys. Denys was so comfortable that he asked my mom if he could bring home a couple of her old Hot Wheels cars - the Ferrari and the Porsche  And I have to give a shout-out to my little bro. I've never noticed before, but he gives the most AWESOME hugs - the kind that just wrap you up and don't let you wiggle until he's done. For a kid without a family this is a BIG deal!

This weekend I've seen Denys interact with Anna Ruth a bit more and even help her up when she's fallen. He's playing until he's wiped out and sleeps soundly until at least 7am. (And yes, I know this because baby monitors aren't good only monitoring babies!) He seems a bit more adamant about the things he doesn't like, but not to the point of anger or acting out. Jason and I are able to use Google Translate (the app we couldn't live without!) to make sure he understands what we want him to, but he is not as efficient at using the Ukrainian keyboard so we're not sure what he's thinking. He seems plenty happy and I suppose as long as he's smiling we're in good shape. We'll have him call the chaperone again tonight to check-in and get ready to celebrate Christmas with the big families tomorrow and Tuesday.

Merry Christmas and (Jason's new holiday greeting of choice) Happy Incarnation!

~Megan