Polish Fest & E-mail confusion

For anyone who tried sarah's email and couldn't get through, my fault. I listed it incorrectly. The correct email is: sjkussow at GMAIL dot com.

Sorry about the confusion!

Debbie

Polish Fest - Milwaukee, WI

To my fellow Polish Adoptive Parents in the general vicinity of Milwaukee, WI, Sarah Kussow & I are trying to get a count or at least general idea of who will be attending Polish Fest this year and how many would like to meet in advance to get to know one another? We plan on attending Polish Fest on Saturday, June 19. Gates open at 12:00, so we were thinking of meeting around 11:00.

Since I work in downtown Milwaukee I'll be researching a space where we can meet. Sarah will be taking RSVP's for a head count. So please, rsvp to sjkussow at hotmail dot com.

We're excited about meeting as many of our fellow blogging friends as possible. Hope to see you there!

Debbie

Final Post

This will be our final post for this blog. It was created back in 2007 to journal our journey thru international adoption from Poland. We completed our adoption in August 2009 and feel we have no more to offer on this topic. However we are very open to answering any questions you might have. Please contact us thru our email.

For our family and friends (new and old)who would like to just follow along with our day to day events, please join us on our new blog site at www.therzentkowskis.blogspot.com

Thank you!

Pick a Date!

We've made it safe & sound to WI and have checked out the 2010 Polish Fest Schedule.

I've attached the website link: http://www.polishfest.org/, so let's pick a date!

I hope to see as many of my new fellow Polish Adoptive Parents/blog friends there as possible.

I've been terrible with keeping our blog updated now that we're home and relatively settled. But now that we're making the move from Colorado to Wisconsin, I'm going to have to be a little more diligent with postings so that our friends in CO know how and what we're doing.

That being said, I'm considering creating a new blog more about family life rather than our adoption process, so I'll be looking for a new blog title. Any thoughts and suggestions are welcomed!

1st Annual Father/Daughter Dance

I just had to share how adorable my daughter is and what a proud papa she has. Jeff & Kasia had their first father/daughter dance at the school. They both had a blast.

Happy New Year!

The kids first Christmas with us was a huge success. We had fun making paper chains for the tree; making, decorating and eating cookies; and gifts galore! The kids continue to enjoy their gifts and even improvised with their new sleds. We had snow but no where to sled and because of where we live, our streets weren't plowed. So, when there's no snow on the ground/hill, sled down the middle of the street! Yes my kids did this!! We celebrated our New Years Eve with our friends/neighbors starting with dinner and then moving on to playing poker (this is a regular event with our neighbors). We all managed to stay awake until midnight (all except Kasia), but by 12:30 everyone was cleared out (I think it's an age thing ;). The kids were excited to get back to school and share with their friends all that they did on their winter break. I have to admit, I was pretty excited about them going back too after 2 weeks 24/7! Most recently, just this past weekend, Bartek & Kasia spent the weekend with their Aunt & Uncle in the mountains while Jeff & I went to spend a night in Estes Park, CO to celebrate Jeff's birthday. A good time was had by all. Happy New Year and wishing everyone many moments of making memories! A few pictures of what we did over Christmas break. Making Gingerbread Houses Decoratng the Christmas tree Making Christmas Cookies Miss Cutie Pie! Making Do With No Where to Sled (Short Clip Videos)

Wesloych Swiat

Wesloych Swiat - Merry Christmas!



To all my family, friends and new friends I've met thru our blogging, a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

I've dreamt of a Christmas spent with a loving husband and a house full of children, like my own childhood. This year my dreams have come true. And what a perfect time of year to remember Christ our Savior and all he's done for us all. I read something today that touched me deeply, "Man will live forever, because of Christmas Day".

Here's wishing everyone remembers what this season is really about and enjoy your many blessings.

With Love,

The good, the bad and the hilarious

I'm starting to get back into the swing of things and am able to update our blog more frequently.

The good news is, we took the kids to their doctors for a quick physical and their H1N1 shots. They're both very healthy.

The bad news is it was the worst day of my life. Kasia had to get two of her immunization shots updated. Not because she wasn't to date but because they weren't age appropriate while she was in Poland. So that was three shots in her little bitty leg. And did she ever scream!! I don't know who cried more, me or her.

Bartek did great! However every time he said he was ready, the nurse came towards him and he would shout wait! I think it was more the anxiety/anticipation of getting the shot. He had told us the doctors in Poland were awful and gave really bad shots. But he came through like a trooper.

Have you ever played operator? Where one person whispers something in some one's ear and they have to repeat it to the next person and so on.

The hilarious words out of child's mouth.

TV Show the Ghost Whisper: I see and talk to the dead.
Kasia: She talks to beds?

Also Ghost Whisper: Song playing "Good Love" (sounded like true love to me)
Bartek singing: Turn Left! doot doot do Turn Left!

Boy did I need those laughs.

Traditions

Just an FYI to my fellow parents who've adopted from Poland. I was speaking to my friend Izabela who's from Poland about Christmas traditions. She told me that in Poland they celebrate Mikolaj or the feast of St. Nicholas on Dec. 6. Which means St. Nick comes the night of Dec. 5 and leaves goodies (candies and small gifts) under the kids pillows while they sleep.

This will be a challenge as my son doesn't sleep very well and is awake very early in the morning. However, it's a tradition we plan to incorporate into our lives. Along with attempting the Wigilia (Christmas Eve) dinner and decorating of the tree Christmas Eve (although we may do it on Christmas Eve eve). Any suggestions on that one anyone?

Blessings on all your families and a very Merry Christmas!

Oops forgot the photos

I forgot the photos and another first: Kasia lost her two bottom front teeth.












And giggles galore!

I can't believe it's.....

I can't believe it's been nearly 2 months since my last posting. So much has happened, so many firsts and yet so common.

First let me say all is well with the family. We've just been enjoying getting to know one another. I've come to realize that, although we love these children with all our hearts, it's still a matter of blending 4 personalities, very strong personalities together. It's like being in a relationship, starting with the introduction, and trying to make it work. A little harder to mold their personalities when they're older, and not starting at a younger age :). However, we're committed to the end.

Now, a few firsts:

* I came to realize how much my daughter trusts me. When we first came together, she would never let me brush her hair. Said it hurt, even though when she brushed her hair, she would literally smack the brush against her head and rip it thru her hair. Then it slowly became the routine that I would brush her hair in the morning and at night. But just the other day, when Grandma offered to brush her hair, she said "no I want mama to do it". she trusts me, she really trusts me.

* As you know, they've experienced their first day of school, but now they've had their first progress report and are doing great. Kasia is doing above expected. Bartek is holding his own and getting B's & C's in his classes. Not bad for a 5th grade boy who's only been speaking English for the past 2 1/2 months. Both of them are doing great with their English. They still speak Polish to one another, but unfortunately they're forgetting some of it. I'm going to have to figure out a way to help them save it. Even though Bartek says he doesn't like Poland any more. This saddens me. But I know he's trying to fit in.

* They've had their first trick-or-treating experience. They knew what Halloween was and had experienced it in Poland but, never trick-or-treating. It took me 2 weeks to make both their costumes, but I managed to finish in time, even though I worked on them right up to the night they went out.

* We took our first road trip (20 hours in a pick-up) together, to Wisconsin. Where they met my dad for the first time, some aunts & uncles, and many cousins. Not all of them yet, but the majority of them.

* They experienced their first Colorado snowfall (2 feet in a 24 hour period).

* Their first s'mores. We couldn't camp outside so we had movie night where we all slept in our sleeping bags on the family room floor and watched movies and made s'mores in the fireplace.

* And, of course their first Thanksgiving!

Well, I think that's it or now. We're very thankful to all our firsts, and the fact that we're finally together as a family. Many blessings to all our new and old friends, and families. And just in case we don't make it back again for another 2 months, a very Merry Christmas and Happy Chanuka!

Hmmmmm

No particular event has happened, no break throughs, no rough times, just life as usual. What's wrong with us?!?

We are so blessed to be having such an easy time of it, I'm afraid to say it out loud. Yes, we're dealing with boredom, some small boundry pushing, a few pouts, but overall normal everyday family experiences.

The kids have had their first day of school, their first week of school, met knew friends on the street, gone fishing twice, gone swimming 3 times in one week, and still think school is ok.

So I rejoice and bask in the love of my children, and in being their mom. I never thought I'd be able to say that after 19 years of marriage and dealing with infertility. Thank you to all who have supported us, encouraged us and followed our blog. But, most importantly, thank you Jesus!

Below are a few photos from week two:

a) First days of School
b) First poker night with the neighbors
c) First fishing trip

Best Birthday Ever!

I've got to say I've had some pretty nice birthdays but today I celebrated the best birthday ever!

It started with my son coming down in the morning and coming into our room to give me a kiss and wish me a "happy birthday mama". Later when Kasia woke up she came down with a gift bag filled with a few of her little toys, 1/2 box of chicklets, and some polish money as my birthday gift. Another kiss and a "happy birthday mama". Sweet music, better than any happy birthday song.

My husband Jeff, made dinner and bought a cake and after we were done, even though Bartek had been saying the last few days, "no gift for mama, maybe next time", they all presented me with a beautiful willow tree figurine. It's called generations and is of a mother standing behind a boy sitting and a little girl leaning in. Very very nice!

This thing called motherhood is both exhausting and oh so rewarding.

Thank you Jesus for bringing us together and making us a family.

Accentuate the Positive

Ok, Bartek is doing much better and I hate keeping a less than positive note on the blog so I'm just going to post some current pictures.

Nearly broke my heart

We've been back in the U.S. now for 5 days and the kids are trying to get into a routine. Besides finding their way, enrolling in school, fighting boredom, it has finally hit them that no one but mom & dad speak the slightest bit of Polish. (They haven't met our Polish friends yet). So 4 nights ago when I went up to check on the kids after they had gone to bed, I found Bartek crying. Sobbing really, and it broke my heart. He wouldn't/couldn't tell me what was bothering him most, so all I could do is rub his back, give him kisses on his head and shoulder, tell him I love him and try not to let him see me cry too. I hope he's not regretting us as his parents.





A few things they have done since being here is:

Ride Bikes
Learn to throw a football
Kasia has experienced Wal-mart and their toy department
Swim
Take a ride on an ATV


Swim again

Who knows what day 6 will bring?

Last Day in Warsaw

Yes we're home, but first I wanted to share what a wonderful last night in Warsaw we had.

Besides running around trying too get packed, we were lucky enough to meet up with two other families who've I've been keeping in touch with as fellow bloggers and who were also adopting from Poland. First James and Melanie have adopted their adorable little boy BJ and Jen and Ryan have adopted shy but just as adorable Klaudia. We visited Old Towne, swapped stories as new mothers, shared a meal together, walked for ice cream, stopped at our apartment so that I could divy out some groceries that would have gone to waste if not for Jen & Mel's families.





We also had to say good bye to our new friends Thomas, Agnieszka and Catalina. They were a wonderful young family who befriended us in the apartment complex we stayed in. They spoke wonderful English and told us of several places we never would have found to entertain the kids.




Even though it feels like a month, we've only been home 4 days, but I will try real soon to let you know how our first few days back have been.