Happy New Year!

We have made many new friends over the past year and a half of our adoption journey, and have been blessed by the support of so many people.  As we look back at 2012 the year started with our paperwork submitted and just waiting for the Ukrainian government to resume adoptions (they had hit the pause button for a few months while they transitioned adoptions to a different part of the government....).  The our 47 day adventure 6,092 miles away from home and return with Kayleigh & Michael.  The our first 7 months together as a family and the joys of being the dad of the Fab 5.  It has been a remarkable experience.  To everyone our family wishes you a very Happy New Year and a blessed 2013.  May the coming year be your best ever!

Chris, Jodi, Rebekah, Alyssa, Kayleigh, Dylan & Michael Tansey :)

p.s.  new blog cover picture up from Christmas Day 2012 :)

Flowers In Bloom

It's been one of those fun weeks where you look at your kids and it seems like there was one of those sudden changes, where things are all of a sudden a bit different.  I love being a Dad and being involved in the lives of the Fab 5, so these moments are funny to watch.

Bekah is growing up and maturing into an amazing young adult.  She has worked hard this year and I think that has been a very good thing for her.  She approaches it was a great attitude and work ethic, and it really, really financially responsible.  I make sure that she knows that, no matter how old or grown up she gets that she will always be my little Boobunny, but it's easy to see that she's crossed that threshold into adulthood.  As awesome a kid as she was, she'll be an amazing, beautiful woman!

Alyssa continues to amaze at being so incredibly blessed and pretty much anything she tries to do, she does with excellence.  We also overshot on the have good looking kids metric by a long ways.  She went to a dance last night for a young lady our family knows through martial arts, and to say she looked beautiful would be a gross understatement.  She is supermodel beautiful, and supremely talented, yet so sweet and unassuming and humble. 

Kayleigh went out for dinner with Jodi and I last night while the rest of the Fab 5 were scattered about, and we had such a great time with her.  She is blossoming into a stunning young lady and is a joy to spend time with.  She so definitely has our family sense of humor (blessing or curse.....).  She and I kid around a lot, and spent the dinner scattering peanut shells on each other (while Jodi looked at us like we were nuts of course....).  It is wonderful to give her hugs and tell her how much we love her and are thankful she is our family now.

Dylan went to the dance last night as well and it was the first time I've really seen him dressed up, slacks, dress shoes and a real to goodness necktie.  Man, this kid is growing up fast (and tall!!....) and he looked so handsome!  I've told him this for years, but he is the son that every dad in the world prays he gets.  He is such an amazing person with a maturity well beyond his years, a heart of gold, and that perfect blend of steel and velvet.  And, I'm sure, he grew another inch last night.  Or I shrank.  Or both.

Michael continues to grow in confidence so much which is so awesome.  He got to hang out with Bekah last night (the super cool older sister thing....).  While we were at the beach for Christmas we got a lot of comments about family getting to talk with him a lot.  He would come in and even initiate conversations and was quite the talker.  This is a big jump from the shyness both he and Kayleigh use to have around people and really nice to see that they are getting comfortable.  He is really looking forward to karate classes starting back up in January, he has excelled and it has been an amazing venue for him in his new world.

2012 was an incredible year for us as our family completed the adoption process and the Fab 5 started their journey as a family of kids.  It's been a truly joyous and humbling walk so far for God to have given us the responsibility of providing these kids with a life and future.  We can't wait to see what 2013 has in store!

Merry Christmas!

As you can imagine this Christmas was a bit extra cool as it was our first Christmas with Kayleigh and Michael on board as part of our family.  We did things a bit different this year as our family down in Corpus Christi rented a house on the beach and invited us down for the holiday.  This did alleviate our marriage long debate of whether you open presents on Christmas Eve (Jodi's wrong way...) or Christmas morning (Chris' correct way.... ).  We did open a few before we left and made our way down to the beach.

The house on the beach was really nice and a quick 2 minute walk to the sand and surf.  I have always been a huge fan of the beach and would live there in a hearbeat (not to mention I would look awesome in one of those grass skirt thingies....).  It was great to get away and relax for a couple days, enjoy the swooshing of the surf on the beach.  Christmas day was nice and sunny, shorts and tshirt playing on the beach (and my requisite sunburn of course...).  We had a very tasty family breakfast and a very large game of white elephant gift exchange with all of the family, our aunt & uncle, cousins and more cousins!

The day after Christmas a cold front came in so I took a few of the kids to go fishing as they really wanted to go (K & M are fishing fanatics...), but it was very cold and the fish weren't biting, so another time!  Upon our return home we finished exchanging and opening gifts and had some great family time together.  We kept the gift giving to a reasonable amount financially and gave each child a budget (Bekah has a job so she ran more on her own budget there....).  The kids made a wonderful game and made their portion go an extra long way. 

So often people hear the negative post-adoption stories of adopted kids who act out, or are selfish and think only of themselves, having come from a self-preservation environment (really can they be blamed for it.....).  Our story continues to amaze us with how great K & M have done in the 7 months they've been here.  They are both very giving actually, and really made a point of wanting to do for others this year.  At the white elephant exchange, Michael ended up with a snazzy popcorn popper that my cousin really was shooting for.  The next morning, totally on his own, he gave it to her as a gift.  It was really sweet of him!  At our exchange, both he and Kayleigh would get excited when one of us would open their gift (I got awesome Star Wars pajama pants :)

In these 7 months we've been able to see that not only has God watched over them in their transition to a new family and life, but that He was watching over them long before they became ours.  We truly love our 5 kids and can't imagine life any other way.

Christmas Caroling

Thursday night our family went out to some dear friends place and went for a hayride and Christmas caroling.  Kayleigh and Michael continue to get more and more excited with the season as we get closer to Christmas, and as this is their first one as family with us, we're making sure we do it up right.  The tree got set up right after Thanksgiving (because you can't set it up before, it's not right....) and the yard is all lit up at night. 

Christmas caroling was a lot of fun, they're still working on reading English fast enough to hop to a song on the songsheet and sing along, but seemed to have a great time with it anyways :)  Back to our friends house afterwards for hot chocolate and cookies and time to chat.  Our friend Stephanie gave Kayleigh a wonderful picture with the caption of "He answered by setting me free".  How appropriate it is for orphans who have not family or future and face the captivity of likely failure in their lives, and the freedom they have gained to have a family, love and future through adoption.  We still meet up with people who have not met them yet (they're getting better about not being totally shy....:) and it is so awesome for people who have prayed for and supported our adoption journey to get to see the reality of what they took part in, the freedom to live a life.

We also got to enjoy a special treat as a person we had met at the beginning of our adoption trip in Ukraine.  The meeting was so definitely random to us but planned in God's eyes, as this person called a contact in the town we stayed in most of the trip to keep an eye on his American friends while we were there.  Through that random meeting in Kyiv, we ended up with a church family, many friends we continue to keep in touch with to this day, and our favorite cafe!  Our family was so blessed by this!

We still know little of their life back in Ukraine other than a few things that Kayleigh has shared, other than it was bad.  We are truly blessed that they are our family now, and love watching God unfold their new life for them here :)

Seven

OK, well seven months-ish!  I have been remiss in my blogging as we've been quite busy as a family preparing for the holidays and doing normal family stuff!  The 7 month anniversary of Kayleigh and Michael arriving home in Texas came and went like any other "normal" day in our family.  The kids continue to do amazingly well in their new home and family and each day with them now is pretty much one of our ordinary days.  Which is great!  I will endeavor to be better at blogging and sharing our experiences :)

Our family has been busy preparing for the Christmas holiday.  After Thanksgiving we broke out the tree and decorations and the Fab 5 hit it fast and hard.  Before you knew it we had the tree up and decorated and lights up in the yard!  It looks very pretty and festive.  This will be K & M's first Christmas with our family and no telling but odds are good their first real Christmas.  It is easy to see how excited they are about it.  We gave each kid a budget for making or getting gifts for each other, and all 5 of them have had a great time with that.  Our 3 have always been incredible with their attitudes of keeping Christmas real, focusing on the real meaning of the holiday and thinking of others before themselves, and K & M seem to have been right on track with that as well, very much wanting to do for others.

Kayleigh continues to blossom which as been great to see.  She is turning out to be quite a beautiful young lady and is a wonderful person.  I very much enjoy the one on one time I get with her, like when we're driving back from dance class and such.  She continues to enjoy dance class very much and the girls there, and it has been a super environment for her to make connections with other girls outside of our family.

Michael continues to develop a ton.  He's starting to get some height finally :)  He has grown so much in confidence and we can tell the teenage years are approaching as he starts to try and assert himself some which is great.  He's been taking karate classes and has excelled, earning the highest score in the last belt test!  He has his group of friends there and has a great time.  It has been remarkable to see how different he is now from the quiet little boy who mostly stayed to himself or hung out alone in the woods back at the orphanage.

The layers of the onions are beginning to peel away a little bit.  We know so little about their life and family back in Ukraine.  It is typical that kids coming from an orphanage background don't or won't remember their past, either because they were too young, block it out totally or just don't want to remember things.   Kayleigh has begun to share a little bit as we carefully inquire during regular conversations on the subject.  It sounds like it wasn't good stuff, so we're continuing to pray over these 2 kids that as they continue to grow into our family and their life here, that God will heal what needs to be healed from their past life.

I'm looking at the calendar as I prepare to look at 2012 and set my goals for 2013, and 2012 seems like it has been such a long year.  So much has happened!  It seems so long ago that we started the year with our papers turned in for adoption and waiting for the Ukrainian government to start back up with adoptions (that happened in March), traveling to Ukraine for our 47 day adoption adventure, and returning home in May.  We continue to remember our trip a lot and keep in touch with friends we made there.  We still miss the food :)  I have no idea what adventures lie ahead of us in 2013, but we are looking forward to enjoying the full year with our 5 awesome kiddos :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!  Today is another first of many firsts for Kayleigh and Michael in our family as we hit their first holiday season with our family.  Today we will get to enjoy our larger family and all the fun that goes with it, cooking up the Thanksgiving meal and eating way too much, watching some football and generally just hanging out.  This year we have chosen to just stay at home and spend the day as a family, the first time in our 11 years in Texas we have done so (every other year has been a group thing with other families). 

Today we shall stuff thyselves and give thanks for many things.  Thanks for our family.  For friends and people we in some cases barely know who have been so supportive of our family this year in our adoption journey and regular life.  For God's provision of our daily needs.  For the graciousness and generosity many have bestowed upon us.  For good health.  For our troops who serve and sacrifice so that we may enjoy the lives we live.  On and on the list goes!

While the year has certainly not been without challenge, it has also been a year of tremendous blessings as well, which is what we choose to focus on.  For our family, nothing is as important as, well, family!  Over the years we've celebrated having the three best kids in the world, and it's just that much better to be able to celebrate now having the FIVE best kids in the world :)  People tend to think we're out of our minds having 5 teenagers in the house, but when you've got the awesomest kids, it's really not a problem. 

There isn't a day that goes by that I am still not taken aback (in a great way!) by something one of them will say or do that is so loving or giving to another family member, friend, acquintance or complete stranger.  They are truly and uniquely awesome people.  I am beyond blessed with my wife and kids!  We have been blessed in many other ways materially but really don't put a lot of weight in those things as the worldly stuff comes and goes, but at the end of my run on this earth, whenever that will be (well, hopefully not too soon!) I will have what is truly important, and that is my family.  Nothing else comes close.

6

Today marks the six month anniversary of our arrival back in Texas with our two new kids!  Honestly, I would have forgotten to make note of the day if some of the other black belts at karate class weren't talking about birthdays last night at class.  For me this is a very good sign as having Kayleigh and Michael in our family is just normal.  I am amazed and blessed by (and will continue to be so....) by how easily they blended in with our existing family and became ours.  It seems totally normal to see them and hug and kiss them, goof around with them, tell people we have 5 kids (LOL, peoples reactions are funny....), watch them in their activities, etc etc.  If you're looking for one of those stories of extreme success with adoptive kids, our family would be it!

Grand Champion

This weekend was full of awesomeness.  Saturday Dylan and I ran in the Chosen For Adoption race (we ran the half marathon....).  Last year this was the catalyst for our financial support for our adoption of Kayleigh and Michael, this year we got to run to support another team running for their adoption.  The race continues to grow in big chunks each year as more and more people come out to run to support adoptions :)  Super D and I had a lot of fun running, especially at the finish line as we saw K & M there for high fives as we finished the race.  How awesome God is in that last year they were in an orphanage, this year they are in our family!  We are so excited for all the families who raised teams and support this year and are praying for all of them as they prepare to bring their kids to their new homes.

Right after the race us men hustled back home to shower up for our karate club's Clash of the Titans karate tournament, as Michael was one of of the kids teams.  His team won Grand Champion of the kids tournament and he fought great as always!  It was special to see him with his friends and how much confidence he has now.  I can still vividly remember him at the orphanage, where he really didn't have friends and spent most of his time alone out in the woods, and how small he looked.  Now he is so happy and really nice kid, has his pack of friends, and is full of confidence!  I've always been so very thankful for having a son in Dylan, and am doubly blessed now with two awesome boys :)

Jodi and the girls went with friends to a festival at their church in San Antonio and they took Yana with them, who was one of the girls Kayleigh knew at the orphanage in Ukraine, and adopted by another family in our area.  Amazing that they are both 6000 miles (10,000 km for you metric peeps....) and are both rescued and so close together geographically!  I got to watch Kayleigh at dance class on Friday and she was having so much fun.  She is a beautiful young lady and we get along really well.  It's still funny to me that she has my family's quirky sense of humor, our car rides to and from dance are usually full of goofiness :)

We continue to enjoy the ride we're on!

Chosen

This morning Dylan and I are running in the Chosen for Adoption half marathon.  We have gotten into running and enjoy it a lot.  We started running in preparation for going for our black belts in karate and it has stuck as a sport of interest on its own.  I always enjoyed it when I was younger and Dylan is a natural at it (and a lot faster than I....).  We like running in the races you find almost any weekend (we pace ourselves on how many we run....).  This morning up dark and early for the Chosen for Adoption race.  We'll be running the half marathon in support of Team Sims, some dear friends we met through adoption (they adopted one of Kayleigh's friends from the same orphanage in Zhytomr, Ukraine....).  Last year we raced to raise support for our adoption of Kayleigh and Michael.  This race and all the people who put it together, along with the support and association of Abba Fund, were the financial catalysts for us to be able to go to Ukraine and bring our two kids home.  Without it we would have taken a lot longer to financially prepare and be able to do it, and Kayleigh would have aged out of their adoption system and been on her own at the age of 15.  Having gotten to know her over the 5 months they've been here, I know she would have never made it.  So every day with her is a day of having love and life and a future that would have not been.  That's why every day with them is special.  That's why we run.

Translucency

LOL, I don't know if I spelled that correctly or inadvertently made a new word!  The past week was a good one as they all have seemed to be.  The kids are doing well and it feels like we continue to make steps forward in building closer relationships with Kayleigh and Michael.  Kayleigh continues to enjoy dance class very much and the girls there.  Michael loves karate class and has his own group of boys he runs with during and after class.  Saturday our other 3 had something to go to so Jodi did a date day with Kayleigh, going to a movie with one of her friends.  I continued Michaels' "Texification" as we hit the gun range and then some BBQ.  Kayleigh has said that she misses her friends back in Ukraine at times (we do too as we got to know them and it was sad to leave them behind, knowing what lies ahead for most of them....) so we try to be intentional in helping her develop new friendships here in America.  Michael still seems to have left nothing behind and seems to love being here.  We know both kids have made amazing strides for being here only five months so sometimes have to remind ourselves to be patient as we are way, way ahead of the curve.  We love both of these kids very much so being their parents now is truly a blessing.

Sometimes we are asked about our adoption experience as it has seemed to have gone so incredibly well.  I will tell you that with the kids that has totally been the case.  They have bonded seamlessly into our family and it really does feel totally normal for them to be in our family.  I will also tell you that life does throw its curveballs at families that take on adoption as Satan will try to steal the joy of rescuing these orphans.  Our family has been no exception to that, and that prayers for our family to continue to move forward in confidence in spite of lifes challenges are always welcome.  The social media world we live in here in the 21st century can be a double-edged sword at times, so we have intentially chosen to be "translucent" when it comes to online stuff such as Facebook and blogs, as sometimes there is just too much that can get misinterpreted or read into on things!  Rest assured our family is doing very well.  Rest assured that Satan will try to mess with that.  Rest assured your prayers are always appreciated :)

This coming Saturday will be an exceptionally cool day with the annual running of the Chosen Marathon for Adoption in New Braunfels.  Last year we had some awesome support for Team Tansey as we ran to raise support for our adoption of Kayleigh and Michael.  This year they will be here in person to see so many people take the time to make big things happen to bring orphans to their new homes.  Dylan and I are running for Team Sims, some good friends of ours who had adopted one of our daughter Kayleigh's friends from the same orphanage, and are now continuing their pursuit of an adoption of an orphan in Ethiopia.  The support we received through this race was crucial in being able to financially bring our kids home.  We pray that there will be many more to come!

Fab 5 for 5!

Life has gotten so normal and routine now with our five kids that our five month mark came and went this past week and I just pretty much forgot about it!  I take this as a good thing as it tells me our world seems so normal with Kayleigh & Michael here with us.  It does sound a little strange still when I say I have 5 kids :)

This past week has been good as always with them.  I watched Kayleigh at dance class on Friday as I picked her up on the way home from work.  She is doing very well and enjoys it, and loves the attention of being watched at class.  She'll get a huge smile on her face when she sees me watching her.  Michael is doing excellent in karate class and will get to participate in his first tournament in a couple weeks.  He's on a team of 3 with a couple friends, and has his own posse he runs with after class while Dylan and I have our black belt class and help with the adult class.

Bekah had a monumental week as she had her first date, went to homecoming and got her braces off!  She has blossomed into a truly incredible young lady :)  She is up in Dallas for the state volleyball tournament.  Alyssa is heading out the door for dance class, she has done extraordinarily well so far!  Dylan and I hit the fields for a bit of dove hunting this morning and are running in the Chosen For Adoption half marathon in a couple weeks.

Outside of those types of things, life has been running smoothly with our Fab 5.  K&M continue to learn the language quickly, are both wonderful kids and we are truly blessed to have them here!

Happy Sweet 16th Kayleigh!

Today is Kayleigh's sweet 16th birthday!  Not only is this a landmark age to hit, but it is her first birthday since coming home.  We love this girl and are so happy and blessed to have her as part of our Fab 5 and family :)

Someone Is Growing Up!

I haven't blogged in awhile but it's pretty much been the normal stuff.  Kids, house, dance, karate, running, driving, etc!  This week will be cool as Kayleigh's sweet 16th birthday is fast approaching (she will turn 16 this coming Saturday the 29th....).  Last year she was with us until the beginning of August before returning to Ukraine from the hosting trip, so we missed her birthday last year, but were obviously bound and determined not to miss this one! 

In our household, even before we had 5 teenagers, calendar days for events sometimes turn into guidelines rather than set in stone as often there is just too much going on to do it right, or the calendar is packed, it's a weekday, etc.  We started off "birthday week" yesterday with a day out at Canyon Lake with our aunt and uncle, and one of our cousins and her family.  It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for swimming and grilling.  Our aunt also picked up a birthday cake since their up from Corpus so after dinner we did a birthday cake complete with singing :)

Kayleigh is funny as she really loves the attention she gets here, but also gets embarrassed by it (but still likes it....).  I've been able to watch her at dance class and every time she catches me watching her from the lobby, she'll spring up a huge smile and stick her tongue out at me or something.  However, I can also tell she is loving being important and getting attention, even though often she will play it off.  Sometimes I'll be chasing and roughhousing with Michael, and she'll do something to try and get chased as well.  I am happy to oblige :)

I have no idea what the plan for the birthday party will be, but with Kayleigh having two loving sisters, I'm sure I won't have to worry about anything other than finding something for us boys to do to avoid the hysteria that comes with a bunch of teenage girls being in the same place at the same time!

Just A Fun Week

This week has just been one of those fun weeks where I really have just relished the joys and blessings of getting to be the dad of the Fab 5.  I still have to marvel at how well Kayleigh and Michael have blended into our family.  It's only been four months since they arrived in Texas and yet their being here seems so normal and doesn't feel at all like a new thing.  It's been a busy week just being us!

Going oldest to youngest ......

Bekah ~ Got to hang out with her a couple times this week which was nice.  Now that she's 18 and working and playing volleyball and plowing through senior year in high school work towards graduation, we don't always get to see her as much.  She and I drove down to her volleyball match in San Antonio so we had our alone time in the car to get to chat and kid around.  She is a very special young lady!  She had fun playing volleyball, at one point serving like 13 points in a row (she has this wicked underhand serve that barely clears the net and knuckleballs down....).  Afterwards she and I got a bite to eat at McDonalds (yes we still think the Ukranian Mickey D's was better....) and time in the car going home.  We also went to a movie together (Expendables 2....) to get a couple hours of gratuitous explosions out of our system!  Today she is off at a volleyball tournament, sounds like her team is doing very well!

Alyssa ~ She has been helping us drive the fall schedule as we have the chore cards all set up for the kids, including K & M.  She has been such an amazing big sister helping Kayleigh acclimate to our family.  It transcends normal communication between those two, they could pretty much communicate with each other before either knew the others language!  She continues to excel in dance class with an amazing combination of precision and gracefulness!  I took her out driving for the first time as she now has her learners permit, she did well for a first time (ala no crashes....).  Got to just hang out and snuggle with her last night, she is the perfect size where her head fits right under my chin :)  She is at dance class today, she has done so well with it and loves it and her instructor and school.

Kayleigh ~ I got to take her to dance class and watch her for the first time which was a lot of fun.  She is learning very fast and is so strong.  She will play off that she doesn't want you to watch her too much doing it, but every time she saw me looking, she would get that huge smile on her face, or we would make faces at each other.  I had a Snickers bar for a snack after dance, so when she looked I would dangle it or smell it and smile to tease her.  After dance we drove to McDonalds for ice cream and then back to the house.  She and I have a blast spending time together as she definitely has the Tansey family sense of humor, so we are making funnies pretty much nonstop!  Eating ice cream in the car, making jokes and she picks the mexican music station which we crank up as it's got some high speed accordian rock polka song playing (I start yelling yee ha at the top of my lungs when she puts the country station on and calling her Kayleigh Cowgirl....).  We really enjoy hanging out together, she plays it cool sometimes but loves to be pursued and given attention and smiles easily and often.  She is out with the girls today hanging out :)

Dylan ~ I love spending time talking with Dylan.  He has often been described as an "old soul", meaning that his maturity and insight are well beyond his chronological age.  We had the best time talking and joking around.  We both share the same "gifted" sense of humor so will undoubtedly find something funny that no one else seems to share our humor in!  We get to spend a lot of time with each other as we are in martial arts together (along with Michael....) and our journey through the colored belts, black belt candidicy, and now as fellow black belts has only brought us closer to each other.  We sparred together the other night and he has grown so much in skill and confidence, it is really amazing to see what an incredible man he is becoming!  I am so incredibly proud of the brother he has become to Michael, there is none better than he!  Today he ran in a 3 mile cross country race and finished in the 22 minutes area, about 2 minutes faster than his previous best! 

Michael ~ This kid is a blast.  He is warm and funny and easy to love, and at times really stubborn!  Jodi was on him for something this week and she was correcting him and it took some talking to get him to budge.  Such a guy!  He has taken up martial arts with Dylan and I and so far has excelled in the sport.  He is athletic and quick.  We did a mock tournament this week and he and his BFF Gabe were a team, and they rolled to 1st place!  It was so great to see him sparring and having a blast, with a bunch of kids cheering his name as he fought.  In Ukraine at the orphanage he really didnt have friends, no confidence as he spent his days staying out of the way of the older kids, no brother to love him and do all the cool things you do with a brother (they have two older biological brothers back in Ukraine, but they were not in the orphanage system and not much involved if any in their life).   It was one of those moments when you stop to appreciate he has a whole new life now :)

That's all for now :)

Four Months!

Today is the four month anniversary of Kayleigh and Michael's arrival in Texas.  It has been great!  We are truly enjoying our Fab 5 :)  God is great, we have been so blessed to have them as our family now :)

Not really anything else to say today, that pretty much covers it :)

Who You Gonna Call?

Kayleigh and Michael had trips to the dentist to get their teeth cleaned.  It had been awhile, if ever since it had been done.  We are blessed to have a lot of dental talent in our circles, in this case my sister Lisa is a dental hygenist and very awesome at what she does!  So the kids made a visit to Auntie Lisa.  Kayleigh's wasn't too bad, Michael's brushing habits, well let's say, leave much to be desired so his cleaning was more involved.  So the worst of their initial dentals needs have been taken care of :)

Afterwards they went with Jodi to Costco to pick up some groceries.  Five teenagers can blow through stuff pretty quick, so we're finally at the point in life where buying bulk at Costco or Sams Club works out pretty well.  Typically we've split things with people since we just don't need as much, but that problem seems to have worked itself out.  Costco has a large electronics section and Michael seems very interested in the cell phones.  Not because he has anyone to call, he just likes them for the games. 

Being a young teenage boy, the video game stuff is of great interest to him.  He's adopted into a family that has XBox, XBox 360, Wii, GameCube, Nintento DS (I think that's all of them...) in addition to cell phones.  We are careful to monitor content and duration, but he's teenage boy through and through in interest.  He also has no idea of the cost, and couldn't believe that the phone cost a lot to buy in the first place, and that you had to pay monthly for two years as well!  We saw a lot of cell phones at the orphanage, but they were usually provided by family members, shared by fellow orphans, or stolen phones used until they stopped working.

Kayleigh seems to have a much better grasp of cost and all, and usually will even offer to pay for part of the cost for an item of clothing or shoes.  Naturally we'll pay as needed but it's nice to see her demonstrate the grasp of responsibility.  All of our bio kids are this way so it's great to see her pick up on that and run with it.  That has been the trend in general as Bekah, Alyssa and Dylan are the three best kids on the planet, and have been amazing role models for Kayleigh and Michael. 

It has made our road so very much smoother as K & M have transitioned into our family with amazing ease.  To say now that we have the five best kids on the planet is an easy statement to make because K & M have learned from the best and really chosen to be a part of our family.  We continue to hear remarks from people who have spent time with them about how happy they seem, and what great kids they are!

Tomorrow will be the four month anniversary of their arrival in Texas.  We are blessed that they are here :)

Uneventful Events

The past week was really just a week.  I know this must sound boring in the bigger scope of life, but for our family just having a regular week with Kayleigh and Michael is such a good thing.  It was just a normal week of life for our Fab 5.  Bekah has been working and her final season of volleyball has begun.  Alyssa and Kayleigh were in Houston providing childcare for my cousins son.  Dylan ran in his first cross country meet and he and I had our karate class per usual.  Michael had karate as well and spent time with one of his new friends, Gabe (they get along super well :). 

Before we completed our adoption we heard so many stories and were warned so many times of all the potential pitfalls that come with adopting older children which is totally understandable.  Probably too many people underestimate what will be involved in taking on a child who has been through who knows what, but considering where they are in life it couldn't have been good.  We don't know why really, outside of guessing, but it seems like K & M were spared some of the horrors that come with ending up an orphan.  They both are really sweet kids, they're well behaved, share rather than be selfish.  They have both warmed up to our family rather easily.  So, when we say it's been an uneventful week, it's because they've been so good at being part of our family, rather than no activities :) 

We know we've been incredibly blessed to receive these two orphans and make them our own.  The four month anniversary of their arrival in Texas is six days away, which is not a long time to be here.  However, it just seems like they've always been ours.  Without the diaper phase of course!  I'm really, really digging being the dad of 5 kids now :)

Skool

I was catching up with the world this morning on Facebook and seeing all the pictures of kids as they're geared up for their first day of school here in Texas.  We're preparing to kick off our school year here at home as well.  As we homeschool our kids, our school year starts when we start it.  Jodi and I are both from northern states (Illinois and Washington), and in those states school doesn't start until after the Labor Day holiday, so this August thing still is a bit odd to us.  Bekah will be finishing up her senior year of high school this year!

For Kayleigh and Michael their school started when they got here back in May.  English, English, and English!  We've been using the Rosetta Stone software and that has worked very well, in addition to the good 'ol immersion method (just being around everyone else who speaks English!).  I have to say we are all surprised how well they've picked it up after only 3 months.  Both are speaking quite a bit of it, working on writing and reading as well.  Kayleigh has really been motivated to learn and is excited for her school year to start.  Michael is a 13 year old boy, so you know how that goes, not quite as amped up for it :)

Both kids continue to do very well and seem very happy here.  Michael is pretty easy to read and is very happy in our family, had jumped right in with no reservations.  He still surprises us at how warm and open he is, smiles all the time, and is one of the guys here in our family.  Kayleigh is still harder to read, but a friend from another family who was also adopted from Ukraine spent the night this past weekend, they had a long talk, and she is very happy here (we can tell but it's nice to hear as well :)  I think because she was a bit older, had to be the adult so to speak watching out for Michael, etc, that it's taken longer for her to relax and just get into being a kid.  Both kids continue to get along awesomely in our family :)

Happy Anniversary!

On Sunday Jodi and I celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary.  I have been very blessed with a wonderful wife for all these years, and for the many more that are to come!  Our tradition has evolved more towards grilling up a nice steak dinner at home, one because it is a lot more affordable to do it at home rather than a restaurant, and secondly because frankly, we can cook a better steak at home!  We do it all up big and make it a family affair as our children are such a large and central part of our married life together.

We had such a fun dinner together with our five kiddos.  I enjoy the dinner time together as its fun to see our whole bunch of kids together.  They are an amazing group of people, the best of the best.  We've worked hard to parent our kids in a Godly and consistent manner and have poured out love on them at every opportunity.  As I sit there and watch them I know that we've got the best family in the whole world, and we've got the kids that every parent in the world prays they get.  They are awesome people, loving and caring, with great character. 

We've had a really busy year with the adoption and getting used to having Kayleigh and Michael in our family, and that process has gone wonderfully.  Sitting at dinner, they are just regular Tanseys now, happy and wonderful kids.  They have our sense of humor and love for others.  They have our eclectic sense of humor.  Michael really likes steak.  Kayleigh hates beans. 

No matter what challenges or disappointments life may swing in our direction, we know we are good to go because we've got an awesome family that is a team and sticks together, a family that God has lovingly built and that we treasure.  Nothing else really is that important.

Boo Bunny!

Today is a landmark day for our family in that we have our first child reach the age of 18!  Happy Birthday to our daugher Rebekah Lynne Tansey, or as I call her, the Boo Bunny!  It has been such an honor to get to be your dad these first 18 years, I could not possibly be more thrilled to have you! 

As parents we have been tremendously blessed with our first three kids.  They are truly amazing people in every sense.  In fact, one of the concerns with adoption was that our three kids were such an amazing group, we were worried about bringing new kids into our family and messing up that dynamic trio we started with.  But God does His thing and Kayleigh and Michael have fit into our family as if they had always been there.  We went from the Super 3 to the Fab 5 with ease :)

Both K & M continue to do well.  Pray for Michael as he is getting in some big molars now so his face isn't feeling so good while those break through the gums.  Their English is coming along great so, while I'll swing back into Ukranian here and there, it's really just for my practice and some bonding rather than necessity.  Both kids have been sleeping a lot as they're growing, we can really see Kayleigh growing lots and getting bigger than Alyssa (they used to be identical size).  Both are pickle fanatics.  Kayleigh hates lettuce and black olives. 

Three Months!

Today is the 3 month anniversary of returning to America with our two new kids!  I have to say it has gone so far beyond better than we would have anticipated.  It seems like much longer than that.  We still have our fond memories of our trip to Ukraine, still stay in touch with and miss our new friends there, but have truly enjoyed our time home with the Fab 5 so far.  Both Kayleigh and Michael seem very happy, healthy, and 100% engaged with our family.  They've become a natural part of our family.  Still sounds a bit strange to say we have 5 teenage kids, mostly because it just makes us sound crazy ;)  It's been our privilege to become their parents!

Date Night

One of my traditions with the kids is doing a date night.  Whether it was being we had 3 kids, or now 5, it's special time to hang out with them one on one.  Tonight was my first date night with Kayleigh, as Bekah was out with a friend, Alyssa is in Dallas, and the boys are at a birthday party.  Nothing crazy, just windows down in 100 heat blasting away One Direction and Carley Rae Jepsen (no, I did NOT pick the music....), Subway for dinner and frozen yogurt for dessert.  I had a great time with her :)  Her english has gotten pretty good for less than 3 months, and I still seem to remember my Ukrainian (as it is....) so we really don't have a problem talking with each other.  We just had a great time hanging out and goofing off.  She doesn't like black olives or lettuce.  She likes coconut.  Teenagers!

TGIF!

Happy Friday everyone!  I haven't posted for a week so posting just to say, well, howdy!  There's really nothing earthshaking to report.  Which is probably good :)  We're just living regular life with our family of five teenagers!  Bekah is in and out all the time working, doing church things, time with friends, starting up volleyball, and getting ready for her 18th birthday party.  Alyssa is up in Dallas babysitting our cousins adorable son Chava, watching the Olympics and having a blast in dance class.  Kayleigh is doing dance class, working on her english (which continues to improve quickly...), and her sweet 16th is coming up next month.  Dylan is having a great time in karate class and continues to pick up new skills easily, and getting ready for the cross country running season (close to breaking the 6 minute mile...).  Michael tested and earned his yellow belt in karate and is heading off to a birthday party today, and continues to make friends easily.

We continue to be blessed daily with our two new kids and how well they've become a normal part of our family.  It's been less than 3 months since they flew home with us and it has been great to see how happy they are.  Both have put on (good...) weight, look very healthy, are quite active and playful.  We are enjoying it :)

Flowers In Bloom

Yesterday was a great day with the kids.  Michael had his first belt test in karate, testing for his yellow belt, and he did great scoring the 4th highest score of the night.  We could tell he felt confident and he did very well!  Jodi, Kayleigh and Bekah came to watch, and Dylan and I were sneaking peaks when we could of his testing :)  After test he was out on the playground with his group of friends running around as usual.  After testing was done for the night we hit Taco Bell for some munchies to unwind with a few other families.  Michael was sitting with the group of guys again, and Kayleigh with the ladies. 

I just had a great moment watching them.  They both look so healthy and happy.  Michael was all smiles, hanging with his friends and big brother, and had this look of happiness on him.  It has been such a total transformation from the little boy we met at the orphanage who looked like he had no friends and was just trying to stay out of the way of the older boys and trouble.  Now he's happy, active, outgoing, has a super duper big brother and group of friends, activities he is excelling at and loves to do (we can't leave early enough on karate nights...) and has really warmed up to our family like he's always been here.  I always make a point of starting and ending each day with big hugs and kisses and I love you's for the kids, but last night was the first time that he was the one that came to me on his own for it, instead of the usual me going to them.

Kayleigh is like her sisters in that they just laugh at us with our karate stuff, but she seemed really interested in watching Michael test and very supportive.  She has really blossomed since coming home with us and is such a beautiful girl, and very full of personality (her and Alyssa continue to seem like twins separated by geography...).  She has gone from a quiet somewhat lanky girl with scraggly hair to being full of 15 year old teenage girl personality and energy, and has really transformed into a beautiful and healthy young lady.  I have noticed that she has been warming up more in recent weeks as well, and loves to be chased around the house and goof around.

I love these kids :)

Texification

OK, that's probably not a real word...  Not only are we in the early stages of Kayleigh and Michael becoming a normal everyday part of our family, but adding that flair that you find only in Texas.  Our family loves living in Texas, it has its own culture to it that we find to be the ideal fit for our family.  BBQ, the gulf coast beach, shooting and hunting, sunscreen, driving 3 hours to get ANYWHERE!  So, not only are we building a family life with our new kids in general, we are adding in those things that are Texas special as well to the experience!

Michael has been a busy boy.  Last week Dylan and I took him to the gun range for the first time.  In Ukraine we were told it's very difficult for a regular citizen to be able to get a firearm.  We've been into shooting a couple years now as Dylan has a huge interest in shooting and hunting.  We started him his first time on the small stuff (.22 pistol and rifle and the 9mm), and he took to it like a fish takes to water.  Handled it all responsibly and safely and had a great time, not a bad shot at all.  Saturday we went with the Kids Outdoor Zone group for some skeet shooting.  He got off to a good start and hit a couple before tiring out in the Texas heat.  Dylan of course shot great that day as we've done quite of bit of skeet shooting and dove hunting (yum...).  More fun to come as Michael will have his first karate belt test tomorrow, testing for his yellow belt.

Yesterday we did a "make up" birthday party for Dylan and Michael and one of their friends, since Michael's birthday was just before we adopted and Dylan's birthday was while we were in Ukraine.  It was a fun time for all!  Kayleigh is keeping busy as well hanging out with the girls and getting into dance, she has progressed very well with it!  Both kids are big fans of BBQ (that is a requirement here in Texas...).

Both kids went to the dentist earlier this week for a checkup and evaluation and the news was not unexpected that there is a fair amount of work needed for both.  We have an awesome dentist so they'll be in good hands, but it probably won't be a ton of fun....  On the plus side though, both kids have put on weight since coming home in May and are looking very healthy!  Both kids are continuing to progress very well with English and we seldom bounce back to Ukranian anymore except to keep ours in practice and have our secret language around other people :)

10K

We've now had over 10,000 reads on our adoption blog!  Thanks for joining us on our journey, we appreciate the company, prayer and support :)  It's been an amazing ride so far and we still feel like we've only just begun!

English As A First Language

It's been interesting having two new kids who have had to learn English pretty much from scratch.  We could tell that Kayleigh could understand a bit but speak little, and Michael seemed pretty much without any.  Our lives together started with what they could scratch up in English and what we could scratch up in Ukranian from our time there.  It's only been a bit over two months but also easy to see that both of these kids are pretty smart cookies.  We've been using the Rosetta Stone product and that has been great, plus just being immersed in the language here has been a good teacher.  After all, all of the rest of us here speak English, so if you want or need something, ya gotta tell people in English!  It has been a lot of fun to chat with both Kayleigh and Michael this week in English.  We still keep it simple (I call it chicken english where you use just the necessary words in a sentence...) but it has been working out pretty well.  I think it will still take time to learn the language well, there is probably no other language that is so messed up as far as rules and exceptions to rules!  I'll still chat or joke around with them in Ukranian, I think they appreciate us going outside of our norm to reach them as well :)

Surfs Up!

We went to Corpus Christi for the weekend.  My aunt and uncle and two of my cousins and their families live down there.  We've always enjoyed trips to the beach to see family and have fun on the gulf coast.  We drove down Friday and spent some time with Jim & Glenda (aunt & uncle) which is always fun.  They enjoy seeing all the kids and were super supportive of our adoption.  Pizza party and sleepover for the girls with our cousin's 2 daughters.  Early morning Saturday as we hit their pier for some morning fishing (caught a nice trout and Michael hauled in a nice big sheepshead!...).  Then some good pool and suntanning time, then dinner by the pool with our family, extended family and a couple family friends that stopped by :)  Topped it off with some night fishing and then to bed!  Sunday we slept in a bit more, checked out of the hotel and hit the beach with the kids.  The kids had a great time in the sand and playing in the surf a lot.  Kayleigh told Alyssa that while she was in Ukraine she had prayed that someday she would get to go to the beach (she had never been...) so this was her first time to go to the beach :)  Another visit with family on our way out of town (and showers....), and a nice drive home topped off with take out italian food from Carino's.  Then ZZZ... zzz....

We're continuing to gel as a family, both Kayleigh and Michael have started to open up a bit and talk about their past.  We are looking forward to getting to know more about where they came from but also hoping it wasn't too horrible either.  We'll just keep loving on them and we'll see what comes about as they get more comfortable with us.  Both kids seem very happy with our family and we're very happy that they are ours now.

What Would You Do

Yesterday was a difficult day as we attended a funeral service for a family we know through Alyssa's dance class.  One of her fellow dance class girls passed away unexpectedly last Saturday.  The service for Madeleine was beautiful and the parents were incredible as Jesus lifted them up to make it through the service, they were so brave and inspirational in the face of such a devastating time for them.  Throughout the service there was a slideshow playing with mountains of family pictures, it was so easy to see how important their children are to this family.  13 years old is just too early to be gone.

We've always told our kids how important they are to us.  That I would kill to protect them.  That I would die to save them.  That I would be devastated to lose them. That we harp on being smart and safe not because we want to be the Fun Police (yes, I make the siren noise....) or to ruin the joys of the teenage experience (which from my experience usually involved something embarrassingly stupid....) but that we couldn't bear to lose them.  For us as parents, there is nothing even close to this as being the worst thing we could imagine happening.  Yesterday was a blunt reminder from life that every day with our kids is precious because it could indeed be the last one. 

When we went through the adoption process, it was not hard at all to find kids that needed a home.  In fact it was really shocking and sad to see the overwhelming number of kids in the world that are just plain unwanted.  No one wants them or really cares.  I mean we all see the commercials to feed an orphan for $25 a month, or hear the stories of children dying every day from starvation and disease, but that's usually the extent of the average persons interest.  For our family we were called to do more, which is why there are two more kids who now have a family and a home, and a dad that would kill to protect them, die to save them, and be devastated to lose them. 

There are still tens of millions of kids that need that all over the world.  What will you do.

2 Months!

Today is the two month anniversary of our return to the US with Kayleigh and Michael!  It has been amazing and exciting to see how well they've assimilated into our family, to see them happy and safe, and to begin and start to grow into their new lives here in Texas.  We love them very much!

Why We Blog

I've been thinking about this one for awhile:  why do we blog and continue to blog?  When we started up the blog it was to 1) share our adoption journey on the way to adopting Kayleigh and Michael with our family, friends and supporters, and 2) to create a journal or diary of the experience so we would remember it long after it was done and have a record of our experience to share with the kids so they knew what it was like on our end of it. 

However, most blogs on adoptions usually end when the adoption has been finalized and the kids are home.  For us we view the finalization of the adoption as "the end of the beginning".  I had likened this before to Dylan and I recently earning our black belts in martial arts.  We've chugged along for 4+ years working through the colored belt ranks, did the year of candidacy for black belt and tested and earned our black belts.  In that process as you're putting on that black belt, you realize that as much as you think you've learned over that 4+ years, that there is so much more to you that you have yet to learn, so much more to martial arts that you have yet to learn, and that you really have only begun the journey as a true student of martial arts and life.

The same is true of adoption.  For us, our walk to adopt began a long time ago, we found the kids God intended for us, went through all the paperwork and preparation, had our 47 day Ukranian adventure.  But for Kayleigh and Michael and our newly enlarged nuclear family, our journey has really only begun.  Our family is different than it now was.  We have a new son and daughter, brother and sister.  This is a whole new family and world for them, a whole new life.  For a family adopting this is really the beginning!  We have always felt it would be important to share our journey so that other families who are considering adopting would get a look inside and that may help in their own adoption. 

So far our time back in the states has gone great, this coming Monday will mark 2 months since our return.  We know things will come up as each day passes but so far have been in awe of God's work in Kayleigh and Michaels life, and that of our family.  We will continue to share all of the great days, and the problem ones that will undoubtedly come (as will happen with teenagers....).  We love to hear all the comments and feedback from our readers, we glad you enjoy the blog and are excited to share!

Independence Day

Besides being one of my favorite movies, we have lots of independence days now in our family.  Yesterday we celebrated America's Independence Day with the typical BBQ and fireworks.  Both Kayleigh and Michael like food off the grill, so Texas is like nirvana.  We have one of those grills that does both gas and charcoal, and since we were out of gas, charcoal it was!  Dylan is only 14 but quite the grillmaster so cooked us up some brats and burgers.  The Fab 5 then hit the driveway for fireworks and had a blast (no pun intended....).  All 50 fingers made it through the night.  After fireworks we pulled out the telescope my dad had bought our kids a few years back and got a great look at the full moon that had risen over the eastern horizon.  Michael and I spent a good 30 minutes after the rest had gone indoors moon watching. 

Both kids understood it was America's birthday but probably don't grasp the full impact of what it means for us.  We had a great trip overseas when we adopted but we could see the definitive gap in real and perceived freedoms between over there and home, and it gave us an even greater appreciation for the freedoms we enjoy here in our home country.  Regardless of anyone's opinions regarding politics or politicians, ObamaCare, et al, there is still no country I'd rather live in. 

It's been two months now since our adoption was finalized in Ukraine and we're still having an amazing time with our two new teenagers.  It's only been two months but honestly it seems like they're just one (well, two....) of us.  We continue to learn them and them us, they're both progressing very well with english, have started activities (dance and martial arts....) and are making friends here.  God's hand has definitely been on them and our family.  They really are nice kids so it's been easy to love them.  Both love to be chased around the house and hide under blankets from the tickle monster.  Both are pickle fanatics, we open a jar and their gone!  Both like bacon and eggs.  Kayleigh likes bratwurst but not sausage on the grill.  Michael likes the front seat of the Firebird because it's a very cool car, but mostly because he can't see out the windows in the back seat (all Firebird owners will understand this.... :) 

Which Which?

I've just had fun watching our five kids these past days.  It's closing in on two months since our return to the US with Kayleigh and Michael, and I doubt the time could have gone any better than it has.  Both kids have integrated into our family almost seamlessly.  They are both happy and healthy, get along fantastically well with our 3 bio kids, hardly need prompting to do schoolwork (well, english and a touch of math at this point...), or help around the house.  Both are open to getting hugs and smile a lot.  Kayleigh has fit in very well with the girls friends and started dance class.  Michael gets along great with Dylan's friends and is in karate with us now. 

I was watching the kids after church this morning, and honestly if you didn't know they were adopted, you wouldn't know.  Michael was with Dylan and their friend Reece, chasing each other around and kicking each other (playfully of course....), like boys being boys.  Kayleigh was bouncing around doing the social thing with the girls (her and Alyssa dressed up and did their hair this morning, beautiful....).  It amazes us each day at how fast and well they have become a normal part of our family.  It is awesome!

Mission San Marcos

Our church is doing a thing called Mission San Marcos, where they're reaching out to kids in our college town during the summer.  Bekah has started going to help on her off days.  So have Kayleigh and Michael :)  It's amazing that they've been here less than 2 months and seem to take the time to think of others.  Both have hit it off wonderfully with other kids and are making friends quickly, plus they are both really, really good with small children.  One of the things families are typically warned about during adoption is that adopted kids may be very selfish and think only of themselves, having come from a survival mode environment.  To date we've really seen nothing like this from Kayleigh or Michael, they have jumped into the family with their sisters and brother and get along amazingly well (well, ok, Michael does like to hog the front seat in the Firebird but learned quickly about taking turns..... :)  Sharing and making sure everyone is taken care of seems to be big to them.  No stealing, hoarding, hiding things under their pillow, etc.  Younger boys look up to Michael as he is very athletic and they think that is very cool (he dazzles with playground agility and soccer skills).  Kayleigh has been great with little kids and they love her, she'll make a great babysitter once she gets enough english!  Every day we just have to step back and be amazed at how blessed our family has been in bringing these two orphans into their new family.  It's clear they've always been meant to be ours.

Be Awesome To One Another

One of the things you are typically cautioned on regarding adoption is that orphans you adopt are typically selfish.  They come from a "me first" survival environment so naturally their interests are centered around meeting their own needs, which only makes sense.  Naturally as well, those behaviors will tend to carry over into their adopting families because they don't change as people overnight.

We have been so surprised (in a good way....) that neither Kayleigh or Michael seem to be that way.  They have been so good with their new sisters and brother.  They share chore responsibilities, even doing things without being asked or prompted.  They get along freakishly well with their new siblings (we are still convinced that Kayleigh and Alyssa share a brain, and Michael adores Dylan and Bekah...).  They get along great with other kids and are making friends fast.  Kayleigh and Alyssa went to babysit our cousins young son for a couple days in Houston, and Kayleigh is just as amazing and awesome with children as Bekah and Alyssa are, she has such a sweet heart :)  Michael wows kids at the playground with is athleticism (he will run across the TOP of the monkey bars and is the soccer player of choice...), and the other boys have taken a real liking to him as he plays very well with others.

It is such a great feeling to know that we have two kids that have such huge potential and now have the opportunity to make it count :)

ZZZ... zzz...

Really, nothing that amazing to report, just living normal life.  That in itself is pretty amazing since it's been less than 6 weeks since we returned to the states with Kayleigh & Michael, and they've plugged into our routine so well.  We haven't had any problems of substance since they've joined our family, it has always seemed like such a natural fit :)

Both kids continue to work on their english and are doing really really good at picking it up.  Kayleigh really likes Wal-Mart coleslaw from the deli.  She does not like bratwurst.  At all.  She likes to be chased around the house and play.  So does Michael.  He is totally digging martial arts class so far!  We're digging having him there :)  Kayleigh will have her 2nd dance class tonight, heard she was all smiles the first time.  Both kids smile a lot and love to play, be chased, and for me to play the ear cookie monster.  I have a blast doing it.  Lots of hugs :)

The next several days will be more like our usual crazy schedule so we'll see how they do, but expect they'll do wonderfully.  Jodi, Alyssa and Kayleigh have a short trip to Houston to babysit our cousin's child.  Bekah and the others are going to a youth group event.  I am......  I don't know!  Perhaps a moment of pause and quiet :) 

Happy Fathers Day

First of all, Happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there!  This year has an extra dash of specialness in it as I've been blessed with the privilege of being the dad to two kids who needed and wanted a family :)  I love being a dad and having such an awesome family, and getting to be that for my family is more important than anything else really.  I can pretty much take or leave anything else but my wife and now 5 kids are the one thing I truly treasure and would do anything to care for and protect!  There really is no greater joy than getting to spend time with and enjoy your family.  When you hit the end of the road in this life, your family will be the legacy you leave behind that mattered the most.  Jodi, Bekah, Alyssa, Kayleigh, Dylan, Michael, I love you :)

Yesterday was most excellent hanging out with Dylan as we spent the day preparing for, reflecting on, and going through the PKC black belt show to officially receive our black belts in Tae Kwon Do.  I love having Dylan as a son, he is a truly special young man and it was an amazing year to go through candidacy for black belt with him.  It was a joy to watch him excel and mature through the process, and to see him continue to grow into the amazing man God has destined him to be.  It is an experience that he and I were privileged to share together, and many memories and stories that we will have together for the rest of our lives!  I am also very excited that Michael has taken a big interest in martial arts as well and has started his journey as well this month :)

Family Movie Night

One of the things we like to do is have a family movie night which is what we did last night.  We'll all get a comfortable place in the living room staked out, popcorn and drinks, candy (can't watch a movie without candy....) and crank up a movie.  Last night we watched The Incredibles (new to K & M...) and it was a lot of fun.  Michael and I are snuggled up on a couch, Alyssa & Kayleigh are snuggled up on the floor.  The funny thing is that they've been back here for 5 weeks now, but it seems like they've always been ours.  It feels totally normal to say we have 5 kids, to call them Kayleigh and Michael, to hug them and tell them we love them.  Good stuff :)

White Belt

Last night at karate class we got Michael his first Gi (uniform), complete with the white (beginner) belt.  He was so excited!  He carefully tried it on and took great care in bringing it home neatly folded up.  He had started trying out the classes a couple weeks ago and loves it and so far seems to have quite the knack for it (he is very athletic...).  In martial arts, the white belt is the starter color when you begin.  For Michael (yes, here comes the word picture.... :) it reminded me of how coming to our family is a new start for him.  It's funny to think of a 13 year old being at the starting line for their life, but that's what it is.  A new family, country, language, everything is new.  We laugh at how stoic he was in the pictures we had seen before traveling to Ukraine, and how we had anticipated that he would be quiet and withdrawn, and how long it would take to break through.  So far nothing could be further from the truth.  He is very happy in our family, absolutely loving having a dad and big brother who love him.  Michael is very bright and learns quickly, athletic, energetic (still hasn't learned to pace himself yet....), laughs easily and loves to play, and yes (sorry people I don't know....) has our Tansey family sense of humor!  Of anything in our adoption journey to date, he has been the greatest surprise!  I love this kid :)

Amerikanski!

Today is a cool day as Kayleigh got her official papers of citizenship here in the US of A :)  Both Kayleigh and Michael officially got citizenship upon going through immigration in Houston after we arrived on our flight overseas, but because Kayleigh is 14 or older (she's 15...) she had to go the office in San Antonio today and do the oath thing to get her papers (Michaels just came in the mail...).  Technically they are dual citizens until the age of 18 and then select a single citizenship at that point.  Not really worried, hey, we have BBQ here!

After the visit to the office the crew went to our friends who had adopted one of her friends from the same orphanage she and Michael were at (her friend was here in Texas last summer on the same hosting trip as Kayleigh).  We are in kind of a unique area that has seen a lot of Ukrainian adoptions, from the same city and orphanage, so there is a cluster of kids here that knew each other in Ukraine now within an hour of each other here in Texas.  God is so good that not only did he find them new homes and families, he brought them some familiar friends as well :)

Kayleigh's swelling in her face from the absess tooth has gone most of the way down (yea!!....).  She'll go back to the dentist on Friday to get it checked out again, and see what else is going to need to be done to put a beautiful smile on this beautiful girl.  We can see that Michael has a lot of cavities as well that will need to be taken care of.  Good thing Bekah is almost out of her braces (she'll be done in October....). 

The rest of our kids continue to do great as always.  Before we ever adopted we had the three most amazing kids you can imagine, and that certainly hasn't changed.  In fact, it has been truly incredible to see how giving and loving they are with their new brother and sister.  All of them have truly taken a huge part in bringing K & M home to Texas, making them a real part of our family, and loving on them like they've probably never experienced!  Bekah is growing up into an amazing woman, working for a family up in Austin and doing a wonderful job, and is getting ready for volleyball to kick off here sometime soon.  Alyssa is loving dance class and I am pretty much convinced that she and Kayleigh share a brain and personality (it is really amazing how much they are alike....).  Dylan has been the poster child for an awesome older brother for Michael, and is helping him get started in martial arts with us.  Dylan and I get our black belts this Saturday (come to the show.... :).

We're having a great time with our Fab 5, can't wait to see what amazing things tomorrow shall bring :)

Under The Covers

This weekend we were blessed with one of Alyssa's friends staying over.  Katya was adopted from Ukraine a few years ago and is an amazing young lady.  She also can speak a fair amount of Ukrainian, so she got to talk to our two new kids and share some insights.  They are happy to be in our family.  They like and yes, love us.  They are very happy here!  Kayleigh misses her two older brothers sometimes.  Michael is not a big fan of schoolwork.  They were taken from their parents four years ago.  Both parents were alcoholics.  Their mother subsequently died from alcohol.  Kayleigh seems to grasp that they chose alcohol over them, and did not do more to care for them.  Gut feeling is there is more hurt in there than we see now so we'll be doing lots of loving on these kids!

Kayleigh really had a great time at her first dance class last week.  Michael is very much enjoying martial arts classes so he'll be sticking with it (he'll look so cute in the uniform!).   Both really like riding bikes.  Michael loves soccer, was playing some after martial arts class last week and looked great!  Michael likes XBox 360.  Kayleigh likes pretty much anything Alyssa likes, they continue to seem like they've been related their whole lives!

We are very glad to have them here.  I was reading an article in the news about the anticipated surge in prostitution in Ukraine with the Euro Cup coming to town.  About teenagers who are forced into it or have no choice because they have no other way to survive.  I am so glad that Kayleigh is here instead of there and at risk.  In reality, she's just a child, a beautiful young girl that would have no idea how to take care of herself.  Michael is such a joy to have around but would never make it on the streets.  Sometimes I find myself just watering up at how glad I am that they are here and safe and with a family that loves them.  At the same time my heart aches for their friends who were left behind to face an ugly reality with little hope.

On another note, please pray for Kayleigh as she had an absess tooth over the weekend so was defnitely not having a good time!  Our dentist, who totally rocks, took care of things today but with the typical adopted kid, we're sure she's got a lot of dental work to be done (she had a broken molar pulled last summer while on the hosting trip here...).  Prayers the swelling and pain goes down (she's on meds for the infection) and for God's provision for hers and Michaels dental needs (yeah, we can see the cavities just by eyeballing ....). 

OK, that's it for today, off to give my kids some hugs :)

One Month

Today is the one month anniversary of our return to Texas with Kayleigh and Michael!  It's hard to believe its been a month already!  We continue to be surprised (in a good way) at how well they have both done with everything.  Their whole world literally changed and they have seemed to taken it in stride and with great eagerness.  Both seem quite happy in our family (this is good :) and we are thrilled to have them and be able to call them our daughter / son / sister / brother! 

Things continue to progress well as we work through each day bringing something new.  Both are learning english and seem to be making good progress on their language.  We continue to get to know them and learn their individual likes, dislikes, etc, as they continue to learn life in our family.  English is their primary school subject for the summer along with some math.  Michael has tried out karate and really likes it (he's already asking when the next class is...), and Kayleigh tried out dance class and enjoyed it as well (did well for a first timer...).  Kayleigh really likes chicken.  Michael likes just about anything (except for the well documented dislike of mushrooms...).  Neither likes oatmeal and won't touch it.  Michael is a front seat of the car hog.  Kayleigh loves music.  Michael really loves having a dad and brother to hang out with and has warmed up to us far faster than we ever would have imagined.  Kayleigh is a typical 15 year old daughter who likes to pretend they are too old to be doted on, but loves it when you show her you love her.  Both of them love to ride bikes!

We are a truly blessed family with five awesome kids, can't wait to see what the next month brings :)

Window Stickers

We're just chugging along as our family finds its routines (new and re-establishing...).  We get a bit of a break as it's the summer months to get our new expanded family into a groove.  Both kids continue to work on their english through the computer software and just daily immersion and are doing well.  Kayleigh we can tell has a lot more comprehension, just not as much speech.  Michael is a typical 13 year old boy who isn't the biggest fan of school work but is coming along as well.  Both kids continue to help around the house well, although we are having to teach Michael that you need to ask to do things like go outside and play (he refused to ask yesterday so ended up hanging out inside, he will learn quickly though....).  We're focusing on english and some math (Kayleigh will translate the instructions to do math work...) and then get into regular school gear in the fall.  Dylan and I are having a great time at karate class being new black belts, and Michael has tried out karate as well and really enjoys it.  It's been mainly some sparring while the club prepares for the black belt show on the 16th, but he seems naturally good at it and looks forward to coming to class.  Kayleigh decided to try dance (shocker as her and Alyssa share a brain...) and her first dance class is today.  Both activities are stocked with super duper adult instructors so both are great situations for new kids on the block.  Bekah did volleyball camp last weekend to kick of her final volleyball season as well.  We've done the sports window stickers in the past, good thing we have a Suburban, window room for five of them (ahhh, now the blog title makes sense... :)  Both kids still seem to be very happy and are adjusting very well to their new world.  We are very happy to have them here.  Saw online pictures of the remaining 92 kids at the orphanage leaving the orphanage for the two new ones as their orphanage has now closed.  Praying for the kids as they have to adjust to a new place, and for all the workers at ours who lost their jobs with the closure (the staff there was always most excellent to us!).

Happy Birthday-Ish

Saturday was a fun day as we held the belated birthday party for Alyssa & Kayleigh.  Alyssa's sweet 16 was while we were away in Ukraine for the adoption, and Kayleigh's 15th birthday was back in September.  We consider that one under our umbrella as well.  When we talked to her the end of July last year and told her we wanted to adopt her and her brother, and she said yes, from that point on we considered her ours.  For the birthday we teamed up with some most excellent friends and birthday party for their daughter AJ, so it was a three for all party!  Games, tubing down the river, swimming, food, friends, gifts.  Lots of smiles.  Awesome birthday cake.  I think my favorite moment was seeing Kayleigh piled on the couch with a bunch of other girls (teenagers tend to pile....) opening gifts and having a great time with friends.  This is so much better than the life she was headed for, and we feel very blessed that God gave our family the privilege of being a part of it.  Today will be a great day as we celebrate the one month anniversary of being their new parents.  It has been an amazing ride so far!

Happy Friday!

The last 3 days have been pretty normal which is good.  Both Kayleigh and Michael seem to be fitting in very nicely into the family, and it doesn't seem strange to have them here.  Just feels like normal daily family life :)  Things continue to go very well.  Kayleigh is NOT a morning person, which drives Alyssa nuts as she tries to get her out of bed, which IS ironic as Alyssa was exactly the same way!  Both kids seem very happy and seem to be destressing nicely.  Both have slept a lot which we have heard is normal, both are eating a lot more food (Michael accepted a 2nd helping of spagetti last night, which he usually wouldn't do...) and are looking a lot healthier.  Both help with chores around the house, often without being prompted.  Both are working on their english and it's coming along well (we still know a lot of our Ukranian so it's a nice meeting in the middle).  Michael has come with Dylan and I to karate class twice and enjoyed it, did some sparring on Thursday and did great.  Dylan and I are very much enjoying being new black belts, it was a hard road to get there but we now get to be a part of a very special group of people:)  Kayleigh is going to try out dance class with Alyssa.  Time for new sports stickers on the back of the Momster truck!  Kayleigh totally has our family sense of humor.  We have a new family pet, another bunny rabbit that the elementary school down the road was letting go due to summer.  Both Kayleigh and Dylan decided it should be named Pasha, after the boy at the orphanage that had a crush on Alyssa.  I think it's going to stick (the name....).  We pray for Pasha and all the others at the orphanage who were in Kayleigh's graduating 9th grade class, and for the remaining students who have now been transferred to two other orphanages.  I am so glad that Kayleigh and Michael are here and part of our family now:)  Tomorrow is a big day as we're doing a birthday party for Alyssa (her birthday was while we were in Ukraine...), Kayleigh (her birthday was in between the hosting and adoption trips...) and AJ (friend of theirs...).  I'll be there! (for the cake...).  Have a great weekend!

The Last Bell

Most of today's blog is forwarding a letter from a ministry we met while in Ukraine called Last Bell Ministries.  While high school graduations abound for our kids here in the US and it's a very exciting time to be celebrated, it is quite another thing for orphans in Ukraine.  They graduate out of the school orphanage system upon completion of the 9th grade and then are on their own.  The failure rate for these graduating orphans is 90%, meaning 9 out of 10 will end up in prison, prostitution or suicide.  Last Bell is one of the ministries that takes in kids in a halfway house type of environment to try and help them prepare for adult life.  They have a Facebook page also which you should check out, it has videos of kids talking about hoping to get to go to their houses, which need financial support to be completed and operated (hint, hint.... :)  It is very hard to watch those videos as we got to know these kids at the orphanage while we were there for Kayleigh and Michael (Kayleigh was the one kid out of the graduating class to be adopted....).  They're good kids and have a lot of potential and saddens us greatly that they have little hope without a helping hand at this point.  Please consider supporting this ministry :)

Dear Friends,

Just like Paul, who heard about the Ephesians' faith and “love for God's people everywhere,” we have heard about your adoption of orphaned children and know that you have hearts full of compassion. And we give thanks, as Paul did, for the way you have answered God's call to care for the motherless and fatherless.

As you know, there are still many children at those orphanages, including Orphanage No. 4 in Zhytomyr where Last Bell Ministries has worked for several years. These children need your help.

Even though they have not been adopted, the kids at Orphanage No. 4 and in the Zhytomyr region have a chance to be part of a family, to learn and grow, to have a good future. The staff at Last Bell invite each graduating class at No. 4 to be “sons and daughters” at either Shelter or Haven, our two family homes. We have loved and cared for over a hundred teens as they made the transition from the orphanage to independent life.

Up until now, Last Bell's kids lived at their trade school dorms while visiting Shelter or Haven during the evenings and on weekends. But this is all changing.

The Shelter home is undergoing renovation right now. This summer we plan to take guardianship of up to 15 of the 8^th and 9^th graders from the Orphanage No. 4, which is closing on June 1st. All of the kids will otherwise be sent to orphanages in Berdichev and Radumishl, and will eventually attend rural trade schools, with little chance of receiving higher education or learning a trade they can actually use.

But those who come under our guardianship will be able to live at the Shelter under the direct care of Last Bell houseparents. They will be able to attend a regular high school, spend their last few teen years in a loving, caring family, and hear about the love of Jesus Christ every day.

This will only happen if we can complete the renovation of the Shelter. The government officials need to see where the kids will be able to live before they grant us guardianship.

The cost of renovating the Shelter plus other preparations is $65,550. This includes the constrution of an entire third story with bedrooms and bathrooms for the girls and single housemom; boys and houseparent couple have bedrooms on the second floor. The cost also includes a new roof, a new heating system and water boiler, the addition of an entryway, and the conversion of the current entryway into a living room.

Will you partner with us in providing a home for kids from Orphanage No. 4?

Many generous friends and churches have given or pledged $30,723 toward the Shelter Renovation fund. But we still need $34,827 in order to complete the Shelter and get guardianship of kids before the end of the summer.

You can give online by going to our website, www.lastbell.org, and clicking on “Your Response.” Or you can give via post by writing a check to Last Bell Ministries and mailing it to:

Last Bell Ministries
PO Box 247
Atlanta, IN 46031-0247

Thank you in advance for your generosity, and may God bless you as you continue serving Him!

Liz Millikan, Director
Last Bell Ministries

info@lastbell.org
www.lastbell.org

You can share this letter by forwarding the email, or by printing the attached PDF.

Want to learn more? Here are some of our newsletters that cover our plans to care for the 8^th and 9^th graders:

Special Update: Roof Comes Off, Shelter Renovation Begins

“Because we're like family”: Tanya and Yulia share about 8th graders

Orphanage No. 4 closing, but Last Bell will be busier than ever

100

This is our 100th entry in our adoption blog!  Virtual cake for everyone!  It has been an amazing journey so far, with the blog beginning several months ago when we were first starting all the preparation to adopt Kayleigh & Michael, to now where the adoption has been completed (Michael's US citizenship paper arrived in today's mail, Kayleigh will have to go say a thing to get hers as she's over 14...) and the kids have been on American soil for 20 days as part of the Tansey family.  I continue to be amazed at God's work in the whole thing, and enjoy hearing so many people tell us how much they enjoy following our adventure.  Last time I checked we have people in 8 countries following the blog!

Now that we're home, the adventure begins in earnest as we begin to get to know and raise two new teenage family members mid-stream in teenagerdom.  So far this has gone so very well, far beyond any expectations we would have had.  The language gap continues to not be much of an issue (we can use google translate on more complicated stuff, but some things will just have to wait for now.....), they pitch in and help around the house, both have jumped on learning english and some other basic schoolwork (Kayleigh was using translate to figure out directions on math today and working with Alyssa....).  Michael tried out karate class last night and seemed to really enjoy it, and is already asking when the next class is....).   Both kids still get along amazingly well with our original three.  Both K & M sleep and eat a lot, seems like they are unwinding from 4 years in the orphanage system.  Michael still won't touch mushrooms.  I like Pop Tarts (just threw that in for fun....  but it's true!).  Michael follows Dylan around pretty much all the time and we can tell he is totally digging have a cool older brother.  Dylan is totally digging having a brother.  They get along great.  Kayleigh and Alyssa are still pretty much inseparable, they have bunk beds but share the larger bed on the bottom.  Kayleigh spent the day in a large t-shirt, when we asked Alyssa why she hadn't changed today, she explained that she had told her about getting to wear "Daddy" shirts (Alyssa likes to sleep in my t-shirts), so Kayleigh wore it all day (that was cool...).  Michael likes wearing sporty clothes, he is very, very active and athletically talented.

We still have the privilege of parenting our original three kids as well through all of this, and they have been nothing short of stellarly awesomeness :)  Not only did our new kids get a Mom and DAd, they got the bestest brother and sisters on the planet!  Our lives keep pluggin along as well, with   Dylan and I completing our candidacy for black belt in Tae Kwon Do (show is on June 16th in San Marcos, come and watch us get our belts :), Alyssa had her first dance recital and did awesome.  Bekah is getting ready for the start of volleyball season, and started her first job working for a family doing all sorts of stuff.  She is going to buy me Starbucks which is good :) 

OK, that's enough for today!  Thank you again and again to all who have prayed for and supported our adoption, we are so thankful for your partnership in this great adventure.  There is still plenty to pray for as 1) we're still at the relative beginning of our journey and 2) prayers for the rest of their classmates back in Ukraine.  The orphanage we adopted them from has closed and the kids were moved today to two other orphanages in the area.  This will be very difficult for them as they work into their new environments, contacts from past adoptions are lost, and another hard day for kids who are already living in a terrible situation to begin with: no family!

A Day Of Rest

We're just taking it easy today as a family.  Had a lot of fun the past couple days doing some housework (ok, that wasn't the fun part....), and spending time with friends.  The Fab 5 did a lot of swimming and hanging out with friends.  Our family is still in the process of decompressing from our adoption adventure, and the daily adjustment to having our two new kids.  Each day is a step forward in establishing routines, adding a task, walking forward in the process of learning a new language, making new American friends.  So far everything seems to be going so well!  Today we'll take it easy during the day, then the kids have boys and girls sleepovers planned for this evening.  We'll crank up the grill and enjoy our family.  It still is kind of surreal to look at these kids, how their whole world has changed in the past few weeks, and how God seems to have given them peace in the whole thing as they've done amazingly well :)

Thursday!

LOL, Thursday is a running inside joke from karate class :)  Thursday was another "normal" day in our new household, we did a lot around the house getting it put back together.  Before we left for Ukraine we were building our gameroom into a 5th bedroom (thanks Steve!) and moving bedrooms around preparing for Kayleigh and Michael.  We were also packing for our anticipated 33 day trip (ended up being 47 days, glad I brought extra undies....).  We got partially done.  So the house was pretty tripped out when we got back.  Each day has been a new day in seeing where we are at as a family, what do add back into our daily mix, and what to add new to K & M.  So we ended up getting a lot of household stuff done (Jodi and I had to argue about it first, as Thursday is amongst many things, our official argument day.  If we're gonna argue, it's gonna be on a Thursday :)  Then we got a lot done.  We're doing a lot of tag teaming up K & M with our kids so they can have someone to model and follow as they learn their new family and all the moving pieces.  Kayleigh jumped in with Alyssa and did a ton.  Michael teamed up with Dylan and did well, but is not as interested in chores (13 year old boy so not really a surprise!).  Dylan and I went to karate class for a bit as we start adding that back into our routine, then home for dinner (K & M like doing dinner as a family....).  The girls had a friend over for a sleepover which they did in the tent in the backyard (perhaps next time they'll set the tent up farther away from the septic tank sprinklers....), the boys camped out on the trampoline.  So far we continue to be amazed at how well Kayleigh and Mike have jumped in and are adapting to their new world.  Both are learning and using new english words each day.  No big blowups or I want to go back.  God is at work!

Lets Try This. And This...

The past couple days have been pretty "normal" we would say, but to two new kids in our world, lots of firsts.  Both Kayleigh and Michael have started on the Rosetta Stone course for english and have actually put a lot of time into it, so much that we're going to put limits on it so they don't burn out on it.  Both kids seem to have the desire to get up to speed on their new language quickly which is great!  Michael went with Dylan and I to Dylan's cross country running group on Tuesday and they ran close to 4 miles by the time it was done.  Dylan breezed through it as he's a natural runner and in good shape, Michael did very well for a first timer but you could tell he's still acclimating to the Texas heat!  Alyssa decided that indoor sports are more her thing (smart kid....).  Some chores around the house, both kids seem to be willing to help.  They both like to play a lot (shocker....) and are big on being outdoors.   Last night all 5 went to our church youth group for movie night.  We are still spending a lot of time as a family acclimating ourselves to our new family members but so far I would have to give it an A!

Weekend Family Fun

We had a long weekend of family fun spending time with our 5 teenagers.  Friday night we started it off by going to an outdoor theatre in Wimberly (small town near here) to see The Avengers.  The movie was actually very good.  We had taken Kayleigh there last summer when she was here on the hosting trip, it was Michael's first trip there.  Late night followed by an early morning for Dylan and I as we went out to Hamilton Pool (up by Dripping Springs) for black belt photos with the new PKC black belts.  That was a lot of fun, Dylan has grown up so much this past year and is turning into such an incredible young man.  Then back down to San Marcos for Alyssa's 1st dance recital, she did awesome!  She is loving dance (had done it for a year now) and is doing awesome at it.  Pit stop at the house and then on down to Corpus Christi to visit family.

We had a great weekend down at the beach.  Got to see my aunt & uncle, Jim & Glenda and their family (cousins and more cousins!).  They were all excited to meet Kayleigh and Michael and have been incredibly supportive through the adoption process.  Lots of fun eating, swimming, fishing (a LOT of fishing, the kids had a blast with it....), sleeping (hey, teenagers....).   Drove back last night and our family of 7 hit the rack.

It was so much fun watching the kids enjoy being together and having fun.  Often I have to pause and be amazed that only a few weeks ago, these two kids were in an orphanage with no future.  Now they're in the pool with huge smiles on their face, a family, and happiness.  Awesome.