MOTHER'S DAY

Had a great Mother's Day!

Colyn and Jon sent flowers. How sweet!

We miss them soooooo much. Colyn is coming for Father's Day. Jon is planning on coming sometime in June too. We can't wait to see them. Feels like it's been forever! Paul got to see Jon earlier this month. I haven't seen either of them since Christmas.

Sunday morning, Yulia and Pop made a wonderful breakfast before church. It was yummy. Since it was cold and rainy out, we spent most of the afternoon indoors.

Now that Mother's Day is over, all thoughts turn to Paul with his Birthday week well underway. He'll join Karen in the 48 year-old division Tuesday, May 13th.

SOCCER FINALS!!!

Yulia's soccer team had its last game of the season today and firmly secured their position in last place!


This is one of Yulia's teammates, a 13 year old who was adopted from Romania when she was 5. Yulia was lucky to get on a team with some really, really sweet girls.

After the awards ceremony!

Missouri Botanical Gardens

After the medal ceremony, we headed over to the botanical gardens.



We were about two weeks too late on the blooms, but it was still pretty!




Yes, Yulia is getting taller by the day!



We were only there a couple of hours when it started storming and we had to leave.

Hope everyone has a very Happy Mother's Day!

FIRST PARTY!

Yulia was invited to her first party over the weekend. Of course, she almost didn't make it. Her friend had called my cell the night before (Saturday) and I didn't even retrieve the messages until the next day after church. The friend spoke only with Yulia and they hung up. I started questioning Yulia and she said there was a birthday party for this friend that day. Didn't know for whom, at what time, where or any important information. So, being the ever vigilant mom I am, I called the friend back and found out, in fact, it was a going-away party for a girl moving to China, and it was going to be at 3:00 that day at the park.

So, since this was such a big deal to Yulia we made a quick stop by Target for a gift. Yulia didn't really understand why she was getting a gift until she got to the party. There was one slight problem. Of course, PB continued on his 2 week vacation and I had 10 people coming to my house later that day for a church "small" group. PLUS, I'VE NEVER LEFT HER WITH STRANGERS! So, I told Yulia, "I may not leave you at this party. You may only get to stay a few minutes and then we'll have to leave." Of course, she didn't understand why. But, when I got there and met the parents and Yulia's wonderful 5th grade teacher was there, I felt safe leaving her. When I picked her up an hour later, she was ready to leave, but had a good time. All 5th grade girls. No boys invited. Quite funny!

Yulia continues to talk about Russia, her family there and the orphanage. It's amazing the deep discussions we can now have since her speech is getting better. And, we're able to have these deep conversations without her getting the least bit emotional, which leads us to believe she's just testing us to make sure we still want her. Oh, what a tangled web is weaved inside this 10 year old's head! Lord, please help us untangle it.

Soccer ends this week and on our quest to try every activity known to man(although we have set the goal at only one activity a week), she'll begin hip hop, literal dance and jazz in Jun. Watch out Dancing with the Stars!

Hope everyone has a good week,

BEEN A WHILE

We haven't blogged in a while because the computer has been down....AGAIN. Paul Barry leaves town and everything goes to pot. The computer and the tv. Thought for a minute the fridge was going, too. Oh, did I mention I backed my new car into a very large delivery truck. Didn't hurt the delivery truck, but Frosty(my new car) will need a body shop visit.

PB spent one week at the Byron Nelson Golf Tournament and is now on the annual boy's golf trip. Boy, will I be glad when he gets home.

They told us to expect that Yulia would start talking about Russia at about this time. She has and it's been difficult. I must admit it's hard to hear her talk about missing her "Russian mom" and grandmother. And, she's having a lot of guilt about leaving them in Russia. She wrote them a very sweet letter this week, saying she was sorry that she left them. I can't imagine the guilt she must be feeling.

Please pray for us as we deal with what we've been told is a very normal transition. It's expected, but that doesn't make it any easier to hear.

Other than that, things are going well. Yulia is loving soccer even though she still has to be reminded which way to kick the ball!

BUNKO

The First Annual Bunko Bible Hat Society recently met on the Barry deck. The temperatures were great and we had a great time on the deck.


What the neighbors must have thought!!!

Bunko Queen Regine, with her winning bunko hat!

SOCCER

After NO PRACTICES due to heavy rain, Yulia's 5th and 6th grade soccer team took to the field. (Paul Barry was in charge of pictures, that's why we only have this one to post.)

This was her first time to ever play soccer and she did very well once she got her hands out of her pockets and stopped playing in the mud. The team lost 2/2 games.

At halftime, the coach asked all girls to stand up and give their names and which soccer position they liked to play. Yulia gave her name. When the coach asked her what she liked to play, she said, "soccer."