The Summer the Browers Came to St Louis

This summer was a special one. This was the summer that the Browers came to live in Saint Louis for almost 2 months. It was the summer we got a taste of life lived with extended family in the same town. It was a special summer indeed.

Uncle ('Guhka') Jeff , Aunt Janice (a.k.a. 'ba-ba) and cousins Ellie ('hi Elleee') Lucy ('lu-lu'), and cousin-dog Ruby ('Baaaa-baaaaa?') returned home just over a week ago and we miss them something terrible.

Several times, during the first few days after they left, Evelyn would pause, look around, and ask: 'Guhka?'; and the other day Jess stumbled across a picture of Jeff and Janice in their photo books an he started slapping it madly and screaming 'ba-ba! ba-ba!' (He's still working on enunciation, half the words in his vocabulary sound exactly like 'ba-ba'); and both of them have shown less of their usual enthusiasm when Brent and I arrive home from work without a handful of Browers in tow. And, of course, Brent and I are missing the company and companionship we so enjoyed these last months.

This post is for the Browers--a virtual memento.

As the forgoing shows, Jess and Evelyn spent loads of time with Aunt Janice, Ellie and Lucy. Three mornings a week, for three hours (while Jeff and I attended the NEH seminar that brought them to town in the first place) the Brower gals came over to watch the kids. Not only was it really generous of them give so much of their free time, but they were just amazing and loving care-givers. Jess and Evelyn learned new songs, new rhymes, new games, new words and tricks from Aunt Janice and Ellie and lu-lu.

Ruby came over in the mornings too and certainly did her part to help entertain the twins (and she also really enjoyed playing with their toys--especially, all the balls).

Here's a few moving pictures depicting typical morning activities:

On Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday nights we all gathered at our house for dinner together. These dinners were a terrific if for no other reason than that they helped enormously to advance the process of civilizing our little wild bandits. (With a ratio of 6 civilized humans to 2 toddlers we had them outnumbered. When it's just Brent and me, well, it's nearly a stand-off...)

So, for example, Evelyn and Jess learned to pray at meals, like this:

Indeed, now they've become such spiritual little people that they now insist we pause every 5 minutes throughout the meal for a prayer. In addition, after just one week of dining with Browers, Jess and Evelyn finally decided they'd be willing begin eating with utensils rather than simply using them as projectile devices. Here's proof:

Thus, they now eat a large bowl of "O's" every morning. Unfortunately, at this point it's the only meal at which they can be reliably counted on to use a utensil. Still, it makes clear is that they are able when they are willing.

Although these family dinners did have a civilizing influence, there were obvious limits to that influence. Indeed, Jess and Evelyn spent as much time giggling, waving, screaming, goofing, crying, climbing on Aunt Janice's chair, as they did eating. (Let's just say they enjoyed having a captive audience.) So, all and all it was still like eating with wild animals. To be sure, there was excellent food on the table (Brent and Janice took turns preparing meals) and good dinner conversation, but for my part the ruckus was such that I often wasn't able to appreciated it as I might have liked. Ah well...

Before and after dinner, however, there was time to sit back, hang out,

stack blocks,

cuddle,
play ring around the rosie, etc.








As these next few pictures show, Guhka Jeff's conversation with Jess and Evelyn often centered around the all important topic of "how old are you?" The proper response, of course, is 'ONE' indicated by holding one finger up like so:



When not discussing matters of age, Jeff was often trying to find out what else was shakin' for his niece and nephew.

Funny Little People

Here's a video we just took this evening.

Our Jess and Evelyn are just too darn cute these days. They are always doing the funniest, sweetest (and, as you'll see, loudest) things. I'm glad we caught (most of) this on video, because these moments just don't translate well into narrative form.

By the way, the screaming you hear is partly Jess, but mostly Evelyn who was sitting in her high chair really getting a kick out of the game. You'll see that Brent eventually let her down so that she could go join him and show him how much she appreciates him.

From Blog videos

A Year Ago This Day

For us, July 4th is not only independence day, but our family anniversary. Our family is a year old this day. On July 4th last year our adoption of Evelyn Raisa and Jesse Nikita was made legal.

On this day last year, we went (with hope, excitement, and not a little trepidation) to the Kazakh courthouse in Kokshetau to petition to adopt these precious children. After waiting and waiting for the judge and lawyers to arrive (or at least to converge on the room at the same time), our hearing began. Brent spoke to the judge on our behalf (via an interpreter, of course), and later I was invited to add my own thoughts. The hearing itself was fairly short and fairly straightforward. After waiting another hour or so for the judge's (positive) verdict, and then signing the relevant legal documents, we went straight to the childrens' hospital to bring Jesse and Evelyn (who we'd already come to love and to long to have with us) home at last!

Jess and Evelyn with their nurses as they get ready to leave the hospital.

And then it began, the whirlwind adventure of this life with our precious Jess and Eves. We continue to look back at all that has happened in this last year with wonder, amazement and deep gratitude.

Home together at last!
And, now, a whole year later.

Following court, there was a big celebration at our Kokshetau "cottage". All the Americans gathered for food and festivities. And there were many things to celebrate that day: July 4th, our successful adoption, and our roomates' son's (Dylan) birthday (see pic below--he's the cute little guy in front). We were joined by our friend and interpreter, Makhabbat, and some Kazak locals who came and played traditional music for us.

Здравствуйте! Doug and Janet and Dylan, T.J. and Kathleen, Jon and Angie, Renee and Eric, Deb and Terry, and Makhabbat with whom we spent our summer in Kokshetau and from whom we got so much moral support!

From Blog videos

After the festivities, our new little family retired upstairs to our room. We put our babies in their PJ's, and relaxed together, (though, as I recall, our little Evelyn was far from relaxed--in fact, all the newness and excitement had its effect on her, she was hyper and goofy), and then tucked our son and daughter into bed for the very first time.

A sweet ending to a perfect day.