Day 21 with Aloizs

WOW!  Today was a GREAT Day!  First I would like to say I am so thankful for my church family.  So thankful for the encouraging words today, you guys have Blessed me today.  I took my laptop to church today so I could translate the message for Aloizs, I can't stand him not be able to get anything out of the service.  It was an awesome message today by Pastor Stan on 2013 NO FEAR!  I had to reword add to somethings so he could grab it, or understand, and I feel he really got a lot out of todays message.  To hear that our God is greater than the problems we have, that the enemy lies to us, but we need to trust God with our life and when I typed we need to have more of God in our life in 2013 he shook his head yes, I love it!  I wish I could share everything I typed to him this morning, but I can't  but it was great to use that time to share God with him this morning.  He seemed so happy today, I really feel he was touched and some things were mended.  He even started moving the chairs and putting them up after service.  Love how he is fitting in so well at church, I think he really feels loved there.  

We headed to mooresville today to meet up with other hosted families in NC and SC and all went bowling.  I wasn't sure how that was going to go, There was going to be a lady there that works at his orphanage and other children from Latvia.  She came over with the children as a chaperone and stays in the country til they all go home.  So I wasn't sure if he was going to go off with them and just be all around them the whole time, which would of been ok.  But I just didn't know what to expect when we got around those he could communicate with and knew.  He went up to the lady from his orphanage and spoke and seemed very happy to see her, she was very sweet and younger than I had imagined. We have to call her once a week to check in with her, but I still had her pictured a little older.  She said Aloizs looked so Happy!  And she was so excited to see him, she said she had missed him.  She wanted her picture taken with him.  She seemed to be very nice.  I told her that he was such a joy to have here with us and she said Oh Yes Aloizs sweet boy.  I really felt like he was but it was good to hear her say that.  When we went down to bowl he stayed right with us and never went off to mingle with others or even go talk with Kristine again.  It felt good to know that even though there was those from his country all around he stayed right with us and even when someone would talk with me he would motion at me to watch or come here or high five.  It really was a great feeling.  When we were leaving Kristine told him bye, and she looked at me and said you guys are a beautiful family, and Aloizs smiled and said yes.  It was just precious for him to agree with her and that he thinks we are beautiful:)

We then headed on down closer to charlotte to meet my mom and my Brother and his family for supper.  It was nice to introduce him to my family before he has to leave.  He was pretty quiet by this point it was a big day for him and I know he was tired.  We don't usually stay out that long. 

Well I have to share something that was just too cute at lunch today.  My children will probable choke me for this but it is just to cute.  I was being funny and told him through translator that Matthew was too young for a girlfriend, and Aloizs said Matt No, Mal Yes!  I thought how sweet he showed a little bit of protectiveness over Mal.  Cause I didn't even say anything about Mal.  Love it!!  

On the way home he laid his seat back and shut his eyes I know he was so tired, but of course when we got home we played our "3" games of UNO:)  

Today we now have 1 week left, He flies out Sunday morning.  How many times would you hug your child ina week if they were about to leave you to go half way around the world?  I'm not sure yet but I have a feeling I am going to get on his nerves:)  Already yesterday I went up to him randomly and hugged him and told him I loved him, he giggled and smiled real big and Had a look on his face like "I KNOW"!  I expect this will be the way it will be the rest of this week.

Day 20 with Aloizs

Today was a much better day!  He got to go to Salem Gymnastics for free Gym time.  and he was so excited, but then we found out it is really just an all girls gym, but he was ready to get on the bars anyway.  well after a few minutes he cam running to me and showed me his hands, they were bleeding.  His calluses had ripped open, so I got him some band aids.  Well that pretty much shut him down for the bars.  So I went to searching for men's gymnastic centers on my phone when I hear him hollering Melanie across the Gym, and then motioned for me to come here.  He wanted me to stand right in front of him and watch every flip he did in the square foams, so I did.  After every flip he would look up at me and smile.  I guess that eye contact and a smile of approval mean the world to all of us but especially one that don't ever get that.  We came home and ate lunch and he got cleaned up.  We then took Matthew to get a haircut, with a Russian lady, which was great for her to talk with Aloizs about Latvia.  She had just been there not to long ago. She is very nice and offered to help us in anyway she could with him in the future.  
After that we had been invited to a families house for supper.  Which was really super!  We had a great time, and Aloizs did so awesome at meeting friends and playing in the game.  Great for him to be around other families. We were very thankful for them having us over for such a wonderful time.  In all it was a wonderful full day together.  and of course it ended with "3" games of UNO.  He always ask me when we sit down to play if we are going to play 3 games.  It is our nightly tradition for him to close his day with just us playing "3" games of UNO.  What will my family do at night when he leaves:(?

Day 19 with Aloizs

Well it was Friday, which means in the Bell House cleaning day.  So we start our day with everyone cleaning up their rooms and vacuuming.  While I start washing all of the clothes:)  The boys started cleaning their room and when they finished and came down Matthew said Aloizs wanted to vacuum their room.  Matthew said he did a great job and even moved things to vacuum underneath them, which Matthew said he wouldn't of done.  Gotta love honest children:)  We spent the day at home except I had to run to the store for an ingredient I forgot for my Bake potato soup.  Aloizs went with me and the others stayed home.  Aloizs' likes going to the store, and he already knows where the candy isle is in Food Lion.  So we head to the candy isle and he picks out peanut M&M's  my fav!  As soon as we stepped out of the store he opened the bag and leaned over to me to share. As soon as we got home he went in the cabinet to got a bowl and poured out the whole bag to share with everyone.  I really thought that was sweet, cause I probable would of said these are mine:)  No seriously, a lot of the children do hoard food and they told us they might even try to take food to their room.  So I was very impressed that he put them out on table for the whole family.
The rest of the night didn't go as well:(  He was very to himself the rest of the night.  I had it planned that we would go out to the fire pit, roast marshmallows, and I had bought sparklers.  When I had the fire ready outside he said No he didn't want to go out, Morgan ask him again and he said No.  So we went on out and sat around the fire, while he stayed in and played guitar hero and then the drums.  After a while I went back in and ask him again if he would come out, and he kinda rolled his eyes and didn't look very happy and said ok and went and got his coat.  He came out roasted a couple marshmallows lit a sparkler and then got up and went inside.  Me and the kids just sat there and looked at each other, it was the first time we had seen him act like that.  At first I was worried that this was going to be the beginning of the hard week that they had warned us about.  That when you start into the last week that they pull away.  I really can not handle that after such a wonderful time we have been having.  We give him some time and then I went and sat with him, well at first I went behind him and covered his eyes while he was trying to play the video game.  Then I sat down and with my translator I ask him what was wrong? and at first he started a sentence that said something about an accident, but then he backed it out and typed that he just didn't want to go outside.  So I am not sure if it was the fire and something in his past had something to do with an accident of some sort with fire.  So I told him thank you for coming out for a little while, and that we loved him, and we moved on with the night.  It is so hard when you can't get the communication you want so you can help, the short time period that we have together is so hard.  Part of you wants to talk and help, and the other side want to just have fun and give him a great time away from all of that.  So I try to have balance with the serious conversations and having fun.  I so wish we had more time.  I finished the night by asking him if he believed me when I told him I loved him and he smiled and said yes, so in the end that is my goal, for him to know he is loved.

Day 18 With Aloizs

The God of it all cares for all!
I am Thankful we have a God that cares and Loves each of us so much.  That there isn't a one of us that he cares about more than another.  
Today was a pretty full day, after lunch we went shopping, Aloizs loves to go shopping, he looks around and absorbs everything.  As we were getting into the car to leave he hurries around to the front seat and gets in, I go to grab the the door to open it and it is locked, I looked in the car and he is rolling.  He is such a happy child and loves to pick.  He also loves to change the gear shift from R to D, every time now he will ask me "now" and I'll say yes and he changes it.  A few days ago a car was backing up on us so I blew the horn, now he leans over and blows the horn, He thinks that is so funny.  We were in the Target parking lot and he blows the horn with this car in front of me, and then he laughed...so if you see us going down the street and my horn is blowing just know it is just Aloizs have a blast with the horn.  He enjoys pushing the buggy and then riding on it, he enjoys balancing on parking curbs, walking around and looking in different stores, just everything every where is a joy to him.  
We came home and my mom had sent the kids a big box, they were so excited.  Aloizs I know wasn't sure what  the excitement was about, but he knew they were excited.  They opened the box and it was full of individual wrapped presents.  His eyes got big, and Matthew read the names on the packages and when he said Aloizs, he just smiled so big.  It was so great.  Thanks mom for being so thoughtful.  We translated the card for him and he shook his head and smiled.  It was a great surprise.  After that I was on the phone and had set down for a minute to wait for supper to finish and he came and found me, when I followed him to the kitchen he said "mom" and pointed to the oven, it had beeped.  Such a sweetheart of a child.  
A Friend of mine set up for him to go to gymnastics tonight and he was so excited.  when I told him he took his hand balled up and pulled it back and said "YES!"  That must be universal for children:) When we got there they were only doing floor routines, but he tried and did everything they did.  I asked them if after class if he could show them what he does on the bars, and they let him. They were blowed away.  every bodies mouth dropped.  It was so cool, Matthew said he felt so proud, like "Yeah, he's with me"  lol  He took off on that bar, and did things they had never seen before.  The man said he had some amazing upper body strength.  The two men coaches loved him! Unfortunately, to do  the bar they said he would have to have private lessons which are $25 for 30 minutes, and not to be mean or anything cause I really appreciate how nice they were to him, but it really wont be a lesson...he knows more than they do on the bar, and can do more than they can.  So, it is really just paying for him to do what he loves for 30 minutes.  I so wish I could just find him a bar where he could just be turned loose.  When we were leaving the 2 coaches and the other staff were still talking about how amazing he is.  He had a lot of fun though.  If there is anyone that can help us find him somewhere with a big bar please let me know.  
We then came home and sacked it out and all watched a movie and ate popcorn:) 
I want to thank all of my friends, you guys have been such a Blessing to me and my family. This blog has had over 900 views!  Thank you for All of the texts with scriptures and words of encouragement, the private messages that flood in every day with the sweetest comments, the setting up of gymnastics and soccer opportunities, the invites for dinner, treating us to frozen yogurt, to bringing food over,  financial donations, prayers, and lots of love.  I thank you with my whole heart, all of you are such a treasure to me and I am so thankful to share in this journey together.  Love you all!

Day 17 with Aloizs

It was a good day at the Bell House.  We started with a great morning conversation, I told Aloizs that are family really loved him and that he was very special to us.  We stayed home and enjoyed hanging around the house, til it was time to leave for church.  On the way to church I stopped at Cosco to pick up some pictures.  I had a 5x7 made of each one of the kids to put on our sofa table.  I felt that putting his picture in a frame and putting it out might  be something no one  has ever done for him.  So I will share his response to that later.
At church he gets out of the car and is always so helpful, he helps carry in our things.  He had fun playing with a mic:)  what kid doesn't.  When all the youth got there, they all do so good with him  and he does with them.  Very proud of him in how he just fits right in with our family, jumps in with what ever we are doing.  I had taken my lesson and put it in the translator for him to have a copy of it so he could read what I was teaching.  He sat there and read the whole thing.  and then we played a game which he did great in participating with.  I can't imagine being around a bunch of teens laughing and talking and I didn't understand everything, that has to be hard, but he does so well with it.  When it was time to clean up he jumps right in, even gets my phone and picks it up and puts it in my pocket, He knows I keep it in my right front pocket.  and he has already learned how I loose things. On the way home we stop and get something to eat at Wendy's, and again with the straw paper war.  These little things are going to be the things we miss when he leaves.  
After we got home I checked on his arm which I had been putting cream on today, It is a small patch of red itchy skin. He seems to like me checking on his arm and putting cream and a band aid on it, which made me think that those are the little things a mom does, that he don't have.  Our children take us moms so for granted,  and we took our moms for granted that the little things like a band aid mean so much.  
I know I have said it before but this child has opened my eyes to so much, one being that we worry and stress and stay busy in our lives with what??  nothing really important.  That we should just enjoy each day and that it is a "Good" day just to be alive and have each other.  

Day 16 New Years day with Aloiz

New Year's Day!  What a Great New Year already!  Matthew and Aloizs didn't come down til 11:00 or so, I asked Matthew what they were doing and he said they put together a Bionicle (Idon't know how to spell that) that Aloizs got for Christmas.  Loved that great brother time laying on the bed building, what a great time for them.  I appreciate Matthew spending time with him this morning.  We went to Brixx to eat because they have Gluten Free Pizza, and it was a lot of fun, straw paper has become a traditional war when we go eat.  Food was amazing!  We then went bowling today!  Lots of fun!  Aloizs continues to be so amazing and such a blessing.  I grew up with the old saying that what ever you do on New Years Day is how you will spend your year, I sure hope so!!  

I made Chocolate chip cookies tonight, and when I put the two plates of cookies on the table he pointed to the one plate and said "special"  and I said Yes.  I had made him Gluten free cookies, and he took a bite and with a big smile said "GOOD!"  I think he ate at least 5 or 6 cookies.  I am sure they don't make him special chocolate chip cookies back home:(  Every child needs Chocolate chip cookies and a big glass of milk!

Aloizs did have a few times today he seemed very quiet and to himself.  I asked him if he was okay and he said he was fine, but I really think he has a lot on his mind right now.  Tonight we got to talk a little and I found out he has a sister who is 13 years old.  He said she didn't get to come to America because of her bad behavior.  He said she smokes and drinks...tell me how a 13 yr old does that?  They live in such a different world.  I asked him how he got to be so sweet, he just looked at me and smiled with a little laugh.  It breaks my heart that these children are raised in such an atmosphere.  He really is a miracle child.  God has a great plan for this precious boy, to grow up in that and be so sweet.  I am thankful for every minute I get to be with him

Day 15 New Year's eve day

Went to the park today and found him a a bar to flip on.  He was amazing.  He held this for a pretty long time.  It was a lot of fun today at the playground.  Just watching him having fun is such a blessing.  We then went to Sweet Frog for yogurt, and on the way he opens the sun roof and says its hot.  We are having summer in December at the Bell's house.  Outside at the playground, ice cream, sunroof open.  When he left Latvia it was 9 degrees so I am sure 50 degrees feels pretty good.  Jessica and Joshua met us at the playground and he went right up to Jessica and give her a hug it was really sweet.  We went out to eat with Margaret and Robert for supper and he decides to pick on Morgan and take her DSI and run with it, starting to really act like siblings:)  We came home and Robert and Margaret wanted to close out our year with prayer so we joined hands in a circle and had prayer, I am sure he didn't understand a word, but I know he feels the love and sees what family is through this.  Things we take for granted and expect that we will always have.  We are very Blessed here in America, and very Blessed to have family and a home.  2012 was a wonderful year, with lots of wonderful memories with my family, and what a special way to close my 2012 with a wonderful boy from Latvia.  I put on the translator that I was very happy he was with us for New Years, and that I thought that 2013 was going to be a great year.  He smiled real big, and showed Tony what I had said.  It made him so happy for me to say that.  I hugged and kissed each one of these 4 special children that God has blessed us with and told them I loved them, without a single thought I had  hugged him and kissed him on the cheek just as I did my own and didn't realize it until I sat back down, when it hit me I truly love this child like my very own.  

Matthew, Mallory, Aloizs, and I started playing Charades, and there is nothing funnier than playing charades at 1am!  Then in the middle of the game he gets up and moves over to the end of the couch and stares off, I feel like it is starting, those moments when he realizes he has to go back, and time is now going fast.  We are praying that this is not the last time God brings us together with Aloizs, and that is my New Years resolution