RAT PATROL!

Recently we had a pet swap as Galyna traded her rats to Christian for his fish.

The rats are entirely happy about this as now they get to ride on Christian's fire truck!

Christian has a blast watching the rats race through the kitchen. So far the only injury we've had is when Gabriella sustained a tail ding after crashing into the pantry.

She's expected to make a full recovery and is already back in action!

Breakthrough!

This is one of the happiest boys in America!

It has been such a joy to watch Christian conquer his fears of riding his bike. He's still on training wheels, but up until last week, he would not even sit on the seat. This is one of those truly unforgettable, sweet moments as a parent. I think Dana and I are just as thrilled as he is!

The "Problem" of Shyness

Is there something wrong with being shy? The Publishers Weekly review of Shyness: How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness, sums up the theme of this controversial book:

"Before you sell a drug, you have to sell the disease. And never was this truer than for social anxiety disorder," concludes English professor and Guggenheim fellow Christopher Lane in this scathing indictment of the American Psychiatric Association and the psychopharmacological industry. "

I probably won't read this book, but I heard a fascinating interview with the author on the excellent Mars Hill Audio Journal. The topic is of great interest to Dana and me as one of our daughters is extremely shy, well beyond the usual sullenness demonstrated by many adopted older children early on.

But Lane says "Wait a second!!!" Shyness used to be a virtue, especially for young ladies! They called it modesty, and your modest children do not need to be medicated! He points out that the bias against shyness is particularly problematic in America, where we put a premium on gregariousness.

When I heard him say that, I immediately thought of being in Moscow five years ago when we adopted Christian. Every morning we gathered in a huge dining hall for breakfast, and marveled as we observed how easy it was to spot an American (or Canadian) from a mile away! The Yanks and Canucks were always smily and chatty, while the Russians were typically dour, unexpressive and just plain unfriendly, at least at first glance (this is especially troubling for a Texan!). I was secretely thinking, "What's wrong with these people?"

Of course those who grew up in the Soviet Union had to be very careful about being open to strangers, but the fact is most people in the world just aren't nearly as extroverted as Americans, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with them.

That is something I've had to learn when it comes to my shy daughter. She doesn't immediately seek to ingratiate herself to everyone she meets (like me) and I frequently find myself getting frustrated at her seeming lack of social graces.

Maybe I could learn something from her?

The Persecuted Church

Just about everyone's heard of the genocide in Darfur being carried out by the Islamic Arab regime in Sudan. Less well known is a similar campaign of terror and mass murder that targeted Sudan's Christians in the South (the Darfur victims are black Muslims).

God Grew Tired Of Us is the shocking, yet ultimately uplifting story of a group of young men known as the Lost Boys. Thousands of them became refugees in the late 1980's with absolutely no one in the world to turn to. They walked literally thousands of miles to refugee camps, first in Ethiopia, then Kenya.

This fine documentary follows a group that gets to come to America. They had never used electricity their entire lives! This is a great movie for internationally adopted teenage children. Our daughters watched with fascination as the young Africans saw a refrigerator and a toaster for the first time. I don't think they ever realized that some people in the world actually have it alot worse than they did in Ukraine.

Most compelling to me was to see America through the eyes of strong Christian believers, who are shocked to see the way we live. At one point one of them says, "Who is this Santa Claus? .... Is he in the Bible?"

Moments like that are seen throughout and indeed many scenes are hilarious. But the most important thing about this film is that it reminds me that our Christian brothers and sisters throughout the world are suffering terribly.

Christians are the most persecuted people-group on the planet today. The mainstream media overlooks this fact daily, but if you live in many parts of Africa, South Asia or the Middle East, being a Christian is dangerous and deadly business. Unknown Christians are martyred daily throughout the world.

We need to speak out about this and pray for the more than 200-million Christians who are undergoing active persecution.

Our "ANNIE"

I recently learned that our older daughter, whom I've always known as Anastasia, has changed her name. I'd like to introduce you to.......Annie! A boy at school called her Annie one day in class, and apparently it stuck.

Our "Annie" is natural artist. She has an eye for all things beautiful, as you can see by her latest posting, demonstrating her photography skills.

Great Reads!

Ever since we adopted Christian from Moscow more than five years ago, I've been captivated by Russia and its sturdy people. I marvel at how they've maintained such dignity through centuries of oppression, even through the darkest days of communism, which targeted artists with particular vengeance.

One of the most impressive things is how average Russians and Ukrainians have been able to keep their artistic heritage alive. I see that right before my eyes, as our daughters are both known at school as being some of the best artists in their class.

I have a much greater appreciation for this part of my family's heritage (sounds strange to say that!) after reading the exhilirating Natasha's Dance, A Cultural History of Russia, by British scholar Orlando Figes. This is a big book, but don't be put off by that. It's highly readable with lots of chapter breaks and the pace is brisk. A warning though: reading this book is likely to transform you into a Russophile if you weren't already!

While you're at Amazon, go ahead and order this inspirational little book. My Beloved Russia is the testimony of a young man growing up as a promising scientist and a pawn in the Soviet system. After becoming a Christian, Dimitry Mustafin becomes an underground evangelist at great risk to himself and his family.

It's a fast read, and the translation is on a middle school reading level, so it is perfect for our adopted teenagers. It would be a great read-aloud book for the whole family. And if your faith needs it, it is sure to give you a kick in the pants!

Our "GallaGirl"

Our Galyna is a little locomotive who puts all our parenting skills to the test! Yet she's also brought so much positive energy and creativity into our family as well. One day she decided that she wanted a new purse, so she just sat down and started making one!

She says she doesn't like her "G" purse very much, but I know this will become a treasured family keepsake. It also provided me with one of those special moments when I was able to appreciate our daughter's gifts, as opposed to complaining about how little education they received in Ukraine, etc.

Galyna recently prepared family dinner all by herself, with just a little coaching from mom.

On the menu was her favorite...

Galla-Chops - seasoned with flour, bread crumbs and pepper. They were a smash hit!

Of course just about no dinner around our house would be complete without our staple -- instant mashed pototoes. We go through at least two jumbo size boxes a week! (Dana recommends a very dry Chardonnay to top off this scrumptious combination!)