Finding Normal... and The story of Yarik and Erik

Normal is a little orange fish that swims around in my head. I can't seem to find him anywhere. Most of my life, NOT finding Normal, WAS my Normal. But now.... now I seek Normal.

...and sanity.

Everyday is another obstacle and another corner to turn. Each day we learn a little more about Erik and about Yarik. Maybe that sounds strange. Of course in body they are the same person, but in actuality, they are very different.

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Yarik is an Ukrainian orphaned boy who came from a difficult past and has been seeking love and a family. He misbehaves and lacks listening skills and does not do well in school. He is the youngest child in both his birth family and foster family and often picked on. He shares a bedroom with 2 older boys and has few personal effects in his room. He lives in survival mode and is often not concerned with consequences. But Yarik is a kind boy with a good heart and a love for Jesus. He has hope that he will find a family but mostly life is about playing. Yarik is in constant awareness of his past and unsure of his future.

Erik is Jenn and Paul's American son. He has 2 dogs and a cat and his own Super Hero room. He makes his own bed and folds his clothes. He checks the mail everyday and distributes it to it's rightful owner. He loves it when mail comes for him! Erik helps out around the house and he does well at school. He is an only child and still trying to find friends he can play with. Until then, he does well playing by himself and with mom and dad. Erik loves hockey and cars, especially Mustangs, and is learning English rapidly. Erik is very relaxed, sometimes too relaxed, and gets upset when he knows he has misbehaved. He wants to please the people around him because he has a good heart and a love for Jesus. Erik loves looking at pictures of the people who love him and care about him. He has a website designed all about him and he thinks that is really "awesome". Erik loves his family and life is mostly about love... and playing. Erik is in constant awareness of his Future and working to make amends with his past.

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As you can see, Yarik and Erik are two very different kids living in the same body. What remains constant is his good heart and love for Jesus and really, what else do you need? 

While Erik is learning about expectations and consequences and rewards and being apart of a family, we are learning about exceptions, and teaching and picking and choosing battles and raising a family.

While we are Finding Normal, we learn to juggle work and school, our taste buds and a child's taste buds, exhaustion and homework, laundry and... more laundry, housework and a (clumsy) boy, 24 hours and 36 hours of stuff that needs to be done, and I almost forgot... marriage. Thankfully Paul and I have a solid, sound, fun, adaptable, laughable and on-the-same-page on parenting relationship. Not to mention we are too tired to argue and don't see each other enough to anyway.