Time for Summer Fun!

As far as I'm concerned, the Eimer's have pulled off a feat as miraculous as walking on water. That is, they were able to photograph all of their kids, all at once, looking in the same direction, and all smiling (see their blog). I can't tell ya how many photos I have of all three kids together, the pictures are endless. But in each snapshot, someone is unhappy, smirking, giving an evil look, rabbit eared, crying, hitting, looking away, blurred, you name it. The few that I do have are all posted here, in a facade of family photographic cooperation! Taking a photo of just one kid is a breeze, get all three together and it's mayhem! No one else has this problem at all, right?! To get one great family picture, many billions of bytes of data die a gruesome electronic death. If I had a nickel for every time that shutter clicked! Thank goodness we have a digital camera!



This is the last week left of school for the kids and they are getting antsy. They are ready to be done for the school year. We have a few local day camps set up for them throughout the summer, just a couple of days a week. We are going to hire a teen in the area to take them to the pool once or twice a week, too. Our three used to go to Spain during the summers, except for last year when they stayed in Ukraine and went to the Black Sea to a stay-away camp. Rimma & Zina will be doing this again because their director, yet again, wouldn't allow the girls to come home for the summer.

I have heard the stories about unsupervised orphan kids running about the summer camps in Ukraine from adults we know, but our kids have been sharing stories as of late about their trips to the Black Sea. It's pretty much the same story. Nadia told me a story about 20 kids eating one watermelon as their only meal that day at the sea, too. Christian camp influences like Karen Springs' group and AGAPE are a welcome change for these youths, and quite a few become new first-time Christians as a result.

We will have to stay in and around Colorado this year unless something magical happens. This is Heidi's busiest time of year and I only have two weeks of vacation saved up. I will need all I can get should we go get Rimma this Fall, unless I go FMLA. We have been taking short day trips to the mountains whenever possible and there will be lots of opportunity to camp and fish during summer up there. In fact Kole and I are going camping and fishing at the hottest rainbow trout spot in Colorado this weekend. We are leaving on Friday and will be fishing all day Saturday before returning home that night. Sunday will be a day of rest before my big Bolder Boulder 10K race on Monday, Memorial Day. I train for it every year, each time trying to better my time over the previous year. My practice run this past weekend puts me in the 55-57 minute time frame!

At our old house, we had a very nice garden. I would get a basket of tomatoes a day out of it. We've been missing that garden as of late, especially when the kids eat tons of veggies and seem to not get enough of them. So, we dug up rock and nailed garden boxes to create the new Rogé family garden. I've had a garden in some way or fashion since I was a kid in Louisiana. It's a southern thing, although we don't have the market cornered or anything. If you didn't have a garden in the South, you were bonafide city folk. We were organic for decades before everyone else found out that it was cool or whatever. We used home remedies to keep the bugs and critters off the plants and our secret fertilizer ingredient was cow manure. My sweet granny, Viola, would be shocked to hear that I buy it in a bag now, we used to go out into our cow pasture with the wheel barrow. Nowadays, Colorado doesn't have the bugs and the only critter I have to do battle with is Buddy our chow-hound.

We talked with both Zina and Rimma this weekend, on two separate occasions. Zina called while we were in the store getting supplies for the garden. Nadia had stayed home, so only Julia and Kolya were available to translate. She wanted us to call back later when Nadia could talk. By the time we got home, had lunch, and got back on the phone to her, she had gone to bed. Rimma answered the phone and chatted awhile. She did finally get our package a few days after Zina's arrived and she said that she loved the shoes. Earlier we sent some cash to her caretaker for both of them to get swimsuits in Ukraine. Rimma explained that they still didn't have enough for the suits, so they just bought sunglasses and summer stuff for the camp with the money. When I asked her if she was just going to wear her underwear to swim in, she giggled. It was great to hear them both again from the other side of the world.

~Felix~

Heidi's 1st Mother's Day!

It took this card from Heidi's sister, Sally, to remind me that this indeed was Heidi's first mother's day! How cool is that! We gave mom her gift of 2 Peonies and 2 Columbine plants the day before. The kids couldn't wait, so I let them. On mother's day morning we went to Le peep for breakfast and treated mom to a nice plate of pancakes.

This being the same weekend after CU lets out for the summer, means a work filled weekend for Heidi every year. I took the kids to their carnival day on Saturday, to lunch, to the plant nursery for mom's gift, and by her work site to see her. The kids capped off the day by washing both of our cars as a special treat to both of us. After breakfast on Sunday, we once again went to mom's work site where she is busy renovating one of the CU dorms. A student was still moving out as workers tossed out various pieces of old debris from the windows and doorways. CU renovates one of their old dorms once a year during the summer and both of the past two years has fallen on Heidi's shoulders. She loves her job there and is in her zone when acting as project manager. Heidi also has a big new dining hall construction job and a new dorm build all going at the same time. She's a busy girl! So anytime we get to bring the family to her is time well spent. We helped her a bit by covering some old furniture that was placed outdoors with plastic. It was a bit rainy on Sunday.

Heidi was able to break away Sunday afternoon, so we took the kids to their first movie theater experience. We don't do this a lot due to the expense and the fact that I have a nice home theater system. The kids prefer to be home with a movie and this suits me just fine. For this outing, the kids saw "Aliens vs Monsters" or something like that. It was in 3D and they enjoyed it. Since it was mother's day, I agreed to see a chick-flick with Heidi. She wanted to see "Ghosts of girlfriends past". It was funny, but a bit raunchy. The kids won't be seeing this one anytime soon! Both movies were within 5 minutes of each other, so it worked out fine. I gave my cell phone to Nadia, just in case.

Heidi talked to Zina yesterday. She received the shoes and shirt we sent to her. Wow, it only took 9 days via US mail! The charge was minimal at $18 bucks, too. Rimma's box hadn't yet arrived despite the fact that we sent them both at the same time. I wonder what makes one package slower than another? Hmmnn. Not the first time a package never made it's destination in Ukraine. Perhaps it will show up in the next few days.

Prayers go out to the Hoffmans who boarded a plane at 10:10 MST to journey to Ukraine to bring home their girls. Right now they are somewhere over the Atlantic, hopefully getting some rest and not worrying about events to come. You can still give, they are going on faith and are praying that what they have will be enough. Let's give them what we can so they can complete God's calling.

Congratulations to the Rhan family who were notified today that their SDA appointment is on Memorial day. Another extraordinary family that we have had the pleasure of talking with. Go forth and conquer, Fran!

God bless you all, the families going into harm's way to rescue His children, and the fatherless ones awaiting the world over! Prepare ye the way!

~Felix~

A call for help!

I've been suffering a bit of writer's block as of late, so I've been praying for a message. When I can't get something out of my mind or off my heart, I call it the will of God. Sometimes He blinds me with it, most of the time it's this gentile nagging that won't subside. Here's what I feel He has tasked me with and the three things I need your help with:

Numero Uno & most important...


Our friends, the Hoffmann's are about to embark on their journey to bring home two sweet girls to their forever family. Their appointment is May 18th, THAT'S MAY 18TH...RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!!! They got the call early to come for their adoption appointment and will not have time to finish their planned fundraisers to raise all that they will need. They will be about $8000 short. If we do my friend Becky's math, that's just 800 people giving $10 or 80 people giving a hundred! Folks, this is important. This is the future and well-being of two children in harm's way and the willingness of two people to follow God's call to walk in the fields of the fatherless. I don't know how else to say it...please send them whatever you can, TWENTY DOLLARS, FIVE DOLLARS, ONE DOLLAR, ANYTHING! It's not your money, it's God's money! Fore go that weekend movie outing with your family, rent a DVD instead. And for goodness sake put down that double ristretto venti nonfat organic chocolate brownie frrappuccino extra hot foo-foo drink from Starbucks for once and donate the $20 to the Hoffmann fund, OK! Here's a direct excerpt that I cut and pasted directly from their blog, there are two ways to send funds:

You can help two orphans be orphans no more. Any gift will help! Our
appointment is MAY 18, so time is short. The button above is for giving through Paypal. You can also give at any major Wells Fargo bank using the account name "Hoffmann Ukraine Adoption Fund" and the last four digits of the account number, 3692, for verification. (Be certain the teller spells Hoffmann with 2 n's. The entire account name must be spelled exactly right in order to find the account.)

Two...


The Ukraine Orphan Outreach camp is scheduled for June 22nd to July 13th! Yep, we finally got 'er nailed down. For those of you in the area, this is an excellent opportunity to do mission work without traveling to the far reaches of the earth. Whether you come out and help or volunteer your resources or just partake in an event, we welcome you with open arms. If any of our friends wants to come in from out of town, we can discuss options, I have a little bit of room, just e-mail me at felixroge@yahoo.com For a complete list of scheduled events and things that you can volunteer for, visit the UOO website at http://www.ukraineorphans.org/


Last, but certainly not least...


Please continue the prayers for our dear Zina. There has been no word on her registration and we are hoping that it is still being worked as planned by the officials in Ukraine. The plan is to go get Rimma if Z doesn't get registered by end of Summer. Mom and the kids talked to Rimma this past weekend (she is back from the sanatorium). Zina wasn't present, so they only got to talk with Rimma. They all refer to each other as brother, sisters, Mom and Dad. I'm so happy that all of the kids "get-it" and know that there will be a time when they are united and one family. Rimma asked where I was (I had weekend AF duty) and said that she was disappointed not to speak with me. She said that she missed the sound of my voice...aawwww! That was enough gas in my tank to last all week!


~Felix~

3 blossoming flowers

Heidi and I are extremely thankful for the three angels entrusted to our care. I can't wait to get home everyday from work to see them and hear about their day. Each always has a story to tell. All three, for quite awhile now, have become quite affectionate, as a family should. Kole told me the other night that I am a good daddy and that he is very happy to have a mom and dad.

Kolya routinely comes up with an American colloquialism and cracks us up, too. Last Saturday, after working in the yard mowing grass, trimming the shrubs, and planting new flowers, he asked me to go to Chipotle. In his words, "We deserve it!". They all worked hard and yes they did deserve it. After I quit laughing, we got cleaned up and headed out for some burritos. Here's Kole posing, in typical Kolya style, below his artwork at the St. Vrain school district art show. His is the red scarf he knitted in art class at Rocky Mountain Elementary.



Julia had a piece at the art show, too. However, I decided to post this cute picture of her at last weeks 5th grade choir concert. Julia practiced for weeks and did a great job singing in both Spanish and English. An episode of "lost in translation" became apparent when the music teacher explained to the students that they would have a dress rehearsal the morning of the concert. I remember her heading off to the bus with a plastic bag, but elected to ignore it as usual Julia quirkiness. Well, she had wadded up that nice dress you see her wearing in said bag because, as her little mind deduced, she was off to her "Dress" rehearsal! An ironing job later that day was in order. Another great laugh!

Julia continues to amaze us with her vocabulary. She is getting more confident and learning new words all the time. Her OT is paying off too and "things" are taking off for Julia! It s great to see her, and all of our children, blossom in their new family!



Nadia is a sweet young lady as she settles into teen-hood. She and I have grown quite close and she matter-of-factly tells us that she is a daddy's girl. I'm loving it and I hope it never stops, but I know that one day she will be too cool to hang on dad's arm. Oh well, they always come back around after the teen years are done, right? Nadia and Ashley's soccer team has advanced to the championship game. Nadia is ecstatic and talks about it with me all the time. She likes to kick the ball around the backyard with me, mom or Kolya to keep in practice. Here she is on Easter Sunday after she dyed her first two eggs. I told her that it matched her dress and she proceeded to make more colored eggs, except the white an black, of course. Since this picture, she talked me into letting her get her hair cut. You can see a picture of it on the Volf's blog. I haven't gotten around to snapping a recent picture of her yet. Sorry.

There's one last youngster in the family to report on, Buddy. He's doing fine and fitting in well with the family. The kids are taking good care of him. So far, he's only chewed up a pair of Easter dress sandals that Julia left on the living room floor. They were promptly replaced with his tug-rope. How can you get mad at a face like that? Julia was able to salvage the shoes, albeit a bit mangled!

~Felix~

No wind in my sails

I've really struggled this week with whatever plan is in store for us. I pray and pray, but I'm frustrated and struggling all the same. And then, the news that R & Z won't be coming this summer. The director has once again gone back on his word and he demands an unconquerable obstacles for us and Frontier Horizons. I'm really tired of this guy and his bait-and-switch routine. The best option is to just move forward on the adoption of the girls and get them out of there as soon as possible.

Heidi will most probably fly over in August or September to see the girls for a few days or a week. I would be most grateful if anyone wanted to accompany her as I will have to stay behind and look after our kidos. This would be an excellent opportunity to travel to Ukraine on a min-mission trip. For any of our friends who are uncertain about going there alone, not knowing your way around, the customs, the food, the transportation, etc, Heidi is well educated on all these subjects and we have an established network of friends you will meet. The cost wouldn't be much more than your airfare. Let us know.

Thank you all who provided input about the one vs two trip adoption. Your comments made all the sense in the world. We have chosen to ride out the next few months and start the dossier near the end of summer. Our rationale is that Z will hopefully be registered by the end of summer, thus eligible summer 2010. If so, we can slow the dossier and facilitator to include both girls. If no Z registration this summer, we will move on R and bring her home first. We may ask for an additional child, probably a boy, with R. This would round us off to six children total, we definitely have the room in the new house. Yes, the money would come for a third adoption trip.

That's all I got folks. I'm a little down about the news. I've got nothing more for you. I may blog once more this week if the inspiration returns. The kids are doing fine and the routine is the same. My days are made joyful by the sounds and laughter of our three. I am certainly grateful to the Lord for giving them to us and quite happy in this regard. My lovely wife Heidi is the icing on the cake! So, yes, I am happy and content and by no means full of gloom and doom. We will look back and realize God's plan he had for us when we have the girls safe and sound at home, in their forever family.

~Felix~

Praying for a miracle!

Photos courtesy of the Jones family & Karen Springs

Last weekend, we talked to Zina again. Rimma is once again in the sanatorium, this time for a shorter stay and as a follow up to her TB test issue from last summer. Since we could not find a translator and we had promised Zina a call that day, Nadia served as translator after a little coaxing. Initially she was nervous and afraid, but before too long, Nadia and Zina were talking and giggling like the sisters that they will be one day. It was a sweet phone call and a big relief to hear these two accepting of one another. Rimma, Julia, and Kolya will follow if the two "big sisters" get along.

We continue to pray for a miracle in Z's registration. We have learned that her paperwork is in the hands of social workers in the area and that once their work is completed, a court date will be established for her and a few other kids in the same situation at the orphanage. We have been told by our contact that these social workers "are very efficient and law-abiding...they will not take longer time than it is provided by the law". This is very good news! Consistently pushing and bringing Z's plight to the forefront has brought her a few steps closer to her and our dream of adoption. As of late, Heidi and I have been a little panicky and worried about the apparent stalemate we all were in, but I have to remind myself constantly that this is God’s timing and plan, not Felix’s! His will be done according to his purpose.

So, the next step will be to hear about Z’s court date and her registration at the local level as being an orphan deprived of parental care. Hopefully this will occur sometime this summer. From there it will take about 2 months for her to get into the SDA system where she will be adoptable exclusively by her countrymen for a period of one year. (Rimma is in this stage now). The girls, being of age, will have to give consent for adoption. Both have consistently stated their desire to be in our family. If the girls change their minds and want to go with a Ukrainian family, we would be very happy for them, of course. After this year is up, Zina will be available for international adoption. At present ‘guess-ti-mation” this would be Summer-Fall 2010. Please pray for Z’s process!

Rimma, on the other hand, will be eligible for international adoption sometime around the December-January time frame. She was successfully registered this past Fall 2008. Here-in lays another source of angst. We will have the funds to go again for another adoption, but not two. Do we start our dossier and go after Rimma and borrow/save for a third trip to get Zina? Or do we leave Rimma in place and bring them both home at the same time?

Prudent minds would suggest the latter and get more “bang for the buck” and only one more trip. Vacation time is strained and there are children at home to care for. However, there are (but there has always been) indications that Ukraine may change the laws or cease international adoption in the near future. Experts say that this is illegal and cannot be done overnight, but those who know Ukrainian parliamentary whims will attest to the volatile nature that is Ukrainian adoption. Therefore, should we “for-sure” rescue one while hoping for the best circumstances for the other? A few Ukrainian contacts feel that we should get Rimma out; Zina included who told us that “…we should get Rimma home before it is too late, even if her (Zina’s) paperwork isn’t ready”.

I don't know if I could do this...leave without Zina. I would feel horrible and it would kill me to see her in tears as we drive away from the orphanage without her. More importantly, what about Z's feelings as she is yet again, left behind? For these tumultuous questions, I pray for and seek guidance from you our friends and from our Lord and Savior. Again, please pray for Rimma and Zina.

~Felix~

Mr. Mom

First things first, Kolya's new word of the week is "destroyed". Heidi and I started a new Kolya word of the week game just recently. The rules, unbeknown to him or his sisters, are that he must totally surprise us with it's use, it must be a word that he learned on his own, and of course it has to be a word that we have never heard from him before. Last week his word was "hexagon"! OK, proud dad moment over.

Yesterday, the lovely Miss Heidi took off to the "Big Town" of Tulsa, Oklahoma for some training. So I'm playing Mr. Mom until Thursday night. No biggie, I'm in the zone! I'm juggling work, kids, guitar lessons, running club, boot camp, Thursday night youth group at church, cooking and pressure from my fly fishing buddies to go fish every afternoon. Actually, fishing is not pressure, if I could find a way to cast whilst cooking dinner, scheduling showers and tucking kids into bed, I'd be hooking onto that big rainbow trout I missed a couple of weeks back at the Big Thompson! Hey, fish gotta eat, too!

I'm not boasting about all the stuff going on in my life. Miss Heidi does a lot of work when she is home, probably way more than me. She's the glue that holds us all together. Also, I applaud single moms for their ability to juggle all of life's demands. I personally know two, Joe's mom (my little brother from the program) and my baby sister who is doing it all and visiting her incapacitated husband in the hospital, all the while explaining to her two little boys why Dad can't speak or move. Having been a single parent myself, I have sympathy for the hard work it takes to raise kids on your own. So this little soiree is nothing compared to what Heidi goes through on my drill weekends and outings or what my Little's mom and my sister cope with daily. I just have to remind myself to slow down and be compassionate with the kids. I get into this zone I spoke about and I'm all business. Nadia and Kolya need direction, but they take it well and with the first attempt. Julia still needs constant direction and quizzing. A typical event goes like this:

D: Julia, when we get home I want you to take a shower and put on your PJ's.
J: OK
D: Julia, what are we going to do when we get home?
J: Put on PJ's and take a shower.
D: Uhh, no, turn it around!
J: Ohh, ha-ha, Dad! I get PJ's wet that way!

(then as we walk in the door, she sits down or wanders off)

D: Julia, what are you supposed to be doing?
J: Take a shower?
D: Yes, and what else?
J: Uhh, put on PJ's?
D: Yes, great job! (here's where i tum off the all business attitude and show compassion) Now let's help Dad by getting this done. (big hug, big kiss)

Then I repeat the above steps a few more times before the actual task of showering and PJ's gets done at all. Meanwhile, everyone else has moved on to the next task, which usually is helping with dinner. Family time comes after dinner, but this week, we have thrown a dog into the mix! Yep, we took the plunge! More on that in another post later this week.

I really do love and relish my role as Dad and helping Heidi with raising our children. It's so much fun and when they get it and things click, all the hard work pays off! That being said, I look forward to a little downtime from when we put them in bed (8pm) and when I turn off my nightstand. Depending on the day I've had or if I'm tired that's anywhere between 9 & 10 pm. I read a book or surf the Internet with the laptop during this time, sometimes I watch the only two TV programs I Tivo, but only after the kids are in bed. (They don't get TV at night during the week. They are allowed cartoons before school, only.)

As I drift off to sleep, that ever-elusive Rainbow trout rises to the surface to inspect my entomological offering. Most nights he stares at it and swims off. Other nights he refuses to budge, snickering at me as if to say, "you gotta do better than that Rogé! Your fly pattern is weak, your presentation is off, and the current has your 'bug' scooting sideways in the drift! Hmmn, not believable, not even close!"

~ Felix ~