A TALE OF THREE BIKES

 For Ben’s 11th birthday back in July, we got him a new 20 in bike.  This was because he needed one in order to participate in the “I Can Shine” Bike camp.  There’s a previous blog post about that fun week.

 Jonah has an old but very nice 20 in bike from when our girls were younger (don’t worry, it isn’t a Barbie bike.  It’s light blue…and lavender 😊).

Anyway when we brought Ben’s new bike to bike camp, the instructor said he would not recommend it because it had only foot brakes, no hand brakes.  He said it’s too complicated for kids with special needs to use their feet for peddling and braking.

So bike #1 got returned, and bike #2 purchased instead.  

On the second day of bike camp, the instructor looked at bike #2 and said that one wasn’t good either because the hand brake was only for the front.  This is dangerous because kids can topple over the top of the bike if they brake too hard. 

At this point, can you tell I’m not an expert about bikes?  We lucked out years ago when we bought the girl bike.  It has 2 hand brakes for front and back.  The bike instructor just disconnected the front brake for Jonah to use it. 

To continue our bike drama, bike #2 was returned.  We now went to a good bike store and found a used expensive 20in bike with a rear wheel front brake.  Finally, we found success!  Bike #3 is perfect the bike instructor said.

Through all the coming and going of these three birthday bikes, the funny thing is Ben never noticed and/or cared.  It didn’t phase him that we kept taking away his birthday present and replacing it with another.  And he will probably not be bothered that his birthday photos are him with a totally different bike then he ended up with!  Now that’s rolling with it…literally.

So the other part of this bike drama is after many weeks of working with the boys on trying to balance and steer a two-wheel bike, we have decided to put it aside for a bit.  It’s just too hard for our boys right now.

The “I Can Shine” Bike camp did say they have about an 80% success rate with kiddos mastering a 2 wheeler by the end of the week camp.  20% of participants need additional practice at home or at another week of camp.  

Since regular training wheels don’t fit very good or not at all on 20in bikes, Andrew researched and found a great company that makes heavy duty training wheels for all size bikes.  It’s a company that does this to help people with special needs enjoy biking!  

Here’s the link if interested:

Click HERE for Fat Wheels info

We are soooo excited for our dynamic duo.  They can now enjoy bike riding!  

BEST BIRTHDAY DAYS!

 

When you didn’t have family to give you a birthday celebration for your first 6 years, I think it's completely fitting to get a 2 day celebration for your birthday every now and then!

Ben’s actual birthday is today, but we gave him his birthday supper and presents last night because of having Miracle League baseball tonight.  But of course, baseball is synonymous with Culver’s for the boys, so that will also serve as a birthday treat for tonight.

Yesterday Ben’s biggest thrill I think was he had a 3-cake day!  We had a cake for my dad for Father’s Day, cake at a friend’s grad party, and then a bear birthday cake for Ben at night.  Ben was in sugar heaven!

He also loved his gifts: camping storybook and a new 20-inch bike!  His reaction was “Oh my gosh!”

This morning I was filled with gratitude and thanksgiving to the Lord for the blessing of Ben in our lives.  He brings an energy and excitement to our family that I never knew we needed.  Ben was a very unexpected gift to us.  Never in my wildest thoughts and dreams, 10 years ago did I think I would be the mom of a little boy from an orphanage in Lithuania!  God has watched over this boy and protected him when he did not have a family there for him.  I truly believe God has big plans for him in the future, and I feel very privileged that the Lord has asked our family to be part of the ""Ben Adventure".  I love you Benjamin Kostas!  You are sweet and funny, confident and capable.  I'm not sure how I figured out life without you...HAHA!  You are always very willing and eager to give us your expert opinion :)

 

POINT OF INTEREST: at the end of June, the boys are going to the "I Can Shine Bike Camp" in Milwaukee.   Hopefully after that week of camp, Ben will be riding his new bike without needing training wheels!

TIME TO THINK

 

THINKING ABOUT TIME TODAY...

Abigail's birthday today.  Lydia graduating high school next week.  Stephen taking the MCAT on Friday in preparation for his plans after college.  Jonah finishing up with his catheter of 9 months and hopefully staying healthy going forward.  Ben's 5 year anniversary of being in our family coming up this summer.

HOW FAST IT GOES...

As of today, I have been a stay at home mom for 23 years!  How can this be?  Did my investment of that time make a difference in my children's lives?  How many more years will I stay home with Ben and Jonah?  How long will they need me 24/7?  What is my role in my older kids' lives now as they make their own decisions and plans  

HOW MY SENSE OF TIMING IS SO VERY DIFFERENT FROM GOD'S...

What about my hopes and dreams for all five of our children?  

What are their own individual hopes and dreams?

SO VERY MUCH TO THINK ABOUT...

And now on a less serious note, 

here is one of my all-time favorite photos of our Abigail Joy.

Looks like she was busy thinking about things herself!

START OF THE SENIOR STUFF

 Lydia’s senior is quickly coming to an end.  It’s hard for me to think of my “baby” graduating and heading for college.  I’m going to miss her soooo much.

The next weeks are a whirlwind of senior events:

1. Senior art show

2. Baccalaureate service

3. Senior scholarship program

4. Graduation

5. Graduation party

Here is a photo of Lydia’s art show. She is an amazing artist!

Plus last week, Lydia turned 18 years old.  She wasn't thrilled about having her photo taken with her birthday donut (cake came later).  We also didn't have any birthday candles that morning so we improvised with a votive candle.  Ben photo-bombed his thumb into the picture, and Tucker photo-bombed himself. 

We celebrated later with take-out Thai food for Lydia and Andrew and Culvers for the boys and I.  

And a DQ ice cream cake by Grandma and Grandpa.

AND NOW WE HAVE TWO TEN-YEAR OLDS!

Ben turned 10 in June.  

Now today Jonah turned the big 10!

This boy brings so much joy and fun and happiness to our lives.

It's like having a front row seat everyday to the best comedy/feel-good movie!

I love watching Jonah play and learn and interact with his siblings.

I love watching the relationship grow between Ben and Jonah.

I can't believe it's been 10 years since we welcomed this bundle of joy into our lives!

Some of Jonah's favorites this past year:

1. Star Wars- movies and soundtracks

2. Batman 

3. The Muppets movie from 2011- actually becoming one of my favorite movies

4. Frozen 1 and 2

5. Bohemian Rhapsody song

6. Recreating scenes from books and movies

7. Making movies with Stephen

8. Listening to music with Abigail and Lydia

9. Talking about Halloween and Christmas and birthdays

10. Packing suitcases

11. Frisbee

12. Basketball

13. Swimming

14. Writing and drawing

This is one busy and creative fellow!

Close to his "birth moment" at 7:50 a.m. telling us he's turning 10!

Wearing the birthday hat school sent home for him

Aunt Jane visits in her shark costume!  

Party Table ready to go Star War style!

Darth Vader Birthday cake- 

sorry photo is positioned wrong

Singing "Happy Birthday" and 

getting ready to blow out candles.

I'm guessing that isn't really recommended during COVID-19, but we live together so...

Cute video, but I'm embarrassed about the baskets of laundry in the background- clean, but not folded yet- kind of common around here :)

And yes, our birthday boy has never a had one bite of birthday cake for his whole life!  He doesn't like cake, cookies, brownies, candy, etc.  But he will eat ice cream so that is how he celebrated for dessert.

Star Wars gifts: 3 books, action figures, and the Millenium Falcon!  

Ben was super excited for these gifts too!  

Very proud of how both of these boys share everything with each other.  

What a fun day!

BEN THE BIRTHDAY BOY

BIG DAY TOMORROW!

Tomorrow we celebrate several amazing people:

1. My Dad!  

Happy Father's Day to the best dad in the world.  He has always been there for us kids, and his love for my mom and our family has been a foundation for all us as we grew up and started our own families!  I love you Dad!

from 2018

2. Andrew!  

Happy Father's Day to my husband and another best dad in the world!  How blessed am I to have two men to claim that title?  Andrew loves us and provides for us in incredible ways.  He is wise and lives a life of integrity.  Thank you for all you do for us!  I love you!

from 2017

3. Ben!  

Happy 10th Birthday to Benjamin Kostas!  We can't imagine our family without you in it after almost 4 years of being home with us.  You are a delight.  You have a zest for life, you are incredibly talented and smart.  You amaze us each day with what you can accomplish.  You have learned how to be part of a family.  We are so proud of you!  We love you Benny!

BEN OVER THE YEARS

3 weeks old, arriving at the orphanage

1 year old, orphanage ID photo

 3 years old, orphanage ID photo

5 years old, orphanage ID photo

6 years old, meeting Ben and playing with him at the orphanage

almost 10 years old, wearing Dad's hat

ONLY BECAUSE IT'S A ICONIC MOMENT

I  don't like to include photos of me, but because this is my virtual scrapbook to be "passed" on to my kids, I am including this post. 

Today I turned 50.

Hard to believe in my mind, not so hard to believe when I look in the mirror- haha!

Great day: got to float and relax in the pool, got a flowers, pretty wind spinner and soup ladle (don't worry-I strongly hinted I wanted this), sweet card from Andrew, and amazing homemade cake by Lydia.  My family actually threw me a driveway party a few weeks ago along with celebrating Abigail's birthday.  

So much to be thankful for!

Ben was proud of his muscles tonight- 

he said he was the Hulk.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY QUARANTINE STYLE!

Lydia's 17th Birthday on Thursday- quarantine style!

1. Friend ZOOM birthday party

2. Present drop off on the porch.

3. Ding-dong ditch sidewalk chalk Birthday messages by cousins.

4. DQ ice cream cake picked up through the drive through.

5. Take out from a local restaurant.

6. Promise of a birthday gift of a concert and art class.

7. Online ordering of clothes for a gift for now.

WE LOVE YOU LYDIA!

AND NOW WE ARE NINE!

We celebrated Jonah's 9th birthday yesterday.  

So much fun!  

Now both boys are 9 years old.  

Ben is 3 months older than Jonah. 

The celebration actually started on Friday when Jonah brought his birthday treat to school.  His treated was buttered toast- again.  He brought this treat last year also.  I tried to talk him into ice cream, but he insisted on toast.

Then yesterday we had an eagle themed party.  Over the summer, Jonah has come to have a love/obsession with eagles.  So we ordered him an eagle birthday cake, and his presents were an eagle plate, eagle picture book, eagle tshirt, and an eagle lawn ornament.  He was thrilled with all of it.  Then to make it even better, he and Ben got Batman costumes!  Both of the boys were very happy little boys!  

I am so happy and proud to be Jonah's mom.  We have so much to be grateful for that the Lord brought this little boy into our life 9 years ago.  We owe so much to his birth mom for choosing us as his forever family.  Jonah is truly a blessing to have in our family!  And a whole lot of fun too!