Going to Ukraine

I know, I know. We fell off the face of the planet for a little while. I started to tell the story of how our family came to be and two installments into things, I disappeared. There have been lots of changes happening with work, school, and family and we've had to make adjustments. Add to that the fact that both laptops died within a week of one another and the ability to blog came in at the bottom of our "to-do" list. But with a few days left in holiday break, I wanted to let you know what's going on.

Those of you on our mailing list, or those who were able to read the previous post with our newsletter, already know about the upcoming trip to Ukraine. We are very excited about the possibility of Robert traveling to Eastern Europe in less than a month. If things work out, he will be leaving with Matthew Nasekos on January 17th. The Nasekos adopted Kristina's best friend Karina from orphanage #4 last year and the girls were able to reunite for the first time back in April of this year. The Nasekos have a real heart for missions and the orphan. Matthew and Robert will be traveling to Ukraine to visit several orphanages, meet with missionaries in the field, and assess how they can help meet the needs of both of these groups.

It sounds very much like my first trip to Ukraine back in the Spring of 2006. It was a life changing experience for me to see orphans in several orphanages and meet with individuals who were giving their lives to practice pure religion. It was on that trip that I met Kristina for the first time. And coincidentally enough, if Robert is able to go on this trip he will meet the two boys we are hoping to adopt.

There, I said it. You wouldn't think saying that would be so hard, but it has been. We have really hesitated to share about our hopes of adopting two specific children for several reasons. We haven't received a lot of encouragement from those around us. Looking at surface circumstances, it isn't the best time to adopt. But we have faith that if God intends for these boys to be part of our family, then He will order things to that end. If not, then we will graciously accept His will and rest in the confidence of His perfect plan. We have been praying for the boys for several months and receiving updates on them periodically.

Let me share what we know. We initially heard about Sasha back in April. It was his red hair and blue eyes that reminded us of our own three boys. We soon learned that while Sasha didn't have any biological siblings, he had the next best thing: Vitalik, his best friend. Both boys were abandoned at birth and have been together since the baby house. We couldn't stand the thought of separating the two of them, so we began praying about adopting both. It didn't take us long to wrap our hearts around the idea.

Sasha is seven and Vitalik just turned eight and they share the same medical condition. I spoke with our pediatrician yesterday and he was able to give me the contact information for a specialist in our area that he recommended. In time, when we are further along in the process and are closer to the adoption coming to pass, I hope to share more about the boys' condition. But for now, I'd ask that you'd pray for them and pray for us that we would have wisdom.

So if Robert is able to go on this trip, he will have the opportunity to meet the boys and spend a little time with them. Unfortunately, Sasha was moved to a different orphanage a few weeks ago. He is very sad at having been separated from the caregivers he knows and the best friend that he loves. We grieved over this news and wish that it had not happened, but we are confident that God has a reason for even this in Sasha's life.

There is a long way to go in this journey. We've been down this road before and are excited to see God work again. Our immediate hope is that Robert can travel to Ukraine in a few short weeks and minister to Sasha, Vitalik, and hundreds of other orphans. Please pray that God will provide the funds necessary to do this.

Christmas Newsletter

Newsletter 1209

Pyromaniacs

Another minor cold front passed through this weekend. Highs were only in the 70's and the evenings have been cool enough to cut off the A/C and enjoy the breeze coming through the open doors. Robert has been itching for a project and today we decided to build a fire pit area in the backyard. The kids helped level the ground, lay the foundation stones, and assemble the fire bowl. Calling on his boy scout days, Robert took some time showing the kids how to build a proper fire. We spent a wonderful evening roasting hot dogs and making smores. Kristina (and Robert!) had never had smores. Kristina was convinced that they sounded yucky, but after her first one she was hooked. Eventually the Hershey's chocolate ran out and the fire died down, but it's a sure bet you'll find us in the backyard next weekend again.

The Blind Side

I rarely pay full price for movies. We wait until they end up at the dollar movie or on video. But this . . . this I will pay full price to see in a few weeks. I can't watch the trailer without crying. I think it will be an incredible message for so many of us.

Holding the Line Part II

Where were we? Oh, yes, pregnant with 8 month old twins. I had just begun my senior year of college. I was due in May and the math worked out on my fingers. I wanted desperately to graduate, but could we keep the pace up?

The boys were becoming mobile and were still attending school with us. Robert was pastoring his first church and building a little house on a few acres way out in the country. Literally, he and his father were building a home for us to live in. We were both taking a full time class load in the hopes of meeting the requirements for graduation. It was a crazy time and we often felt stretched beyond our limits. Several times I would break down in tears in the scurry to get diaper bags and book bags packed for our morning commute to campus. I might have given up in those times had Robert not reminded me how close we were.

We faced all the difficulties newly married couples do. We worried about finances. The little Baptist church Robert pastored operated on a "free will offering". In other words, there was no set salary and no benefits. Whatever ended up in the pastor plate at the end of the service is what we took home - whether it was $10 or $100. We quickly learned to look to God for our provision. We bought building supplies as we could afford them. When we moved into the house, it was literally a shell with studs for walls, plywood floors, and an open ceiling that looked into the attic space. But it was our home and we were happy to have it.

Many people said starting a family so soon would rob us of our time together. I wonder about that logic now. Robert and I became a tuned machine, working together to meet the needs of one another and our little family. There were no "assigned jobs". We worked as a team to get done whatever needed doing - diaper duty, typing papers (on a typewriter no doubt!), cooking, cleaning. It's a philosophy that still rules our house. See a need - fill a need. We grew together because we needed one another.

This second pregnancy was easier. I didn't experience the morning sickness I had with the boys (severe morning sickness that put me in the hospital at one point). How much harder would a third baby be? We had a rhythm going and I was in the final stretch of school.

I began a negotiation with God in the Spring. "God, what is it going to take to let me finish school and graduate before this baby comes?" Surely He wouldn't let me come this far and not let me finish. He was teaching me about His perfect timing though. Each OBGYN check up was met with speculation from my doctor. He just couldn't be sure if the baby would come before or after graduation day. I took it easy in those final weeks, taking the three flights of stairs to my Lit class very slowly. Everyone around us encouraged us that the baby would wait, but we saw their fingers crossed behind their backs.

When graduation morning arrived and the baby hadn't, I thanked God. I was feeling a little sluggish, but the excitement of the day gave me the adrenaline push I needed to get going. We arrived at campus and were greeted with a record crowd. The auditorium was already filled to capacity with family and friends of the graduating class. Administrators made a last minute decision to have the graduates stand throughout the ceremony so there would be enough room for spectators.

It was a warm Mississippi May morning, I was nine months pregnant, and I was just told that I would be standing throughout the 3 hour service. Do you see the perfect storm brewing here?

It started with a subtle ache in my lower back. I shifted from one foot to the other. If I rested my hand on my lower back, it helped a little. The graduation candidate in front and behind me looked anxiously at my movements. "How you doing? Do you want to step out of line and sit down?" There was no way I was stepping out of that line. I smiled and shook my head to ease their discomfort since I couldn't ease mine. After the speeches had been given, the issuing of diplomas began and the line started to move. I thanked God again for marrying me to a Landrum and not to a Zimmerman.

Crossing the stage and taking that diploma was as good as hearing God audibly say, "I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I turned in my robes at the conclusion of the ceremony and headed to the hospital. "Well, it looks like you're going to have two major accomplishments today, Leslie," my doctor declared after examining me. Hannah was born later than night, just an hour shy of Mother's Day. Robert propped my degree up on one of the shelves in the birthing suite. Nurses would walk through and pause to gaze at the official looking document, shake their heads, and remind us that we were lucky that we had waited until graduation to have a baby.

:)

And then when Hannah was less than a year old, I found out I was pregnant again. . .

Landrum State of the Union Address Part I

It appears that I blundered by posting an ambiguous status update on my Facebook account a few days back. And while I didn't mean to stir the pot, it appeared as though I was sending some sort of veiled message about an upcoming announcement to my friends. Knowing me like most of you do, you probably guessed what I was thinking about when I wrote that status update. So let me address the question at hand: Are we planning on adding to our family?

The answer? Yes. Always. Whenever someone asks if were planning on adopting again, the answer is always an unhesitating "yes". But that's where the specifics tend to get hazy. Since we've brought Kristina home, three different children have come to our attention. Each time we considered and prayed about pursuing their adoptions. The last one was this past March; a little special needs girl who opened our heart to bringing a child with unique needs into our family. But a strange thing happened all three times, after we had chosen to move forward God provided a family for each of these children. Our hearts were bewildered and a little torn. There was a part of us confused about the outcome of events and a part joyful that three children would no longer be called orphans.

So in order to address the question at hand, I need to give you some background on how the Landum Family came to be. If you want a direct answer to the question, "Are you adopting? And if so, who and when?", chances are you'll have to tune in in a few days when I finish the background info. Don't feel compelled to stay. I'll get to it eventually. So lets start at the beginning. . .

Almost sixteen years ago during premarital counseling, our pastor asked us about our family plans. We both said we had discussed the issue and were on the same page: we both wanted children. Case closed, next item of business. But he probed further and asked us to truly examine our "family plans". After much prayer and talking, we made a decision that didn't receive a lot of support from friends and family. We would allow God to plan our family.

Our friends said we needed time for just the two of us, to get to know one another and grow as a couple. Three months into the marriage, I learned I was pregnant. A month later I learned it was twins. We were juniors in college - ecstatic and a little scarred. I figured that would be the end of my college pursuits, but I knew God's plans were perfect. I went into labor right before Christmas during exam week and for fear that it was false labor, I brought my Hebrew exegesis work with me to the hospital. If I wasn't having a baby (babies!), I was going to have to show up for that Hebrew language exam. The labor was real enough and later that night I gave birth to Samuel and Nathanael. Samuel ("Asked of God") because we had prayed that God would give us a child in His time and Nathanael ("Gift of God")- because we asked for one and God gave us another. :)

The boys arrived 8 days shy of our one year anniversary. By the time we were released from the hospital, Christmas break had commenced and we began the adjustment to being a family of 4 over the holiday break. During that time, I contemplated what our life would look like now that we had these precious boys. I couldn't possibly return to school with this new responsibility, so I resolved to put college off until much later when the children had begun school. When school commenced in January, Robert and I returned to campus to introduce the newest Landrums to the faculty and our friends and to drop all of my classes.

One of the offices we stopped at that morning was the office of the academic dean Dr. Larry Braidfoot. Robert and I had both been students in Dr Braidfoot's Intro to Christian Theology class. Holding one of the boys, he questioned me about my college plans. I stumbled a little at the line of questioning. Of course I would be dropping out of school. The boys were a priority and I couldn't be both a full time student and a full time mother. But Dr. Braidfoot saw something in me that I didn't, he said I didn't have to choose. "Follow me," he said as he locked his office door and headed out of the administration building. We followed him across the street to the School of Religion building and down one of the hallways to another office door. He unlocked the room and swung the door open to reveal a wood paneled office with desk, chair, and bookshelves from floor to ceiling. He walked about in the small space, scratching his chin and moving things about. "Do you have one of those portable play cribs?" he inquired. I nodded, confused about the direction he was going. "I can bring a lamp in to cut down on the glare of the fluorescent overhead lights and I have a rocking chair. The crib can fit over here," he said moving some boxes aside. Robert and I were stunned at his proposal. Rather than quit school, he was suggesting that we all come. Robert, me, and the boys. It was unorthodox. It was unconventional. And it was totally God.

So for the first year of the boys' lives, that little unused office of Dr Braidfoot's became our sanctuary. Robert and I managed to schedule classes opposite of each other so one of us was always in the office with the boys. They were good babies, rarely crying. I can still see Robert sitting at that heavy wooden desk under the glow of a lamp, a book in one hand, a sleeping baby over one shoulder, and another sleeping baby rocking gently in the baby carrier at his feet. And so this was the melody of our life for that first year. It wasn't without its challenges. During exam week, we took shifts sleeping, studying, and tending to the children. But the majority of our memories are of the peaceful sanctuary of that room, "Grandbecky" the secretary to the department chair who adopted all of us, the "thump, thump, thump" that echoed down the deserted corridors in the religion building as the boys crawled across the historic wooden floors, and the squeals of delight as they later clung to the wainscoting of those halls and took their first steps. I managed to take a full course load, maintain a 4.0, and be a full time mom. And it was all by the grace of God. It seemed that trusting God to plan our family had paid off.

And then when the boys were just 8 months old, I found out I was pregnant again. . .

More Pics From the Birthday

Kristina received a new camera from my parents and she immediately wanted to use it (wonder where she gets that?). We rode our bikes to the park to work off the incredibly rich cake we had after lunch. Of course, I brought my camera too. The fading light worked against us, but I managed to get a few shots of her on this special day.

Twice a Blessing

I can never get her to wear her hair down lately. "It's too frizzy. It's too big," she protests as she pulls it into the pony tail she wears to school most days. Some days she gets up extra early to use the straightener. Its a painstaking process that ends in her hair returning to its natural wave before she gets to the end of the street. But she's an American teenager now and she wants to blend in.

Last night I talked her into letting me do her hair for church this morning. It took some prodding, but I guilted her into doing it as part of her birthday present. Skeptically she perched on the edge of my bed with her mane hanging before her as I carefully dried and scrunched it into what I knew her hair was meant to be. "Done?" she asked as she marched into the bathroom to examine the results. She looked at herself for a long time, turning this way and that to get a look from different angles. "Okay?" I asked. "Okay," she smiled back. Her golden brown hair spilled in beautiful spirals around her face.

Today my daughter is 14 years old. I missed the first 12 years of her life, but God has made up for it in the blessings of the two years that we've had together. I thought of her biological mother this morning and mourned that she never got to see the beautiful woman her child is growing into. Regardless of the dark beginnings of this child's life, at some point she must have been a blessing to her mother. At some point her mother must have held her close, peered into her blue eyes behind the frame of brown ringlets, and known that God blessed her with at least this one thing. Now I know that blessing too. Not many children have the opportunity to bless two mothers in their lifetime. The gift of adoption wasn't just for Kristina. It was for all of us too.

Same Couch, Different Kid

I picked up Hannah from school this afternoon and it appears as though she picked up Kristina's cold. Kristina, by the way, returned to school today and is her happy self once more. So now I guess it's Hannah's turn. Same symptoms: fever, headache, nausea. Two down, five to go? Let's hope not!

Quotes from the Sick Ward

I picked Kristina up from school with a 102 temperature today. She changed into her winter pajamas, her thermal socks, her down jacket and then settled on the couch with the pillow and comforter from the bed. She dozed in and out for a few hours. Periodically she would wake up and say the strangest things like:

"I love this couch. I prayed for myself. The coffee talked to me. I feel better."

"My head hurts. Does this mean I have brain damage?"

"Dad said a bad word - habitual."

"My hair is soft."

"Dad, what are you doing? Wanna pass me the M&M's?"

"I'm not a magazine maker."

"What's the highest fever?"

"I think I'm going to go to bed." (rolls over and faces the couch.) "I don't think anyone heard that."

Of course, Robert took great pleasure in trying to carrying on a conversation with her in this state. He was sitting in his chair reading one of Calvin's commentaries. He told her she should try to read some of his books. She said, "No, I need lower books. Your books are high definition books."

Of Great Importance

This is cross posted from the wonderful Kaysers' blog. Adoptive families, please take a moment and do your part.

...And write your Representatives and Senators. This was a major reason we were able to adopt and I know for many families this did as well.

Making the Adoption Tax Credit Permanent
Adoption Action Alert
Taken from (http://www.rainbowkids.com/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=639)

The federal adoption tax credit has helped thousands of families say "Yes!" to adopting a child. It's vital that this financial support stay in place to help families offset the costs and fees associated with adopting a child. Unfortunately, the tax credit is set to expire in December 2010 unless Congress votes to continue it. It's time to take action!

The Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act of 2009, H.R. 213 , will keep the adoption tax credit from being repealed, and may make the tax relief measure permanent. It only takes a few minutes to email or call your senators and congressmen it's important for them to hear from families impacted by the tax credit.

Currently, there are 76 State Senators and Representatives cosponsoring H.R. 213. However, there are 16 states that currently have no sponsors of this bill, including eight on the East Coast* (one of the largest areas of the US with internationally adopted children). H.R. 213 is currently in committee, where most bills die. It imperative that adoptive families, and all friends of children waiting for families, act now.

It only takes a few minutes to write, call, or email your representatives. Please do so today!
Email Representative: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
Email Senator: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Currently, the following states have no cosponsors or commitments of support for H.R. 213:
West Virginia
Delaware
Connecticut
Rhode Island
New Hampshire
Vermont
Massachusetts
Maine
Idaho
Oregon
Nevada
Montana
South Dakota
New Mexico
Arkansas
Hawaii

The two states offering the greatest support are Texas & Georgia with 6 cosponsors each, closely followed by Pennsylvania with 5. Honorable mentions: Florida , Indiana , Illinois each with 4 sponsorships each.

Pass this on to friends and family, and ask for their help in writing, calling, and posting on blogs and facebook. To gain momentum, we must have an absolute ground swell of families lifting their voices together for the well-being of children throughout the world!

COPY and USE

Hello my name is ___________ and I live in ___________. We recently finished our adoption of two new children. Our journey was amazing but also was very expensive. We were able to accomplish this partly due to the tax benefits that were provided. There are over 140 million orphans in the world today and anything that will help families give these kids homes. Please vote for the Adoption Tax Relief Guarantee Act of 2009, H.R. 213 , that will keep the adoption tax credit from being repealed, and may make the tax relief measure permanent. Thank you for your service and we pray for you and your colleagues daily. May God Bless you.

Out with the Old, In with the New

I can't believe its October. We had a "cold front" sweep through earlier this week and experienced the first hints of cooler weather. Technically "cold front" here means 65 at night, 85 during the day. We take what we can get though! My students trudged into class wearing long sleeves and complaining about the cool nip in the air. I love the promise of things to come though!

We are almost half way through the first nine weeks of school. I wish I could say that the wonderful routine we fell into this summer survived the demands of the return to school, but that's not exactly what happened. After teaching all day (and two nights a week at a local college), I just haven't been able to work the biking into my schedule. I hate it too. I felt great and was really experiencing a change in my health. And I miss biking. It was an activity that all of us could do together. I'm hoping I can balance out my schedule and regain some of the old routine soon.

We're all enjoying some new activities though. Hannah and Kristina are part of middle school girls' Bible study. Sam, Nathanael, & Joshua all made the boys volleyball team at school. We're excited to cheer them on at their first home game this week. Four of the kids are in the music program at school. Sam and Nathanael are in their third year of band. Hannah and Joshua joined this year and are loving it. Kristina wasn't interested at all though, so we respected her decision to opt for other electives.

Even I'm trying my hand at something new. I play three other instruments, but I've always wanted to learn guitar. With no money (or time) for an instrument or lessons, it just never happened. Last Christmas, a guitar made its way under the tree with my name on it though (thanks, Dad!), but I still couldn't swing the other half of the equation until a few weeks ago. It just so happens that there's a guitar class at school during my planning period. So most days, I squeeze my way into Andrea's classroom, grab an acoustic, and set myself between two 16 year olds who happen to be in my English class. There are about seven students in seventh period guitar class who have me for English class sometime earlier in the day. The first time I showed up, the kids raised their eyebrows. But now they make room for me and check my technique when I'm practicing chords. I take notes and tests right along side them and they seem to respect me for that. On Friday, Tabby popped her head in my classroom and shouted, "OMG, Mrs Landrum, did you practice for today's test? What song are you going to play???" I have to laugh at their enthusiasm because I share the same jitters and the same sore fingertips.

Some things never change though. The boys went off with Robert this morning and left me with the girls. We had good intentions to clean the house, but sometime (shortly after the boys left) Kristina successfully convinced me that she was in desperate need of a denim skirt. We set out for Ross (love Ross!) and didn't manage to find what we were looking for. We did however find a pair of "skinny jeans" that Kristina wanted for her birthday. Skinny jeans are the new must have obviously. She tried on about ten pairs before settling on a dark washed pair. She even convinced me to try on a pair. For future reference, skinny jeans are for skinny people! The girls said they loved them on me and tried to convince me get them. I explained that I worked with teenagers - the last thing I need is to try to look like one!

Head in the Clouds

I love to fly. Robert hates to fly. Some of you may remember I mentioned this almost two years ago (gasp! yes, its been almost two years since she came home!) as we were preparing to travel to Ukraine for Kristina's adoption. Robert was invited to speak on orphan ministry at a church in Louisiana several weeks back. I was jealous as I booked his flight online and brooded over the fact that I would have to remain grounded while he got to jet off into the wide blue sky and speak to a congregation on my favorite subject.

As much as I love to travel by plane, I don't do it nearly as often as I like. In fact, Kristina is the only one with real flight experience. Robert and I flew to Los Angeles with the twins when they weren't even 6 months old to look at a seminary on the West coast. But other than that, none of our kids have experienced the thrill of flight. That is, until yesterday.

On Sunday I read the paper. Its the only time I sit down and give the news much attention throughout the week. Technically, I buy it for the coupons, but I still manage to flip through all the pages. Last weekend I noticed a small blurb about "kids fly free". I paused to read about an aviation program offered at one of our local airports. Bright and early yesterday morning, I stood in a hanger decorated with WWII pin up girls and old propellers hanging from the walls. One by one, Sam, Nathanael, Hannah, Kristina, and Josh all got the opportunity to take a flight with a pilot who walked each of them through the preflight checklist and offered an overview of the dials and gauges that starred back at them from the cockpit. Josh was the only one who was a little nervous. One by one, they donned headsets, climbed into their planes and taxied out onto the runway. Sam and Nathanael actually were allowed to take the controls at one point and experience how the plane responds. Each of them touched back down with huge smiles and infectious enthusiasm about their experience. Its not exactly like the big commercial flights each of them will likely take one day, but I think each of them shares their mother's love for flight now!

Breathing a Sigh of Relief

We are thankful to report that the three Ukrainian girls many have been praying for are safely back in the custody of their guardian and headed back to Ukraine. Please pray that the Ukrainian government will see the swiftness in which the US court system and law enforcement acted on behalf of the girls and not shut down hosting programs and possibly adoptions. Keep the girls in your prayers.

Simple Summer Pleasures

Today is our official last day of summer. I return to teacher preplanning on Thursday and Robert has meetings tomorrow. In a last hurrah to our summer time together, we took a road trip to Dunnellon, Florida to tube the Rainbow River. We were pleasantly surprised to find this natural beauty tucked deep in the country. Kristina has never been tubing and she gasped at her first glimpse of our destination. Emerald green grass waved to us from the bottom of crystal clear waters as we made our way down the two hour float. Turtles sunned themselves along the water's edge on fallen trees and egrets studied us as they skimmed above the river's surface. A small four foot gator lay hidden in water reeds only 20 feet from us. He paid us little attention as we floated by.





The serenity of the environment was only broken by the random scream as Robert flipped the kids out of their tubes or the boys splashing into the water after attempting to surf on top of their tubes. Somehow I managed to get sunscreen on everyone except myself and now the tops of my legs are bright red. Ugh! We had a blast and will definitely return.

Heeellllloooooo, Internet!

(Insert crickets chirping here)
If anyone is still out there, just thought I'd let you know we have internet again! We are officially back online! It has been a wonderful summer. God has been good to us and we have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of our time off.

We've been spending a lot of time playing outdoors and getting as much exercise as possible. Most mornings Robert gets everyone up and out the door by 7am. We're back to biking the local trails several days a week, having covered over 50 miles this week alone. Finding new paths has become an adventure and we're always asking ourselves, "Can we bike there?" Video needs to be returned to Blockbuster? Its only 6 miles round trip, so we ride. Kids want to get new books at the library? Eleven miles. I know it sounds like a long way, but its really not bad. We try to be out early before the Florida heat sets in. To encourage everyone to stay together and keep up, Robert warns, "The T-Rex picks off the slowest in the pack!" ??? They just shake their head and pedal faster.


This morning we got on one of the trails and headed to an uncharted section for us. A new pedestrian bridge went up over Interstate 4 and the kids have been wanting to see the view over the traffic. Once we got to the top, the kids laughed themselves silly at the truck drivers who blew their horns and the commuters waving to us. At one point, Robert lifted his shirt tail to wipe the sweat from his brow and was greeted with a flurry of car horns. A mortified Kristina urged him to "put his shirt down"! Big mistake. Knowing how much it embarrassed her, he found every opportunity he could to show off his 'abs'. Sometimes he will randomly break into song as we're riding along and the kids will quickly distance themselves.

Robert takes an unusual pleasure in embarrassing the children. We've been playing tennis at our community courts quite a bit. Even though there are seven of us on the court, the ball usually ends up getting past somebody. Robert says its proof we need more kids! We might not be very good at tennis, but we enjoy trying to get that little yellow ball somewhere other than over the fence. But the heat on the courts can be intense and last week Robert shouted out, "I'm burning up! Tom Cruise, use your witchcraft to put the fire out!" The girls rolled their eyes and hid behind their rackets. But the boys are starting to pick up the joy of embarrassing others. Chasing a ball across the court, Nathanael broke into Bon Jovi's "Living on a Prayer". How and why he knows the lyrics to that song, I have no idea, but invariably it raised the "Mom!" response from the girls. When does this phase pass???