Winter at last (but spring is on it's way)

Home , sweet home, the pink house once again covered in snow but for the first time in a few years. Don't know where the time goes, the month of February now half way done, Valentines day come and gone. It has actually been acting like winter, which no one around here was prepared for. Andrey can't seem to find any long pants, and I think even went out in the snow in shorts. We are finally looking for coats and hats, now that I should be planting greens and potatoes. I just got around to buying Salvador a winter coat, had been promising him a Carhart like the big boys all winter but it was so warm that it seemed a shame to spend the money. He has been snuggled in it almost 24/7 since Sunday when I bought it. He made it through his family tree project at school. I felt so badly for him, not having any baby pictures and trying to tie his recent memories from the last three years into stories about my parents and our history. He did very well and came home relieved after his presentation. Said that only one boy had a hard question. The teacher gave him the option to answer it or not. The boy wanted to know why he wasn't with his real parents. I waited in silence for him to finish and finally asked"Well?" He said, "I just told him that they couldn't take care of me." That is one more hurdle out of the way. Andrey and his learners permit is one of the next hurdles. After today, I'm am even more reluctant than ever to take that leap. While Raymond was at work we needed to unload some hay on his truck. Andrey offered to move it. I told him not to try it, that the truck was too top heavy and he didn't know how to operate a straight shift. He continued doing his schoolwork. I had to check on a disc that I was burning on the computer when I heard a noise like a motor running. Next thing I knew, there was the sound of a clutch slipping and a grinding crash. I opened the front door upstairs to see Raymonds truck backed up over a boulder with a big dent and scratch in the back of the right hand side. I was so surprised that I didn't even lose my temper, just stood there for a minute and then asked him why he moved the truck. No excuses, no guilt or shame, just"I wanted to". I just walked back in the house. It isn't that any one of the kids learning to drive hasn't crashed into something, it's that he took Raymonds truck, knowing that he had never driven a straight shift and after I had told him to leave it alone. It gives me pause in thinking about going and getting him a learners permit if he is that airheaded to think it was fine to do those two things. Then there is Igor, who will be 16 in a few weeks and has no interest in driving anything but a unicycle. He may not be at the same level academically as Andrey but he appears to have more sense. Raymond is not dealing with it very well. It is Andrey's attitude that is infuriating him. He honestly does not seem to get that there is a problem. It may just be a front that he is putting on but he should get an academy award for acting if that is the case. He said that the truck was old and beat up anyway, which is true but you don't tell your brother that when you have just taken his truck without permission and smashed it into a boulder. I think that the desire to prove to me that he could do it, that he was as good as Raymond, was stronger than the desire to obey or the fear of what might happen. After it was done, there was nothing to do but save face. Sometimes I forget that these kids are fragile, that their thin veneers hide egos that have been smashed in the past, that what would appear to be rebellion is a feeble attempt to hold on to self respect. It is a dance to show them that they must be respectful, obedient, responsible and yet not crush the flickering candles of self worth and competence. I have to tread carefully and constantly be listening to the Holy Spirit in order to even begin to do it right. I understand more every day why mercy is so important to God.
In other news:
Maria is at winter retreat this weekend with the youth from Riverpoint Community Church
Andrey, Raymond, Igor and Sergey have made it to the 4th level in Scouting, or are close, and will be entering Life Scouts soon. They will lack Star and then can begin working on Eagle. I am so proud of them.
Igor and Raymond have started Unicycles of Habersham and are having t-shirts made that say"It takes twice the man to ride half the bike"
Anya, Alyona and Salvador have been Terrific Kid more than once at school and are doing good work
Alina is attending The Little School, a montessori type christian school, and knows her colors now
Elijah is learning a lot more words and, although he can't speak clearly, is communicating much better.
I am leaving on the 27th to go to Alaska for the 33 aniversary of the last time I saw a friend that was very dear to me then and now has come back to bless my life. Mama's great Alaskan Adventure. I plan on being gone a week. Hope everything is still here when I get back.