Day 12

Ok, so I was wrong when I posted last night that Vladik got into some stinging nettle.
It's fiberglass splinters..

It's a long story.

Not much to report today.  Vladik slept late this morning... late enough I had to wake him up in order to get to church on time.

After church we came home quick, changed clothes, and went to an Antique Tractor show at the Career Center.  The NKTPA (National Kiddie Tractor Pullers Association) has a pull there that Joe and Kyle compete in. Last year, Joe got 1st in his age category which qualified him to pull in the Grand National Championship in Columbus where he placed 3rd in his class.
Joe didn't do quite as well this year... placing 4th. He'd been bragging all day that he was going to win a trophy.... which he didn't.
I tried explaining to him that there's a big difference between saying "I'm GOING to win a trophy" and "I HOPE I win a trophy."
Kyle, on the other hand, did MUCH better than what he did last year. He was one of 2 kids in his age group to make a full pull. When it was all said and done, Kyle won a 2nd place trophy. He was REALLY excited!

Vladik was too old to compete as the age cut off was 10.

I realize that not every kid is enamored of tractors and machinery... and that it's not something he grew up around, so for it not to hold his attention probably isn't all that surprising. But I thought he might show just a little spark of interest.
NOTHING.
     I'm really striking out in the extra curricular activities department!

Tomorrow we head to the Cleveland Zoo to meet up with another host family. I hope it will be a good time for Vladik. The family we're meeting is also hosting a boy from Ukraine. I don't think they know each other, but I'm sure it will be nice for Vladik to exercise his tongue and speak in complete sentences.

I've been reading some of the blogs of other host parents, and I can't decide if Vladik's lack of English is a blessing or a curse. His ability to argue and talk back are greatly reduced, simply because the language isn't there..
Whether he would or not-- even if he knew more English, is hard to say.
For the most part, he seems pretty compliant. He hasn't really give me much grief about anything, but maybe it's because he can't.  It could be that if he were more fluent, I'd have a completely different kid on my hands.

Many of the host parents have kids that bend over backwards to help with chores, cooking, cleaning up, etc. There are others who have host kids that are really testing limits and boundaries and bucking up against authority.

Every hosting experience is different.... just like every child is different. And I think that's a really good point to make for anyone considering hosting for the first time this Christmas or next summer. Our experience with Vladik is just that.... OUR experience. Had he been chosen by another family, their blog may have read quite differently than mine.

Hosting is hard work-- no matter how well prepared you are.
It's hard.
It takes time.
It takes money.
It requires you to stretch yourself-- many times in ways you may not be comfortable with.
It's exhausting- physically, mentally and emotionally.
It takes PATIENCE.
It takes compassion... love... understanding... faith...
It's HARD.

Would I do it again?

In a heartbeat.