I get by with a little help from my friends

Oh my word...it's JUNE!  YESSSSSSS! 
And do you know what that means, other than that school's almost out and it's finally time to wear flip flops?  It means "Ricky" and the other two boys being hosted in RVA will be here in just 23 days.  TWENTY-THREE DAYS!  Ack!  As you probably know, although we've hosted 3 times before, we've never hosted during the summer.  Let me tell you something...I. Can't. Wait.



"In summmmmmerrrrrrr"

 

Last week as Loren and I were pulling into the driveway after swim team practice, we heard and spotted the ice-cream truck.  First time this season, and she went nuts.  My first thought was, "I can't wait to give Ricky a handful of quarters and show him the side of the truck in all its glory, and tell him to choose one."  That's just one example of a simple pleasure that is so routine to us, that will be totally new to him. 

I can't wait to take him to the pool.  Chances are slim that he will know how to swim, but very high that he will love trying (if JN and JQ were any indication!)  My hope is that he will learn while he's here, and if he can't ride a bike yet, we hope to teach him that, too.  Hopefully the marathon swim meets we will have to drag him to don't completely overwhelm him!  And please, Lord, NO THUNDER DELAYS!! 

I'm dying to take him to a Flying Squirrels game with Reid.  Or two.  Or five.  ;-) 
Just throwing a baseball in the front yard with him, like I do so often with Reid, will be a treat. 

 Some friends of ours have hosted a 4th of July extravaganza for about 10 years running, and I can't wait to bring him!  Fireworks might be totally new to him...of course celebrating  Independence Day will be completely new; trying to explain that one with the Google Translate app should be entertaining!

We are hoping big time to take him to Virginia Beach.  Maybe we'll even camp at First Landing State Park.  Oh my- so many new things to show him and teach him.  So many memories to make!

Maybe we can squeeze in a trip to the Drive-In!?  We brought Alyona and JQ there and they both LOVED it...and that was in winter!

Cole, Reid, and Loren are excited to teach him how to play flashlight tag with the neighborhood kids, and make s'mores in the neighbor's fire pit.

See all of the fun host families have?!?  We are the lucky ones who get to introduce him to all of these new activities.  We get to be "American mom and dad."    What an absolute honor. 

I've mentioned before that although we are the host family, we don't walk this road alone.  We are blessed to have an amazing support team each and every time.  Friends and family that have our backs, and understand that we host because it is the very best way for an orphan to be connected to a forever family.  That being said...here's what we need (oh, you knew that was coming, didn't you?!  wink wink)

Because the hosting fees were half price ($1500 as opposed to the usual $3000), and since we had just raised funds in January to host JiNuo, we decided that we could cover the fees ourselves. 

I will be working at a preschool summer camp Monday-Wednesday mornings each week that Ricky is here.  He isn't allowed to come with me, but I was given permission to leave him with a sitter while I'm gone.  Unlike with JiNuo, this agency requires that the caregiver have a criminal background check and child abuse clearances.  Enter my awesomesauce and certified foster parent neighbor! Woot!  So thankful she is willing, qualified, and able!

We are looking for 11 people to sponsor a day of babysitting for him, at $35 per day (it would be 12, but one sweet friend already took a day.  Thanks, A.P!)   My hope is to use what I make at the camp to help cover the costs of all of the activities that I mentioned above. 
 If you would like to be a sponsor, just email or FB message me, and I'll give you the caregiver's name, and you can make a check out directly to her.  Figure that's the easiest way!

We are also in need of a loaner twin bed and a bedspread.  We usually borrow one from my parents' guest room, but they will have 3 little guests of their own (my niece and two nephews, visiting from Vermont) while Ricky is here.

I think we are good on clothes (he falls right between Cole and Reid in age, so I'm hoping he can wear some of their stuff.  Of course I will get him new undies!  :-)

This is exciting.  And scary.  And stressful.  And joyful!  Thank you, as always, for being interested in what we're doing.  I'm counting on you to SHARE blog posts once he gets here.  You just never know who will see it, or how his forever family will find him. Thank you, in advance!!