Saturday, March 14, 2009

Waking up on a Saturday is exciting for us, because we know we will be able to visit “D” twice today! No, school! So, after breakfast and bible study, we are off to the orphanage at 10:00 am. There will be no outside play today, because it is cold and windy. We spent the morning working on animal names and writing her name. The morning went slower because it is difficult finding things to do. When you are in your return at “home” in the U.S., you don’t realize how the little routine things fill your day. Now, imagine totally being out of your routine and going to play with your children in one room for 2 hours. Then, play again with your children for 2 more hours in the afternoon. Now, imagine you can are unable to speak their language and you have limited toys to play with. I remember reading in blogs of families that this is one of the dilemmas. Going outside is a wonderful escape from the four walls of the room you are given to play in with your child (ren). By the end of the visit, you can notice that they too, are running in and out of the room because they are board. We did call Luda and she asked “D” what she wanted us to bring her the next time we came. She wanted another doll. We told her we wanted to buy her a stocking cap and gloves and had Luda ask her what color. She wanted a white cap and gloves. Oh, and she said she wanted “confetti” which is candy.
After the morning visit, we decided to go to the “VALMART” (this is our Russian name for the Walmart like store). We ate lunch there and did some grocery shopping. Paul found a white stocking cap that was fuzzy and had sparkly beads on the front. We decided against “white” gloves….I’m sure you can guess why, but got her hot pink to match her coat. We also got her a lollipop and another Barbie like doll. This time it had brown hair instead of blonde. It was also the only one that had full clothing of blue jeans and a yellow jacket. We tried to get the same size, hoping they could interchange clothing. We also bought a hula-hoop, small bowling kit and a matching number game. All of these we will leave at the orphanage when we leave. Okay, now I can see why you should learn the Russian alphabet before you come here. Grocery shopping can be difficult! We have tried to use our Russian tour book for translations, but it isn’t much help. One thing that we have noticed in this town; however, that everyone is extremely helpful. The people at the stores try to communicate the best they can, most of them know when you say “chicken”, but not much more than that. We purchase spaghetti noodles, and something that looked like spaghetti sauce. We also purchased what was supposed to be hamburger meat, but would probably be coded 50% lean in the U.S. All I could say to Paul was, “we’ll see”!

We reached the Mission just in time to rest for about 45 minutes before returning to the orphanage at 4:00. However, we were awakened by the cell phone ringing. Funny, here when the cell phone rings you know it is one of two things…..Luda calling to tell us she can go and translate for us at the orphanage or Yulia calling from Kyiv with important news. This time it was YULIA!!!!

She said that the paper we are going to go sign on Monday is a form that will allow us to see the one page file on “A”. Because we have already received “D’s” referral, we must have this notarized document from Odesa to request to see “D’s” brother. We will take this paper with us on Tuesday, back to Kyiv, to be allowed to see “A’s” file (which is just one sheet with a photo) and it will be explained to us. Then if we say “yes”, we will receive the referral for “A” to be allowed to visit him and sign the large log as we did for "D" - this system needs automation!!! This is the same process that we went through to visit “D” at her orphanage. Now, Natasha (our lawyer) is still hopeful that we receive the “transfer” for “A” on Monday. If this happens, we will be able to see him on Monday, however, if it doesn’t we would still be able to see him at his orphanage on Wednesday. It is our hope that before we return from Kyiv, he will be transferred. This will make visiting both children, much easier. So our plan is to travel back to Kyiv, by car. We have hired “Jene” Bond to drive us to Kyiv. This will save us money and time! One, because as fast as he drives, we will not have to stay overnight and two, because his fee is less than both of us taken the train round trip. Okay, Evan….we will try to video part of the drive for your James Bond aka Jene Bond “YouTube” video! Also, this way, we will only miss one day visiting with “D”.

At 4:00 pm, we went back to the orphanage. “D” loved her gloves and cap and of course the new Barbie, that is named Katie. It didn’t take long to explain how she could interchange the clothing. Now, Susie and Katie are sharing clothes, just like the children in the orphanage. “D” knew how to hula-hoop which lasted for about 10 minutes. We also brought a Lego set, which she said she didn’t want to do, but when we started it she did try to put some items together! I was guessing it was more of a “boy” thing. One of the boys came through and saw it and kept saying something over and over with a lot of enthusiasm. It would probably be comparable to an American child saying “oo’s and ah’s” over seeing a spectacular firework work show or a newly painted souped up car!

We still haven’t figured out the clothing thing. Today, “D” came out with a dress on that was obviously too little. I gave her some more leggings to put on, hoping she would let me take the other pair to wash. Luda asked her over the phone, but later after thinking she was going to change, she said something to us in Russian and came back without the new leggings. I’m assuming her caregiver discouraged it.

About 30 minutes before the visit was over, we were staring at each other trying to figure out what to do. We did end up leaving early, a little guilty, but realizing this time together can seem somewhat “forced” – think how often we might sit at home with the kids working on activities or lessons? Not for 2 hrs at a crack. We are so longing for the days when we’re home and can settle into the Czeropski routine and not the orphanage routine. We are hoping that the weather will be better by next week so we can play outside again.

For dinner I made the spaghetti. The tomato sauce ended up being mostly paste, but we added water and doctored it up. It also was sweeter than what we were used to, but wasn’t bad. We shared with Jason and Kelly. Afterwards, we watched “Band of Brothers” the first of the mini-series that Jason and Kelly brought from home. It was really good!!! Then off too bed to dream about our children at home and our children here, all nestled close to our hearts.


Here are some LONG overdue pictures:
SCARY BUG....Watch out, Nathan! (The only bug we have seen here so far.)


SEBAKA aka Dog at the Clinic (No, Nathan...we can't bring him home with us!)


ORPHANAGE PLAYGROUND (Paul is dunking on this rim!)


TRAIN TO ORPHAN CITY (Paul on bunk in train cabin)


GROCERY STORE downtown (see Paul....then see girl to the right, this is the norm)


PAUL and DARLA going to eat after church


OUR ROOM at the Christian Clinic (Rob and Laura Petrie "style")


HOUSE near the Clinic (this is normal housing conditions)


MAMA'S first card from "D"


OPEN AIR MARKET


JASON and KELLY (other adoption couple staying at Mission)

GIRLS toilet


DEEK the ORPHAN Dog


DOOR to the Inspector's office


EVANGELICAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH


DOWNTOWN in B-D (Orphan town)


"A's" Orphanage


Christian Clinic (We are on the third floor)


Grocery Store (Cafeteria on 3rd floor)


STEAKS (2 Steaks for $1.25!!!!)