PRICELESS!!!
Today we started off with 8 a.m. Mass again. What a great way to start your day. I LOVE it!!! We had breakfast. Lizzy still not feeling great, hoping to feel better for the second visit today. Visits happen between 10-11:30 a.m. and 4-6 p.m. Fr. Andrew drove us to the orphanage. Halya got paperwork from the director’s assistant and went to visit the social worker while we went to our visit.
We kept Ricky's stroller facing away from Stas in the event he was to wake and see Stas and think he was having a nightmare.
I thought this was funny. While I was waiting for them to finish feeding Stas and bring him to me, I was sitting in the ante-room (locker room). Out came the older, very sweet groupa worker. She brought a diaper and said something in Ukrainian. She obviously finished and asked me if I understood, in Russian. I of course looked at her and tried to look as if I understood maybe a little, and she could tell I didn’t. So she said it MUCH slower the second and with a few hand motions. Much better. All I understood was diapers (because she pointed to it), 10 because she held up 10 hands, and then a question (like—“get it?”) I shook my head yes and she obviously knew I didn’t get it and she walked in saying something to everyone—pretty sure it was “this lady isn’t very smart. Even when I spoke slowly she didn’t get it.”
They brought Stas to me and she searched several lockers for shoes. She gave me a pair, knowing it was an unlikely choice. I tried it. Way too small. I tell you, this boy is fat, feet and all. His feet are like Barney Rubble—except Barney,as a baby, who never had an ounce of exercise. We left without shoes and went for a walk around the grounds.
During our walk Dan said he saw a group with a little guy with Ds. So I ventured over there. As I approached the group on one of the playgrounds, one of the workers in his group pointed to Stas and the boy, “Russel” from RR yelled “Tassi.” He came running up and started pointing at Stas and naming his body parts (in Russian), foot, head (or hair), belly, stroller, wheels, etc… All the other kids in the group started coming and were told to come back to the blanket. They let Russel stay and play with us. Russel is a smart little guy. Very sweet and bright. He wanted to play with his truck. I then looked in his groupa and saw Anastasia.
Here is a picture from her afar:
I looked for approval from a worker to hold her hand and I got approval. She was a doll! She was so delighted to hold my hand and was waving to me from afar before I got to her. When I was talking to her the worker seemed very kind and caring. When I was talking to her telling her that her mommy was coming for her soon (knowing the workers don't speak English), the worker kept saying “nyet” to me. I realized what she was saying...that Anastasia can’t hear me, she said she reads lips.
I don’t know if Jenny (mom) knew that for sure…but wanted you to know she is beautiful and will be truly a lover. She has a gorgeous smile. Unfortunately, a worker came and shooed me away from her and then Dan from Russel and took Russel away crying. I’m not sure whether she was doing this to teach him, us, or the caregivers a lesson. Poor Russel, he was having fun and the 2 caregivers didn’t mind it a bit. Rules are rules I guess---ugh---whatever!!!!!!
Ricky slept the whole visit until we were saying goodbye. We were jubilant when we took the two of them up the stairs to his “groupa” and Ricky agreed to give him a kiss and wave at him — TWICE!! The groupa caregiver thought that was sweet. She encouraged it. Sure, it is easy to say “goodbye”, we will see if those kisses flow when we say “hello” again. Doubt it—---will see.
Stopped at grocery store---a Walmart like store, Ukrainian style. This was interesting. Halya and I had to give them our bags/purses and they put them in a plastic bag and sealed them with a hot iron sealer. Interesting, but a real pain if you need something from your purse while you are shopping.
Back to "home" where we found a very happy and refreshed Lizzy! Yeah!
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