Happy Mardi Gras !
I grew up in New Orleans and lived in Mobile, AL for a long time - two locations that really celebrate Mardi Gras.
Sasha found his daughters' sled and took it to the orphanage for E. & D. D. had a great time with Papa pulling the sled all over the orphanage grounds. I forgot to mention that on Monday, the caregivers said we could come upstairs and see the children's living quarters. Wow! It was very nice. E.'s group has a large room that is kind of like a huge den. There is a large entertainment wall unit with bookcases on each side and a big t.v. in the middle. There are fun, huge stuffed animals in lots of places. There is cute children's furniture (bookcases, storage blocks, cabinets and toy chests). There are lots of tiny chairs and a round table for sitting down while doing craft projects or writing/coloring. E. showed me their "washroom" with 4 little sinks, 4 low toilets and short lockers with toothbrushes on the top shelf, soap and towel hanging up beneath. Very neat and tidy. Their bedroom is dormitory style with 10 or 12 little beds, all neatly made up and lots of cabinets/storage closets/bookshelves along the wall. The dressing area for outside play also has little short lockers, with each child's name, hats/gloves on the top shelf, a few sweaters and a few pairs of socks, pants for cold weather play and then coats & mufflers hanging on the open door of the locker. Very organized. Boots are lined up along the wall close to the radiator pipes so they are warm and also so they dry out. Dressing appropriately for cold weather is very important - the children go out for 30 - 45 min. at least twice a day even if it's snowing. The playground has lots of cute equipment and 4 little "house-rooms" with open air windows so the children can play outside - but still be sheltered from the weather. Today when we arrived, E. took me upstairs again to show me her bedroom area "all dressed up" All the beds were
made up with pink satin comforter covers and pink satin pillow shams to match...the caregivers know by now, that I take photos of EVERYTHING and they had dressed up the bedroom area just for our photos, although Monday's impromtu visit looked just as nice to me! More snow play and pulling D. around on the sled a.m. and p.m. just about the same, except the children cling to us more , fuss a little bit, pout a little, and don't want to go back to their group.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
2/23/2009 MONDAY
After breakfast, Chris & Sasha (our host) took Y back to school. There were hugs & kisses and some tears. While they were gone, I walked up to the neighborhood market and bought a special cake for Sasha...in Ukraine it was "Man's Day" a holiday/celebration for all the men in Ukraine.They are supposed to receive little appreciation tokens from family & friends in remembrance of all the men that have been in military service (I think). Anyway, after lunch Chris & I had a good visit with E.& D. Still lots of snow!
2/22/2009 SUNDAY
We got up early and dressed for church. Y. looked nice in the new clothes we had bought him. After church, and lunch, Y asked when we were going to see E. & D. We had another good visit...
and more snowball fights, etc. We have to keep reminding Y that he cannot give his sister & brother candy and chocolate. (he loves to give them things) It really upsets their stomach since they don't usually have such things at the orphanage. Y likes his new hand-held computer game, and loves the big Bose earphones. He climbed in bed between us with his game and earphones and finally fell asleep.
and more snowball fights, etc. We have to keep reminding Y that he cannot give his sister & brother candy and chocolate. (he loves to give them things) It really upsets their stomach since they don't usually have such things at the orphanage. Y likes his new hand-held computer game, and loves the big Bose earphones. He climbed in bed between us with his game and earphones and finally fell asleep.
2/21/2009 SATURDAY
As soon as we got up Saturday, Y asked when we could go see his brother & sister. We had a good visit and the children played well together. Lots of snow ! In the afternoon, we (Y , Mama & Papa) walked up to the neighborhood store and just walked around to be together. Later that afternoon, we had another visit w/ E. & D. Lots of snow, snowball fights and falling in the snow. etc. Fun but COLD! Another great dinner and off to bed.
Friday, February 20, 2009
2/20/2009 FRIDAY
The Director of Y.'s orphanage, has given us permission to pick him up for the week-end. We were going to stay at a hotel, but our Host Family insisted we bring Y. to their home in Kramatorsk. Sasha & Tanya are really going "above & beyond" what we ever anticipated. We feel like such an imposition...but they take it all in stride. Tanya fixed lunch for us in the refridge. before she left for work, so all I have to do is warm it up when our Translator/Facilitator arrives with Y.this afternoon. We have straightened up our room and are ready for Y. to spend the week-end with us!
The reunion of Y. (the older brother) and the two little ones (E & D) was good. He was so glad to see them, and although E.& D. were very young ( 3? & 4 ?) when they were separated, E. seems to be remembering her older brother. They played together for a while and we took family photos of the 5 of us. When we arrived home, Tanya had a great dinner for us and a beautiful special cake to celebrate our arrival with Y. for the week-end.
The reunion of Y. (the older brother) and the two little ones (E & D) was good. He was so glad to see them, and although E.& D. were very young ( 3? & 4 ?) when they were separated, E. seems to be remembering her older brother. They played together for a while and we took family photos of the 5 of us. When we arrived home, Tanya had a great dinner for us and a beautiful special cake to celebrate our arrival with Y. for the week-end.
2/19/2009 THURSDAY
Today we had our Court appointment in Ynakiieve at 11:30 a.m. to approve our petition to adopt...in other words...for the legal custody of the 3 children. After a few official questions from the Judge and statements from the 2 sets of orphanage directors, we were parents!!!!!!!!!!!! This was probably the fastest Court hearing in Ukraine history.Ten Minutes! This was such an emotional time for us both. When we arrived home to Kramatorsk, Sasha and his daughter had lunch waiting for us. When Tanya arrived home after work, she prepared a special dinner and produced a beautiful "torte" (cake) from the market to celebrate our successful day in Court.
After dinner, we made several phone calls to the U.S. to family and friends and lots of e-mail
messages.We now begin the Official 10 day waiting period. When that is over, we can begin working on birth certificates, passports, getting medical exams for the children and Visas
from the U.S.Embassy. Ellen & Chris are now Mama & Papa !
After dinner, we made several phone calls to the U.S. to family and friends and lots of e-mail
messages.We now begin the Official 10 day waiting period. When that is over, we can begin working on birth certificates, passports, getting medical exams for the children and Visas
from the U.S.Embassy. Ellen & Chris are now Mama & Papa !
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
2/18/2009 WEDNESDAY
This morning we visited E. & D. and were again shown to the "quiet" room. Just as we got comfortable, and E. & D. were actually playing quietly (using my huge quilted coat as a sleeping bag), the Social Worker came in and asked us if we could take the children outside for a walk - instead of playing inside. Soooooooooo, the children were taken upstairs and dressed in their
warm tights, coats, hats, boots, etc. ... afterall, it was -5 Degrees (Celsius, I think) anyway, COLD. After our visit, Sasha drove us to a "sports" store and we purchased some soccer balls as parting gifts for Y.'s class. Although Y. is not a huge soccer guy, he said his class would enjoy playing with the new soccer balls and that was his request. Sasha drove us home and I warmed up the delicious potato/cheese/onion casserole that Tanya had prepared for us before she left for work in the morning. We are searching for appropriate parting "Thank You" gifts for the orphanage Directors, Social Workers, Teachers and Care-givers so this afternoon we shopped
around downtown. Since we were a little late coming home and Tanya had met us at a store to
try to help us find the items we were looking for, she only had time to whip up a delicious
chicken soup for dinner. Yum Yum. Everything we have to eat here at Sasha & Tanya's house is
wonderful. It's a great experience to be able to live with a "Host Family". Although our Russian is still pitiful, we do practice here at home quite often, and the cooking lessons are priceless!
Our Court date is tomorrow in Ynakieve (the city closest to Y's orphanage). Our attorney in
Kiev called to say that we have final approval from the SDA, so we are well on our way to completing the next step of the 10-day waiting period, then getting Birth Certificates, then going to Donetsk for Passports and then on to Kiev for medical exams and then the Embassy for Visas and then arranging flights home! Still many, many more days, but we are making steady progress:)
warm tights, coats, hats, boots, etc. ... afterall, it was -5 Degrees (Celsius, I think) anyway, COLD. After our visit, Sasha drove us to a "sports" store and we purchased some soccer balls as parting gifts for Y.'s class. Although Y. is not a huge soccer guy, he said his class would enjoy playing with the new soccer balls and that was his request. Sasha drove us home and I warmed up the delicious potato/cheese/onion casserole that Tanya had prepared for us before she left for work in the morning. We are searching for appropriate parting "Thank You" gifts for the orphanage Directors, Social Workers, Teachers and Care-givers so this afternoon we shopped
around downtown. Since we were a little late coming home and Tanya had met us at a store to
try to help us find the items we were looking for, she only had time to whip up a delicious
chicken soup for dinner. Yum Yum. Everything we have to eat here at Sasha & Tanya's house is
wonderful. It's a great experience to be able to live with a "Host Family". Although our Russian is still pitiful, we do practice here at home quite often, and the cooking lessons are priceless!
Our Court date is tomorrow in Ynakieve (the city closest to Y's orphanage). Our attorney in
Kiev called to say that we have final approval from the SDA, so we are well on our way to completing the next step of the 10-day waiting period, then getting Birth Certificates, then going to Donetsk for Passports and then on to Kiev for medical exams and then the Embassy for Visas and then arranging flights home! Still many, many more days, but we are making steady progress:)
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