Mail 05 - June 1st
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Mail 05 - June 1st |
June 1
We are tired and it's hot. We spent 4 hours at the zoo today. The zoo is fun - kind of a combination zoo/amusement park/playland/arcade. They give out free ice cream cones at every turn, so the kids are pretty sick. I think Bella and Nelly each had three (maybe four) and Neil had two (no cone) on top of a whole shishlik skewer (BBQ meat) and 2 whole cucumbers. I think it all has begun to sink in for our Nelka - she is so incredibly tired. She slept 10 hours last night, and has gone back with Bill and the little kids to take a nap when they do. I can't imagine the stress of all the changes; I know just the language barrier makes me tired. Last night we were trying for at least an hour to call the orphanage, as she wanted to tell her teacher she was OK and happy. We purchased a phone card, all instructions in Russian. Nell is very unfamiliar with telephones, and although she loves to talk on them, dialing is difficult. She was trying to help me use the card, so was translating the Russian to Ukrainian, then to Italian for me to translate to English. By then end it was so silly we were in giggles, and never did get the dumb card to work. It cost about $5, so we will put it in the thank you card to the translator with some cash when we leave. He'll figure it out I'm sure!
Last night we met with Cynthia & Steve, a couple here from Virginia Beach. They are adopting Valya and Max; both of whom know Nelly from Gorodnya. We decided to go to a Mexican restaurant close to their apartment. I was worried that the Ukrainian interpretation of Mexican might not be a safe choice, and I think I was right. All the adults were a bit queasy last night, but the kids, including the American ones, were fine. The tortillas were ancient - we are probably the only people that have ordered quesadillas since the place opened two years ago! Tomorrow is Sunday, and Monday is a Ukrainian religious holiday, so I am not sure what will be open or available. We are having dinner with the same family tomorrow, but this time we are cooking. Cynthia is making spaghetti and I am bringing a salad. The food from the grocery store is great - fresh and tasty. The produce is beautiful, as the farmland around Kiev is very rich. The flowers, as I mentioned before, are also gorgeous. Terri - remember those tiny bouquets of Lilly of the Valley that we had to special order for $60 a bunch? They sell bunches that size on the street for the equivalent of $2. ! Beautiful cucumbers, tomatoes, potatoes, leeks, and beets, all for just pennies. Bill made a great potato and leek dish for breakfast and the kids loved it. Nelly is really eating, which is great. She is not overly thin, but is undernourished. The variety of foods and nutrients will be very helpful to her. So far, the only food she hasn't liked is canned corn. Neil is eating everything. He loves the food here. Bella, always a bit picky, is having a harder time. She loves the cheese and bread (truly Mama's girl!) and the yogurt and olives and ice cream, but not too fond of much else. Potatoes always taste good, so she has been eating a lot of potatoes. We brought some of Neil's gluten free pasta so have been making macaroni and cheese. Starch, fat, starch, fat,...
Nelly is picking up English fast. She studies the dictionary that Yelena lent us and the phrase book we brought every night, and is trying very hard to speak. The first two days we spoke pretty much only Italian, to help with her comfort level, but now I use the Italian only when we are really stuck. Otherwise, we are trying to rely on English and charades. She is very sweet, but easily overwhelmed, as you can imagine. This morning as we were getting dressed to go to the store, she pulled me over to her little closet with the 5 outfits we brought and said "Mama choose". I picked two outfits, set them out and said "Nelly choose" and she did, easily. Five was too many, two was just right. She doesn't really understand much about the concept of money, but she is good at helping me translate the numbers and pick out the right coins. The bills are harder for her, as she has seen them less often. She has become very affectionate, willingly holding my hand or sitting next to me on the couch. She hugs both of us goodnight before bed. The little kids climb all over her constantly, so we let her go off with her friend while at the zoo for a little "big girl" time. She won't have any friends at first when we get home, so I want her to enjoy this time with a peer. Besides, they are going through a huge transition, and it probably is very comforting for them to be alone together to talk about us! Bella, of course, wanted to go off with the older girls, but Bill & I explained why we thought (not in their earshot) it best the big girls have some time, and she was so understanding and sweet about it.
I know I have said it before, but the little ones are doing great.
I am amazed at how easy it has been. Of course, easy isn't really the
right word, but compared to how it could be, it'll do. Thank you to
all of you who have emailed. Your support is incredible. It is
beautiful here, but honestly, I want to come home. I love to travel,
and am grateful for the opportunity to spend time in such a gorgeous
city, but the added stress of doing wash for five by hand, dishes six
times a day and keeping three little people amused without spending too
much money is not as easy as I thought. Besides, I am ready for summer!
We plan on being here until 6/16. We will probably need that much time
to complete our adoption. If we don't we might consider returning early,
but changing the tickets is expensive - about $250. each - so we will
have to weigh that against the cost of staying. We certainly won't spend
$1000 to come home two days early, but if it is a week or more, it might
be worth it, depending on how the kids are doing. I'll write again in a
few days;
love to you all! L