There are a few boys that we have become attached to and are bringing treats to each time we visit. They looks for us and do what we do, even when it's frigid outside. There were games of tag and king of the hill and soccer going on this afternoon. Most of the children have between 2 and 4:30 pm for free time. That is the only time we can visit on a weekday. Then they have homework in study halls before dinner which they take in cycles. Liza's isn't until 7pm. She and a boy who will soon be adopted into a family from California had a ridiculously good time playing with the zombie app on Tom's phone right before we left.
Speaking of Zombies, we're all feeling a little like that ourselves. First me, then Isabel, then my Mom and now Tom have all had a bug of some kind that gave us a terrible stomach ache and joint pain. Mom stayed in bed most of today. Then she got up and as she's done every night, cooked us dinner. It's so incredibly nice to come back to after several hours with the cold settling into our bones at the orphanage. I don't know what shape we'd be in right now without my parents here. Several of us are struggling to get any sleep and waking with backaches and bothersome discs. Everyone seems to be tired all the time. What little we're doing burns more calories and spends more emotion than it does at home. For all of us, it's easy to lose track of the days. Our new friend said it's like Ground Hogs Day and that is a true statement. Everything is starting to blur together while we are missing our favorite time of year at home. My husband said that we're bored, which is probably true some of the time. But for me, it's not boredom so much as uselessness.
Liza told us she's in a play of some sort on Thursday morning. We're trying to wrangle an invite from the powers that be and then head to the Black Sea for the day. She's not allowed to go with us at all anymore until after court because as we are reminded frequently, "You are not ze parents, you are not ze parents, you are not ze parents" until AFTER the 10 day waiting period is over.
She made her first request to us since we've been here. She said, "I want...you and you and me...go to my house...posley sud (after court)." She hasn't seen her mother's house in nearly 10 years. She wants one last look and a photograph.
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| Me & Liza doing our daily walk around the property |
Have I told you about my blog friend who spent 5 weeks in Ukraine in January/February while it was bitter cold with tons of snow everywhere...oh, and she had to have a root canal while she was there also. Then she had to come home without her son and come back a few weeks later. ugh. Yes, it's a moving target at best and Groundhog's Day and all those things. We had 2 visits a day so we didn't have as much time to get bored but also little time to explore the country our daughter was born in...so there are definitely trade-offs in both scenarios. I hope you are feeling the prayer support that I know is out there for you guys! I continue to be spellbound by your posts and the growth in your relationship with Liza in just this short period of time. And the visit from the mother--well, it's the stuff of reality tv! We will add your health concerns to our prayer requests. Josi is your best prayer warrior and always picks "The Mountains" to pray for during our morning devotions!Love you guys! (Josi is already talking about coming out to your house to meet Liza when you get home but we'll give you a chance to catch your breath first before descending upon you.):)
ReplyDeleteI am not sure if we have met, but I am a friend of your parents. I feel like I am getting to know you and your family more each day and am praying for you all and Liza. I have never known anyone that loves God, each other, family, and others, quite like your parents, and, through this blog, I see a lot of them in you.
ReplyDeletePlease give you mom a big hug for me (she's my second mom).