Saturday, March 20, 2010
It was a beautiful sunny day today and warm as well, this is such a welcome relief and hoping that it continues. We have woken up some mornings to a sprinkle of snow but with the sun out. Today Martin and I decided that Laura needed to have a day at home so I stayed home and Martin took the bus to see Ethan. I got the laundry done, some sorting out of our bedroom and played with Laura. After lunch Laura and I went for a walk around a small market, but it was mostly fruit and veg. then to a clothing store I had seen to see if we could get a coat for Ethan, but with no luck, then to the grocery store to pick up a few things. We decided that it was so nice out we would drop the groceries off at the apartment and take a walk. There were many people out and about, more than you would see back home, this area is all high rise apartments built back in the soviet time there are no houses in this area of town. We saw children out playing football (soccer) and one thing I don’t like to see but children playing with toy guns. I saw what I think is a school, and we found a swing for Laura to go on. On our way back we saw a pack of stray dogs which unnerved Laura and me also but I managed to keep Laura walking and most of the time the dogs have nothing to do with you. It is so insightful to see how Ukrainians live and the difference between home. It is very hard to put into words the sights you see here. The area in front of the apartment is dirt and behind us which was a play ground now there is just the bars left where swings once were is also dirt. From the back window we could see a bunch of men at a table we think they may have been playing chess or checkers but could not see, all in their coats rather than at some ones apartment. The sidewalks, in sections, the pavement is gone and it is also dirt or there are potholes also, but to the people of this area this is their home, city, country and for them it is just how it is and is better than under Russian rule even though this area is still very much pro Russia. Everyone is well dressed and no one bothers anyone children laughing and playing and baby’s being pushed in prams. No matter what the weather everyone is out walking as only a few have cars although they are newer cars like Mazda 3, Renault, and Nissan etc. And of course you cannot forget the old Lada’s and even newer ones. The bus is the main form of transportation and is very busy. That was my day of people watching and a little insight through my eyes.
TTFN Jenny.
Right, now for a little something from us boys and our play date. First of all when I arrived at COHeyka (pronounced Sohnechka) orphanage I was able to tell the care givers that is was just me today and that “meh dohchkah Laura STOHMlehnihy” which means “my daughter Laura was tired.” And that mumma had stayed with her. Yes I’m picking up some of the language up....but not near enough of it. After getting settled in the play/locker room and waiting for my little man to enter once his diaper was put on, one of the care givers opened the door whilst I was standing right near and handed him to me. She then motioned to me with a big smile to give him back to her and go to the other end of the room and squat down. With absolute delight she said to him go to poppa and he walked over to me with his arms up and a smile on his adorable little face. If that doesn’t make a grown man want to cry nothing will. I then thought ok I can’t spend the next 3 hours hugging my son...well yes I could but I don’t think that he’d go for that considering how much he is on the go all the time. We played with the usual toys that we had bought here and the ones that we had brought with us from home: See and say farm animal pull and spin which sings 2 songs and makes numerous animal noises which he is getting really good with pulling the lever, soft puffy books that we try to get him to point to the different pictures but he is more interested in the ribbed spine which makes a really cool sound when you run your finger nail along it...of course...and the toy excavator and truck. One of the biggest hits is the bubbles. He loves to watch and pop them and also puckers up his lips as though to blow them himself. Not to mention the cute little nose getting scrunched up as he does so.
After playing until 3 o’clock it was snack time and I was given a cup of tea and a bun with filling for him. He took the tea as so did my pants take some of it..but the bun he had no interest. After a futile attempt at that, one motherly caregiver came to my rescue with a mixture of tea, bun and steamed apple pureed. Even with that he still was not keen on some of the bits in it and gave her a little grief but she was more persuasive with their lack of language barrier. At one point though Ethan had both of us laughing as when she told him no, no, no Dima and wagging her finger lightly at him he returned it by doing and saying the same. She then laughed with a co-worker and said what I interpreted as Dima giving poppa a hard time. Half an hour later it was time for the little man to have his nap and we said our so long for now and gave kisses.....sigh....hopefully not long and we will be able to walk out with him.
Well that is all from both of us today
All take care
Martin, Jenny, Laura and Ethan
Sunday March 21, 2010
Well what a gorgeous day it has been, with a high of 14C we did not need hats or gloves for the first time and there was no wind either like yesterday. On Friday at the internet cafe we met Robin and Jim and their son Logan who are from Chicago and are adopting a little boy also 2 from the same orphanage and Nancy who is from Florida who is adopting a 6 year old little girl who has club feet. They are staying in the hotel in town and told us that on Sundays there is a market held just up from them. This morning we decided that we would check it out before going to see Ethan. It was huge and everything you can think of was being sold there. Clothes for all the family, toys, meat, fish all out in the open and not refrigerated, veg., fruit, seeds, nuts, spices. There was even a whole stall dedicated to chocolate. I think every person in the city was out there today. We did find a nice spring coat for Ethan that comes with splash pants and long sleeve shirt. It was then on to the bus again, this after watching the buses honking their horns at each other and at cars for about 5 mins. All Martin and I could do is laugh at it all. Our laughter continued once on our bus as the song playing was Bryans Adams, All for Love. The sun was shining the driver had the window open and we understood the music on the bus, we felt so at home in some strange way. The walk from the bus stop down was so nice and we hoped that maybe they would suggest we take Ethan outside to play, this was not offered to us but we will ask tomorrow if it is nice again. (The other couple were allowed to take their son outside) Now when they bring Ethan to us they walk him to the door and he walks over to us and they close the door behind him. He seems so happy to see us. He was once again fascinated by Laura’s DS and the music that it plays and kept grabbing for it, Laura was not impressed with this but eventually we got his attention to something else. It was again the usual games we played and a new spinning top that we had picked up at the market. His laugh is so endearing and reminds me a little of Laura’s laugh when we first met.
At the end of our visit we ran into Robin and Jim our new American friends and have arranged to go out for supper tomorrow night with them. Then as we were walking out of the grounds we passed another couple who said hello, we immediately asked if they too were adopting which they are and they hale from Israel, they told us that there was another American couple also at the orphanage from Georgia. Just when you think that you are the only ones you find out there are many more.
We arrived at our bus to see that we had the same driver as the trip in and once again listened to music we could understand. We got off at the big super market to get some supplies and got ourselves an ice cream cone each to eat on the walk home (mind you home is still a million miles away) but these small things make it feel just a little better.
It was home for supper and bed for Laura and television viewing for Martin and I “Foyles War” an English show. On this note here are some shows we have seen from home but are translated so we cannot understand them.
Yes Minister
Hannah Montana
Winnie the pooh
Flintstones
Criminal Minds
House
Ukrainian version of shows from home:
America’s got Talent
America’s next superstar
TV stations from home:
Animal Planet
National Geographics
Euro sports – we could watch the world champion curling from home if I was interested in curling.
MTV – sometimes we get English songs
It makes for some interesting viewing some nights.
Anyway it is now late and the dishes still have to be done and seeing as we can only get a dribble out of the tap for hot water I have to boil the water on the stove.
Good night to all
Love
Jenny, Martin, Laura and Ethan
XXXXXXXXXXX
Elsye we saw the great dane today.
It was a beautiful sunny day today and warm as well, this is such a welcome relief and hoping that it continues. We have woken up some mornings to a sprinkle of snow but with the sun out. Today Martin and I decided that Laura needed to have a day at home so I stayed home and Martin took the bus to see Ethan. I got the laundry done, some sorting out of our bedroom and played with Laura. After lunch Laura and I went for a walk around a small market, but it was mostly fruit and veg. then to a clothing store I had seen to see if we could get a coat for Ethan, but with no luck, then to the grocery store to pick up a few things. We decided that it was so nice out we would drop the groceries off at the apartment and take a walk. There were many people out and about, more than you would see back home, this area is all high rise apartments built back in the soviet time there are no houses in this area of town. We saw children out playing football (soccer) and one thing I don’t like to see but children playing with toy guns. I saw what I think is a school, and we found a swing for Laura to go on. On our way back we saw a pack of stray dogs which unnerved Laura and me also but I managed to keep Laura walking and most of the time the dogs have nothing to do with you. It is so insightful to see how Ukrainians live and the difference between home. It is very hard to put into words the sights you see here. The area in front of the apartment is dirt and behind us which was a play ground now there is just the bars left where swings once were is also dirt. From the back window we could see a bunch of men at a table we think they may have been playing chess or checkers but could not see, all in their coats rather than at some ones apartment. The sidewalks, in sections, the pavement is gone and it is also dirt or there are potholes also, but to the people of this area this is their home, city, country and for them it is just how it is and is better than under Russian rule even though this area is still very much pro Russia. Everyone is well dressed and no one bothers anyone children laughing and playing and baby’s being pushed in prams. No matter what the weather everyone is out walking as only a few have cars although they are newer cars like Mazda 3, Renault, and Nissan etc. And of course you cannot forget the old Lada’s and even newer ones. The bus is the main form of transportation and is very busy. That was my day of people watching and a little insight through my eyes.
TTFN Jenny.
Right, now for a little something from us boys and our play date. First of all when I arrived at COHeyka (pronounced Sohnechka) orphanage I was able to tell the care givers that is was just me today and that “meh dohchkah Laura STOHMlehnihy” which means “my daughter Laura was tired.” And that mumma had stayed with her. Yes I’m picking up some of the language up....but not near enough of it. After getting settled in the play/locker room and waiting for my little man to enter once his diaper was put on, one of the care givers opened the door whilst I was standing right near and handed him to me. She then motioned to me with a big smile to give him back to her and go to the other end of the room and squat down. With absolute delight she said to him go to poppa and he walked over to me with his arms up and a smile on his adorable little face. If that doesn’t make a grown man want to cry nothing will. I then thought ok I can’t spend the next 3 hours hugging my son...well yes I could but I don’t think that he’d go for that considering how much he is on the go all the time. We played with the usual toys that we had bought here and the ones that we had brought with us from home: See and say farm animal pull and spin which sings 2 songs and makes numerous animal noises which he is getting really good with pulling the lever, soft puffy books that we try to get him to point to the different pictures but he is more interested in the ribbed spine which makes a really cool sound when you run your finger nail along it...of course...and the toy excavator and truck. One of the biggest hits is the bubbles. He loves to watch and pop them and also puckers up his lips as though to blow them himself. Not to mention the cute little nose getting scrunched up as he does so.
After playing until 3 o’clock it was snack time and I was given a cup of tea and a bun with filling for him. He took the tea as so did my pants take some of it..but the bun he had no interest. After a futile attempt at that, one motherly caregiver came to my rescue with a mixture of tea, bun and steamed apple pureed. Even with that he still was not keen on some of the bits in it and gave her a little grief but she was more persuasive with their lack of language barrier. At one point though Ethan had both of us laughing as when she told him no, no, no Dima and wagging her finger lightly at him he returned it by doing and saying the same. She then laughed with a co-worker and said what I interpreted as Dima giving poppa a hard time. Half an hour later it was time for the little man to have his nap and we said our so long for now and gave kisses.....sigh....hopefully not long and we will be able to walk out with him.
Well that is all from both of us today
All take care
Martin, Jenny, Laura and Ethan
Sunday March 21, 2010
Well what a gorgeous day it has been, with a high of 14C we did not need hats or gloves for the first time and there was no wind either like yesterday. On Friday at the internet cafe we met Robin and Jim and their son Logan who are from Chicago and are adopting a little boy also 2 from the same orphanage and Nancy who is from Florida who is adopting a 6 year old little girl who has club feet. They are staying in the hotel in town and told us that on Sundays there is a market held just up from them. This morning we decided that we would check it out before going to see Ethan. It was huge and everything you can think of was being sold there. Clothes for all the family, toys, meat, fish all out in the open and not refrigerated, veg., fruit, seeds, nuts, spices. There was even a whole stall dedicated to chocolate. I think every person in the city was out there today. We did find a nice spring coat for Ethan that comes with splash pants and long sleeve shirt. It was then on to the bus again, this after watching the buses honking their horns at each other and at cars for about 5 mins. All Martin and I could do is laugh at it all. Our laughter continued once on our bus as the song playing was Bryans Adams, All for Love. The sun was shining the driver had the window open and we understood the music on the bus, we felt so at home in some strange way. The walk from the bus stop down was so nice and we hoped that maybe they would suggest we take Ethan outside to play, this was not offered to us but we will ask tomorrow if it is nice again. (The other couple were allowed to take their son outside) Now when they bring Ethan to us they walk him to the door and he walks over to us and they close the door behind him. He seems so happy to see us. He was once again fascinated by Laura’s DS and the music that it plays and kept grabbing for it, Laura was not impressed with this but eventually we got his attention to something else. It was again the usual games we played and a new spinning top that we had picked up at the market. His laugh is so endearing and reminds me a little of Laura’s laugh when we first met.
At the end of our visit we ran into Robin and Jim our new American friends and have arranged to go out for supper tomorrow night with them. Then as we were walking out of the grounds we passed another couple who said hello, we immediately asked if they too were adopting which they are and they hale from Israel, they told us that there was another American couple also at the orphanage from Georgia. Just when you think that you are the only ones you find out there are many more.
We arrived at our bus to see that we had the same driver as the trip in and once again listened to music we could understand. We got off at the big super market to get some supplies and got ourselves an ice cream cone each to eat on the walk home (mind you home is still a million miles away) but these small things make it feel just a little better.
It was home for supper and bed for Laura and television viewing for Martin and I “Foyles War” an English show. On this note here are some shows we have seen from home but are translated so we cannot understand them.
Yes Minister
Hannah Montana
Winnie the pooh
Flintstones
Criminal Minds
House
Ukrainian version of shows from home:
America’s got Talent
America’s next superstar
TV stations from home:
Animal Planet
National Geographics
Euro sports – we could watch the world champion curling from home if I was interested in curling.
MTV – sometimes we get English songs
It makes for some interesting viewing some nights.
Anyway it is now late and the dishes still have to be done and seeing as we can only get a dribble out of the tap for hot water I have to boil the water on the stove.
Good night to all
Love
Jenny, Martin, Laura and Ethan
XXXXXXXXXXX
Elsye we saw the great dane today.
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