Work and Play

Dave finally found a way to get his laptop connected to the internet. He has not been able to work very effectively without it and we all know this is torture to him, not to mention those who live with him. We are all resting a little easier now. Constantine took us to the Mobile shop today to help Dave with this. Constantine is very nice and hilarious. He talks a million miles a minute, as if you understood him. But if he doesn’t understand us he shakes his hand at you and says, “translator, Natasha.” {Natasha is a casual name for Natalia, like Dave for David.}

Dave is worried about being gone so long from work, probably close to six weeks {barring some miracle, which I am praying for and hope you will, too}. So, chances are I will be the one staying the duration and Dave will come home after our court date. According to Ocsana’s prediction, that will be April twenty-seventh. Then he has to make a trip to Kiev to sign some power of attorney documents and he will be able to come home.

Constantine arranged for us to have lunch at the orphanage with the girls today. It was very impressive. Nadia, the director, greeted us and showed us to the faculty room. Someone, I think the secretary, set the table nicely with china. Then the cook brought our lunch; soup, porridge, some kind of fish, sausage meatballs, cabbage, bread, kefir and tea. It was a lot of food. I informed Dave he was going to have to eat my portion as well as his. It didn’t help that Natalia is a vegetarian. I was worried they would be offended if we didn’t eat very much.

When the girls saw us they said, “Mama, Papa” ran to us and gave us both hugs. Liuba turned to me during lunch and said that as her mother she will obey me. We’ll see... She normally calls me Julee. But she called me “Mama” all day.

It was a very entertaining lunch. Both Karina and Liuba were very conscientious that Dave and I had enough. Sveta at one point took almost all the oranges. Karina got after her because then there wouldn’t be enough for “Mama and Papa.” She made her put one back and then put one back herself. She also filled Dave’s plate up three or four times. Dave humored her. Then Liuba made everyone tea and Karina poured kefir for all. There was stale beef-stick and cheese on another table in the room. Karina took the last one but first cut it in half so I could have one. Yuck! But how do you refuse that? When lunch was over, Liuba stood up and kissed me on the cheek and said “I love you, Mama.” She repeated it with Dave and then she kissed Natalia and said, “I like you, too.” Sweet kid!

We decided to walk to the park. Karina showed us the way. They begged to go into every shop and there is a shop on almost every corner. They were only pacified when we promised to stop on the way back. At another point we promised them a pastry on the way back. There was a playground at the park and some small rides but they didn't open till May. It was nice to be somewhere that the girls could entertain themselves. It’s only been a few days but it’s hard to have to constantly entertain them in a strange environment. I can see it’s going to be a very long five weeks.

As promised we stopped at the store on the way back. We told the girls before we went in they could have six gryvnas, which is a little less than a dollar, a lot of good that did. They were like bats out of a cage trying to put everything into the basket. They asked for caps earlier to shade their eyes. Liuba wanted identical ones. She held them up and said sisters, pointing to herself and Karina. They were ten gryvnas, but we gave in. Then they wanted treats. Oh my goodness! Their begging capabilities put our other kids’ to shame. We told them one thing each. I think I stood with Karina for five minutes holding up two items she wanted telling her she could choose one. She pouted and frowned saying, “please, Mama” holding up two fingers. “Niet, niet, niet.” I would say. Finally I had Natalia tell them if they didn’t choose one they couldn’t have any. After that Liuba made sure Karina didn’t ask for more. I think next time we will actually give them the money and make them pay for their items. That should be entertaining.

We had a talk when we left the store. Thank goodness for Natalia to translate. I told them they need to obey. When we say one thing it means one thing. Everything costs money and we only have so much. I told them this is how we do it at home with Emi, Luke and Preston. They talk about Emi, Luke and Preston being their brothers and sisters.

We had forgotten that we promised them pastries also, but Karina had not. The pastries were scone-like and filled with potatoes, cabbage, eggs or jam. The girls chose potato and Natalia had eggs. Dave and I weren’t so brave, we chose jam.

They asked us when we were going to take them home to the states. We told them probably four more weeks. Then they said something like, “Good. Get us out of here as soon as you can. It’s not good here.” I wish we could take them home tomorrow. I wish I could bathe them or at least wash their hands and put clean clothes on them. So far they have worn the same things everyday. We haven't seen their living quarters yet but hope to. Ocsana told us the reason their hair is so short is because in the winter they have a hard time heating water for bathing and also because of lice.

All the paperwork we’ve done so far has been just that, paperwork. As far as I know nothing is documented or done with a computer. Maybe that is why this will take so cursed long. The last several times we have needed to sign documents it has been in a bound notebook and the records are handwritten. Also, there are several holidays in April and May. People do not work and those are idle days for us.

This post is from yesterday, May 17. Our internet was down and Dave hogged his laptop all night. Sorry there aren't any pictures. Our camera was dead again. I'm hoping to download some video recordings but as it's the first time I've done it I don't know if I'll be able to figure it out.