August 22, 2012

Another Day Closer

Today started out the same way, walking to see Bogdan.  As always, he was happy to see us and ready to go swing and slide and play with the ma shi na (car) that we brought him.  He is so content being with us and has started to push the limits a little bit.  We have been trying to learn a few words to get him to stay with us and listen instead of running way ahead.  I have taught him to say please when he wants something out of my bag.  We also bring a bottle of water for him to drink and I think he would drink it all if we let him.  The workers are always nice to us and seem pleased to see us there.  They try to make us go off and play with him instead of being around the other children.  I can understand this but it is just so hard not to hug and love on the other children also. 

One thing that did happen today that caught us off guard was, a couple of the older girls came up to us and they were holding a little mouse.  They wanted Gary to pet it but he told them nyet (no).  They kept holding it and petting it and Gary tried to tell them it was going to bite one of them.  And, it finally did.  They didn’t seem too concerned about it though.  They just laughed and off they went.
These kids seem to be able to make anything into a toy, whether it is a stick and a string or a plastic bottle, they have quite an imagination.  There is an orchard of apple trees behind the orphanage and all day long you will see a kid or 2 eating an apple.  The kids really work around here, sweeping, mopping, painting, and trimming hedges.  Sometimes I just sit in amazement at how thankful we need to be and how little we could live on if we chose to. 

Our afternoon visit went well and when it was time to go, this was the first time that he seemed sad for us to leave.  He just sat there on the bench and waved bye with the saddest face.  Oh, little guy if you only knew how much you have come to mean to us.

~Tina


 

3 comments:

  1. Just one day at a time. I remember leaving our son after an outing. It was like night and day with him. I remember when we arrived, a door opened and he was all bright and chipper and wanted to do everything and see everything. Then, when we took him back, I could see the door closing again, and he'd get all stone faced and sober as if this was what he had to do to make it to the next visit. Since being here, though, that doesn't happen. He does, however, still sometimes seem to not know what is not good - good - better - best to do. But that, too, is leveling out. It is as if they have to go through the terrible two's with you, whether they are two or not, before they can move on.

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  2. Tina, I love reading about your visits with your little guy. He sounds great. It's nice that the weather is nice and you can visit outside. I'm praying for you as you keep moving forward.

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