Another good day, long post

December 22, 2006
The day looks a lot different when you are by yourself. I slept really good last night. I am sure that it is because the night before I was so stressed that I didn’t get much sleep and tonight, my body didn’t have a choice.
The lady of the house called today and she is going to come tomorrow and clean at 1:00, so I need to have a plan to be somewhere else.
This morning I headed to the Orphanage. No luck like yesterday, I had to get to the crossroads to catch a taxi instead of having one outside the apartment. The taxi driver that was there was the older gentleman that smokes and has a car that is basically taped together, but he is nice and knows where we are going. It’s funny, the first thing he asked me is where was my husband. David is the front seat rider and I always am in the back. He has been the one to give them the address, etc. He is sorely missed by the taxi driver, because I am definitely not the entertaining one.
There was another couple from Italy at the Orphanage today who were looking at a three year old little boy. He is very tiny and Chris/Kola looks like a giant compared to him. We had to go outside for our visit today so that the other family could have the space. We skipped, played chase (OMG…it was a long two hours), and played a game of hopscotch. Oh, we played hide a seek with some of the other kids. They were outside and we were constantly looking around corners and hiding from them. I tried having Chris/Kola play with his friends so that I could take pictures, but that didn’t go over too well. He became very possessive telling them that I was his “mama” when a couple of the kids tried to hold my hands.
I have also found another similarity between Chris and Matthew. When Matthew was leaving his daycare, I came and took some pictures of him with his friends. There were two boys in the pictures. Then some girls came over to get in the picture and he had a meltdown. Well, guess what…same bat time..same bat channel. Yesterday when we were taking pictures of his groupa, he only wanted his two friends that were boys and when a couple of girls came to get in the picture..he wouldn’t smile and just pouted. Today, I was taking pictures and he was happy when his friend was in the picture..even holding his hand..but some girls came up and he pushed them away. Once we are on the same page with our language, we’ll have a talk about this!!  I love watching Chris and his little friend play, they are really sweet together.
As always, I headed back to the Internet and spent an hour online and then went to our favorite pizza place for lunch. They even wanted to know why I was by myself. I did go to the market, just because I didn’t want to go back to the apartment. The market is an interesting place. In the front is the food section and in the back is dry goods. When you start from the right, you run into the fresh meat section..you know chicken hearts, liver, pigs heads, and anything else you don’t want to smell…chees is on the right of that isle. As I get to the dry goods as soon as possible, you find many of the things you would find at an American Flea Market. Then to get out you go out on the other side of the front where all the fresh fish are out on the counter. Now talk about smell. There is no safe place.
Once I got outside, I did head to the bread portion of the market and purchased some of that sweetbread. It is in the shape of a heart!
Matthew, they had a two hour special on Beckham. They had many of his games from 1996 to the present with Manchester United. That was a lot of soccer for me to watch without you or Dad being around.
I have to tell you that when you are by yourself, you have a great deal of time to reflect and I reflected on food today. Mainly the food that I will be missing during Christmas. Talk about poor planning! I was thinking about the deviled eggs and peanut butter pie at Aunt Marilyn’s, the chicken and broccoli casseroles at Mom’s, the Squash Casserole and green beans at Nanna’s and the Pumpkin roll that I know Teresa Tipton made and brought to the bank. Shoot, I have even been thinking about the food that they serve us at Makers Mark during the 7 Habits training…especially their corn pudding.
Well, it is time to put in something to watch on the DVD player. We brought lots of movies, but David watched them all before he left…so I am left with Bonanza, Andy Griffith, The Dick van Dyke show and Our Gang episodes.
The count down is in my head. It is Friday night and in 5 days I will be on the road with my translator and Chris to Donesk. We will pick up that paperwork Thursday morning and fly to Kiev to get everything done by 5:30. Then Chris and I will hang out until Friday morning to pick up his VISA and then our flight heads out Friday at 5 pm. Right now we don’t have a room at the hotel in Amsterdam…the online reservation says that they don’t have any rooms, but I will call them tonight…another person who adopted said that it said there were no rooms online, but they got one when they called. Cross your fingers..there are only 33 rooms. If there are no rooms, then we will have to sleep in the chairs at the airport and I have to tell you, that does not sound appealing.
I hope everyone has fun at the White Elephant Christmas celebration at Aunt Marilyns on Saturday and at Mom’s on Saturday night. I miss you guys.
Linda and Teresa, I know you are cooking like crazy….enjoy your Christmas.
Allison…I hope you have a Merry Christmas with Phil. Tell him, your mom and your sister Merry Christmas for me. Enjoy your vacation.
Julie, wish Jacob, Jeremy and the gang Merry Christmas for me.
Stephanie, I hope your first Christmas with Haley is wonderful.
Harris family, this is going to be a good one with Emma…enjoy it!
Dad and Linda…I know that it will be another big crowd this year. I hope it is as fun as last year.
Mom and Ren…after the week you have had, I’m guessing you will nap all day and dream of Mickey and Minnie!!!
Kerry and Marshelle, Give Jes big kisses for me, I’m sorry Marshelle that you are on call.
Take lots of pictures.
Renee, I’m sorry that you won’t be able to be home…I hope that you enjoy your Christmas!
Marlene, Michelle and Steven…I know this is late, but Happy Belated Hanukkah and Happy birthday Steven!!!
Diane and Bob…Happy belated Haunkkah as well, but I know that you will be entertaining on Christmas as well with Bob’s family…so I hope you have fun with all your cooking.
To all the people at Farmers Capital……I hope you have a Merry, Merry Christmas…believe it or not…I do miss work…I know, I’m strange.
To all past and future adopters….May those of you who are home with your children enjoy your time with your family and those who are about to adopt…hold on, you will soon be blessed with your own child/children.
David and Matthew….I hope you are back together by now. David, I miss you already…but I do enjoy the Ukrainian TV being turned off!!  Matthew, I want and expect bunches of kisses and hugs when I get home. I love you both very much and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.
Happy Holidays
Carol