Tuesday, March 10th

Our life here has become so routine that it is beginning to be difficult to find things to tell you about!

Todd just left the hotel to visit Alina. He said it will be good for each of us to have some one on one time with her... the truth is he said that to make me feel better about the fact that I have been sick and miserable for the last day. "Alone time" is really his way of justifying me staying here to rest while he visits Alina, then when I feel better there will be a visit where I get to have "alone time" with Alina... hopefully we won't simply swap spaces though, cause I would prefer he not not catch whatver I am trying to get over. I'd call it Montezuma's Revenge if we were in Mexico... being sick 1/2 way around the world stinks... what makes it worse is knowing my kids 1/2 way around the world are also sick and there is no way I can comfort them!! :(

Last night while we were visiting Alina we got to watch dinner time. Alina was given a big bowl of a porridge type meal... it sort of looked like some sort of oatmeal with chunks of some sausage in it. Meal time was interesting to watch... she picked up a big spoon (think soup spoon) and started shoveling it in... all while her babushka stood over her telling her to eat, eat, eat... she finished every last bite and then drank right out of the little coffe mug they had for her. Kristen and Karen(Meg's feeding/speech therapist and occupational therapists) if you are reading this you will be very impressed with her use of an open cup!! I think meal time at our house will be quite an adjustment for her... Caleb often takes a full hour to eat 10 bites, at the speed she eats, Alina will have to amuse herself for a full 59 minutes at the table if she is waiting for Caleb!

It has been very nice here (in the 50's) so we are able to take her outside when we visit, which she enjoys. We walk around the grounds of the orphange, play on the gym equipment they have there or Todd gives her piggy back rides, which I think may be her favorite. It has also given us the chance to see many of the other kids at this facility. So many of them when they see us say "Mamma! Pappa!" and start waving ... the workers say "Alina's Mamma and Pappa" and the looks on their faces just breaks my heart... so many beautiful kids who just want someone to love them. Todd said our goal should be to find a church willing to "adopt" this orphange, regularly send supplies, make a mission trip each year to help provide maintenence, paint, groundwork, whatever... and that we should find people to adopt these kids, starting with all the kids in Alina's groupa. I told him that I knew of one family that would take 5 of the kids, and he just laughed and said we didn't have enough bed space!!!

On a different note, two things that Ukraine has that America should look into... Coke Light and crab flavored potato chips!!! Coke light, not full sugar coke, but not that nasty aftertaste of Diet Coke (that from a diehard Diet Pepsi drinker... Diet coke, blech!) It is very good... Crab Flavored Potato chips, made by Lays, are fantastic... if America is so "advanced" tell me, why do we not have these things!?!?!? Just something to think about...