Days 30 & 31 - "Lookout!"

Hello friends, family and all those who continue to care about our experiences while we continue the adoption process in Ukraine.  We miss being at home very, very much but your encouragement, prayers and concern for us helps to keep us moving forward. 

The last couple of days have not accomplished anything regarding our adoption except for (1) we are a a couple of days closer to September 20th (when we pick up the finalized court decree documents and begin working towards coming home),  (2) we have gotten to know our children better and have bonded more as a family,  (3) we are surely closer to coming home that we were a week ago.  :-)

Tuesday, we spent another morning on school work.  We try to spend two or three mornings per week teaching English to Charlie and teaching Anna English and Math.  They are progressing well.  Charlie knows the whole alphabet but still needs practice.  His favorite letters are "F", "L" and "P".  These are the letters that begin the words "Lamborgini", "Ferrari" and "Porsche".   Charlie has also learned the English word "Ice Cream" because we have put in place a rule that he can't have it unless he can ask for it in English.  :-)  Anna is very bright.  She does really well with math.  She is even reading English and speaking a good bit of words or fragmented sentences.  She understands English being spoken to her very well but she doesn't know the words for how to respond.  Anna's ability is quite amazing when you consider the situation she lived in and the situation she has recently been placed in.  I am proud of my daughter. 

After school work, we all got ready to visit the park with the old pieces of bread we have lying around with the purpose of once again feeding the pigeons.  Anna is quite determined to catch a pigeon.  She and I don't have the same view of the "rats with wings".  I am very uncertain about what she intends to do with it once she catches one.  Hmmmm...

After feeding the pigeons, we walked around and back to the far end of the main drag here in Kiev.  There we found a soccer stadium and a place that sold team memorabilia for the Ukraine "Dynamo" - Charlie's favorite soccer team.  I bought my first peice of soccer attire for Charlie - a "Dynamo" t-shirt.  They had a really nice pullover that I started to buy for myself but I knew our friend Jennifer Cherry would not let me hear the end of it if she saw me wearing soccer attire.  :-).  So, on we walked towards the best little hamburger place in Kiev, McDonalds.

Tim, Anna and Angelia in park (pre-attack). :-)



Charlie shows off his new "Ukraine Dynamo" team soccer shirt

Before we arrived at our beloved restaurant, we had quite a scary incident.  As we walked into the underground cross-walk in Independence Square, there was an older couple at the base of the stairs.  This is a common area for beggars.  I observed that the older lady was talking loudly to a man several yards in front of us.  The older man with her was humped over on the left of us.  As we walked by, I looked back to see if the older man was breathing.  I couldn't tell but the older lady didn't seem to be trying to get help for him.  I just kept on walking because they wouldn't understand me if were to ask questions.  So, the only thing that happened between our family and these people was me looking at the older man.  As Charlie and I continued walking, we were several steps in front of Angelia and Anna.  About half-way through this underground passage, I could still hear the old lady talking loudly - which was strange.  All of sudden, I heard Angelia scream behind me and as I turned around, Angelia and Anna came running past me.  For whatever reason, the older lady had followed Angelia and Anna as they passed her and she was talking very, very loudly and angrily at Angelia.  Now, Angelia had no idea what the lady was saying.  When Angelia realized the lady was followiing her (very closely) and yelling, she turned to see what the lady wanted.  When Angelia turned around, the old lady took a swing at her.  Hence, Angelia screamed and ran away.  I quickly moved back between the old lady and Angelia to keep the old lady at bay.  I just forcefully told the old lady to "go away".  She barely replied but she did walk away backwards, still yelling at us.  We quickly left the underground mall area and took a second to collect ourselves.  When I asked Anna if she understood what the lady was yelling, she said that the lady was yelling "bad mommy" at Angelia.  This was pretty scary.  I am thankful that God's protection delivered us from this situation.  I very honestly thought that the lady was demon possessed.  She had no reason whatsoever to yell at us.  So, yet another incident where "Rough Talk" training 101 came in handy.  

So, we ended our day without much further incident. 

Today was a pretty good, calm day.  I mean, nobody here yelled at us so that's good.  We spent time as a family cleaning the apartment.  I did have to work on the vacuum cleaner which has never had the bag emptied or the filter cleaned.  This was a family affair.  I'm quite certain that I pulled dirt out of this vacuum that was older than either of my children.  Enough hair was present to suspect a rat... no... a BIG rat... had been sucked up at some point in the past. 

Anna and Angelia supervise my disection and repair of the vacuum cleaner

After cleaning was over, I took the kids out for a while, just me and them.  We went back to the underground mall - not the place where "mean old billy goat gruff lady" hangs out.  We found an arcade which made me... uh... I mean the "kiddos" very excited.  This might be my solution to getting Anna some driving lessons.  The real method would be much too dangerous for the rest of humanity.  After spending a whopping $50 play money dollars in the arcade ($6 U.S.) we wandered back up the mountain to check in on Angelia.  We all took part in making dinner.  Anna wanted to make dinner again and so she whipped up some "Dima Salad" and fried potatoes with eggs.  I stepped in to finally fry some fresh pork chops.  Dinner was a hit except for the pork chops; both kids set them aside pretty quickly.  I think they are used to eating meat that has been beaten flat to less than 3.175 mm (1/8" American). 

After dinner, we participated in our nightly routine of watching "Avatar" at 7:00.  At 7:30 p.m., bath times begin for the kiddos.  Charlie gets pretty pumped after a bath and he resorted to giving us "the gun show" after last night's bath time.  This was pretty funny. 

Charlie's "Gun Show"  :-)

After the "gun show", we watched some baseball (Braves vs. Nationals).  This was such a hit that entire family spent 30 minutes or so playing baseball in the living room of the apartment using a wadded up paper ball and Angelia's flip flop as a bat.  All I can say is Angelia can sure bring the heater and Charlie is a sucker for the high fast ones.  :-)

As I got ready for bed (and to blog) tonight, I was feeling very frustrated by the fact that things here are not moving faster.  It's hard.  But Angelia reminded me that it is God who sustains us and that we are here serving Him.  She reminded me of Sripture that tells God's children that we should "... give thanks in all circumstances.  For this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (I Thessalonians 5:18).  Also as I write this, I recall that in the last two days, I have asked and Anna has accepted the invitation to pray asking for God to bless our food at meal time.  She has gladly done so.  While I didn't understand all of what she said each time, I realize that her brother Charlie did.  I heard "Heyseus" more than once and tonight I was able to make out the words "Tim and Angelia".  I am thankful for the work God is doing in my life, my family and in these children. 

Thanks for all the love, prayers and encouragement.  We love and miss you all.  Goodnight from Kiev, Ukraine.