Saturday
After breakfast we headed to the market. I had seen a backpack at one of the downstairs vendors, this is below the market. There was a red and gray backpack with soccer player on it. I thought that would be appropriate for Alexander to put things we had brought him as well some clothes. Mom and I found some unusual ornaments as well. We then bought our food items at the market and headed home. Ira thought it best not to go to the Boarding School, so we stayed. Also because it is so cold. We made beef stew for supper and watched a movie, worked on a puzzle, Mom knitted on a baby blanket and read book. We are definitely counting the days until Ira comes on Thursday. We have asked her to take us to the Flea Market to get shoes and a coat.
Sunday
Mom is usually the first one up and this morning was no exception. Jacob and me we a little later in getting ourselves out of bed. After breakfast we started our bible study and worship services. It is times like this when we really miss the singing and fellowship with our brothers and sisters at Embry Hills. We had a quiet day inside, though about 2:00pm it started to snow. It wasn’t a heavy snow but by 3:30pm you could see a good dusting of snow on the ground. Ira called to see how we were doing and to let us know that the cleaning lady was coming tomorrow. We will need to get up and be ready because we do not know what time she will get here. This has been long and quiet day.
Monday
Mom has been nursing the sniffles for the past few days. I keep after her to take Echinacea. She is taking it but I feel she should take it several times a day. I have been very careful about taking care of ourselves. The minute one of us has a runny nose or tickle in their throat I say Echinacea alert. We have had enough left over’s that we were able to avoid going to the market, though tomorrow we will have to get some milk. We straighten up for the cleaning lady and by 12:00pm she was here. She really did a good job. She spent over 2 hours cleaning this small apartment. The manager came by with new sheets and towels as well. Our visit with Alexander went well today. We had gotten a dragon egg transformer from the toy store and he really liked it. He was saying no, oh no, asked about shoes and gloves. It appears that he is already trying to learn English. We will keep trying with things that he is familiar even with the PSP. We have finished the train puzzle, mother has finished the baby blanket that she started back when we were in first in Kiev and almost finished all our books. Tomorrow Jacob and I are going back to the toy store to get another puzzl
e for us and dinosaur egg for Alexander.
Observations of Boarding School Life
This is what I have seen and maybe not accurate. The older children at the boarding school (children less than 16) have been tilling up the soil around trees on different areas of the school yard. Some areas look to be 1/3 of acre. They are using a shovel or bent rake. It has taken them about 3 days, after school to do just one section. Other age children are also responsible for sweeping all the leaves up off all the grass as well as the sidewalks. They use an old fashion corn broom to sweep the leaves on to a sheet and deposit them elsewhere. We have just seen what it is like just for late fall early winter time. All the children are on a strict schedule. From breakfast, snack, school, nap time, play time, and bed time. The children have their own locker area (w/o locks) where they keep their coats, mittens, hats & personal belongings. The children have one towel on their personal peg in the bathroom. If a child visits his parents whose home is very undesirable and unclean, when the child gets back to the boarding school he/she will get a buzz hair cut to prevent spread of any suspected lice. The children only have a couple of outfits to wear; it even seems that they share most of their clothing, which has been handed down one too many times. These children do not have a choice when and what they will do. These children do seem happy and smile a lot. The caretakers all seem very caring though keep them well under control. The buildings are warm and though not fancy are comfortable (at least what we have seen). There are a lot of renovations being done on the outside of the buildings that we see as we pass by. The children that are about 6 yrs old have been very entertaining. Today seemed to be the highlight. These children’s living area is right off the alcove that we play with Alexander. We say high to them as the pass by and they are very interested in us. They perform for us, talking very animated and love the attention we give them. I told mother today if we had a movie camera we could be on America Funniest home videos. When the little ones came back in from playing outside one of the more exuberant girls came up to me to feel her cold cheeks. I felt her cheek and went burr. Then a couple more wanted me to so the same thing. Then the teacher came and shooed them back into their room and she closed the door their stood a little boy that had been hiding behind the door. We motion for him to go. He looked like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. We just laughed!
After breakfast we headed to the market. I had seen a backpack at one of the downstairs vendors, this is below the market. There was a red and gray backpack with soccer player on it. I thought that would be appropriate for Alexander to put things we had brought him as well some clothes. Mom and I found some unusual ornaments as well. We then bought our food items at the market and headed home. Ira thought it best not to go to the Boarding School, so we stayed. Also because it is so cold. We made beef stew for supper and watched a movie, worked on a puzzle, Mom knitted on a baby blanket and read book. We are definitely counting the days until Ira comes on Thursday. We have asked her to take us to the Flea Market to get shoes and a coat.
Sunday
Mom is usually the first one up and this morning was no exception. Jacob and me we a little later in getting ourselves out of bed. After breakfast we started our bible study and worship services. It is times like this when we really miss the singing and fellowship with our brothers and sisters at Embry Hills. We had a quiet day inside, though about 2:00pm it started to snow. It wasn’t a heavy snow but by 3:30pm you could see a good dusting of snow on the ground. Ira called to see how we were doing and to let us know that the cleaning lady was coming tomorrow. We will need to get up and be ready because we do not know what time she will get here. This has been long and quiet day.
Monday
Mom has been nursing the sniffles for the past few days. I keep after her to take Echinacea. She is taking it but I feel she should take it several times a day. I have been very careful about taking care of ourselves. The minute one of us has a runny nose or tickle in their throat I say Echinacea alert. We have had enough left over’s that we were able to avoid going to the market, though tomorrow we will have to get some milk. We straighten up for the cleaning lady and by 12:00pm she was here. She really did a good job. She spent over 2 hours cleaning this small apartment. The manager came by with new sheets and towels as well. Our visit with Alexander went well today. We had gotten a dragon egg transformer from the toy store and he really liked it. He was saying no, oh no, asked about shoes and gloves. It appears that he is already trying to learn English. We will keep trying with things that he is familiar even with the PSP. We have finished the train puzzle, mother has finished the baby blanket that she started back when we were in first in Kiev and almost finished all our books. Tomorrow Jacob and I are going back to the toy store to get another puzzl
e for us and dinosaur egg for Alexander.Observations of Boarding School Life
This is what I have seen and maybe not accurate. The older children at the boarding school (children less than 16) have been tilling up the soil around trees on different areas of the school yard. Some areas look to be 1/3 of acre. They are using a shovel or bent rake. It has taken them about 3 days, after school to do just one section. Other age children are also responsible for sweeping all the leaves up off all the grass as well as the sidewalks. They use an old fashion corn broom to sweep the leaves on to a sheet and deposit them elsewhere. We have just seen what it is like just for late fall early winter time. All the children are on a strict schedule. From breakfast, snack, school, nap time, play time, and bed time. The children have their own locker area (w/o locks) where they keep their coats, mittens, hats & personal belongings. The children have one towel on their personal peg in the bathroom. If a child visits his parents whose home is very undesirable and unclean, when the child gets back to the boarding school he/she will get a buzz hair cut to prevent spread of any suspected lice. The children only have a couple of outfits to wear; it even seems that they share most of their clothing, which has been handed down one too many times. These children do not have a choice when and what they will do. These children do seem happy and smile a lot. The caretakers all seem very caring though keep them well under control. The buildings are warm and though not fancy are comfortable (at least what we have seen). There are a lot of renovations being done on the outside of the buildings that we see as we pass by. The children that are about 6 yrs old have been very entertaining. Today seemed to be the highlight. These children’s living area is right off the alcove that we play with Alexander. We say high to them as the pass by and they are very interested in us. They perform for us, talking very animated and love the attention we give them. I told mother today if we had a movie camera we could be on America Funniest home videos. When the little ones came back in from playing outside one of the more exuberant girls came up to me to feel her cold cheeks. I felt her cheek and went burr. Then a couple more wanted me to so the same thing. Then the teacher came and shooed them back into their room and she closed the door their stood a little boy that had been hiding behind the door. We motion for him to go. He looked like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. We just laughed!
1 comment:
How is the paperwork coming? Are you still on track for leaving on the 19th? I love reading about your adventures. Hearing about the other children at the boarding school made me smile. Isn't it amazing that they can play with you without understanding what you are saying? Guess it goes to show that children understand lovingkindness in any language! I hope your mom can shake off the sniffles! We are keeping you in our prayers.
Love,
Shannon
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