Sunday, January 17, 2010

Sunday in Simferopol....

Hi,
The morning did not begin very early for us as we are trying to adjust to sleeping when we should be awake and vice versa, so at 10 we finally got ourselves together and went downstairs to see the Princess Dasha sitting at the table eating breakfast that her mama had made. We sat down and watched as Oksana made french toast. We ate and just really enjoyed talking and solving the worlds problems. Soon we all got ready and bundled up and walked outside for Jeff to realize he forgot his long underwear so eventhough Dasha was wrapped up like a snow bunny Jeff felt the need to go back in and dress for the unusually cold day here in the Crimea. We walked to the end of the street and before I had to ask (or whine) Oksana assured me we were catching a bus. So we got on the bus and headed toward Gargina. We got off the bus about a block away and walked down to the orphanage we were greeted first by Oyla and she is just the sweetest thing and might I add an emotional wreck....but she smiled and we asked where Tanya was and what was with all the traffic. Today is election day in the Ukraine. There are 18 candiates for president and a voting station was at the school so Tanya was selling crafts that the children had made. We made a stop in the boarding house to get Galya and wait for Becky and Gulya to join us as we brought over Becky's medicine. When they arrived we headed toward the school to find Tanya...as usual she greeted us with a smile and hugs...We asked the caretakers if we could have the girls to take them to get something to eat. As we were walking out I asked for someone to go get Galya. Olya immediately ran in and was gone for just a second and came out bawling her eyes out...we asked what was wrong and Oksana said the caretaker was saying very mean things to her like she was not worthy or good and Oksana asked her why she speaks to her this way and she said "she knows why" so we just tried to get her to stop crying and took her onto the cafe to get some french fries and juice. All the girls sat and ate as myself, Jeff, Oksana and Becky just talked. After this we took the girls back to the compound of the orphange and then we had somethings to talk about with the girls. Tanya had shared that her little sister had been severely burnt when she was little and we asked to see her scar....poor child...she had fallen into a firepit.. she has the most unbelievable smile you would never know the scar on her skin...truly makes new meaning of beauty is only skin deep. We left the little girls at the orphange and walked with Becky and Gulya to their apartment where Tanya and Gulya fixed us dinner that consisted of fried eggs with crab meat on top, cookies and sunflower seeds...Then we said goodbye to Tanya and the Child's and came on home to Oksana's.

Tomorrow we will get to see Alex (aka Jeff Gordan) as we make a trip to the town in which Tanya was born to talk to the inspector and then back to Simferopol to catch a plane to Kiev to make our SDA appointment Tuesday at 12. It will surely be a long day tomorrow as there are many unknowns that are still waiting decisions...Update on passports will also come tomorrow say a prayer for Becky and Guyla...they have been here 7.5 weeks and are ready to go home.

Love
Donna and Jeff

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