Happy Victoria Day! We hope you are all relaxing and enjoying yourselves today. It is another scorcher here today, although there is a slight breeze so that helps to make it bearable. Our apartment is now at 27.5C and I am sitting here in my 2-piece bathing suit (somehow it seems more decent than sitting in my bra and underwear!), after having a cool shower on returning home. Ivanna seemed to be very pleased to see us this morning – maybe she misses us when we don’t come? She stayed almost completely away from her group today (other than a brief interaction at the beginning with one of the kids – herding him back to the group when he had gotten a little ahead of them as they came out). We had our usual watching the chickens time and then spent A LOT of time on the swings today. At one point as Darren was pushing her, she started to sing a little song. We couldn’t pick out really any words (that we understood) but she probably sang off and on (more on than off) for the next 15 minutes as she swung (d: I got a bit of video, but could not upload it). We get the feeling she was pretty content. :) She also spent some time pushing (or rather helping to push) a couple of kids in a double stroller – she really loves to ride and to push the stroller. She also had some fun going down one of the big slides with Darren (several times). It was a good morning. I also had a nice little chat with an Italian woman (I had heard her speaking French with the French couple so took advantage of us having a similar language to talk with her) – it was really nice to TALK with someone. Yes, I like to talk with Darren but I honestly feel like I need to talk with other people too. I’ve had ‘Libby’ moments on the street or at Mario’s when I’ve heard people speaking English – I just want to go over and introduce myself and chat with them and make them be my friend (so far I’ve restrained myself)! I’m kind of desperate to be able to converse easily again and to have our family and friends around. After missing the first train because I was getting some water (it was actually on time today – not something we’ve come to expect) we caught the next one 15 minutes later – and it was relatively roomy today, we got seats right away. We stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things on our way home, but both felt too hot for shawarma today – kind of sad. :( It is now time for a nap.
9 comments:
Hello there, I think I might be the first!! Well, we are off to the Meiklejohn's lake today. Kath and Mark are coming out too. Misha is outside practising his casts so he can fish with poppa. Dad caught a couple of small ones yesterday. There are a couple of other small people at the lake that Misha is looking forward to playing with again. Sam is the one that will be difficult to occupy. Well, he could occupy himself but that would involve walking straight off the dock into the lake. Although we have had a string of bad nights I'm not ready to off him yet. Maybe we'll luck out and he'll nap for a portion of our time there.
Last night we were at the MacRae's for supper. Lots of china at Sam's eye level. There was much running and leaping up to save various precious objects. He had a blast.
So good to see more pictures of you guys and Ivanna. It must be hot if they're letting kids out in tank tops and shorts!!
I remember the hot apartment syndrome. Sitting out in a two piece sounds completely appropriate. I just remember it being too hot for anything.
It sounds like you might be developping some extraverted tendencies Shona. Extreme circumstances call for extreme measures.
Love you SO much and can't wait to talk soon. We'll try and call tonight our time.
Tanis
Dear Ivanna, I miss you. I hope you are having a good time in Ukraine together. I hope you have a good time eating fish crackers. Happy Victoria Day!
I miss you Uncle Darren and Auntie Shona. I hope you will come home safely very soon. Thanks.
I got a blue bike for my birthday and a little turtle sprinkler too. I liked putting on dress-up clothes, eating birthday cake, and riding my bike. Thank you for the birthday cake. I liked helping put the legs on the spider cake. It tasted good. I had the purple part and the brown part.
It is nice to talk to you. I'm at GramGram and Poppa's. We are going to Meiklejohn's cabin later and we're going to go fishing there. I love you.
Misha
By himself, Misha enlarged the picture of Darren with Ivanna on the swing and when I came back into the room he looked up at me (rather chteary) and said, "I miss Uncle Darren". So we decided it was time he write to you again.
4 more train trips to the orphanage. Weird. I'm sure that much of these next days will be bittersweet: soak up the little routines that have become commonplace and perhaps even tedious, b/c soon you will be reminiscing on them with fondness. Routines will be changing for your family. Enjoy NOW!! Oh, and I was wondering:
have you had to find relief between the traincars yet? C'mon, it is a good challenge that you really should experience.
Ok, time to get into the car for the first of much time in there today. I miss riding public transportation.
love you guys.
jonathan
What great pictures! It really shows that you are comfortable with eachother and enjoy the company and interaction. It makes me feel good that there are so many things for the kids to play with. Can't wait to hear and see more. It's also great to read everyone's comments, it's helped me feel connected also.
Again, delightful pics, and interesting commentary.
Like Tanis, I was relieved to see that she wasn't wearing a touque and jacket if the weather was as hot as you have been describing. Were some people still asking you to close the windows on the train??? Enjoy your time with Ivanna, and also your 'free time' while you are in Kyiv. It will pass all too quickly, and soon be just a distant memory. We love you and miss you and can hardly wait until you are home.
Love, Mom and Dad
I just heard Ivanna's quiet, sweet voice on your video clip. Of all your pictures and comments, this is the most touching moment of any.
Thank you.
Hey guys. Just wanted to send a quick hello and say we miss you. We were at Madge Lake for a rather chilly long weekend (it was -7 Friday night - yikes) so I missed a few days of blogs. I just love to see the pictures and watch your relationship with Ivanna grow. Love you all bunches. Can't wait 'til you're home. xoxo
Reading your blog and seeing pictures of the three of you continues to be a family thing here at our house. Anya still waves frantically at Ivanna, while Luka comments on how sweet she is, what a big smile she has, etc.
Thank you again for sharing so much with us. It's been neat to talk about your adoption with Luka. He'll be as thrilled as the rest of us when you take your little girl home!
Love you guys!
What great pictures! You three look like you've been a family forever.
Only six more sleeps until you get to pick Ivanna up for good. :-) YAY!
It sounds like it's going to continue to be hot in Kyiv while you're passing the time. I hope you get lots of cold showers, cold drinks, and ice cream to get through this hot spell. I wish I could send you some of our frigid air mass to cool you down.
Love you all and miss you much.
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