Reunion with the Children

After court we didn't get to go right to the orphanage because the kids would be getting ready for their naps. So we went back to the apartment, had lunch and tried to take a nap. Here in Moscow there is about 3-4 weeks out of the entire year where it is hot and you need an air conditioner. Unfortunately, our apartment does not have a/c. The thought has occurred to us that perhaps God was preparing us for this experience when our a/c at home broke down days before this trip. :) At any rate the apartment was much too hot for a successful nap, and we became determined to get a fan somewhere.

At 3 o'clock we met a friendly fellow named Sergei in front of our building, and set off for the subway. He showed us how to get all the way to the orphanage, which requires 3 different subway lines (2 changes) and then a 15 minute walk. It took us just over an hour to get there. We will save a lot of money each day doing this, and it really is pretty easy.

When we arrived at the orphanage, the kids were outside with their groups. Tristan's caregiver's set him outside of his group play area and he came right over to me, I picked him up and he clung to me like he would never let go. He wouldn't even let go to give Jeff a hug. While we were gone, they buzzed his hair!--maybe a summer haircut? It wasn't that long in the first place.

We walked over to Maya's group and she was SO excited to see us! She was all smiles and Tristan was very serious. We walked back to a little bench and sat down with them to talk and give them a little snack. They wolfed down the fruit snacks and then wanted our bottle of water. Someone told me that the kids never got water, since you had to buy it and they don't want the kids to have to pee a lot. Tristan REALLY wanted it, so we opened it and he sat there chugging it for a solid minute or two! Then Maya wanted a turn and she couldn't figure out how to do it without her tongue in the way and in the bottle. We tried to show her, but not without quite a bit of water splashing all over her. :)

We blew bubbles with them too and they really liked that. They both could blow it, although at first Maya kept trying to put it in her mouth and eat it. :) We sang some nursery rhymes with them and Tristan would just watch solemnly, while Maya would try some of the actions and sing along with her own words. We did Ring-Around-the-Rosie with them as well and they both liked that, and Maya even squatted down low with us at the end. Then we went for a little walk and took turns holding their hands and doing the "1, 2, 3, Swing" game. At this, all of a sudden, Tristan was grinning from ear to ear. It was wonderful to see! Maya loved it as well, and they were actually very good about taking turns. We took them back to the swing and slide that had been too scary on our last trip, and they both went down the slide all by themselves! They both liked the swing too, although Tristan only wanted to do it if Jeff was holding his hands the whole time.

Then Tristan found a tricycle and we found out that he can pedal now! This is so exciting because when we were here last he would just push himself along, and on our visits last trip I was trying to show him how to keep his feet on the pedals while I pushed him along. Maya has no desire to get on a trike, so I took her over to a picnic table and took out some pencil and paper. She had great fun scribbling and was very impatient when I borrowed the pencil to show her how to draw a smiley face. :)

Tristan eventually came over and scribbled for a while too. I noticed while we sat there that Tristan's eyelashes are REALLY long! It's so unfair that guys always get the killer lashes. :) Then we walked and biked around the orphanage for a while. While I was walking along holding Maya's hand, she kept saying to herself, "Asha, Asha." At first I figured it was Russian, then I realized that she was singing "Ashes, Ashes" from Ring-Around-the-Rosie! I think she will pick up English very quickly. She is very verbal and very bright.

Sergei came to pick us up and it was hard to leave the sweet little munchkins! We tried to have him explain to them that we were leaving now, and would be back tomorrow. I'm not sure how effective it was as they were a bit afraid of him. Can't wait to see them in the morning!