Mingling

"K's" worlds are beginning to mingle.

When we first started visiting "K", he was crying mad every time we left. There was a definite divide between our little family and the larger group he comes from. We are in separate play areas, get our drinks from different sources, one has intermittent snacks while the other one does not, and so on.

Yesterday during our visit "K" made one very quick trip back to his group's area just to see that they were still there - I guess. Today he made two stops back in their area. The first out of necessity. I needed help with a bathroom issue. The mama took "K" and she asked me to stay with his group. Imagine the glee when they saw their regular mama leave. The toy stealing, toy throwing and back pinching started immediately. Our area was immediately out of control. Don't these Americans know how to handle kids?!? I was very stern with one little boy and he immediately threw himself backward and hit his head on the floor. I was very happy to see the mama return with "K". I'm sure she was a little more than disappointed in my multi-mothering skills! Oh well, that is why we are adopting only one!

"K" went back over to his group a second time. He wanted to exchange a toy. He seems very comfortable going back and forth between the two. This is good. I believe he is feeling more comfortable with us and that God is providing moments of bonding that are good. On the other hand, I can see that he is satisfied with both, going back and forth between the 2 worlds.

In reading about adoption, one author described a child being taken from the orphanage as a death in the child's life. A devastating loss. All that is familiar, normal, comfortable, known is stripped away and a foreign place, people, routine replaces it. The child grieves. They morn. They have to learn to trust and adjust and love.

As much as I miss home, I am thankful that "K" has had these weeks to come to know his new family before we rip him away from all that is familiar to him. He is getting a glimpse of our boundaries on discipline. He is learning to play with older siblings and follow their example. While I am sure he will grieve the loss of the only home he has ever known, I am hopeful that he will have some joy at joining his new home. Please pray that it is so.

On a lighter note, we made another trip to the grocery store today. I will be so happy for an American supermarket! I will not buy produce at the grocery store. Many reasons, but the flies and the smell are the main two. The eggs are another no go. You pick through the eggs that are displayed in large crates. Some are washed, some are not. Some are cracked. There are always broken eggs on the floor. No one seems to clean them up, people just push their carts right through them. I miss my chickens!

Vitaly, our driver, came in with us today. They have a weighing system when purchasing certain items and I needed his help figuring it out. I felt real dumb standing there waiting for a 10 year old girl to finish the weighing of her items so that Vitaly could show me how to do it. Oh well.

He had to help me with one other thing. Jello. I had seen jello, but could not find it in this store. I asked him about jello. He had no idea. Could I describe it? How do you describe jello? I told him how you make it and how it is jiggly. He thought I was crazy. So he called our other driver, Maxim. He had me "describe" jello to Max. No idea. And then, there it was in front of us. I said, "Jello!" Vitaly said, "Oh, in Russian, jell-o-wa." Are you kidding? Sound pretty similar to me. We had a good laugh. He is a good guy.

Always an experience. Always an adventure.
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