July 28, 2008 (Monday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Being able to feel Alexandra’s pain…
At the orphanage we went outside, but I’m not sure why. The kids weren’t allowed to walk on the grass because it was muddy from all the storms we’ve had – so I spent almost the entire time trying to keep Andrei from running on the grass. So frustrating. He wasn’t happy about not being able to walk around outside, and I wasn’t happy about trying to keep him from it.
We also finished making foot and handprints of all our little orphan babies. We want to have them as remembrance of our kiddos. I’m excited to put a scrapbook together when I get home. I can’t wait! It will probably take me forever, but I will love it. However I’m pretty sure my Mom Mia will love it even more that I get to scrapbook with her. It will be fun.
Since Elisa is gone Whitney S. and I noticed that the workers started talking to us more than usual. Normally they talk to Elisa because they think she understands Romanian better than us – but she’ll be the first to admit she’s about the same as the rest of us. It was kind of fun to attempt to really talk to them today. They are all harsh with the kids, but some of them really do care about them.
Soon after we went outside Florine and his friend came and said hi. They ended up chatting with us for almost the entire time we were outside. By the end of the conversation he ended up asking me for my phone number in the States, but I told him I don’t have one (because I don’t yet). So he got my email address, and I gave him mine. It could be fun to have a pen pal. I wasn’t opposed to him having my email address. He seems like a really good guy, and he’s nice. Plus he can give me updates on my little Andrei. Florine joked about coming to visit me in the States, but I’m pretty sure that’s not going to happen. He can barely speak English, and I can barely speak Romanian. His friend was translating practically the entire conversation. Then throughout the course of the conversation his friend would look at me and be like “Florine wants a kiss.” Then Florine would look awkward, and I would look awkward and I’d change the topic. It was one of those things both people pretended they didn’t understand what was going on. I’m not even going there. Whitney S. was like “What is it with boys and kissing?! It’s like a universal thing!” The girls also thought it was ironic that Sera’s last day was Thursday and Florine all of a sudden has been coming around to say hi more than he normally does. Oh boys...
Apparently in Europe most people get a month paid vacation from work. No fair! I wish they would incorporate something like that in the States. We never get breaks like that from work.
During the course of the conversation the workers and Florine started asking me about religion. Maria looked at Florine and was teasing him about how it would never work out with me - because I’m Mormon that is. Then they all started asking me questions about my faith. They were amazed when I said that I don’t drink, smoke or have relations with boys before I’m married. They couldn’t believe it. Apparently in the Greek Orthodox religion you aren’t supposed to drink, but you can smoke. I don’t know how that works - but it does.
After we went back inside Whitney S. noticed that Maria (my child) was crying really hard, and she never does that. I tried to see if something was hurting her and the cloth scarf that they had tied around her stomach to keep her in her chair was practically cutting her in half. They had it tied soooo tight. I don’t think they realized it. She had a huge red line across her stomach. When I showed Maria (the worker) how tight it was she acted like it was no big deal…She said the reason Maria was crying was because she was hungry and tired. However, Maria stopped crying profusely when I loosened the grip of the scarf…sometimes I wonder about their logic…
Alex was really sad today. I could tell he missed Elisa. Every time I looked over he had a sad face on. I would ask him what he wanted and when I said “Elisa?” he smiled real big. Then I told him that I was sorry, but Elisa went back home. However, I reminded him how much Elisa loved him. I don’t know if that helped a ton, but maybe? I keep thinking about leaving my kids and how hard it is going to be! AHHHH! I think I’m going to buy Andrei a little chain to wear from me. I just hope he knows how much I love him – even if I have only known him for a few short months.
The other day I was discussing with one of the girls how some people are flabbergasted that we can come and handle all the emotional stress that comes from working with the kids in orphanages and hospitals. After thinking about it for a while I came to this conclusion: Of course there is a lot to deal with - and a lot of sad situations to see – but at the same time there is so much joy. Every time I hold one of the children, make them smile, make them laugh, or make them feel loved – even if it is ever so small – I feel joy. It’s that feeling of joy that keeps me going. It’s knowing that I have the opportunity to make kids feel loved that wouldn’t otherwise, and I jump at it…Of course there are hard days; and of course there are days that I don’t know how to handle seeing or feeling the way I do; but the Lord will help me. I’m still not sure how I’m going to find any comfort in leaving my Andrei. I will probably never see him again, and it doesn’t help that I don’t feel like he is going to be left in the best of care; but what can I do? As much as I want to I can’t take him home with me and love him I can’t…I only pray that the Lord will watch over and protect him. He has to.
At the hospital we played with all our little bundles of joy. I am sad to report that Roxeanna (AKA laughing baby) has left. However, there were still plenty of little dolls to hold and change their diapers. I just love kids! I can’t get over how much I love them…
The low of my day was when Annie and I walked in to visit Alexandra. She looked horrible. The second we saw her we both instantly knew she didn’t feel well. She was moaning and crying – and she never does that. I felt her head, and she felt extremely hot – not to mention she was extremely pale. Then to make matters worth she had a stinky diaper, so I quickly changed it for her and the poor thing cried out in pain when we lifted her legs to wipe her. She looked so miserable. The first thing she said to us was “apa” (water). Annie went and got water, but when we tried to give it to her she couldn’t even sit up to drink it she felt so bad. Annie and I looked at each other and were like “I wonder if the nurse knows she has a bad fever?” Even though they should have known we decided we should make sure…I mean it’s Romania…
I went out and asked the nurse if she knew how hot Alexandra was. Apparently she didn’t – not a surprise…it made me extremely agitated that they had no idea. Alexandra was in their care, and since she doesn’t have any parents to watch out for her they should. Who knows how long she sat there with a fever, sitting in a stinky diaper and dying of thirst? I’m glad we came in when we did. Sometimes they worry me about how well they take care of their patients.
Right after I said something they came and took her temperature and sure enough it was extremely high. Then they came in and rubbed something that smelled like vinegar all over her body and wrapped her in a blanket. Annie and I weren’t sure what that was supposed to accomplish? I’ve never seen anyone in the states do that, but I guess it was supposed to help in someway. Hopefully they weren’t trying to break her fever by making her sweat…that’s very out of date medical practice.
As I sat and watched them “treat her” I was pretty angry at the entire situation. They weren’t soft and gentle with her at all – they kept moving her around abruptly. Then when she cried out in pain they would scold her for crying. I wanted to yell at the top of my lungs “be softer with her!” I would cry too if I were in her situation. In fact I’d cry a lot harder. She has every right to cry. She has been stuck in this hospital for months, she can’t walk – so she can’t get up and move around – and she had a fever that was neglected by the nurses for who knows how long before we got there. Not to mention she had no mom to dry her tears, no one to listen to her when she cried for water, and no stable figure to love her at all her entire life. Plus she’s six years old. How dare them scold her for crying! AHHH! As they were taking care of her and she cried it was amazing how intense I felt her pain. Each whimper and cry stung. I don’t know how parents do it when they see their children in pain. It was the worst thing ever to experience… For some reason this entire situation really bothered me today… a lot…
After the nurses bundled her up Annie and I tried to get her mind off things by either blowing bubbles or stroking her head. I sat there for a while and just brushed her hair away from her face with my hand and kissed her forehead. It made me sad that she was stuck in this horrible place – where she has been stuck for months – and she doesn’t have a mom to take care of her when she is sick. She had no one to hear her cry today when we weren’t there. It’s not fair…I kept thinking the entire time “Why wasn’t I in her situation? Why am I so blessed? Why can’t I take her pain?” I don’t know the answer to these questions – only the Lord does, but I’m going to have to trust that there is a reason for everything.
After she sat wrapped up in a bundle for a few minutes the nurses abruptly hauled her down the hall and went into a room and closed the door. That’s when I heard screaming…it was horrible. I quickly looked at Annie and was like “I have to get out of here – I can’t listen to this.” I felt ill…I heard her scream the entire walk down the hall. Her scream kept pounding into my head. Annie had to remind me that although it might hurt her in the short term, they are probably trying to do something to make her feel better in the long run. It didn’t help me feel much better, but it made me feel a little less angry at them.
After we went home we ate dinner and had Family Home Evening. FHE was fun. For our activity we did the human knot. We are really bad at that game…it took us about half an hour to get undone. Oh well… we had a fun time doing it. We laughed a lot and we were put in a lot of awkward situations. At least it got my mind off of some of the events of the day.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Moments of Enlightenment...Sundays are the best!
July 27, 2008 (Sunday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Moments of enlightenment which help me get closer and closer to figuring out how to find true happiness in my life.
I love Sundays, and I love church. Each Sunday there is always something I need to hear in order to better myself. It’s amazing how the Lord knows each and every one of us so well.
I taught a lesson in Sunday School today on repentance. I felt like it went well, and the other girls seemed to appreciate it. I felt the spirit really strong, and I’m grateful the Lord helped me know what to say. I even got teary eyed when I bore my testimony. I think that is the second time I’ve cried since I’ve been here. I only hope that the words that I said actually make a difference in the lives of those who were listening. I hope that when I teach people walk away saying – I can improve myself - I can be better - I want to be better. I know whenever I prepare a lesson I learn so much and find so many ways I can improve myself. I love it.
In between Sunday School and Relief Society I sat and evaluated where I am at in my life spiritually. I started thinking about how I need to make sure I put the Lord first in my life and then everything else will fall into place. From here on out I’ve decided that the first thing I will do every morning is read my scriptures and say my prayers. Too many nights I go to bed, say I’ll read them in the morning, and then I end up doing something else and the important things fall by the wayside. From now on scripture reading and prayers are going to be the first thing I do when I wake up – even if that means I go to the orphanage half ready or don’t get to work out. The Lord has always made me a priority – I need to make him one. This is going to be a goal for the rest of my life… I’ve also decided I want my future husband to have the same thoughts as I do. I need it to be blankly apparent that Christ is number one in his life. I think that’s the problem with some of the guys I’ve dated. I can’t tell the Lord is number one in their life. I will not settle for anything less.
Ironically right after that thought Relief Society began and Elyse gave an excellent lesson about sacrifice – which reaffirmed my desire to put the Lord and Christ first. Christ displayed the ultimate sacrifice – the atonement. Although I can never fully repay him, I should do everything I can to live my life to make him proud of me so someday when I die he can welcome me with open arms and tell me “well done thou good and faithful servant.”
In Relief Society Sora Stoica thanked us for the example the BYU girls are to the Branch. She also praised all of us for the lessons that we teach. She said we always teach our lessons in complete accordance with the gospel and that she learns a lot. She also said that when the BYU girls first started coming she thought “what can I learn from them – they are young.” Then she said that she realized she learned a lot, and that she appreciates all the lessons and experiences we have shared with her. It was a sincere “thank you” – which meant a lot to me, and I’m sure the rest of the girls. The interesting thing is that we feel like we have all learned so much from the branch members as well. It’s amazing how we learn so much from each other…
On the way home from church I thought more about how I can improve my life and self, and I realized something. It’s amazing how the Lord helps you realize how to improve yourself when you earnestly seek for it and ask him. What I realized was that I worry too much about justice and forget about charity or the pure love of Christ. Too many times when I feel I have been treated bad I will have often have hard feelings – I will think “they had no right to treat me that way” – “they should be punished” – “why should I be nice to them when they have wronged me?” However, it’s not my responsibility to punish someone or make sure justice happens. The Lord will take care of that. All I need to worry about is how I treat others – even if I am treated badly I still need to treat them with love and respect. If I do that how can I not be happy? I need to always live in a way that I can walk away feeling like I acted Christ like. Happiness is ours to grab – but we have to grab it. In essence, I’m going to let the Lord worry about justice, and I’m just going to do my best to exemplify Christ. Of course I fall short, but I’m sure going to try. For some reason understanding this concept felt like a huge load was lifted off my shoulders. I love moments of enlightenment.
Also on the way home I had a little incident happen with a seemingly harmless 6-year-old boy who is always on the street running around on the pathway to church. He is extremely cute – but he is a little devil. He is only six and he has managed to grab several of the BYU girls, flash the missionaries and yell words of profanity at us as we walk by. While Annie and I were walking home he started walking directly behind me – so I put my hand over my rear because I thought he might try to grab me. That’s what he usually does. Then all of a sudden he dodged down and tried to pull my skirt down. Luckily he didn’t pull hard enough, but boy what a little stinker…It’s so sad. It’s hard because I can’t necessarily be mad at him – he obviously learned to treat women like that from someone else. A six year old wouldn’t randomly participate in acts like this unless he was taught it somewhere, but boy is it sad. In America I’ve never seen a six year old do anything like that…Most Romanian men seriously have NO respect for women. It’s ridiculous – American men are looking pretty good right now.
When I got home I took a nap – I must have been really tired because I was out. I didn’t get a lot of sleep this weekend…it’s been a little busy and crazy around here. There is a ton to do before I leave….My goal is to get all my homework done before I get home so I don’t have to worry about it. I want to be able to spend time with my family and take care of all the things I need to get done in order to get ready for my last semester of school. I have a long list of things. I have to get a car, car insurance, cell phone and a job. Plus I’m going to be broke when I get home – that’s where a loan will come in…grrr…at least I’ve made it this far without having to borrow any money.
It was Annie and my turn to make our group Sunday dinner. We made stuffed French toast and it was pretty good if I say so myself. Annie and I had three pans of French toast cooking on the stove. It was quite the balancing act.
After dinner Elyse and Mindy made an interesting dessert. Hahahha…I don’t think it turned out exactly how they wanted. It was quite funny because they ranted and raved about this dessert – then they only ate what they baked because they were forced to. I cut Mindy a big slice of the cake…the expression on her face was priceless when I handed it to her.
In the kitchen while Elyse and Mindy were trying to find a way to fix their dessert so it was edible, we started talking about dating. I honestly could care less about dating when I get home. Elyse said when you don’t care you always find someone, but I really don’t think I will find someone soon. What’s great is that I’m okay with that...Is that weird? My next goal is to graduate and buy a Toy Yorkshire Terrier…I’ve wanted one since 3rd grade…
After dinner Annie and I watched Yours Mine and Ours. Love that movie! Then I participated in my fourth scabies treatment. Great end to a Sunday… haha…
P.S. I got a mosquito bite on my eye lid yesterday…this is the second time in my life this has happened. I’ve decided that one’s eye lid is the worst spot EVER to get one. My best friend Kendall will laugh hysterically when she reads this. The bug bites are getting really bad here…
`
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Moments of enlightenment which help me get closer and closer to figuring out how to find true happiness in my life.
I love Sundays, and I love church. Each Sunday there is always something I need to hear in order to better myself. It’s amazing how the Lord knows each and every one of us so well.
I taught a lesson in Sunday School today on repentance. I felt like it went well, and the other girls seemed to appreciate it. I felt the spirit really strong, and I’m grateful the Lord helped me know what to say. I even got teary eyed when I bore my testimony. I think that is the second time I’ve cried since I’ve been here. I only hope that the words that I said actually make a difference in the lives of those who were listening. I hope that when I teach people walk away saying – I can improve myself - I can be better - I want to be better. I know whenever I prepare a lesson I learn so much and find so many ways I can improve myself. I love it.
In between Sunday School and Relief Society I sat and evaluated where I am at in my life spiritually. I started thinking about how I need to make sure I put the Lord first in my life and then everything else will fall into place. From here on out I’ve decided that the first thing I will do every morning is read my scriptures and say my prayers. Too many nights I go to bed, say I’ll read them in the morning, and then I end up doing something else and the important things fall by the wayside. From now on scripture reading and prayers are going to be the first thing I do when I wake up – even if that means I go to the orphanage half ready or don’t get to work out. The Lord has always made me a priority – I need to make him one. This is going to be a goal for the rest of my life… I’ve also decided I want my future husband to have the same thoughts as I do. I need it to be blankly apparent that Christ is number one in his life. I think that’s the problem with some of the guys I’ve dated. I can’t tell the Lord is number one in their life. I will not settle for anything less.
Ironically right after that thought Relief Society began and Elyse gave an excellent lesson about sacrifice – which reaffirmed my desire to put the Lord and Christ first. Christ displayed the ultimate sacrifice – the atonement. Although I can never fully repay him, I should do everything I can to live my life to make him proud of me so someday when I die he can welcome me with open arms and tell me “well done thou good and faithful servant.”
In Relief Society Sora Stoica thanked us for the example the BYU girls are to the Branch. She also praised all of us for the lessons that we teach. She said we always teach our lessons in complete accordance with the gospel and that she learns a lot. She also said that when the BYU girls first started coming she thought “what can I learn from them – they are young.” Then she said that she realized she learned a lot, and that she appreciates all the lessons and experiences we have shared with her. It was a sincere “thank you” – which meant a lot to me, and I’m sure the rest of the girls. The interesting thing is that we feel like we have all learned so much from the branch members as well. It’s amazing how we learn so much from each other…
On the way home from church I thought more about how I can improve my life and self, and I realized something. It’s amazing how the Lord helps you realize how to improve yourself when you earnestly seek for it and ask him. What I realized was that I worry too much about justice and forget about charity or the pure love of Christ. Too many times when I feel I have been treated bad I will have often have hard feelings – I will think “they had no right to treat me that way” – “they should be punished” – “why should I be nice to them when they have wronged me?” However, it’s not my responsibility to punish someone or make sure justice happens. The Lord will take care of that. All I need to worry about is how I treat others – even if I am treated badly I still need to treat them with love and respect. If I do that how can I not be happy? I need to always live in a way that I can walk away feeling like I acted Christ like. Happiness is ours to grab – but we have to grab it. In essence, I’m going to let the Lord worry about justice, and I’m just going to do my best to exemplify Christ. Of course I fall short, but I’m sure going to try. For some reason understanding this concept felt like a huge load was lifted off my shoulders. I love moments of enlightenment.
Also on the way home I had a little incident happen with a seemingly harmless 6-year-old boy who is always on the street running around on the pathway to church. He is extremely cute – but he is a little devil. He is only six and he has managed to grab several of the BYU girls, flash the missionaries and yell words of profanity at us as we walk by. While Annie and I were walking home he started walking directly behind me – so I put my hand over my rear because I thought he might try to grab me. That’s what he usually does. Then all of a sudden he dodged down and tried to pull my skirt down. Luckily he didn’t pull hard enough, but boy what a little stinker…It’s so sad. It’s hard because I can’t necessarily be mad at him – he obviously learned to treat women like that from someone else. A six year old wouldn’t randomly participate in acts like this unless he was taught it somewhere, but boy is it sad. In America I’ve never seen a six year old do anything like that…Most Romanian men seriously have NO respect for women. It’s ridiculous – American men are looking pretty good right now.
When I got home I took a nap – I must have been really tired because I was out. I didn’t get a lot of sleep this weekend…it’s been a little busy and crazy around here. There is a ton to do before I leave….My goal is to get all my homework done before I get home so I don’t have to worry about it. I want to be able to spend time with my family and take care of all the things I need to get done in order to get ready for my last semester of school. I have a long list of things. I have to get a car, car insurance, cell phone and a job. Plus I’m going to be broke when I get home – that’s where a loan will come in…grrr…at least I’ve made it this far without having to borrow any money.
It was Annie and my turn to make our group Sunday dinner. We made stuffed French toast and it was pretty good if I say so myself. Annie and I had three pans of French toast cooking on the stove. It was quite the balancing act.
After dinner Elyse and Mindy made an interesting dessert. Hahahha…I don’t think it turned out exactly how they wanted. It was quite funny because they ranted and raved about this dessert – then they only ate what they baked because they were forced to. I cut Mindy a big slice of the cake…the expression on her face was priceless when I handed it to her.
In the kitchen while Elyse and Mindy were trying to find a way to fix their dessert so it was edible, we started talking about dating. I honestly could care less about dating when I get home. Elyse said when you don’t care you always find someone, but I really don’t think I will find someone soon. What’s great is that I’m okay with that...Is that weird? My next goal is to graduate and buy a Toy Yorkshire Terrier…I’ve wanted one since 3rd grade…
After dinner Annie and I watched Yours Mine and Ours. Love that movie! Then I participated in my fourth scabies treatment. Great end to a Sunday… haha…
P.S. I got a mosquito bite on my eye lid yesterday…this is the second time in my life this has happened. I’ve decided that one’s eye lid is the worst spot EVER to get one. My best friend Kendall will laugh hysterically when she reads this. The bug bites are getting really bad here…
`
July 26, 2008 (Saturday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: A friendship that I never thought would happen.
I know it’s a Saturday, but I woke up super early to try and get a head start on homework. I woke up at 5:30 and Annie woke up at 6:00 and made us pancakes for breakfast, and then I did the dishes. I didn’t even know you could make pancakes without pancake mix. Annie laughed at me when I told her that.
This morning was productive…I got a couple of cultural proof assignments done and wrote in my journal…I’m starting to love getting up in the morning – which is weird because I normally detest mornings. Something about Romania makes me want to get up early…? Weird.
After we did homework for a couple hours I went to the internet café. To my surprise as I was writing an email my ex-boyfriend g-chatted with me. It was good to chat for a few minutes and say hello.
For the rest of the morning I did homework. Then we all went to the hospital to have a little party for Marius before Elisa left. He is going to be leaving for the states sometime within the next week or two with his brother. Everyone is so excited for him.
We also gave Teo (worker from the orphanage) a gift from us girls – we got her a digital camera. She has done a ton for us while we have been here. She just kept saying “I can’t believe it. Wow.” Having a digital camera is a pretty big deal around here. Oh the things we take for granted.
At the hospital we took a group picture. To make fun of me the girls took a picture of the way I apparently pose in my pics. They say that in all my pictures I turn to the side and put my hands on my hips…I don’t think that’s a regular pose – but whatever.
At the hospital we had fun and played with Marion. He is soooo stinkin cute. He kept pointing down the hall and saying “acolo.” Then whoever was holding him would run down the hall back and forth and he loved it. That little boy loves attention, and he hates being in his crib. Who could blame him?
After the hospital I did homework and internet stuff for a bit. Then we all planned to go out to dinner for Elisa’s last evening. We went to a nice restaurant – we pretty much had it to ourselves. The food was okay, but not amazing. Kenz and Mary came late because they went to pick up their drawing. They had a bumb on the street sketch one of their favorite pictures with the kids. When they walked in and showed us them we all laughed. The sketch didn’t really look like the picture – Mary’s face was two times bigger than its regular size and Kenz’s photo had smudges on it, but they still liked them…they were both laughing pretty hard too.
After dinner we took some final group photos together. They were pretty random. Then I showed Elyse a dance move that I thought she would like and she did it the entire way home. I can’t wait to show her some more.
After we got home the Elders and Sisters dropped by to give Elisa a little goodbye gift. Trying to fit everyone in that little apartment was humorous – not to mention extremely hot. The apartment is so small that if you get too many bodies in there it quickly turns into a little oven. Wow.
While we were all chatting Kenz, Elyse and I started hitting the volleyball really fast and hard in a small space, and Mindy started freaking out. Hilarious. You had to be there for it to be funny, but every time we came close to breaking someone’s computer Mindy would say a reprimanding and drawn out “oh… okay.” We kept doing it just to hear her say that…
Before we left for the night and said goodbye Elisa had to conduct a final personal interview with each of us. She is responsible for evaluating us for part of our grade. I had a really nice chat with her.
For our final moments as an entire group we watched the season finale of The Office. The girls can’t get enough of the episode where Jim confesses his love for Pam. We’re such girls.
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: A friendship that I never thought would happen.
I know it’s a Saturday, but I woke up super early to try and get a head start on homework. I woke up at 5:30 and Annie woke up at 6:00 and made us pancakes for breakfast, and then I did the dishes. I didn’t even know you could make pancakes without pancake mix. Annie laughed at me when I told her that.
This morning was productive…I got a couple of cultural proof assignments done and wrote in my journal…I’m starting to love getting up in the morning – which is weird because I normally detest mornings. Something about Romania makes me want to get up early…? Weird.
After we did homework for a couple hours I went to the internet café. To my surprise as I was writing an email my ex-boyfriend g-chatted with me. It was good to chat for a few minutes and say hello.
For the rest of the morning I did homework. Then we all went to the hospital to have a little party for Marius before Elisa left. He is going to be leaving for the states sometime within the next week or two with his brother. Everyone is so excited for him.
We also gave Teo (worker from the orphanage) a gift from us girls – we got her a digital camera. She has done a ton for us while we have been here. She just kept saying “I can’t believe it. Wow.” Having a digital camera is a pretty big deal around here. Oh the things we take for granted.
At the hospital we took a group picture. To make fun of me the girls took a picture of the way I apparently pose in my pics. They say that in all my pictures I turn to the side and put my hands on my hips…I don’t think that’s a regular pose – but whatever.
At the hospital we had fun and played with Marion. He is soooo stinkin cute. He kept pointing down the hall and saying “acolo.” Then whoever was holding him would run down the hall back and forth and he loved it. That little boy loves attention, and he hates being in his crib. Who could blame him?
After the hospital I did homework and internet stuff for a bit. Then we all planned to go out to dinner for Elisa’s last evening. We went to a nice restaurant – we pretty much had it to ourselves. The food was okay, but not amazing. Kenz and Mary came late because they went to pick up their drawing. They had a bumb on the street sketch one of their favorite pictures with the kids. When they walked in and showed us them we all laughed. The sketch didn’t really look like the picture – Mary’s face was two times bigger than its regular size and Kenz’s photo had smudges on it, but they still liked them…they were both laughing pretty hard too.
After dinner we took some final group photos together. They were pretty random. Then I showed Elyse a dance move that I thought she would like and she did it the entire way home. I can’t wait to show her some more.
After we got home the Elders and Sisters dropped by to give Elisa a little goodbye gift. Trying to fit everyone in that little apartment was humorous – not to mention extremely hot. The apartment is so small that if you get too many bodies in there it quickly turns into a little oven. Wow.
While we were all chatting Kenz, Elyse and I started hitting the volleyball really fast and hard in a small space, and Mindy started freaking out. Hilarious. You had to be there for it to be funny, but every time we came close to breaking someone’s computer Mindy would say a reprimanding and drawn out “oh… okay.” We kept doing it just to hear her say that…
Before we left for the night and said goodbye Elisa had to conduct a final personal interview with each of us. She is responsible for evaluating us for part of our grade. I had a really nice chat with her.
For our final moments as an entire group we watched the season finale of The Office. The girls can’t get enough of the episode where Jim confesses his love for Pam. We’re such girls.
Friday, July 25, 2008
July 25, 2008 (Friday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Good friends to talk with about topics of importance.
Today was Elisa’s last day at the orphanage. Besides that it was a regular day with the kids. We didn’t go outside today so I was able to play with all of my kiddos. I loved it! Valentina was in a hair pulling mood though. None of the girls wanted her to come up from behind us because she would yank a chunk of our hair out if she did. Oh Valentina!
Poor Vali had a major freak out session today…When Whitney S. first walked in she noticed that he was biting his arms and hands more than usual so she could tell something was wrong. She tried to hold him. Then he freaked out so a worker put him in his crib. That wasn’t a smart idea, because he started banging his head against the wall. Then they took him out of his bed again and gave him back to Whitney S. That’s when Whitney S. was like “can I get your help?” I looked over and Vali was throwing and biting himself – kicking and hitting as hard as he could. I helped her restrain him so he wouldn’t bite himself or hurt us. I started singing I Am A Child of God; and he immediately settled down for the first verse, but when I was about to go to the second he started freaking out again. The other workers had to help hold him down as well. Then the nurse came and made him drink some type of medicine that acts as a tranquilizer. I wonder what was going through his mind…At one point he threw himself against the floor and hit his head really hard. I was afraid he had split his head open, but luckily he ended up being okay.
From his random freak out sessions it’s easy to see he has been badly badly abused at home. His session today was really intense. The last couple of days Vali has been smiling and playing and sitting in our laps quietly while we just held him. I was excited to see a change in him so quickly. I also noticed that he was biting himself less and with less intensity. He even stopped flinching when we went to touch him…I guess any recovery (if recovery is possible) will take a long time. Whatever has been done to him will have to be undone. His parents should be put in jail for they way they have treated him – and I’m sure we don’t even have the entire story. Apparently they kept him isolated for long periods of time….
After talking with Whitney S. she said that Vali’s behavior reminded her of a video she had seen in one of her psychology classes at BYU. In the video there was a nine year old boy who was completely isolated his entire life – even his food was slid under the door of the room he was locked in. When they found him his mannerisms were animal like – especially his walk and crawl. That was quite fascinating because he hadn’t been around humans or animals to learn any behavior... Vali runs like an ape…I know he was isolated…but I think his family might have downplayed the intensity of their maltreatment towards him.
Andrei was a stinker today. I personally put him in timeout three times, and the other girls put him in timeout as well. He is so cute, but he is such a pill sometimes. When I put him in timeout he acted like it was a game. He would start laughing. After I put him in timeout several times he wasn’t laughing quite so much. I think he started to figure out that timeout wasn’t fun.
Andrei picked up dolls from the toy shelf to play with again today. I was starting to get a little concerned, but my concern was alleviated when he started pulling the legs off of the Barbie doll. Not that that is good behavior, but that is the way a typical little boy acts with dolls…I’m glad he’s acting like a regular little boy.
When Kenz and I got home from the orphanage we had a nice chat about dating and relationships. We talked about awkward dating situations we have had. Then we chatted about having confidence in ourselves without having a guy or boyfriend in our lives. Luckily my dad has reminded me over and over again that I don’t need to have a boy in my life at all times to make me feel like I am of value. So many girls these days have to have a boyfriend all the time, and they don’t feel like they are of worth without one. That’s such a wrong thought process. I’m fine without a boyfriend – not that it’s not nice to have one - but my self esteem doesn’t automatically plummet if I don’t have one. That is one thing that I really appreciate from my dad. He always says that I need to learn to understand my own personal value so that when I find a guy we can be nice compliments for one another – not crutches …I don’t know if I’m making sense as I explain this – but it has helped me much throughout my life. My dad has given me lots of wise advice over the years about dating. I appreciate it all very much…
On the way to the hospital a couple of us were walking and this car full of guys yelled “Hey!” at the top of their lungs as they drove by. We all about had a heart attack. Whitney S. was like “I hate Romanian men!” I don’t know what it is about Romanian men and honking and yelling, but they love it.
At the hospital I visited laughing baby. She is sooooo cute. I could just sit and hold her for hours. The moms in the room tried talking to me in Romanian for an hour. I understood a lot of it, but some of it didn’t make sense. It was so funny…whenever I didn’t understand they would start acting out whatever question or statement they were trying to say. My conversation with Romanians largely consists of a game of charades…haha…The moms asked if I drank, smoked or went to the discotecas (clubs), and I told them “no.” They were absolutely shocked…Then they asked me if I had a husband or boyfriend. I told them “no,” and they were even more shocked. I loved their facial expressions every time I said “no.” Hilarious.
Annie went and bought a binky for laughing baby, and I tried to give it to her and she didn’t know how to suck on it. I held it in her mouth for like 15 minutes, and the poor thing just made faces the entire time while she rolled the binky around. She was having a really hard time…the nurse asked us to buy one for her…I’m not sure why?
The second we stepped out of the hospital it was raining profusely. Annie and I looked at each other and were like “well – here goes.” Within about 5 minutes we were drenched, and we had a half an hour walk home. I have never been so wet in my life…I was drenched down to the underwear several times over. We both looked like we had jumped in a lake with all our clothes on. Annie and I were laughing so hard…my contacts almost came out it was raining so hard. Then to make the situation even more amazing several cars went buy and splashed us with water. I’ve always seen that happen in movies, but I’ve never experienced it first hand. Annie and I decided that some of the drivers hit the puddles on purpose and some avoided them to be nice. Then of course we got honked and yelled at several times – we were drenched which means our clothes clung to us. Pervert Romanian men…
Because today is July 24th and Pioneer Day we had a church activity…it was a good time. Sister Padoru sang a song about the BYU girls. It was so sweet…it talked about how it seemed like yesterday that she just met us and then we leave and they are so sad…Whitney S. started crying when the elders translated it for us…
Later on the girls from the other apartment came over, and we had éclairs. They are one of Elisa’s favorite treats since she has been here. We all just sat and chatted about random things like we do when we get together. I love how random our conversations will get sometimes. It’s amazing how easy it is to jump from topic to topic when you get a group of nine girls together.
July 24, 2008 (Thursday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Thunder and lightning storms…
The rain carried over from last night until this morning – along with the lightning. I absolutely love thunder and lightning storms – especially when I get to fall asleep to the sound of them. I think that’s why I slept so well last night…
As Annie and I were getting ready I noticed she had Christmas music playing –which I thought was funny because it’s the middle of summer. She looked at me and laughed and said the cold and rain outside reminded her of Christmas so she wanted to listen to Christmas music. Gotta love Annie.
At the orphanage it was a pretty regular day. Nothing too out of the ordinary happened. The only thing was that we made voice recordings of all our kids so we can listen to them when we go home. Elisa’s last day at the orphanage is tomorrow, and she has to take the tape recorder with her so we tried to get as many clips as possible of our kid’s voices. Most of the kids cooperated, but my Maria would not laugh for anything. We kept attempting …after about the 4th try she finally did…oh boy…
Andrei was kind of cranky today for some reason. Every once in a while he gets like that, and I’ll have to take a break away from him and go play with another child. I still love him, but boy can his continuous little tantrums start to get to you.
The speech therapist walked in today to work with Andrei and I could tell he really likes her. It makes me happy to see that there is someone he cares about, and that she cares about him. It actually gives me a lot of comfort knowing there is at least one person who will treat him really well while I’m gone. Thank goodness.
At the apartments it was pretty sedate as well…it was just a very regular day. Nothing to report.
When I got home I called my friend Kristi to find out the details of her engagement. She told me how Todd proposed and it was adorable. He told her to get dressed up and she did. Then he took her dinner and a place where his friend sings Jazz music. Then he took her to Rock Canyon Park and they danced in the middle of the field to the song Storm by Lifehouse. She thought he was going to propose there – nope. Then they went and talked outside the Provo Temple for a while. She thought he was going to propose there – nope. By then it was about 11:00 and she said that he was like “well I don’t have anything else planned for the night – lets take you home.” She told him that she’d rather spend some more time with him before they went home – after all 11:00 is early for a college student. Then he looked at her and was like “Kristi it’s been a good night lets not drag it on.” Kristi said she was so hurt and that the car ride back to her house was so awkward. She was like “Whitney I kept thinking that comment was soo wrong.” Then he dropped her off and was like “see you later.” She said she got out of the car, and he drove off. She couldn’t believe it. She said she wanted to cry…Then she walked up the stairs and opened her door and her favorite Michael Buble called That’s All was playing. Then the lights were off and candles and rose petals were all over the floor in a trail. She said her stomach jumped because she knew it was going to happen. He totally tricked her. She followed the rose petals and it lead to a huge bouquet of roses and lilies. In the bouquet there was a card that said “go back outside beautiful.” Then she opened the door, and she said he was sprinting up the stairs with a huge grin on his face. He came upstairs, and they danced to Michael Buble and he proposed to her. She was so so excited to tell me the whole story. She said it was the perfect proposal. I can tell she is really happy, and I’m honestly so excited for her. However, I’m just not excited to have an engaged roommate in the fall…oh well… at least I will have fun shopping for wedding dresses with her. That will be fun!
It was Annie and my night to go to Outreach. We were both thrilled as usual. There were about 9 people there including ourselves. We all played a couple rounds of Uno – I’m not sure if I’m a huge fan of card games after Outreach. Anyways, Ionut was there and boy was he being a pill as usual. He isn’t a member of the church, but he is a Romanian college student who comes to Outreach to practice his English. The second we walked in I made that comment that I felt like I hadn’t been there for a while, and he quickly retorted “I know. That’s because you haven’t. I noticed.” I was like okay…I knew it was going to be a long evening.
In order to continue Ionut’s rudeness he was like “I curse you that you will marry a Romanian.” Annie and I looked at each other and busted out laughing. I didn’t think twice before I said “that is not gonna happen.” However, he insisted that whatever he curses people with comes true, and that he is never wrong. When I asked him why he cursed me he said “because I want to see it be hard for you to learn the language.” I was like okay…that’s rude…Then he wanted to make a bet, but I told him I didn’t bet with money – only food or candy. The bet is 100 pieces of candy. If I marry a Romanian man I have to send him the candy, and if I don’t he sends me the candy. I didn’t want to bet him, but he insisted. Then he said he had to have my email address so he could keep in contact with me to let him know if I marry a Romanian. I tried to avoid it…but it didn’t happen. He managed to find a piece of paper and three pens so I could write down my email. The first two pens didn’t work – he kept giving me them until he found one that worked.
Then to make the conversation more awkward he said “How is that guy you were dating?” I looked at him and said “I’m not dating anyone, and I haven’t dated anyone all summer.” Then he said that he was referring to the guy that was at the picnic at me. I quickly told him that Elisa talked to Sera, that he has left me alone and that it is for the best. Then he started asking me all these personal questions. He was like “Did he kiss you? Hug you? Touch you?” Finally I looked at him and was like “Why are you asking me such personal questions – my dating life is none of your business.” In between our bickering he asked me what I was wearing on my lips. I told him it was lip gloss, and he asked me again what the name of it was. I said “There is no name I got it when I worked at Nu Skin.” Then he jumped topics again and was like “Do you believe in fate?” I told him I didn’t believe in fate, but I believe the Lord guides our lives if we’re living righteously. Then he went off about how the Lord is all powerful and can make people do whatever he wants. I told him that I disagreed, and that the Lord is not allowed to make us do anything. I explained to him that we were sent to this earth and given our free agency to make decisions for our self. Although the Lord can guide us down paths he wants us to take he cannot make us take any of them. It is only by our choice. Then he just tried to start an argument and said “Do you follow the Lord’s will?” I said “Yes – I try.” Then he said my statements were contradicting…I finally told him that I wouldn’t argue with him and that we were going to have to agree to disagree. People that only want to argue drive me crazy…
Then to top off the night there were two girls at Outreach that were really sweet that Annie and I were talking to. We were chatting with them about how amazing the Twilight book series is and about their lives. Both of their moms are working in Italy and have been working there for several years. It’s crazy…but not a story I haven’t heard over and over again in Romania. Then as they left to go home I said goodbye and said to Annie and Ionut “they’re cute girls!” Ionut gave me a dirty look and said “you think they’re cute.” I said “yes,” and then I said “you don’t? Then he simply replied “no I think they’re disgusting.” Annie looked at him and was like “we are not talking with you anymore.” I couldn’t have agreed more. Both of our jaws dropped when he said that. He is so brutal it’s ridiculous. Thank goodness the girls didn’t hear him. That would have been cruel. He told Elyse she was ugly one night – then he said something to Iulian (a Romanian young adult who comes to Outreach) who will not come back because of something that Ionut said. I don’t know how someone could deliberately be so mean. The thing is that he doesn’t even feel bad about it. He has this mentality that if your feelings are hurt by something he says it’s your fault. I don’t know about him…
On the way home it rained and thundered – like it has been the past couple of days. I love it though! It helps cool everything down. The only problem is that my hair doesn’t love it- it has been a huge poof ball…oh well there is no one to impress.
P.S. I found scabies on my face – not okay. I put cream all over it…AHHHH I WANT THEM TO GO AWAY!
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Thunder and lightning storms…
The rain carried over from last night until this morning – along with the lightning. I absolutely love thunder and lightning storms – especially when I get to fall asleep to the sound of them. I think that’s why I slept so well last night…
As Annie and I were getting ready I noticed she had Christmas music playing –which I thought was funny because it’s the middle of summer. She looked at me and laughed and said the cold and rain outside reminded her of Christmas so she wanted to listen to Christmas music. Gotta love Annie.
At the orphanage it was a pretty regular day. Nothing too out of the ordinary happened. The only thing was that we made voice recordings of all our kids so we can listen to them when we go home. Elisa’s last day at the orphanage is tomorrow, and she has to take the tape recorder with her so we tried to get as many clips as possible of our kid’s voices. Most of the kids cooperated, but my Maria would not laugh for anything. We kept attempting …after about the 4th try she finally did…oh boy…
Andrei was kind of cranky today for some reason. Every once in a while he gets like that, and I’ll have to take a break away from him and go play with another child. I still love him, but boy can his continuous little tantrums start to get to you.
The speech therapist walked in today to work with Andrei and I could tell he really likes her. It makes me happy to see that there is someone he cares about, and that she cares about him. It actually gives me a lot of comfort knowing there is at least one person who will treat him really well while I’m gone. Thank goodness.
At the apartments it was pretty sedate as well…it was just a very regular day. Nothing to report.
When I got home I called my friend Kristi to find out the details of her engagement. She told me how Todd proposed and it was adorable. He told her to get dressed up and she did. Then he took her dinner and a place where his friend sings Jazz music. Then he took her to Rock Canyon Park and they danced in the middle of the field to the song Storm by Lifehouse. She thought he was going to propose there – nope. Then they went and talked outside the Provo Temple for a while. She thought he was going to propose there – nope. By then it was about 11:00 and she said that he was like “well I don’t have anything else planned for the night – lets take you home.” She told him that she’d rather spend some more time with him before they went home – after all 11:00 is early for a college student. Then he looked at her and was like “Kristi it’s been a good night lets not drag it on.” Kristi said she was so hurt and that the car ride back to her house was so awkward. She was like “Whitney I kept thinking that comment was soo wrong.” Then he dropped her off and was like “see you later.” She said she got out of the car, and he drove off. She couldn’t believe it. She said she wanted to cry…Then she walked up the stairs and opened her door and her favorite Michael Buble called That’s All was playing. Then the lights were off and candles and rose petals were all over the floor in a trail. She said her stomach jumped because she knew it was going to happen. He totally tricked her. She followed the rose petals and it lead to a huge bouquet of roses and lilies. In the bouquet there was a card that said “go back outside beautiful.” Then she opened the door, and she said he was sprinting up the stairs with a huge grin on his face. He came upstairs, and they danced to Michael Buble and he proposed to her. She was so so excited to tell me the whole story. She said it was the perfect proposal. I can tell she is really happy, and I’m honestly so excited for her. However, I’m just not excited to have an engaged roommate in the fall…oh well… at least I will have fun shopping for wedding dresses with her. That will be fun!
It was Annie and my night to go to Outreach. We were both thrilled as usual. There were about 9 people there including ourselves. We all played a couple rounds of Uno – I’m not sure if I’m a huge fan of card games after Outreach. Anyways, Ionut was there and boy was he being a pill as usual. He isn’t a member of the church, but he is a Romanian college student who comes to Outreach to practice his English. The second we walked in I made that comment that I felt like I hadn’t been there for a while, and he quickly retorted “I know. That’s because you haven’t. I noticed.” I was like okay…I knew it was going to be a long evening.
In order to continue Ionut’s rudeness he was like “I curse you that you will marry a Romanian.” Annie and I looked at each other and busted out laughing. I didn’t think twice before I said “that is not gonna happen.” However, he insisted that whatever he curses people with comes true, and that he is never wrong. When I asked him why he cursed me he said “because I want to see it be hard for you to learn the language.” I was like okay…that’s rude…Then he wanted to make a bet, but I told him I didn’t bet with money – only food or candy. The bet is 100 pieces of candy. If I marry a Romanian man I have to send him the candy, and if I don’t he sends me the candy. I didn’t want to bet him, but he insisted. Then he said he had to have my email address so he could keep in contact with me to let him know if I marry a Romanian. I tried to avoid it…but it didn’t happen. He managed to find a piece of paper and three pens so I could write down my email. The first two pens didn’t work – he kept giving me them until he found one that worked.
Then to make the conversation more awkward he said “How is that guy you were dating?” I looked at him and said “I’m not dating anyone, and I haven’t dated anyone all summer.” Then he said that he was referring to the guy that was at the picnic at me. I quickly told him that Elisa talked to Sera, that he has left me alone and that it is for the best. Then he started asking me all these personal questions. He was like “Did he kiss you? Hug you? Touch you?” Finally I looked at him and was like “Why are you asking me such personal questions – my dating life is none of your business.” In between our bickering he asked me what I was wearing on my lips. I told him it was lip gloss, and he asked me again what the name of it was. I said “There is no name I got it when I worked at Nu Skin.” Then he jumped topics again and was like “Do you believe in fate?” I told him I didn’t believe in fate, but I believe the Lord guides our lives if we’re living righteously. Then he went off about how the Lord is all powerful and can make people do whatever he wants. I told him that I disagreed, and that the Lord is not allowed to make us do anything. I explained to him that we were sent to this earth and given our free agency to make decisions for our self. Although the Lord can guide us down paths he wants us to take he cannot make us take any of them. It is only by our choice. Then he just tried to start an argument and said “Do you follow the Lord’s will?” I said “Yes – I try.” Then he said my statements were contradicting…I finally told him that I wouldn’t argue with him and that we were going to have to agree to disagree. People that only want to argue drive me crazy…
Then to top off the night there were two girls at Outreach that were really sweet that Annie and I were talking to. We were chatting with them about how amazing the Twilight book series is and about their lives. Both of their moms are working in Italy and have been working there for several years. It’s crazy…but not a story I haven’t heard over and over again in Romania. Then as they left to go home I said goodbye and said to Annie and Ionut “they’re cute girls!” Ionut gave me a dirty look and said “you think they’re cute.” I said “yes,” and then I said “you don’t? Then he simply replied “no I think they’re disgusting.” Annie looked at him and was like “we are not talking with you anymore.” I couldn’t have agreed more. Both of our jaws dropped when he said that. He is so brutal it’s ridiculous. Thank goodness the girls didn’t hear him. That would have been cruel. He told Elyse she was ugly one night – then he said something to Iulian (a Romanian young adult who comes to Outreach) who will not come back because of something that Ionut said. I don’t know how someone could deliberately be so mean. The thing is that he doesn’t even feel bad about it. He has this mentality that if your feelings are hurt by something he says it’s your fault. I don’t know about him…
On the way home it rained and thundered – like it has been the past couple of days. I love it though! It helps cool everything down. The only problem is that my hair doesn’t love it- it has been a huge poof ball…oh well there is no one to impress.
P.S. I found scabies on my face – not okay. I put cream all over it…AHHHH I WANT THEM TO GO AWAY!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
July 23, 2008 (Wednesday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Good guys are in this world.
The day started off with putting forms together for Mario in order to take care of our Visas. Apparently we are only allowed to stay in Romania for three months without a Visa, and we are here a few weeks longer than that – so we had to fill out some papers for Mario so our time in Romania could be extended. Hopefully that all goes through properly. That would be a major bummer if we had to leave immediately.
Whitney S. and Elisa went to visit Mihai (a little boy Elisa worked with when she was here two years ago who is now adopted). So that left me with all the kiddos. It was a little hectic to try and get around to all of them, but I managed to play with the majority of them – even if it wasn’t for a really long time.
The most exciting event of the day was when Maria got poop all down my pants. It was lovely. I was playing with her and all of a sudden I looked down and her pants were completely soaked through. Then I looked at my pants and they had poop all over them as well – not to mention I had some on my hand. Remind you she is 9 years old – so it wasn’t little baby poop. The joys. I’m becoming so prepared to be a mom haha…Then I tried to get her not to move so she wouldn’t get it everywhere before a worker changed her, but of course there were no workers to be found. Luckily Deanna walked by and she ran and got a worker. Thank goodness.
Later Florine came in and chatted for a while I was in the room playing with the kids. Although he’s soft spoken he is still a tease. Andrei picked out two dolls to play with and I was like “those are not for boys – those are for girls.” Of course I still let him play with them, but Florine started laughing at me and mimicking what I said to Andrei. Andrei really liked Florine. He went and crawled into his lap and played dolls. So cute.
A few minutes later Andrea was walking around and she fell and started crying. I immediately went to pick her up to comfort her, but one of the workers stopped me and said to leave her alone. I was a little annoyed because when babies hurt themselves you are supposed to pick them up and kiss and hug their “boo boo.” Regardless, I listened to her. I think Florine could tell I was bothered and two seconds later he gave the worker kind of a dirty look and picked Andrea up and bounced her for a second until she quieted. For some reason it was really attractive to me the way he handled the entire situation. He’s going to be a good dad. It’s nice to see that there are still good guys in this world. For a girl who loves kids there is nothing sexier than when a guy is good with them. So adorable…I love it. On the way home Mary and I were chatting about how important it is for guys we date to love kids…and if he doesn’t he’s out of there. It is sooooo true.
At the hospital there were a ton of babies today…I went and visited “laughing baby girl” today. I wanted to get a video of her laughing the other day, but I couldn’t because my camera was broken. Elisa was nice enough to let me borrow hers today, but “laughing baby” wouldn’t laugh. I was so sad. So basically there is about five minutes on video of me attempting to make her laugh. She only laughed twice for a second…I swear kids know when the video tape is on…no fair!
I also found the baby that has the longest eye lashes ever. He is soooo cute. I played with him for a while. He is a little chunker, but boy does he giggle easy. I would bury my head into his neck and kiss it, and he would just laugh and laugh and laugh. It was sooo cute. I LOVE babies…I want many kids.
I have a funny story about the sanitation of the hospital from an experience today. Here goes. In one of the rooms there are two babies about the same age so Annie and I were each holding one. A few minutes after holding them the nurse came in and gave us each a bottle to feed them. Annie’s baby got done first and mine was taking a long time. The nurse came in and saw that my baby was still drinking so she had me take the bottle out of the baby’s mouth to see if the slit in the top was allowing enough milk to come out. There wasn’t – so the nurse simply switched the nipple with the other baby’s bottle (which was the one the other baby had just drank her entire bottle from). It didn’t matter that germs would be passed…maybe they figure they are both sick so it’s no big deal? Annie and I just started laughing when she switched them. Oh Romania. Good times…
After the hospital Annie went with me to look at scarves that were on sale. A bunch of the girls bought them because they were such a good deal, and I didn’t go with them the other day…so I went and bought some. I wanted to give them away as gifts, but I kind of like them all a lot. Not Good. I’m going to have to sort through them to see which ones I can handle giving away…I bought one in particular with my Mom Bonnie in mind that I think she will like. Nothing too fancy, but I think it is a sophisticated scarf just like she is.
After dinner Annie needed to use the internet so I went with her to the girls’ apartment. While I was sitting there working on some homework Elyse walked in and was like “Did you know your friend Kristi is engaged? Todd’s really excited about it.” Immediately my stomach dropped. I just looked at her for a second – then I asked her how she knew. She replied “Facebook.” Talk about an immediate rush of mixed feelings. I’m happy for her, but sad for a friendship that is going to go goodbye pretty soon. It happens whenever people get married. What’s even more amazing about the situation is that I was informed by a friend who found out by Facebook. Classic. As Mary and I like to say “another one bites the dust.”
Mindy was sitting in the room when Elyse told me the news and was like “she’s your roommate in the fall right?” I replied that she was…Then Mindy said “it’s okay Whitney we can visit each other every day.” Then she started laughing and went off about how when we go back to school she’s going to be “the weird girl” who has pictures of her kids footprints plastered all over the wall with a voice recording of her kids playing over and over. (We are taking foot and hand prints and voice recordings of all our kids.) We were all rolling with laughter…we’re all going to go home alone and broke missing our kids – but it’s worth it because we are all better people and more fulfilled from the experiences we have been so blessed to have here in Romania.
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Good guys are in this world.
The day started off with putting forms together for Mario in order to take care of our Visas. Apparently we are only allowed to stay in Romania for three months without a Visa, and we are here a few weeks longer than that – so we had to fill out some papers for Mario so our time in Romania could be extended. Hopefully that all goes through properly. That would be a major bummer if we had to leave immediately.
Whitney S. and Elisa went to visit Mihai (a little boy Elisa worked with when she was here two years ago who is now adopted). So that left me with all the kiddos. It was a little hectic to try and get around to all of them, but I managed to play with the majority of them – even if it wasn’t for a really long time.
The most exciting event of the day was when Maria got poop all down my pants. It was lovely. I was playing with her and all of a sudden I looked down and her pants were completely soaked through. Then I looked at my pants and they had poop all over them as well – not to mention I had some on my hand. Remind you she is 9 years old – so it wasn’t little baby poop. The joys. I’m becoming so prepared to be a mom haha…Then I tried to get her not to move so she wouldn’t get it everywhere before a worker changed her, but of course there were no workers to be found. Luckily Deanna walked by and she ran and got a worker. Thank goodness.
Later Florine came in and chatted for a while I was in the room playing with the kids. Although he’s soft spoken he is still a tease. Andrei picked out two dolls to play with and I was like “those are not for boys – those are for girls.” Of course I still let him play with them, but Florine started laughing at me and mimicking what I said to Andrei. Andrei really liked Florine. He went and crawled into his lap and played dolls. So cute.
A few minutes later Andrea was walking around and she fell and started crying. I immediately went to pick her up to comfort her, but one of the workers stopped me and said to leave her alone. I was a little annoyed because when babies hurt themselves you are supposed to pick them up and kiss and hug their “boo boo.” Regardless, I listened to her. I think Florine could tell I was bothered and two seconds later he gave the worker kind of a dirty look and picked Andrea up and bounced her for a second until she quieted. For some reason it was really attractive to me the way he handled the entire situation. He’s going to be a good dad. It’s nice to see that there are still good guys in this world. For a girl who loves kids there is nothing sexier than when a guy is good with them. So adorable…I love it. On the way home Mary and I were chatting about how important it is for guys we date to love kids…and if he doesn’t he’s out of there. It is sooooo true.
At the hospital there were a ton of babies today…I went and visited “laughing baby girl” today. I wanted to get a video of her laughing the other day, but I couldn’t because my camera was broken. Elisa was nice enough to let me borrow hers today, but “laughing baby” wouldn’t laugh. I was so sad. So basically there is about five minutes on video of me attempting to make her laugh. She only laughed twice for a second…I swear kids know when the video tape is on…no fair!
I also found the baby that has the longest eye lashes ever. He is soooo cute. I played with him for a while. He is a little chunker, but boy does he giggle easy. I would bury my head into his neck and kiss it, and he would just laugh and laugh and laugh. It was sooo cute. I LOVE babies…I want many kids.
I have a funny story about the sanitation of the hospital from an experience today. Here goes. In one of the rooms there are two babies about the same age so Annie and I were each holding one. A few minutes after holding them the nurse came in and gave us each a bottle to feed them. Annie’s baby got done first and mine was taking a long time. The nurse came in and saw that my baby was still drinking so she had me take the bottle out of the baby’s mouth to see if the slit in the top was allowing enough milk to come out. There wasn’t – so the nurse simply switched the nipple with the other baby’s bottle (which was the one the other baby had just drank her entire bottle from). It didn’t matter that germs would be passed…maybe they figure they are both sick so it’s no big deal? Annie and I just started laughing when she switched them. Oh Romania. Good times…
After the hospital Annie went with me to look at scarves that were on sale. A bunch of the girls bought them because they were such a good deal, and I didn’t go with them the other day…so I went and bought some. I wanted to give them away as gifts, but I kind of like them all a lot. Not Good. I’m going to have to sort through them to see which ones I can handle giving away…I bought one in particular with my Mom Bonnie in mind that I think she will like. Nothing too fancy, but I think it is a sophisticated scarf just like she is.
After dinner Annie needed to use the internet so I went with her to the girls’ apartment. While I was sitting there working on some homework Elyse walked in and was like “Did you know your friend Kristi is engaged? Todd’s really excited about it.” Immediately my stomach dropped. I just looked at her for a second – then I asked her how she knew. She replied “Facebook.” Talk about an immediate rush of mixed feelings. I’m happy for her, but sad for a friendship that is going to go goodbye pretty soon. It happens whenever people get married. What’s even more amazing about the situation is that I was informed by a friend who found out by Facebook. Classic. As Mary and I like to say “another one bites the dust.”
Mindy was sitting in the room when Elyse told me the news and was like “she’s your roommate in the fall right?” I replied that she was…Then Mindy said “it’s okay Whitney we can visit each other every day.” Then she started laughing and went off about how when we go back to school she’s going to be “the weird girl” who has pictures of her kids footprints plastered all over the wall with a voice recording of her kids playing over and over. (We are taking foot and hand prints and voice recordings of all our kids.) We were all rolling with laughter…we’re all going to go home alone and broke missing our kids – but it’s worth it because we are all better people and more fulfilled from the experiences we have been so blessed to have here in Romania.
July 22, 2008 (Tuesday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Moment of enlightenment.
I woke up early and wrote in my journal about the events of yesterday. As I wrote in my journal and typed up quotes from The Odyssey of a Street Child I thought in depth about what they meant. For some reason something clicked in my mind this morning about the concept of not judging a person for face value. I’ve heard it my entire life - that we should love everyone and not judge others, but it finally made sense to me. It’s always interesting when moments of enlightenment come. Whenever it makes sense I always wonder why I didn’t understand the concept earlier. I think the Lord just has to guide us gradually to understand certain concepts because we are so thick headed sometimes. At least I know I can be.
At the orphanage nothing too terribly interesting happened. Andrei was his usual monkey self. He kept climbing on this rope ladder they have on the swing set. He makes me so nervous, because he doesn’t think about anything he does – he just does. He kept climbing up and hanging from it and he’s only three. He could get hurt if no one was watching him. That’d be a long fall. He is such a stinker.
While I was pushing Andrei on the swing there was a truck on the other side of the fence doing something that made a loud noise. Right when the noise happened Andrei wheeled around in the direction the sound was coming from and looked around to see what the commotion was about. I was so excited. I think the hearing aids are starting to work. He still can’t hear well, but it appears that he can hear loud noises. Hooray!
Florine came outside today, and I chatted with him for a few minutes. Apparently he is going to Greece on vacation for 10 days sometime next week. I’m soooo jealous! It sounds amazing. He was excited about it. Then we just made small talk about our family and little things like that. Florine is an awesome guy. I wish I could find someone with his temperament who was Mormon in the United States. He’s mellow and sweet but still has a personality.
When we got done at the orphanage Doamna Doina came and gave each of us girls a picture she had colored. It was so sweet – especially since she doesn’t know all of us real well. I love sweet little thoughts like that – they make all the difference.
Whitney S., Elyse and I went to the apartments today. On the way it started pouring rain. We ended up getting soaked through and through, but it was kind of fun. I love playing in the rain. Whitney kept jumping in the puddles like she always does. Then I bought Elyse a gogosi that I owed her. She was able to make it 24 hours without being sarcastic…I was very impressed that she could do it.
At the apartment the kids were all pretty grumpy for some reason. Maybe it was because the rain? We don’t know. After Alina got out of her grumpy mood I had a lot of fun with her today. I was showing her little dance moves and she followed along. It was pretty adorable. Then we chassed down the hall and I twirled her. She absolutely loved it!I tried to teach Catalina and Laura some dance moves, but they lost focus real fast.
The rest of the night I organized pictures I got from the Black Sea. Pictures are great, but boy do they take a lot of time to keep straight. Then right before I went to bed I talked to my mom…she is so funny.
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Moment of enlightenment.
I woke up early and wrote in my journal about the events of yesterday. As I wrote in my journal and typed up quotes from The Odyssey of a Street Child I thought in depth about what they meant. For some reason something clicked in my mind this morning about the concept of not judging a person for face value. I’ve heard it my entire life - that we should love everyone and not judge others, but it finally made sense to me. It’s always interesting when moments of enlightenment come. Whenever it makes sense I always wonder why I didn’t understand the concept earlier. I think the Lord just has to guide us gradually to understand certain concepts because we are so thick headed sometimes. At least I know I can be.
At the orphanage nothing too terribly interesting happened. Andrei was his usual monkey self. He kept climbing on this rope ladder they have on the swing set. He makes me so nervous, because he doesn’t think about anything he does – he just does. He kept climbing up and hanging from it and he’s only three. He could get hurt if no one was watching him. That’d be a long fall. He is such a stinker.
While I was pushing Andrei on the swing there was a truck on the other side of the fence doing something that made a loud noise. Right when the noise happened Andrei wheeled around in the direction the sound was coming from and looked around to see what the commotion was about. I was so excited. I think the hearing aids are starting to work. He still can’t hear well, but it appears that he can hear loud noises. Hooray!
Florine came outside today, and I chatted with him for a few minutes. Apparently he is going to Greece on vacation for 10 days sometime next week. I’m soooo jealous! It sounds amazing. He was excited about it. Then we just made small talk about our family and little things like that. Florine is an awesome guy. I wish I could find someone with his temperament who was Mormon in the United States. He’s mellow and sweet but still has a personality.
When we got done at the orphanage Doamna Doina came and gave each of us girls a picture she had colored. It was so sweet – especially since she doesn’t know all of us real well. I love sweet little thoughts like that – they make all the difference.
Whitney S., Elyse and I went to the apartments today. On the way it started pouring rain. We ended up getting soaked through and through, but it was kind of fun. I love playing in the rain. Whitney kept jumping in the puddles like she always does. Then I bought Elyse a gogosi that I owed her. She was able to make it 24 hours without being sarcastic…I was very impressed that she could do it.
At the apartment the kids were all pretty grumpy for some reason. Maybe it was because the rain? We don’t know. After Alina got out of her grumpy mood I had a lot of fun with her today. I was showing her little dance moves and she followed along. It was pretty adorable. Then we chassed down the hall and I twirled her. She absolutely loved it!I tried to teach Catalina and Laura some dance moves, but they lost focus real fast.
The rest of the night I organized pictures I got from the Black Sea. Pictures are great, but boy do they take a lot of time to keep straight. Then right before I went to bed I talked to my mom…she is so funny.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
July 21, 2008 (Monday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Giving a gift to the people of Andrieseni from our hearts.
I missed my kids while I was at the Black Sea! It was so good to see them today. When we arrived they were all outside playing so we automatically ventured outside. Andrei came outside a little bit later, and he saw me from across the playground. One of the workers was holding his hand as she walked him through the door leading to outside, and he started jumping up and down and waving at me. Then the second she let go of his hand he came running at me full throttle and hugged me and jumped into my arms. I love it love it love it. It makes me feel so good – especially to know that he enjoys my company. Whitney S. said he saw me before I had seen him and that he started getting all excited and was trying to get my attention. So dang cute!
As I was hugging him I just kept thinking about I have to leave him in a few weeks. I wonder how he’s going to feel when I just disappear…I mean he’s three – he won’t understand why I’ve gone. I’m praying he won’t think I just abandoned him or don’t love him anymore. I’m having a hard time with this leaving thing, and I still have three weeks left. I try not to think about leaving, but all us girls are…it’s impossible not to. Plus we need to prepare ourselves for leaving. Our professor said it’s much harder on the girls to adjust when they leave than when they come to Romania. Apparently sometimes girls will go into deep depression because they miss their kids. I sure hope I don’t have that hard of a time. But I feel really guilty leaving Andrei and the rest of my kids. I feel like I’m leaving my children behind…and even though more girls are coming next semester I’m afraid they won’t love them like I do.
I did talk to Teo today about Andrei’s situation. Once again it was reiterated that he cannot be adopted or fostered out until he has implants put in. However, once again they have moved his surgery back. When I first came they said July, then they said September, and now they said they want to wait a few more months to see how much he can hear with his hearing aid. I’m a bit frustrated! I want them to do the surgery soon so he can be fostered to a good family.
On the other hand I did find out some good news today in regards to Andrei’s situation. I asked Teo if they have any deaf schools in Romania and she said they did. Then I asked her what needed to be done to get him into the school, and she said they just have to fill out some paperwork and have it approved. She said they are going to try and put him in a school in September. That made me SOOO happy to hear! If he goes to an all deaf school he will be able to learn how to sign and communicate, and he needs to so badly. The orphanage isn’t doing him any good here. After I leave I’m going to email Teo about his progress and make sure he is put into a deaf school.
There were a ton of little babies at the hospital today. I loved holding each and every one of them. There is something so satisfying in holding a baby and being able to transform their crying into expressions of smile and laughter. I love it.
There was one baby in particular that caught my eye. It was a little baby girl about 1 ½ to 2 months old. Right when I picked her up and looked at her I looked over at Annie and said “She has a special light in her eye – a special twinkle.” She just had a little sparkle of goodness that I sensed. Ironically a few seconds after I started holding her I laughed and she immediately started laughing. Then I laughed again and she immediately copied me. It was the cutest thing ever and highly unexpected. She was so little – she didn’t look like she was old enough to be able to smile. Annie and I both looked at each other like “is she really laughing?” She continued to laugh whenever I would laugh for about five minutes. It seriously made my year! I only wish I could have gotten it on video, but my camera is officially broken again…that’s a whole other story.
The second we got home I started taking my laundry down from the line outside, and we got a phone call. Apparently Teo (the Priest’s daughter from Andrieseni) was coming to play and stay with us for the night, and she was coming in 15 minutes. I love having no notice – oh well – Annie and I made it work. We cleaned and ran around like mad for about 15 minutes. It was amazing…
When the girls arrived we all decided to take her out to eat for Pizza at a little place outside. We ordered a ton of food and had fun chatting. We found out that Teo isn’t going to spend the night tonight – so we were glad we cleaned furiously right before she came…oh well…
After we ate Teo came with us to FHE. The activity part of FHE was quite humorous. The missionaries were in charge of the activity, but they were having an extremely hard time keeping control of the situation. They wanted to play Mafia, and they were trying to explain the rules in Romanian and English. Boy was that funny to watch. It took forever for them to explain in both languages, and therefore everyone got bored and was talking and chatting. After about one round they gave up and started a new game. This time we played Water in the Face. The game is just like it sounds. What happens is one person stands in the middle and picks a category – for example cars. Then everyone else is sitting in a circle and each person has to say a type of car. If the person guesses the car the person in the middle is thinking then you get a cup of water thrown in your face. I was lucky enough to get water in my face twice, but we all had a good time – including Teo. Then after FHE was done the water game led to a water fight. Normally I’m the person that starts water fights, but I didn’t feel like joining for some reason. I just went outside and looked at the clouds. A thunderstorm was coming and I LOVE thunderstorms. They are so powerful and strong. Plus I love the way the air smells when a storm is coming…
After FHE we went and finished putting together a gift we had for Teo and her family and gifts for the people of Andrieseni. We wrote cards and printed out photos of the people we took pictures with for them to have. We thought they’d enjoy them, and it’s an inexpensive way for us to show our appreciation. Teo was so excited. She kept saying “thank you” over and over again. It was so cute how she got so excited about something so simple. I loved it.
After FHE I tried calling Sony about my camera that is not functioning. I was sooooo annoyed because this is the second problem I have had with that camera in less than three months, and it is the same problem I had with the first one. When I called I basically got the run around about calling another place yadda yadda…then I couldn’t call the Europe line because my phone card is from Romania to the U.S. In desperation I called my Mom Mia and asked her if she could call them and see if I could return it. I told her I DON’T want to exchange it, but that I want my money back. In Europe they don’t really return things – just exchange – but maybe they will if I put up a fight…I’m going to talk to her tomorrow night to see what they say. Hopefully there is something they can do. I can’t afford to lose several hundred dollars for another camera…I already don’t know how I’m going to make it when I go home…I’ll have to take out a loan for school I guess… no good…my goal has been to get out of school debt free. So far so good – until my last semester. Stinks…oh well at least I was blessed to get this far without debt. I need to focus on the positive, but it’s so hard sometimes!
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Giving a gift to the people of Andrieseni from our hearts.
I missed my kids while I was at the Black Sea! It was so good to see them today. When we arrived they were all outside playing so we automatically ventured outside. Andrei came outside a little bit later, and he saw me from across the playground. One of the workers was holding his hand as she walked him through the door leading to outside, and he started jumping up and down and waving at me. Then the second she let go of his hand he came running at me full throttle and hugged me and jumped into my arms. I love it love it love it. It makes me feel so good – especially to know that he enjoys my company. Whitney S. said he saw me before I had seen him and that he started getting all excited and was trying to get my attention. So dang cute!
As I was hugging him I just kept thinking about I have to leave him in a few weeks. I wonder how he’s going to feel when I just disappear…I mean he’s three – he won’t understand why I’ve gone. I’m praying he won’t think I just abandoned him or don’t love him anymore. I’m having a hard time with this leaving thing, and I still have three weeks left. I try not to think about leaving, but all us girls are…it’s impossible not to. Plus we need to prepare ourselves for leaving. Our professor said it’s much harder on the girls to adjust when they leave than when they come to Romania. Apparently sometimes girls will go into deep depression because they miss their kids. I sure hope I don’t have that hard of a time. But I feel really guilty leaving Andrei and the rest of my kids. I feel like I’m leaving my children behind…and even though more girls are coming next semester I’m afraid they won’t love them like I do.
I did talk to Teo today about Andrei’s situation. Once again it was reiterated that he cannot be adopted or fostered out until he has implants put in. However, once again they have moved his surgery back. When I first came they said July, then they said September, and now they said they want to wait a few more months to see how much he can hear with his hearing aid. I’m a bit frustrated! I want them to do the surgery soon so he can be fostered to a good family.
On the other hand I did find out some good news today in regards to Andrei’s situation. I asked Teo if they have any deaf schools in Romania and she said they did. Then I asked her what needed to be done to get him into the school, and she said they just have to fill out some paperwork and have it approved. She said they are going to try and put him in a school in September. That made me SOOO happy to hear! If he goes to an all deaf school he will be able to learn how to sign and communicate, and he needs to so badly. The orphanage isn’t doing him any good here. After I leave I’m going to email Teo about his progress and make sure he is put into a deaf school.
There were a ton of little babies at the hospital today. I loved holding each and every one of them. There is something so satisfying in holding a baby and being able to transform their crying into expressions of smile and laughter. I love it.
There was one baby in particular that caught my eye. It was a little baby girl about 1 ½ to 2 months old. Right when I picked her up and looked at her I looked over at Annie and said “She has a special light in her eye – a special twinkle.” She just had a little sparkle of goodness that I sensed. Ironically a few seconds after I started holding her I laughed and she immediately started laughing. Then I laughed again and she immediately copied me. It was the cutest thing ever and highly unexpected. She was so little – she didn’t look like she was old enough to be able to smile. Annie and I both looked at each other like “is she really laughing?” She continued to laugh whenever I would laugh for about five minutes. It seriously made my year! I only wish I could have gotten it on video, but my camera is officially broken again…that’s a whole other story.
The second we got home I started taking my laundry down from the line outside, and we got a phone call. Apparently Teo (the Priest’s daughter from Andrieseni) was coming to play and stay with us for the night, and she was coming in 15 minutes. I love having no notice – oh well – Annie and I made it work. We cleaned and ran around like mad for about 15 minutes. It was amazing…
When the girls arrived we all decided to take her out to eat for Pizza at a little place outside. We ordered a ton of food and had fun chatting. We found out that Teo isn’t going to spend the night tonight – so we were glad we cleaned furiously right before she came…oh well…
After we ate Teo came with us to FHE. The activity part of FHE was quite humorous. The missionaries were in charge of the activity, but they were having an extremely hard time keeping control of the situation. They wanted to play Mafia, and they were trying to explain the rules in Romanian and English. Boy was that funny to watch. It took forever for them to explain in both languages, and therefore everyone got bored and was talking and chatting. After about one round they gave up and started a new game. This time we played Water in the Face. The game is just like it sounds. What happens is one person stands in the middle and picks a category – for example cars. Then everyone else is sitting in a circle and each person has to say a type of car. If the person guesses the car the person in the middle is thinking then you get a cup of water thrown in your face. I was lucky enough to get water in my face twice, but we all had a good time – including Teo. Then after FHE was done the water game led to a water fight. Normally I’m the person that starts water fights, but I didn’t feel like joining for some reason. I just went outside and looked at the clouds. A thunderstorm was coming and I LOVE thunderstorms. They are so powerful and strong. Plus I love the way the air smells when a storm is coming…
After FHE we went and finished putting together a gift we had for Teo and her family and gifts for the people of Andrieseni. We wrote cards and printed out photos of the people we took pictures with for them to have. We thought they’d enjoy them, and it’s an inexpensive way for us to show our appreciation. Teo was so excited. She kept saying “thank you” over and over again. It was so cute how she got so excited about something so simple. I loved it.
After FHE I tried calling Sony about my camera that is not functioning. I was sooooo annoyed because this is the second problem I have had with that camera in less than three months, and it is the same problem I had with the first one. When I called I basically got the run around about calling another place yadda yadda…then I couldn’t call the Europe line because my phone card is from Romania to the U.S. In desperation I called my Mom Mia and asked her if she could call them and see if I could return it. I told her I DON’T want to exchange it, but that I want my money back. In Europe they don’t really return things – just exchange – but maybe they will if I put up a fight…I’m going to talk to her tomorrow night to see what they say. Hopefully there is something they can do. I can’t afford to lose several hundred dollars for another camera…I already don’t know how I’m going to make it when I go home…I’ll have to take out a loan for school I guess… no good…my goal has been to get out of school debt free. So far so good – until my last semester. Stinks…oh well at least I was blessed to get this far without debt. I need to focus on the positive, but it’s so hard sometimes!
Lessons Learned...
July 20, 2008 (Sunday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: A gentle reminder not to judge a person or their situation by their outward appearance.
This morning we rolled out of bed and made French toast and fruit salad for breakfast for Deanna to thank her again for guiding us on our Black Sea adventure. We had a lot of fun the past couple of days lying on the beach having fun.
Whitney S. got an email from her mom this morning. Whitney told me that her mom had seen on my blog that Andrea has tuberculosis and that we need to be careful because it is more serious than we think. After looking it up on Wikipedia we found out it is highly contagious and if not properly treated 50 percent of people die if they are not treated. We all laughed when we listed all the things we need to have checked out by the doctor. When we get back…Oh the joys. We’ll all hope for the best, but I guess that is the price that comes with working with sick kids all day. Hopefully the Lord will keep me healthy throughout the remainder of my time here.
Right after breakfast we headed for the train station and prepared ourselves for a ten hour train ride back to Iasi. When we walked into the train I don’t think I have ever been hit with a stronger stench/feeling of stuffiness/heat in my life. I felt like I was suffocating and unable to breathe. Everyone that was already on the train was drenched in sweat. The men had their shirts off and women were wearing as little clothing as possible. Then to top off the experience Whitney S. and I were seated directly across from a family that had a huge suitcase planted at out feet. We had about an inch of leg room. Then there was a blanket they had tagged up in the window to block the sun, but it kept falling on me and I was so so hot. Needless to say I was cranky – really cranky. Romanians aren’t real considerate all the time.
The first hour of the train ride was miserable. Whitney and I threw our layers off in an attempt to cool down – then eventually they turned the air conditioning on. I don’t know why they hadn’t done that before. I don’t understand! We are blessed to have air conditioning in America everywhere we go – so blessed!
The rest of the train ride was really long. Whitney S. and I finished the book we had been reading for classes. Boy were we glad…it was starting to get boring. In between our readings the family across from us were about as obnoxious as they could possibly be. Not only did they end up drinking 6 – 2L bottles of liquor, but they even gave some to their two year old to drink. We couldn’t believe it. Drugs and alcohol go at any age here. No big deal…I kept looking across at the family and they looked so miserable. The poor mom was trying to take care of the kids and her husband and her husband’s brother and wife would step off at every stop for a smoke break or to buy more liquor. I sat there and wondered how much of their income went to alcohol. Then I just sat there and contemplated how grateful I was for the gospel and for being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It’s hard for me to see people that have such sad lives when I feel like mine is so amazing because of my faith. Of course I have hard times, but I can handle them because I understand who I am, where I’m going and why I’m here on this earth. It makes all the difference in the world to understand your purpose. The family that sat across from me had no clue…
After Whitney and I finished our book, I decided to read Odyssey of a Romanian Street Child by Catalin Dobrisan and John Kachelmyer. I wanted to finish my 1000 pages of reading we have to do while we’re out here. The book was actually really good and a really easy read. I finished it on the remainder of the ride. There were several points throughout the book that made me really analyze how I look at people and their situations. It helped remind me to never judge a person’s situation by their outward appearance. Here are some of my favorite parts – they are great points to contemplate. If anyone gets a chance they should read the book. So many of us are so blessed and we complain so much about our lives (me included) and we fail to see how much we have in comparison to so many.
• “Others, knowing that many street kids exist as parasites and do not want rehabilitation, have criticized those who have persisted in carrying food to them without expecting a positive response in return. It is much like the Christian evangelists who will not preach unless they are guaranteed some converts. But the kindness of continuing to feed the children, even without apparent results, must continue. Jesus never told his followers that the hungry should be fed only if they respond. The act of kindness itself has its effects.”(p.141)
• “Most children nowadays no longer know the Ten Commandments, and their concept of God is obscure. Workers with whom I am in contact in the United States are reporting that they come in contact increasingly with children who have never heard of Jesus except as a curse word. They have never been in church and have no idea of what goes on in one.” (p.149)
• “So, looking at him sprawled on the sidewalk with his bag of aurolac or sitting against the wall in the train station, one might see only a grime-covered, drugged, revolting figure. How he got in that condition is not obvious. A thieving street kid? He had his family, affection and childhood stolen from him! A drugged disgrace? How could he help but seek solace in any form available that would help him forget his circumstances? Imagine passing the ages of six, seven, eight or nine all alone out on the streets. The public may view him with distaste, but there are those walking around in plain daylight who should be incarcerated for putting him there.
‘Thus, I never told a child he was a sinner who ought to repent for stealing, for immorality, for prostitution, for drugs or whatever other unpalatable activity he was engaged in. I have watched several well-meaning workers grabbing the bags of aurolac from children or setting their bags of aurolac on fire. I have watched them snatch the cigarettes out of children’s mouths, saying, ‘You don’t want that anymore!’ I never did that! The crime committed against that child must be atoned for first. How can that child understand the love of Jesus if I don’t love him first? The grime and condition these children are in never repelled me, and I have been closer to their lice than I indicated in the preface. But after all public opinion has been expressed, the fact remains that the children are the victims, not the guilty. Whether or not they want religion depends on how we live it before them.” (p.155)
• “Young prostitutes, whether girl or boy, are not going to be rehabilitated by telling them that what they are doing is sinful and they need to be saved – to get right with God…When the women caught in the act of adultery was brought to Jesus, she did not need to be told that what she was doing was wrong. The value system of her day taught her that.” (p.149)
• “When I brought new children into our home I never confronted them directly with religion. Regligion was a very natural and especially practical part of our lives; it was not a theological concept but something the child could comprehend and say, ‘Hey, I need that.’ So, we ate, we worked, we slept and we believed. It was all a natural part of living and not a forced ‘now we are going to pray; king of thing.” ((p.151)
• “I see the wasted life of a very intelligent man – a life that at this point is going nowhere and has no purpose. If he had never been beaten, raped mistreated and abandoned, he would today be a normal boy just finishing high school. As it is, Robert has only completed fourth grade.” (p.165)
• “There are many Christians who would cluck their tongues over this young man’s escapades: a boy prostitute? Horrible! Porn film star? My God! And I didn’t mention he had used heroin and was once hospitalized for alcohol intoxication. Robert was also the best pickpocket in Bucharest and a master thief. So there is quite a list against him. Yet, something nags at me. It is that verse in John 9:2. ‘Who sinned? This [young] man or his parents?
‘I ask: Who will answer for all this mess in the Day of Judgment? A boy is cruelly thrust out of his family at age six. When he is supposed to be enjoying his childhood – those years when he is supposed to be developing social skills, receiving love and guidance from his parents and gaining a conscience to tell him right from wrong – during those years he is learning other things: dark, unsavory things. Someone is going to pay. And I can tell you this: Robert is not going to foot the entire bill alone.
‘What will happen to Robert in the judgment? Here is where I am so pleased that God did not make us judges. In fact, His express word to me when I came to Romania was, ‘Do not judge any of these children. Just help them!’” (p. 165)
• “One thing that was hard to comprehend was that Daddy actually respected us boys. It was not hard to understand that he was friendly; it was a little more difficult to realize he had affection for us; but respect? People had always looked down on us as trash – the lowest dregs of society. Daddy wanted us to feel that we were someone special. It made no difference what we had done; he had the same respect for all of us – even the boy prostitutes and the one who had committed murder.” (p.128)
• “I asked myself many times. ‘Did I really have to go through all I went through? Was it really necessary to fulfill some mystical purpose – the abuse, the beatings, the hunger, the misery? Why wasn’t I born into a normal family?’ Only God has the answer to all of this.
‘Then the companion question comes, ‘Why was it only I who was chosen to escape from my gang?’ IT would seem to be divine favor. Many others had the same chance, but many threw it away. I had the chance, and I grasped it.’” (p.139)
• “As I had already known when living in the streets, it was senseless to attempt to understand the meaning of life while in that condition. Life under those circumstances had no meaning. The greatest artistic masterpiece in the world has no meaning in a dark room.
‘In regard to that, I must clarify that the painting may have ‘value’ in the dark, but it has no ‘meaning’ without light. In the same way, the street children are not without value as many might think. It is just that there is no meaning to their existence while they are living in the darkness. Because they have value, a few are willing to sacrifice their lives to help them.’” (p.127)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: A gentle reminder not to judge a person or their situation by their outward appearance.
This morning we rolled out of bed and made French toast and fruit salad for breakfast for Deanna to thank her again for guiding us on our Black Sea adventure. We had a lot of fun the past couple of days lying on the beach having fun.
Whitney S. got an email from her mom this morning. Whitney told me that her mom had seen on my blog that Andrea has tuberculosis and that we need to be careful because it is more serious than we think. After looking it up on Wikipedia we found out it is highly contagious and if not properly treated 50 percent of people die if they are not treated. We all laughed when we listed all the things we need to have checked out by the doctor. When we get back…Oh the joys. We’ll all hope for the best, but I guess that is the price that comes with working with sick kids all day. Hopefully the Lord will keep me healthy throughout the remainder of my time here.
Right after breakfast we headed for the train station and prepared ourselves for a ten hour train ride back to Iasi. When we walked into the train I don’t think I have ever been hit with a stronger stench/feeling of stuffiness/heat in my life. I felt like I was suffocating and unable to breathe. Everyone that was already on the train was drenched in sweat. The men had their shirts off and women were wearing as little clothing as possible. Then to top off the experience Whitney S. and I were seated directly across from a family that had a huge suitcase planted at out feet. We had about an inch of leg room. Then there was a blanket they had tagged up in the window to block the sun, but it kept falling on me and I was so so hot. Needless to say I was cranky – really cranky. Romanians aren’t real considerate all the time.
The first hour of the train ride was miserable. Whitney and I threw our layers off in an attempt to cool down – then eventually they turned the air conditioning on. I don’t know why they hadn’t done that before. I don’t understand! We are blessed to have air conditioning in America everywhere we go – so blessed!
The rest of the train ride was really long. Whitney S. and I finished the book we had been reading for classes. Boy were we glad…it was starting to get boring. In between our readings the family across from us were about as obnoxious as they could possibly be. Not only did they end up drinking 6 – 2L bottles of liquor, but they even gave some to their two year old to drink. We couldn’t believe it. Drugs and alcohol go at any age here. No big deal…I kept looking across at the family and they looked so miserable. The poor mom was trying to take care of the kids and her husband and her husband’s brother and wife would step off at every stop for a smoke break or to buy more liquor. I sat there and wondered how much of their income went to alcohol. Then I just sat there and contemplated how grateful I was for the gospel and for being a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It’s hard for me to see people that have such sad lives when I feel like mine is so amazing because of my faith. Of course I have hard times, but I can handle them because I understand who I am, where I’m going and why I’m here on this earth. It makes all the difference in the world to understand your purpose. The family that sat across from me had no clue…
After Whitney and I finished our book, I decided to read Odyssey of a Romanian Street Child by Catalin Dobrisan and John Kachelmyer. I wanted to finish my 1000 pages of reading we have to do while we’re out here. The book was actually really good and a really easy read. I finished it on the remainder of the ride. There were several points throughout the book that made me really analyze how I look at people and their situations. It helped remind me to never judge a person’s situation by their outward appearance. Here are some of my favorite parts – they are great points to contemplate. If anyone gets a chance they should read the book. So many of us are so blessed and we complain so much about our lives (me included) and we fail to see how much we have in comparison to so many.
• “Others, knowing that many street kids exist as parasites and do not want rehabilitation, have criticized those who have persisted in carrying food to them without expecting a positive response in return. It is much like the Christian evangelists who will not preach unless they are guaranteed some converts. But the kindness of continuing to feed the children, even without apparent results, must continue. Jesus never told his followers that the hungry should be fed only if they respond. The act of kindness itself has its effects.”(p.141)
• “Most children nowadays no longer know the Ten Commandments, and their concept of God is obscure. Workers with whom I am in contact in the United States are reporting that they come in contact increasingly with children who have never heard of Jesus except as a curse word. They have never been in church and have no idea of what goes on in one.” (p.149)
• “So, looking at him sprawled on the sidewalk with his bag of aurolac or sitting against the wall in the train station, one might see only a grime-covered, drugged, revolting figure. How he got in that condition is not obvious. A thieving street kid? He had his family, affection and childhood stolen from him! A drugged disgrace? How could he help but seek solace in any form available that would help him forget his circumstances? Imagine passing the ages of six, seven, eight or nine all alone out on the streets. The public may view him with distaste, but there are those walking around in plain daylight who should be incarcerated for putting him there.
‘Thus, I never told a child he was a sinner who ought to repent for stealing, for immorality, for prostitution, for drugs or whatever other unpalatable activity he was engaged in. I have watched several well-meaning workers grabbing the bags of aurolac from children or setting their bags of aurolac on fire. I have watched them snatch the cigarettes out of children’s mouths, saying, ‘You don’t want that anymore!’ I never did that! The crime committed against that child must be atoned for first. How can that child understand the love of Jesus if I don’t love him first? The grime and condition these children are in never repelled me, and I have been closer to their lice than I indicated in the preface. But after all public opinion has been expressed, the fact remains that the children are the victims, not the guilty. Whether or not they want religion depends on how we live it before them.” (p.155)
• “Young prostitutes, whether girl or boy, are not going to be rehabilitated by telling them that what they are doing is sinful and they need to be saved – to get right with God…When the women caught in the act of adultery was brought to Jesus, she did not need to be told that what she was doing was wrong. The value system of her day taught her that.” (p.149)
• “When I brought new children into our home I never confronted them directly with religion. Regligion was a very natural and especially practical part of our lives; it was not a theological concept but something the child could comprehend and say, ‘Hey, I need that.’ So, we ate, we worked, we slept and we believed. It was all a natural part of living and not a forced ‘now we are going to pray; king of thing.” ((p.151)
• “I see the wasted life of a very intelligent man – a life that at this point is going nowhere and has no purpose. If he had never been beaten, raped mistreated and abandoned, he would today be a normal boy just finishing high school. As it is, Robert has only completed fourth grade.” (p.165)
• “There are many Christians who would cluck their tongues over this young man’s escapades: a boy prostitute? Horrible! Porn film star? My God! And I didn’t mention he had used heroin and was once hospitalized for alcohol intoxication. Robert was also the best pickpocket in Bucharest and a master thief. So there is quite a list against him. Yet, something nags at me. It is that verse in John 9:2. ‘Who sinned? This [young] man or his parents?
‘I ask: Who will answer for all this mess in the Day of Judgment? A boy is cruelly thrust out of his family at age six. When he is supposed to be enjoying his childhood – those years when he is supposed to be developing social skills, receiving love and guidance from his parents and gaining a conscience to tell him right from wrong – during those years he is learning other things: dark, unsavory things. Someone is going to pay. And I can tell you this: Robert is not going to foot the entire bill alone.
‘What will happen to Robert in the judgment? Here is where I am so pleased that God did not make us judges. In fact, His express word to me when I came to Romania was, ‘Do not judge any of these children. Just help them!’” (p. 165)
• “One thing that was hard to comprehend was that Daddy actually respected us boys. It was not hard to understand that he was friendly; it was a little more difficult to realize he had affection for us; but respect? People had always looked down on us as trash – the lowest dregs of society. Daddy wanted us to feel that we were someone special. It made no difference what we had done; he had the same respect for all of us – even the boy prostitutes and the one who had committed murder.” (p.128)
• “I asked myself many times. ‘Did I really have to go through all I went through? Was it really necessary to fulfill some mystical purpose – the abuse, the beatings, the hunger, the misery? Why wasn’t I born into a normal family?’ Only God has the answer to all of this.
‘Then the companion question comes, ‘Why was it only I who was chosen to escape from my gang?’ IT would seem to be divine favor. Many others had the same chance, but many threw it away. I had the chance, and I grasped it.’” (p.139)
• “As I had already known when living in the streets, it was senseless to attempt to understand the meaning of life while in that condition. Life under those circumstances had no meaning. The greatest artistic masterpiece in the world has no meaning in a dark room.
‘In regard to that, I must clarify that the painting may have ‘value’ in the dark, but it has no ‘meaning’ without light. In the same way, the street children are not without value as many might think. It is just that there is no meaning to their existence while they are living in the darkness. Because they have value, a few are willing to sacrifice their lives to help them.’” (p.127)
July 19, 2008 (Saturday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Not getting burned by the sun as bad as I could have.
We thought we were sleeping in this morning. Apparently we were not…Elyse came in at 7:15 and woke us up. I have to admit I was a bit cranky about it, but Whitney and I dragged ourselves out of bed. I guess Deanna wanted to get to the beach bright and early. Deanna is a Romanian worker from the orphanage who is our age. She and her 11-year-old cousin are the ones who invited us to come in the first place. They are both very sweet girls.
Right as we were all putting SPF 50 sunscreen and multiple layers of clothing to protect us from the sun Elyse passed out…She did that once before when we were at Brashov. It gives us a heart attack every time. I guess she passes out from pain. Let’s just say we all have really bad sunburns and touch is very sensitive. Luckily she ended up being okay, but Deanna made her carry the huge umbrella over her head to block the sun as we walked to the beach. She also gave her a lovely foofy hat to wear. Elyse was very excited about it. Then she made her sit under the umbrella while we were there. It was awesome.
When we got to the beach Saturn we played volleyball in the water for a few hours. Luckily it was a lot less crowded than the beach from yesterday. I liked it much better. There was actually room to play and run around. A lady in a thong came up to us and asked if she could play volleyball – we figured why not…It ended up being a lot of fun except we kind of sucked at playing today. Not that any of us are really good at volleyball, but we couldn’t even make it to 15 hits without dropping it…oh well we had fun.
The rest of the time on the beach consisted of reading, sporadically taking pictures and reapplying sun block every five seconds. We were already hurting and another full day out in the sun could be quite miserable if we weren’t careful. I had a shirt or shorts on the majority of the time we were outside. I didn’t want to get burned anymore than needed.
I also painted my toenails. That was a dumb idea. I painted them and I thought they were dry. Then I turned over to lay down, and when I looked down I had sand stuck in the toenail polish of my feet. It actually ended up looking kind of cool. It looks like I put a layer of sparkles over my pink toenail polish. I’m going to get to take some Black Sea home with me after all.
Besides eating and laying out we did find time to bury Mindy and MacKenzie in the sand. It was great. Mindy kept trying to get out of it…she was a bit apprehensive, but in the end she did it. Mindy said she wanted to have a size DD chest so we made it happen for her. Then we buried MacKenzie in the sand. She wanted us to make her a pregnant lady. We did…Mindy’s and MacKenzie’s dreams came true – even if it was only for a day.
Later in the afternoon it started to rain all of a sudden so we all huddled under the umbrella and shivered. After it calmed we decided it was time to get dinner. We treated Deanna to dinner for her hospitality and then we headed home to get all that sand out of our hair.
For the rest of the night we relaxed, packed and watched the movie She’s The Man. Although that movie is the cheesiest ever I love it! There are so many good quotes that can be taken from that movie it’s ridiculous. My favorite part is when Duke smacks Malcom in the back of the head with the towel in the bathroom. I laugh hysterically every time without fail.
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Not getting burned by the sun as bad as I could have.
We thought we were sleeping in this morning. Apparently we were not…Elyse came in at 7:15 and woke us up. I have to admit I was a bit cranky about it, but Whitney and I dragged ourselves out of bed. I guess Deanna wanted to get to the beach bright and early. Deanna is a Romanian worker from the orphanage who is our age. She and her 11-year-old cousin are the ones who invited us to come in the first place. They are both very sweet girls.
Right as we were all putting SPF 50 sunscreen and multiple layers of clothing to protect us from the sun Elyse passed out…She did that once before when we were at Brashov. It gives us a heart attack every time. I guess she passes out from pain. Let’s just say we all have really bad sunburns and touch is very sensitive. Luckily she ended up being okay, but Deanna made her carry the huge umbrella over her head to block the sun as we walked to the beach. She also gave her a lovely foofy hat to wear. Elyse was very excited about it. Then she made her sit under the umbrella while we were there. It was awesome.
When we got to the beach Saturn we played volleyball in the water for a few hours. Luckily it was a lot less crowded than the beach from yesterday. I liked it much better. There was actually room to play and run around. A lady in a thong came up to us and asked if she could play volleyball – we figured why not…It ended up being a lot of fun except we kind of sucked at playing today. Not that any of us are really good at volleyball, but we couldn’t even make it to 15 hits without dropping it…oh well we had fun.
The rest of the time on the beach consisted of reading, sporadically taking pictures and reapplying sun block every five seconds. We were already hurting and another full day out in the sun could be quite miserable if we weren’t careful. I had a shirt or shorts on the majority of the time we were outside. I didn’t want to get burned anymore than needed.
I also painted my toenails. That was a dumb idea. I painted them and I thought they were dry. Then I turned over to lay down, and when I looked down I had sand stuck in the toenail polish of my feet. It actually ended up looking kind of cool. It looks like I put a layer of sparkles over my pink toenail polish. I’m going to get to take some Black Sea home with me after all.
Besides eating and laying out we did find time to bury Mindy and MacKenzie in the sand. It was great. Mindy kept trying to get out of it…she was a bit apprehensive, but in the end she did it. Mindy said she wanted to have a size DD chest so we made it happen for her. Then we buried MacKenzie in the sand. She wanted us to make her a pregnant lady. We did…Mindy’s and MacKenzie’s dreams came true – even if it was only for a day.
Later in the afternoon it started to rain all of a sudden so we all huddled under the umbrella and shivered. After it calmed we decided it was time to get dinner. We treated Deanna to dinner for her hospitality and then we headed home to get all that sand out of our hair.
For the rest of the night we relaxed, packed and watched the movie She’s The Man. Although that movie is the cheesiest ever I love it! There are so many good quotes that can be taken from that movie it’s ridiculous. My favorite part is when Duke smacks Malcom in the back of the head with the towel in the bathroom. I laugh hysterically every time without fail.
July 18, 2008 (Friday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Throwing the schedule out the door and being able to handle it.
It was such an amazing feeling to leisurely wake up this morning and say to myself “my friends and I are going to lay on the beach all day long without a care in the world.” I haven’t had feelings of relaxation for a long time. Although the trips I’ve been on this summer have been a lot of fun, they haven’t been relaxing. We pretty much just ran from place to place. I smiled as I daydreamed about the activities that would more than likely take place for the day. The wind will be blowing through my hair, the sun’s rays will bronze my skin and us girls will chat, laugh and eat ice cream. The perfect day.
I loved playing at the beach all day. There was no scheduled place we had to be at any certain time, which is definitely not the way my life usually runs. Normally everything is scheduled, but I have to admit I liked having the schedule thrown out the window for once.
We went to a different beach than the one we visited yesterday. It was extremely extremely crowded…we all decided that yesterday’s beach was more of a leisure/family beach and today’s was a party beach. It took us forever to find a place to sit, and when we finally did it was quite a ways away from the water. It was CRAZY! I’ve decided I’m not a huge fan of ridiculously crowded beaches.
When we first arrived I was a little shocked with how many topless girls in thongs and men in Speedos there were. I’ve never seen so many undressed people in my life, and it wasn’t even a nude beach. It was so weird. Girls were walking around with their tops off and chest hanging every which way. What was even stranger to me was that it wasn’t a big deal to anyone there. Everyone just walked around like normal. No one stared strangely at their revealing attire. Everywhere you looked was walking pornography. To be honest I don’t know why they would need pornography when they could get the real thing at the beach. Definitely a different culture to say the least. Not a big fan of seeing people naked that should NEVER be seen like that. We were all talking about the lack of clothes and we tried to figure out why it wasn’t a big deal to any of them. In a book we are reading about the Gypsies it talked about how Gypsies don’t view a women’s chest as a sexual thing, but as a tool for feeding their babies. Maybe that’s what Europeans think? I don’t know. The sad thing was that after a few hours the shock of seeing topless women was gone. I still didn’t like it in the least bit, but it made me wonder if people even think twice about the fact that they treat their bodies like an object - not like something that should be prized and respected. I was wearing a one piece swim suit and out of thousands of people at the beach I only saw one person the entire day that wore a one piece. In fact I noticed that the women who actually wore more modest clothing stood out more because EVERYONE was dressed so scantily. I bet everyone was looking at us like “what is wrong with you why do you have bathing suits on that cover up so much?” We may not have felt sexy, but we were modest and that was perfect for us.
After we laid out for a bit we saw this huge banana boat float that was being pulled by boats out far away from shore. Whitney S., Kenz and I decided that it looked like fun so we convinced everyone to go on it with us. It was a blast. We strapped on our helmets and life vests and climbed on. The best part was when the guy started explaining the instructions in Romanian. All of us looked at each other like “well I hope he’s not saying anything too important and if he is there isn’t anything we can do about it.”
With that said we started being pulled away far from shore. We were all giggling and bouncing up and down as we held on to the handle that was in front of us. Then I gazed out over the ocean – It was absolutely gorgeous. About halfway through we were sitting there enjoying the ride and all of a sudden the driver made a sharp turn and without any notice we all went tumbling into the water. All of our bodies fell on top of each other and became completely intermingled. When we arrived at the top for air all of us had been fallen on, kicked, or jabbed somewhere in our body from the sudden turn. Other riders didn’t seem as surprised as us about suddenly being flung into the sea – probably because they actually understood the directions. Nice.
For the next couple of hours Whitney S. and I read our book for class…then we went and grabbed a schwarma and some fruit for lunch…they equally tasted amazing. Soon after that Kenz and I got hot and jumped in the water. Throughout the afternoon we would jump in the freezing cold water periodically when we couldn’t stand the stark heat waves of the sun anymore. One time Kenz and I jumped in and we were standing in water up to our shoulders and chatting when all of a sudden a guy popped up next to us out of no where. He had big goggles on and wore a surprised look on his face. Then he quickly excused himself and did a graceful little dive from where he was standing in the water like a whale. We saw his large speedo bumb pop quickly into the air then disappear just as fast as it came. For some reason the situation was hilarious. Kenz and I laughed as hard as we could for at least five minutes. Oh the joys….
After we laid out for a while longer and got ice cream, Kenz and I decided to go buy a volleyball so all of us girls could play with it in the water. That ended up being a lot of fun, except I definitely bruised my heel in the process. We all got in a circle in the water and hit they ball around for a while. The game was ended once Whitney S. hit a lady directly on top of the head with the ball. Bad aim Whitney haha…bad aim.
Right before we left we got the most amazing donuts with white chocolate sauce drizzled on them. Whitney S. and I shared one and we were absolutely in heaven eating them – especially since we’ve been staying away from sweets during the week days. It made having them a million times better.
When we got home we all showered. That is except for my roommate Whitney S. Haha…she grew up on the beach, and she doesn’t see the need to shower while we are here because you just get up and go to the beach again. I understand her point, but I can’t stand the feeling of sand in my hair and bed. When she came out I was like “you don’t look showered?” She replied “I washed my armpits?” I just looked at her and smiled and laughed. Oh Whitney.
After most of us were showered we ate some bread with an interesting pork paste slathered on it. Then somehow once dinner was done we started listening to music and we ended up having a dance party/dance off. The first team was Whitney S., Kenz and I, and the second team was Mindy, Annie and Elyse. We had a dance off and boy did we have a lot of fun doing it. I like to think that we won…however, I’m sure they would like to refute that.
By the time we went to bed we were all feeling the affect of being out in the sun all day. I had a stark contrast of red and white which easily revealed what part of my body was and was not covered by my bathing suit. I even had little circles on my stomach sunburned because of the small circular patterns from my bathing suit…my rear was also burned enough that it hurt to sit down. I put sun screen on all day – I guess I should have started with a higher SPF. Oh well…I will be wearing clothes tomorrow.
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Throwing the schedule out the door and being able to handle it.
It was such an amazing feeling to leisurely wake up this morning and say to myself “my friends and I are going to lay on the beach all day long without a care in the world.” I haven’t had feelings of relaxation for a long time. Although the trips I’ve been on this summer have been a lot of fun, they haven’t been relaxing. We pretty much just ran from place to place. I smiled as I daydreamed about the activities that would more than likely take place for the day. The wind will be blowing through my hair, the sun’s rays will bronze my skin and us girls will chat, laugh and eat ice cream. The perfect day.
I loved playing at the beach all day. There was no scheduled place we had to be at any certain time, which is definitely not the way my life usually runs. Normally everything is scheduled, but I have to admit I liked having the schedule thrown out the window for once.
We went to a different beach than the one we visited yesterday. It was extremely extremely crowded…we all decided that yesterday’s beach was more of a leisure/family beach and today’s was a party beach. It took us forever to find a place to sit, and when we finally did it was quite a ways away from the water. It was CRAZY! I’ve decided I’m not a huge fan of ridiculously crowded beaches.
When we first arrived I was a little shocked with how many topless girls in thongs and men in Speedos there were. I’ve never seen so many undressed people in my life, and it wasn’t even a nude beach. It was so weird. Girls were walking around with their tops off and chest hanging every which way. What was even stranger to me was that it wasn’t a big deal to anyone there. Everyone just walked around like normal. No one stared strangely at their revealing attire. Everywhere you looked was walking pornography. To be honest I don’t know why they would need pornography when they could get the real thing at the beach. Definitely a different culture to say the least. Not a big fan of seeing people naked that should NEVER be seen like that. We were all talking about the lack of clothes and we tried to figure out why it wasn’t a big deal to any of them. In a book we are reading about the Gypsies it talked about how Gypsies don’t view a women’s chest as a sexual thing, but as a tool for feeding their babies. Maybe that’s what Europeans think? I don’t know. The sad thing was that after a few hours the shock of seeing topless women was gone. I still didn’t like it in the least bit, but it made me wonder if people even think twice about the fact that they treat their bodies like an object - not like something that should be prized and respected. I was wearing a one piece swim suit and out of thousands of people at the beach I only saw one person the entire day that wore a one piece. In fact I noticed that the women who actually wore more modest clothing stood out more because EVERYONE was dressed so scantily. I bet everyone was looking at us like “what is wrong with you why do you have bathing suits on that cover up so much?” We may not have felt sexy, but we were modest and that was perfect for us.
After we laid out for a bit we saw this huge banana boat float that was being pulled by boats out far away from shore. Whitney S., Kenz and I decided that it looked like fun so we convinced everyone to go on it with us. It was a blast. We strapped on our helmets and life vests and climbed on. The best part was when the guy started explaining the instructions in Romanian. All of us looked at each other like “well I hope he’s not saying anything too important and if he is there isn’t anything we can do about it.”
With that said we started being pulled away far from shore. We were all giggling and bouncing up and down as we held on to the handle that was in front of us. Then I gazed out over the ocean – It was absolutely gorgeous. About halfway through we were sitting there enjoying the ride and all of a sudden the driver made a sharp turn and without any notice we all went tumbling into the water. All of our bodies fell on top of each other and became completely intermingled. When we arrived at the top for air all of us had been fallen on, kicked, or jabbed somewhere in our body from the sudden turn. Other riders didn’t seem as surprised as us about suddenly being flung into the sea – probably because they actually understood the directions. Nice.
For the next couple of hours Whitney S. and I read our book for class…then we went and grabbed a schwarma and some fruit for lunch…they equally tasted amazing. Soon after that Kenz and I got hot and jumped in the water. Throughout the afternoon we would jump in the freezing cold water periodically when we couldn’t stand the stark heat waves of the sun anymore. One time Kenz and I jumped in and we were standing in water up to our shoulders and chatting when all of a sudden a guy popped up next to us out of no where. He had big goggles on and wore a surprised look on his face. Then he quickly excused himself and did a graceful little dive from where he was standing in the water like a whale. We saw his large speedo bumb pop quickly into the air then disappear just as fast as it came. For some reason the situation was hilarious. Kenz and I laughed as hard as we could for at least five minutes. Oh the joys….
After we laid out for a while longer and got ice cream, Kenz and I decided to go buy a volleyball so all of us girls could play with it in the water. That ended up being a lot of fun, except I definitely bruised my heel in the process. We all got in a circle in the water and hit they ball around for a while. The game was ended once Whitney S. hit a lady directly on top of the head with the ball. Bad aim Whitney haha…bad aim.
Right before we left we got the most amazing donuts with white chocolate sauce drizzled on them. Whitney S. and I shared one and we were absolutely in heaven eating them – especially since we’ve been staying away from sweets during the week days. It made having them a million times better.
When we got home we all showered. That is except for my roommate Whitney S. Haha…she grew up on the beach, and she doesn’t see the need to shower while we are here because you just get up and go to the beach again. I understand her point, but I can’t stand the feeling of sand in my hair and bed. When she came out I was like “you don’t look showered?” She replied “I washed my armpits?” I just looked at her and smiled and laughed. Oh Whitney.
After most of us were showered we ate some bread with an interesting pork paste slathered on it. Then somehow once dinner was done we started listening to music and we ended up having a dance party/dance off. The first team was Whitney S., Kenz and I, and the second team was Mindy, Annie and Elyse. We had a dance off and boy did we have a lot of fun doing it. I like to think that we won…however, I’m sure they would like to refute that.
By the time we went to bed we were all feeling the affect of being out in the sun all day. I had a stark contrast of red and white which easily revealed what part of my body was and was not covered by my bathing suit. I even had little circles on my stomach sunburned because of the small circular patterns from my bathing suit…my rear was also burned enough that it hurt to sit down. I put sun screen on all day – I guess I should have started with a higher SPF. Oh well…I will be wearing clothes tomorrow.
July 17, 2008 (Thursday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Laying on the beach and looking up at the clouds.
The train that we had tickets for was definitely not a sleeper train. That means there was no place to lay down for the train ride that lasted the entire night. We were forced to sleep upright in a chair that did not lean back in the slightest. The train left at 10:00 p.m. last night and arrived at 8:30 a.m. this morning at the Black Sea. Needless to say none of us got any sleep. They didn’t even turn the lights off in the train. Then at about 2:00 in the morning a group of high school kids got on and they were SOOOO LOUD the rest of the night. They were talking none stop at the top of their lungs – not to mention I’m positive they were a bit drunk. If I knew how to say something rude to them in Romanian I think I would have. They were so inconsiderate of every other person on the train it was ridiculous.
When we arrived we had someone pick us up and take us to our hostel/hotel. There are two people to a room where we are staying. Whitney S. is my partner in crime for the next couple of days. I’m glad though, because we have a lot of fun together.
Once we got situated we all decided we desperately needed a nap. Plus it was a bit chilly outside to go to the beach immediately. We were only going to sleep for about an hour, but before we knew it the time was 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon. I woke up and turned over to find Whitney with a great big grin on her face. Then she exclaimed “good morning!” I guess she had already been up for a little bit….I couldn’t believe what time it was.
Because we wanted to leave and go to the beach Whitney S. and I took upon ourselves the duty of waking everyone up. I ran and jumped on each of the girl’s beds whether or not they were happy about it. Then we all headed to the beach.
The beach wasn’t the most gorgeous in the world, but it was still pretty. The beach was really crowded, but we still managed to find a spot. Most of the women didn’t have tops or wore thongs. Then almost all the men wore speedos, and children ran naked. Welcome to beaches in Europe. I don’t think I’ve ever seen more nudity in my entire life. It wasn’t the most pleasant experience, but I wasn’t as shocked as I thought I would be in a situation like that. I don’t know how half of those people felt so comfortable with being so exposed. Not only did they not have the body to be exposing themselves, but it is purely gross for everyone else around. P.S. I will never ever find a speedo attractive on a guy. DISGUSTING.
At the beach we all laid around and Whitney S. and I read a book we have to read for one of our classes. We just took turns reading. We’re reading a book called Bury Me Standing that is about the gypsy way of life. It’s quite interesting. It makes me understand why they do the things they do a little better.
In between reading we took sporadic breaks. At one point we all decided to get into the water, and I am proud to say I was the first one to get everyone wet. I started profusely splashing everyone, and the water was oh so cold. There were a bunch of shrieks and shrills with each splash. It was great. Then I dunked MacKenzie pretty good, and Elyse and I had a tumble out as well. I don’t know why but I love pushing people in or splashing them. I get great satisfaction out of it…weird I know. Last summer I would ask people if I could push them in the pool. They usually said “no,” but then I’d get them when they least expected it. Oh summer fun.
On the way back from the beach Whitney S. and I chatted about life. We talked about how crazy it’s going to be when we get home. We are all going to be so busy, and I hope we will still find time to play with each other. We also came to the consensus that I was definitely supposed to be in Romania for a reason. To be honest I think I haven’t met anyone special because I was supposed to come here, serve and change my perspective about certain things…
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Laying on the beach and looking up at the clouds.
The train that we had tickets for was definitely not a sleeper train. That means there was no place to lay down for the train ride that lasted the entire night. We were forced to sleep upright in a chair that did not lean back in the slightest. The train left at 10:00 p.m. last night and arrived at 8:30 a.m. this morning at the Black Sea. Needless to say none of us got any sleep. They didn’t even turn the lights off in the train. Then at about 2:00 in the morning a group of high school kids got on and they were SOOOO LOUD the rest of the night. They were talking none stop at the top of their lungs – not to mention I’m positive they were a bit drunk. If I knew how to say something rude to them in Romanian I think I would have. They were so inconsiderate of every other person on the train it was ridiculous.
When we arrived we had someone pick us up and take us to our hostel/hotel. There are two people to a room where we are staying. Whitney S. is my partner in crime for the next couple of days. I’m glad though, because we have a lot of fun together.
Once we got situated we all decided we desperately needed a nap. Plus it was a bit chilly outside to go to the beach immediately. We were only going to sleep for about an hour, but before we knew it the time was 2:00 p.m. in the afternoon. I woke up and turned over to find Whitney with a great big grin on her face. Then she exclaimed “good morning!” I guess she had already been up for a little bit….I couldn’t believe what time it was.
Because we wanted to leave and go to the beach Whitney S. and I took upon ourselves the duty of waking everyone up. I ran and jumped on each of the girl’s beds whether or not they were happy about it. Then we all headed to the beach.
The beach wasn’t the most gorgeous in the world, but it was still pretty. The beach was really crowded, but we still managed to find a spot. Most of the women didn’t have tops or wore thongs. Then almost all the men wore speedos, and children ran naked. Welcome to beaches in Europe. I don’t think I’ve ever seen more nudity in my entire life. It wasn’t the most pleasant experience, but I wasn’t as shocked as I thought I would be in a situation like that. I don’t know how half of those people felt so comfortable with being so exposed. Not only did they not have the body to be exposing themselves, but it is purely gross for everyone else around. P.S. I will never ever find a speedo attractive on a guy. DISGUSTING.
At the beach we all laid around and Whitney S. and I read a book we have to read for one of our classes. We just took turns reading. We’re reading a book called Bury Me Standing that is about the gypsy way of life. It’s quite interesting. It makes me understand why they do the things they do a little better.
In between reading we took sporadic breaks. At one point we all decided to get into the water, and I am proud to say I was the first one to get everyone wet. I started profusely splashing everyone, and the water was oh so cold. There were a bunch of shrieks and shrills with each splash. It was great. Then I dunked MacKenzie pretty good, and Elyse and I had a tumble out as well. I don’t know why but I love pushing people in or splashing them. I get great satisfaction out of it…weird I know. Last summer I would ask people if I could push them in the pool. They usually said “no,” but then I’d get them when they least expected it. Oh summer fun.
On the way back from the beach Whitney S. and I chatted about life. We talked about how crazy it’s going to be when we get home. We are all going to be so busy, and I hope we will still find time to play with each other. We also came to the consensus that I was definitely supposed to be in Romania for a reason. To be honest I think I haven’t met anyone special because I was supposed to come here, serve and change my perspective about certain things…
July 16, 2008 (Wednesday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Well behaved children.
My life was filled with well behaved children today. It was awesome…Andrei was almost a perfect angel. He was being so cute and helpful. It’s amazing how much he understands even though he can’t hear. He is so so smart. Today Maria was yelling at Vlad to get Whitney’s shoe out of his mouth, and Andrei saw the situation taking going on. Without thinking twice he took the shoe from Vlad and placed it on Whitney’s foot. Even though he can’t hear and Maria wasn’t talking to Andrei he still understood. We all clapped our hands and smiled to show our approval of his help. Then he clapped for himself and smiled. It was so cute. He is such a big helper. He is always trying to help with the other kids. He is constantly giving them toys and helping them get whatever they need. Today he kept giving the other kids hugs and loves. Then he kept winking at all of us. It was so adorable…When he was sitting there smiling and winking at me I almost started crying, because the thought that I’m leaving him soon entered my mind. I’m going to be a wreck the last time I see him. I just know it…I love that little boy so much. I’m going to have to remind myself over and over and over again that Heavenly Father will take care of him.
Another cute thing Andrei did today was when Ana Maria ran into the little toy horse he was on. He quickly rubbed her head and then pointed for her to go play with a toy. She was quite content after that. He is such a little person, and he really is obedient when he can express himself. He says “please” in sign language all the time now…it’s nice to see some of my hard work with him pay off, but I’m still trying to teach him to say “finished,” “sorry,” “thank you” and “more.” I’m going to have to work fast, because after this week I only have three more weeks. Today is my last day at the orphanage for this week because we are leaving for a four day trip to the Black Sea tonight.
Today we found out Vali’s story. He is the new little boy we just received at the orphanage who bites and hits himself. Apparently he has six brothers and sisters and his mom is pregnant with another. When he first came to the orphanage they said he didn’t like wearing clothes because his parents let him run around naked all day. The poor thing is really disturbed. As I said yesterday he cringes every time you come near him. His parents must have been extremely abusive to him. Then today while he was playing with a toy telephone and other hard plastic objects he started throwing them across the room all of a sudden. While I watched him I just kept wondering what was running through his head right then. Every one responds certain ways for a reason. I wonder what experiences he has had that have helped mold his behavior. You can tell he has had a hard life. It makes me sad, because it seems like there is little we can do to change what has been engrained into his head. He’s already five years old…maybe something can be done, but he has learned bad behavior for several years now. It’s so important for little children to have good parents to love and teach them what is right. It’s so sad that so many lack the essential teachings they need in order to grow up and become a well rounded adult.
Iulia was loving her life today. We were listening to music in the room, and I started tapping both my hands on her leg to the beat and she laughed harder than I’ve ever seen her. She thought that was the best thing ever for some reason. I’m trying to get her to hear the beat in music. She loves music. If we’re listening to music and someone suddenly turns it off she will usually start crying. It’s so interesting that all the kids are disabled, but you can still see their personality shine through. Some days the girls and I will go around and guess what profession each child would be in if they didn’t have any disabilities. They each have the most adorable and unique personality and characteristics. I love it!
At the hospital there weren’t too many kids today. Annie and I ended up splitting up and we each spent time with one baby. The little baby I held was new in the hospital. It was a little boy named Mihai who was about 5 months old…he had the most beautiful dark eyelashes I’ve ever seen. The poor thing must have felt really bad, because immediately after I picked him up he just clung to me and then he fell asleep as I rocked him. He was completely drenched in sweat because it was so hot in the room. Then when I got up to leave he screamed as most of them do. While I was in the room about four to five moms came in and they all attempted to speak to me while I was holding him. I held a conversation for a little bit, but they talk so fast and I don’t understand all the words they say…grrr….
The rest of the night we all packed and got ready for our train that left for the Black Sea around 10:00 p.m.…
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Well behaved children.
My life was filled with well behaved children today. It was awesome…Andrei was almost a perfect angel. He was being so cute and helpful. It’s amazing how much he understands even though he can’t hear. He is so so smart. Today Maria was yelling at Vlad to get Whitney’s shoe out of his mouth, and Andrei saw the situation taking going on. Without thinking twice he took the shoe from Vlad and placed it on Whitney’s foot. Even though he can’t hear and Maria wasn’t talking to Andrei he still understood. We all clapped our hands and smiled to show our approval of his help. Then he clapped for himself and smiled. It was so cute. He is such a big helper. He is always trying to help with the other kids. He is constantly giving them toys and helping them get whatever they need. Today he kept giving the other kids hugs and loves. Then he kept winking at all of us. It was so adorable…When he was sitting there smiling and winking at me I almost started crying, because the thought that I’m leaving him soon entered my mind. I’m going to be a wreck the last time I see him. I just know it…I love that little boy so much. I’m going to have to remind myself over and over and over again that Heavenly Father will take care of him.
Another cute thing Andrei did today was when Ana Maria ran into the little toy horse he was on. He quickly rubbed her head and then pointed for her to go play with a toy. She was quite content after that. He is such a little person, and he really is obedient when he can express himself. He says “please” in sign language all the time now…it’s nice to see some of my hard work with him pay off, but I’m still trying to teach him to say “finished,” “sorry,” “thank you” and “more.” I’m going to have to work fast, because after this week I only have three more weeks. Today is my last day at the orphanage for this week because we are leaving for a four day trip to the Black Sea tonight.
Today we found out Vali’s story. He is the new little boy we just received at the orphanage who bites and hits himself. Apparently he has six brothers and sisters and his mom is pregnant with another. When he first came to the orphanage they said he didn’t like wearing clothes because his parents let him run around naked all day. The poor thing is really disturbed. As I said yesterday he cringes every time you come near him. His parents must have been extremely abusive to him. Then today while he was playing with a toy telephone and other hard plastic objects he started throwing them across the room all of a sudden. While I watched him I just kept wondering what was running through his head right then. Every one responds certain ways for a reason. I wonder what experiences he has had that have helped mold his behavior. You can tell he has had a hard life. It makes me sad, because it seems like there is little we can do to change what has been engrained into his head. He’s already five years old…maybe something can be done, but he has learned bad behavior for several years now. It’s so important for little children to have good parents to love and teach them what is right. It’s so sad that so many lack the essential teachings they need in order to grow up and become a well rounded adult.
Iulia was loving her life today. We were listening to music in the room, and I started tapping both my hands on her leg to the beat and she laughed harder than I’ve ever seen her. She thought that was the best thing ever for some reason. I’m trying to get her to hear the beat in music. She loves music. If we’re listening to music and someone suddenly turns it off she will usually start crying. It’s so interesting that all the kids are disabled, but you can still see their personality shine through. Some days the girls and I will go around and guess what profession each child would be in if they didn’t have any disabilities. They each have the most adorable and unique personality and characteristics. I love it!
At the hospital there weren’t too many kids today. Annie and I ended up splitting up and we each spent time with one baby. The little baby I held was new in the hospital. It was a little boy named Mihai who was about 5 months old…he had the most beautiful dark eyelashes I’ve ever seen. The poor thing must have felt really bad, because immediately after I picked him up he just clung to me and then he fell asleep as I rocked him. He was completely drenched in sweat because it was so hot in the room. Then when I got up to leave he screamed as most of them do. While I was in the room about four to five moms came in and they all attempted to speak to me while I was holding him. I held a conversation for a little bit, but they talk so fast and I don’t understand all the words they say…grrr….
The rest of the night we all packed and got ready for our train that left for the Black Sea around 10:00 p.m.…
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
July 15, 2008 (Tuesday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Insight into what it’s like to be a mother.
It was quite the rainy morning. When we walked into the orphanage we figured we would all be staying inside for the day. The kids are never allowed outside when it’s raining. However, today was a different day for some reason. Dr. Pantezescu came in and asked us to take the kids outside, and whatever she says goes even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else. When she left we looked at the worker in the room like “is she serious?’ She shook her head “yes” and started laughing. It’s so interesting the way things work around here. There is absolutely no rhyme and reason for the logic they have. Oh well.
So we all headed outside to the rain. The BYU girls, workers and kids were all squashed under a plastic pavilion. We sat outside there for a few hours. Maria was being really grabby today. Every time I turned away from her to talk to someone or say hello to another kid she would grab my arm, hair, etc. to get my attention. She was really wanting attention. Then she started trying to grab everyone that walked by. I ended up having to scoot her away from me while I played with the other kids.
I played with Vali for a while outside. Today he randomly started freaking out, and he started to hit and bite himself. I guess he does that on a regular basis. You have to hold his hands down so he doesn’t hurt himself. As I said yesterday you can definitely tell he has been abused. To calm him down I sang primary songs to him for a while and rocked him. He was really well behaved. He just sat on my lap and listened.
The little baby girl that I adore named Andrea has tuberculosis. After talking with the girls about it, it sounds like it is a pretty serious thing. I guess it never completely goes away. I’m going to have to do some more research on what it is and the effects it has…
At the orphanage we had an extremely awkward situation happen. Almost worst than the puberty talk we got the week before. Today the workers in our room had a pile of clothes they were going through and on the top there was a lacy thong. I don’t know if someone gave them the pile of clothes or what, but the workers went in the kid’s room while the kids were in another room playing and tried on all the items – including the thong. Whitney S. and I asked Maria if it was for her and all the workers started laughing. Then we were like “you’re husband would like it.” That’s when the situation turned awkward. We should have kept our mouths shut. She quickly said that she was finished with sex and that her husband’s equipment no longer worked in that department. She gave us a lovely visual with her finger. We all about died….wow wow wow is all any of us could say. I think Maria just loves making things awkward, and she pulls it off very well.
I think it was misbehave day for all the kids at the apartments. Sergiu and Alina were on one. Sergiu got a hold of this little book I have that all the kids at the hospital love. He tore the front page off. I knew he liked to tear things, but this book is really thick. I didn’t think he’d be able to get a hold of it without me noticing and have the strength to rip it. Oh he did. Then Alina went and got the same book off the high shelf we put it on and ripped it some more. She laughed when we got upset with her. Elyse held her in time out for a few minutes on the couch. They were such stinkers.
Then at the 7th floor Elyse and I tried to teach them to play Memory with a deck of cards. That was a bust. The second I turned them all in an orderly fashion face down and was about to start playing with them Mirel started turning each one right side up, Costica started flinging his arms across the floor so the cards went everywhere, Viorel was trying to get my attention my blowing bubbles in my face, Catalina was getting bored and Laura kept anxiously telling me she wanted to color. I just looked at Elyse helplessly and smiled. I was like “gata cu cart” (finished with cards). We just laughed. What else can you do…I felt like I was in the middle of complete chaos. Moms must feel like that all the time. Oh what I have to look forward to…
For the rest of the night I did homework and wrote in my journal. Boring.
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Insight into what it’s like to be a mother.
It was quite the rainy morning. When we walked into the orphanage we figured we would all be staying inside for the day. The kids are never allowed outside when it’s raining. However, today was a different day for some reason. Dr. Pantezescu came in and asked us to take the kids outside, and whatever she says goes even if it doesn’t make sense to anyone else. When she left we looked at the worker in the room like “is she serious?’ She shook her head “yes” and started laughing. It’s so interesting the way things work around here. There is absolutely no rhyme and reason for the logic they have. Oh well.
So we all headed outside to the rain. The BYU girls, workers and kids were all squashed under a plastic pavilion. We sat outside there for a few hours. Maria was being really grabby today. Every time I turned away from her to talk to someone or say hello to another kid she would grab my arm, hair, etc. to get my attention. She was really wanting attention. Then she started trying to grab everyone that walked by. I ended up having to scoot her away from me while I played with the other kids.
I played with Vali for a while outside. Today he randomly started freaking out, and he started to hit and bite himself. I guess he does that on a regular basis. You have to hold his hands down so he doesn’t hurt himself. As I said yesterday you can definitely tell he has been abused. To calm him down I sang primary songs to him for a while and rocked him. He was really well behaved. He just sat on my lap and listened.
The little baby girl that I adore named Andrea has tuberculosis. After talking with the girls about it, it sounds like it is a pretty serious thing. I guess it never completely goes away. I’m going to have to do some more research on what it is and the effects it has…
At the orphanage we had an extremely awkward situation happen. Almost worst than the puberty talk we got the week before. Today the workers in our room had a pile of clothes they were going through and on the top there was a lacy thong. I don’t know if someone gave them the pile of clothes or what, but the workers went in the kid’s room while the kids were in another room playing and tried on all the items – including the thong. Whitney S. and I asked Maria if it was for her and all the workers started laughing. Then we were like “you’re husband would like it.” That’s when the situation turned awkward. We should have kept our mouths shut. She quickly said that she was finished with sex and that her husband’s equipment no longer worked in that department. She gave us a lovely visual with her finger. We all about died….wow wow wow is all any of us could say. I think Maria just loves making things awkward, and she pulls it off very well.
I think it was misbehave day for all the kids at the apartments. Sergiu and Alina were on one. Sergiu got a hold of this little book I have that all the kids at the hospital love. He tore the front page off. I knew he liked to tear things, but this book is really thick. I didn’t think he’d be able to get a hold of it without me noticing and have the strength to rip it. Oh he did. Then Alina went and got the same book off the high shelf we put it on and ripped it some more. She laughed when we got upset with her. Elyse held her in time out for a few minutes on the couch. They were such stinkers.
Then at the 7th floor Elyse and I tried to teach them to play Memory with a deck of cards. That was a bust. The second I turned them all in an orderly fashion face down and was about to start playing with them Mirel started turning each one right side up, Costica started flinging his arms across the floor so the cards went everywhere, Viorel was trying to get my attention my blowing bubbles in my face, Catalina was getting bored and Laura kept anxiously telling me she wanted to color. I just looked at Elyse helplessly and smiled. I was like “gata cu cart” (finished with cards). We just laughed. What else can you do…I felt like I was in the middle of complete chaos. Moms must feel like that all the time. Oh what I have to look forward to…
For the rest of the night I did homework and wrote in my journal. Boring.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
July 14, 2008 (Monday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: My conviction in my faith.
Today I got to see my kiddos! I especially missed them because I hadn’t seen them since Thursday. When I walked into the orphanage most of the kids were outside so we headed out there. Sadly Andrei wasn’t out there – he was upstairs sleeping once again. Later in the morning he stumbled out. It made me kind of sad, because he didn’t seem as excited to see me as usual. I don’t know if he was upset that I hadn’t been there for a few days or what. After a few minutes he warmed up to me and immediately grabbed my hand to play with him.
Outside my pink streak in my hair was immediately noticed. Sera called me over and looked at me and was like “why?” I told him that I felt like it. Obviously it wasn’t a good enough answer because he just shook his head and said “There is a reason you’ve done that. You aren’t telling me something. It is symbolism for something.” Whitney S. and I were cracking up. I kept telling him there was no symbolism, but he didn’t believe me. Then Whitney S. and I decided to play with him and ask him to guess why we did it. He never stated he didn’t like it, but he pretty much did with his facial language. Then when Florine saw my hair he was like “wow – rosi” (wow pink). I was loving the reactions. Dr. Pantezescu also came over and said it was beautiful and started playing with my hair. I couldn’t tell if she was being serious or just mocking me.
As were were playing outside Sera was being kind of a jerk. He started saying something to Florine and looked at me and started laughing. When I asked him what he said all he said was “men.” Then he kept talking to him in Romanian. I told him he was being rude. Romanians are so annoying sometimes.
When we went inside with the kids Andrei started throwing a fit and once again they put him in his crib. I was like “not again!” Every time he has cried in the past week they throw him in there for the rest of the morning. After he was in there a few minutes I asked Maria if he could get out. Luckily she said yes. I was so glad.
We got a new child in our room today. His name is Vali. It’s sad because you can tell he has been badly abused. Every time you raise your hand he cringes and cowers like you are going to hit him. Even when you are just going to touch him softly…it’s so sad. I cuddled him for a while. He just laid in my arms quite content. Later on though he got upset and flung a toy across the room. It seems like he is extremely passive aggressive. Sad.
In the room Andrei got a little annoyed this new little boy was taking my attention. He gets so protective of me. He was trying to hit the other little boy, and I kept telling him “nu” (no). He is so funny, because he gets this mean look on his face if he doesn’t like what another little kid is doing. If looks could kill man…wow.
Maria was so cute today. I just adore her. She has not wanted to play lately. She just wants to cuddle. Today once again she just flopped herself into my lap, and I cuddled her. She got the cutest little grin of satisfaction when I held her in my arms. She just needs love - like they all do.
When we left the orphanage Mindy and MacKenzie came in fuming. Sera is often in their room working with the babies and apparently he started going off about the church. He told them he has read The Book of Mormon, and he doesn’t believe it is true. I guess he had a bunch of stuff underlined that he didn’t agree with, but he wouldn’t even let them explain the reasoning behind certain things. The girls said he wouldn’t listen to one word they had to say, and at one point they said he said he shook The Book of Mormon and exclaimed “it’s bull s***.” The girls were both upset. I don’t blame them. Our religion is important to us, and when someone disrespects that it is huge. Sera can be a total jerk sometimes. I asked them if they told him to talk to the missionaries because they would best be able to answer any questions he had, and they said they had but he didn’t want to. It’s one thing to disagree, but when you are disrespectful that’s a whole new ball game. I told them it sounds like he just wants to Bible bash. Then I told them not to play into his game. In high school if my friends started saying rude things about my religion or started asking questions in a disrespectful way I would simply say “My religion is too important for me to argue about it. I know what is true. If you want to have a discussion about the church I am more than happy to talk to you, but if you are just going to be disrespectful I will not talk to you.” They usually shut up after I said that.
Outside we waited for Annie. She said Melissa and her can’t leave any earlier. We’re trying to find a solution so our time isn’t wasted and she can get home…we are going to brainstorm. While we were sitting out there waiting these Romanian guys started yelling from their window at us. They were like “What language do you speak? Where are you from?” We all ignored them, but of course they continued. Then they were like “I like your eyes. I like your smile,” and then they continued with a list of simple phrases they knew in English. Soooo obnoxious.
At the hospital Annie and I had a funny situation happen. The nurse showed us to a room that had two little disabled kids, and we went in and started holding them. Then Annie turned on some Michael Buble music and we started dancing with them. After playing with them for almost an hour all of a sudden a lady walked into the room and looked very confused. Apparently it was the mother for both of them. We told her we were sorry and left. She didn’t seemed bothered. She actually said “merci” (thank you). After all we had played with her kids and changed their diapers. Haha…Annie and I were cracking up. How random would that be if you left the hospital room for a few minutes, walk back into the room and see two girls that don’t speak your language holding and dancing with them – not to mention have their backpacks on your bed. Oh Romania.
After those kids I played with a little boy named Mihai. He is absolutely adorable. He is sooo ticklish, and he has the cutest laugh. He has bright blue eyes and blonde hair. He definitely doesn’t look like he is Romanian. It’s so cute because he absolutely loves it when we come. He hates when we leave. The second we go near his crib he freaks out because he knows we are going to leave soon. I just played with him for a while and swang him around. He loved it.
When we got home I cooked dinner because I didn’t get to last week. I made stuffed French toast and fruit salad. Annie showed me how to make the stuffed French toast and boy oh boy it was delicious. I’m so excited to make food when I get home. I’m learning so many cooking skills it’s great.
For FHE Mary was in charge of the activity, and we played a quick game of charades. We were laughing because every time we thought a word would be hard to act out it was guessed immediately. It was fun though. Everyone had a good time.
The rest of the evening I cleaned dishes from dinner, wrote in my journal and organized pictures. Oh there are never enough hours in the day for everything.
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: My conviction in my faith.
Today I got to see my kiddos! I especially missed them because I hadn’t seen them since Thursday. When I walked into the orphanage most of the kids were outside so we headed out there. Sadly Andrei wasn’t out there – he was upstairs sleeping once again. Later in the morning he stumbled out. It made me kind of sad, because he didn’t seem as excited to see me as usual. I don’t know if he was upset that I hadn’t been there for a few days or what. After a few minutes he warmed up to me and immediately grabbed my hand to play with him.
Outside my pink streak in my hair was immediately noticed. Sera called me over and looked at me and was like “why?” I told him that I felt like it. Obviously it wasn’t a good enough answer because he just shook his head and said “There is a reason you’ve done that. You aren’t telling me something. It is symbolism for something.” Whitney S. and I were cracking up. I kept telling him there was no symbolism, but he didn’t believe me. Then Whitney S. and I decided to play with him and ask him to guess why we did it. He never stated he didn’t like it, but he pretty much did with his facial language. Then when Florine saw my hair he was like “wow – rosi” (wow pink). I was loving the reactions. Dr. Pantezescu also came over and said it was beautiful and started playing with my hair. I couldn’t tell if she was being serious or just mocking me.
As were were playing outside Sera was being kind of a jerk. He started saying something to Florine and looked at me and started laughing. When I asked him what he said all he said was “men.” Then he kept talking to him in Romanian. I told him he was being rude. Romanians are so annoying sometimes.
When we went inside with the kids Andrei started throwing a fit and once again they put him in his crib. I was like “not again!” Every time he has cried in the past week they throw him in there for the rest of the morning. After he was in there a few minutes I asked Maria if he could get out. Luckily she said yes. I was so glad.
We got a new child in our room today. His name is Vali. It’s sad because you can tell he has been badly abused. Every time you raise your hand he cringes and cowers like you are going to hit him. Even when you are just going to touch him softly…it’s so sad. I cuddled him for a while. He just laid in my arms quite content. Later on though he got upset and flung a toy across the room. It seems like he is extremely passive aggressive. Sad.
In the room Andrei got a little annoyed this new little boy was taking my attention. He gets so protective of me. He was trying to hit the other little boy, and I kept telling him “nu” (no). He is so funny, because he gets this mean look on his face if he doesn’t like what another little kid is doing. If looks could kill man…wow.
Maria was so cute today. I just adore her. She has not wanted to play lately. She just wants to cuddle. Today once again she just flopped herself into my lap, and I cuddled her. She got the cutest little grin of satisfaction when I held her in my arms. She just needs love - like they all do.
When we left the orphanage Mindy and MacKenzie came in fuming. Sera is often in their room working with the babies and apparently he started going off about the church. He told them he has read The Book of Mormon, and he doesn’t believe it is true. I guess he had a bunch of stuff underlined that he didn’t agree with, but he wouldn’t even let them explain the reasoning behind certain things. The girls said he wouldn’t listen to one word they had to say, and at one point they said he said he shook The Book of Mormon and exclaimed “it’s bull s***.” The girls were both upset. I don’t blame them. Our religion is important to us, and when someone disrespects that it is huge. Sera can be a total jerk sometimes. I asked them if they told him to talk to the missionaries because they would best be able to answer any questions he had, and they said they had but he didn’t want to. It’s one thing to disagree, but when you are disrespectful that’s a whole new ball game. I told them it sounds like he just wants to Bible bash. Then I told them not to play into his game. In high school if my friends started saying rude things about my religion or started asking questions in a disrespectful way I would simply say “My religion is too important for me to argue about it. I know what is true. If you want to have a discussion about the church I am more than happy to talk to you, but if you are just going to be disrespectful I will not talk to you.” They usually shut up after I said that.
Outside we waited for Annie. She said Melissa and her can’t leave any earlier. We’re trying to find a solution so our time isn’t wasted and she can get home…we are going to brainstorm. While we were sitting out there waiting these Romanian guys started yelling from their window at us. They were like “What language do you speak? Where are you from?” We all ignored them, but of course they continued. Then they were like “I like your eyes. I like your smile,” and then they continued with a list of simple phrases they knew in English. Soooo obnoxious.
At the hospital Annie and I had a funny situation happen. The nurse showed us to a room that had two little disabled kids, and we went in and started holding them. Then Annie turned on some Michael Buble music and we started dancing with them. After playing with them for almost an hour all of a sudden a lady walked into the room and looked very confused. Apparently it was the mother for both of them. We told her we were sorry and left. She didn’t seemed bothered. She actually said “merci” (thank you). After all we had played with her kids and changed their diapers. Haha…Annie and I were cracking up. How random would that be if you left the hospital room for a few minutes, walk back into the room and see two girls that don’t speak your language holding and dancing with them – not to mention have their backpacks on your bed. Oh Romania.
After those kids I played with a little boy named Mihai. He is absolutely adorable. He is sooo ticklish, and he has the cutest laugh. He has bright blue eyes and blonde hair. He definitely doesn’t look like he is Romanian. It’s so cute because he absolutely loves it when we come. He hates when we leave. The second we go near his crib he freaks out because he knows we are going to leave soon. I just played with him for a while and swang him around. He loved it.
When we got home I cooked dinner because I didn’t get to last week. I made stuffed French toast and fruit salad. Annie showed me how to make the stuffed French toast and boy oh boy it was delicious. I’m so excited to make food when I get home. I’m learning so many cooking skills it’s great.
For FHE Mary was in charge of the activity, and we played a quick game of charades. We were laughing because every time we thought a word would be hard to act out it was guessed immediately. It was fun though. Everyone had a good time.
The rest of the evening I cleaned dishes from dinner, wrote in my journal and organized pictures. Oh there are never enough hours in the day for everything.
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