July 31, 2008 (Thursday)
The Lord’s Hand in my Life: Slowing down for a few hours…

We were outside most of the day at the orphanage again today. Andrei was his energetic self, but today he kept going to time out. Time out #1: Andrei kept trying to jump out of the swing. Time out #2: Andrei was climbing on these high metal bars, but he kept trying to go over the top and I told him “no” in sign, and he deliberately didn’t listen. Time out #3: Andrei kept taking his hearing aids out and biting them. We were sitting on the bench for quite a while today to say the least, but I still love that little monkey. Every time we sat in time out he would scream, then when he was done I’d make him sign “im pare rau” (I’m sorry), then he’d get down and do something else to get in trouble.

I walked around outside with Alex again today. He loved it. Alex is great, but he can be a little stinker. Today he pulled Whit’s hair and wouldn’t let go, and then he was laughing about it. We told him that wasn’t allowed and that we couldn’t play with him if he acted like that…

Today was Florine’s last day at the orphanage because he gets to go on vacation for a month. He came outside and asked me for my email address again – he said he lost it somehow…so I gave it to him. It’s frustrating to talk to him sometimes, because neither of us speak each other’s language very well. I think he could tell I was a little annoyed, because he promised me that within 10 months he would learn English. I don’t know if I believe him…but okay…it’s going to be funny when he tries to instant message me online. I can see that conversation lasting about a minute with only simple phrases like “hello” and “how are you” and “good.”

Vali had an interesting episode today. He started freaking out so they put him in his crib. Then later on they discovered his pants off and his diaper torn to shreds and thrown all over the room. Thank goodness it wasn’t a messy diaper – just a wet one. Otherwise that would have been one huge and gross mess to clean up.

After that I held him in my lap for a while. He sat there very content, and he seemed fine. I just wish I knew what was going through his mind. He just stares off into space and avoids all eye contact. I really wish his parents were put in jail for the way they have treated him…It makes me so sad.

I fed Constantine today…they made me feed him with a spoon. Thank goodness the experience was better than last time. He didn’t choke on his food as much. I kept saying really nice things to him in a high pitched voice and he would smile. But then the second I put food in his mouth he got the most disgusted look on his face. It was kind of funny, and it took FOREVER for him to eat – but he did it!

Towards the end of our time at the orphanage I started getting a really bad headache. It felt like a migraine, but it wasn’t to the maximum intensity it could have been for which I am grateful. I’ve gotten migraines since I was 12 years old that are really bad. I know I’m getting one when objects in my vision start to disappear, my hands go numb, my head kills and I throw up over and over. I get them bad. However, I haven’t gotten them to their full extreme since I’ve been taking this herb called Fever Few. So I went home and slept a few hours. When I woke up my head still hurt, but it was a manageable amount of pain. Whenever I get migraines it’s my body telling me I need to slow down…I guess it decides that if I won’t slow down on my own it will make me. I ended up skipping apartments because I was sleeping. I hate missing time with my kids.

Mary and Kenz were sick last night and today running to the bathroom. Hopefully it wasn’t the hamburgers I made, but I don’t think it was because Annie and I felt fine today and we all ate the same thing. Maybe their stomachs are more sensitive? I don’t know.

For the rest of the evening I laid in bed, relaxed and chatted with Kenz and Mary. We all looked pathetic – it was pretty funny. We had messed up hair, comfy clothes and looks of pain and agony on our face. When Annie got home from the hospital she gave each of us a popsicle and made us all grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for dinner. It was so cute. She was like our little mom. She brought it into our rooms and everything. So sweet and considerate.

When Annie walked in she looked at me and was like “Whitney I’m not very happy with you. I’ll have to deal with you later.” We all started cracking up. I did some dishes from dinner that were in the sink, and she left me a note telling me not to because I wasn’t feeling well. However, I could still stand so I did them. They were dishes from the dinner I made last night. I didn’t want her to clean them – that’s not fair!

Later we watched The Devil Wears Prada, and the girls made me promise not to do homework or think about doing homework. I agreed reluctantly, but I did agree. What’s even better is that I sat and watched the entire movie without doing anything. I was so proud of myself. It’s really hard for me to sit and relax when I have a ton to do even if I don’t feel well.

I didn’t get to use the internet today or make gogosi with Whitney S. because I didn’t feel well – I hate it when health issues get in the way of plans.