Once upon a time Aaron came home from work and said he thought we should adopt 3 kids from a Ukrainian orphanage. I said OK, and I've spent the last 6 months trying to figure out why I did. The musings of that journey would be better suited for a deep psychological thriller, which might answer that very critical question-why? Here all I will attempt to do is answer the other very critical question-how? For now, we just have them here for the next 6 weeks on a summer hosting program. Our time together will determine what the future has in store.
Day 1:
DFW airport around 9:30pm: Over 30 confused and tired kids stepped through the customs doors, nervously scanning for the people they would call their families for the next 6 weeks. Through the masses and confusion came a moment we won't soon forget. It was as if the pause button was pushed - everything hushed, nothing moved - nothing, that is, except 3 children we had loved and known only in our dreams until now. The hugs felt more like a reunion than a meeting and in that moment, 6 became 9 as naturally as winter turns to spring.
We retrieved luggage and ate our first meal together at Denny's (bluck). The kids picked their meals from the illustrated menu, the service was terrible, and the aged, overweight, toothless hostess invited herself to loiter at our table, commenting on how Aaron was the "finest looking translator she had ever laid eyes on." As we walked back across the empty and dark streets from Denny's to our hotel, the scene was almost imaginary. Sasha held tightly onto Macoy's hand, the kids all walked arm in arm, Aaron and I clasped hands and strolled a safe distance behind the others, soaking in the heavenly sight. And good darn thing we did soak it in because it was kind of a shorty.
Hotel room around 12:00am: "TADA!", I heard from the adjoining room. Ilona was calling my name. I walked through the doorway to find Ilona and Sasha standing there with something to tell me. Sasha's hand was gripping something tightly and as I walked closer, he slowly opened it to reveal a lone cigarette and lighter. His mouth was silent but his eyes plead with me. In a momentary lapse of good judgement, I actually considered letting him do it. I turned to Aaron and he said "No way! We let him now and there's no way we can say no later." Then Aaron landed on the bed face down next to us, his breathing resembling a herd of elephants, and I knew I was going to have to take this one. So I did what any caring, concerned mother would do. I sat down, had Sasha sit down facing me, and got out my phone so we could have a heartfelt google translate conversation.
Sasha: "I smoke 6 years."
Me: "We will help you quit. I know it will be hard."
Sasha: nods.
Me: "We don't smoke. Remember last smoke in Ukraine? No smoke in America."
Sasha: looks confused, but nods.
Me: "You can do it."
Sasha: nods.
Me: "You are strong. You can quit."
Sasha: nods.
Me:"I know it's hard."
Sasha: nods.
Me: "You will feel bad but you will feel better soon."
Sasha: "OK, I understand I will not smoke."
Me: "I know it's hard. I'm sorry."
Sasha: "Easy."
Me: "That is good. I helped my friend quit smoking and she was happy."
Sasha: nods.
Me: "When you feel bad tell me."
Sasha: nods.
Me: "Your head will hurt. You might feel mad but you can do it."
Sasha: looks confused.
Me: "Do you understand?"
Sasha: "Okay I understand I will not smoke."
Me: "I am proud of you."
Sasha: big smile!
Me: (holding out my hand) "Can I have the cigarette and lighter now?"
Sasha: hands them to me.
Me: "Do you have any more?"
Sasha: "No!" shows me empty pockets.
Me: "Good choice. Now go take a shower."
Sasha: nods
Me: "I need to learn Russian!"
I turned the lights off and made like a sardine into my full size bed shared with Faith and Macie. I really wanted to toss and turn but the real estate wouldn't allow it, so I just did it in my head. I questioned my sanity, I gagged intermittently from the waft of what smelled like rotting peaches in a compost pile coming from the shoes in our room, and I came very close to just saying to heck with it all - jumping up out of bed, making a cape with my bed sheet, and flying away. Far, far away. But just as I was about to take the leap, angelic noises began to flutter from the bed next to mine. It was Ilona. And her Russian sleep-talk somehow convinced me to stay.
Day 1:
DFW airport around 9:30pm: Over 30 confused and tired kids stepped through the customs doors, nervously scanning for the people they would call their families for the next 6 weeks. Through the masses and confusion came a moment we won't soon forget. It was as if the pause button was pushed - everything hushed, nothing moved - nothing, that is, except 3 children we had loved and known only in our dreams until now. The hugs felt more like a reunion than a meeting and in that moment, 6 became 9 as naturally as winter turns to spring.
We retrieved luggage and ate our first meal together at Denny's (bluck). The kids picked their meals from the illustrated menu, the service was terrible, and the aged, overweight, toothless hostess invited herself to loiter at our table, commenting on how Aaron was the "finest looking translator she had ever laid eyes on." As we walked back across the empty and dark streets from Denny's to our hotel, the scene was almost imaginary. Sasha held tightly onto Macoy's hand, the kids all walked arm in arm, Aaron and I clasped hands and strolled a safe distance behind the others, soaking in the heavenly sight. And good darn thing we did soak it in because it was kind of a shorty.
Hotel room around 12:00am: "TADA!", I heard from the adjoining room. Ilona was calling my name. I walked through the doorway to find Ilona and Sasha standing there with something to tell me. Sasha's hand was gripping something tightly and as I walked closer, he slowly opened it to reveal a lone cigarette and lighter. His mouth was silent but his eyes plead with me. In a momentary lapse of good judgement, I actually considered letting him do it. I turned to Aaron and he said "No way! We let him now and there's no way we can say no later." Then Aaron landed on the bed face down next to us, his breathing resembling a herd of elephants, and I knew I was going to have to take this one. So I did what any caring, concerned mother would do. I sat down, had Sasha sit down facing me, and got out my phone so we could have a heartfelt google translate conversation.
Sasha: "I smoke 6 years."
Me: "We will help you quit. I know it will be hard."
Sasha: nods.
Me: "We don't smoke. Remember last smoke in Ukraine? No smoke in America."
Sasha: looks confused, but nods.
Me: "You can do it."
Sasha: nods.
Me: "You are strong. You can quit."
Sasha: nods.
Me:"I know it's hard."
Sasha: nods.
Me: "You will feel bad but you will feel better soon."
Sasha: "OK, I understand I will not smoke."
Me: "I know it's hard. I'm sorry."
Sasha: "Easy."
Me: "That is good. I helped my friend quit smoking and she was happy."
Sasha: nods.
Me: "When you feel bad tell me."
Sasha: nods.
Me: "Your head will hurt. You might feel mad but you can do it."
Sasha: looks confused.
Me: "Do you understand?"
Sasha: "Okay I understand I will not smoke."
Me: "I am proud of you."
Sasha: big smile!
Me: (holding out my hand) "Can I have the cigarette and lighter now?"
Sasha: hands them to me.
Me: "Do you have any more?"
Sasha: "No!" shows me empty pockets.
Me: "Good choice. Now go take a shower."
Sasha: nods
Me: "I need to learn Russian!"
I turned the lights off and made like a sardine into my full size bed shared with Faith and Macie. I really wanted to toss and turn but the real estate wouldn't allow it, so I just did it in my head. I questioned my sanity, I gagged intermittently from the waft of what smelled like rotting peaches in a compost pile coming from the shoes in our room, and I came very close to just saying to heck with it all - jumping up out of bed, making a cape with my bed sheet, and flying away. Far, far away. But just as I was about to take the leap, angelic noises began to flutter from the bed next to mine. It was Ilona. And her Russian sleep-talk somehow convinced me to stay.
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