I always hate when I don't write in my journal for one day and I feel like the next day I have so much to write about. So crazy, but so good! Didn't go anywhere exciting really but yesterday was an amazing day! It was just one of those days where the mornings went good so it didn't really matter what happened the rest of the day.
Let me tell you what happened yesterday morning...
So I went in at 9:00am like usual and the kids seemed especially happy to see me. Minga and Lucrez even both gave me hugs that morning. I have fun with those two when the other kiddos sleep. But, la masa was fun. By the way masa means table and apparently snack and lunch. Alot of words in Romanian have several different meanings for the same word. It is quite humorous to me because I have like a 3 word vocabulary which equals to like a 15 word vocabulary in Romanian. A little exaggerated but anyways... So morning snack usually goes pretty well, it is just lunch when the break downs happens. My worker even gave me two waffers that morning. But after was when I was really proud of myself.
Ada put all the younger kiddos asleep leaving only Minga and Lucrez awake. Ada is really good about trying to do activities that help them learn when it is only them. So I went over there and watched what they were doing because I often learn something from it as well. With Lucrez, Ada was working on counting to 10. He is seven but the more I observe him the more I can see he is pretty delayed academically. He is a bright kid but he is having trouble remembering things like that. I have read and been told that no matter what all institutionalized children are always delayed in some aspect (also why alot of my kiddos are walking later). Anyways, Ada was working with him by having him count blocks. He kept forgetting random numbers and would say one instead of 5 or something. Ada was getting frustrated and basically telling him how do you not know this? (She sounded a little upset although Romanian always sounds harsh). I was sitting next to him and he was looking like he was about to cry. He was definitely frustrated with himself. So the best I could communicate with him I told him lets keep practicing. I started slowly with having him count my fingers. Then we started using the blocks and going back to fingers if he forgot. The more we did it the faster he got, and at the times he got it right (even with help) we would say "Bravo!" He was much happier the more we did. He would still sometimes forget and just say uhm...but for the most part he was doing better. And since he was a little boy I knew making it a competition would help. So I would say, "Gata? (ready?)" and then I would move the blocks as fast as he would say the numbers to count them. Making him say it as fast as he could made him remember it better. He really like turning it into a game. We probably did this for about 30-45min while the other kiddos were asleep till la masa. It was really neat to feel like I helped him or something. I know the numbers in Romanian so I was able to help him learn and I practiced at the same time. Granted we only went up to ten. But for him (and me) it was like an accomplishment. Ada actually looked really pleased I was working with him. She likes when I take initiative, and especially when it is educational or helpful.
So that is what made yesterday morning so good. At night we had so much fun at Family Home Evening. We met at the branch, as always, at 7 and there was a big turn out (20 people!). The Zone leaders were visiting so they got to join in on the fun (so technically there were 6 missionaries and 6 of us girls, so the majority of us). But, us girls are always in charge of FHE for the branch- giving the spiritual thought and planning the activity. They always already have popcorn there. We played a game the Romanians love ( I think it was a Romanian game I don't know). But it is where everyone sits in a circle and there is someone in the middle with a cup of water. The person in the center thinks of an answer to a random subject. Like fruits. Then it goes around the circle, naming fruits, and if someone says the fruit the person in the middle was thinking of they get water in their face!! It was so fun...and yes I was in the middle 3 times from guessing the answer. It was a good evening for sure!
As far as today goes it was another good one. I am really sad though because I am loosing alot of my kids really soon. I think Dumpling is already with his foster family cause he wasn't there today! He was so adorable, I am really going to miss him. But supposedly Sunshine is also going with a foster family soon and then Minga and Lucrez are going to the apartments two of the other girls work at. There are less kids there and it is more of a family because they live at the apartments. While I am very, very sad at the thought of loosing them I know that at least they might get all the attention they need. I love my room I am in but it also kind of hard because it has the potential to change alot since if any kids would be fostered or adopted it would be from my room.
Yesterday and today at the hospital I was alone on the 5th floor with 3 kids! Annie is still there but then there were two new boys. One I think is a newborn or something! Poor thing. But it was really insane because Annie and the other boy (I will call him Rudy) both love to be held and cry when they don't. It is the price we pay for holding children but worth it for all of us in the end! The newborn baby (I will call him Alvin) was asleep for most of time. It is sad because his skin is so discolored and disfigured. I am not even sure he has ever been washed or had his fingernails clipped. He is precious but his skin is just so red and flaking off. Today I did try to clean him up with baby wipes. But,yesterday I didn't even know he was a boy until I changed his diaper (this happens alot!). He was dressed in pink and had a little pink blanket. One of the girls said such a funny, but true, made up quote. "Changing diapers is like opening up a Kinder egg, inside is a surprise." It was so funny because half the time you really don't know if they are a boy or a girl until you change their diaper! So yes it was crazy because I would hold one, while feeding another, while having to keep an eye on the other. It was pure madness. How do moms do this?!? They are supermoms that is why. Hopefully this is at least teaching me patience.
Speaking of Kinder Eggs I am pretty sure I mentioned a while back that I have never eaten more chocolate until I came here. I LOVE MILKA CHOCOLATE!!! It is so amazing, Kinder brand is good too. I also have tried things with Hazelnut chocolate. I actually like it.
I have mentioned some highs and lows of this week, but I think one of the biggest highs was talking to my parents yesterday. We talked for a while ,and my grandma had told me my parents had talked to Andrew on Sunday! His flight had their first inspection-which he passed with flying colors. As a reward he got a 15 minute call home- and he called my family. I wish I could have talked to him but at least I got all the information passed along. A little about him...he is doing awesome! His flight is really doing well and seems to be pulling together as a unit-which will really benefit them in the long run. But his job he was given is called "house mouse". My parents were saying it is where he is in charge of cleaning out his flight leader's office and other things. Not for sure all the detail but it is really good to have because it gets him on the in's with their FL. And apparently he really likes Andrew cause he is doing a good job. I really am so proud of him, from how he sounds. He is so happy and from what my parents told me he is really just right where he is supposed to me. I know now that this is what he is meant to do because he really is in his element.
I know it was a long one to read through...but I did have two days to catch up with! Hope everyone else is living life the fullest because I know I am right now!
Mare vis,
Dani
No comments:
Post a Comment