A Great Few Days

I can't even begin to explain how great E is.  She is so sweet (I know....I know...I keep saying that). We took her out walking in her little town. There is a huge open market here. We bought her a sweater and other personal items. She was SO proud of her sack with her new sweater in it. Some small things that I have noticed that show she's getting closer to us are obvious, like she is more joking with us now. She started counting to 12 in English....just out of the blue. I told her "your Angliyskiy good."  She giggled and said, "Momma Russkiy problema!"  We all died laughing. But a more subtle thing is she comes and stands next to us when we are paying for something. If we are having a problem communicating to the clerk with what we want, she speaks for us. I think that is amazing progress for a child that was once very timid and worried about communicating with us.

Another awesome moment was when E picked her middle name. Woohoo!!!  We gave her 3 options. And she picked her name right away!

Today we arrived at the orphanage to take her out for a few hours. When we arrived, E asked for my phone (to use Google translate). She handed it to her friend O.  O started typing. When she handed it back to me, it translated to "can please you and I go for a walk with E please if you agree?"  How sweet was that!!!  Of course we said yes!  We had a great day walking around the town. We went to the little arcade type place. We played air hockey. The girls had so much fun. I don't think O had ever played before. She and E had an intense game going on. Each of them ended up with a scrape on their finger. It was hilarious!!!!!

Here's L kicking booty at air hockey! 

We explored the old city wall, seriously ancient (at the recommendation of the orphanage director).  I am trying to be vague with details (as you can tell) or I would have a lot to tell you about this place.  Here are a few pictures. 

Gorgeous! 

After being out exploring for a while, we had to get the girls back to the orphanage. But first, we stopped by the bakery for E to pick out a cake.  They kids at the orphanage were putting on a "Saying Good-Bye to Autumn" performance. So we wanted to buy cake for all the kids to eat after the performance. This is what E picked. 

It was INSANELY good. Nothing like an American cake.  The type of cake.....Tiramisu!!!  Oh it was SOOO good!  E was so proud carrying the cake into the orphanage. It's amazing the things we take for granted in the U.S.  Going to the grocery store to pick out a "store made cake" would seem rather cheap to some people but to E, it was worth a million bucks.  

So all the kids did their performance AND even included L in the performance and asked her to sing a song!!!  It was such a nice evening. 

After the performance it was dinner tme for the kids. The teacher even had plates made for us!  We got to eat dinner with E at the orphanage and with all the kids. We were so humbled by their hospitality and kindness to us.  And the orphanage food????? Delicious. All 3 of us were clean platers!  Lol. 

So the sad parts.....this amazing orphanage (I know, sounds like an oxymoron) is closing!!!! All the kids will be moved at the end of December. I'm not quite sure where yet.  We are PRAYING that our 10 days will be up the day before the move (if things go as we hope for a "Plan A." )

Other sad new....we have to leave our precious E to go home and wait for court. I'm so torn. I am SOOOO ready to go home, I miss F.  I can't wait to hold my little baby!!!  Buuuuut, I am going to miss E!  I pray she handles our leaving as well as can be expected. We pray that it is only for a few weeks.  We are praying for a court date of 12/13.  E knows we have some pretty amazing and treasured photos on our camera and we will get them developed in the States and bring them back to her and the other kids, so hopefully this will give her something to look forward to.....other than seeing us again...of course ;-)