One week and counting!

First off, Mom you had us all rolling, if you didn't read my mom's comment on the last blog post you have to... it is hysterical... actually Kenny and I were thinking about souveniers and we thought we didn't need to buy you one, that we would just let you have Eli for a month... isn't a new grandson enough of a souvenier???? imagine a month with a 4 year old has to be easier than a month with an 8 year old!!!!

So, today we visited our little guy again, and let me tell you- he really is all about testing his freedom with us... when the room "mamas" are around he is all business, doing exactly what he is told... minding, behaving, when he gets us alone, he is a holy terror! Galya even taught us to say "Mama scazala..." like in Mama says no, or mama says come here... it is suppossed to be very intimidating... well not so much, he just turns and laughs and goes right back to what he is doing... yep, we have a little handful here... We gave him a granola bar for the first time today, he loved that, and he can't get enough of the juice boxes, he literally starts drinking and doesn't stop until it is all gone. We also tried on some of the clothes we bought him today, he got so excited, and didn't want to take them off, maybe he really doesn't like wearing Minnie Mouse clothing! We will visit Eli again tomorrow morning and then we are headed back to Kiev for the rest of Saturday and Sunday, we will return her to Preluky on Monday for hopefully just one more night... if all goes well Monday and Tuesday we will be able to take him from the orphanage for good on Tuesday night and head back to Kiev!

Last night we taught Galya how to play Sequence, and after a few games she really got the hang of it, actually too well, she beat us both 3 in a row! Beginners Luck! Then we started in with the Sopranos---- we had some difficulty with the season 1 disc so we ended up skipping to season 2... intense show! we have that on the agenda again for tonight!

We haven't commented much on the Ukrainian lifestyle... a few things that we have noticed. First, everyone eats icecream ALL THE TIME. I mean at any point there are 20 people on the street eating icecream, doesn't matter if it is 8 am or 8 pm... it is all the time... the same goes for drinking beer... come to think of it Angie and Todd would fit right in here, people are short and drink beer all the time (Love you guys!) However Angie's fashion taste- you know the sweatpants!!!! would certainly not fit in here... the women are dressed up ALL THE TIME... we were told to dress simply so not to bring attention to ourselves, well dressing simply does bring attention to us... the women of all ages are seriously dressed as if they were headed to a night club.... the more clevage the better, this includes the children, pre teens and teenagers! and the heels!!!! wow! and they walk EVERWHERE in 3 or 4 inch heels with straps going half way up their legs! Oh, also, it is not important at all for your clothes to match... they rarely do, and that isn't just in the orphanage, and for the hair, well Kenny swears there was a clearance sale on Clairol Pink hair color, since almost every hair style has a bit of pink in it! As for the guys it is all about the Adidas and Nike shirts, the tighter the better, and sandals with SOCKS! yep, have to wear the socks with the sandals! Shorts are very rare... and Dolce and Gabana is the choice knock off designer brand for everyone! Yep, Kenny and I stick out like crazy as the American Tourists! And another thing... driving, you know street signs, lines on the road, stop lights are all just "suggestions" you can really do whatever you want, even drive and park on the sidewalks! Pedestrians don't get angry, they just get out of the way! And the bike riders, seriously, not sure how they stay on the bikes... the drivers whiz by them within inches going 50mph or more and they don't even wobble... me, I would be lying flat on the road! And the dogs and cats, they just roam around everywhere, they know to get out of the way of cars too... Kenny swears he saw a bobcat walking the streets yesterday, I didn't see it, but I actually believe that he saw it!

Well that is it for today... a few business things... Paige- so excited about the primary color dump trucks!!!!!! exactly the look I was hoping for ;) no really, we sent you and mom and Beaven some emails... if you don't get them please call us tomorrow at the apartment in Kiev or at the other number I gave Dad, we might need some help with our plane tickets, it seems as if some of our emails aren't getting through... and tell Clay we are so excited he got a hit!

Again, all our love, we miss you all.. can't wait to be home!

Oh- one final note... Eli learned to say Jake!!!!! :) and he can point him out in the pictures! Jake your little brother can't wait to meet you!


Kenny and Shannon