Diversions. . .

A post by Lee

One can only photograph Ladas for so long before the mind starts to wander.   The boys and I have been finding other things to do to occupy our time as we wait for the adoption to be finalized.    Just a few of the highlights. 

Daniel: 

• Daniel started collecting bottle caps - he has over 100 so far - most of them different.
• Daniel also started trying to drink all the different types of Fanta pop that he could find - so far he has tried:  apple, grape, lemon and pineapple and orange.  He has yet to try mango (maybe peach?) and watermelon.

Andrew:

• Andrew also started collecting bottle caps - and their collection has grown together with Daniels'; becoming somewhat of a joint project.   I was reminded that I collected pop cans at their age and my ever patient parents put up with the gathering and storing of hundreds of pop cans that made up my collection.  I am thankful the boys chose (read that small) bottle caps.  Have fun airport security figuring out what 100+ bottlecaps in a ziploc are for!
• Reading - Andrew is working on The Hobbit and 3rd book in the John White series (Archives of Anthropos) and often has his head in a book; can't argue with that.
• Games - we bought a chess board a few days ago and chess has become the new favorite method of passing the time.

We are doing some reading in the evenings as well - we finished the Gaal the Conquerer (the 2nd John White) book together and now we are working on a biography of Brother Andrew.  The work that Brother Andrew did to bring copies of the Bible into closed countries takes on new meaning when you are actually here; he often traveled into and out of Ukraine. 

I digress:

       As a Dad I can brag a little bit - early on in our adoption process we decided it would be good to have the twins along - for the experience and the chance to learn and see a new culture.    We knew the twins would do fine, but they have just been such a joy to have with us - the are a huge help with the girls, have taken lots of photos, no complaining when the days get long with paperwork and sitting in the van waiting. . . even getting used to the food and all the other different adjustments that have to  take place - they have just done great.  They had to give up one really important church camp experience with their cousin and half their summer - but they have been fantastic.   If anyone else who is adopting is debating taking your 10/11+ year olds along and you wonder how it might work - our experience has been wonderful. We would do it again in a heartbeat.

Ukrainian Adventures:

     We try and get out every day and do some kind of adventure.   I wrote about some of these in a previous post.   The past few weekends - we have been walking about 1.5 to 2 miles up Sumskaya Street to an amusement park!  On the way today we stopped at every toy store we could find;  the boys look at Legos and it is fun to see the variety.  We also went to a bookstore; full of Ukrainian books, but still fun to see:  we found the Tolkien trilogy and Harry Potter that we recognized.  At one of the toy stores,  we bought a round puzzle today - has anyone ever seen a puzzle (pieces are plastic) like that - 60 pieces?  Our was a soccer ball.

The Amusement Park

     What does one see at a Soviet era amusement park?  Glad you asked!

(ps Sam - we can't wait to hear about your day at Valley Fair and all the fun things that you got to do there - we went to a small amusement park - Valley Fair is huge compared to this).

Stop #1

The slide.   Matt get your business hat on - I think this would work in Chahinkapa Park too!  Cost 20 UAH ($4.30) for 10 minutes.  Actually it was hot today and there were not a lot of people around - so the attendant let them go and go and go - they were asking when they could be done!

Stop #2

To cool off - snow cones - with pink lemonade and cola flavoring - Cost 10 UAH ($2.15)

Stop #3

Bumper cars - Cost 10 UAH ($2.15) for 5 minutes or so.

We had a whole afternoon of fun - spent about less than 10 dollars and made memories that will last a lifetime.  We have had so much fun exploring the city.  Our facilitator reminds us: be careful, don't talk to strangers, don't be out after dark, which we sometimes follow . . . we are always careful when we are out - but so far, we have felt safe, avoided any troubles and overall (if we have needed) people have been very helpful.

Some other fun photos from the amusement park

Tilt-A-Whirl

 

The Butterfly

This thing is called the butterfly and it is the strangest thing - it rotates and the two people spin (360 - all directions - six axis) for about 10 minutes.  We have watched people do it - get really red in the face; we keep waiting for someone to lose their lunch - but everyone seems to make it.   It is one wild torture device  ride.  I have a feeling it might have had a use before the fall of the Soviet Union - maybe some kind of truth telling device or something.

All for now - Karen tells me my vernaake is ready.   Yum, yum.

Lee