While we were with the facilitator from Simferopol applying for and receiving our court summons for Oleg's adoption hearing; Oleg was undergoing a fitting for some orthodontics. He now has an upper retainer that does not look comfortable. He said that he slept most of the day yesterday after the procedure. We don't know if this is the end of it or if there is a permanent thing coming. They'll have maybe 3 weeks to do whatever they'll do, and then his new American dentist will dream of a bigger boat. After all of the crowns he's given me, I now tease him whenever he gives me a good report "I guess the boat will have to wait." Oleg wasn't real hungry today but did have some bologna and other soft foods. He even refused an offer of ice cream tonight. However, he still had energy to swim for a few hours and do this bungee tramp thing, pictures below. He's resilient for sure.
Here are a few pics and videos from today.
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| Oleg on a bungee-tramp on the beach |
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| Video version of Oleg on the bungee-tramp, be sure your seat belt is buckled and hang on! |
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| This is the picture of Russia from our public beach in Kerch. This is a strip of land not much wider than are the Florida Keys with a highway (M-25) running Northeast to Ilych, Russia. Ferries from Kerch and Bulgaria come to the terminal. The picture below was called Russia mistakenly, Pat informed me of the error, she's the photographer in most of the shots you have seen. This will be a busy area in February when Sochi Russia hosts the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. Sochi is perhaps 300 miles South of here on the Russian land mass, facing the Black Sea. It barely snows in Kerch, we'll see how they handle that this winter. |
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A zoomed in view of the end of the Crimean peninsula. The Kerch Strait seperates Ukraine from Russia here.
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This young boy has so much energy. Be prepared, your life will really change. You will get fit just following him around!
ReplyDeleteYou are right Veronique! We are trying to think about things he can do to burn off energy. Right now I have trouble keeping up with him!
DeletePat and Darwin, wow, do your blogs ever bring floods of memories back to us a out our time in Ukraine working on an adoption. As you may recall, it was the third try that resulted in our adoption of Maxim; our first two appointments had also been with girls. It is truly amazing that whomever God has in mind for us is the one we end up adopting. I am thrilled for you that you have now found Oleg and that he will now have a forever family.
ReplyDeleteI was also thinking that the best advice we gave you when we met up with you in Florida was to expect the unexpected. It sounds like that happened so frequently for you as it did for us. Oleg seems like a very smart boy who loves living. What great attributes! Of course, you will also have to expect that there will be bumps along the road as you all form your family, but with the faith you all have and your desire to make this work, it will of course all work out . I was also thinking about all the energy that Oleg has--part of that is of course due to the fact that he most likely has never had the freedom or means to do much of these things he's so enjoying. Maybe you can get him on a soccer team back in your hometown which would help with energy and also introduce him to some boys his own age with a similar interest. School will also help with this. After living much of their lives surrounded by children, it's very hard for our boys to be an only child in a home. There are so many more things flying through my mind to say, but I'll stop here since I've gone on long enough. If you ever want to talk more about the pleasures and pitfalls that went along with our adoption and settling in as a family, just shoot me a private email since Max would not like it all aired publically. And lastly, wouldn't it be great if we could meet up again sometime and let Oleg and Max spend a little time together? Good luck on finalizing everything over there and getting Oleg to your home in Florida! I'll eagerly be looking forward to reading more blog posts.
ReplyDeleteHi Charlene and John, It would be great to have Oleg and Max meet sometime. We plan to get Oleg into a soccer league. He will need something to burn off his energy. Where did you go in Ukraine to adopt Max? I can't remember.
DeleteWhat an amazing adventure you are having. You sound like you are having fun along the way:))
ReplyDeleteBoys do have a lot of energy , I bet the dogs are going to love him! Can't wait to hear more. God bless u all!!