Sunday, December 14, 2008

Weekend Outing


My bitter disposition has improved since Friday! This is due to a few different activities. We have new pictures of our weekend posted in the albulm, "Night at the Museum".
We started with a "just go outside and have fun day...and get dirty too!" day. The kids and I have been cooped up and we needed to just break loose. On Friday we went outside and had a good time in the snow. I figured that we were close to the apartment, we could get warm quickly if needed, and we had a washing machine. Both Heidi and I participated in a snowball fight on the school grounds. We got a few looks from passer-byers who thought we were crazy and a few that thought children should be more bundled up than just a coat. Oh well, cultural differences, I guess!
Saturday, we ventured into Kiev see a couple of museums. I needed a happy meal! We walked down to the end of the street to catch a marshutka (little buses used for inner city travel). They are much cheaper than getting a taxi and quicker than the train you have to wait on. We froze our hinnys off a couple of weekends back waiting and hour or longer for it. Side note: for those friends of ours who live in frigid temperatures who tell me, "they are used to the cold", yeah right! You may be used to it, but that doesn't mean that you go outside and stand in bitter cold with the wind blowing for and hour or two with three kids! It's more like, two or three minutes from you house, to your car and out for shopping into the nice warm comfy store! Ooofftahh, that! Anyways, like I was saying, we went to a couple of museums. First was the Chernobyl museum. The kids participated but didn't like it. We spent an hour or so before heading out for lunch. McDonald's was a welcome sight for us. It was like our little American oasis in the Ukrainian sea. How pittyful, huh! I don't want to be the typical American, but I needed this little respite! And yep, I got happy! Heidi noticed the new skip in my step and that my batteries were recharged! We had some ice cream before going to the next museum.
Our next stop was the Museum of Natural Science. There were lots of stuffed animals along with an array of live fish and some lizzards to boot. The kids loved it...it was a big hit! I liked it too and I still had the Big-mac buzz going! We stayed a couple of hours before heading home. In fact, we closed the place down. Going home we had to pass through some underground passages. In these you can find many different shops that will sell you anything from fruit to socks to batteries to fish, you name it. We passed a video store and I had promised a movie or two earlier in the day. We got Narnia 2 and Madagasgar in Russian for the kids. I explained that we would donate them to the Diestki Dom when we leave because we couldn't play them in America. They understood perfectly and seemed happy at the idea that their friends would get the same pleasure of a new movie. The evening ended with another family movie night on the floor on a pallet of blankets!
Many thanks go out to the friends we have and the posts coming in from all of you. Matt, you crack me up! I was a little hesitant to post the naked fat lady, but I needed a good laugh and a joke or two from our friends about it.
Twyla, I want to answer a few of your questions. I'm sure that rubbing custom is not the same as in Italy, least not for me! Standing next to her is a thin man in all his glory, so yes, I kept it "family pc", lol! The kids are settling in with us fine and in fact it is Momi & Popi all the time. We have made leaps and bounds as a family since that first meeting and I commented to Heidi how I couldn't imagine us not being their parents, ever! They enjoy helping with the shopping and we let them have a few choices. They get overwhelmed with Kiev and they have a max endurance of a few hours before it's all "Let's go home" in perfect English from all three! We averted a melt down by spending almost two hours at McDonald's on Krashatic St this time. The kids love the happy meals, they have never had them before and they like the toys inside. However, we have to order an extra hamburger for the "little man". "Dos Hambugesas (sp?)", he says! We ate slowly and rested, then ordered ice cream! About the candy, I have tried the fizzy stuff, just not with these three. Rimma and Zina gave it to me one time. We will stay in Boyarka for the duration. It is only a 45 minute ride into Kiev by taxi, 1.5 to 2 hours via martsuka or train because of the waiting times.
BTW...does anyone have problems posting to our blog or viewing the pictures? I have had two seperate instances where folks are telling me that this is the case. I'm sorry for that. I'm not blocking anyone from viewing or posting, I assure you. All for now!
~ Felix ~

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love all the posts and pictures...so glad you are keeping your sense of humor!

I can hardly wait to meet the kiddos and see you guys again. We've been getting a good amount of snow here, but hopefully you won't feel the freeze here as much!

Take care, and know that you all continue to be in my thoughts and prayers.

Lynn

jandt said...

Thanks for all the updates and encouragement. We went looking for The Hillsong Kiev church and were not able to locate it. I think we found the address but it didn't look like anything was going on. If you get bored over the next few days or know of a way to pick up their children's albums in Russian we would pay you back.

Maybe we can get together back in Colorado sometime. Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers.

Safe travel and God Bless
Jim & Teresa

Kathy and Matt said...

Sounds like you're all doing beautifully as a family. Good for you for getting out and having the snowball fight. Fun!

Hope all continues to go well and you're on your way home soon!

Anonymous said...

I've been reading your posts with great anticipation of your return and meeting your new kids. It looks like you have about a week until you return. Please let me know if I can help in any way.

Jacob

Anonymous said...

Heidi and Felix -

We are closely following your journey and enjoying all your updates. We are looking forward to meeting your children! Safe travels - perhaps you will have a pitstop in Chicago on your return... What an extra special Christmas this will be!

Love, Max, Elizabeth and Will

adopting2fromUkraine said...

The kids are adorable! Isn't it amazing what some new, cute clothes and a good scrubbin' can do?

And I guess having a couple of loving parents doesn't hurt either;)

June

Twyla, John, Duncan, Mari, and Misha said...

Heidi and Felix,

You are missing the really cold weather this week! We drove over to RMCC's new Frederick campus to see the Christmas music tonight (Aimee and the Children's Choir did great) and went out to eat afterward. On the way home the temp. outside was reading -13'F at one point!

We loved the photos of the snowball fight - it looks as if it was a fair, evenly matched fight! What great bonding time.

We found a pair of pants just like Kolya's - dark green cords with patches - at the bazaar for Misha. I had to smile when I saw him in them!

Thank goodness you have corrupted them to the dark side ... did they also have Coke with their Happy Meals? I took a picture of the menu board at one of the McD's and I was roundly criticized by the Manager. Apparently they are afraid I am going to go to a small city and open a "McMonalds" or something and steal their business plan! Me vs. one bazillion served, right!

We found the Chernobyl Museum moving, especially all of the road signs posted above the stairs of the towns/villages that are no longer in existance because of the accident. How tragic and avoidable.

We missed the Museum of Nat'l History - no one told us about it. It looked like a fun time and the pix of Heidi is a keeper (gorgeous eyes)!

I'm sure we are not the first to say it, but the kids look like you guys - Julia has Felix's eyes and Kolya's face will round out with a few more hamburgers!

Now we know that Mr. and Mrs. Sprat are Ukrainian! Thanks for clearing that up!

Stay warm and snuggly and bundle those poor kids up. They need to be in 17 layers so that you are not given dirty looks by the babuskas! If you can push their arms down from a straight out position, they don't have enough layers on!

Keep finding the joy in every day!
The Barretts

Anonymous said...

It was great talking to you guys today! We are so glad to see your journey going so well. You are on the home stretch and so close! Can't wait to see ya!

Kari said...

Looks like a fun day! We are praying for all of your paperwork to be complete so you can fly home this weekend! Of course, if it isn't complete, then you get to enjoy our company...I know you would rather be home! We understand. Colorado is actually colder than Ukraine right now-tee hee!

Debora Hoffmann said...

Loving the pictures and the adventures you are having! We're praying you can come home very soon...just do so when we can come to the airport, like Saturday morning or Sunday morning. There. I've put in my order. ;-) Hope you're home very, very soon with your adorable kiddos, who really do look like Roge' kids!

Cindie said...

The last days in Ukraine seem to last forever! You seem to be doing a great job "redeeming" the time. We keep you in our prayers. The next step of the journey in the US is really fun. It will be such a joy to celebrate our saviors birth with your new family.
Cindie
PS sanity does start to return once you are home about 1 week. Until then it was a bit iffy!

Matt and Aimee said...

Where are you guys? Are you ever coming home? Isn't it just wonderful going from just the two of you to FIVE of you?!!! What a change. It was -23 degrees Sunday night, you're not missing anything here. Aimee's sick, Anya's an emotional train wreck and my other 4 teenage daughters take turns hating me-yes, it's great to be home!! Matt

About Us

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Longmont, Colorado, United States
Heidi loves to play sand volleyball, sail and garden. Felix loves to fly at the local aeroclub, sail and fish.