Groundhog Day

We spend the weekend repeating our cycle of catching-up on e-mail, breakfast, hanging-out, lunch at a local cafe, grocery shopping, visiting Toli, diner and a little Russian TV. Since we are off the tourist destination path, there aren't many people who speak English so we have started playing menu roulette after tiring of pizza and exhausting the few pictures on the menu. Yesterday we scored some salmon soup! It wasn't what I'd have intentionally ordered, but it wasn't bad. Brother, we aren't in 'Nawlins anymore! The people in Ukraine have been very nice, but you can tell they don't get a lot of foreigners out this way and the waiters and waitresses usually draw straws to see who is going to wait on the foreigners since they speak about as much English as we speak Russian.
Our visits with Toli have been nice. The orphanage sets us up in a classroom near the entrance so we haven't had a chance to see much of the common spaces. The building is old and basic, but they seem to keep things very clean. Toli likes to sit on the couch and play games and visit. He usually likes to be close to one of us. If we understood him correctly, no one has came to visit him while he's been there so he's enjoying the time. With visitors. We are always greeted and end our visits with big hugs.
Yesterday we had the chance to visit with some of his friends (Zhenya, Vlad, and Vladik) who were being adopted. We were able to make a few phone calls back to states on Skype to their prospective adoptive parents. It is heart warming to see the hope in these kids lives and sad to see the many others who have not yet been "chosen." They are just kids who want to be loved.
We downloaded a couple apps on the iPad to get a start on learning more English and practicing math. Yesterday he started crying when he got hung up on some multiplication practice. I think he was embarrassed more than anything, but he seemed comforted that it is OK. We reassured him we all have trouble with math and that it just takes some practice. No doubt this is just the first of many frustrations and hurts that have been his life to this point that will need unpacked and addressed as we get to know each other better. Everyone has their gifts and challenges. We spend a lot of time and energy in American education addressing weaknesses rather than building strengths. Toli is a gifted artist, enjoys reading and has a huge heart for giving for a boy who has so little. Our challenge as parents for each of our children is to discover who God has designed them to be and provide a supportive environment where they are not afraid to fail in pursuit of their dreams. He may never be a mathematician, but then again perhaps he will. He's just has a different tract than most American kids, but that will likely become his strength as he draws from experiences no American child would want to have.