Here's another opportunity for to tell about all the exciting things going on here while YOU are starting YOUR Monday by going back to work.
I had a hard time relaxing and falling asleep last night after we Skyped. Talking with you and Justin was like chugging a Berry Mt. Dew Amp. Not a good thing to do right before going to bed; but it was good to see both your faces and hear your voices and make faces at Justin and stick our tongues out at each other.
The alarm went off this morning at seven, and instantly I wished I had set it for seven-thirty. I reset it, laid back down for a few minutes and by five after, I had given up and gotten up. A quick shower, brushed my teeth and I was ready to head out by seven-thirty. I checked messages before heading out at eight for breakfast on the way to the subway.
Ethan asked if we could watch a movie today, so I was lugging a pretty full pack. I'm starting to feel the burn from walking so I took the Number Eighteen bus. I picked up an egg McMuffin and a hash brown from Mickey D's and headed down to Maidan station. Since there's no bookstore in the underground mall any longer - it's now a kiosk wrapped around a support beam with a young lady attendant - I skip walking the mall walk and head right down to the subway station. Did I tell you that yesterday there was a camera crew at the top of the stairs filming some sort of variety program. It sounded like some kind of karaoke or musical variety program. Maybe it was an audition for the version of The Voice they do here. I think it's a kid's version of that show. I really didn't stop to watch much, but there was a camera on a boom and on a track and a crowd huddled around a bright circle on the ground. I couldn't see a host, the crowd was pretty thick. There wasn't much going on this morning, just the normal Monday morning rush.
I made pretty good time. When I got out at Holosiivska, it wasn't long of a wait for a 507. I think I caught it by 8:30. It was pretty crowded for a Monday morning, and made every one of the stops on the route, so I was out to the orphanage by nine. I dropped my gear in the music room, ate breakfast in the dining room and then started to look for Ethan. I was kinda surprised he hadn't found me yet. When I asked where he was, I was told he was still sleeping. At ten after nine! I went and woke him up. He was sound asleep! He got up, changed out of his peejays into clothes and we got started on English. We started out our lesson in the music room, but the teacher said we could use the classroom today. He wanted to play on the computer in the classroom - the teacher said he could - but I guess none of the kids know how to turn it on. That's not a bad piece of information to withhold. By 10:30 he was ready for a movie. He picked Rise of The Silver Surfer. The story got in the way of the action, an he ended up playing some of the games you left for him.
I still like both Fantastic Four movies. Ethan started to pick up that we are becoming four, just like they are four.
We managed to squeeze in another movie, he picked The Incredible Hulk. We watched it together and I kept an eye on his reaction to it. He seemed okay. He was still playing the games while watching the movie.
I hung around long enough that maybe I could see Masha coming back from school. It was maybe 2:35 or 2:40 when this blur slammed into me. She gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. That's one thing I've noticed. Most of the children are pretty laid back and relaxed. They come back from school and they say "Hi" or "Hello". Even Ethan is pretty casual, considering these are his last few weeks before he heads home for good. When I woke him up, he mumbled good morning, but didn't seem excited to see me. It was like any morning back home. For him, that's probably a good thing. Every time I see Masha, she seems like she is so excited and thrilled to see me that she is about to bust. I know you probably didn't see how big her smile was when she hugged you those first couple of days we were here, but I keep watching her face. It lights up like yours does.
I don't know if I've ever told you this; but when people ask about us, how we met, how long we've been together, how I knew it was you, I tell them about when I first asked you out. I'd gotten used to hearing no a lot, so I was pretty sure that was what you would say. I didn't think we had a whole lot in common. You're smart. You went to college. The closest I've been is spelling the word on paper. But I will never forget that moment. It was like that moment in The Blues Brothers, when John Belushi's Jake is in The Triple Rock Baptist Church, and he realizes what to do to save Sister Mary's Orphanage. The clouds part, a light shines down and Jake is in this bright light and he says, "The Band." It was like that moment. I asked if you would go with me, and your face lit up like the Fourth of July. I'll never forget your smile. I'll never forget how happy you were to say yes. You probably didn't notice, but I stood up straighter than I ever had before, I puffed out my chest and I walked on clouds the rest of the day. I threw out a little Richard Pryor, too, from Silver Streak. "That's right, we bad, we bad."
That's the same light I see on Masha'a face. Most of the other kids want attention. They're hungry for it and dying for it. I get the feeling from Masha that she's glad we're there and we can be around each other. She doesn't say "Hi" or "Hello". She goes for the big hug. She puts her head on my chest and squeezes really tight. I saw her do that same thing to you. I think I will have twenty-eight hugs and kisses on the cheek from her for you when I come home.
I tell ya, I walked a little taller and straighter and a few feet off the ground on the way back to the bus stop.
Ethan has been asked how soon he's coming back to Kiev and when we are coming home. Even with the calendar I brought, he doesn't understand the concept of days or weeks yet. He counts each day as "tomorrow". He still has to learn the English for the days of the week, the word "week", "weekend" and "the day after tomorrow", "and the day after that". I think it might be kind of cool to surprise him by telling him on the day he's coming back to the apartment.
I think we'll ask Igor if we can still come back on the weekends before we come home to visit Masha.
I left around a quarter to three today and the first bus that came along was a 255.
I walked up that big hill from Independence Square and back to the apartment, and I am enjoying some hot tea. It's a cold afternoon! Colder than it was this morning!
I think I'lll travel a little lighter tomorrow. Carrying that pack reminds me of the days I was observing basic at MCRD. I'll see if I can get Ethan to play a few hands of Uno.
Tomorrow will bring us one more day closer to getting the final court decree; and, I'll be able to get his new birth certificate! I would imagine that we could probably get that done sometime early next week.
Keep you posted on that.
Love you.
Never let you go,
Dave
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