The Day Lena Stole My Heart
Exactly five years ago, we were in Ukraine, just a week into our five-week adventure for Masha’s adoption. For the next few weeks, I’m posting excerpts and a photo or two from each day. Sometimes funny, and sometimes proof of how naive we were, I hope you’ll enjoy our little trip down memory lane…
Friday, 25 May, 2007 – Culture Clash
It was bound to happen at some point…we experienced our first real challenge related to culture and tradition today. In the end it will all be OK, but the day was not one of our better ones.
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[When we arrived at the orphanage], we were all called inside. The director spoke with us for a few minutes to share some requests regarding communication and gifts, and she also asked us to bring some fruit for all the children so that they would also feel special. Then she asked that we limit our time with the kids to about an hour today, and stay on the grounds of the orphanage. Apparently something had happened unrelated to us, but she felt that her traditions and culture were being disrespected.
We were told at this point that we could play with the girls for about an hour, so we waited for them to come out; when they did, we talked with them for a few minutes, Sveta explained that we were not going to be allowed to go to town today, but that we could play at the orphanage. We were just spreading out to start throwing the Frisbee when an orphanage worker came out and called the girls in for lunch. We had seen them for about 10 minutes.
We were then told that they had lunch and then dance practice, and that we could see them from 4:00 to 5:00.
The stress of the trip and of adjusting to a different environment and the general emotional drain of the situation have been wearing on me more than I was aware. [When we got back,] as kids spilled out of the orphanage to play, tossing Frisbees and balls, and laughing and giggling, I stood at the side and cried, totally overwhelmed by it all.
Masha and her friend Lena noticed that I was upset and asked Sveta why I was crying. She covered for me nicely and said that sometimes when adults are really happy, they cry, and that I was just so happy to see Masha playing with her friends. The two girls came over and hugged me and sat on either side of me. Lena asked Sveta how to say “Don’t cry” in English….and she kept hugging me and stuck right by my side for the rest of the time we were there.
How do your kids react when you cry in front of them? Leave a comment…
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About Christine
I am a writer, a project manager, and a corporate refugee with a heart for orphans around the world. My two daughters were adopted from Ukraine at ages 12 and 14. I post about writing, chasing dreams, and making a difference in the world, and sometimes I share fun snippets of fiction in-progress.
I’m usually crying BECAUSE of my kids, so they’re usually in “time out” or in their rooms by that time! So they don’t actually SEE me crying! lol
Truthfully, I don’t remember why Ryan saw us crying once, but he sat next to us and rubbed our heads and said, “It’s okay, Mommy and Daddy. Don’t be sad.”
It was the cutest thing ever, and definitely cheered us up.
Awww, that’s so sweet! It’s amazing how they can touch our hearts when they’re not busy breaking them…