Mastering Shapes

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Today, Andrew’s main caregiver, Svitlana, asked us as she was leaving for the day when we will be taking Andrew home with us. She doesn’t speak any English so we were communicating the best we could with her to answer her question. We told her that we will be leaving Dnipropetrovsk or the orphanage on September 17th and then flying home on September 21st. She gave us and Andrew a sad look with tears in her eyes and hugged and kissed Andrew. I can really tell how much she the way she was caring for him to help Andrew get over his cold. I could really sense that she really loves him a lot, as well as many of the other caretakers in the orphanage. Robert and I really see how well loved Andrew is around the orphanage. I know I’ve said it before, but being here the last 30 something days and witnessing how many of the caretakers and the doctors take to Andrew and he to them is just so beautiful. I think I might have a few tears of my own for them and Andrew when we leave the orphanage. Robert and I have not seen the caretakers and doctors give any of the other children the special attention that they give to Andrew. Today, when Andrew was climbing the steps inside the orphanage (as he so loves to do, since he knows how to now) there were about 4 caretakers that were walking down the stairs to leave for the day and Andrew saw them and turned every which way to greet them with a big smile and said Hi to each of them. It was funny to watch.



Today, Robert decided to teach Andrew how to put the different shapes into the side holes of his drum. Andrew usually just puts the shapes into the big opening by opening the lid and placing them into it. To our surprise, Andrew did very well at placing the shapes into each specific shaped hole. He would turn the shape until it fit into the hole and we all cheered Hooray! During this afternoon’s visit when we were climbing the stairs, Andrew decided to sit down on the stairs and then started bouncing up and down and up and down again.



Just a side note about the city that we are in, Dnipropetrovsk. September 10th will be Dnipropetrovsk’s birthday and it was founded in 1776 just like America (sort of). Since we have been here in Dnipropetrovsk, they have been doing some major construction on the roads, waterfronts, sidewalks, major bulletin boards installed, and laying sod and lots of bushes and doing major landscaping on the waterfront. It is really coming together and looking really nice. Once it is completed the waterfront restaurants will start booming with lots of business. We met a couple in our hotel cafe that lives in NJ and are both Ukrainian born people. They are here for business and spending extra time to see family as well. They told us about Dnipropetrovsk’s anniversary celebration on September 10th that will be taking place on the street that our hotel resides (right on the Dnipro River). Looking forward in being apart of the anniversary celebration this weekend.