I picked Natasha up from the Polar Bear Plunge Party and they had consumed generous portions of French toast, sausages, eggs, donuts and bacon. Natasha had a great time with Jo’s extended family and she felt a sense of family that made her so happy. She was not the little girl that got off the plane angry and unwilling to try anything but a little girl who had latched on to life and willing to experience every aspect of what family and living in the U.S. could mean to her.
When we got in the car I knew I had a very tired little girl and that the meal at Buckhead’s was going to be challenging. She wanted Nina to join us and in retrospect that would have been a better idea. She collapsed inside the door crying for Nina and wanting me to drive her in the “machine” over to her house… I had to get my little Nina to interpret that they would see each other later and that we really wanted her to have lunch with our family. She finally agreed and she lightened up when she saw “Pappy” (my nephew Patrick) who had stayed with us at the beginning of her stay. She also noticed they had ordered some appetizers and a spare rib was just within reach of her.
She started to put a straw in her glass and I had to take it from her because of the dental work she had just completed and the concern she would get a dry socket. I told her Jeff was a “dentiste” and I don’t think she was overly happy to see him at our table wondering if he had plans for her for the afternoon. She quickly realized he was not going to hurt her and she settled back in with the family.
She noticed that everyone else had a straw in their glasses and one by one we had to give them up as she glared at all of us and giggled that in her own way told all of us “Now, that’s not fair..” So she tried throughout the meal to take all of our straws and the only one who still had one at the end of the meal was Grandpa Ervin. That would have been a duel even I would have enjoyed to watch!
We had ordered her French fries since I didn’t think she was hungry but before the plates were on the table she was eyeing Philip’s (my other nephew) plate of ribs. He gave her half the slab and I appreciated him taking one for the team. She was quite content for the remainder of the meal but was ready to go and so Pappy came with us and we drove over to my house to have dessert and open more presents.
She ran to my room to watch Russian videos and the only way I could bring her back out was to entice her with more presents. She received a bracelet with a heart from my brother’s family, a scarf, headbands, necklaces, and a brush from my mother and father. She did a craft of painting Diva puppies and then went back to her room and watched videos which are now her second form of a security blanket. I will forever have that music etched in my memory as each episode comes on. It’s a bit like the Mod Squad of yesteryear and we are on episode 26 of 50! All I can tell you is that they rescued the girl from the kidnappers and it seems like good wins over evil in any language.
We had an evening meal of chicken and ramen noodles. She said her prayer and dived in once again amazing me where she can put it all. She watched Shrek on TV which was the first American movie I’ve been able to get her to watch from beginning to end. She is picking up English faster than I imagined and she’s teaching me several words in Ukrainian that I hope to remember. She doesn’t understand why I’m not a master of her language and she loses her patience with me at times. It’s funny to watch since our roles become confusing at times. She’s teaching me, I’m teaching her… She is amazing…