learning

I don't know what to tell you.  Not doing very well with this blog thing.  I am sorry.

• I've fallen in love with a 6 year old boy.  He's emotional and gets upset easily, but he carefully painted a picture for one of our volunteers and showed it to me today.  He even wrote her name on the page.  Last Thursday, the day of our Christmas program, he walked up to me in the midst of the kids-waiting-for-guests chaos and said, "How do I look?" as he sported his best clothes.  He's part of a group staying at the orphanage that is being sponsored by an outside sports organization.  He goes to school like everyone else, has free time in the afternoon, and then has "training" in the evening.  Evidently, it's a group of "hocheişti".  Monday their trainer (2 other little boys in our group attend this "training".) came to get them because we lost track of time.  This little boy waited until his tough trainer/coach was gone, and then gave me a big hug goodbye.

• I start crying every time I hear the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah.  

• We took 4 older kids into the city last night.  We made a camera scavenger hunt in the center of the city, ate cake and hot cocoa/cappuccino, and then strolled down Strada Ştefan cel Mare şi Şfânt to see the lights...and the enormous and overly decorated Christmas tree in front of Parliament.  The kids were glowing.  Magda, Rachel, and I were glowing because they were glowing.  For one of the girls, it was her first cup of hot chocolate.

• It is painful to see so much hurt in these kids

• Today I talked with Rachel for probably 30 minutes about retirement plans...after I'd spent probably 30 minutes on the IRS website.  After 5 years with Principal I can't get it out of my head.  :)

• Last week I went to a Christmas party for the women of our church.  We all really enjoyed the time together.  I am so grateful to be welcomed into the community of this church.  

I have been so overwhelmed with love and support from friends and family.  Packages.  Email and facebook messages.  Random Skyping.  Prayers.  Encouragement to keep going.  Learning about being known and being loved.  Amazing and giving teammates.  Children who have nothing yet share every single package of sweets.