Today is my last day in Yuzhno. I left Tymovsk ( the village near "D"'s orphange) the night before last on the train. The train ride was not as bad as I had expected. I was able to sleep pretty comfortably. I am finding it hard to know where to start writing. This entire trip has been actually quite comfortable-- although definately not 5 star!
I am still so emotional about my visits with "D" that I almost can't put them into words. I may have to wait until I am back in the US to really write about it. "D" is a wonderful boy-- more wonderful than I even had imagined!! He is so sweet, and extremely active-- he may end up being a little on the hyper side! :) He was very shy at first and whispered everything that he said, but over the days that I visited him, his true personality began to emerge. He called me Mama and held my hand tightly everywhere we went. He is just so sweet. He got so excited about th gifts that I brought him. They were simple small things like cars and superhero action figures, but they were his treasures. His limp is less pronounced than I thought it would be and he uses his left had wit no problems at all. He speaks well in Russian--full sentences, and can carry on a conversation easily. He is pretty delayed by American standards-- maybe on a 3 year old level. But I think he will be able to catch up. He does not seem at all mentally retarded to me-- the US doctors warned me that this could be the case, but I don't think so. I think that he is just significantly delayed. I think that he will be able to catch up in time. He is quite clever and was already trying to use some English words by the time I left. It broke my heart to leave him there. I told him that I will come back to take him home "when the snow has melted". I wanted to give him some idea of a time frame--so that he wouldn't just wonder everyday when I was coming back. I am still a bit too emotional about what I saw to write about it. I will have to describe the instituion when I get back.... I will say this-- I will be forever changed by those children, and I will pray for them every night. My eyes are tearing up as I write. It was so so sad, too sad for me to put into words right now.
This afternoon I will be flying to Seoul, Korea. I have a 24 hour layover there. I hope to get out to walk around while I am there. Then it is back to the United States and my Girls!!! I just wish that I didn't have to leave my Boy in Russia..... I hope time goes by quickly!!!
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