Yesterday my friend Joni and her husband and kids came over for a barbecue. She adopted two kids from Ukraine in Nov. of 2006. Her children are very nice kids and Olia loves playing with them. There is a certain sweetness about orphanage children. They are just different; it is hard to explain. They look at the world with more appreciation and joy about little things because they have lived without so many things. They are much more similiar to children raised in my generation. We were happy when we got a popsicle after dinner or got to go to the movies a few times a year or received three presents for Christmas or played flashlight tag at night. Of course, adopted kids quickly become Americanized. But they keep a certain sweetness because of the circumstances they lived with as orphans.
Olia and Dasha played the entire day and late into the night with Zane and Lianna and there was not even one disagreement about anything. They seem to share a certain bond. Maybe they feel like they can act like themselves in front of each other. Orphans definitely are not as wordly as other children.
Dan and Lee had firework kits(not my favorite thing because I am afraid of accidents). We sat on the front lawn and Dan and Lee lit them off in the street. It actually was a very touching moment to watch these four kids wearing glow in the dark neon red, white, and blue necklaces and clapping and cheering for store bought fireworks. They had such a good time. Lee brought giant sparklers; I never saw sparklers so big! The kids danced around in the street playing with the sparklers. Joni and I both felt bad looking at Dasha because we know she has to go back to Ukraine. I wonder if she thinks about why Olia, Zane, And Lianna were adopted and she lives in an orphanage.
Olia has started speaking a lot more Russian. I guess the words are lodged in her brain and being around Dasha made her recall her native language. She is now speaking in small phrases or simple Russian sentences. Dasha told Olia not to speak any more English to her, just to speak Russian. Dasha definitely has learned a good deal of English being here because Dan and I certainly can't speak Russian to her!
