Last week we took a 3 day break to Timisoara. To get away, relax, and show Cristi somewhere new. We visited the zoo (a family ticket was 5 lei - roughly 1 pound), walked round the beautiful town where bullet holes are still visible in some of the buildings - remnants of the 1989 revolution, went bowling, scoured the place for a play park which proved almost impossible, ate ice cream and enjoyed the local brew Timisoareana Cristi thought the giant beer cup statue outside the brewery looked like the home of a soup making mouse (we had watched Tales of Desperaux the week before). He also experienced several new exciting things including his first time on: a train; an escalator; bowling and a massage chair. Unfortunately we were not able to go into a museum as they were closed some due to the Easter Holiday and the main one apparently for a 3 year renovation - good to know when you're planning your trip away!! If you want to take a look at our adventures I have made up two albums. The first is pictures I took the 2nd is a few of the many that he took (thank goodness for the deleting capabilities of digital cameras!)
Just click on the highlighted words and that will take you to the photo albums :). I hope you enjoy your glance at our time away.
Thursday, 28 April 2011
Monday, 25 April 2011
Happy Easter to you all!
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| Preparing for the Easter Bunny - "I need to write a thank you for him like for Santa, and I need to leave him some milk and cookies cos he'll be tired and hungry." |
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| On the canal eggs decorated and ready for rolling |
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
Springtime walk in the forest: Saturday Afternoon.
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| There were so many lambs leaping around! |
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| Is he a deer? Is he a tree? Or is that branch just attacking him? Who can tell?! |
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| Spring Woods |
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| If there's a tree he's just got to climb it! |
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| I don't have a suitable caption for this! |
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| Beautiful Blossoms are everywhere. |
Friday, 15 April 2011
My adorable nephew: Imitator & Crowd Pleaser!!
I just loaded my photos on from visiting family and I have to share this one which made me laugh and then cry that I don't get to see this gorgeous bundle more often. I love you Matthew James.
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Since I've been back...
I came back from Scotland 11 days ago and, of course, so much has happened already. Spring has sprung and the streets are lined with cherry blossom. The flowers are out and we've been planting some in Cristi's old wellies which he thought was hilarious and oh so cool! The April Showers have also come setting a coldness into the air but I enjoy this season oh so much with it's colour, joy and promise.
Here's an update of this weeks main happenings:
Cristi - Cristi is good. Struggling still a bit with school and hating the bullies and the apparently often pointless homework that takes up a large portion of his afternoon. I just don't fully understand this schooling system! Otherwise he is happy and excited to have next week off as school breaks for Easter holiday week. He also has 4 wobbly teeth all top and at the front. I told him he's going to have to eat through a straw when they start to come out.
Day Center - Ticking along as usual lots of games, laughter and crafts. Today my co worker chuckled as she retold how when Nicoleta was asked to tell her 2 deaf colleagues to come to breakfast she returned saying "they're not coming it's like they are deaf". Oh dear!
Hospital - The first week I was back I was a little sad but mostly happy because 5 of the 7 babies who were there the week before had been moved to foster families. It is always a little sad to know I will never see them again but I am happy that I hopefully played a small part in nurturing them and lessening the many negative results that can occur due to abandonment. However, happiness was short lived as we are already back up to 6 babies again. I just can't understand why so many, and so often they, are being left behind.
I did come to the realisation that breastfeeding was beneficial on many different levels today as I struggled to feed one baby while rocking another one, who was crying for food, on my legs and trying to talk to another who was squawking in the crib beside me! This is why women breastfeed I thought because when you've already got your hands full how do you hold a bottle and burp and mop up the spit up and soothe the others. I know one thing for sure I have new found admiration for mothers of triplets!! Heck, even of twins!!
These new little lives that have entered mine are so precious and my Mon-Thurs visits of 1 1/2 hours just isn't enough to give to them. Although it is enough for my heart to fall more and more in love with them everyday!
I wish the foundation I work for would grant us the hours, Court and I spend up there, as work hours but sadly they don't. So if I have a free hour you can find me there but those free hours are not so many and it makes me sad that I can't devote more time to holding them and giving them the interaction that they crave and so desperately need.
State Orphanage - It makes me sad visiting here. Tired and sad! Last Monday we went there to spend some time with the adults who are victims of lifelong abandonment and institutionalisation. One of the girls who is the same age as myself was in a terrible state, crying and rocking and seemingly inconsolable. When I was able to discover the problem it was this: They are only given hot water once a week for bathing themselves, and 3 days after this she simply wanted to wash herself again because she felt that she smelled bad and in turn this made her feel uncomfortable. She started to pray to God to make her heart stop beating before Easter came because she simply doesn't want to live with these conditions any longer. Sure she is a little dramatic and exceptionally over concerned with hygiene, hoarding copious amounts of toiletries in her cupboard which she trades from the other people that live there. But, she shouldn't have to get herself into such a state over a lack of warm water and the opportunity for cleanliness, should she?! Everyday I am reminded how unfair life can be for some and how lucky and privileged I am to have the life I do. This week when we visited she thanked me for caring and loving her. I am glad that we can bring a little love and reassurance to her life but I am sad it can't be more.
Well that is all I have for now. Just one more thing, look after each other and enjoy the coming Spring and the warmness and colour that comes with it. Let it remind you that even in harsh and unfair times laughter, love and life can be found.
Here's an update of this weeks main happenings:
Cristi - Cristi is good. Struggling still a bit with school and hating the bullies and the apparently often pointless homework that takes up a large portion of his afternoon. I just don't fully understand this schooling system! Otherwise he is happy and excited to have next week off as school breaks for Easter holiday week. He also has 4 wobbly teeth all top and at the front. I told him he's going to have to eat through a straw when they start to come out.
Day Center - Ticking along as usual lots of games, laughter and crafts. Today my co worker chuckled as she retold how when Nicoleta was asked to tell her 2 deaf colleagues to come to breakfast she returned saying "they're not coming it's like they are deaf". Oh dear!
Hospital - The first week I was back I was a little sad but mostly happy because 5 of the 7 babies who were there the week before had been moved to foster families. It is always a little sad to know I will never see them again but I am happy that I hopefully played a small part in nurturing them and lessening the many negative results that can occur due to abandonment. However, happiness was short lived as we are already back up to 6 babies again. I just can't understand why so many, and so often they, are being left behind.
I did come to the realisation that breastfeeding was beneficial on many different levels today as I struggled to feed one baby while rocking another one, who was crying for food, on my legs and trying to talk to another who was squawking in the crib beside me! This is why women breastfeed I thought because when you've already got your hands full how do you hold a bottle and burp and mop up the spit up and soothe the others. I know one thing for sure I have new found admiration for mothers of triplets!! Heck, even of twins!!
These new little lives that have entered mine are so precious and my Mon-Thurs visits of 1 1/2 hours just isn't enough to give to them. Although it is enough for my heart to fall more and more in love with them everyday!
I wish the foundation I work for would grant us the hours, Court and I spend up there, as work hours but sadly they don't. So if I have a free hour you can find me there but those free hours are not so many and it makes me sad that I can't devote more time to holding them and giving them the interaction that they crave and so desperately need.
State Orphanage - It makes me sad visiting here. Tired and sad! Last Monday we went there to spend some time with the adults who are victims of lifelong abandonment and institutionalisation. One of the girls who is the same age as myself was in a terrible state, crying and rocking and seemingly inconsolable. When I was able to discover the problem it was this: They are only given hot water once a week for bathing themselves, and 3 days after this she simply wanted to wash herself again because she felt that she smelled bad and in turn this made her feel uncomfortable. She started to pray to God to make her heart stop beating before Easter came because she simply doesn't want to live with these conditions any longer. Sure she is a little dramatic and exceptionally over concerned with hygiene, hoarding copious amounts of toiletries in her cupboard which she trades from the other people that live there. But, she shouldn't have to get herself into such a state over a lack of warm water and the opportunity for cleanliness, should she?! Everyday I am reminded how unfair life can be for some and how lucky and privileged I am to have the life I do. This week when we visited she thanked me for caring and loving her. I am glad that we can bring a little love and reassurance to her life but I am sad it can't be more.
Well that is all I have for now. Just one more thing, look after each other and enjoy the coming Spring and the warmness and colour that comes with it. Let it remind you that even in harsh and unfair times laughter, love and life can be found.
Saturday, 2 April 2011
Home Again...
I've just returned from Scotland. The many hello's were great, the goodbyes were as always painful and hard especially having to say goodbye to Patrick before we were ever given the opportunity to say hello. I am thankful for such a strong loving family who support and love one another deeply. At times like these I really do find it hard that my 2 worlds are so very far apart.
However, I am also thankful for my little one who brought a great smile to my face on my return. Even though he punched me in the face as I tried to give him a kiss (as he slept) when I got home - he had left me a welcome home bunch of flowers and a lovely drawing.
However, I am also thankful for my little one who brought a great smile to my face on my return. Even though he punched me in the face as I tried to give him a kiss (as he slept) when I got home - he had left me a welcome home bunch of flowers and a lovely drawing.
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| Flowers and a drawing - Easter eggs of course! The letter beside it read: "Tasty Easter Eggs. Welcome Home Mama. I love you Mama." |
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| Close up: Yes in case you thought your eyes deceived you the middle of each flower held a toy horse. And no, I don't quite know why!! It did make me chuckle though! |
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