Wednesday in Kramatorsk

I took this picture bright and early this morning at the begining of our walk to the orphanage. Doesn't John fit right in with the locals in his shorts drinking his ice cold Pepsi? Nyet.

After our morning visit we walked about 1 1/2 miles to my favorite inexpensive place to eat, Premier. We were about 15 minutes early so we sat down on a bench to do our favorite thing in Ukraine besides visiting with Dennis------ people watching.

This gentleman rushed by us in his wheelchair and I thought cool---- it is awseome to see a disabled man out and about in this country. Since it really is a rarity to see anyone out and about if they have a disability, I asked John to take a picture. He had to run, and run, and run, to catch up to him. Don't let the wheelchair fool you----- he is fast as lightening. And no we didn't look rude taking his picture, I cropped it to look close up.

Here we are at the cafe. This picture kind of reminds me of pictures of our honeymoon almost 15 years ago.

I took this picture of John to show you the bright red haired woman to the left of him. Lots of woman find this hair color very fashionable here in Ukraine.

We ordered two awesome entrees. I had chicken and mushrooms over a bed of noodles all in a cream sauce (John ordered it the day before) and John had pork cutlets with a mustard garlic topping and mashed potato hush puppies in a plum barbecue sauce. Yummy.


On our second visit, John asked if we could feed Dennis his food. They said yes and gave him this bowl of food for us to feed our little guy. We think it is called zeppikanka------it had cottage cheese, eggs, sugar, and raisins baked to perfection in a sweet milk sauce. To Dennis it was delicious, to John who I dared to try it, it was the last bite he will ever have of this Ukrainian delight.

During one of our two visits, Dennis filled his pants. While under normal circumstances I wouldn't be so excited, I was this time because I had the opportunity to watch one of his caretakers change him (and see the rest of his body for the first time). She laid him on the changing table and turned on the faucet next to it. While the water was warming, she wiped his bottom with the rest of the diaper the best she could. Dennis patiently kept his legs in the air as to not mess up the changing table until the water was warm. The caretaker then took off his shoes and socks and proceeded to wash Dennis under the running water. She lathered up her hands and washed his whole lower body clean. And he loved it! And I got to help put on a fresh diaper---- a size two--- which was still a little too big.

Tomorrow is court and so we will update you then. Pray, pray, pray. Oh, and we'll post lots of pictures!