Sunday, December 12, 2010

Day 17: We Want to Go Home!




I know in yesterday's post I was feeling sad about Alyona leaving behind all that she knows, but after today I can't wait to get her home and the sooner the better!

Today was a hard day. We arrived at the baby home only to find the doors locked. Funny, they were open last Sunday and nobody told us that there would be no visits allowed today. We were walking around to the back when we were approached by a worker. Brian was calling our facilitator to translate for us, while I was pulling out our photo album so she knew we were here to visit our daughter! She said she would need to ask permission from the doctor for us to visit, which we eventually got. While we were waiting in the hallway, we could hear a lot of commotion (yelling and crying) going on in their groupa. I assumed the children were getting their snow clothes on, but several of the children were crying (very unlike when we visit during the week). When they finally opened the doors, we could see that several of the kids were crying. Once we were outside, Aly had one tear fall down on her cheek. It was so sad to not know what was troubling my poor girl. I don't know if she got yelled at, or if she is sensitive to the yelling and the other children crying, but it was heart breaking. Needless to say she was out of sorts all morning. Who wouldn't be with that going on, but we tried hard to make the best of it.

Well, once we were finally going back inside, Aly fell on the steps. Her cheekbone hit the corner of the steps and her little hands or arms did not break her fall. She landed straight on her face. Well of course she started crying immediately (who wouldn't) and I started to comfort her. Well, Miss Thing-in-Charge, whom we had never seen before today, took Aly from me and apparently told her to stop crying, because Aly stopped crying immediately. I couldn't believe it. It was heart breaking! I knew she had to be hurting and I was trying to comfort her. I don't know who this gal was, but so help me...




While all the children were on their potties, one of the regular caretakers noticed Aly's bruise and scrape on her face and applied some ointment onto it. Brian typed on his iPhone translation app that Alyona had fallen on the stairs outside. I appreciated her noticing and doing something for her, but deep down inside my blood was still boiling.

When our visit was over, we called our facilitator to call for a taxi. Well for over the next 30 minutes there was no answer. We were outside, it was freezing, and we were on the opposite side of town, definitely not withing walking distance back to the apartment. We decided to walk two blocks to a market to see if a taxi was nearby, but no such luck. Finally, our facilitator called us back. Brian and I had been talking about our other options like taking the bus when our facilitator called. It seems that he had accidentally left his phone in the car. We were saved!

No afternoon visit, I've been in a funk the rest of the day, and the only thing keeping me going is that I can't wait to see Alyona again in the morning!

8 comments:

Hansina said...

It will be so good to get your girl home! My bloods boiling over here, too! That's the mama in us! Hang in there!

The Mac's House said...

I can only imagine how hard today was for you and by the sounds of it for all the children there.

Hang in there, soon you will be ready to bust her out of there.

:) Teri

Mel said...

Oh April! Hang in there sweetie, the end is near!! I had something similar happen to us...it is frustrating, maddening, and I just wanted to cry/scream at the woman that did it. :( Praying for strength and endurance for you all!!

GladToBeMimi said...

April, we're praying for you! And in regards to an earlier post. Yes, by all means, a make over after nap every day. I think it should be a must for all the Swerd girls! :-D

Jill said...

So sorry to hear about your experience yesterday. :-( Very maddening and frustrating indeed! Hopefully it won't happen again...

I just spent the last several minutes getting caught up on your blog. Congratulations on passing court! Aly is a real doll too! Oh, my...she is just so sweet. You are truly blessed.

Hang in there with the cold and snow and maybe we'll see you in the capital city again. :-)

Nan and Dan said...

it is SO hard once the child is yours and you still have to follow all their rules!! It has taken Gerri months to be able to cry when she is hurt or sad :(
praying your time is over soon!!!
hugs!

Kirsten said...

oh my, that would be hard!! It seems as if everything that can go wrong all seems to go wrong at once sometimes! Poor sweet baby, I am sure it must have been hard to let that lady take her away from you when she was hurt! Your little girl is so precious!! Hang in there!! Just getting thru and knowing they will soon be yours is all that gets us thru!! :))

Michael said...

Electronic devices help a lot during emergency.

iphone translation app