The Next 2 Days

March 10th, 2018

    The next two days would be considered great to the hermit, boring to the adventurer and proved to be a little of both for me.  While I spent most all of my days cooped up in Andriy's house this would be very good for the soul.  We would wake in the morning, Grandma would already have "breakfast" ready, which sometimes resembled breakfast and often times was a full dinner type feast.  One of my favorite quotes from Andriy was one of the mornings we had just gotten up and he had gone in the

Andriy's School/Dorm Area at the back

kitchen then came back and said "Mom, you want mashed potatoes".  Listen, that's music to this carb lovers ears, but the fact that it was barely 8am was hilarious. 

   

Front of the School

 So we'd spend our days eating mashed potoatoes, napping - my favorite part of the day, eating some more and typically in the early evenings I would ride back to the hotel to shower and call back home.  One particular evening I played the tourist part and walked up and down the street near the hotel.  After the fiasco a couple of nights before trying to get back to Andriy's house I played it safe and stayed within walking distance of the Hotel.  Seeing as I could not read any of the signs outside the store I based my decision whether or not to go in on what I could see in the Window.  I only went into two stores, one of which I did not purchase anything, the other I bought two sweaters.  These sweaters would cost $264ish Ukrainan dollars each but equaled about $10 American dollars each.  My favorite, and one that I spotted almost immideately said "It always seems impossible until it is done" on the front which of course was perfect!  After these brief stops I made my way back to the hotel and into the little store that I had been using and bought the usual junk for Andiry.

   

Tourist

Looking down the street of my Hotel

These trips back and forth to his house would be far less interesting as I no longer had to place my trust in the attendant.  I now was very aware of where to get on and off.  Trauma will do that to you.  I'm only kidding.  Honestly the ordeal with missing my stop was not scary at all to me.   I know this sounds nuts to some but the thought of walking the streets alone at night ANYWHERE in the states would be much more terrifying to me than what I felt being lost there.  Not going to lie though I thought IF someone does decide to take me no one will ever find me, which is another reason I called Matt so at least I could tell him what happened. HA.

These were used to cross intersections.
 They ran under the road.

The store I went in each day.

 Anhyhow, these two days went by way to quickly, and knowing Kostya would be back the following day to spend the night and then get up Monday which was our final day in Andriy's city was heartbreaking.   None the less, I made my way back to his house and had a great dinner with he and grandma.   Later that night Andriy and I would attempt to make Spaghetti as it's his favorite here in America.  Ya'll, it was NOT good. Ha.  It was fun helping him make it in their kitchen with Grandma looking on.  For a moment I felt like the mom.  Grandma would head to bed and Andriy and I were able to just sit at the table and eat what we had made and talk about how it did not taste like mine back home.  Night would come, we'd talk till he fell asleep, and the following morning (Sunday) he'd wake up asking when Kostya would be there.

Cooking Spaghetti

   I'd spend this Sunday just staying there at their house and chose not to go to the Hotel.  With Kostya coming and my time drawing to a close I didn't want to leave.  So we just hung out,  and he asked about 34 times when Kostya would be there.   For those of you who think "wow, you take it like a champ"  Here is the part where I tell you that I do not!  Up until this point I had never really pointed out to Andriy how it hurts me when he treats me differenly when Kostya was around, but after having to listen over and over how much he couldn't wait till Kostya got there, this momma's heart was both hurt and frusterated and I totally played the "I came all this way card".  Shame, I know.  Pain will lead you to some pretty shameful places, but you know I like to keep it honest.  Everthing about all we have done and are doing regarding Andriy is not typical to our lives so yeah, I mess up along the way.  Quite frequently actually.  While my approach could have been better, the converstaion was needed.  We always encourage him to be honest with us and I had not been honest about this, so despite my feelings of guilt for my approach the converastion went well.  That's not to say it made things rainbows and sunshines from there on out, and actually the hardest night of all would come that night as he chose to spend that last night I was there sleeping in the extra room where Kostya was.  It. Was. Rough. but it is where God met me like I hadn't felt met before, and I can be thankful for that!
 
    Let me take a moment though to make sure you understand how much we value and appreciate Kostya and what he does for us and Andriy.  This heartbreak that I encounter is no fault of Kostya's.  It is completely typical of a child of Andriy's past and one that I was unfamiliar with until beginning all of this.  Knowing that there is someone over there that cares for Andriy as much as we do is such a relief and Kostya has shown this love to Andriy and our family over and over.  He has been there when Andriy broke his arm, he was there days before Grandfather died.  He has gone and picked him up and taken him home with each hosting sincde they met.  He's gone to just visit with Andriy when he has the chance which is something we can never repay him for.  My hope is that I do not ever paint a picture that makes Kostya seem anything other than great, which he is!