Phone Call and Help Wanted!!

p.s. (added after the original post) I should add that these kids are very small, generally. Mittens are also acceptable. Also, if you have a picture of you or your family to include with the gloves, that would be great. These kids love, love photos. Not at all necessary, but they would love it.

We talked to BoyOne yesterday. BoyTwo had already gone in for dinner. We can't seem to get a good connection when we do a 3 way call with a translator so lately we have just been calling ourselves and stumbling through a conversation. Yesterday, though, we had our translator call them separately and then we called after to follow up. We had our translator tell them some things and ask them a few questions for us.

We, of course, are always concerned with their safety and health. We asked if they were being treated well. Their answer? "We are being treated as we are normally treated." So, what does that translate too? I guess that means that maybe they are being treated the way they are used to in the orphanage, but by our standards? Probably not "well." At least probably not as well as we would hope. I mean, good grief. There are 300 kids there. That's quite the crowd. Are they healthy? "Yes, mami." Said kind of like, of course, mom, lame question. Are they being safe and careful? "Yes, yes." Said like, "I promise. I'm being safe!"

We told them that I am trying to learn to speak Russian. I think they kind of figured that out. Every time I talk to them I show off my new skills. They range from reciting their alphabet, to counting, to saying "My name is Stephanie. I'm pleased to meet you," to asking if they could tell me where the bathroom is. BoyOne thinks this is pretty funny. After I say something I hear him say to his friends, "Mami: a, b, c, d, e." And then they all laugh. BoyOne told the translator that it was good that I was learning Russian because we are very hard to understand. We thought that was funny.

We told them we sent them each a package. They were glad to hear that. What kid doesn't want to get a package in the mail, right?

They asked if we could come to Ukraine to see them for Christmas? Hahaha. Yeah, I wish we could just hop on a plane and jet over there for a few days. That would be fabulous. I'd actually LOVE to spend a Christmas in an orphanage. We'll have to wait until my kids are a little older. We'll start saving now:)

These next parts break my heart.

BoyOne says that BoyTwo is always saying, "mami, mami, mami, mami." And he says it in this sad little voice. He did not want to go back to Ukraine. Poor little kid.

And finally. We asked if it was snowing. They said, "Yes." We asked if they still played outside. They said, "Yes." We asked if they had coats and hats and gloves. They said they had coats and hats.

No gloves.

People. It gets bitter cold there. Like in the teens. As the season progresses, even colder. So I am going to start collecting gloves for the kids. As I said before, there are about 300 of them at that orphanage. Their ages range from 5 to 16. Boys and girls both.

None of them have gloves!!!

I will ship the gloves over. If you or anyone you know wants to donate a pair of gloves, please let me know!!! If you live in my old neighborhood and want to give me a pair, I am still up that way every Monday and Friday. Please. Tell everyone you know. You can get a pair of gloves at Wal-Mart for $7. I just bought a pair there. I want to send them by January 1. I know it's not long to collect but it is freezing cold and the shipping takes a while.

Please, please, please.