Passports!!! the most amazing day!

Hello family and friends! So this week has been an odd one because as each day ended I became more and more aware that I have one day less left here. As a result I have been focusing a lot on the use of my time, which has in turn slowed time down. I am not sure if this is a good or a bad thing but I think in the future it will be a good thing. I will have just that many more memories.

Life here in general has been great. I find myself each day leaving the orphanage thinking that things just could not have gone better. Our workers really like us and the girls are just so confident and comfortable with their kids. I guess that really is the catch-22 of this program. As soon as we get really good at what we are doing it is time for us to leave. I sometimes can’t help but wonder if us being here is really good for the kids. After a lot of thought I have resolved that we really do more good then harm it is just sad that harm does happen. This week in particular I have been able to see just how the Lord uses us to make a positive difference…

All of the girls with the exception of Mary, Melissa and I went to spend a 4-day weekend at the black sea. Although it sounded like a lot of fun I realized I would be way too anxious if I spent any more time away from my kids then I already have. So I opted to stay and as a result Melissa and I have almost worked ourselves to death trying to make up for their absence. As I write this I realize that it seems like I am complaining but in all reality I have absolutely loved it. When I get anxious hard work is just the thing I need to balance myself out and I got my fair does this week. Melissa and I have been spending a lot of time getting things ready for Marius to leave to America. On Thursday at the orphanage Teo informed us that Inouts (Marius’s bro) was coming to Iasi so they could get passports made for the three of them. She asked us if it would be ok if we got Marius a pair of pants, shoes, and a nice shirt for his picture. Needless to say it did not take any convincing. Melissa and I could not have been more excited to get the job done. I told her we could be done by 1 so as soon as we were done with the orphanage we booked it to the mall. After a lot of debating we got Marius the cutest blue button up shirt that we thought would just match his eyes perfectly along with a pair of pants and some sandals. Just as we were ringing up our order, at 1:03, I got a call from Teo asking us where we were. I guess we were not the only ones who were excited. When we got to the hospital Melissa and I booked it up the four flights of stairs to Marius’s room. Just as we got to his room a nurse came over and tried to stop us from entering because there was to many people in the room. Usually we take the time to talk to the nurses and get them to let us go in but today was just not the day. We just ran right past her into the room and got Marius in his new clothes and place him in the foldable wheel chair the orphanage was nice enough to let us barrow. Marius just thought it was the coolest thing in the world. Not only did he have a new outfit but also he had a hot new ride. I think if the day would have ended right there he could not have been happier but of course it just got better. As we all piled into the taxi Marius just got this huge grin on his face that would not go away. He kept hugging his big brother who he adore as he asked us about all of the things outside. At that moment I realized that not only was this Marius’s first time away from the hospital in 8 months but it was also the first time he had ever been in a city. You seen the town he is from is about the same size and the village I told you about last week. He had never seen a tram nor ridden in a taxi. He just loved it! As we waited at the passport office while Inouts and Teo filled out paper work Marius played the DS to keep his mind off of things and the people who kept looking at him. Truly yet another way that DS has been a blessing (Pete you were without a doubt directed to get that for him). It only took us and hour to get the passport, which blew Melissa and me away. It was so ironic that the most inefficient place I have ever been could get a passport done in an hour just mind boggling. Marius was so excited about the passport he would not let anyone else hold it except for when we fed him his first Swarma (the Romanian version of a kebab). Truly it was the most amazing day. I just feel honored I was there witnessing it. That smile on Marius’s face when we were in the taxi is something that has forever changed me. I think I witnessed an emotion that has never before been defined something much more brilliant then joy.

As for now wish me luck on my last week and I will see most of you soon!

-elisa

simply the cutest boys hand I will ever hold
even though he is not smiling he is happy I promise.