Goodbyes

Andreea, Florin, and Andrei went home with their new foster families yesterday. They had them all bundled up in hats and scarves and a few coats (as is customary in Romania when taking children outside) and they all looked so cute. Andreea was looking especially stylish in her princess jeans and matching denim jacket with pink tenis shoes, pink hat, and a furry pink coat.
I brought Crina out to say goodbye to her. Hopefully she will get to join her soon.

The new parents all looked so happy and so did the kids. I'm sure they are all going to settle into their new homes just fine, although I'm sure it will be quite an adjustment for them as they've all been at the clinic since before they can remember. I got a good picture of Andreea with her new Mama (which I will post here if I can ever find a USB cord) She seemed like a really nice woman and from the look on her face I'm sure she already loves Miss Andreea as much as we do. I am so happy for them, but it is hard to say goodbye. I cried after Andreea left. Crina (her little sister) was overwhelmed by all the new people and started to cry as well so we walked up and down the halls crying together, and I admit, her tears stopped falling much sooner than mine did.

Dumi and Octavion will probably go home to their new families next week. Sorin was supposed to go home with a foster mother yesterday, but upon meeting him she refused to take him home. Dan (our team leader) tells us that Sorin has had surgery for his eyes and is now perfectly fine, but I believe otherwise. His eyes are not crossed as badly as last time but I still think he has trouble seeing. He holds everything up close to his face to look at it and can't make eye contact from across the room. Aside from that, just observing him next to the other kids it's obvious that he is delayed. While he is one of the oldest in his group he is probably the slowest to develop. All the other toddlers are interactive and communicative, but Sorin not so much. I'm sure that the foster mother came expecting a "normal" little boy and upon seeing Sorin it was clear that he was not "normal" and she was just not prepared for that. I feel sorry for Sorin, but better he stay here than go home with someone who won't be able to love him as he is.

Today was Jamie and Evans last day at the clinic. Next week I will be there by myself (with all the staff of course) and it will be very different. As many of you know, each day one of the volunteers provides us with a thought for the day (some inspirational quote or short poem). Next week when I am the only volunteer there will be no one else to come up with the thought for the day, so I ask anyone who is willing to send me your inspirational messages for me to have next week. You can either post them here or email them to me. I will very much appreciate receiving them. To give you an idea of what sort of quotes I'm referring to I will post some of ours form the past two weeks.

We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.
-Mother Teresa

The world needs Dreamers, and the world needs Doers; but what the world needs most of all is Dreamers that Do.
-Anonymous