Welcome to My Reality

So many of you have asked me what it is "actually" like living here and what my day is like. Therefore, I will share with you parts of my journal entries. 

I describe highlights of my day.

These are REAL experiences I've had just from this past week.

Well people, this is my reality.

I don't save children from the grasp of pain, disease, or hunger but I do...well, just read this and you'll see for yourself...

But before I delve too deep into my work stories I thought you all might enjoy a little violence to spice up your day.

CRAZY STORY:
My roommates and I were just walking to the hospital the other day when we passed by a run down house with 20 some men surrounding it. They were shoving two women inside the house--who did not seem to want to go inside. (That itself was alarming and I pray that they are okay.) All of a sudden a major fight broke out!! One man had a long plank of wood and another had a window (window pane included) and were having an all-out brawl. We stood there dumbfounded for a second and then decided we should call the police. We had no idea where we were though and as soon as we saw some men spot us--who were also running from the house in our general direction--we got it into our heads that we shouldn't stand across the street from them any longer. (I'd rather keep all of my blood inside my body, thank you). SO ...we ran away.  :)
The End.

SERIOUSLY. I wonder sometimes...WHERE AM I LIVING?!

ORPHANAGE STORIES:

Story #1: 

I got a new child in my unit of the orphanage this week! She is a sweet little girl about 2 years old. Her and her siblings were taken away from their family on Friday because of abuse. She was my little shadow for the first few days (until I had to transfer her to a different unit).  She followed me from room to room and was so gentle with the other children--who are mostly bedridden--that I wondered why she was even in my unit. 

She is completely healthy which is rare for me to see in a special needs orphanage! Then I realized that physical scars aren't her problem...emotional scars are the problem. Little things throughout the day would set her off and she would go hide under a bed, or in a corner where I couldn't reach her. She would close her eyes so tightly, rock herself, and shift herself into the tiniest ball. She wouldn't come out of it for a few minutes and even then it took a lot of coaxing. I can't even tell you all how heartbreaking it was to see that and to realize that this little one has suffered through some very distressing times. I'm so glad she is able to be around people who are kind, caring, and gentle with her!

The hardest part of this little shadow story--for me-- is that she wept when I left for the day. A nurse had to tear her from me she was clinging on so desperately! :(

It simply broke my heart. 

Just after being taken from her home she makes a friend.. who then has to leave her.

Story #2:
  Lovey (the nickname of a little girl with Rickets and a medical disorder list far too long) dances with Debra and I to Jack Johnson (which we do everyday ha). It is probably the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. She LOVES Jack Johnson! She'll sit with her legs through the bars in her crib and just bob her head back and forth. She's my little acrobat and is one buff babe! Literal abs of steel that Jilian Michaels would be jealous of!  She's only 3 but can do headstands like no one's business and loves being picked up by her ankles, swung around upside down, or flipped.

She just squeals with delight!

Story #3:

We had a brother and a sister pair come in just for a little bit and they sat bundled up on a bed together in the main room.The little girl had her arm around her little brother and they were both just in shock. Imagine--eyes wide, mild hyperventilating, and mouths wide open. Hey, if it was my first time in an orphanage I'd be pretty frightened too. I tried to play with them as much as I could but they didn’t really warm up before they were taken again. The sister's arm never left her brother's shoulder which was so sweet. It's amazing to see how close siblings become when they are placed in the most trying circumstances. The orphanage tries to keep siblings together which is one of the most honorable things I think they can do.

Story #4:

The Crocodile (his nickname because he always utilizes crocodile tears for attention) had an accident today. He has been getting better at standing and walking by himself but kept getting into the cupboard that has various cords, pens, and just miscellaneous office things. Next thing I know he has fallen onto one of the chairs by the cupboards and split his eye open! *sigh* I took him to see the doctor (who didn’t seem too concerned) and helped bandage him up and put him down for a nap. Croc was a trooper and didn’t even really cry!
 ~~~

 Maybe he was getting back at me for putting him down for a nap but he was unbelievably destructive once he woke up! He was in one of those baby walker things and was terrorizing the place! He knocked over cups of medicine, was ripping out cords and feeding tubes left and right and pulling out who knows what from the cupboards. I was taking Lovey for her daily "walking" lesson around the unit and Croc just trampled us! 

The little terror!

At one point Lovey just shoved him in the face which made him/the walker roll away.

Atta girl. :)

(He just smiled though and continued his terrorizing! Ha)

CLINIC Story: 

We only had 3 babies in the abandoned infant clinic this week and so I assigned myself an insanely adorable little 1 year old boy.

I nicknamed him Marlin Brando. :) (Because he's a stud.)

I quoted the movie, On the Waterfront, to him, gave him kisses on his super red cheeks, played games, helped him sit up, stand up, fed him, and tried to teach him simple words. Most of the time he just stared at me and sucked his hand. Precious little underdeveloped babe.

I just can't get enough of this little man!

 Let me describe this kid. 

He sucks his hand constantly so he is always SUPER slobbery.

He wears a little bonnet hat 24/7.

He has scars all over his little body from who-knows-what.

 He's extremely mellow.

--I could sit with him for hours and he would be happy just staring at me!--

He's getting one tooth in on the bottom which makes it hurt pretty bad when he bites but makes his gummy smiles the best part of my day!

He will lick and suck on your chin if you get too close (which is the weirdest feeling).

 Ever. 

Ha. 

~~~ 

 We spent the last hour today just sitting by the window looking out. He LOVED it! He is a very mild little boy and usually just sits, stares, and sucks on his hand but when he’s at the window he looks at the birds flying, the buildings, the colorful trees, and he makes the sweetest "oohing" sounds. I'll point to all the different things that I see and he flaps his little arms, shimmies, and shakes! I kiss him like crazy on his cheeks and his forehead and after a while he expects me to kiss him and will turn to me and put his forehead on my lips so I can kiss him. Once I kiss him about 5 times in a row he'll turn back to the window but if I don't kiss him enough he won't move his forehead from my lips. We repeated that about 100 times in an hour. (I'm NOT joking.)

 
HOSPITAL Stories:

Story #1: 

My favorite part of the hospital was when I went to the very top floor and there was a brother/sister pair. The boy was 10 and his sister was 6. They were both wearing matching PJs and wore darling little hospital caps. 

They said that they were street children and that they were "taken" and put into the hospital. This means they will probably end up going to an orphanage very soon. 
I just hope that they get to stay together...

Let me just say that these kids are GORGEOUS. Truly STUNNING children!

 The boy especially has a KILLER smile.

 I melted when I saw him.

I promised to bring them chocolate the next day I was 

so hypnotized by his smile!

I'm a total sucker.

:)

Story #2:

There was a little girl who was 6 years old in the so-called burn unit. I get a touch intimidated when I am with older kids (older than 3) because I have been working with babes this entire time! I don’t have "big kid" toys or any real way to communicate since my Romanian is limited to "please," "thank you," "give me a kiss," and "I don't like that." Ha. This little lady was so much fun even though I mostly spoke English. I just was my normal silly self (I might have bumped up the silliness and smiling a touch for her sake) and we had a great time! She told me that her entire right arm, shoulder, and leg was burned in the orphanage from scalding milk. Yikes! WHAT?! This is the second time I've met a burned orphan child and have been wholly unsatisfied (more like horrified) with the accompanying story. I looked at her bandages and fixed them a bit so she would be more comfortable but there was little I could do at that point. 

 A little 4 year old boy in the next bed (whose hands were both wrapped because they were burned, bleeding, and consequently deformed) decided to join in our games and silliness and had a grand ol’ time with us.

Story #3:
I visited my main man Rex today.
Tiny man. BIG heart problems.
He has been in the hospital ever since I started working there and I visit him everyday. I think that one of the best feelings in the world is being recognized by that little man and hearing his garbage disposal laugh.
Honestly, the best way to describe how this kiddo sounds is to imagine the breathing of Darth Vader crossed with a lawn mower.
My little T-Rex man has some very serious heart and lung problems. :(
On top of that, his legs are like jello and so he can't sit up, stand, or put any weight on his legs.
I work on those goals everyday with him but he gets tired out pretty quickly.
I end up having to just hold my little dinosaur! Darn. ;)

He loves the sound kisses make--especially exaggerated kissy noises.
I kiss him so much that he now will make kissy noises himself and even give me little kisses!!!!!!
Goodness, how I love my little Darth Vader/Dinosaur/Garbage Disposal baby!
 ~~~

Well people, that's my life. That's a very watered down version of just a few common daily occurrences but hopefully it will satisfy some curious people out there.
Basically, (if you just skipped to the end of my blog) I am a baby kissing fool, I teach life skills, rolling, sitting, standing, walking, language and writing skills, change diapers, feed, occasionally bathe, dress, play, hold, sing, dance, rock, and did I mention KISS some little angels everyday.

I feel like Wendy in Peter Pan. Wendy was wanted by Peter to be the "mother" to all the Lost Boys in Neverland. She would take care of them the best she knew how.
I'm in Romania (my version of Neverland).
I'm a mini-mom to my own little band of Lost Boys (and Girls).
...
and I couldn't enjoy it more!

Best. Job. Ever. 

“A mother’s someone who loves and cares for you and tells you stories.”
-Wendy Darling

**And gives kisses. :)