Tuesday, December 16
We just had an interesting conversation with the kids. It began by Ivan pointing out that Max is the only one with brown eyes. Oleg, Ivan, and Nicholaus all have greenish/blue eyes. Then immediately, Oleg pointed out that Max is also the only one NOT born in March. All of which is true. Yes, that means that the boys are literally stairstepped: Oleg will be 15 in late March, Ivan will be 14 in Mid-March, Nicholaus will be 13 in early March, and Max will be 12 in May. Whew. Makes me tired just writing it.....
This then turned to comparing each other. And what we have learned is this:
Oleg and Nicholaus share the freakish double jointed thumb thing.
Oleg and Max have the same HUGE hands with SUPER long fingers.
Oleg and Nicholaus share the same short stubby toes.
Oleg and Max have the same nose.
Ivan and Nicholaus share many similar features—the shape of their face/chin/nose and the little bit of natural curl in their hair.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Day 2 Together--Basketball and Beaches
Day 2--Tuesday, December 16
This morning I was feeling even worse, but thankfully we slept in a bit. But we were woken up by the crowing of the roosters. Yes, roosters. We knew they had a farm, but didn’t realize it was as big as it was. Byron headed downstairs and had tea (?) and some other breakfast. The kids were up and playing outside. They spent the morning being shown the entire farm and all of the animals. I had no idea that they had an entire farm. Complete with goats, chickens, pigs, quails, and rabbits. They also grow corn, olives, lemons, tomatoes, and lots of other vegetables. Out front they have a Japanese orange tree and a mandarin orange trees as well as lots of palm trees.
Once I motivated (thanks to a cup of coffee!), we walked around the farm and Nicholaus was able to pet the baby goats that were only a few days old. I’m hoping this real farm experience will fill his desire to live on a farm when he grows up. Maybe he’ll see how much work it is and be done with that. Mario, Melissa’s father, took him way out in to the field, too. Y’all know how nosey Nicholaus is!
For lunch, Melissa fixed Max’s favorite---spaghetti. And my goodness it was sooo good. I don’t see how they eat so much food, though. The spaghetti was only the first course. Then there was more prosciutto and cheese and vegetables. I was about to pop! Melissa was thrilled that Max had 2 helpings of spaghetti.
Oleg and Ivan then took the boys over to a friend of theirs—Edwardo. Then Edwardo came back over and they played basketball, which is Oleg and Ivan’s favorite sport. They are both quite good--especially with their height. They then played soccer a bit. Again, the language hasn’t been an issue at all. It is amazing to watch. They act as if they see each other all the time and haven’t missed a beat yet.
A little later, Melissa and Quinto had to run an errand so we were home alone with the boys. Oleg took the time to show us some of his artwork from school. He is quite talented. He says that art is his favorite subject. Max and Ivan then wanted to play a game of---you guessed it—UNO. So while the 3 of us played UNO, Oleg and Nicholaus got out Oleg’s paints. Oleg proceeded to show Nicholaus how to do a watercolor painting. It was very nice to just watch them interacting. Like it was the most natural thing in the world to do.
Late in the afternoon, we took a walk down to the beach. When we arrived last night, I could hear the beach and knew it was close. Turns out, it is about a 15 minute walk. Based on what I could make out from Melissa, the ocean has been very turbulent lately and has flooded up to the street leaving a lot of debris. The beach was covered with sticks and other ocean matter. But it is still beautiful. And most of the hotels are closed for the winter. Quinto explains that they will open again in April. This truly is a resort town that is generally frequented by Italians.
After our walk, Toni and his wife came over and Quinto indicated we were going for real pizza for dinner. So we went to a local pizzeria that I am sure is swamped during the tourist season, but tonight only had about 4 families there. The individual pizza there is the equivalent to a medium or large family pizza at home. The boys had a 4 cheese and sausage pizza and I had a cheese and tomatoe. It was very good but it felt wasteful to leave ½ of it there.
Once the boys finished dinner, they went outside the restaurant to play and our conversation turned to the story of the boys’ adoptions. Our boys came home to the US in April. Melissa and Quinto made their first trip and met the boys in June. In July/August, Oleg and Ivan were hosted in Milan by an Italian family. Quinto is still angry that they were not allowed to see the boys during that time. They made their second trip to bring them home to Italy in September. Oleg was very apprehensive about school in Italy but quickly adjusted. Ivan still isn’t a big fan of school and it sounds like he does the minimum to get by—sound familiar?????
All in all things are going well. I am a little stressed by the language. Oleg and Ivan’s English is not good. And although I’ve been studying Italian for 2 years, I have a hard time speaking it. But the kids seem to be doing well. It doesn’t seem to bother them at all. Although, when I ask Nicholaus about it, he just now told me that his solution for the language issue is to just say YES to everything. Pretty funny. I can not convey how amazing it is to watch the kids together. It truly is like they haven’t missed a day together. Although Ivan kisses and hugs Max a LOT. He is very affectionate and just hugs and kisses on him a lot. It’s quite cute. And personality wise, from what we gather from watching Oleg and what Melissa has said, Nicholaus and Oleg have similar personalities. They are both VERY organized. In fact, Melissa said that she would have to put the Ukraine photos in a very safe place b/c Oleg often takes to cleaning and organizing drawers around the house. Just like Nicholaus. And Ivan and Max are MUCH more playful. Maybe it’s b/c they are both the younger siblings (Ivan in Italy, and Max in the US).
What amazing kids they are. All 4 of them. It’s hard not to look at them and wonder what would have become of them in Ukraine. Or what would have happened had we and the Pignotti’s not connected. I know that my boys are better off knowing and having a relationship with their brothers. And I know that the Pignottis feel that way too. But I sometimes would what would have happened….
The photos below are of them playing basketball, Oleg painting, and just hanging out on the couch at home.
This morning I was feeling even worse, but thankfully we slept in a bit. But we were woken up by the crowing of the roosters. Yes, roosters. We knew they had a farm, but didn’t realize it was as big as it was. Byron headed downstairs and had tea (?) and some other breakfast. The kids were up and playing outside. They spent the morning being shown the entire farm and all of the animals. I had no idea that they had an entire farm. Complete with goats, chickens, pigs, quails, and rabbits. They also grow corn, olives, lemons, tomatoes, and lots of other vegetables. Out front they have a Japanese orange tree and a mandarin orange trees as well as lots of palm trees.
Once I motivated (thanks to a cup of coffee!), we walked around the farm and Nicholaus was able to pet the baby goats that were only a few days old. I’m hoping this real farm experience will fill his desire to live on a farm when he grows up. Maybe he’ll see how much work it is and be done with that. Mario, Melissa’s father, took him way out in to the field, too. Y’all know how nosey Nicholaus is!
For lunch, Melissa fixed Max’s favorite---spaghetti. And my goodness it was sooo good. I don’t see how they eat so much food, though. The spaghetti was only the first course. Then there was more prosciutto and cheese and vegetables. I was about to pop! Melissa was thrilled that Max had 2 helpings of spaghetti.
Oleg and Ivan then took the boys over to a friend of theirs—Edwardo. Then Edwardo came back over and they played basketball, which is Oleg and Ivan’s favorite sport. They are both quite good--especially with their height. They then played soccer a bit. Again, the language hasn’t been an issue at all. It is amazing to watch. They act as if they see each other all the time and haven’t missed a beat yet.
A little later, Melissa and Quinto had to run an errand so we were home alone with the boys. Oleg took the time to show us some of his artwork from school. He is quite talented. He says that art is his favorite subject. Max and Ivan then wanted to play a game of---you guessed it—UNO. So while the 3 of us played UNO, Oleg and Nicholaus got out Oleg’s paints. Oleg proceeded to show Nicholaus how to do a watercolor painting. It was very nice to just watch them interacting. Like it was the most natural thing in the world to do.
Late in the afternoon, we took a walk down to the beach. When we arrived last night, I could hear the beach and knew it was close. Turns out, it is about a 15 minute walk. Based on what I could make out from Melissa, the ocean has been very turbulent lately and has flooded up to the street leaving a lot of debris. The beach was covered with sticks and other ocean matter. But it is still beautiful. And most of the hotels are closed for the winter. Quinto explains that they will open again in April. This truly is a resort town that is generally frequented by Italians.
After our walk, Toni and his wife came over and Quinto indicated we were going for real pizza for dinner. So we went to a local pizzeria that I am sure is swamped during the tourist season, but tonight only had about 4 families there. The individual pizza there is the equivalent to a medium or large family pizza at home. The boys had a 4 cheese and sausage pizza and I had a cheese and tomatoe. It was very good but it felt wasteful to leave ½ of it there.
Once the boys finished dinner, they went outside the restaurant to play and our conversation turned to the story of the boys’ adoptions. Our boys came home to the US in April. Melissa and Quinto made their first trip and met the boys in June. In July/August, Oleg and Ivan were hosted in Milan by an Italian family. Quinto is still angry that they were not allowed to see the boys during that time. They made their second trip to bring them home to Italy in September. Oleg was very apprehensive about school in Italy but quickly adjusted. Ivan still isn’t a big fan of school and it sounds like he does the minimum to get by—sound familiar?????
All in all things are going well. I am a little stressed by the language. Oleg and Ivan’s English is not good. And although I’ve been studying Italian for 2 years, I have a hard time speaking it. But the kids seem to be doing well. It doesn’t seem to bother them at all. Although, when I ask Nicholaus about it, he just now told me that his solution for the language issue is to just say YES to everything. Pretty funny. I can not convey how amazing it is to watch the kids together. It truly is like they haven’t missed a day together. Although Ivan kisses and hugs Max a LOT. He is very affectionate and just hugs and kisses on him a lot. It’s quite cute. And personality wise, from what we gather from watching Oleg and what Melissa has said, Nicholaus and Oleg have similar personalities. They are both VERY organized. In fact, Melissa said that she would have to put the Ukraine photos in a very safe place b/c Oleg often takes to cleaning and organizing drawers around the house. Just like Nicholaus. And Ivan and Max are MUCH more playful. Maybe it’s b/c they are both the younger siblings (Ivan in Italy, and Max in the US).
What amazing kids they are. All 4 of them. It’s hard not to look at them and wonder what would have become of them in Ukraine. Or what would have happened had we and the Pignotti’s not connected. I know that my boys are better off knowing and having a relationship with their brothers. And I know that the Pignottis feel that way too. But I sometimes would what would have happened….
The photos below are of them playing basketball, Oleg painting, and just hanging out on the couch at home.
The Day We Meet--Day 1, December 15
Monday, Dec 15
We woke this morning to POURING rain. I’m sensing a trend here. We had a reservation at the Vatican for 10 am. So we left the apartment about 9 and fought the rush hour metro to get to the Vatican. Because we were mainly there to see the Sistine Chapel and St Peters we walked quickly through the other art works. I wish we had more time there, but it just wasn’t possible because we needed to get back to the apartment to pack and prepare to meet the Pignottis at 3ish.
The Sistine Chapel was much better on this visit because the restoration was complete. It is still such an amazing site to see. My favorite is not the ceiling, but rather the Last Judgment. It also wasn’t nearly as crowded this time as it was when I was here in 1999. We followed a Rick Steves tip and slipped out the side door that leads straight to St Peters without having to go back through the rest of the Vatican. St Peters was so beautiful. But they were still preparing for Christmas. They were cleaning the main alter and were setting up the manger scene. And the Christmas tree in St Peters square wasn’t complete either. I wish we could see it all complete. Perhaps next trip!
Due to the pouring rain, we splurged for a taxi back to the apartment. It was well worth the 8 euros. By this time, I was feeling pretty sick with a sore throat, so Byron took the lead on packing and the boys straightened the apartment. Bless their hearts!
Promptly at 3, Toni (a friend of the Pignottis that speaks English) called to say they had arrived at San Giovanni in Laterno, a church at the end of our street which was our meeting point. So we ventured out into the once again pouring rain. We quickly realized that San Giovanni was bigger than we thought and we weren’t sure where the front was. So we walked THROUGH the church. And as soon as we walked out the door I saw Melissa, the Mom.
Oleg was next, and my goodness, this boy is HUGE. He has to be at least 6 foot 3 at this point. And he is sooo handsome. And Ivan, who used to be like a twin to Nicholaus has also grown so much. He and Nicholaus don’t really look alike anymore. After a brief round of hugs and kisses, Toni suggested we go to find Quinto, the Dad, who had stayed with the van. Nicholaus and Max walked ahead with Toni and Oleg and Ivan walked with Me, Melissa, and Byron. I knew the boys (my boys that is) must be a little nervous.
We quickly went back to the apartment to load our bag and then we were on our way to the Abruzzi region, which we knew would be about a 2 hour drive by car. Melissa clearly thinks I know more Italian than I do as evidenced by how quickly and how much she talks directly to me in Italian. This makes me nervous b/c I’m only getting a few words of what she says. During the drive, the boys sat in the back and looked at photos on Oleg and Ivan’s cell phones and digital cameras. And there was some discussion in 2 different languages that I’m not sure either boy got. I could tell my boys were starting to warm up a little bit, thank goodness. It’s so funny that Oleg is so interested in Zack Efron, from High School Musical. He has a photo he took of himself in which he thinks he looks just like him. It’s very cute. I hope that isn’t what he thinks American boys aspire to though.
We stopped for bathroom break after about an hour and the boys had a good round of punching each others arms (lovingly of course). Melissa and I talked some in the car ride. She explained that she was an only child and that her mother became blind when she (Melissa) was 8 years old. She and Quinto married about 18 years ago. She also told me about how large their extended family was. She has, I think, about 17 cousins. And Quinto, being the 5th (hence the name Quinto—which means fifth) of 7 children also has a large family.
Then we arrived to the Pignotti home. We had seen photos of it. But Quinto had decorated the palm trees for Christmas, and it really is beautiful. Melissa’s father, Mario, met us at the door and welcomed us in. Well, the 4 dogs welcomed us first, but you know what I mean. Melissa showed us around the house. It is such an interesting design, which I gather is typical for this area, b/c their house looks like all the others in the area. It is essentially three apartments stacked on top of each other. Although it appears that the main floor is the main living area. Melissa’s parents’ bedroom and the main kitchen and living room are on that floor. The second floor contains another small kitchen and living room and the bedroom of the boys and Melissa and Quinto. And the third floor is smaller, but similar design---no one lives there now.
Melissa quickly set about to preparing dinner. And oh my goodness it was so good. It was bread, salami, prosciutto, and various cheeses. It was delicious. Quinto also had a bottle of his wine on the table and we finished with a drink of lemoncello, also made my Melissa. Thankfully Toni stayed for dinner, so we could have some conversation. Then it was time for gifts. The Pignotti’s gave the boys some lovely bracelets, Byron a nice leather wallet, and me a beautiful set of handmade table linens. It was very nice. And we shared the gifts we had brought them from NC. The boys then went upstairs to play and the conversation slowly turned toward the boys’ lives in Ukraine. We had brought with us the photos the Ukrainian Grandmother had sent to us when we contacted her several years ago. There were photos of the parents, aunts, uncles, and other family, as well as photos of the boys’ first home, and grandparents homes. They are not easy photos to look at. So we asked if they would like to see them. So we then spent some time sharing the information with them that we had. Like us, they were happy to have a copy of the only baby photo that exists of our children. And it was validating to hear that all of our boys have very similar memories of the events of their childhood. I won’t share them here, b/c it isn’t necessary. But I will just say that these boys have survived an entire lifetime before their adoptions.
All this time the boys are upstairs just looking around the boys’ rooms and playing Playstati0n.
Shortly after dinner, we headed to bed. The boys called rooms—Ivan and Max would sleep together tonight and then the rotation would begin. And so as they are now in bed, they are talking just as if they completely understand each other despite the fact that they share NO common language at all. It really is amazing. It really is amazing.
These photos were taken by Nicholaus in the back of the van. Taking pictures was the last thing on my mind. More later. The first is Oleg. The second is Ivan.
We woke this morning to POURING rain. I’m sensing a trend here. We had a reservation at the Vatican for 10 am. So we left the apartment about 9 and fought the rush hour metro to get to the Vatican. Because we were mainly there to see the Sistine Chapel and St Peters we walked quickly through the other art works. I wish we had more time there, but it just wasn’t possible because we needed to get back to the apartment to pack and prepare to meet the Pignottis at 3ish.
The Sistine Chapel was much better on this visit because the restoration was complete. It is still such an amazing site to see. My favorite is not the ceiling, but rather the Last Judgment. It also wasn’t nearly as crowded this time as it was when I was here in 1999. We followed a Rick Steves tip and slipped out the side door that leads straight to St Peters without having to go back through the rest of the Vatican. St Peters was so beautiful. But they were still preparing for Christmas. They were cleaning the main alter and were setting up the manger scene. And the Christmas tree in St Peters square wasn’t complete either. I wish we could see it all complete. Perhaps next trip!
Due to the pouring rain, we splurged for a taxi back to the apartment. It was well worth the 8 euros. By this time, I was feeling pretty sick with a sore throat, so Byron took the lead on packing and the boys straightened the apartment. Bless their hearts!
Promptly at 3, Toni (a friend of the Pignottis that speaks English) called to say they had arrived at San Giovanni in Laterno, a church at the end of our street which was our meeting point. So we ventured out into the once again pouring rain. We quickly realized that San Giovanni was bigger than we thought and we weren’t sure where the front was. So we walked THROUGH the church. And as soon as we walked out the door I saw Melissa, the Mom.
Oleg was next, and my goodness, this boy is HUGE. He has to be at least 6 foot 3 at this point. And he is sooo handsome. And Ivan, who used to be like a twin to Nicholaus has also grown so much. He and Nicholaus don’t really look alike anymore. After a brief round of hugs and kisses, Toni suggested we go to find Quinto, the Dad, who had stayed with the van. Nicholaus and Max walked ahead with Toni and Oleg and Ivan walked with Me, Melissa, and Byron. I knew the boys (my boys that is) must be a little nervous.
We quickly went back to the apartment to load our bag and then we were on our way to the Abruzzi region, which we knew would be about a 2 hour drive by car. Melissa clearly thinks I know more Italian than I do as evidenced by how quickly and how much she talks directly to me in Italian. This makes me nervous b/c I’m only getting a few words of what she says. During the drive, the boys sat in the back and looked at photos on Oleg and Ivan’s cell phones and digital cameras. And there was some discussion in 2 different languages that I’m not sure either boy got. I could tell my boys were starting to warm up a little bit, thank goodness. It’s so funny that Oleg is so interested in Zack Efron, from High School Musical. He has a photo he took of himself in which he thinks he looks just like him. It’s very cute. I hope that isn’t what he thinks American boys aspire to though.
We stopped for bathroom break after about an hour and the boys had a good round of punching each others arms (lovingly of course). Melissa and I talked some in the car ride. She explained that she was an only child and that her mother became blind when she (Melissa) was 8 years old. She and Quinto married about 18 years ago. She also told me about how large their extended family was. She has, I think, about 17 cousins. And Quinto, being the 5th (hence the name Quinto—which means fifth) of 7 children also has a large family.
Then we arrived to the Pignotti home. We had seen photos of it. But Quinto had decorated the palm trees for Christmas, and it really is beautiful. Melissa’s father, Mario, met us at the door and welcomed us in. Well, the 4 dogs welcomed us first, but you know what I mean. Melissa showed us around the house. It is such an interesting design, which I gather is typical for this area, b/c their house looks like all the others in the area. It is essentially three apartments stacked on top of each other. Although it appears that the main floor is the main living area. Melissa’s parents’ bedroom and the main kitchen and living room are on that floor. The second floor contains another small kitchen and living room and the bedroom of the boys and Melissa and Quinto. And the third floor is smaller, but similar design---no one lives there now.
Melissa quickly set about to preparing dinner. And oh my goodness it was so good. It was bread, salami, prosciutto, and various cheeses. It was delicious. Quinto also had a bottle of his wine on the table and we finished with a drink of lemoncello, also made my Melissa. Thankfully Toni stayed for dinner, so we could have some conversation. Then it was time for gifts. The Pignotti’s gave the boys some lovely bracelets, Byron a nice leather wallet, and me a beautiful set of handmade table linens. It was very nice. And we shared the gifts we had brought them from NC. The boys then went upstairs to play and the conversation slowly turned toward the boys’ lives in Ukraine. We had brought with us the photos the Ukrainian Grandmother had sent to us when we contacted her several years ago. There were photos of the parents, aunts, uncles, and other family, as well as photos of the boys’ first home, and grandparents homes. They are not easy photos to look at. So we asked if they would like to see them. So we then spent some time sharing the information with them that we had. Like us, they were happy to have a copy of the only baby photo that exists of our children. And it was validating to hear that all of our boys have very similar memories of the events of their childhood. I won’t share them here, b/c it isn’t necessary. But I will just say that these boys have survived an entire lifetime before their adoptions.
All this time the boys are upstairs just looking around the boys’ rooms and playing Playstati0n.
Shortly after dinner, we headed to bed. The boys called rooms—Ivan and Max would sleep together tonight and then the rotation would begin. And so as they are now in bed, they are talking just as if they completely understand each other despite the fact that they share NO common language at all. It really is amazing. It really is amazing.
These photos were taken by Nicholaus in the back of the van. Taking pictures was the last thing on my mind. More later. The first is Oleg. The second is Ivan.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
One Photo for Now While I Upload
We have just said goodbye to the Pignotti's and have gotten checked in to the hotel near the airport in Rome. We don't have the greatest internet connection, but I wanted to post one photo. Here are all 4 brothers today before we left Villa Rosa. From left to right, they are:
Oleg(14), Max (11), Nicholaus(12), Ivan (13). They are 4 incredible boys. I will sum up the entire trip with one word: Amazing. More coming soon....I promise.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Things are Great!
Hi all!
Thanks for all the emails asking about us. I assure you we have wanted to write. But we do not have internet access at the Pignotti family's house. The reunion was just as the boys predicted: the first day was a little awkward, but now they act as if they have been together forever. The language is not a problem for them at all. And the Pignottis have welcomed us in to their family completely. It has been quite humbling.
Trust me when I say that I have it all written and will post as soon as we get to Rome on Saturday. Just know that we are fine. We are more than well fed (the boys say they want to live here for the food alone).
So all is well. I stressed for nothing....as usual.
Penney
Thanks for all the emails asking about us. I assure you we have wanted to write. But we do not have internet access at the Pignotti family's house. The reunion was just as the boys predicted: the first day was a little awkward, but now they act as if they have been together forever. The language is not a problem for them at all. And the Pignottis have welcomed us in to their family completely. It has been quite humbling.
Trust me when I say that I have it all written and will post as soon as we get to Rome on Saturday. Just know that we are fine. We are more than well fed (the boys say they want to live here for the food alone).
So all is well. I stressed for nothing....as usual.
Penney
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Eat Your Heart Out
We have been going since before 7 am today and WHEW are we tired! We had reservations for the Galleria Borghese at 9 and had to be there at 8:30. What they don't tell you is that you have to walk THROUGH the entire Villa Borghese (a huge park) in order to get to the Museum. We spent about an hour there admiring the Carravaggios and the Berninis. We then began attempting to get to the Spanish Steps--which took a while. First we took a detour through Piazzi Navona and then to Trevi Fountain. We all (although Nicholaus did so begrudingly) tossed a coin in to the Fountain, which means we will all return to Rome again.
We then had pizza (REAL pizza) for lunch and gellato for dessert. Mmmmm. After looking at the map, we realized we were close to the Church of Santa Maria de Concezione, which many refer to as the "Bone" Church. The crypt of this church is nothing but bones. There is a long story behind it, which I'll spare you. If you are interested, go here. We all agreed that it was spooky and disturbing. But we bought the post card book (b/c photos weren't allowed). Otherwise, no one would believe us.
After a final ride on the top of the 110 tour bus, we headed home for a little nap before our final dinner in Rome. We went to the local restaurant that we went to our first night that was a recommendation from the owners of our apartment. The food the first night was good, but tonight was even better, as we splurged for dessert. And just to tempt you (or rather, encourage you to come here yourself), here is a photo of the FRESHLY homemade fettucini Nicholaus and I had and the delicious Tiramisu. We are now home, stuffed, needing to pack, but wanting to sleep.
We have to be at the Vatican for our tour at 10 am. Then we have to hurry back to meet the P family at 3 pm. We will visit with them for a while here in Rome and then will head to their home in the Abruzzi Region. We talked with them very briefly last night and we are all excited about the reunion. I'll post more on that in a bit as I have Nicholaus sitting here beside me, reading each word I type as I type it. And it is hard to form a cohesive thought with this echo! HA!
So I'll leave you with a few photos of our day. And look for another post later.
We then had pizza (REAL pizza) for lunch and gellato for dessert. Mmmmm. After looking at the map, we realized we were close to the Church of Santa Maria de Concezione, which many refer to as the "Bone" Church. The crypt of this church is nothing but bones. There is a long story behind it, which I'll spare you. If you are interested, go here. We all agreed that it was spooky and disturbing. But we bought the post card book (b/c photos weren't allowed). Otherwise, no one would believe us.
After a final ride on the top of the 110 tour bus, we headed home for a little nap before our final dinner in Rome. We went to the local restaurant that we went to our first night that was a recommendation from the owners of our apartment. The food the first night was good, but tonight was even better, as we splurged for dessert. And just to tempt you (or rather, encourage you to come here yourself), here is a photo of the FRESHLY homemade fettucini Nicholaus and I had and the delicious Tiramisu. We are now home, stuffed, needing to pack, but wanting to sleep.
We have to be at the Vatican for our tour at 10 am. Then we have to hurry back to meet the P family at 3 pm. We will visit with them for a while here in Rome and then will head to their home in the Abruzzi Region. We talked with them very briefly last night and we are all excited about the reunion. I'll post more on that in a bit as I have Nicholaus sitting here beside me, reading each word I type as I type it. And it is hard to form a cohesive thought with this echo! HA!
So I'll leave you with a few photos of our day. And look for another post later.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Caught in the Rain in Rome
As Byron said about Rome---WOW. Today we spent the day exploring the ancient ruins of Rome. And I feel confident in saying that this will probably be the highlight of the trip for Byron.
First we toured San Clemente which is literally across the street from our apartment. It is a modern (relatively) Catholic church that is built on the ruins of an older Christian church that is built on the ruins of a Mithric Temple (which is pre-Roman). The ruins we saw today are over 3,o00 years old. Amazing.
Then we had to go pick up our laundry from the local laundry service. We don't want to go 'round Rome stinking do we???
Then we ventured down to the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and Palantino Hill. Basically, downtown Ancient Rome. As was true in 1999 for me, the Colosseum is awe inspiring. Just the sheer size and the beauty even made Byron speechless. I'm not sure the kids truly "get" how old all of what we saw was. But they did enjoy the Colosseum.
Afterwards we did a not-so-quick bus tour around Rome to see the highlights. This was when the rain began---again. Until then, today had been BEAUTIFUL. We had planned to hop off the bus at Trevi Fountain, but the rain encouraged us to head back "home". Then the bottom fell out. Oh, and did I mention that we didn't take our umbrellas or jackets with us today b/c it was so beautiful when we left? Yeah....fun times running from the bus stop to our apartment--about 3-4 city blocks. We were soaked. But it was worth it!
We are right now waiting for a call from the P family to finalize the details of meeting on Monday and heading to their home. I would be lying if I said that I wasn't nervous. I am a mess. The control freak in me is nervous b/c I can't "plan" this part of the trip. It just has to happen. And I'm not good at just letting things happen. The boys are nothing but excited. Pure excitement. So I'll take my lead from them and just let it roll. As best as I can anyway.
On tap for tomorrow is the Galleria Borghese, Trevi Fountain, and the "Bones Church". Until then, here are a few photos from today.
Max drinking from one of the many fountains throughout Rome.
San Clemente
Photos from Venice
Here are a few photos from our time in Venice:
The view from our hotel room on the Grand Canal of Venice.
Our hotel at night from the Waterbus.
Some crazy folks taking a gondola ride in the rain. Again taken from our hotel room.
The little glass animals Nick talked about in his post.
The view from our hotel room on the Grand Canal of Venice.
Our hotel at night from the Waterbus.
Some crazy folks taking a gondola ride in the rain. Again taken from our hotel room.
The little glass animals Nick talked about in his post.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Byron's First Thoughts on Rome
My first thought? "Oh look, it's raining. Again." Let's see..Penney planned our London Trip--it was cold and rainy the entire time. She took me to Kiev--cold and snowy. Now she's dragging me across Europe and guess what? Cold & rainy. The boys & I took a vote and I'm in charge of picking vacation destinations from now on.
I've really been amazed at some of the things I've seen. The Eiffel Tower is huge--nothing you've ever seen will prepare you for its size. Some of the lesser-known works in the Louvre are awe-inspiring. Think about it--a single painting telling the entire story of Jesus in a fashion that the illiterate masses of the day could understand. Statues thousands of years old with exquiite detail so fine that you swear the statue could draw breath and walk beside you. An entire city built over the open ocean and residents who say, "Oh, look...the living room is flooded, let's go up stairs" and don't bat an eye. Last, but not least, I remember much more from those French classes I failed (repeatedly) when I was in high school and college.
We took a walk around the Colosseum this evening (we figured we might as well since it's just about 3 blocks away and in view from our apartment) and saw 3,000 years of history in our neighborhood alone with the dozen or so active archeological digs, the Church of San Clemente, the Forum, and some other ruins we'll explore tomorrow. I'm a history buff, especially ancient history, and am loving it.
Of course, I'm a food buff, too. I stopped in a store in Nice to see if they had a t-shirt for a band that I like in my size but didn't know how to ask, "Do you have it in a bigger size--I'm a lardo". We stopped at this incredible restaurant just a block from our place here in Rome and had a meal that was to die for. I'll never see Maggiano's in the same light.
So, my first thoughts summed up? Wow.
--Byron
I've really been amazed at some of the things I've seen. The Eiffel Tower is huge--nothing you've ever seen will prepare you for its size. Some of the lesser-known works in the Louvre are awe-inspiring. Think about it--a single painting telling the entire story of Jesus in a fashion that the illiterate masses of the day could understand. Statues thousands of years old with exquiite detail so fine that you swear the statue could draw breath and walk beside you. An entire city built over the open ocean and residents who say, "Oh, look...the living room is flooded, let's go up stairs" and don't bat an eye. Last, but not least, I remember much more from those French classes I failed (repeatedly) when I was in high school and college.
We took a walk around the Colosseum this evening (we figured we might as well since it's just about 3 blocks away and in view from our apartment) and saw 3,000 years of history in our neighborhood alone with the dozen or so active archeological digs, the Church of San Clemente, the Forum, and some other ruins we'll explore tomorrow. I'm a history buff, especially ancient history, and am loving it.
Of course, I'm a food buff, too. I stopped in a store in Nice to see if they had a t-shirt for a band that I like in my size but didn't know how to ask, "Do you have it in a bigger size--I'm a lardo". We stopped at this incredible restaurant just a block from our place here in Rome and had a meal that was to die for. I'll never see Maggiano's in the same light.
So, my first thoughts summed up? Wow.
--Byron
Buon Giorno from Venice
We left Nice yesterday (Wednesday) morning before the sun was up and while it was POURING rain. We took 2 trains (Villemiglia and Milan) over 8 hours and arrived to a rainy wet Venice about dusk. The travel through the Alps was amazing and there was more snow than I’ve seen since Ukraine. But once we were closer to Venice it became rain (are you sensing a trend?). I will admit that we got lost getting to our hotel. Their directions leave a lot to be desired. But we finally found it thanks to the pity and help from some nice Italian lady.
Shortly after arriving and being pleasantly surprised at the size of our room overlooking the Grand Canal, Max and I heard an alarm. A LOUD alarm. Nicholaus was napping and never heard it and Byron was downstairs checking email and didn’t hear it. We weren’t sure what it was for, but once we ventured out for dinner we knew what it was. It was a high water alarm. The tide was coming in and the water was rising. The pier of our hotel was soon underwater and the water was coming in to the lobby of our hotel. Fortunately I had done my homework and knew that this was normal during the winter months. Otherwise it would have been a little disconcerting. The staff of our hotel didn’t even blink and began rolling up the rugs and getting out the rubber boots.
Because it was dark and we had gotten lost earlier, we weren’t comfortable going too far. So we ended up eating in a Chinese restaurant. And although they served pasta, we are pretty sure it was microwaved. It was a little too convenient that we would hear a microwave beep and then viola, there was our entre! Oh well, live and learn!
After a rousing game of Uno we all hit the sack early. After a wonderful breakfast here in the hotel we set out this morning. One look out the window and I was a little disheartened. Rain. Lots of rain. But we would not be deterred. We first took a waterbus up the Grand Canal to give the boys a good view of Venice. We then stopped at the Rialto Bridge, which is the most famous bridge over the Grand Canal. We then took the water bus to St Marks and Doges Palace. We did the tour of the Palace which was interesting. To see where the seat of the Ventian government ruled from for nearly a thousand years was so interesting! Byron loved the rooms full of armor and swords. We crossed the Bridge of Sighs which is called that because it gave a prisoner a last glimpse of Venice before he entered the prison. It is also the bridge where Casanova allegedly escaped from.
After Doges Palace, we toured through St. Marks. The mosaics are beyond description, both on the ceilings and floors. I have no photos from St. Marks because I obeyed the request to not take photos in the church. The walking platforms were in place, but weren’t needed because the water had receded—for now. We paid the extra 2 euros to see the actual burial spot of St. Mark.
From there, we took the boat ride out to the little island of Murano, which is famous for its glasswork. We were FREEZING by this point so didn’t spend too much time here. But we were there long enough to see some amazing glass work. Most of the actual demonstrations were closed, but we were able to wander through the shops and boutiques of the artists.
Because we were so cold and were in the rain most of the day, there are very few photos. Hopefully before we leave tomorrow, we can get a few. But for now, I’ll leave you with a few that I was able to snap. We leave tomorrow for Rome and will be there until Monday. It’s hard to believe we’ve already been traveling for a week! It’s been great and there is still so much more to see!
Shortly after arriving and being pleasantly surprised at the size of our room overlooking the Grand Canal, Max and I heard an alarm. A LOUD alarm. Nicholaus was napping and never heard it and Byron was downstairs checking email and didn’t hear it. We weren’t sure what it was for, but once we ventured out for dinner we knew what it was. It was a high water alarm. The tide was coming in and the water was rising. The pier of our hotel was soon underwater and the water was coming in to the lobby of our hotel. Fortunately I had done my homework and knew that this was normal during the winter months. Otherwise it would have been a little disconcerting. The staff of our hotel didn’t even blink and began rolling up the rugs and getting out the rubber boots.
Because it was dark and we had gotten lost earlier, we weren’t comfortable going too far. So we ended up eating in a Chinese restaurant. And although they served pasta, we are pretty sure it was microwaved. It was a little too convenient that we would hear a microwave beep and then viola, there was our entre! Oh well, live and learn!
After a rousing game of Uno we all hit the sack early. After a wonderful breakfast here in the hotel we set out this morning. One look out the window and I was a little disheartened. Rain. Lots of rain. But we would not be deterred. We first took a waterbus up the Grand Canal to give the boys a good view of Venice. We then stopped at the Rialto Bridge, which is the most famous bridge over the Grand Canal. We then took the water bus to St Marks and Doges Palace. We did the tour of the Palace which was interesting. To see where the seat of the Ventian government ruled from for nearly a thousand years was so interesting! Byron loved the rooms full of armor and swords. We crossed the Bridge of Sighs which is called that because it gave a prisoner a last glimpse of Venice before he entered the prison. It is also the bridge where Casanova allegedly escaped from.
After Doges Palace, we toured through St. Marks. The mosaics are beyond description, both on the ceilings and floors. I have no photos from St. Marks because I obeyed the request to not take photos in the church. The walking platforms were in place, but weren’t needed because the water had receded—for now. We paid the extra 2 euros to see the actual burial spot of St. Mark.
From there, we took the boat ride out to the little island of Murano, which is famous for its glasswork. We were FREEZING by this point so didn’t spend too much time here. But we were there long enough to see some amazing glass work. Most of the actual demonstrations were closed, but we were able to wander through the shops and boutiques of the artists.
Because we were so cold and were in the rain most of the day, there are very few photos. Hopefully before we leave tomorrow, we can get a few. But for now, I’ll leave you with a few that I was able to snap. We leave tomorrow for Rome and will be there until Monday. It’s hard to believe we’ve already been traveling for a week! It’s been great and there is still so much more to see!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Max's Post: What he has learned thus far
What I have learned since I have been in Europe:
You don’t need to know English to go in shops and villages.
There are nice people every where you go.
I have learned that Venice is close to 1,000 years old.
The Eiffel Tower is not black. It is a brownish green color.
The food is better than I thought that it would be.
That Venice is famous for blown glass.
The Arc d’Triomphe has about 400 steps and people are not allowed to use the elevator.
That crepes in France are fantastic with Nutella.
That you can eat Chinese food in Europe and they microwave your food.
That Eze is a small town that is in the side of a mountain that is over 100 years old.
That Venice is built on poles and surrounded by water.
By: Max Brooks
You don’t need to know English to go in shops and villages.
There are nice people every where you go.
I have learned that Venice is close to 1,000 years old.
The Eiffel Tower is not black. It is a brownish green color.
The food is better than I thought that it would be.
That Venice is famous for blown glass.
The Arc d’Triomphe has about 400 steps and people are not allowed to use the elevator.
That crepes in France are fantastic with Nutella.
That you can eat Chinese food in Europe and they microwave your food.
That Eze is a small town that is in the side of a mountain that is over 100 years old.
That Venice is built on poles and surrounded by water.
By: Max Brooks
Nicholaus' Post: His favorites from the trip so far
One of my favorite places was Paris. It was my favorite place because I was able to go to the Louvre and see the Mona Lisa. My mom took a picture of me standing near it. Another reason that Paris was my favorite place is because I was able to see the Eiffel Tower and was able to go up it on an elevator. Then my brother Max and I climbed down the stairs from the second level. The scary thing was that there were real soldiers with guns under the Eiffel Tower because it is a national monument. I also was able to eat crepes in Paris. They were really good because it had Nutella and it was nice and hot!!!! I liked eating all of the bread. It was nice and warm and it doesn’t taste as good as our bread in the USA. Another favorite place that I liked in the first week was Venice. It was my favorite place because most of the buildings were built on big poles and are surrounded by water. I thought that was neat at how they could build such big buildings on poles in the water. In St. Marks in Venice I saw where St. Mark was buried and I saw all of the amazing tile work on the walls and on the floor. I also saw lots of blown glass in Murano. The blown glass was beautiful! What is neat is how they made little animals about one centimeter long out of glass and they all looked like real animals. Near the hotel in Venice I saw workers put poles in the water to make a dock or something for a boat’s use. But the worst thing was that it was raining the whole time we were in Venice and it was really cold. The first week in Europe was really fun and exciting and I can’t wait to go to Rome and I also can’t wait to see my brothers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
by: Nicholaus Brooks
by: Nicholaus Brooks
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Nice is nice
Greetings from the French Riviera.Nice to be specific.
We took the train from Paris to Nice yesterday which was a beautiful ride. Although Nicholaus and I slept for a good portion of the ride so Byron and Max told us it was beautiful.
We arrived in Nice and finally found our way to the hotel after asking several bus drivers. Thankfully everyone we have encountered so far has been helpful with our less than stellar French. Our hotel is a former convent from the 1700s. We were expecting tiny rooms; and while they aren’t what I would call spacious, they are adequate. We have a lovely view over a street of Old Nice. Last night we explored a little around old Nice and found some amazingly charming s
hops.Today we took the bus to a little village called Eze. It is a tiny village built in the side of the mountains overlooking the Riviera. It is amazingly beautiful. There isn’t much to do there besides look at the views, so that’s what we did. Although while we were waiting for our return bus, we looked at a real estate guide and determined that these views come at a pretty steep price. Looks like we won’t be buying any property here for a while.
We returned to Nice and then explored the Promenade D’Anglais which is the boardwalk along the Mediterranean. We spent quite a bit of time there. The boys were amazed that the beaches are not sandy like at home. But rather are nothing but rocks. We then wandered back through Old Nice to our hotel stopping at a few shops and stores along the way. And now all of the boys know why I always talk about the bread and sweets of France. Every bakery and patisserie that we go by they think we should stop and try something because it all looks so yummy. And so far they haven’t been wrong.
I am breaking my #1 rule of traveling to write this post. We are at McDonalds. YUCK. I don’t like McDonalds when I’m at home, much less when I’m traveling. But the internet at the hotel won’t let us connect and this is the only connection close by. So I am such a giver that I broke my traveling rule to send this. You’re welcome.
We head out early tomorrow morning for Venice. It’s an 8 hour train ride. It should be a beautiful one as well. Again, I don’t know that we’ll have internet connection in Venice. But if so, we’ll post. If not, we’ll be in Rome on Friday and I’ll post then.
Until then, we are saying au revoir to France.
We head out early tomorrow morning for Venice. It’s an 8 hour train ride. It should be a beautiful one as well. Again, I don’t know that we’ll have internet connection in Venice. But if so, we’ll post. If not, we’ll be in Rome on Friday and I’ll post then.
Until then, we are saying au revoir to France.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Favorite Photos from Paris That You Haven't Seen Yet
Two posts in one day! Scroll down to the next post for a recap of today. But I wanted to post some of my favorite photos that I haven't posted yet.
This is the street beside our apartment, Rue St. Dominique. Isn't it beautiful all decorated for Christmas? The Crepe Lady is down this street on the right.
This is the street beside our apartment, Rue St. Dominique. Isn't it beautiful all decorated for Christmas? The Crepe Lady is down this street on the right.
This is an action shot of the boys jumping from the wall near Les Invalides, the place where Napolean is buried.
This is one of my favorite photos from the trip yet. This is the outside of The Louvre all light up at night.
This is Sacre Coeur which sits atop Montmarte and overlooks all of Paris.
Day 3--Our last day in Paris
We slowed down on our last day in Paris. We all must have been wiped out because we all slept in today. The boys slept nearly 12 hours!
But once we finally got moving and out of the apartment, we were determined to make it to the top of the Eiffel Tower today. So that was what we did first. The lines weren't too bad and we were at the top within an hour. Max was a little skiddish from the ride up (as was I, I must confess). The view from level 2 was amazing but fog made level 3 very difficult to see anything. But we enjoyed our time up there. The boys walked the stairs down from level 2 and claimed it was "nothing".
From there we ventured to Notre Dame. We missed the international service but were able to walk around and look at all the beautiful windows. It was so crowded but still as amazing as it was to me 10 years ago. We did not go to the top as the boys weren't up to it and I was out-voted 3 to 1. I think they were still worn out from the climb of the Arc yesterday.
And did I mention how cold it was here today. I mean FREEZING cold. The windchill had to be in the 30s. So the boys vetoed ice skating at Hotel de Ville. Then because of the time, I really wanted to make it to one of the Christmas markets. So we made it to the one on the Champs Elysee (come on, everyone sing with me....Ohhhhhh Champs Elysees, Au soleil, sous la pluie, A midi ou a minuit). I must say it was over rated. And crowded. I bought nothing. N-O-T-H-I-N-G.
By this time it was nearly dinner time. So we splurged for the nice bistro near the apartment. And it did not disappoint. The food was delicious but it was a little chilly. After we warmed up at the apartment for a few minutes and a quick game of Uno, we decided to finish off our final night in Paris as we have every other night, with a chocolate crepe from our favorite Creperie near Rue St Cler. We said Au Revoir to our crepe lady friend.
So we are now all packed and ready to head out to Nice first thing in the morning. I don't think we will have internet access until we reach Rome on Friday. So we'll update then or sooner if we find out we do have internet.
Until then, au revoir from Paris.
But once we finally got moving and out of the apartment, we were determined to make it to the top of the Eiffel Tower today. So that was what we did first. The lines weren't too bad and we were at the top within an hour. Max was a little skiddish from the ride up (as was I, I must confess). The view from level 2 was amazing but fog made level 3 very difficult to see anything. But we enjoyed our time up there. The boys walked the stairs down from level 2 and claimed it was "nothing".
From there we ventured to Notre Dame. We missed the international service but were able to walk around and look at all the beautiful windows. It was so crowded but still as amazing as it was to me 10 years ago. We did not go to the top as the boys weren't up to it and I was out-voted 3 to 1. I think they were still worn out from the climb of the Arc yesterday.
And did I mention how cold it was here today. I mean FREEZING cold. The windchill had to be in the 30s. So the boys vetoed ice skating at Hotel de Ville. Then because of the time, I really wanted to make it to one of the Christmas markets. So we made it to the one on the Champs Elysee (come on, everyone sing with me....Ohhhhhh Champs Elysees, Au soleil, sous la pluie, A midi ou a minuit). I must say it was over rated. And crowded. I bought nothing. N-O-T-H-I-N-G.
By this time it was nearly dinner time. So we splurged for the nice bistro near the apartment. And it did not disappoint. The food was delicious but it was a little chilly. After we warmed up at the apartment for a few minutes and a quick game of Uno, we decided to finish off our final night in Paris as we have every other night, with a chocolate crepe from our favorite Creperie near Rue St Cler. We said Au Revoir to our crepe lady friend.
So we are now all packed and ready to head out to Nice first thing in the morning. I don't think we will have internet access until we reach Rome on Friday. So we'll update then or sooner if we find out we do have internet.
Until then, au revoir from Paris.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Paris Day 2
Hi All!
We started today by oversleeping a little. My former boss from UNC that now lives in Brussels arrived early and we were late---surprise surprise that the Brooks are late, I know. But we visited with Al for an hour or so at "our place" just catching up. We then ventured over to the Eiffel Tower for just one more look! The plan was to head to Sacre Coeur which was breathtaking. The boys climbed the stairs, but we older ones took the funicular to the top. We toured around the church and the crypt and were in wonder of the amazing view of Paris. Nicholaus assumed the role of photographer for today, so most of the photos are his, but Al provided a few as well!
After going back down the hill, we had lunch with Al at a little restaurant in Montmarte. The food and the conversation were excellent. The kids love Al, which to those who know him, is no surprise. Everyone loves Al!
We then wandered back through Montmarte and caught the subway over to the L'Arc de Triomphe, which was built so that Napolean's Army could march through the streets of Paris. We climbed the 284 steps to the top---but who's counting! And the view was worth every step.
Al then had to head home, but we took the scenic route home by Les Invalides, which is the burial spot of Napolean. It had just closed, but we walked around and marveled at the golden dome. We then continued our scenic tour back to the apartment through Rue Cler and all of the AMAZING shops there. We stoped for a little crepe for dinner and window shopped some more. Karen this photo is for you:
We are exhausted from all of the walking today, but have had an awesome day! The boys are loving Paris (even Byron!!!). They have all gotten comfortable and are even venturing in to stores and shops on their own to buy crepes, bread, coffee, etc. It was definitely a good decision to stop here before going to Italy. It is still relatively early here, so we may venture over to the Eiffel Tower ONE MORE TIME for a look tonight.
On tap for tomorrow is a visit and services at Notre Dame, St Chapelle, and ice skating at Hotel Deville. Maybe more. I am determined to make it to the Christmas markets!
We are loving Paris! Sadly we only have one more full day here. But we plan to make the most it!
On tap for tomorrow is a visit and services at Notre Dame, St Chapelle, and ice skating at Hotel Deville. Maybe more. I am determined to make it to the Christmas markets!
We are loving Paris! Sadly we only have one more full day here. But we plan to make the most it!
Friday, December 5, 2008
Paris--Day 1
WOW! What a day.
We all "rested" for a little longer than planned. We napped for about 2 hours, which was nice. We then headed over to the Eiffel Tower. But it was rainy and cold, so we didn't go up today. Maybe tomorrow. Then we did a boat tour down the Seine river. I did that first when I was here in 1999 and it really helps to get your bearings on the layout of the city.
We all "rested" for a little longer than planned. We napped for about 2 hours, which was nice. We then headed over to the Eiffel Tower. But it was rainy and cold, so we didn't go up today. Maybe tomorrow. Then we did a boat tour down the Seine river. I did that first when I was here in 1999 and it really helps to get your bearings on the layout of the city.
We then went to the Louvre. We picked the perfect time to go b/c it wasn't too crowded. Max was able to see the Mona Lisa up close and personal. All 3 of the guys agreed it was bigger than expected. We also made a quick tour to see the Venus di Milo and Winged Victory while we were there. I didn't torture them too much by making them visit more of the art. We then made the 2-3 mile hike back to the apartment along the Seine River. It was soooo beautiful, although a little chilly. Nicholaus insisted that the Eiffel Tower kept moving b/c it seemed too far. We had a yummy dinner of sandwiches from a little shop near the apartment.
It's been a great day! I am beat, though. I'll leave you with a few photos. The Eiffel Tower has just started to sparkle. Starting at sunset, the tower sparkles every hour on the hour. It is beautiful. So I must go watch it!
Tomorrow we have plans to meet up with my former boss from UNC who now lives in Belgium. Our plans are a little open but we are thinking of heading over to Sacre Couer and to Napolean's tomb. And maybe a little shopping at the Christmas markets. We'll have to see....
We're in Paris!
We have made it to the city of lights. We have all just gotten to the apartment and are resting for an hour or so before we head out to explore.
It is rainy and chilly outside, but that won't deter us! I'll post more later today.
The flights were uneventful--except for the fact that I am the only one who slept.
The apartment we are staying in is beautiful. This is a photo I just took of the view from our bedroom window.
It is rainy and chilly outside, but that won't deter us! I'll post more later today.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
It's Almost Time!
It's 1:25 am. The bags are all but packed and I *think* that everything is about ready to go.
We are all excited. The boys had a difficult time settling down for bed tonight. And N even asked his Dad to lay with him for a few minutes, which hasn't happened in over a year. Of course Byron was happy to oblige.
Our first stop is Paris where we will be meeting up with one of my former bosses who now lives in Belgium. We'll be there for 3 days--which isn't long enough. I love Paris and can't wait to go back. I hope it hasn't changed much in the 10 years since I was there. M is also excited about Paris as he is sooooo excited to see the Mona Lisa. Don't ask. We don't know why he is so excited. But I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't excited that at least one of my sons is excited to go to the Louvre.
So the next post will most likely be from Paris unless we have time on our layover in NY. Please pray for safe travels---y'all know I hate to fly. And continue to pray for the upcoming reunion of our boys.
Au Revoir!
We are all excited. The boys had a difficult time settling down for bed tonight. And N even asked his Dad to lay with him for a few minutes, which hasn't happened in over a year. Of course Byron was happy to oblige.
Our first stop is Paris where we will be meeting up with one of my former bosses who now lives in Belgium. We'll be there for 3 days--which isn't long enough. I love Paris and can't wait to go back. I hope it hasn't changed much in the 10 years since I was there. M is also excited about Paris as he is sooooo excited to see the Mona Lisa. Don't ask. We don't know why he is so excited. But I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't excited that at least one of my sons is excited to go to the Louvre.
So the next post will most likely be from Paris unless we have time on our layover in NY. Please pray for safe travels---y'all know I hate to fly. And continue to pray for the upcoming reunion of our boys.
Au Revoir!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
The Beginning of the Story....part 2
If you are starting here, it may be helpful to read Part 1 first.
So we sat on the information from Tanya for a while. We eventually told M & N that their brothers had been adopted by an Italian family and that this was all we knew. Those of you that personally know our boys, know that they are never content with half of the story. So they both asked us to find them. Oh, how naive they were that it would be so easy. We explained that we would try, but that we would be dealing with 3 languages, 3 governments, and 3 VERY different cultures. But we agreed to try. So we hired Tanya (our former adoption translator) to go to the orphanage and see what information they would release. We knew it was a long shot but figured that was the first place to start. I also put out postings on all of the Ukrainian adoption boards and groups I could find.
After a few weeks, we received an update from Tanya. The orphanage Assistant Director, whom we had a very positive experience with, agreed to help us. She could not release the Italian family's information to Tanya due to privacy rules. But she would put Tanya in touch with the Italian Family's translator. We were one step closer!
So a few more weeks passed and Tanya updated us that she had been in contact with this translator who was now getting in touch with the Italian Family. We were so hopeful, but Tanya warned us that Italian families are often not open to contact with any biological family. So we waited.
After a week or two, we recieved the wonderful news that the Italian Family indeed wanted contact with us. We received their names and their address! So then we set out to write a letter to them explaining who we were and what we were about. I composed a letter but then needed a translator. I knew that my eye doctor was Italian so I spoke with him and he put me in touch with a friend who was more fluent than he was. So we composed a letter, included photos and updates on our boys. We fed-exed the letter---yes, patience is not a virtue I possess. As I obsessively refreshed the fedex.com page to see that they received the letter, I was so hopeful. The night they received our letter, we received an email from the Italian Mom. They were beyond happy to hear from us. They indeed wanted us to be in contact. In fact, their boys, O and I had been asking them to find M and N. Suddenly the world got MUCH smaller.
So began our contact with the P family. Over the last 3 years, we have corresponded by email, photos, letters, and gifts. They have invited us to Italy and of course we have invited them to the US. This past year, we made a concerted effort to save, save, save for this trip. We also felt that the boys were a good age to make the trip in additon to the convenience of the year-round school schedule, and the fact that we hate hot weather, we decided to go during December.
So that brings you up to date. Although the primary purpose of the trip is to reunite the boys, we are also doing some sightseeing in France prior to meeting up with the P family in Italy. It is sure to be an interesting trip. We hope you'll join us!
So we sat on the information from Tanya for a while. We eventually told M & N that their brothers had been adopted by an Italian family and that this was all we knew. Those of you that personally know our boys, know that they are never content with half of the story. So they both asked us to find them. Oh, how naive they were that it would be so easy. We explained that we would try, but that we would be dealing with 3 languages, 3 governments, and 3 VERY different cultures. But we agreed to try. So we hired Tanya (our former adoption translator) to go to the orphanage and see what information they would release. We knew it was a long shot but figured that was the first place to start. I also put out postings on all of the Ukrainian adoption boards and groups I could find.
After a few weeks, we received an update from Tanya. The orphanage Assistant Director, whom we had a very positive experience with, agreed to help us. She could not release the Italian family's information to Tanya due to privacy rules. But she would put Tanya in touch with the Italian Family's translator. We were one step closer!
So a few more weeks passed and Tanya updated us that she had been in contact with this translator who was now getting in touch with the Italian Family. We were so hopeful, but Tanya warned us that Italian families are often not open to contact with any biological family. So we waited.
After a week or two, we recieved the wonderful news that the Italian Family indeed wanted contact with us. We received their names and their address! So then we set out to write a letter to them explaining who we were and what we were about. I composed a letter but then needed a translator. I knew that my eye doctor was Italian so I spoke with him and he put me in touch with a friend who was more fluent than he was. So we composed a letter, included photos and updates on our boys. We fed-exed the letter---yes, patience is not a virtue I possess. As I obsessively refreshed the fedex.com page to see that they received the letter, I was so hopeful. The night they received our letter, we received an email from the Italian Mom. They were beyond happy to hear from us. They indeed wanted us to be in contact. In fact, their boys, O and I had been asking them to find M and N. Suddenly the world got MUCH smaller.
So began our contact with the P family. Over the last 3 years, we have corresponded by email, photos, letters, and gifts. They have invited us to Italy and of course we have invited them to the US. This past year, we made a concerted effort to save, save, save for this trip. We also felt that the boys were a good age to make the trip in additon to the convenience of the year-round school schedule, and the fact that we hate hot weather, we decided to go during December.
So that brings you up to date. Although the primary purpose of the trip is to reunite the boys, we are also doing some sightseeing in France prior to meeting up with the P family in Italy. It is sure to be an interesting trip. We hope you'll join us!
Monday, December 1, 2008
The Beginning of the Story....part 1
So if you are joining us at this point in the story, I thought it might be helpful to catch you up on a few things.
We adopted our boys M (who is 11 now) and N (who is 12) in March 2003 from a tiny town in Eastern Ukraine. They were 5 and 7 at the time. At the time we adopted the boys, we knew they had 3 older brothers. Because of their ages, the Ukrainian Government has seperated the files of the boys to make them more "eligible" for adoption. So M & N were placed together and the next 2 older O and I were placed together. During our adoption in 2003, we were able to meet O and I but knew that we could not adopt them at the time because 1)We were not approved to adopt 4 children and 2)We did not have the money to adopt 4 children at one time.
So we returned home in April 2003 with the plan to check to ensure that they were indeed available for adoption and to figure out how we could afford to complete another adoption. In the mean time, we sent O and I photos, letters, clothes, food, and other item to the orphanage (internat---orphanage for older children) in Ukraine. We worked with our translator, Tanya, to stay in communication with the orphanage so that we stayed up to date on their status. That following late summer, we sent winter coats to Ukraine to the boys. We then received an email from Tanya that she had "wonderful news". O and I had been adopted by an Italian family.
While we were thrilled that they were no longer sitting in an orphanage and had a family to love and provide for them, we were filled with mixed emotions. We were concerned that we would not be able to have contact with them. We were upset because we had hoped to be able to return to Ukraine for them. But ultimately we trusted that God knew what was best and would figure it all out. Go here for Part 2 of how we found and established a relationship with the family.
N (far left) and his brothers the last time they saw each other in 2003.
M and N the week after we arrived home
We adopted our boys M (who is 11 now) and N (who is 12) in March 2003 from a tiny town in Eastern Ukraine. They were 5 and 7 at the time. At the time we adopted the boys, we knew they had 3 older brothers. Because of their ages, the Ukrainian Government has seperated the files of the boys to make them more "eligible" for adoption. So M & N were placed together and the next 2 older O and I were placed together. During our adoption in 2003, we were able to meet O and I but knew that we could not adopt them at the time because 1)We were not approved to adopt 4 children and 2)We did not have the money to adopt 4 children at one time.
So we returned home in April 2003 with the plan to check to ensure that they were indeed available for adoption and to figure out how we could afford to complete another adoption. In the mean time, we sent O and I photos, letters, clothes, food, and other item to the orphanage (internat---orphanage for older children) in Ukraine. We worked with our translator, Tanya, to stay in communication with the orphanage so that we stayed up to date on their status. That following late summer, we sent winter coats to Ukraine to the boys. We then received an email from Tanya that she had "wonderful news". O and I had been adopted by an Italian family.
While we were thrilled that they were no longer sitting in an orphanage and had a family to love and provide for them, we were filled with mixed emotions. We were concerned that we would not be able to have contact with them. We were upset because we had hoped to be able to return to Ukraine for them. But ultimately we trusted that God knew what was best and would figure it all out. Go here for Part 2 of how we found and established a relationship with the family.
N (far left) and his brothers the last time they saw each other in 2003.
M and N the week after we arrived home
Monday, November 24, 2008
The Story BEFORE the Story
Just a little background knowledge on our situation. While we firmly believe that our children's past is theirs' to share, and we do leave that up to them to share when they meet someone new; we feel it important to note that these 4 boys are not strangers. They have a relationship that pre-dates our adoption. And they have a connection that they want and need to preserve. They have very few positive memories of Ukraine. Their grandmother and their brothers are about the only positive memories they have before being adopted. So it is important to us that we preserve those positive relationships.
Our boys (M & N) were with their biological parents and the two Italian brothers until M was three and N was five. The two brothers now in Italy were six and seven when they were removed from their biological family. There are 5 boys all together:
The boys' grandmother has legal custody of the oldest brother, R, who is nearing sixteen.
O and I are now in Italy with their adoptive family.
O is now fourteen and I is now thirteen.
Our sons are now twelve (N) and eleven (M).
Both of our boys, especially N, have many memories of their brothers. And many of them are of O taking care of them. When we met O during our adoption, I thought he was the most stoic looking child I'd ever seen. It has been so wonderful to see him being a kid. And during our adoption N and I could have been twins they looked so similarly. They look different now, but it is interesting in watching a video the P's sent us, that N and I have MANY similar mannerisms.
It's also noteworthy how BIG all of these boys are. We know that their biological father was a very big man. O at age 14 was already over 6 feet tall. And his 3 younger brothers appear to be following his growth pattern.
There are many other things we could share, but we don't believe it's relevant at this time. We also choose to respect the boys' privacy of their first life. But we felt it important to draw the lines so that folks understand that this trip is just a continuation of an already existing relationship. One that we are so excited to be a part of. Who knew that when we set out to adopt that we'd gain a whole new branch on the family tree. One that extends all the way to Ukraine AND Italy.
Our boys (M & N) were with their biological parents and the two Italian brothers until M was three and N was five. The two brothers now in Italy were six and seven when they were removed from their biological family. There are 5 boys all together:
The boys' grandmother has legal custody of the oldest brother, R, who is nearing sixteen.
O and I are now in Italy with their adoptive family.
O is now fourteen and I is now thirteen.
Our sons are now twelve (N) and eleven (M).
Both of our boys, especially N, have many memories of their brothers. And many of them are of O taking care of them. When we met O during our adoption, I thought he was the most stoic looking child I'd ever seen. It has been so wonderful to see him being a kid. And during our adoption N and I could have been twins they looked so similarly. They look different now, but it is interesting in watching a video the P's sent us, that N and I have MANY similar mannerisms.
It's also noteworthy how BIG all of these boys are. We know that their biological father was a very big man. O at age 14 was already over 6 feet tall. And his 3 younger brothers appear to be following his growth pattern.
There are many other things we could share, but we don't believe it's relevant at this time. We also choose to respect the boys' privacy of their first life. But we felt it important to draw the lines so that folks understand that this trip is just a continuation of an already existing relationship. One that we are so excited to be a part of. Who knew that when we set out to adopt that we'd gain a whole new branch on the family tree. One that extends all the way to Ukraine AND Italy.
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