Happy Women's Day!

I should have known there was a reason they celebrated Women's Day yesterday even though Women's Day is officially today... the school was closed today. So when I showed up at 10am the main school building was locked. Thank goodness Vladik and a good number of other kids were playing outside. Vladik saw me and came running. He and his friend Toilik were playing soccer and so the three of us kicked the ball around for a while. Toilik was called "Smiley" by Kelly, one of the other American moms who left just last week with their new son. It is an appropriate nickname. He just smiles every time you look at him and he is so sweet and polite and for that reason he has gotten a candy bar or a lollipop from me for nearly every day I have been here. While we were playing outside 2 of the teachers came to talk to me, one of the spoke broken English, enough English to ask what they wanted. Which was "How old you?". I told them I was 30. I guess they were a bit surprised that someone my age was adopting an 11 year old. Then I was invited into the building where Vladik's classroom and bedroom are in. When we got in there Vladik pulled out the laptop and began "showing off" what he had. He showed them it played Nintendo games and I even convinced him to share and let another kid or two play; and then he played Tom and Jerry and Scooby Doo , I had downloaded, for them. Then when a few of them got bored watching all the things on the laptop, I pulled out the travel Trouble game I had and played with a couple of boys. I also pulled out the magnetic Tangram set I have. It is this set of magnets (couple size triangles, square, parallelogram etc.) and a little book of different things (animals mostly) that you are supposed to figure out how to make using only the set of magnet shapes. Mitchem was really good at this. The last trick I pulled out my hat was the origami paper and instructions I had (thanks to Kristin Schloemer!) and we made origami ninja stars. Anything Ninja is cool in any country. Right in the middle of all this fun (about 12:30) comes in a large readheaded Russian speaking woman and I don't know what she said but she said it loud and those kids scattered. Apparently she was not too pleased with the other teachers decision to invite me, what with the kids having so much fun and all. She sent them back to their rooms Vladik told me. So Vladik helped me pack up as it seemed it was time for me to leave.  I gave Vladik a big hug and headed home. It was a great morning getting to hang out with those kids, there are some amazing kids here. The only bad part is the day is not ending so well... my throat was feeling a little weird yesterday and now tonight I am sick. My throat hurts and I think I may have a fever. I started taking the antibiotics that I had gotten back in America. Hopefully I will be well by Saturday, when all the running around starts. Saturday is the day we drive to Vladik's hometown, 2 hours away, to get his new birth certificate, and also hopefully get to apply for his new Tax ID in Lutugino (like our SS#) and also apply for his passport in Luhansk. So Saturday is shaping up to be a busy day so hopefully I am well by then!