This morning we met our guide for breakfast and listened to a very peppy and odd jazzy cover of killing me softly.  The hotel restaurant is an odd dichotomy of elegance mixed with very odd american or british music that really just makes it a little uncomfortable at times.

We went to the orphanage for our morning visit and we were greeted in the entryway by a couple Babas and their orphans, who happened to be ones we wanted to check on.  We got to meet Lilliana who is 12 years old and weighs 11 pounds and her future sister Sofia who is 14 and is smaller than my 2 year old son.  Grace greeted them and kissed them and told them we tried really hard to bring them food...it was emotional to see them knowing we had failed to get the formula through the front doors.


Sam's visit went really well and afterwards we took a walk around the property.  These are the pictures from the back yard of the building.  It was odd to see so much beauty right outside the doors.  We talked about how perfect a play ground would be under some of the shade trees.  i am sure the kids would love spending some time outside...but alas...they are inside most of their days.

 Next we went to a large supermarket to buy diapers.  We returned with them during our afternoon visit.  Here is Grace with the 15 boxes of diapers we purchased.  (thank you all for your donations to go toward diapers, due to the nature of the climate we found at the orphanage we are going to use the rest of your donations to pay for nurses to come into the orphanage from the nearby hospital.)

In order for the diapers to be accepted we had to present our receipt from the store and then they drew up some paperwork which I had to sign in QUADRUPLET!!  HOLY MOLY, you can drop off a child to them and fill out less paperwork!!!! (sadly)  It felt as if they really didn't want our help at this point.  They had refused our formula because we could present them with "documentation of origin" or a receipt and here dropping off the diapers was also a very difficult experience.  But we are grateful they accepted and hopeful they will use them.  It also allowed me to have a pretty interesting conversation with the interim director of the orphanage.  When he thanked me for the donation I was able to say your welcome through tears and tell him how much we love these children and then it opened us up into a long question and answer time about the future of the orphanage.  I did feel like things might improve after talking to him....but it is hard to say.  He told me that he knows adults with Down's syndrome and that they are living full lives and have very pleasant dispositions and we both agreed that the children in this orphanage have been robbed of that chance.  I hope we can all pray for someone to take over this orphanage that shares the same sentiments.

Meanwhile, Grace and Sam were having a WONDERFUL visit down stairs.  you can read more about that on Grace's blog.  But I must say the transformation of Sam has been amazing to see...she was playing so much and inviting affection it was really beautiful.

After we left Grace and I went out to dinner.  I was able to complete my hilarious typo collection with this gem:  (i might have mentioned before but here is the proof)

read the chicken Formaggio description.

Then we went on a walk.  Grace wanted to see some actual bulgarian neighborhoods....she promised to buy me ice cream so I went :)  (i would have went anyway!)  Fortunately I have a nose for these things and I was able to get us into a neighborhood in just a few blocks!  I didn't get great pictures of the neighborhood but i did finally get a nice shot of a "soviet" car!  I have really liked seeing these cars around...I think they are cute.  I also got a picture of a station wagon one...no jeep one yet.  maybe tomorrow!

And that my friend was our last full day in Pleven!  Tomorrow is our tearful good bye.. pray for us during this time and for our safe travels home.  And one last good prayer for the formula we are taking to the hospital.