September 8th:
We woke up around 4:30 am in the morning here so we could call the boys and wish Andrew a "Happy Birthday". Both of them were having an Apple with Grandpa, a family tradition that me and my brothers enjoyed with our Grandpa Fuller. They looked like they were having a Great Time!!!
After falling back to sleep for a few more hours, I got up and started the laundry washing everything in sight taking full advantage of the washing machine. We were able to get most of it done prior to leaving out for a late lunch.
Rachelle really wanted that salad she had at TGIFriday's yesterday, so the marathon walk was on. We went the one and only route we were sure of, so that there wasn't a possibility of backtracking or getting lost. When we were just about there, one of the main streets was completely blocked off and there were all sorts of outdoor events going on. From a Karate exhibition, including some Dragon Dances, to a kids soccer game. They had a main stage where little girls were all dressed up doing a dance performance. It was really neat seeing all of the activities, even though we couldn't understand a word they were saying.
We did find Friday's and had lunch, so nice to have food that we and our stomachs are used to. After lunch we decided to test the waters and go a different route on the way back to the Apartment, hoping that we wouldn't have to turn around. As we were started the up hill climb up the street, I recognized that we were coming up on the Patio Restaurant area where we had visited earlier in the week. Keeping the mindset we kept going a different direction back towards the Apartment. We would walk a block and then ask each other to keep going or? We kept going. Sure enough, after we cleared the intersection we once again recognized where we were.
This is where things got a little interesting. As we were walking up to the Plaza, a couple ran by us with numbers on their shirts with a camera man in tow. I asked Rachelle if she saw that and then before she could answer there was another couple of flagging down cars trying to catch a ride, again with a camera man in tow. Hmm. Then yet again there was a third couple running, holding a map, yet again with a camera man in tow. We are not positive or sure, but it appeared that it could be couples who compete in the Reality Show "The Amazing Race" or something similar. We are not watchers of the show, however if you see the show, look in the back ground and see if you see us wearing our OSU shirts.
We kept on walking and started noticing Limo after Limo with flowers on the hoods, trunks and tops. There were wedding parties everywhere. As we passed the next intersection once again we realized where we were, on our way down to where the SDA Office is. Really??? We were this close to all of this stuff and it took us to the last day in Kiev to realize that. On the sidewalks many of the local painters had canvas paintings for display and for sale. As we walked through the three plus blocks of paintings, we noticed a couple of paintings that had St. Andrew's Monastery and the SDA Office, we had to get one. This painting has very significant meaning to the two of us, especially since the SDA Office is where our Journey began here in Kiev. We believe that us walking down to this area was not by accident. We believe that the Holy Spirit was leading us down here so that we would find this painting for us to look at for years to come, reminding us where we came to get Vanya!!!
We then walked to the Apartment, my mom Tango'd us and we got to see Andrew playing with his balloons. Grandpa had gone to get donut holes and Dylan was still in bed. After about 30 minutes she called back and both of the boys were wrestling in the floor with Grandpa and ALL of them were having a BLAST. After keeping the laundry going, we took a much needed nap from all of the walking we endured earlier. Once we woke up, still full from our lunch, we went to the Pizzeria and ordered the Rustic Apple Pie we had a couple days ago. As we were sitting there eating, a couple of guys speaking English sat down at the table next to us. After we were done eating, I asked them where they were from. One was from Chicago and the other was from Los Angeles. We visited for about ten minutes or so talking about our Journey and listening to why they were in Kiev. One of the guys actually lost his Passport and was in the process of trying to get another one. Good thing was that he had a copy of it.
We went and had a cup of coffee at the Coffee Shop and then came home. Today was an AWESOME DAY!!! Including the "Date Night" atmosphere we both experienced.
One more face time with the boys and off to bed. Headed to Lutsk tomorrow....to our other son.
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