Wednesday

Today was our free day...nothing to do. We had breakfast at the hotel again this morning. This time I made Maria go through the line with me to see what she wanted. A nice waiter from the hotel helped us. He ended up just filling up Maria's plate with tons of food. I think she was crushing on him a little bit....she has her favorite hotel workers...he appears to one and the other is a waitress in the evening who has been great with her (more on that later). After breakfast we ended up taking a taxi to Alexander Nevski Church. Mean mom made her use her crutches again. She was able to walk up the ramp just fine and was let into the church from that door. Beautiful church and very nice people...we were able to meet the priest who was the one who made sure she was allowed to enter through the door near the ramp. After that she did need a short rest. While she and my mom sat, I went across the street to look at the lace for sale. Venders were sitting out selling their goods. Both mom and I ended up buying a few things as gifts for people back home. While mom was shopping Maria and I went to the cafe and had something to drink. Then we decided to look for a taxi and ended up taking Maria past the venders....ok, had no intention of buying anything....the child made out like a bandit....several of the venders just gave her things. All I could do is shake my head and think she is getting so spoiled! Finally got away from the church had lunch and went back to the hotel. She loves the iPad...specifically the apps Cookie Doodle and Cake Doodle. Ended up watching some tv and she was being goofy, silly girl. She loves to correct my Bulgarian and just will laugh and laugh at me....so now that I know she is ticklish, I have been getting her back when she does this. We are bonding....she is initiating all kinds of physical contact...leaning into me, touching my face, lots of eye contact. It has been great. We ended up going to dinner in the hotel again today. As we came into the eating area a waitress greeted us....the waitress Maria likes was further into the eating area...Maria walks past the first waitress right up to the one she likes and starts talking to her. This waitress has been great...the first day she did some translating for me and has done so each day since. Very nice sweet woman! Maria was silly again when getting ready for bed tonight. She is not the quiet timid girl I met in December. She is full of life and ornery! Oh, best part if today...I asked Maria "Maria happy?", Maria said "Da!" I have a very happy girl...no tears today. Someone asked I put in more details on the gotcha day....I will add some more once we are home. It is still very hard to think about the trauma and emotions the kids went through on that day.