Day Two & meeting Penny

After only one random wake up, a second Benadryl, a better wake up, and a scrumptious breakfast, we were met by our fearless facilitator/ guide/ interpreter and headed off to the town Penny lives in. The drive was beautiful, lots of farm lands (though no "farms" i.e.: homes/homesteads as I'd think of them) and beautiful countryside. The drive up into the mountains was a bit rougher, with a LOT of fog (for the local readers, makes Afton Mountain look like mist!) This was God's gift to me, as the drop off's on the side of the road were steep. I'm no fan of heights. 

We arrived in the city (small sized, but definitely city, not town) and found her orphanage. Finally meeting her was a bit surreal. God provided so much more than I could imagine though. First and foremost, she allowed me to hold her. She's not bigger, but certainly a lot stronger, and more mobile than I'd have thought from her medical reports. She can move all of her joints, though clearly the arm up by her head is the position o'choice. Her fingers are super long & graceful, and she's got eye lashes that would put any Cover girl mascara model to shame :) Much like I used to do Miss Sarah's hair many years ago, it was pulled up on top, Pebbles style!! (and she has enough hair to pull up!) We got to sit up, lie down and watch her show off turning (and trying with reasonable success to sit up-scaring me nearly to death), and watch her eat. See one, do one, teach one, tomorrow is my day to try feeding her! I am not sure how much she cared about the toy I bought, but she certainly liked Laura's camera. Shiny, pretty, and directly to the mouth it goes. In many ways, like a 4-5 month old baby, as though she were in a state of suspended animation. But she is completely aware of what's going on, watching everything.

We found our hotel (for future traveler's to the area-yeah, WiFi in the rooms now!) It's pretty, set out from the city by about 15 minutes or so. Lunch was pizza-the small will feed two of us for two days, with salad, and Kaufland, which might be BG's answer to Walmart-with better coffee.

 The clouds banking over the mountains as we left Sofia. Pretty neat looking!

 

Miscellaneous shots of the country side...and tractor dealerships because I'm a redneck like that...

Street banners from Penny's home town.

Now, here she is, holding my fingers. She had a much stronger grip than I'd have figured. This could be due to the fact that this is the preferred sucking hand.

This one is during our first meeting. She had already gotten a hold of my finger. It's funny, in a small world sort of way, as the flannel used to make her bib is the same exact flannel my dear mother in law has used to make a baby blanket for Baby Grey.

 

 

I was able to get a few video clips too. Unfortunately for blogging purposes, I'm chatting to her using her "real" name, thus pretty well negating any possibility for publishing. 

 

After Penny's dinner (lil miss certainly liked her food!) we made our way back to the hotel, had a fun dinner with our facilitator (chatting food, customs, and politics), and I'm certain now it's bed time. I mean, it's at least 8 o'clock local time right?!? Somehow, I think I managed to be jet lagged in reverse.  Happily though, we figured out the heater, as the forecasted overnight low is a balmy 33* (and no, that ain't Celsius!)