She's just like the other kids

This are still going super here in Armenia!! I have quickly learned that even though Rita has never met her siblings, she acts very much like them. When I say "no" to the kids at home they just ignore me. I have to say no, nicely 3 or 4 times before I give up and say "NO!!!" Then they usually listen. Rita is the same way. I'm not saying she has bad behavior but she doesn't always listen to mama....and it has nothing to do with speaking different languages. Just like crossing the street she wants to go right out into traffic. I say "che`" nicely and she doesn't listen....I say che`, che`, che` on deaf ears....but as soon as I say CHE` she listens!!!!! Even in the store we argue back and forth in either English or Armenian about her wanting to buy everything. Mama: "no, no, no", Rita: "yes, yes, yes". Mama: "che, che, che" Rita: "ha, ha, ha." So I am glad to tell all of you she is a very normal little girl!!

A funny story from yesterday. Rita asked both F and B who would translate for her when she goes to Armerica. F said you will have to learn English very quickly. Rita decided she would buy B and both of her parents plane tickets to America with all of her money (Ted gives her the change when we buy something, so Rita thinks she is rich....she has at least $3.00). F tried not to be offended that Rita was not going to buy him a ticket also. Rita has a love/ hate relationship with F......but she is totally in love with B. B is a beautiful young girl who is still single and living with her parents. During our sightseeing on the 2nd day Rita was so concerned that B would be punished by her parents for spending so much time with us. We think that Rita sees B as a child. She is always asking B if this or that would be okay with her parents. Too cute. Today B said that she would really miss Rita when we leave.

Today we went to the zoo and a children's art muesem with B. PETA would go CRAZY if they saw the condition that these animals live in. Ted thinks the zoo is self supporting because in the beginning we saw a large amount of goats. Really way too many goats to get excited about seeing. Well, once we got to the lions' cages their lunch resembled goats heads..yummy!! Rita even got tired off the smell. She was most impressed with the birds flying around on the zoo grounds. Then had another delicious lunch. Rita had been dying to have pasta. We ate pizza yesterday and saw pictures of pasta at this resturant so she told B that she wanted to come back tomorrow and have pasta. She ate every last bite. She has an amazing apetite. After lunch we went to the children's art museum. It has art work done by children from 120 different countries. We bought a book, poster and some post cards. Rita was talking to B and the man working there recognized Rita's Guymri dialect. Rita said "yes, I am from Guymri orphanage and this is my mama and papa and I am going to America." It warms my heart everytime to hear her brag on us. We also visited a church built in the 13th century. When we entered Rita insisted on saying a prayer that she knew from memory. I don't know what she said but it was beautiful. Afterwards B bought candles for us to light. The adults all had one and Rita had 2. She lit her candles for her new mama and G (her nanny). I told her that once again G would be so proud of her. I told Rita (of course through B) that when I lit my candle I thanked God for my beautiful Armenian daughter, Rita. Rita jumped up and down and said many things. B said they were all words of affection.

Ted and F picked up Rita's passport today. Rita was sooooo excited "Mama and Papa and Rita...PASSPORT.....AMERICA!!!!" Rita's English is progressing at an amazing speed. She now refuses to say thank you in Armenian it is always in English...even when we do business with someone who only speaks Armenian I try to get her to say "thank you" to them in Armenian. She always says "no.....Thank you." This is coming from a girl who said she would never learn English and that her mama must learn Armenian. B is impressed with all of the English words she uses. The bad thing is that she is learning to talk like me. I say "okay and whoops" way too much, so of course Rita is always saying "okay and whoops"....at least she uses them at the correct time.

So life in Armenia is going great. I talked to Audrey and Paul on the phone last night. Of course I miss all of my kids! I hope Natalie is ready to have a shadow because Rita talks about Natalie all of the time!!!! I tried to get Rita to talk to Audrey last night but she was insisting on talking to Natalie. I told her in my limited Aremenian that Natalie was in school (dprots..). Well, I should go, I left Rita, Ted and B to fend for themselves at the apartment. B will go home after I get back and I think later Rita, Ted and myself will go out for Chinese. There is a Chinese resturant close to our hotel. F told us that other American families have told him that this resturant is better than ones at home. I had told Audrey that we would be eating Chinese food in Armenia and she was so excited!!!! Audrey is very proud of being Chinese!! Until tomorrow......Alison