Our Trip to the Zoo (Kopeshti Zoologjik)

We’ve been gone from home nearly a week and spending almost as many days with our new son.  Initially we were visiting him about an hour at a time, a couple times a day.  Yesterday, we went to the orphanage to visit and he wanted to leave with us to go to the BATI.  We spent the whole morning with him, at the BATI or outside on the playground.  In spite of walking by his “home” several times, he didn’t want to return.  We went back at lunch and as we said goodbye, he started to cry so we stayed for lunch.  Afterwards, we even asked the cook if we could try the soup and other baked dish so we’d know better what Genti was used to. (Both were tasty and not too different from our spices.) We spent the entire evening time with him as well and gave him his Panda Pillow-pet at bedtime.

Today we (Genti, Garet, Teresa, 7 other children, and staff) went to the zoo in Tirana.  The vehicle was packed and no one uses seat belts.  Still, Genti was not afraid and wanted to sit on our laps!  The driving in Albania is “anything goes” so the trips are always eventful. (Last night, while our host, Bob, was driving, a parked car decided to do a u-turn through three lanes of chaotic traffic!) The zoo was clean and had lions, bears, birds, kittens, dogs, goats, and ostriches.  The kids had fun.  Genti was afraid to go into one building but otherwise did very well the entire outing, seeming very comfortable with us. 

Genti loves listening to the mp3 player.  He wants Mom to listen to hers at the same time.  He's partial to Family Force 5.

Taking a break at the zoo. 

Garet giving a piggy back ride to Genti.

We feel encouraged and thank God for how far Gent has come in trusting us so far.