Day 1, Friday night

We went to church at 7:30 to await the arrival of the children. They arrived about 10, bedraggled, exhausted, some in tears. We saw Diana right away. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere but standing in the gym at our church. The translator made introductions for each family and then each left with a child. We were last to get Diana. She didn't want to look at us. She didn't smile and seemed to want to hurry out of there. Not a peep out of her on the way home. We played a Russian music CD but the trip seemed so long. The girls took her to Liana's room that we prepared for her. She looked around it curiously. Liana gave her a Webkinz we bought, a little dog, and she said thank you to Liana in Russian. We took her into the kitchen. "Nyet," she didn't want to eat or drink. She did smile a little when she saw her picture on our refrigerator. I showed her the bathroom and asked if she wanted a shower. She said yes and took one. She got into bed. Immediately she got out and started asking me something. Of course I didn't understand. She seemed frustrated I didn't know what she was talking about so I chickened out and called Victoria, one of the other host moms who speaks Russian. Sorry, Victoria! It is 11 at night. Diana was concerned about tomorrow. She wanted to get together with the Russian kids. She's just so uncomfortable here. She's in bed now but I think I heard her sniffling. I hate she is crying. I went back in to say good-night and put an extra blanket on her. This is hard. Poor girl, she must be so frightened.