Photos

While Olena was here we were able to do some really fun activities with the group of orphans that came over. It was a neat experience to be able to spend so much time with them all and get to know each of them a little bit.
While driving home from one of the activities we had been to, Olena asked to borrow my phone to take some pictures. It was dark and I wasn't really sure what she wanted to take pictures of but I allowed it and just quietly watched. I was overwhelmed with her pure enthusiasm for the beauty she was witnessing around her. For us, driving along the freeway at night isn't very interesting or beautiful. In fact, I just usually want to get home and pay no real attention to what is around me. But, for her it was an amazing sight. She was fascinated by all the "pretty lights" and couldn't take enough pictures of them. Not a lot of them were pictures we could keep because of the movement of the cars, but the experience of watching her joy made me cry. It still does even now thinking about it.
After tearfully sharing this experience with my wonderful neighbor Christina, she came over with her daughter Jordyn to give Olena her old camera to keep. She was so excited to receive such a gift. The camera never left her side. She took that thing everywhere with her and we were able to save the photos she took and print some of them out for her to take home. Unfortunately, I don't think she still has the camera. We weren't sure she would be able to keep it when she got home, but she really enjoyed while she had it.  
I wanted to share with you some of those pictures, some of the things she found beautiful or interesting or just different enough to want to remember, so you can see the world through the eyes of an orphan!