The Day After

Well, that was fun (not really, but I lack other words).  Our court time was supposed to be at 2:30pm, but we received a phone call at 8:30am and were told that our time had been moved up to 10am.  Now, let's just give you a picture of what this looked like: I was sitting and eating a warm breakfast and everyone else was sleeping in to be well rested for the day that was to come, the phone call comes and it turns my day from total peace and calm to "holy cow, how are we gonna accomplish everything that we need to do in only 1 1/2 hours".  I quickly woke everyone up.  We all threw on clothes and brushed out teeth and ran around the apartment like crazed people trying to get something to eat and look amazing for the judge.  Now, let me add to the that our translator, also named Natasha, was at the train station trying to obtain tickets for her trip back to Kiev later that day.  So, she was scrambling around tying to get a taxi and get back to the apartment so that she could change her clothes and pick up all of the paperwork that she need for the courts.  So, then we had to get to the orphanage and get all three girls ready.  Larissa, the orphanage director had to go to court with us.  This messed up her schedule too, so we had to wait on her for 20 minutes to be ready to leave....grrr...but all worked out fine and we were at the court at 9:59ish....time to spare ;)

Court was a unique experience that I will never forget (though I think that I would like to).  I'll let Mike talk more about that in another addition to the blog ;)  He was finding it interesting to get asked pressing questions from two people at once, oh yeah, in a foreign language.  Anyway, the short version of the stoy is this: WE WERE APPROVED!  YEAH!!!!  :)  :)  :)  Now there is a mandatory waiting period so that we can change our minds if we want to (yeah, right!) and the court can change their minds too....anyway, with all of that done, we traveled back to the orphange and ate lunch with the girls before we left for our next part of the journey.  

Last night we drove to Nikoliev, Ukraine for the weekend.  We are visiting with Katya (our exchange student from last year).  There is nothing we can do regarding the adoption till next week, so we decided to spend the weekend with her.  That should be a bit more relaxing than what we have done the past couple of weeks, huh!

So, next week it is back to Kiev.  We have to travel to the embassy to finish a bit more paperwork then the boys will all be returning home on the 6th of November (speaking as a wife and mom, I believe that will be a happy day for them...this country functions a lot differently than ours...and we have all grown to appreciate the motto "Keep America Beautiful" in a whole new way!)

Ok...two more pressing subjects.  I keep getting requests for two things: how to join and comment on the blog, and clothing sizes for the girls.

So, first off, the blog thing:
to comment on the blog, you must first join it.  You have to look on the right side panel for the link "join this blog".  It will ask for your email and a password (I think)...after you join, you can comment by clicking the link "comment on this blog".  I think that is all that it takes.  If that doesn't work for any of you, just let me know and I will find out more specifics.   (I am not a computer efficianato, so I will have to ask someone smarter than me at computers, hint to Mike, to give you all more detail)

And, the second matter of clothing:
The most pressing is shoes.  We purchased one pair of shoes for all of the girls to travel home in.  Their sizes are 29, 35, and 36 which convert to the following
Anya wears a girls size 11 1/2
Vika wears a ladies size 6
Natasha wears a girls size 3 or ladies 5 (same size)

Thank you so much to all of your for your support and prayers.  We are feeling them!  

Now, we are going to try and add pictures...wish me luck ;)

Love to all of you!!!!