SNOW, SNOW, SNOW

Well, we did get to see the kids today. HOWEVER...

School is over for them and they eat lunch around 2. We have been told that we can pick them up around 3. Our priority is to see the kids however we must MUST get the documents completed and off to Kiev. Sergey has spent from 8 this morning til 3 PM going from office to office and getting everything lined up. He comes in ringing the doorbell, because the kids always do this, and tells us that we might be able to have the docs completed tonight and off to Kiev on the bus by 11PM but we are waiting for a phone call around 6. We wait long enough for Sergey to get his hot tea and then we are off to the orphanage.

Well, it has been snowing all day and traffic is backed up. You know how in Alabama everything closes down with snow, well, in Ukraine they just keep going! Traffic accidents, no lines on the street - well, they really don't use them anyway, and bumper to bumper. Sergey says that you find the slowest driver and follow him. It took us over 2 hours to get to the orphanage. We picked up the kids thinking that the ingoing traffic would be better. NO WAY!! Over 1 hour later about half way to the flat Sergey gets the call that the docs are ready to be picked up. U-turn made in front of a busy policeman and we are going back in the direction of the orphanage to the Inspector #2's office(she is back in town and has come to the office purposefully to get our documents completed.) When Sergey comes out with the docs - YEAH!! Christina and Kolya have been in the car for over 2 hours with no supper (we did have a snow ball fight while waiting for Sergey). SO off to McDonalds!! I had foolishly announced to Dan in Kiev my goal of not eating at any McDonalds - this was now our 4th!!!

Then rushing the kids to eat and back in the car to the orhanage. Never having gotten to the flat or really spent a fun evening at all. Last night we made it to see them only to tell them we could not take them, tonight we spend the entire time in the car. Tomorrow we are afraid that we may not be able to get out there if the snow keeps going!!

After dropping the kids off around 8:45 - bedtime is 9PM we rush to the bus station and arrive at 9:30 to send the docs to Kiev. Only to find out that the office that closes at 11 PM is on break from 9:30 to 10. Finally Sergey is able to send the docs off and we head for home!! Yeah we are home!

The picture above shows the beginning of the snow. We did not take any pictures today with the kids as the inside of a car is NOT fun!!