Other crazy pics!

Here are some fun pics that have happened sometime this weekend! No reason just fun!

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!!

Monday, a day of bureaucracy!

After the time of 9:30-8 on Saturday and Sunday, we were left high and dry on Monday of any time with Kolya and Christina! Documents were picked up from Inspector "1 (PTL!!) that were not going to be ready until Tues, taken to the orphanage for the director's signatures and stamps, then to Inspector #2 who has to look over all the docs so far and write up an approval referral that will be sent to the SDA (State Department of Adoption) in Kiev. Inspector #2 had to meet with us and then took us to her boss for an interview (would that be inspector #3 or #2A?!). Her boss asked us many questions like why did we want to adopt,, what was our annual income, what type of jobs do we have, what type of housing, what will the schooling be like, are we aware of the health issues, and on and on!! WE PASSED! I was nervous at first but really all of these questions have been asked and are somewhere in the dossier that was before her.

Back to inspector #2 office where she promised (and did) stay late to write up the approval referral, and a call to the lawyer to look over it on Tues so that a tentative court date will be set (usually this is not set until this dossier is returned from Kiev but we are trying to get the court date next week before all of the holidays that begain 12/31 here). Tues I will let you know if we have a court date.

The court date is when we go before the judge for the ruling of the adoption of Christina and Kolya. Then the 10 day waiting period will take place and we are hoping that will take place over the Ukraine holidays.

Sooooo all of the above took place from 2PM onward. By the time it was all accomplished and we got to the orphanage at was 6:30Pm. We did not have time to take the kids. We saw Christina and told her we would be back daZAFtra -tomorrow but she was disappointed and cried a little anyway. We had to just leave the message for Kolya as he was down at the territory and not the school at 88. It was sad but sweet that she was so upset! I have been praying for both but Christina especially that they will want to be adopted. By all indications so far the answer is YES!!

COLD here! Our warmest thanks to Ron and Stephanie Mills for the coats we are wearing!!!! Long underwear may be next!

In Him Alone,

Leslie

Another great day, but tiring...we are older parents, you know!!

Sunday, a day of worshiping the living God! It was indeed a worshipful day, but different. We picked the kids up and told them through Sergey our translator that we were going to church and what that would mean…1 hour or more, singing, preaching, praying but all in Russian with Mom and Dad having earphones with English translation. So off to church we went. They were good, Kolya has been to church with a Ukrainian woman who has taken several of the children on Sundays. Christina has not. She needed attention, liking paper to write on, going to the bathroom, etc. and church went over 1 ½ hours.

We went back to the flat and had Borsche and sandwiches. Kolya said is this all we are having? He wanted the wonderful Spaghetti that Veeca had cooked for us and we had Saturday night. The funny thing is that at first he would not even try it. When Christina tried it, he tried it and loved it!!!

We went for a walk. When we got back Dan’s watch said it was 36 degrees in his pocket. The wind was fierce! We found a park and the kids played. Then we paid $1 for the kids to jump on a trampoline. The lady was trying to figure out our situation. We were speaking English with a little Russian, the kids were speaking Russian with a little English. She asked in broken English mixed with Russian, You English, They Russian, together? Yes, we are mama and daddy and they are our kids…adopting. She understood! Through a long paragraph in Russian we finally understood that she was saying Russian or English, we are all the same…and that this was a good, a very good thing for us to be together!! We agree!!

The kids are really picking up English faster than we are picking up Russian. We knew that they were taking English at school and we can really tell. NO, don’t think this means we can communicate. It means we have a better base to start☺. They are understanding to say, May I Please? to get permission to do something. They say hello in English as we say hello in Russian. They say thank you in English as we say thank you in Russian. Signing is becoming a way of life. We should be much better at charades after this…look out Game Night Ladies!!!!!

The pictures are from our Christmas celebration yesterday. One of the MTW missionaries, Bob Burnham, is also a professional photographer. He takes great pictures and shares his amazing talent. Go to Burnhamsnapshots.com to see his wonderful collection!

We are finding out that the kids are completely different than what we saw of them on visits. Christina was always very reserved, loving crafts, but not really wanting to get close to anyone. Now we see that see is so much like Sasha Taunton with lots of energy, very smart, and loves to be loved. She is the affectionate one of the two. Kolya was running everywhere and into everything, loudly expressing himself with all the boys at the orphanage. Here we see that he loves the computer, camera and figuring out things. You show him how to do something one time and he has it down and goes beyond to figure out more than we knew was possible. He does not like school much and Christina does but we will work on that☺

Thanks for all your prayers. I can feel, see and discern that God has definitely been working in their hearts and our hearts. PLEASE, PLEASE keep praying for us. We need strength, wisdom and lots of love and patience. You know what happens when you pray for patience…God gives it to you in situations that causes you to exercise patience. We are there☺ KEEP PRAYING!!!

In Him alone,

Leslie

Today was a great day, but boy are we tired!! It’s my birthday and it was wonderful. One of the best parts of the day was when Sergey and Dan went to get the kids and left me home – no, that is not the best part . I hear the doorbell ring and open the door and two kids run in and gave me big hugs – that’s the best part!

It was not long before we got our coats back on and got on a bus with the Burnhams and the Martins on our way to a Christmas celebration complete with nativity play and Saint Nick giving out presents! It was a fun time spent in the time of people who have given up much to be in Ukraine and love what they are doing to share of gospel of Christ. Dan and I watched Christina and Kolya. They were getting a little taste of what it will be like in the states – everyone speaking English, all at once and loudly☺. Andrea translated so they could understand the nativity play. Saint Nick gave them presents – Christina was shy and insisted that I go up with her. She was delighted with the hair care set and candy that she received! Kolya was called up a little later. As all these Americans who spoke Russian were around me I asked them to tell Kolya that one of his gifts was a puzzle. Several minutes and serious study went on and they came up with the right Russian word, said it to Kolya. He turned to me and said in English “puzzle”. He had already known what it was and what it was called!!

They were very polite, bored yet polite (we are still on our best behavior) when the kids were taken to another room and a long story read in English. I was proud that they did not get fidgety! Then they had a craft they liked very much. Afterwards they joined the adults doing a Santa switch gift, and were bored but were good. Dan left early the gift switching and let them play outside on the playset. They loved that until Dan got cold!! At this point one of us is with them at all times. We want them to know to come to us and not to hand off the care to others at this point.

Good things! They are coming to us to ask for things, i.e. more juice, more food. As we drove up to the orphanage tonight, Christina said that she wanted to go back with us. We said we will be back daZAFtra – tomorrow! They keep asking through the day if tomorrow they will see us. Good stuff!

Yes, it is intense because of language. Right now we have people around that can tell the kids something if needed. However at home that will stop. But all of us are trying hard so it is good.

Alone at last!!

Today, Friday, December 11, 2009, we got our first chance to have the kids by ourselves. It took until about 1 to try to get some papers finished. However a new doc was asked for by inspector #1 ( there are 2 inspectors, so we named them…). She declared we needed to go back to the orphanage (oh, goodie) and get this doc before her docs could be completed. Even then it may not be til Tues before she could get to it.

We traveled to 88 and while Sergey is getting the doc, we are talking to the kids. Ok, we are signing and counting (the kids are learning English and we are learning Russian – I can count to 10!). Then we started colors. The director was in the other room and while the cat’s away the mice will play, hence this pic of the kids in the director’s seat. She did not get upset but I could sense that they would not normally do this. They are feeling some power☺

The director had promised Christina and Kolya that we were taking them to McDonalds. So after receiving permission from Marina to have them until later, we went to the flat. Sergey took the doc to Inspector #1. WE WERE ALONE WITH OUR KIDS.

They explored every inch of the flat. Hence, this pic of Dan and the kids at the top of the stairs that leads to unfinished attic. All lights were turned on and off. Beds were tested, toasters tested, etc. Dan quickly showed them computer, cell phones, camera. Anything that had buttons they explored. Ding, Dong! Michelle, missionary who knows the kids, arrived. Hugs all around. After starting a game with Dad, Michelle and I were talking. All of a sudden the camera went off, Kolya was taking a picture. Now that we could speak to set boundaries, Michelle and I explained that before touching phones, cameras, computer, they must ask, may I? I know this word in Russian so from that point on I could say no, may I? Normally we said yes but the computer and phones became no very soon.

Michelle left and the four of us played memory. They knew how to play and Kolya won, no I did not let him win, he really did!! We had a great time laughing and teasing and we could see what life will be like. A lot of communication hassles and a lot of fun just being together.

Then it was time to go where…….McDonalds! Kolya’s eyes watched everything, especially the bulldozer that was working at night, that we saw on the way to McDs. Did you that bulldozer in Russian is …bulldozer!?!?!

Christina is a hoot! She ordered a salad and cheeseburger happy meal. She ate all the salad even licking the package of dressing. Then started on the fries. After a couple of fries she was full and packed everything, extra napkins, ketchup, everything into the happy meal box. Later on in the car she ate all the fries and then finished her cheeseburger. She also had a banana for later in case she got hungry.

Kolya has a little bit of a cold. At one point during the afternoon he even laid his head down on the couch but soon was up and going. He slowly at his fries one at a time out of the box. His eyes were constantly moving to take in all the people and what they were doing. Then he ate his cheesburger. Again slowly watching everyone.

It was so much fun just watching them, taking in who they are!

It takes about 45 min to an hour to get to the orphanage. About 20-30 minutes on the return trip when traffic was less. At some point on the trip back to the orphanage
Christina asked "Is it true that it takes 3 days to get to America?" She is really thinking about this. She also asked, "Where Sasha (Taunton) is now, is it night or day?"We said day, and that will you will be living there soon. Another quiet moment!

Tomorrow we get the kids around 9:30 and are going to a get together with all the missionaries. We will see how we do. Fortunately most of these people speak Russian and there will be lots of kids. Check in tomorrow for the results!

YEAH!!!

Today was a pushing paper day. Two errors on documents received yesterday had Sergey mainly but Dan and I also backtracking and crisscrossing through the offices in Odessa. However by 5:45 PM after a mad dash to the orphanage we got to see Christina and Kolya. Part of the documents that we needed for today was a hand written agreement from each child that they want to be adopted. And they both agreed to sign!! Yeah, my prayer is being answered!
The picture is of Christina writing while Dan is explaining the photo album to Kolya. Dan and Jake had taken pics of the rooms in our house, of our family, of the grandparents. Dan then put them in an album for each of the kids. They loved them as well as Marina, the director, and the 2 secretaries and teacher.
Yes, the language will be a barrier at first but it looks as if all of us are willing to work hard!!