Day 36 Tuesday Sept 30 (I write this for my own benefit, I am having trouble keeping track of what day it is )

We saw both boys today, Vasya was back. Jeff played frisbee with Vasya and some of the kids in his class. I spent the time keeping Matthew out of trouble, and playing with some puppies.
Matthew slept the entire way to no.9, so he was ready to go when we got there. They were having a birthday party for Nadyia-her family arrived from the states a couple days ago to adopt her. We got in on the end of the party, Matthew and Sasha had cake, apples and bananas.

In Ukraine it is like a mortal sin to let little kids (Matthew's age) run around on the floor with only socks on. Sasha's caregivers gave him a pair of slippers to put on Matthew, the slippers were Sasha's size. It was very funny to watch Sasha trying to pin down Matthew to put the slippers on. Matthew hates to wear slippers. Sasha never did get them on Matthew. Then we went outside and played. We watched an episode of Sponge Bob on Matthew's gameboy-Sasha says he doesn't like Sponge Bob, but he sure laughed. He says he likes Expida Rangers, which is a Ukrainian version of Power Rangers--which we do not like and won't let him watch in America. Everytime Matthew has seen it as someone else's house, he comes home kicking and punching. Oh well, Maybe Sasha will like Scooby-Doo or Land Before Time instead.

It was very nice today, I hope it stays this way!

Day 35 Monday Happy Birthday Gabby!!!!!

Monday, Monday, Monday I don't have much to say about it I guess. We went to no.4 for a birthday party for a girl named Sasha in Vasya's class. She turned 14. It was a nice party, but short since most of the kids had some sort of meeting to go to. Vasya wasn't there, the kids said he went "Home" after we left on Sunday. At the party everyone says a wish for the birthday girl, it is tradition. They had cake, pop, bananas, candy and peanuts. Sasha was excited because her babuska (grandmother) had given her a cell phone. We left after the party and hopped a bus to our Sasha's house. We got there a little early but enjoyed the extra time with Sasha. He pouted for a while because I told him not to throw toys at girls, he and Ola know how to push each others buttons and get on each others nerves. We ignored him while he pouted, after a bit he came back as sweet as ever. He likes to talk about the foods he likes and so does Edik so that's what we did. We got out our English-Russian dictionary and talked about foods. The boys couldn't believe that some people eat chocolate covered bugs. Sasha wants us to bring him crab sticks today, the kids here love those things. The two other families who arrived at no.9 the same day as we did get custody of their kids tomorrow or the next day and we haven't even made it to court yet. Oh Well, one week left untill the judge returns.

Playing with cars.

Holly this little dog looks a lot like Lucy-except this one is about 10" tall.




Day 34 Sunday


It finally warmed up! It think it hit the upper 60's which was great!


Vanya called us around 11 to tell us that Vasya called him. He said tell my mom and dad I will be back at the internat at noon. So we got ready and walked to no. 4. There were only boys there, I think the girls all went to church. We played gameboys for a while, chased Matthew around and left so Vasya could have lunch at 2:00. We then went to the store, had lunch and headed to the sea. This time we walked to the beach, it was breezy but pretty. The sand is full of tiny shells, I can't imagine what it would feel like to walk acrossed it bare-footed. There was a nasty dead fish lying on the cement, Jeff told Matthew I was going to cook it for supper-later when I put pineapple chicken and rice on his plate he was mad. He said" Where's the fish?"
After we left the beach we walked to Sasha's. I think a new group of caregivers must work every other week. It seems that way, Last week the kids just flocked around us and it is hard to talk or play with Sasha and he gets annoyed with them. The week before and today there were hardly any other kids on our side of the playground, so this caregiver keeps them away from the adopting families. We missed seeing some of the kids, but it was nice to just be with Sasha. We taught him a few new words and he taught me the russian equivalent. I told him in america he would have to take a bath two or three times a week, he was shocked. They only shower once a week here and that is when they get clean clothes. They have their school clothes and then they have play clothes, we have only seen two seperate outfits on Sasha.


We measured him, he is 4' 7". How does that compare to Katie and Caleb?

A few more pictures....

Day 33-Saturday

One of our "roommates" Laura went with us to the 411 Battery Memorial Park. It is at the end of the bus route that we take to see Sasha. It was really neat and unlike in America you can climb all over the stuff which Matthew really liked. I tried to google it but I didn't find much except most of the equipment is from WWII. After we left the park we walked to where we could see the Black Sea and then walked to Sasha's. We had a nice visit there, but he is VERY ready to leave. The poor kid, he still has a while to go.

We met some very nice people from the states when we got back to the apartment, Dawn and Butch. They are helping Michelle redecorate. We enjoyed having pizza with them and they enjoyed Matthew (I think?).

Day 32-Friday We are stuck here..........

Yesterday we called our facilitator Vanya, he said he had good news and bad news. The good news was that the SDA had given their approval for our adoption of the boys and gave him papers stating that they had never gave approval to the other family. This we already knew, we knew this on Wednesday. The bad news is that the judge who will hear out court and the court for the lawsuit is on vacation until October 6. He won't set a date until he gets back, so now we wait. No other judge can hear it because he is the head judge. Let me tell you, I was p*ssed! But I have vented and accepted the fate of being stuck here forever. I just hope we get home in time for Matthew's birthday and Halloween. I really want the boys to experience Halloween-before Vasya realizes that he is too old to go trick-or-treating with his parents. I also want them to be able to see harvest, the combines, the trucks-all the things I love about this time of year living on the farm. Matthew really wanted to go back to the pumpkin patch that we went to last fall, I don't think there is one here, but then again I haven't asked anyone.

We saw Vasya yesterday, it was cool and damp so we just stayed in his "common room" and played gameboys. We stayed longer than usual and decided to go see the wolff's instead of going to see Sasha. Seeing them also helped improve my attitude, we visited their apartment and ate at a cafeteria style place in a mall. We then went to the children's store, I told Matthew earlier that we went herewhen he was a baby and we came to get him. He told me later "you went here when you 'dopted' me." He has never said that word, we talk about it occasionally and read books about adoption. But he said it soon naturally, but I suppose he understands more now that we are here adopting the boys. He was very good yesterday, so we let him buy a purple matchbox limo. He really wants a big airplane that he sees at a kiosk on the way to "Vassy's house." We are going to let him buy it with the money Grandma Eileen sent for him, Thanks Grandma.

While we were in the center visiting David and Cindi, Vanya called us to tell us that Vasya called him. He said we must have already had an effect on Vasya because he was calling to tell us that he was going to visit some family tomorrow and would be back at no. 4 on Sunday to see us. At least he is calling now, and I could use a break from no. 4 for a day, Maybe Matthew will get a nap before we go see Sasha tomorrow.

Our flight was schedules to leave next Friday, but travel agent lady (who is great by the way) was able to get our flight cancelled and we don't have to rebook until we know exactly when we are coming home, so we don't have to pay the fee until then and then only once.

So my spirits are back up, and I am ready to tackle another ten days of no action on the adoption front.

Here is Vasya and his classmates, Katya(blond) and Sasha.

There are some great kids here, they would be perfect for a family who wanted older kids.

Jeff taught Matthew how to play checkers while Vasya and I played gameboy.
Sasha's Monkey face.
This is a horrible picture of a snail Matthew found at no.9.

Day 30 & 31 Wednesday and Thursday



We still haven't heard anything, we are waiting for the judge to set a court date. Our flight was scheduled to leave next Friday, I don't think we will make it.



Yesterday we had a great visit with Vasya with help from Michelle-one of the girls who lives here. She translated for us, Vasya asked lots of good questions about our town, his new school, the nearby towns, neighbors etc. He also asked if we could get him a russian-english dictionary, so we will try to find one. We had a short visit with Sasha because we got there late. He is ready to go and is bored with all the games we play with him, he just wants to play with the gameboy.



Today we visited Vasya, he is starting to understand more. He played gameboy, and he even got to meet the Wolff's who arrived at no. 4 today to start working on the paperwork to adopt their girls. We then went to Sasha's-the bus ride has been a lot nicer since a woman yelled at Matthew yesterday- I think for being too loud. But it worked, he was quiet and even fell asleep.

It was cool today and damp, our clothes are taking forever to dry on the racks. I think we may start to mold soon.

Can someone please tell Andrew Teply Happy Birthday for me! I am pretty sure it is today, it is one month before Matthew's birthday-We had better be home by then.

We could use lots of prayers for court to be soon! Thanks.

Some of the kids at Sasha's house (as Matthew calls it)
Another card Sasha drew us.
Here is the boat Vasya made Matthew-the first word is supposed to be Matthew, Sasha spells it Metu.

Sasha is knocking walnuts down for the littler kids.

This is Camillo, Nadia, and their newly adopted daughter Sonya (8). I thought they said it was their anniversary, but it was Nadia's birthday. They even brought cake for the kids and we had some too. They are from Italy, they are very interesting-even if we can't understand them. He tries to talk to me in Spanish, but my spanish isn't very good and neither is his. He even gave us pictures that he took of us and Sasha. They are very nice.

Isn't this puppy cute? He is brindle in color, I just want to bring him home.
Matthew was giving us a ride to school.

Playing Futbal

This is one of the pictures Sasha gave us.
Here's Vasya with his new jacket and hat-I'm in the picture since Audrey keeps asking, I prefer not to be in the pictures since it is soooo humid my hair gets curly and flat. Yuck!

Day 29-Tuesday




We've been shopping (Again)! This time we braved a new bus route, to the center to the market. It is a bunch of venders in one area (kind of like a flea market). We got Vasya a jacket and a stockinghat (without a bus on it). In the middle of the market there are tables full of meats and fish just laying under umbrellas-how long does meat keep like that? We were even offered a free sample of some fish. We declined and got out of there fast as it has warmed up a bit and stinks. We then got back on the bus and went the rest of the way to the center. We found our old favorite Celantino's pizza. It was good, but I am not sure if is any better than the vender ourtside the grocerystore. They had remodeled Celantino's, even the bathroom. They took out the regular toilet and put in one of those hole in the ground things, I hadn't even thought about those on this trip. Matthew thought it was great! He had Jeff take a picture. Then we hopped the bus back to General Petrova (our street) and walked to Vasya's or Vazzy's as Matthew calls him. Vasya was excited to see us, he had made Matthew a paper boat. We gave him his jacket and hat. He thanked us for them and put them right on. We gave him three pieces of left-over pizza, he ate one and gave the other two to boys in his groupa to share. We watched him play soccer or futbal, he is pretty good and scored several goals. Then we headed to Sasha's, he was waiting at the fence when we got off the bus. He had another picture for us. A bunch of kids were climbing trees and getting walnuts to eat. So we watched for a while, then played hide-in-seek. Some of the kids got to eat happy meals today, I think it was for anyone who had September birthdays. Sasha wants to go to America NOW! He says so everyday. When we left and were standing acrossed the street waiting for the bus, Matthew said "Ha ha I'm on the other side of the fence and you can't me." What a stinker, poor Sasha stands at the fence peering through the holes at us like he's a criminal. Hopefully we will get him out soon. Matthew slept the entire bus ride back from the orphanage, we had our supper and ice cream and are ready for bed. Matthew has become a pro at Go-Fish, and pick-up sticks, anybody else want to play a few hundred games with him?

Sorry I couldn't get the toilet picture to rotate right, so you'll have to wait to see it.