Meeting the Girls...

Wow it is so hard to sit down and write about the past 48 hours. So much has happenned. So many emotions. So much driving. So little sleep. I will try.

Let's see. We woke up at 5:00 yesterday (Friday) and N picked us up. We headed to Zhytomyr - about 1 1/2 hours away. N's husband was speeding on the way - very common - and got stopped. One option was to pay 10 grivna ($2) to the police but the other was better, apparently. Her husband works for the governmentt - parliament I think - so he just showed his papers and off we went :) So finally we arrived in Zhytomyr and headed to the adoption inspector. She knew of the girls and were happy that we were here to adopt them. She signed the necessary papers and finally headed to the orphanage. It is about 10 minutes from the city. N had never been to this one before, so we got a bit lost. They just ask whoever happens to be on the side of road and will do a 180 in the middle of the road - no problem. You run into quite some characters asking for directions. We were all laughing hysterically during all that but getting weary as well. Finally we were there. N went in while we waited in the car and watched a few kids coming and going. Finally we were called in to the director's office. He seems very kind and very quickly gave his blessing for us to proceed and for us to visit the girls whenever we like. As we were standing in his office - totally unexpectedly - in bursts Katya! No warning. Amazingly Zach got photos! She lept into my arms saying "Mama, Mama" many times. She was nervous at the same time. I'm sure it was overwhelming for her. As quickly as she came, she left - to go get Nastya. So Nastya runs in a few minutes later and repeats the same thing with Katya right behind her. It was crazy but wonderful. So strange to be here - on their turf! They are so precious in their school uniforms and big bows in their hair.

After a short meeting with the nurse about their medical history, they immediately led us around the school area to tour their classrooms and meet their friends. Within minutes, they introduced us to Masha and Tanya and Galyna and Olya and asked us to adopt them all. There are no word to describe all my feelings - joy to see them, to finally be in this place about to bring home our girls; heartbreak to have to leave the other kids; sadness to take them away from what has been their home for a year and a half - to cause them more pain even though it is for much good - please read this post from another family that is here now; frustration at not being able to do more; intense pain for all they have had to endure already...so much more.

So after touring the school, seeing them practice dance and music for a performance for teachers day (it took place after we left yesterday), walking outside on the playground area, and meeting so many children, we headed back to Zhytomyr to take the next step with the paperwork. While we had played with the kids, N had been working out paperwork with the director and orphanage lawyer. Now it had to be notarized and taken to the court lawyer to be processed before 4:00. Not an easy task since the first notary asked for Zach and my Ukraine tax id numbers?!? What?! Of course she knew we were Americans. So wierd. So then we looked for another with about a million attempts at directions and 180 degree turns in the middle of the streets. I was getting very tired and so was N (she has a cold during all this). Finally, we succeeded and even got the paperwork to the right lawyer on time. Whew!!

Now the next adventure...finding a place to stay. Not easy here. In most regions there are plenty of apartments for rent by the week but no one knew of any here. So we checked out the three hotels. The first - The Dodo (bird) Hotel - was extremely nice and the price reflected this. The next was medium but fairly full and the only rooms were one that reeked of smoke and another that was on the sixth floor. No problem except no elevator :) Well we said we needed to work out!! Also no fridge or kitchen. So then we checked out the last one - no words for that one, but we didn't bother to look at the rooms. We returned to the middle hotel and proceeded to carry the luggage up 6 flight of stairs. We will have to move out in a few days to somewhere else. Around this time it all hit me. I had been in a great mood and loving every second, but all at once the emotions of the past few days combined with extreme exhaustion hit like a ton of bricks. I started crying in front of sweet N. And she was so kind it made me cry more. Okay I sound completely crazy now. But I just can't explain it - it came out of nowhere and I was powerless to stop it. I assured N that I was not really upset - just needed some time to process and some sleep and some food. She took us to a great restaurant and then I went home and crashed.

It did the trick. I felt great today and had a fabulous visit to the orphanage. We stopped by the market, via taxi, on the way and got fruit and candy and the shampoo Katya asked for. It was gorgeous outside today and we spent about 5 hours with the girls and their friends. We were allowed to go up to the girls' room and spend some time there. It is actually very cozy and has plenty of room. They have many of the things that we had sent back with them. That was encouraging to see. Then we headed outdoors and Zach played some basketball with some of the older boys. They were pretty impressed :) And the girls kept same, "Oh Daddy - bravo!" It was so much fun - just hanging out and playing and talking. Some of the kids know English quite well and translate for each other. One girl speaks excellent Spanish (she has been hosted in Spain several times) and so she translates through Zach with the other kids and then he translates to me. I'm sure nothing is lost :) They all want to show off their talents and just have approval. They want hugs and they want to talk. They also appreciate candy and fruit :) The boys want to wrestle. They all want their pictures taken. They are so precious it just makes my heart ache for them. I can't imagine how I will feel by the time we leave. What an amazing blessing this time is even if it is so emotional - we love every second (almost!)!!!