10 Day Wait is ending soon

Today is the 10th day since our court date. Oksana picked up the court decree today, which helped a lot since technically the court could have made us wait until tomorrow (which would have been AFTER the 10 day wait). The reason it helps is because it gave Oksana an extra full day to get more paperwork done before the weekend. She had Ashley unregistered (the kids have to be unregistered before they can have their new birth certificates created - it all confuses me). Once she did that, she had to take that paperwork to Ashley's orphanage to get it signed by the director there. Guess what - the director's on a 3 day vacation. No problem for Super Oksana. She just called him up, went to his house, picked him up and drove him to the orphanage so he could sign and stamp it there. (The stamp was in the orphanage safe which is why he had to come in). In the afternoon, she picked me up and we went to the Citizens Hall of Records, or something like that. There I had to sign a document that allows us to go to the region where Ashley's original birth certificate was created (Kakhovka) and request a new one. The lady at this place was also curious as to why we would want to adopt kids when we have some already. Oksana's heard us answer this question enough that she didn't even ask me, she just told her herself. So on Monday we're heading out east about an hour to Kakhovka to get that taken care of. Tomorrow we're going to take Ashley out to get her new passport photo taken. Then I'm buying a bunch of ice cream and toppings and I'm going to bribe all of Ashley's roommates with it by taking it up to her room. They all look at me like I'm this strange old American, so maybe now they'll think of me as a strange old American who brings treats. I should hand out phone cards, then they'd all love me for sure. Ashley's gone through 150 grivna in phone cards since I started buying them. I asked her who she's calling and she said, "Everyone."

Let's backtrack a little to yesterday. We agreed on a 1pm departure, so in the morning I jumped on a bus and went to the supermarket and to Cafe Mohr for breakfast. Sure, I could have walked, but I want to get a better handle on these buses. The bus ride wasn't far, and it was a straight line, so I knew I couldn't get lost. At 1pm, Oksana and I went out to SB for a couple of hours. When we got there the front gate was closed and locked so we couldn't get in. We banged on the gate but no one came out. How would we solve this dilemma? We just drove around the side where there is no fence and pulled right into our normal parking lot. (so why was the gate locked?) This time I took the toothbrushes and sidewalk chalk the Barretts donated. (Thanks again) I gave the chalk to a teacher for safe keeping. Besides, it snowed the night before about 1/2 an inch. When I arrived, all the kids ran over to get hugs - except for Vasya. Once I realized this and looked over at the TV I saw him. He was looking back at me with a big smile on his face so I called his name and waved him over. He was back to his old self again, and came and gave me a big hug. Then he stayed close and played cards with us the entire time I was there. After a while, I pulled Sasha aside for a short talk. He knows the plan moving forward. He said he's excited (with a 'c' this time) about coming to stay with me, and about coming to Colorado. I asked him if he's going to miss these kids and of course he said, "yes". I said, "me, too". It's funny that the kids seem to know when we want to have a private talk with him because they always cram right in to listen. Little Natasha was right next to me for the whole conversation, so I said I was especially going to miss her. She has been on me like glue for the past few visits. During several games of UNO she sat next to me and could see my cards. Every time she could, she would play a card that would help me, or not play one that would hurt me. All of the kids are now UNO experts, and they like to team up. Sasha #2 (not our Sasha) and Vasya seemed to form an alliance fairly quickly. Sasha was about to win a game, but didn't want to lay his last card down because he wanted Vasya to win. When it was time to go, little Andre tugged at my red bags because he wanted to carry them to the car for me. Since they weighed all of a half a pound, I was glad to unload that burden, so I agreed.

After SB, we went to Ashley's. We found her in her room watching TV and invited her to go to dinner. She didn't want to, but Oksana talked her into it. She told me she needs another phone card. I was shocked because I just gave her a 100 grivna one a week ago. I thought for sure that would be the last one I had to get her. Oh, well - I can spoil her in this department. Oh, who are we kidding, I'll spoil her as bad as I do Tatum and Austin. During dinner I asked her if she had any questions, and she said she was sad about leaving her friends. So we talked about when I would take her out of the orphanage for good. Earlier in the day, Oksana recommended letting her stay in the orphanage until the last day before we left for Kiev. It would be easier on her, and me since I'm working, and the place I'm staying is small. Hearing from Ashley that she wants to stay as long as she can has pretty much decided it that I'll let her stay there until we board the train for Kiev. Nothing's for sure, though. It's so much different with Sasha. He's ready to get out of that orphanage and never look back. I'm sure he'll miss his friends, but he's ready to go. So I may get him alone for a few days. I could take him to visit Ashley as well. Plus, I don't want to take Ashley with us when we go to see Sasha's grandma, sister, and aunt, which will probably be next Tuesday or Wednesday. Please pray for that meeting. Pray that I find favor in their eyes, that they are at peace with Sasha leaving, and that it's a friendly meeting. I'm hoping I can get some pictures and maybe some video.

Anyway, after dinner, we dropped Ashley off and said goodbye. I gave her a hug and told her I loved her. Then she gave me one of her long eye-to-eye looks. It was probably only 2 or 3 seconds, but I really like it when she does that. Please pray that she can start to focus on the positives of coming instead of the negatives of leaving, and that she can have peace about it.

Back in my room by 6pm, I started my workday by taking a nice hour and a half power nap. I had a conference call at 11pm, and now I think I have skype all figured out. My mic volume kept dropping as I talked and people were hearing an echo until I put my headphones on which solved all my problems. The sound coming out of my speakers and back into the mic was throwing skype off. Thanks to Johnny Barrett for letting me use his skype account until my brother John could get credit added to my account. I tried the VPN thing, but it still didn't let me add credit for myself.

I talked to Kari, Austin and Tatum for awhile on skype. I can't wait to join them in back home.

Best case scenario would have us submitting for the passports on Tuesday the 13th, getting them on Friday the 16th, taking the train to Kiev that weekend, getting our medical checkups and applying for visas on Monday, and getting the visas on Tuesday the 20th. Normally I'd say that since that's the "best case scenario", that you know that won't happen, but Oksana seems to have a way to make people want to help her.