Thursday

We have access to some of the computers the have at the school, but we cannot upload our pictures or hook up Troy's laptop to their computers.

We really like the children, but we are dead by 9 pm. It is their spring break and we are staying at the orphanage and so we have to entertain 24/7 and it wears us out. But it is good. So we came up on Tuesday to see the kids and the first thing they tell us is that some cousin and her mother came and wanted to take them for spring break. They said they didn't even know who they were. Just our luck. So we couldn't do any paperwork or anything on Tuesday because they were coming back on Wednesday to meet with us and the kids. We kept asking what would happen to the kids after spring break, if they were going to live with them and they said no. They tried to tell the kids that we wanted them for their organs. This has been the strangest month in our entire lives.

When the director asked them if they wanted to go with their relatives for spring break, Victor immediately stood and said, "I don't even know them, why would I want to go with them? No." Tatiana just hid her head and said she didn't know and didn't like have to answer these questions. Nastia, Anastasia, wanted to go as she was curled up on the cousins lap eating candy. So after a day of ups and downs the kids said they wanted to go to America and signed the paperwork. Troy, Natasha and I had gone for a walk to give them some time with the director. I think we all needed a little space. Although the weather was beautiful Tuesday and we walked around the pond and around the orphanage, yesterday was cold and rainy so we were jumping over puddles. And last night once again it snowed. So we ate dinner with the kids and then they readied the shower for us. It was a small square room with the shower head in the middle of the ceiling. At least we had hot, hot water. It sure felt good. So Troy and I got to spend some alone time in the shower. The kids didn't understand why Natasha and Vladimir weren't showering with us!! Pretty funny. They all line up in their underwear and the woman over their building runs them threw and scrubs them down and kicks them out in a long procession. Glad we didn't have to join them.

So today the paperwork is together and Vladimir and Natasha are finally off to visit with the judge to see when we can get a court date. After Vladimir gets back from Kyiv with the properly signed papers saying we can have a court date here. It is an insane process. Hopefully all will go well and we can come home next week/weekend. Then one of us will head back after the 10 day waiting period to pick them up and bring them home. We'll have to post pictures when we get home.