Catching up....

To sum up our past two days: our translator bought vodka and orange juice for tonight….and she wants “lots of vodka”. Yesterday it rained, so we stayed in with Yana and Vita watching High School Musical 2 and video of Vita on the news at Christmas. After that, we went to Mario’s pizza in the tourist district for dinner and to commiserate with Gary Fry…who has been here for one month and still hasn’t had court. He goes the 23rd and his wife is coming back for that date. We have a court date as of today, but it is flexible and will likely be sooner. As of July 8th, all of the adoption judges have vacation we’ve been told until September. Back to the pizza….between me and the boys, we ate two small and one large….plus bread and tomato/mozzarella salad and lots of Coke.

Starting last night, we have been on an emotional roller coaster…and like all roller coasters, it’s a relief when it’s over and you can look back with a different perspective. Lena and I went to the inspector’s office today to work on the paperwork for Galya. The inspector basically called our dossier crap. I took offense. She also questioned the lack of fingerprinting and lack of “application”…not even sure what that’s about. Also, the SDA looked at my passport and issued referrals using my maiden name…not realizing there is an amendment with my last name changing to Kellett. Note to paps: if there are amendments, make sure that is part of your notarized copy of your passport. Also, bring 1-2 fill-in-the-blank, notarized, power of attorney docs. And with the I171H, copy the second page as well which talks about fingerprints…maybe this will help inspector to realize fingerprints were done. We now have to get a letter from the SDA and embassy to say we were fingerprinted. Make sure wife’s last name is consistent on all docs. Or maybe a same name affidavit for the wife, especially if previously married.

OK…and the inspector was not happy that she did not meet David, so we were suppose to take him in today. We didn’t make it after going to the notary and Yana’s grandmother’s house. Then we went to McDonald’s after feeding the kids chips and coke for lunch with a banana for a snack. Yana’s babushka gave the kids “drunken cherries”….Jakob LOVED them, the other two had to choke them down. No one expected the pit in the cherry!! We took pictures of Yana and her sister and grandmother. And Grandmother wanted one of all of us since we are family now. Grandmother said she wants to eat Levi up…and who doesn’t?? She was very huggy with the boys and they took it well.

Today was emotionally and financially taxing…but we all survived and had a good outcome. BUT….we are in Ukraine and anything can happen. That’s hard for us to get our heads around…I can’t imagine how hard it is for all the kids.

Tomorrow we have to go back to the inspector so David can prove he is real. Hopefully, this will get us permission to visit Galya…but she leaves tomorrow to go visit her family for 3 days. It’s her cousin’s birthday and she is going to celebrate.

We hope to get the boys, and girls, to the dolphinarium, amusement park, zoo, and beach. Vita does not want us to go to the beach because it’s so dirty….she says the beach is “poop”. But the kids are determined to go to the beach…so we will go.

On a funny note, David was being awesome as always today and hung out the laundry. Unfortunately, a pair of my underwear are now on the roof of the people downstairs. I’m not sure if we should go get them, or just pretend they are not mine! Guess it depends on how desperate for undies I get!!

We will see what tomorrow brings our way!!