Getting Things Done in Ukraine...

Today was a long but productive day.  The whiplash tour is as such...

* Oleg picked us up at 8 AM to take us to another village in the Zapporizhia region where the birthparents registered their tax IDs.  This was an hour drive each way.  By the time we got back to Zapp it was 11:30 AM...

* We then dropped off all the updated paperwork at the notary's office to make several photocopies...

* While we waited for copies we went out to lunch at a restaurant that made its attempt at Mexican food.  I enjoyed a mayonnaise-based chicken and tomato burrito with rice.  Not quite the Mexican or Tex Mex food I recall but it worked.  Tony enjoyed some delicious grilled pork.

*After lunch we picked up papers here and there while I slept in the back seat for 2 hours of the to and fro...

* At 2:30 PM we headed on to the orphanage...

Four days of in the car travel...

Tony prepared sermons in the back seat.  Wish I could do this, however, I would get car sick... so I'm resolved to sleep...

* We got to the orphanage around 3 PM and had a few moments with our older two: James and Angela...

Apparently, each class keeps a newspaper of weekly events.  James Arthur's afternoon teacher (who is uncharacteristically nurturing - according to one who says most teachers are mean and some even beat the children) showed us some past 'news'... 

 In the above picture on the left hand corner, James was reportedly in a fight with another student.  The writing says something to the effect that this was shameful behavior... 

This second newspaper says James Arthur did well in class and had very good behavior...

James' class had some sort of pom-pom dance class... interesting...

We caught Angela off guard with this quick shot while observing James' class...

We picked the two little girls - Jana Sophia and Victoria Joy - up at 4 PM and headed back to Zapp for passport pictures.  Thirty minutes later the six of us plus Yana met up with Nina at the Passport/Visa office.  Thankfully, these four enjoy writing and drawing.  So, I pulled out pens and paper from my purse and prayed that would hold their attention for the duration of our wait.  It worked for awhile until it was "toilet" time. I took the girls down the narrow hall to the restroom and found that the only option was the men's room (the ladies was locked).  All I will say is, "That was fun" (*insert laugh*).  We got through it with only a couple close calls behavior wise.  

We herded everyone up and hit the road back to the orphanage at 5:30 PM.  Our thirty minute jam-packed car ride back was a lot of fun.  Jana and Victoria were wrapping up their bottles of water we had purchased in their fleece jackets and treating them like babies.  James and Angela were playing facial games - funny faces and such - with us.  Then they all started kissing on momma and papa... precious.  We shared with the kids that we think we should only have 5 or 6 more days until we take them out of the orphanage forever.  We all shared in the excitement!

So... we finished the necessary in-region paperwork on our end.  We should hear around 3 PM tomorrow (friday) if our passports will be ready on the 12th (Tuesday) or the 13th (Wednesday).  Whatever day we receive passports we plan to pick up our kids for good and board an overnight train to Kiev - woo hoo!  Ok, that will be an adventure too but the most time efficient.  Then, Lord willing, we will be able to knock out our paperwork there in 2 days (keep praying to this end please!) and board a flight on Saturday (16th) or Sunday (17th)!  There, of course, can be unseen delays but we will pray otherwise!  We can see some light at the end of the tunnel - yay!  Thanks for your continued prayers and words of encouragement!