Finally Friday!

One more day down! Today we went to pick up our “conclusion” at the social workers, sign, then Oxana ran yet again to Dnipropertrosk to pick up the clarification about the birth mothers middle name. Then she and Olec went straight to Keiv (5 hours away) in hopes to get our papers turned into the SDA today! I hope they made it.

I got on the Internet with a satellite connection on my laptop which made it possible to communicate with Snezhana and we’re on for Sunday to visit her and Ivan.

I’ve tried to get a hold of the mission president but so far no one is answering. I’m assuming church starts at nine? Anyone have a better idea?

The day was pretty uneventful, James and Alex took the bikes outside and no, they did not ask permission, soon everyone was taking turns. Alex was riding so fast James had to stop him as he only has front brakes and of course no helmet. The Soderburg’s Julia came looking for James for a game of catch and they played for an hour while Lex rode the bike. They then had a game of soccer with a tennis ball and James scored the only two goals. By the end of the day James just had to sit, he’d been played out!

Bill Strader tried to get permission for us to take Soderburgs Julia with us to lunch but the director had already left and Julia very graciously declined the invitation.

We’ve enjoyed hanging out with Straders and their darling Julia, if they weren’t adopting her I think we would have too. She’s really a sweet girl and she and Lex play like brother and sister. It’s amazing how giving and fair these children are. If you’re handing out gum or treats, they make sure everyone gets some and equal amounts. I had given Lex a little Matchbox Car (thanks Kara) and he told me the next morning (through a translator) that he hopes it was okay but, he gave his car to another boy who’s birthday was yesterday. Okay? Are you kidding?

Bill Strader had heard there was a restaurant with live animals so we all went there for lunch. There were animals all right, three hundred to be precise but they were all dead and stuffed and hanging on the walls. More pelts and heads then I have ever seen! Lex and Julia loved pointing out the more graphic ones’ to me, like the owl clutching a dead mouse, the headless birds, the boar’s head an- the grossest in my opinion-horse head. We were told that the small and domesticated animals died of natural causes and were not shot. (Yeah, whatever!) Apparently we were dining in the most expensive restaurant in Dniprozerzhynk! However the food was fabulous! The bill for all 7 of us was 737 grievna’s which is roughly 90-95 dollars and this was with drinks, soup, salads, main courses and juice refills three times for both children. Then we found out there ARE live animals, they’re behind the restaurant so we went out to see. Two very sad looking bears in very stinky cages, some chickens, a wolf, some goats and some ducks. Yuck. The Humane Society would have had a hay-day with this operation.

We went to the theater tonight, and it was very well done. We didn’t understand a lick except for the American pop song in the middle. Why it was in there made no sense to us at all. James has been wearing sweats and a t-shirt each day and I think the other adults were worried he’d wear that to the theater but we had actually brought him nicer clothes and when he put them on they clapped. Alex however attended in dirty jeans and a Winnie The Pooh sweatshirt that has seen better days.

We’re picking up Alex in the morning to keep him with us through Sunday night. When he heard he was going “da doma” with us, he squeezed me so hard and tried to lift me off the floor. He’s really liking his Papa but likes sitting by and laying his head on his Mama.

He asked me how old I was and I asked him to guess and he said 59! 59??? The translator told me he was teasing. Great, just what I need another teasing boy-I’m afraid what he and Austin will come up with when they are together.

We have the apartment to ourselves tonight and tomorrow we’ve invited Straders over for the day with Julia. Their apartment is pretty bad, I haven’t seen it yet but from what I heard, I feel bad about complaining at all about our place. In fact our apartment has really grown on me. Nope, don’t want to stay a minute more than necessary but I’ve realized that things could be so much worse.

Here’s something we’ve learned. Do not lean against the walls. If you even brush the walls on your way up the stair well you’ll get white dust on you. Today Bill was leaning against the red building and a child came up and told him not to. Then Lezlie noticed he had a red strip across his back. What’s with that?

I tried again to get pictures of kids but without a translator, I just couldn’t get them to understand what I was wanting. It’s frustrating me. The kids go back to school on Monday so I don’t think we can visit now until three. I’m hoping after court, they’ll just let us keep Alex but whatever will I do with this bundle of energy in this little apartment? James is heading back and he is his source of entertainment, wrestling buddy and soccer pal.

The first thing I’m going to do is get him in the shower and dressed in new clothes! I will have to post pictures!!

Love to all. Happy weekend. Thanks for your comments and emails. They keep us going.