Day Five of Ten

Since I already wrote a lengthy post this morning I’ll keep this brief. We pretty much did the same thing we’ve done the past four days except the Rast are here and they came to lunch with us. Their girls are darling and Amy just glows when she’s with them.
Oxana and I are going to try and go find a place for a pedicure on Friday. I’m looking forward to that. I like having Oxana here, it reminds me of my college days and living with Kristin.
Kambree and Austin, at home have the flu and it makes me sad that I’m not there to take care of them. However, they couldn’t be in better hands as they’re with the person that I like to take care of me when I’m sick. My mom. I just hope she doesn’t catch what they have.
Oxana and I looked over the calendar. After our ten day wait on the 14th we can go to Dnipropertrosk and get Alex’s birth certificate changed and apply for a change in what is similar to our social security card. We have to get this documentation approved and then apply for the passport here. It has to go to Kiev and come back and then we can leave here and head to Kiev. (Yes, I asked if I couldn’t just pick it up in Kiev but…no!) So if all goes as planned and smoothly we may be heading to Kiev on the 21st or 22nd and pending a smooth time with the medical and the physical we may be able to leave the 23rd or 24th.
I really, really want to be home by the 24th to catch Kambree’s dance concert.
So over all, I will have been gone for 5 weeks and 3-4 days. (And that’s if everything goes as planned!)

Wendy Thoughts...

I’ve been inspired by Amy’s blog to find what I love about Ukraine so I can share it later with Alex.
It’s apparent that Alex does not care for Ukraine. But some day he might. Right now he just wants to be an American and one of us. He found the paper I had to read to the judge about what we request from the court and I was trying to read it to him. When I’d get to his old last name of Berdo he would cover it with his finger and say “No Berdo. Richhart!” he was very adamant and said it about three times. “NO BERDO! RICHHART” I hope some day he will want to know more about his country and that he can come to love and appreciate the people here. But at this point I think the only thing he loves about Ukraine is Ivan & Snezhana-and all those dried fish snacks!
I had a great talk with Oxana about the politics and history here. It’s crazy to think that she was a child under Soviet regime. She explained that things were very different then and bleak. There were not many choices, factories turned out things in bulk and all the same. You were provided for and you could go to school and then you were told where you could work. You were paid a certain amount and promotions or bonuses were unheard of. You would want to work hard because if you didn’t your employer would hold a big meeting with you as the center and point out all your faults in front of everyone. Your wife could complain to your boss that you were not being a good husband or father and they would hold the same sort of “court” and point out your faults in front of everyone. Yes, no one starved but no one excelled either. (This is all from Oxana’s point of view)
Anyway, so she explained that Ukraine is a relatively new country. Only about 18 years old. That they use to have problems with Mafia's and racketeering and they're just getting their legal system figured out.
I was complaining to Oxann about the horrible porn Alex and I saw yesterday. Not just boobs but….everything and more! I was appalled. We were standing in line and this was displayed just about my eye level. Alex had glanced up and then quickly turned away shielding his eyes. Children should not be subject to this or anyone for that matter! Eww…gross!
Oxana explained that right now her government is so focused on just the big picture like crime and murder that other laws have not been put in place or even thought about. She told me my country is much older and probably had the same problems in the beginning. (I highly doubt that Betsy Ross’s friends were posing for pictures with only their bonnets on and that these pictures were displayed in the corner market but, I can see her point.) I am so grateful to live in a country where laws are made to protect our children and ourselves from such moral depravity.
Anyway, back to what I love about Ukraine. I love the industry, the thrift. I love that they cook with everything they have and plant gardens and have houseplants. I love that they bundle their children up like the little boy on Christmas Story that has fallen and can’t get up even when its 50 degrees outside. I love that just when you think everyone is terribly grumpy and hates Americans you run into sweet sales girls that try to help a pantomiming American find a swimsuit and suggest she try on a string bikini. (Ha!) I love how everyone walks everywhere and their public transportation system. I love the creamy dairy and the fresh bread and that there is a market on every corner. I love the villages that we traveled through and the tidy houses and wood piles. I love those silly brooms made of bundled sticks and I love that every so often I see the sun and the blue sky. I love that when I walk by the children’s preschool that the squeals and play sound just like they do at home. I love the generosity and hospitality of the people that own this apartment, the director of the orphanage and Ivan & Snezhana. I love that people slow down and have tea and talk for hours on end. That old men gather in the court yards and play cards & chess and that little old baboshka’s seem to have giant spirits and backbones of iron as they sit and sell their seeds or preserves on the street corners. All these things I love.
James added via email: I loved that cat that was so hungry and ate your fish, the way Ukraine's prepare fish. I kind of like and hate the way people stare. I like that there is such a diversity in the people but they all seem to get along. I like that you can pay an officer a few grievnyas and explain you situation and he won't report it to your insurance company. I love riding the express train. I loved spending quality time with Wendy!
Mostly, I love Alex and he is Ukrainian. I love and appreciate that he is who he because of where he is and because of his circumstance. I love that we found him and I love that he is now ours. Of course I would prefer that I had him from the moment of conception, that there would have been no sadness, neglect or abuse in his life but then he wouldn’t be who he is and we wouldn’t have experienced the special love and indescribable experience that adoption has brought into our lives.
So, that’s what I love about the Ukraine. I will try to look for more things so I can remember some day share with Alex. So he can find pride and love for his heritage.

More About Day #4

Here’s a couple other things I forgot to blog about earlier:
Every so often Alex brings me things to take “da doma” (home) First it was the suitcase we sent home with him, three swimming caps, his swimsuit, his t-shirts and the shoes we sent home with him. I’ve slowly collected all the English books and flashcards and today it was his most precious possession, his 5 hot wheels cars and some stickers.
Today, I brought the shoes back that he sent as obviously they are too small and asked if he could give them to another boy at the school. “No-Brach.” (Brach is my nephew-Alex’s new cousin and they’re the same size and Brach may have even bigger feet!) I said “Honey, Brach is as big if not bigger than you.” Then he made a gesture the size of him and say’s “Brach” and then a smaller gesture, and it dawned on me, he meant Tyler, my other nephew who is only 5. He wants to give his shoes to Tyler. “Tyler?” I ask. “Da, Tyler.” How sweet is that? I mean it’s not like Tyler will grow into these shoes anytime soon (or that my sister will even want him to have these shoes) it’s just sweet that he wants to give them to someone in our family. I know someone in the orphanage could use them more than Tyler but Alex has his heart set on giving them to his new little cousin!
The other funny thing is that he and Julia were talking to me about Bill and Lezlie having to leave for Sumy and Alex was imitating a plane and a sad face and saying “Bye-bye Papa” obviously that his Dad went home to America and he was sad. Then he does the same airplane imitation and say’s “Bye-bye Mama” and then throws himself down and pretends to weep & wail. Like he would be devastated if I had left? Obviously, I made the right decision to stay here during this 10 day wait? I wouldn’t want him weeping and wailing! Or maybe it was totally something else and I’m reading more into his charades than there actually was? I prefer to think he would miss me terribly.
I returned the 2nd non working computer game today (during my shopping excursion-without Alex) and just got a DVD of “Shrek” in Russian. I figured this way when we get home and Alex gets frustrated with English or just starts missing Ukraine, we’ll all sit and watch “Shrek” and he will understand and the rest of us will be able to see how if must feel to be Alex right now.

Day Four of Our Ten Day Wait

Good Day. (Or Dobrey Den is how it sounds in Russian)!
Straders came early this morning, freshened up and had breakfast before heading to court.
I decided to do a little shopping-for a swimsuit of all things-and I’m happy to say that I really think I’ve got a handle on this city. I walked the majority of the way and took a bus at the end. The swim suit quest is another challenge yet to conquer. I found one place selling suits and after trying on a few decided that modesty in swimsuits is not really an option here. I found one that was okay modesty wise but it was so ugly I know I’d never wear it again and I just couldn’t pay $50 for a one time suit. So I’ll keep looking.
I picked up Alex and talked him into going to lunch with me and then we thought we’d go see a movie. Monsters vs Aliens was playing at 4:00 so we kicked around a few stores and then headed to the cinema only to find out they’re only screening it on Saturdays. So we’ll have to try again on Saturday.
It was such a beautiful day that we just walked around window shopping. At one point I came out of a store with Alex and came upon the dirtiest little boy. He was probably about Alex’s age and he had his hand out for money. I asked Alex to ask where his mama was. No mama just a babushka (grandma). I gave him all my change and then a disinfect wipe and had Alex instruct him to wash his hands before I gave him the other half of our pizza that I had in a to-go container. His eyes just lit up. I couldn’t help but give him a little hug. I realized right there and then that there are worse places to live than an orphanage. I had just been thinking how dirty Alex’s hands are and how he’s been wearing the same shirt for four days and I looked at this little boy standing by my little boy and my heart wanted to break. Alex looks loved and cared for. Afterwards Alex slipped his hand into mine and leaned against my shoulder. I think he felt as badly for this little boy as I did.
We did lots of hand holding as there was no one around but us and I got lots of "Thanks mama’s" when we fixed his cell phone (yes, that cost about $2.50) and bought him treats. At one point he tried to carry my heavy bag and he said to me “Thanks Alex.” He’s too funny.
We worked on some English out in the shopping plaza. I’m teaching Alex the ABC song. I figured that is how we all learned the alphabet when we were little. He’s got the beginning and the ending and the middle is just a mumbled mess but he’ll get it. The other thing we did was I would say words and he’d point to what letter they started with and we worked on the sounds of the alphabet.
I forgot to mention that yesterday after our pouting English session that I got a "Sorry Mama." from my boy. A genuine look me right in the eyes "Sorry Mama." He knew he was being a pill and I loved that he owed up to that and apologized.
We took a bus back up to the school as we had walked all the way down to the end of the street and I had already walked a good mile or two earlier. You could tell Alex was nervous about taking the bus. I mean honestly, do you blame him? This new mother of his can't speak a lick of Russian, makes him order for her and do all the talking and now she's putting us on a bus? He watched out the window carefully, observing everything. Luckily it was the right bus and we got off at the right stop. (I already knew it was the right bus but I think Alex had his doubts!)
At the school Julia found us and we played a quick game of Twister which was also a lesson in English because they had to know their colors, their right and left and their hand from their foot.
I left at six as I wanted to be sure to bet back before the sun started setting. Alex saids “No mama seven!” but I explained I had to walk. He gave me big hugs and tried to talk me into coming to the school at nine in the morning. Silly boy. He has school. I then got strict instructions to be there at 2:09! Not 2:10. I’m beginning to think he really likes me.
I did walk all the way home so I think I may have clocked about 5 miles today. Good ‘cause hanging with Alex and Julia is a constant calorie fest!
Constatine is here talking with Oxana and he’s suggested that I stay here and teach English. James and I can build a big house by the river and James can fish and hunt and I can teach English. He says he will miss me when I leave. (I understood all this because Oxana translated it all!) Constantine is a good guy. I’m glad he’s watching out for me.
Well, I left three weeks ago today! Hopefully I'll be home within the next two but that is still questionable. It will all hinge on the passport process.
Straders are heading to Sumy and I heard a rumor that Rasts will be here tomorrow-hurray!
Day four…down!

Day Three Of Our 10 Day Wait!

Well, here’s a challenge. How to write about another day of yet all the same stuff as the days before?
I slept in, woke up and read a bit then did some laundry. Then Constantine just showed up around noon-apparently it’s his day off? He wanted to talk about the USA. Let me point out Constantine does NOT speak English. About every 10th word is an English word but often times it’s not the right one so it’s like a game of me trying to guess what he’s saying or pretending I understand. It’s exasperating! And I so wanted to do my own thing today. He’s always showing me the weather here on the Internet and he wanted to know the weather in Utah so I just went to KSL.com and then I told him I was going to the store. Did I want him to drive me? Um…let me think about that…no? (Besides it’s only two blocks away!) I left him at the computer and walked to the market. When I came back he was on the Larry Miller Honda website that was linked from KSL. Then he wanted to talk about prices of cars….good gravy!
I did show him our house via Google satellite and he was flabbergasted that our house was so large. At his request, I found a metric conversion calculator and converted my house to metric units and for my curiosity I converted his metic unit apartment measurement to square feet. His apartment (where I'm living) is 542 square feet. He even told Alex later that he saw our house on the computer and our trampoline in the back yard.
It’s amazing how much the USA influences this country. Although I don’t run into many English speakers, I hear English songs on the radio and piped into the grocery stores all the time, I’ve read English graffiti on the walls like “Punk is not dead” and “Kill the cops” and many t-shirts and clothing items have English phrases and logo’s.
I tried to find something healthy to eat for lunch. I’m dying for a Rumbi’s salad and the best I could do was find cucumbers. I was peeling them and Constantine found that hilarious. Apparently the potato peeler is only used for potatoes?
Finally we went to school. This time I just took off looking for Lex rather than waiting at the main building. The weather was wonderful. I didn’t even need a jacket and the kids were out playing and working in the yard. They love to say “hello” when you walk by. The school really keeps their yard tidy compared to the rest of the city.
Masha waved to me right away and I asked if Nastia was back. Yes and she pointed me up the hill. Then my little friend Tawnya, found me and personally escorted me to find Alex and Nastia. Tawyna wanted me to take her picture so here it is. I’m pretty sure this girl is an orphan (as she was here during spring break) but I have no idea if she is available. She is a sweetheart. I think she’s about 14 and just eager to please and very friendly.

First we went to the cafeteria where I found Lubia, Lena, Sveta and the Sodeburgs Julia all eating lunch together. They were having a large serving of rice, some sort of meat and a large bowl of borscht. It actually looked pretty good. We talked for a bit in our pantomime way. All these girls are being adopted in the next few months. It was cute to see them all hanging out together. I wonder what they were talking about?

(I know Julia looks grumpy here, she didn't want her picture taken and was trying to duck when I took it!)
We then went to the next building where we found Alex in his class room and I was pleasantly surprised. It was very cheery and the kids were playing together, the teacher sat me down at her desk and showed me a scrapbook of the activity’s and field trips the kids had gone on that year and it was quite impressive. And Andreas, I finally saw Sasha! Alex was taking ton’s of pictures and video but when I went to download it, I didn’t recognize any of the children he photographed. I’ll see what his video looks like and maybe post it at the end.
The class was tidy and they each have a little cub-by with a towel and their toothbrush and toothpaste in a cup above their towel.

I also learned they have a locked closet where they store their personal belongings. (I was able to get the flashcards I sent to Alex.) I had wondered where they keep their personal belongings as their bedrooms consist of just beds and bedding and a pillow.
Katya is in Alex’s class and showed me a picture of her baby brother. She seemed so proud. I just had to take this picture for the Lobo’s.

Then we went out back and low and behold we found Nastia! I may be mistaken Jen but if I understand correctly Nastia was with her Grandma while she had the chickenpox? The teacher said Masha and Nastia (the teacher indicating dot’s all over their bodies) both had it and today was Nastia’s first day back. She looked good though, I didn’t see any visible scaring and just a few little scabs left on her face. Her hair is still very short. Everyone in her class has the same shorn style. I don’t know why. I wanted to take her picture with her class but her teacher insisted on standing her in the sun where she had to squint. So here it is:

Then we met up with Straders Julia and I was lead off towards the dreaded main building. It was so nice I hated to go inside. Alex wanted to throw the tennis ball but I’ve caught that stupid tennis ball about 400 times now so I told them, time for English. Alex said “No English!” Julia said “Me English!” (she’s so willing) but I coaxed Lex inside. He was very stubborn about coming to the table where I set out the book and paper. I finally got him there but he just scowls. I have them sit so they could each have one ear bud of my Ipod in and hear the sounds and the English word of the pictures in the book, then I thought they could draw as they go. I thought drawing might make it sink in more and be more fun. Julia really got into it and Lex just scowled and pouted. They make it through one page with Julia saying the words out loud and Lex just pouting. Then he wandered over to my bag of food and I told him “Nett. English first.” Oh, man did he pout. He sat back down and wouldn’t look at me. (Julia by now has the Ipod on both ears and has switched to my music and is singing out loud but she’s drawing pictures and writing the English words underneath.) I made Lex look at me and told him he needs to talk to me and tell me what is wrong. He turns away from me again. I wrapped my arms around him from the back and pulled him towards me and whispered how sad I am that he can’t talk to me, I really need him to learn English so we can talk. He relaxed into my arms and I knew I had him. I asked if he was hungry. Yes. So I brought him a banana and between bites of the banana we worked with the flash cards. We made it through the whole deck making two piles, one of words he said perfectly and one that need work. He was quite proud that his perfect pile was bigger than his need work pile. Just a little love and a banana and we’re back in business!
We decide to walk to (can you guess?)….the store. I had moved the majority of my money out of my wallet. I think Alex thinks I'm loaded so we should just buy anything. My trick worked. He looked inside and suggested that he and Julia each have 5 gryvna’s (which is about 75 cents) That seems reasonable. And so we’re off. I wanted to try one of those hot dog/scones that Julia had yesterday and apparently the only place is back down the mile walk we have been on for the last two days. So we were off again. This is what the majority of my day looks like. Me following Alex & Julia.

And a shot from the front.

And here’s my hot dog-stuffed-fattening-scone. (To go alone with those healthy cucumbers I had earlier!) Lex and Julia selected the stuffed egg scone. I could only eat half of this so Julia finished it for me.

Then I needed a drink so the kids suggested I get a drink while they look at the toy store. I went into the grocery store quickly bought a water and then went upstairs to look once again at the teapots. I still haven’t decided on which one I want.
Then we head back to the school. But not before the kids buy some fish string and Lex buys a coffee in some coffee machine only it’s too hot and I have to hold it, then he tries it and he hates it so Julia drinks it. Sorry Bill & Lezlie!
On the way back Lex buys yet another cabbage stuffed scone and then one that looks like a donut that they put in a bag and dump a scoop of powder sugar over. It was still warm and he hand’s it to me. For me? With part of his precious 5 gryna’s? Can I just tell you, I am pretty full but this was heavenly! I ate every bite. (Which is why I’m having microwave popcorn and a cup of herbal tea for dinner!)
Back at the school the kids attack the food I brought. (It’s almost like they’re bears storing up for hibernating right around the time for them to go back to the school for the night.) I had brought bananas, frozen crab snacks, tomato juices and a box of cream puffs. No chips, no soda and no candy! I did manage to bring a few cream puffs home and half the crab. Maybe they think if they don’t eat it I won’t bring more? I don’t know, but honestly I don’t know how they can eat so much!

I called and spoke to James and Alex has to speak to him too which consist of "Hi Papa" and then he usually say's "America" at some point and then hands me the phone.
I have managed to crochet three dishcloths while I'm here. One I’m using in my apartment. Alex asked if he and Julia could have the other two in their classroom. I don’t know why but okay. So here is a picture of them each with their dishcloths.

I got some great goodbye loves from Alex. He always says goodbye with a two minute hug and then tonight he ran back to me with his arms out stretched for yet another hug. Every day it gets harder and harder to say goodnight.
And now I’m home. Oxana will be back late tonight. Hurray!
Wow. Look how much I wrote and yet, I thought I had nothing to say. I’ll have to remember if I ever decide to write a book that I should do it in Ukraine where no one can talk to me so I have to make up for it by writing a lot!
Day three...done!

Day two of our 10 day wait!

Day two started out with four text messages from Alex all saying “I love you mama”. That was great! Usually when I send him a text he just sends the same text back to me but this one he had to type all on his own.
Then he called at ten (when I was suppose to be there) and said “Let’s go Mama!”
Constantine picked me up and insisted on “showing me his town”. We went and got Alex and he happily jumped in the car and off we went. Mostly we viewed factories and the beach of the river strewn with garbage and broken beer bottles and I was concentrating so hard on trying to figure out what Const was saying in his Russglish (Russian/English) and videoing (yes, he supplied me a video camera to document this sight seeing tour) that I was relieved when he said “to school?” Yes, please. Alex was anxious too as his Spider Man computer game was waiting.
Spiderman wouldn’t work. It needs some 3-D card. I had packed a lunch again but only had peanut butter and jam which apparently is disgusting to Alex. Never fear, he just put some of his tomato juice on his bread, sliced cucumbers and topped it off with crunched up sour cream and onion potato chips.
We did another 10 minutes of English which is about all I can get out of Alex right now. But I do quiz him all the time about things. He’s doing a little better each day-it helps when it’s just him and I and I’m all he’s got to talk to. I think being home he’ll do even better!
Julia did not accompany us on our sight seeing tour and was not around for lunch either. We went out to throw the tennis balls later and there she was and she hung with us the rest of the day. They were throwing the tennis ball and Julia was facing the sun so she tied her sweater around her head to make a sort of hat to help shade her eyes. I wish I had my camera. It was hilarious! One thing these children are is creative!
Then it was decided we’d walk to the store and return the video game. (Remember the mile walk yesterday?) Oh well, nothing better to do. On the way we stopped again for those donut/scone things. This time I got cabbage even though I asked for apple. (No apple apparently so Lex got me his favorite!) It was actually very good. Who would have guessed? A cabbage donut?
We returned the game with no problem. The problem arose when the kids just assumed we’d do a little junk food shopping while we were there and I was tired and sick of all the junk we’d already consumed. (Please note that as part of our sight seeing tour we stopped at a new shopping center with a grocery store and bought chips, soda pop, juice and chocolate bars!) So as Alex and Julia are filling up their basket with ice cream treats and heading over to the dried fish section I hand them each 4 grynva’s and tell them that’s all. Oh, the look of disappointment! What only 4 grynva’s? Yep. I proceeded to buy flour and toilet paper and waited at the door for them. It took them an awful long time to decide what they would buy now that the funds are limited.
Then we had the long up hill walk home with me clutching my small bag of flour and TP. (I forgot to indicate I’d like a bag to the checker-which they charge you for!)
No one is talking much-well English that is. And Lex stops and buys yet another cabbage donut thing with the remaining grynva’s he has left. I told them “Mahazing (store) Mama” “Money Mama” and repeated it . I think they got the drift. It’s not that it’s expensive it’s just that it’s crap and it’s sort of expected now and I’m just tired of it. Besides I hate shopping on Sunday, and I spent 8 hours at the school yesterday and had nine today and I just want to take Alex and go home! Yep, grumpy was what I was. It will be better when the Rast get here-it’s hard having no one to talk to all day long and trying to figure out how to entertain on your own.
When we got back video game #2 didn’t work either. Perhaps if they were in English I could figure them out better? The video game was my plan for the day with me reading and crocheting. Grr..what is that saying about the best laid plans?
At one point I sent the kids outside to throw the tennis ball instead of bouncing it off the walls while I tried to load the video game. It was taking forever so, I lay down on the couch and fell a sleep. Alex woke me up when he walked in and for a minute I thought I was in my apartment but I couldn’t figure out how Alex got there!
I called home and listened with green eyes of envy as James told me how comfortable our king size bed is and how the roads are so smooth without potholes and how pleasant people are and that he can understand everything they’re saying! Not to mention, it’s Conference Sunday and we always play Conference Bingo and make a big breakfast and I was just a little homesick.
Alex spoke with James and then he’d keep coming up and saying “I love Kambree”or “I love Papa” or “Austin, Devree, Rylee I love you” into the phone. What a cute boy we have.
Seven finally rolled around and Alex wanted me to stay at the school, he just hung on me and kissed me and hugged and hugged. Someone (I think Oxana) remarked about how affectionate Alex is. I have to attribute this to Alex having a brother and sister in law that showed him love. He really is very loving. He holds my hand when we walk, (during the minutes he’s not pretending to be Super Man or playing soccer with a rock or something) at least 10 times a day he’ll come and lay his head against me and sigh and often times climbs in my lap and lets me play with his hair or rub his back and unlike some children that tolerate Mom snuggles, he eats it up!
Lots of love & tickles today, despite him being filthy. He looks like an orphan and he’s not anymore! I so want to take him home and scrub him up and put him in clean pajamas and read him stories and tuck him in.
Only eight more days! I keep humming that country song “You’re going to miss this” in my head and remind myself that someday I’ll look back and these 10 days will seem like a blink but right now they feel like forever…

Day one of our 10 day wait!

So, first day on my own!
I cleaned my little apartment and showered then Constantine and his wife, Natasha came and picked me up around ten. (See Elliana? I'm being good!) I packed a lunch for Alex and I and brought all the English books and games and I’ve decided to leave all this stuff in the faculty room where we play. It’s silly to lug it back and forth everyday.
Alex came running at a full sprint when he saw the car pull in and Julia came right over too. We went inside and the kids played Lego’s while I talked to Straders on the phone. They wanted to hear about court as their court date it Tuesday. They’re in Kiev and will take the Monday night train back here and arrive Tuesday morning and head out again that night. It's a sticky business-adopting from two different orphanages miles and miles apart. I told them they could come and freshen up at my place. Then Julia wanted to talk to Bill & Leslie-I have no idea what she said-I hope they were able to figure out more than I did.

(Note about Lego's. The helicopter Lego set we bought Alex is pretty difficult to assemble and keeps falling apart when he tries. At one point today he threw the whole thing on the floor and said “Crap!” Indicating that this Lego set is crap. I almost burst out laughing. Remember my post a few days back about “This toy is crap”? He’s obviously got that word down. He also has the word “patience” down as I’m always telling him that and slowly stroking his cheek. Apparently he needs to work on” patience” with his “crap” Lego set!)
Then the kids talked me into going to a computer café? All I understood was 3 grynva’s for one hour on a computer. We started walking and then plans changed and we went to the park which is about a mile away. (Seriously-a mile!) It was down hill and a beautiful day. We stopped at a place selling what I thought were scones/donuts-without holes. They smelled wonderful. Unbeknown to me, they’re filled with various things. Mine was filled with potato, Alex’s was filled with cabbage & tomato sauce and I wasn’t sure what Julia’s was filled with. The kids were pantomiming a bird and then the bird pooping. The filling did look like bird poop but I was sure they were teasing me until I realized the bird wasn’t pooping (thanks to Julia doing a bird in a nest pantomime and then pooping and holding something) it was an egg! Hers was filled with boiled egg-chopped up. They were actually very good. I think they would have been better with apple filling or pudding as the dough was very sweet and it was sort of weird to have potato-cabbage or egg in them but I’d eat it again. At least the potato or egg one! I think I’d pass on the cabbage.
I am learning that you can put cabbage in just about anything and make salads out of everything and anything. My world has been opened to combinations of foods. Watch out kids when I get home!
I’m also wondering if I’ll ever be able to go back to skim milk? I’m getting really use to this creamy dairy.
We made it to the park and it was pretty lame. There were little kid rides you pay for and a little kid playground but not much for bigger kids. We walked for awhile enjoying the sun and good weather and then we headed back.

Alex & Julia posing on a rock on the way to the park.

This time up hill. We stopped at a lovely, large grocery store where I found baking soda. I’ve been wanting to make chocolate chip cookies as I have ½ a bag of chips left over from the fudge ingredients my sister sent. I’m going to use butter instead of shortening and white sugar instead of brown as I haven’t found either of those things but I forgot to get flour so I guess I won’t make them tonight. Maybe I’ll wait and make them with Alex after the 14th?
I did get Alex a new computer game. It’s a Spiderman game and the other game we bought is going to mysteriously disappear. (Although rated for 12 years and up-it’s very graphic and violent-a man beats up people with golf clubs & car jacks cars!) And I found a lovely shop that sells tea-pots. I’ve so wanted a pretty tea pot but there was no way I was going to carry it back to the school and Alex-like Austin-was so impatient when it comes to shopping for this sort of thing. He kept calling for me to come look at some toy or another. I’m trying really hard not to buy him everything he asks for but he asks for such small things that it’s hard not to oblige him. But “nett” I must not let him think this is what life is like in our family!
I did buy Alex more dried fish snacks. They are seriously gross. Imagine an aquarium fish-filleted in to slivers and dried. Here’s a picture but you truly don’t get the totally experience because you can’t smell it! Bleak!

Now, we’re walking up hill with a bag of groceries. (Good-my cardio is so lacking!) Alex holds my hand or leans his head against my shoulder. I love that!
We get back to the school and have lunch and Alex is so appreciative. I just packed bread, ham slices and some sort of roasted garlic/red pepper spread-I’m hoping its cream cheese and not pig fat like the appetizer we had yesterday. (I did like the pig fat until they told me that’s what it was!) I’ve decided it’s just better not to know what I’m eating. Like the catfish issue. (My apologies to those that like catfish-I was actually picturing carp in my head when I wrote that post then James clarified what species of fish I was actually talking about. Personally we don’t eat catfish either but I do realize that many people do and I shouldn’t have been quite as repulsed-except I really don’t eat farm raised fish-I watched a documentary/expose once and had you seen it-you too would not eat farm raised fish either!) I also packed chips and fruit and brought him his favorite…tomato juice! I asked if he would say the prayer and he did. I understood the English "thank you" and the rest was in Russian-that' s okay, God understands every language. I was just glad he was willing to pray and he didn't let his lack of English hinder him and went with his native tongue! He was so happy about the little lunch I packed and showed me how full his sticking out belly was and kept giving me a thumbs up sign.

We studied English. At first Lex told me "No-America!" like not now, I'll study in America. Hello? Now is the perfect time-we have nothing better to do! I told him 10 minutes and we got out the books where I showed them a picture of an item with the word and then they repeated the word and looked for the item in the bigger picture of all the items. Julia really gets into it and after 10 minutes still wanted more so I told Lex he could play and I'd just work with Julia-he kept coming over and seeing what we were doing and showing us what he knows. He actually got in about a 1/2 hour of English studying. I told him 15 minutes tomorrow. I'm hoping to raise it 5 minutes each day until we get to a good 45 minutes. He'll be speaking English before he knows it!
Then we went out and played in the yard. I don’t know where all the children were. We were out for at least 2 hours and the only children that surfaced were three teenage boys that sat down and had a smoke while we played soccer. I told them through my excellent charade skills and fluent Russian “smoking (me pantomiming smoking) nett dobray. (Not good)”. I even offered them M&M’s if they’d put out their cigarettes but-no takers. How sad. I don’t think these boys could be more than 15. I don’t think they’re orphans but students of the school. I also saw at the grocery store a group of very attractive young boys-maybe 16 years old-each buying extra large can’s of beer. The other vice here is the pornography. It’s everywhere. Playboys available to thumb through in the restaurants, X rated DVD’s right within a child’s line of vision in the computer game store, soft porn being passed around on cell phones and everywhere you look bill boards with half naked women or women in very sexy lingerie. Everywhere! It makes me cringe.
The positive things I saw all over town (as I walked all over town today) was groups of youth cleaning up trash and working in the yards. I also saw many people cultivating their gardens and I can see bulbs coming up everywhere. Maybe I just arrived at the wrong time? Without the trash and a little color and flowers this place may not be so depressing! And these people all have green thumbs! Everywhere is indoor plants thriving-green and lush on every windowsill. It's amazing!
Later in the day Julia took my cell phone out of my coat pocket while Alex and I were kicking the soccer ball and inadvertently messed it up playing a game. Alex tried all his cell phone expertise/skills (which are vast-the boy can do more with a cell phone then I can) to fix it and it just got worse until the phone said “Sims card rejected”. Alex could tell I was distraught. He asked if I was sad-by pantomiming tears and saying “Mama?” He went so far as to offer me his cell phone-which is his most prized treasure.

Alex outside the orphanage looking perplexed about my phone situation.

We walked down to the cell phone card booth and they rattled off instructions to the kids that apparently involve me going somewhere where a computer is-like a main store? So here I am at the orphanage with no one’s phone numbers and not a soul that speaks English. It’s about 4:45 pm and I need to find Constantine. I ask Alex (counting on his fabulous ability to figure out what I'm asking-even if we don't speak the same language) if we can call the director on the school’s phone and get Constantine’s phone number from her? (She is his mother in law.) And wouldn’t you know it-the lady that sits in the lobby for hours on end monitoring the building is Constantine’s mother! She calls Const- Const talks to Julia-and he comes right over, takes me to the cell phone store and 10 grynva’s later I have a new Sims card! Const has most the numbers I need (Victor, Oxana, Hanna and of course him!) and within an hour I’m back in business! (Const actually left me his phone just in case mine wouldn’t work-it takes 1-3 hours to update. He made me show him that I knew how to call his wife in case I had an emergency. I really am being looked after over here!) As soon as I had service I sent Lex a text to let him know my phone works as I knew he was worried. I hope he lets Julia know too. She felt very bad too. Obviously no one will be playing with my phone anymore!
I also had a nice long phone call with my girls and mom and now I’m just thinking of what else I should do tonight. I think a book is calling my name…
Day one of ten….down! Nine more to go!!

Our Day In Court!

I've been thinking about how to put this day into words and I’m afraid my writing skills will not do it justice. So forgive me. I will try to convey the events of this day and the joy and happiness that are ours.
Let’s start at the top. I woke up at dawn (as there are not blinds on our window) and stared at the ceiling. Today is our court date. I finally found my sleeping mask and settled back into a semi conscious state and at 6:45 am my Ukraine cell phone rings. It’s Alex. This is about how our phone call went:
A: Mama?
Me: Yes, Alex this is Mama
A: Awake?
Me: Yes, I’m awake
A: Alex Benjamin Richhart?
Me: Yes, today you’ll be Alex Benjamin Richhart.
A: I want to bike-no car
Me: (hoping I’m answering correctly) Yes, we will be coming in the car. We will be there at 9:00. Okay?
A: Okay. Bye
Me: Bye
I found out later he woke up at 5 am. He was so excited. I think he called just to make sure we were up and wouldn't be late!

We got ready and of course traffic was horrific-the one morning we’re in a hurry to get somewhere-but Oleg did some pretty fancy/illegal maneuvering making excuses because we have an international court, we cannot be late!
I ran into the school and there was my boy, waiting. His face lit up and he rushed to throw his arms around my waist and bury his head in my chest. "Come on," I said, "Let’s get you dressed!" I brought a new shirt, clean pants, comb and mousse. He love’s mousse. “Oh la la” is what we say when he smells good or uses mousses. We had him all spiffed up in no time and then we all piled in two little cars with Alex on my lap in the back. We speed to the court house only to wait 45 minutes for the prosecutor to show up.
The court is pretty shabby. Everything is constructed out of plywood and looks rather run down. There are three huge chairs up front, a cage to one side (for criminals) and then a half plywood wall with a podium on our side and then rows of benches behind the half wall. It’s cold in the courtroom and we all leave our coats on.

(Alex snapped these pictures of the court)


When the judge and his two assistants arrive we all stand and Alex leaves. (I had just handed him my Ipod so at least he had something to listen too.) He will only be invited in for his testimony and will not be privy to the entire court. The judge is a man and the two assistants are motherly looking women. Maybe in their fifties?
Ivan and Snezhana are there and Naydia the orphanage director, the inspector/social worker lady, Oxana, Oleg (I think he was out with Alex?) Victor - our translator and us.
There is a lot of legal reading of court procedure and do we understand and do we trust the court? Yes.
Then they ask James his name, birth date and address and then me the same. (We stand up with Victor when the judge addresses us.) Then he asks us about our professions and asks James our yearly income. The he ask James why we want to adopt Alex. James does a fabulous job. He tells them that when Alex was with us in the fall that we came to love “the boy” and that he would be a good fit for our family. This is fabulous as we’d been practicing this very response just in case it was asked and James had come up with, “Well judge, would you want to live in an orphanage?”
At some point they have everyone introduce themselves and ask if we have any questions for any of them. No.
The best witness/expert was Naydia, she really went to town telling the judge how wonderful our home and school is for Alex. She went on and on about our great schools and told the judge how Alex translates already. He doesn’t speak English but he understands what I’m saying and he tells Naydia. She was wonderful.
Oxana was fabulous too, she said how she’d been living with us and what great people we are.
The social worker/inspector lady said that all our documents were in line or something like that.
The prosecutor wanted to know how many children we were approved to adopt, I told her two, she asked if we were going to adopt more? "Maybe." I said "but not today." Then Oxana jumped up and explained (this is how good she is) “Oh, we heard that Alex had a brother and they were approved for two in case he was adoptable so as to not split up these brothers.” (She just makes us sound so good!)
Ivan did a great job, basically he said he approved of our adopting Alex and that he couldn’t physically or financially support him. Again, how lucky are we that Alex has such a great brother? This whole process could not have been easy for him. We look forward to staying in touch with Ivan & Snezhana and adding them to our family. Just think, when they have children, Alex will be an uncle and that will make me an adopted Grandma? Right?

Then as some point he asked what we wanted of the court and I read my four points that Oxana and I worked on last night: (This is the summarized version)
#1 Let us adopt Alex
#2 Change his last name to Richhart and his first and middle name to Alex Benjamin and keep his birth date and place the same.
#3 Add me as mother and James as the father on his birth certificate.
#4 Oblige the registers office to comply with the above request.
Then we sat and listened forever while the judge reads part of home study and numerous documents in our dossier. Seriously, like forever!! We learned later that most judges ask more of the parents and don’t do any of this reading but I don’t care. Less question, less chance of saying the wrong thing.
Then he remembers that Alex is out in the hall and invites him in. (He almost forgot as he was really getting into reading all those documents!) Alex comes in and can I just say he looks so dang cute in his new clothes with his “oh la la” hair? He is nervous, you can tell and he stands at the podium. The judge asks if he wants to be adopted by us. “Da” and why? “Because everything there is clean and everything is right.” He asks him, how will we communicate? He say’s he will study and learn English. Then they joke about him being cold - he came in without his coat. Then they send him back to the hall.
The judge asks me again, what is it you want from this court? (Hadn’t I already gone over this?) But I stand again with my paper and start reading, I get to #3 where I requested to be the mother on Alex’s birth certificate and I can feel myself losing control. I have to hand James the paper and let him finish. I sit down as tears start streaming down my face. It hits me, all the work, all the worry, all the prayers, and for what? Because, I want to be Alex’s mother! He got on that plane five months and one day ago and since then, I have spent hours and hours working on getting to this point, I want to be Alex’s mother and these three people hold his and our fate in their hands. It hits me so hard I just cry. I look up though my tears-after finding a tissue and one of the assistants is crying too. James does well. Later, he said his eyes welled up a bit but he held it together. Then the judge and the assistants adjourned to make their decision.
Lex came in and sat with us. He laid against my arm, showed me how to play games on my Ipod that I didn’t even know I had. We’re all just kind of talking and waiting. Finally the judge comes back in, and after another long reading of a document somewhere in it, it said, “We grant you a positive response.” Meaning, we are now Alex’s parents!! He explained our responsibilities-basically take care of him. And that was it. The entire process took and an hour and ½ so believe it or not, this is the readers digest version.

(This is Alex right after we leave the court room! Does he look happy or what?)

(This is everyone Snezhana, Ivan, James, Alex, me, Victor, Oxnan, Naydia and the social worker lady-I really should have asked her name!)
Later we found out the judge told Oxana that he started tearing up when I started crying. I had no idea. He seemed so gruff.
We also found out that the last couple from Italy that adopted from this region took FOUR months to get a "positive response" from this judge. The judge would delay and tell them to come back in ten days. The inspector/social worker told Oxana there was no way she’d get a decision today. At best, this was just a preliminary court. She was sure of it. Luckily, no one told us that or we would have freaked!!
So this is defiantly a major miracle-one of the many that have happened as we’ve traveled this road.

We then went out to a very elegant restaurant to celebrate! Alex was so cute, he saw me put the linen napkin on my lap and he did the same nodding to me with a “Like this?” face.
I told him he could order anything he wanted and he had sliced tomatoes, borscht and chicken and fries and two glasses of tomato juice. I kept giving him tastes of the things James and I ordered and he insisted that we share his tomatoes.
We were told to order the “kings soup” which is a fish soup (with caviar in it) unbeknown to us it was served with a shot of vodka. We declined the vodka and you could see Alex was relieved. He is very anti alcohol-having an alcoholic mother that lead to you being put in an orphanage has got to be a factor in this aversion.
I order a Coke as I had a splitting headache due to my emotional outbreak during court and they brought me some sort of coffee. Ivan drank that for me - thanks Ivan! And I did get a regular Coke with ice....a luxury!
There were lots of toasts made James started us off with a “I know this was bound to happen, look at this great team we have and then a thanks to God” Oxana made one about “thanks for trusting her and allowing her to assist in this” Naydia made one about “we give you this child to love” (She said a lot more than this but that’s all I can remember right now.) and then Alex made one and said “Thanks Mom and Dad for adopting me and thank you everyone else for all your help.” I almost cried during each toast too. (I should have made one but I just couldn’t put in words what to say and knew I would cry more. I know that comes as a great shock to some of you - Wendy without words? What is this world coming too?)

We sat across for Ivan and Snezhana which was great so Snezhana could help us translate and we really had a nice time. I won’t even tell you what the bill was, some of our party had wine and we had so much food but hey, this is a once in a lifetime celebration and we enjoyed every minute of it with our new son!
We then spent another hour and ½ at the notary office getting James power of attorney taken care of for Alex’s passport. Alex sat on my lap-despite the fact that there was a chair right next to me. He did go over and wrestle with James some towards the end-poor boy he’s been sitting in the hall and/or court for over two hours, sitting in an elegant restaurant for at least two hours and now sitting in the notary’s office.

I had to laugh at James-it is obvious that Alex loves him and he loves Alex - and here James was worried that they'd never bond. When James left he told me to take good care of "our son" and you could hear the pride and delight in his voice.

(At the notary's office!)

We took Alex back to school. He didn’t want to go and we didn’t want to let him go-but it’s the law-10 more days! We went in and changed his clothes and the first thing he did when he walked out was tell another older boy, that I am his mama.

He gave James a stellar goodbye hug. In fact it was one of the try to pick you up hugs that I get ever so often. A first for James.
I sent Alex a text at bedtime tonight and told him “I love you and I’m so happy you are my son. From, Mama.” Nope, can’t tuck him in yet but never again will this little boy go to bed without knowing he is loved and he has a mama and a papa and a family.
So, I’m sitting alone in the apartment. Everyone left for Kiev. Elliana made me promise not to take the bus or walk on my own this weekend but to use a driver. I guess if I’m mature about it, I wouldn’t want my mother or daughter or sister walking around by herself but I felt like someone had clipped my wings! But only until Monday then I’m back to bus riding and hoofing it! (My mom was relieved when I told her-if I didn’t know better I’d think she and Elliana were in cahoots!)
Yes, its sort of lonely. I moved into the smaller bedroom with the computer-where Oxana and Oleg were staying and now I can blog all night long if I want!
Thanks everyone who has prayed along with us for this successful outcome.


5 months of "pregnancy"
1 ½ hours of "labor" (in court)
The proud parents, James and Wendy
And excited siblings, Kambree, Austin, Devree and Rylee
Are pleased to introduce….
Alex Benjamin Richhart10 years old (almost 11)
Weighing in around 75 pounds
And about
4 feet and a few inches long!
Healthy, happy and ours!

Thursday or Day 16 Since We Left!

Well, another day.
We had an adventure on the bus-due to no fault of our own- where we picked up bus #11 yesterday wouldn’t let us on. We went to get on and he said “nett”. So we walked down farther and farther and up and over and then finally picked up the same number 11 bus but going in the opposite direction. We road to the opposite side of town until we were the only people on the bus then the driver said “finish” so we got off. We picked up the same number around the corner and rode it right back to where we hoped to go in the first place. I don’t know. You think you know what you’re doing and then “nett”.
We’re the only parents visiting the school now but Julia comes with Alex and they let us take her to the store. Today I just gave them each 8 grynva ($1) and they bought cheap binoculars and yucky fish tasting string. Yes, I said fish tasting string. Bizarre.
It was a quite day. Lex worked on his Lego’s, I crocheted, James and Julia played a few games of Domino’s and then the kids and I walked to a few stores while James took a nap. Then Lex did his homework and we left around 6:30.
We were finally able to Skype with our kids and now we’re eating ice cream with Snezhana’s yummy strawberries in syrup.
I feel so unproductive. I wonder if I’ll ever get back to speed when I get home.
Tomorrow is court and I’ve got Alex’s court clothes packed and ready. We’re going over what to say with Oxana tonight. Kind of like a dress rehearsal.
I am going to change apartments on the 14th (when our 10 waiting period is over). Apparently, the director is concerned that Alex will play with everything and break things in this, her daughters apartment. So I volunteered to move to the scary apartment the Straders had. It’s just down the street but not half as nice. I don’t care, I’d rather get Alex out of there as soon as possible. I mean that is what I’m here for!!
We’ll be here in Dniprozerzhynk until we get his new birth certificate and passport and then back to Kiev for medical and embassy. With any luck we’ll be home as planned on the 20th but who knows? The new passport system we were told could take up to 10 days.
Everyone leaves tomorrow night (James, Victor, Oxana & Oleg) and it will just be me for the weekend. So far I’ve read two books. This might be a four book weekend.
Love to all, sorry about this boring post, but it is what it is…boring!

Wendy's Wednesday Thoughts...

Today Oxana and I hung out. Our men folk left early for Kiev and we slept in, then took the bus and stopped for lunch on the way to the school. Lunch was slow and the bus was slower and Alex called wondering where I was. (It was close to three and I’ve got specific instructions to be there each day at 2:10! Alex and I have terrific phone calls. I have no idea what he’s saying and he has no idea what I’m saying!)
I had ordered fish for lunch as I’ve seen so many yummy fish dishes and so I thought I’d be healthy and brave and order grilled fish. I had about 3 bites and then Oxana mentioned it was CATFISH! That’s all I ate. She could tell that I was alarmed and I told her we don’t eat Catfish in Utah-they’re garbage fish-she said not to worry, these are raised on farms- EVEN WORSE!! FARM RAISED CATFISH…bleck!! (Side note: I had Catfish confused with Carp! Opps.) I took the rest to go thinking Alex might eat it? I mean he drinks the water without a problem, this fish is probably something he's use to too. But he didn’t eat it either (and I just threw it away). He did eat all my fried potatoes and loved them.
It was just me today so I thought I’d just have Alex but Julia came too and that was okay. We played some cards and I certainly felt outnumbered one English speaker to two Russians. Then Alex convinced me to go to the “mahazing” (store) as he had two grivyna’s (40 cents) burning a hole in his pocket. We walked to four stores buying a few treats and looking at toys. We then ended up at a little store where I bought him a Lego helicopter set and Julia domino's’. My idea was to find quiet things they could do as opposed to throwing tennis balls at me for hours on end. And the toys here are so inexpensive compared to home. I think I spent about $12 total.
Then we had to rush back as I got a call that they had homework. (I had asked before we left and Lex told me he didn’t need to be back until six and it was 5:30-I’m trying to be a responsible parent!)
Lex was so sad as we were cleaning up and packing up. He was trying hard not to show it but his eyes were tearing and something was defiantly wrong. I thought-the sweet mother heart of mine-“Oh, he’s so sad I’m leaving.” Then I realized it was the Lego’s! He didn’t have a chance to play with his Lego’s. Naydia had said to take the toys with me and bring them back tomorrow as the other children might steal them. Without saying a word, I handed him his Lego’s and he immediately brightened. How can you buy a child a toy who has owned so few and then expect him not to play with it until tomorrow? If the other kids steal it, oh well. I think he holds his own pretty well here anyway. He was so sweet and thanked me and hugged me goodbye about four times. He kept waving as I left. I blew him a kiss and in a boyish way he sort of tossed one back. Each day I just love him a little more. I’ve always know he was ours and loved him from the start but I’m sincerely enjoying him and understanding him a little more each day. It’s a bit scary to add a little person to your family-a family has a balance and sometimes I'd get a little panicky feeling that I’m disrupting this balance and things will never be okay again. I'd worry about him adjusting and all of us adjusting to him. But whenever I got that panicky feeling while preparing for this adventure just as soon as I had it, I’d get a calm feeling that everything would be okay-just move forward. And now-no more panicky feelings! He’s our boy, he was meant to be with us and I have no doubt we will come to a new balance in our family dynamics. Do I think it will be a piece of cake? Heck no-I’m not delusional! I know we’ll have our struggles but I also know that the Lord has lead us this far, he’ll see us through.
Let me take a minute here to thank the Lord for the blessings we’ve received. I know you all hear me complain each day and yes, the wait seems like forever before we can get home but I really must give thanks. We are blessed to be here so quickly, to have so little problems with our paper work, to have such a wonderful facilitator & adoption coordinator, orphanage director, parents taking care of our home grown children, children willing to love an accept another sibling, friends and family support, time off work, funds to be here, an older brother supportive of this adoption and that we found this one little boy half way around the world that will complete and make our family whole.
When my mother in law was alive she did this little superstitious thing with a string and a pencil that she'd balanced over a woman's wrist. Depending on the way the pencil moved she could determine how many children she would have and the sex and order of her children. (This is just an old wives tale and I really don’t put that much merit in it-nor did she-it was just for fun.) But she told me through this process that I would have a girl, a boy, a girl, a boy, and a girl. I already had four at that time and assumed that my miscarriage in between my last two girls was my boy? Maybe not, maybe this pencil string trick has more merit that I thought?
I ran to the market all on my own when we got back to the apartment. We were out of milk because I had once again bought buttermilk and not regular milk. I put my headphones during my walk and realized this way I could ignore the people around me like they ignore me. Making me more Ukrainian and less conspicuous.
On the way home Dixie Chicks “Wide Open Spaces” came on-very appropriate for my walk home to this cramped, run down apartment complex brimming with stray dogs and litter.

I played the best April Fools joke today. I’d been waiting all day for a decent hour back home. Then I sent a text to my children’s phones and told them “I’m sorry but the Ukraine government has changed the 10 day wait to two months.” Immediately Dev sent a text back “What?” I told her I was sorry but Dad can come home but I’ll have to stay. Then I got a “No you can’t!’ and then I said April Fools! Half way around the world and I still got ‘em! Love you guys!!
My apologies, as you can tell I’m waxing a little poetic earlier on this post-forgive me if you’re just here for the details and not the contents of my heart.
Much love & blowing you kisses! Wendy