Long post from my travel journal

July 27, 2004

Well, today is the day. We got very little sleep last night. I was up coughing. I had heartburn from my cough syrup and so I was up and down several times looking for my Tums.

We woke up at 8:00 with a phone call from Vika, who told us she was sending a taxi to us and that she’d met us at the NAC. She assured us that Alex the driver spoke good English and was a good friend of hers. He and John chatted all the way to the NAC.

When we got there we waited a little bit outside in the alley, and then Vika took us up the stairs just outside the Scooby Doo Hallway (the the Ukie adoption world we call it that because it is a long dark hallway with doors that keep opening and closing.) We had to write up a document saying that we would like our updated paperwork submitted, and then we signed it and Vika translated it n the back. We didn’t wait long. There were two women there too. They looked like mother-daughter.

It was fun looking at all the pictures on the walls of the children who have been adopted, and it tickled me that I knew a few of them.

I saw two pics of Cathy Harris’ family, two of the Transoes, and some others that I’m not sure of their names.

We were asked to come inside by a beautiful lady (“the psychologist”). She had dark hair, dark complexion and wore black fishnet blouse with a solid black bodice embroidered with pearls. Not American “business attire.” We were glad for the air conditioning in there. (Or at least I think it was AC… it was very cool in there.)

She asked us how many kids we have already, why we came to Ukraine, our occupations. Then she asked us what kind of kids we wanted and John told her 2 kids ages 0-9, and I added “or 3!” Well, then she was ALL SMILES and told our interpretor that we were a “nice young couple” and that she liked us. *whew* She started pulling out sets of 3 siblngs left and right and said, “not many people come for 3.” I could tell she was genuinely thrilled that we would consider that many and she was bending over backwards for us. She found a set of three young boys age 3, 4, and 6, and they scared me, but we kept them aside. (They were in two orphanages so that officially nixed them later). We found many, many other sets too, but there was not one set with two boys and a girl who weren’t much, much older. We finally found one though, and we had the psych. Call about them. (Actually, she didn’t wait for us to ask about the, she called the orphanage on her own initiative. We pretty much decided on them and then I asked their names. “Mikhail, Zena, and … Valentina. Valentina?” Valentina, the second “boy” turned out to be a girl. Her picture looks like a little boy picture. Poor kid. I then began to have my doubts so I asked Vika to look through the rest of the book we were looking through and see if there were any other set with two boys and a girl. She was surprised – she said that most people wanted girls. Oh well! Anyway, Vika didn’t find any, so we looked at each other and John and I greed to go meet these kids. They are in the Odessa Region, and Vika told us that it was a good region. We’ll soon see! Vika also said there was a castle there. How’s that vor a clincher? :O)

We stopped at the train ticket place and found out there was n more tickets for Odessa tonight. Vika took us to an internet cafй and we blabbed the news. Probably shouldn’t have yet since we haven’t even met them. There are so many things that could go wrong yet. Oh well. It was a weak moment. I was a bit frustrated that I didn’t have time to check my email though. *sigh*

Then we went back to the apartment. Vika told us that she was going to find us a ride to Odessa tonight. We then crashed. Mom Fisher called us, so that was nice, and Brenda Reynolds called us too. Her twins (see the Reynolds website) came from that orphanage just in December/Jan., and they live only a few hours from us. She gave us the scoop on where to stay, etc. Maybe our kids will remember each other.

We tried takig naps (we’re both exhausted, but too wound up to sleep). I did a load of laundry and hung our socks and undies in the window to dry. We’re on the seventh floor and the windows have no screen, but are huge. Great breezes in the evening.

Vika called and told us that Dima is driving us to Odessa tonight at midnight. She’ll call later again with the detals. I sure hope our socks and undies dry!


July 28, 2004 Wednesday

We left Kiev at 1:00 am in Dima’s jeep. I knew immediately that this would be a long night because he lit up a cigarette and put on sound loud funk/rock/techno music. John and I just looked at each other like, “boy is this going to be a long night.” We were so relieved when Dima had Vika find a new cd. It was so nice to hear Vivaldi’s Four Seasons instead of the other stuff.

The road was incredibly bumpy. I was so thankful that I don’t usually get car-sick. Between the bumpy road, the speed we were going, (!!!!!!!), the lack of sleep, the stress, and the smoke, I would have been toast. It was hard as it was. (The smoke left the window almost immediately though, so we barely noticed. Good thing too because John is allergic.)

At about 4:00 a.m. we stopped for a break at the CUTEST little diner/restaurant. It was decorated in traditional Ukrainian style and served trad. food. An artist painted everything onto the walls. Instead of hanging an actual plant on the wall, it was painted; that kind of idea. I wish I had taken more pictures as it is really hard to explain, especially when you are as tired as I am! John had a fruit drink called Kompot. It is a typical/traditional homemade drink made of different fruit juices. Really good. I was a zombie, so I didn’t have anything. It was all really neat though. I just wish I wasn’t as dead to the world as I was!

We drove further on and by daylight we were driving through enormoughs fields of sunflowers (absolutely GORGEOUS). There were also watermelon fields (not patches, FIELDS). At the end of the rows along the road they set up stands to sell them. It was neat. There were corn fields too and many other vegetables. All looked in Great shape.

The people are so poor here. Anyone over 50 looks ragged and defeated. Anxiety is etched on their faces. The old women look worried, and the men look distressed too. One man’s old car stalled right in front of us once, and he got out of the car looking rather unsure of how on earth he was going to get out of that situation.

The houses are modest and there are no lawnmowers or tractors (very few if at all. They use horses for farming or do it by hand. The peoples’ yards are overgrown, and though they aren’t “week-wacked,” they all seem to take pride in their flowers. Trumpet vines, sunflowers, black-eyed susans, daisies, zinnias, cannas, etc. fill their yards. There are gates along the front of most yards and the style of each gate is different. They are scrolled metal and the flowers grow up it and on it. Very pretty. It’s like if they can’t mow or trim their yard then at least they can do is put some flowers there. I like that. Words to live by almost. “If ya can’t pull the weeds, plant extra flowers.” Anyway, I’d love a yard that I didn’t have to mow but could grow all these beautiful flowers in.

There are fruits and veg. sellers all along the roads. We got to see the Black Sea driving to (wherever it is we are right now). I sure never thought I’d see the Black Sea! Amazing! There are many turists here, and people walk around in bikinis. One small town had as many vendor carts/stands for inflatable beach accessories as they did for food. Interesting.

We had to cross a bridge that had the middle raised so a boat could go under. We were stopped a good long time waiting for that, and there were eole selling icecream and other things to the waiting cars. We bough some apple-filled bread sticks with turquoise and yellow dyed coconut on top. The bread is very heavy and almost stale-feeling to me here. I thought it needed actual frosting on top, but the others seemed to enjoy them.

We finally reached the city of Bilgorad-nethaehihe;;ie;dkdjlk and Vika said that last night she had called the city inspector lady who needs to give us permission to see the kids. She is officially on vacation but would come in anyway at 9:00 a.m. We waited and waited but she didn’t show for hours. Dima, John and I strolled up and down the streets peeking into shops and restaurants/cafes to see what was what. There were mulberry trees heavy with berries lining the street, so our shoes were covered with mulberry muck after a while. They were good though. Not as seedy as the ones I’ve had back home, and the trees here are enormous. The streets are gravel with stone or brick here or there. Nothing smooth at all. Stray dogs and cats everywhere.

The lady finally did show up though. She gave us more of a raking over than the NAC did. She asked our ages, and was concerned that the oldest child was 9 and that we were only 32/30. Big whoop, we thought and assured her it didn’t bother us. She asked if we thought we could handle three kids. She asked our occupations, etc.

Anyway, there was something in the file that I think might put a monkey-wrench in the process for us, but until we know for sure, I’ll keep it quiet. Just please pray that it goes smoothly when we actually make it to the orphanage. (Tomorrow).

Our hotel is actually a medical clinic that rents rooms on the top floor. It has internet access!!!! *Happy Shelly* (Same place that the Reynolds’ stayed!)

We went to the grocery store after settling in in our rooms. We walked in, and I was immediately hollered at by two clerks. They didn’t like my purse. Too big I guess. Dima and Vika got into a shouting match with them while John and I stood there wondering what on earth I did. Dima and Vika finally agreed that they could search my bag when we left. More security there than at the Kiev airport! They missed their calling! The heat, my nerves, my exhaustion, the stress of being hollered at, and not knowing if there was a problem with getting the kids, etc. all made me pretty light-headed and not feeling well. I probably could have fainted if I’d let myself. Kinda early to be homesick, but I guess I’m just scared.

We’ll be going to the orphanage in the morning (10ish)… so please pray that this is the end of the road in our search! Thanks!!!!

Love,

Shelly