Today started with Tim and I heading to our favorite place to eat , The Ukranian Kitchen. As we walked from the apartment there was a huge crowd in the square area with loud music, loud announcements about why they are protesting and police everywhere. There were also buses filled with more police ready to take action if it should get violent. We walked through the crowd to get to the restaurant and never really felt in danger. Irinna said it would not become violent but the protesting went on all day and into the early evening but it remained peaceful. After we ate we headed to the Metro station (subway) and rode the 10 stops to the orphanage. We arrived there around 10:30 ready to play. She greated us in the usual sweet way with a curtsy and then kisses. It was funny because the orphanage lawyer came out with her to be sure she saw us with Marina so she could tell the judge in court how much Marina already loves us. Can't wait until Vika gets back to be with us too. We took the stroller to see if she would sit in it and she loved it. She has definately been in a stroller and likes it. We walked her all around the orphanage grounds and she sat very content. We then took her out and got ready to play but then she had an accident and had to go in and get cleaned up. She finally came back out and we played, fed her a snack and just enjoyed being with her. She gave Papa several kisses today. She loves her toy cell phone and asks for it everytime we come. Our visit was over before we knew it and she gave us hugs and kisses before we left. Our job after that was to contact the US embassy here in country to ask them to draft a letter stating that Tim will be able to readopt the girls once we are back in the US. We talked with a very nice lady there who asked us to email the request to them and to please have our names in both American and their language. We contacted Irinna who emailed us our names in their language, I then copied and pasted this to my email and sent my request. I talked with the lady at the embassy who said she would call when it was ready to be picked up. At this time it was 4pm. They were open until six. In the meantime Tim and I began to smell gas here in the apartment. It was very strong. We went downstairs to let the lady at the desk know so we could get it fixed. Luckily there was a girl coming in with her family from the US who could speak English and their language. She told the woman for us and she called someone to come. We also called Irinna. Anyway almost 2 hours later someone arrives. By this time the whole apartment reeks with the smell of gas and we are waiting outside. No one else in the building seems to mind or think it's an emergency. The man that came could not speak English but he indicated to us that the smell was from the wooden windowsill from the varnish or something? We could not believe this because it was obviously a gas smell. We called Irinna to talk to him and he told her the same thing but then said that he also found some small leaks in the stove and will fix them while he is here. So for almost 2 hours he works on the stove and fixes the leaks. The embassy had our letter ready and Irinna picked it up and came to our apartment to make sure everything was ok. By then the owner of the apartment showed up as well. All was finally ok and about 830 pm Tim and I headed out to the store to get laundry detergent, and water. I also wanted a pastry and Tim wanted McDonalds. So we came back to do laundry and eat our snacks. My pastry was soo good with a cup of my international coffee. Getting relaxed and prepared for court in the morning. Praying still for the judges heart to be softened and for a positive decision. He requested this letter today and also says he will ask the people in court tomorrow if they want the girls brought in to the courtroom to be seen? We do not understand this but we are assured by Irinna that no one would want our girls dragged into court. Please pray that all goes well and we will officially be named the parents of these precious girls.
Morning protest
Sitting outside our stinky apartment
Praying for tomorrow and for your girls...YOUR girls! :)
ReplyDeleteBrooke Annessa
www.theannessafamily.blogspot.com