Royal Day

Today is the Royal Wedding in England, but in the Ukraine we are having our own Royal Day!!!  We leave shortly to go to the orpanage for the very last time.  We will miss all the children that run up and give us hugs everyday or wait at the gate waving goodbye to us hoping maybe we would take them with us.  I wish we could take more, they are such wonderful children.  Yes, we will miss the wedding on T.V. but our celebration today will begin a lifetime of great memories for 2 special girls.  Our girls. We have their bags packed with clothes we have brought from America. I have tears in my eyes as I think, we don't have to take them back on Sunday this week.  That will be different.  We instead will be boarding a train Sat. night for an 11 hour ride to Kiev.  One week in Kiev to get passports and visas for the U.S. and on May 7 we will fly to Chicago to attend another daughters special day as she graduates from nursing school.  We are so proud of her, she has studied so hard and managed to keep her family in order while she has done so.  Quite an accomplishment.  So, our royal day today will be spent doing documents all day to take the girls home.  We will have a party for all their friends to say goodbye.  I'm sure many tears will be shed, they have many great friends here.  We are thankful for that, but sad we cannot take them all with us.  Off for our Royal Day, Thank You Lord for allowing us to be used of you to help a couple of orphans, who will no longer after 4p.m. today be orphans, but daughters, just like we are God's children. I am blessed.  Susan

Relief!

Relief

Just a few days back

Tickets

We are starting to think about tickets. We will need to purchase them at least a week in advance of leaving. Keiv, and the journey there, then paperwork at the American Embassy will take at least three days. Right now we are at the point where (follow this) the application--- for the application is being made for changes in the birth certificates. The real application can not be made until the....

Yesterday, behind the scenes.

The Pass Ports are done in Kiev, or so I was told today. Although the photos and application are done here in Zaporosia, the printing of the passport is carried out in the capital city. Tomorrow someone is going to hand carry our two girl's passports four hundred kilometers so we can give them to the girls. Official documents in hand the government official will then award the girls to Susan and my custody and we can “begin” to take them home.

Yesterday at the Orphanage

How did it look where we were standing?

We were visiting and everyone was outside. We had talked with the girls but they were not right with us when THE! call came. “passports will be here at three o'clock Friday”

I call Alessia over and tell her. She was just relieved. We tell her again. Yes we will get pass ports on Friday “Tomorrow”. Alessia gets her sister over and we tell them again. The pass ports will come tomorrow. They are happy. But the word relief keeps coming back to me. I think they are both saying, “this is really going to happen!”

We miss the next two buses as we make plans for tomorrow. It is going to be a full day starting with an eight thirty AM pick up and going (and waiting) all day. If all goes well, around four PM, the girls will walk out of their orphanage for the final time. When we board the van and are driven away, they will not ever have to return.

Overview

I thank you to all the people at the orphanage. They have kept our girls safe for the last three almost four years since the passing of their mother. I can not praise them enough. The girls have told us of teachers who care for them and the Baptist missionaries (different than in the states) who I see every day spending time with the children. I watch the Director and I am convinced she knows not only the name, but also the strengths and faults of each of her children. Today I watched her as she spoke in a “scold” to one of the teen boys. I can see and am convinced behind her words he knows she cares about him.

What is it that even in the environment where children receive care and love they still long for someone they can call their own Mom and Dad? I do not know and I do not think the answer can be found but I can see in the eyes of each of the children. They are looking for their Mom and Dad to come through the gate.

Plans

Rode the bus to the Orphanage. The weather here is beautiful, It is the best time of their year I am told. The bus fills up, we have seats. On the way I talk with our interpreter about concerns I have with the girls having to say goodbye to their friends.

At the orphanage the girls greet us with smiles and hugs. “When are we going home????” Is the Question???? Well so much for my concerns!

We visit as we sit in the cafeteria. We talk about passports and travel plans. Overnight train rides and airplane flights. Alina has never been on a plane. I describe in detail what it is like taking off. “It is like being in a fast car, but then it just keeps going faster; until it rotates and lifts off and you are pressed down in your seat.” She listens, rapt. We will all get to share this together. They are concerned over the passports. I tell them it will happen. We will get on that night train to Kiev. We will be going home; it is only a matter of time. Smiles are on faces, heads shake yes as they picture it in their minds. They trust Susan and me, if we say it will be fine then they believe it.

Sunny Day

The sun is up. The day is bright and sunny with the cherry trees in blossom and the tulips stand ready to open. All through town for Easter weekend the curbs have been painted newly white, often five feet white and then five not. Helps when you walk at night. In the day parishioners sit out on the benches and talk; solving world problems I am sure.

Today we are in hope of a date to pick up the completed pass ports. We are also planning to go see the girls on their lunch break at three. Our favorite translator will be going with us and I am wanting to speak with her on a general idea of how the girls look at the upcoming leave date. My opinion is the younger of the two is sad about it and the older girl understands she would only have a few months before she would have had to graduate. The younger I believe will have a harder time leaving her friends the older knows she has to leave. I feel we should talk or at least be sensitive to these different feelings. For all of us decisions are often made where the feelings and reasons behind the decision are mixed.

Mechanical comment or just noticing.

I have been told doctors are not well paid here, almost all do not have medical insurance and if you get sick it is difficult to get good medical help. Yesterday I spoke with a young man whose mother is a doctor and father works as a mechanic. I am shocked at ,by our standards, how little she makes. I am fairly sure she is a doctor as he said she went to university for eight years. As the cars are so expensive here, thirty year old cars are completely rebuilt, rust cut out, parts replaced, updated, new interiors, new paint. Those who can afford to drive chose between new at double (plus) what our cost is and the rebuilt older models. The labor rate for everything is low thus making rebuilding more of an option. Car theft is a problem and people often pay to park in watched lots, though there are more who do not pay for this. There are also Chinese cars to consider but their reputation is not as solid yet.

Bus Ride

The time has come when we next pick the girls up “for the weekend” we will not take them back.

Today we should get the news on when the passports for the Ukraine will be done; the girls will have dual citizenship until eighteen. With passports done the government official will award Susan and I custody. It will be both a glad and a sad time for them.

I have observed both girls but especially Alessia loves us to pick them up, but also to drop them off. They have friends who greet them at their return with hugs and questions on what they have done, how they are. Yesterday the director met us as we returned, She noticed their hair cuts and hard shopped for new shoes and was interested in their responses to her questions.

So this Thursday or Friday we will again travel to the orphanage to pick them up. Only this time the good byes, except for social media, will be longer. We will board the overnight train to Kiev . The American passports and immigration will need to be completed and then it is back to the states.

I hope others of their friends will be able to make their way to our country with forever families to love and support them through life.

Susan and I will have a “few” photos of some of these children.

Yesterday as we were leaving, As we stood waiting, at the bus stop across the street, I took a picture of the orphanage. A little blond haired boy stands at the iron gate; he has never failed to greet me each time I have come to visit. He is about seven and stares at us intently. Till we board the buss and are carried away.

Additions Subtractions

There have been some additions in our family. By adding two teenage girls we do not fit in a regular cab. Have to take a van. We do not fit in our flats single bathroom. True we never fit all together but it takes longer now. Two nights ago we ate an entire chicken for dinner. I had sliced the breast meat off to have with dinner, I usually save the dark for sandwiches. Alina asks me if she can have more. I say sure. With a great big smile she comes back with the leg and thigh.(I want to ask her if this is the first time since before she lost her Mom that she could have this piece of chicken.) Alessia gets the other leg and Ashley who is sitting beside her says “Dad she is chewing on the bone, I can hear her”

We ate that whole chicken. I got less than a cup of scraps. Then we had Cake, Later we had some smoked cheese. Our eyes were rolling. I tell them to brush their teeth before bed. Yes Yes we do this.

Another addition is on weekends when all five of us are at the flat the computer is in use almost constantly. It is really hard to get time to do a blog entree. On some days certain people are even getting up earlier to see if they can get some extra time. “Papa is it my turn”

Our vocabularies are getting bigger,. We are all learning new words. Mosna- give me, Chaze- wait. A-des-u-da - come here. They are learning, we are learning.

This is just what I wanted. To share in the lives of others. I know the three girls will not always live with Susan and I, But I hope they will always be willing to share their lives with us.

Ten Days

Our ten day wait is over. It is a ten days I felt at the beginning would be long in passing but it has been time enjoyed and well spent.

On our side we and the girls have been evaluating and getting to know one another. On the paperwork side it looks like it is needed as they hand carry documents back and forth between Zaporosoa and the capital Keive. I know we had to cancel our trip to the orphanage yesterday to spend an hour in a notaries office obsessing over Susan and I's marriage license. Would the State issued, notarized, True and Exact, Apostiled copy do? Or did we have to go back and get the original. Please don't be alarmed or afraid; the sun did rise this morning. We ended up driving back to the flat where Susan had more than thoughtfully brought our original. While we were gone it was decided to accept the “shaky” one we had supplied.

This document work though grinding exceeding fine is moving along.

This is a big day. It will be the day we start early and pick the girls up to go apply for new records. After all our team's background efforts of filing applications for applications we will file for international passports and new birth certificates with Susan and I as their legal Mom and Dad. They will be excused from school to go to the vital records office and complete paperwork and passport applications so they can make the next application with US Immigration. I can't tell the number of people; like the young server when we ordered pizza at the bowling alley, who spotting us as Americans, gush, “OH! This is my dream! To move to America! I feel like Paul with his Roman citizenship in the New Testament. I was born with this but for others, our two girls included, it is bought with a high price. Citizenship!

Adventure

One of the young ladies from the English club has offered to take us on a tour of Khortytsya Island. It is an island in the middle of the D'Nipro river where Cossacks had a male only settlement in the 1600s . Our new daughters are uninterested in going there, stating they have seen it “hundreds of time on school field trips” So Susan and I choose a time before our trip to the orphanage and we are off (The river flows through the center of Zaporizhzhya and on both sides of this three mile long island.)

Off we go on the bus after meeting our guide at McDonalds. She, we learn is thirty something, is married and has one child. The evening before speaking with her on the phone confirming our days travel plans she has asked to be sure Susan and Ashley are coming also, Yes Yes Susan and Ashley will come also.

Our bus crosses a hundred foot tall double bridge between the City and the Island. Over the top of the bridge are train tracks and underneath a two lane road for cars and trucks. I am in memory of the San Francisco earthquake pictures of their double bridges as we cross. Suddenly we are away from the city. We are dropped off beside the road. There are trees, grass, and hills,  and except for traffic roaring or chugging past, depending on the age of the vehicle, this is all there is to be seen.

“Lets go this way” Crossing the highway sized roundabout without traffic signals we enter a forest pathway, heading down hill in the direction of the river. On our right the bridge is now high above us with trains regularly crossing on the upper deck the cars underneath.

Our guide speaks very good Russian accented English. We are learning about each other and what each likes to do. She tells us she is, “how do you say it; Adventurer!” Likes to run, Ski, rock climb; five miles before breakfast, No problem. She is a size zero, and wants to bungee jump off a local bridge and to skydive “Oh this is my dream” she exclaims. Does she realize she is out with “drive your car to work Susan and Dave”?

The area is beautiful, the light reflects off the broad river and sun lit clouds as a strong breeze drives them hurriedly across the sky. In the near distance some eight kilometers to our left is the huge hydroelectric dam which powers the city, built by a joint Russian/Ukraine/US venture in the 1920s before relations went bad it is a third wider than the hoover dam but not as tall.

We have reached the river after a twenty minute walk down hill through the forest. Along the shore the landscape is equal to the New England coast. Boulders and flat rock rising out of the ground. All granite and tumbled over each other like the man made break waters near the Venice Florida jetties. “Let's go this way”

?What?

We head down and up along a path skirting the shoreline. The wind is funneling through almost hard enough to move you off. At times we are at the waters edge, other times we are fifty feet up. I wonder aloud as to if I would bounce once of twice before reaching the bottom. This comment is not to Susan and Ashley's liking, but it is accurate.

Reaching the frontage before the Sich (fort) we head back inland and Uphill.

The fort showing early earthworks, blockhouse, walls and buildings is not to be missed. When we pay our admission we are asked if we wish to pay to take photos, No we do no. OK she says you can cake them. I am slowly reading the Russian/English sign, the photo privilege was 6rmb, (8rmb is ten cents.) There is a place where we strike our own Cossack coin, a blacksmith with hand made wares from a small forge, traditional clothes, a wooden orthodox church build post and beam in the traditional three room layout of the temple. The ceilings are some seventy feet high with no cross beams in the interior. It is breath taking to be inside and look high up the interior wood clad walls. Clear lumber 2'x10'x10' reaching in horizontal rows to the spired point at the top.

Leaving the fort we do not have time to take in the museum. But I run up an additional four story hill to take pictures from the top. It is very steep and I am breathing hard at the top, the climb slowing me as the legs become leaden.

Walking on South it is but a “short” three or so kilometer hike we descend and then climb again to the level of the next bridge crossing. We will walk across this bridge and back to the nearest marshuka stop. Then  leaving our present “adventurer” guide who refuses any more than our paying her bus fare, the bus carries our tired selves across the dam to meet with our translator then to visit the girls.

More to come.

Easter walk

We have Easter Eggs. The girls were thrilled and all brought out their best decorating talents.

Ashley demonstrated did the double dip, Alina showed us how to shrink wrap the wrapers and Alessia carefully made the little stands. Just as we were winding down Alessia spotted the stickers and off we went again, Augh!! Look at this!! and Wow!!!

Our kitchen is small, We only have one chair at the table. All five of use were in here. Not to mention the eighteen eggs, two decoration kits and three cameras.

This morning they will find the eggs all gone. Hidden about the flat by the Easter Papa! Each one found will be worth a ransom price of five rmp.

Yesterday was a beautiful day outside with sunshine and a high all the way up to 60. The city is turning on the fountains in the parks and squares and we went out walking. A friend of Alina who she has not seen since her mother died joined us and we called another young man we knew to help with translating. We walked to McDonalds were I let the two of the young people wait in the Mob (they do not use lines) to get lunch. One popped out to flash with fingers how much more money they needed. We had a lot of food, something gained in translation I think. One person threw a stubborn fit over not the right sauce and went back to the mob to fix it only to find upon returning that chicken nuggets are not entirely safe when left alone near me. No translation needed.

We went to Kophe shops, clothes shops, bike shops, open air market, parks, squares, buss rides, a mall (twice), bought souvenirs and had a great time. Sometimes we were tired and “I can't make it” was heard, other times it was “come on I want to go see this” Some of us came home with blisters. It was what we had and we saw the town.

Friends

We are having a busy weekend, but enjoying every minute of it.  Our friend Kyle just arrived home from Poland, so interesting to hear all his stories as he visited the concentration camps.  We went with him to visit the orphanage where he teaches English #3, visited a couple of the girls that were in the group that visited Fl last summer.  Then it was off the English Club at church.  One of the churches outreaches with missionary Max is teaching conversational English to locals and ophans.  It was great, we did well in the class!!!  We are meeting alot of new friends who all want to come home with us.  It is very difficult for people here to get visas to come to the U.S. so they are just dreams and hopes. The church has a ministry to reach out to orphans who are graduating from the orphanage and have no where to go.  They want to teach them skills and English. 
Today we will go to visit another orphanage where a couple more boys we know from the Fl group are.  We are not able to get our girls until tonight because they had to go to a singing and dance competition with school.  We will get them in time to attend church tonight.  We love the church we are attending and will truly miss all our new friends when we leave.
The girls will spend the night tonight and tomorrow we will color easter eggs, they are very excited!!!

Rainy Day

The Weather is cold and rainy, It has not worked out to buy an umbrella, one of those things which happen so easily and we are getting wet waiting for a second bus.

At the orphanage the girls invite us up to their room to talk. We sit or some lay on the little beds as we talk back and forth through the translator. There are eight to ten of us. Our five, the translator and two sometimes four close friends. The friends say very little, they watch and listen, often looking at Susan or I but no eye contact or engagement. Sometimes there are” flats” in the conversation while we think of the next thing to say or ask. Sometimes we move along easily and the pitch rises as we laugh or a story is shared. Inside I tell myself to relax and enjoy the moment. We and our two new daughters all want this. We will find out about each other. All those little pieces that make us who we are and who we are becoming.

One of the girls is rubbing her eyes as we talk. I ask is there is something in them or is it her friend who we know has now left with her new family. It is her friend. The acknowledgment puts her into a worse state as I move to sit beside her and put my arm around her to comfort. I tell her I do not mind she is sad for her friend leaving, it is good for me to see she cares for her friend.

The question is asked. When are we going? How long before we leave. We talk dates, birth certificats, passports, plane tickets and what paperwork remains. Susan asks if they want to stay at the orphanage instead of coming back to our flat with us for the weekend. No! We want to come with you.

The friends look around the room, soon maybe a week and they to will be left.

Flowers

Up early and ready for the day. Today we have our and the girls favorite translator. Her name is

Lay-nah (spelled Lena) Translators are very important to get across the finer points of what you are trying to say. Like one of the girls could be afraid of spiders. “Are there spiders where I am going?” With a good translator you can more easily say a two part answer. Yes there are spiders where we live but they are not in the house. I have always caught the different bugs, including spiders, and shared them with my children. “Dad's got another bug” is about how the refrain goes. With a good translator I can tell about my habit with the promise that while I enjoy the beauty of nature I will never scare you with it.

We have been wanting to bring the girls flowers. With spring just getting here the daffodils are beautiful and after four months of winter the color is stunning. So while on the way to their performance we stopped and bought flowers for each girl. We bought an odd number as is the custom. I got roses, because frankly, I had never seen long stems like these. Five for each, with heads as big as my fist and stems almost three feet long and as thick as my thumb. It was like carrying branches. When we arrived we took them in and the only place to put them was on a table right in front of us there was no way you could hide them.

It is a tradition in our family that whenever you are performing in a special performance you get flowers. We are proud of you. Both of your work to prepare and for how well you did in the performance. So I am thinking I wish I could hide these flowers so they will be a surprise. But I can't,We are on the front row as the somewhat” honored” guests and there is no place for them. So each bundle of flowers lay on the table.

After the performance we find the girls out in the hallway. They are excited and relieved to be done, there is a press of people and their groups will be going back to the rooms to change. Individually I gave them their flowers and they both simply did not know what to do. It evidently had never occurred to them that the flowers were for them. They were both so surprised. “For ME?”

I had wanted to surprise them. I had not realized with the flowers in plain sight that I was surprising them. The surprise was that those beautiful flowers were for them.

50th Anniversary

Today we attended the 50th year celebration of the orphanage.  It was a 2 1/2 hour program of singing, dancing, and speeches.  It was wonderful.  We were proud parents watching our 2 new daughters sing and dance.  They were both exceptional.  We so enjoyed the music and dances of the Ukraine.  The children were all in costume native to their country.  We took pictures and video, but as of yet can't post alot of pictures because of our internet connection.  We are trying to get it figured out, maybe tomorrow. 
Our oldest daughter and her husband are seriously considering adopting a little boy in the Ukraine, please pray for them as they research the process.  There are so many precious kids here.  It is hard to walk away from so many and just bring 2 home.  Their faces are just crying for a family.  I wish we could take more, especially the older ones. At this orphanage there are currently 4 families in the process of adoption from the U.S. One family just left a few days ago.  Another family is leaving tomorrow.  They are all from Utah and also did a hosting program.  The family leaving today is adopting 4.  They came with the intention of taking 2 and fell in love with 2 more, so now they have 4.    The orphanage our girls are at is a good one.  The children are well taken care of, have nice clothes and seem to be happy.  The director has been there 26 years and she adopted her 2 girls who are now adults.  She cares alot for the children and it shows. Alina told us that they have a missionary come to the orphanage and teach Bible and they have volunteers who come and take them to a Baptist church.  She knows alot of worship songs, so we were wondering how she knew them.  Glad to know the children have the opportunity to attend church.    Susan

Court Day

Today we went to court. It is what we came here to do, To adopt the girls. The court was near the orphanage in the next town . Things were quiet although when we walked in Ashley wanted to know what the iron cage was for off to one side of the room. We were told this is where the defendants sat in criminal cases but as ours was a civil case it would not be used today. This was somewhat a relief to Ashley. The court we attended was on the third floor and it was difficult to decide if we should keep your coats on for the building was cold, or take it off out of respect for the judge and matter at hand. There were twelve of us in the room and at least four more doing paperwork in the background; All gathered at that time and place to decide and oversee two girls joining our family. Petitions were read, laws and obligations spoken of and explained. Both our family history and that of the girls were shared with questions asked. Ashley was asked if she was positive on wanting to go through with the adoption, she said yes. It had been her idea and she wanted sisters.

When Alina was asked “Are you willing to be adopted by the Bunton family?” I found her answer to the question interesting. Alina said when her sister Alessia returned from the Home Stay program Alessia told her about us and that we said we wanted to adopt. Alinia was not ready to say yes during the Nine months I wrote them letters, and even when we first came though she had been willing to sign the SDA statement saying she was willing, she had not made up her mind until after she had met us and had gotten to know us as a family. I can appreciate someone who is not ready to give their heart away without serious consideration. I hope I can be worthy of the trust she is placing in our hands

After an hour a fifteen minute adjournment was called for the judge and two council members to confer. They then returned to the court and gave a fifteen minute ruling stating that our petitions were to be granted and the two girls would now have our last name and their birth mom's first name for each of their middle names. We were all very happy and hugged as a family as court let out. Our interpreter told me later it was the fastest adoption case she had ever attended.

Now we wait for ten days. During this time we can continue to visit the girls when their school classes are done for the day and have them stay with us on the weekend with the director's approval. After the ten days are passed up we can apply for the new birth certificates and international visas and then travel back to Kiev for our meetings at the US Embassy

Susan is already checking airfares home. I was napping on the floor of the flat and she is telling me the British Air price of thirteen thousand for the five of us. That will wake one up. Well we have not purchased those tickets and we will keep looking. We are hoping to reach Chicago to Unjetlag and see our oldest daughter around the first of May. We are half way there.

Love you all. Thank You for your prayers and comments of support.

For those of you who would be interested I am keeping my eye open for good children who are searching for someone to love them and say; I will come and get you, I will redeem you, I will call you my own. When ever I think of this process I can never get around the realization this is what our Lord did for us. We have only to stand up and declare, Yes I accept His invitation.

You may message me on my face book, or email me privately at boringoneinc@gmail.com

In a Pinch

Let me simply say the Lord knows about all that we do and all we need. I need to always remember this in regard to every situation in my life.

Susan and I received a court date three weeks early to leave for the adoption, In the rush of hurried preparations all I can do to prepare for the future facilitation payment/transfer is get the papers filed. As I am leaving the bank the Lord says to pick up the bank representative's business card and take it with me.

Here we are two weeks later and NO paper work. I talk with our facilitator Sasha and he says he needs the transfer by wire, I offer three different possible solutions to fix this and ask what is the best for him? Bank wire.

I tell Sasha I will take care of this and he sounds doubtful as he tells me how to use the cell to call international, IE needed country code to call back to the US.

All these cell phones are pre-paid and they are cheaper than US phone rates though I am sure international is expensive like home. At least on a prepay I will not spend more than I have paid, this at least means no surprises on the cell phone bill.

So I call. Hold.

Call Hold

Call, get through, explain, cannot help

Get numbers to who can help.

Call, No!

Call, get new numbers.

I e-mail the required wire information to a bank manager “who does not want it” so I do not have to give 50 letters and numbers on an overseas line.

After eight transfers

I get who did my paperwork.

She fixes my problem, Does it Right now.

DONE.

As I wait for the confirmation my phone cuts out as the minuets are all used up.

Praise the Lord who knows just what we need before we need it.

I go to e-mail and request  fore ward confirmations.

Let me add our facilitator Sasha has stood by us and done all we have needed.

YA! for Wachovia bank who came through.

But I know who has Really taken care of this!

Dave b.

Expectations

April 8

It is early morning and raining gently. The last two days have been cold and breezy with gray skies. The grass is just beginning to green and the tulips (or their equivalent) are breaking through the soil.

We saw the girls on Thursday. They sang and danced with their classmates in practice for the Internads (orphanage/school) fiftieth anniversary. Alessia and a handsome partner dance the waltz in a group of six couples. It is beautiful, They all move gracefully and though smiling and happy this is serious business. American teenagers might be sitting around too cool to participate but here it is classna to be included. The Director makes sure they get it right. Alessia moves gracefully making me wish I could do the same.

Now we are on to the singing. Alina is the featured singer. She sings a song about a small bird that is lonely and looks for friendship and love. Her voice is American Idol quality and even in a different language you can hear the feelings and inflection. I am glad I cannot understand the words for I fear I could not handle the emotion. Her as an orphan singing about looking for love.

The director has warned Susan and I that these are two special girls. We have been asked, Did you know she could sing like that? Well we did not. I want her always to know we love her for who she IS and the singing ability is just some thing she is able to do. It is a part of her not all of her.

I ask her if she would like me to teach her to read music and play the piano. Yes-Yes! She is thrilled. I cannot wait for her to meet our daughter in law Kate who plays and sings like I can only dream of. (Sorry Kate your secret is out) Alessia wants to learn the guitar. I wonder if this is chosen not to be in competition with her sister? I tell her I both love the guitar and it is also easier to take with you than a piano. We all laugh.

In adopting older children they come to you with a lot more. I can see they have expectations for what their life will be like. At one point one of the girls comes and sits by us and says something. The translator says “she wants to get out of here” Susan, The rehearsal? Translator, No, I think she means the whole country! Now that is an expectation her life is going to be better in America! And it is. But also you have to take your happiness with you wherever you go, or you will show up without it. I have met so many people who have everything but their happiness. I ask myself how can I convey this idea. They will have so much more as part of our family in America. But they also give up many things to join us in a far away place with a new language and differing customs. I hope it either lives up to their expectations or they bring their own happiness with them, or better both!

Day ????

Loosing track of time here, seems like we have been here forever, but it has only been 2 weeks.  It is a cold, cloudy, rainy day once again.  We are taking advantage of a day like this to work on school with Ashley.  Thanks to all her teachers who sent work for her to do! 
We saw the girls again yesterday, they were practicing for a show that the orphanage is going to present on Tuesday for the orphanages 50th anniversary.  We are so happy to be able to attend.  Both our girls are in the show.  Alina is singing 2 songs and both girls participate in traditional Ukraine dancing.  It is so beautiful.  We will take video.  We will not see them today as they must attend another practice.  Also they have practice on Sat. so we cannot pick them up until the afternoon, then they can spend the night.  We have tickets to take them to the circus Sat. We thought that would be a good memory of their country for them. 
Sunday the orphange is coming into the town where we are staying to attend a soccer tournament so we will be joining them for that.  A busy weekend ahead.  Then court on Monday and the 50th celebration on Tues.   Maybe the time will pass more quickly!!!
We are seeing more Ukraine culture and are enjoying seeing the differences.  We were walking in our neighborhood last week and saw a funeral taking place.  Out in someones yard was an open casket, a priest and friends and family gathered.  Later that afternnon we passed a store and out in front was a wedding taking place right on the busy street.  One of their traditions we saw was many padalocks locked on to a bridge over a river.  We walked over the bridge and read the locks inscribed with names and dates.  When you get married you pledge your love and then throw the key in the water so it can never be undone. 
Something that Dave and the girls enjoy doing together is going to the local market and buying a whole fish to eat.  Not I or Ashley, Yuck!!!  The fish looks like one on the beach that we would throw away.  It is dried and salted and has all the parts.  First you break off the head, then you peel away the skin and bones, and discard the insides.  They shared the meat and enjoyed it greatly.  Papa is Class-na (Dad is cool the girls say)  I will choose not to be cool.  I will stick with McDonalds. 
A couple things you cannot purchase here are ziplock baggies or syrup for pancakes.  Their pancakes are different than ours, even at McDonalds and are served with jelly.  A friend made us some homemade syrup, she is from Vermont.  All in all we are enjoying learning about the Ukraine!!!

Random Thoughts

April 6

Random Thoughts.

When our translator saw a photo with Susan's Honda Odessy I tried to reassure him we were not really fantastically rich. I told him my car was thirteen years old. “You have TWO cars?” strike two.

The food here is cheaper.

This is a land of young people and old people. There are few like me.

This is a land of HIGH Heels. You should come. The shoes alone are worth the travel time.

I threaten Susan I will find out where these women shop and buy her an outfit. It is 42 degrees for the high; every one is walking, and these girls are headed down the street in short coat, short short tight skirt and HIGH Heels.

The street sweepers (young or old women with a stick broom) can move mountains.

We are recycling here. As I sit I can see four trash bins. More people stop and look in to see if they can get a piece of cardboard or a returnable bottle than people who throw trash in.

I made the mistake of throwing some ziplock bags out. Cannot get them here. Those things are great. I am pretty sure one of my neighbors has them now or they can sell them for 3greven each. About .30cents

People here require less space. We get on a sprinter size van. 18 sitting, five or eight standing. People enter and exit out the front passenger door going and coming from the back, down the narrow aisle more than brushing,squeezing, past each other. And it is all good.

In a store or on a corner someone will step past you (male, female, Young or Old) and they are so close your clothes are brushing but they are not touching you, you can feel them pass.

Cars cost twice as much or more when you add the tax, Gas is more. Rent is less, food less, utilities cheep. Buses anywhere you want $0.25 every 5 min.

People see each other but they do not Look at each other.

Never look at a policeman

Never look at a policeman

Policemen are not here to help you, They are here to find the bad people. Never look …

I have seen NO tough or thuggish people here. They just do not last.

I have never been afraid here. Day or night, anyplace I have been. We all go about and do what we do, no one bothers you.

Try lots of things, make lots of memories, You don't have enough time, GIVE LOVE

April 5

April 5^th

We ride the Marshu-ka (bus) to the orphanage and we are excited. Earlier today we received our court date. It is to be on April 11^th at ten AM. Only six days from now. This court date could have been ten days away but our facilitators have worked hard to have everything correct.

At the orphanage our conversation with the girls is not as smooth or as open as we would like. The girls ask where Lena their friend is? We tell them she will be back tomorrow as she is working. They are disappointed. Another young boy is not. He has a small photo album from his orphan stay experience in the US. Each picture is gone over with fond and detailed memorys explained. He sits on Susan's knee to be close as he shares his dream. This is something hard for me, even as I remember and write. We can only be kind to him, but we cannot give him what he so dearly wants. Then class is starting and the director shoes everyone away, one little boy hides behind a table but he is spotted and sent along.

I have in my hand a rolled up circus poster. I have kept it rolled so there will be no jealousy among the other children. Now I show the girls and let them know we have good tickets for Saturday's performance. They are thrilled. My purpose is not only to have a good time and impress them, I want them to have good memories of what their country has to offer. There are beautiful things and places here. They have just not been in a place where they could enjoy them. As our time comes to leave I give Alina the poster. She is surprised, and rolls it up carefully. To me the circus will be a good memory but to her it will likely be a special golden memory. One to be held close as she and her sister move closer to being with their forever family.

Monday

Today has been spent at the apartment.  It is a cold, cloudy kind of day.  Good day to get alot of school done with Ashley.  We have been pretty busy up until today with all the adoption process and now we have come to the wait time.  Our paperwork was submitted in court today to ask for a court date for the actual adoption to take place. We will now wait 2 weeks for the next court date.  This will be a long 2 weeks, but we can go and visit the girls every day if we choose after 3p.m. and then can bring them home with us for the weekend. Tonight our friend Kyle has invited us over for dinner with some of his missionary friends.  Sounds like fun!  We have found a church that we can walk to that we feel right at home.  There is a missions team of 4 young adults here at the church from Canada, so we can actually talk to them!!!  They are here ministering and teaching English.  We took the girls to church on Sat. night (they have church on Sat. so they can help other churches on Sun.) and they seemed to fit right in.  After church everyone hung around for tea, cookies, games, and music.  Alina loves to sing and has a fantastic voice, she joined right in.  Everyone at church thought they were Americans.  I guess that is good. 
We have no t.v. or radio so we have alot of time to talk and play games as a family.  We played Uno with the girls and all had a good time. I have already read 2 books and I never read at home.  Thanks to Tracy Tuerk who sent us some books and our friend in Kiev Marianna.  Loved the book on the Ukraine people!

April 3A

It is early in the morning when I first get up. We spent our first day together yesterday and had a great time. The two girls are asleep on the blow up mattress, the older one having Hogged the blanket during the night. I take my blanket to cover the younger and just as I do the older girl opens one eye and gives me a smile.

We are still on first impressions. But my first ones are that the two girls are everything we could want. They get along well with Ashley. They are funny, they are thoughtful and considerate. They have likes and dislikes.

We have changed interpreters. Interpreting is hard to do. This new interpreter is a girl so our girls feel more free to talk. She is young so it is like an older sister. They open up and talk about there feelings. One shares something pianful, I do not know if she wittnessed this person who should have protected her do this or if it was told to her as a reason for why they have gone? I reach out and take her hand and tell her we will Love her and to please let us be her family. I am sitting across the table so I can look her full in the eye. She does not cry but I can hardly hold it together. I have to look away to break the thought.

We went to the Fair Ashley wrote about. Boy that one ride with the 30 ft, rusty chains, each with a seat on the end. The one that spins so you go out to the side, flying free in a big circle. Boy did I get my money's worth. Ashley was pretending to be sick (convincingly). I did not want to be a dad on the sidelines. I screamed the loudest.

I have found their term of endearment. First choice is not dad, daddy, or father. It is papa which means to them dad, daddy and father. Now I am papa. My grand children call me this and I prefer dad but if it is what will allow their hearts to best attach to me then papa it is.

After the fair and orphanage we stoped back at the flat to get ready for Saturday night church. (may be doing to much) I had a cultural surprise in the food department. For many years I have enjoyed caned sardines. No One will eat them with me. Susan and Ashley do the EUUUGH! and the I Hate the smell routine.
So Susan is heating some water for soup and I do not think we have enough so I decide I will open a can for me. I show one of them the can while signing "Do you like to eat" I expect the EUUUGH or at least a shy no thank you. But no. Oh we love this! Do you have crackers?  So that is what we had, siting on the floor. Sardines and crackers. They even left the last one for papa; saying they were both to full when I offered it to them.  I think that also says something about them. Dont you?
Dave b.

An AMAZING weekend!!!

After we all woke up on Saturday morning we decided that we wanted to eat cereal for breakfast and then go shopping!!!! all we bought was a movie that we returned today... but the memory was still fun and it was interesting to see what there mall was like, its kinda like everystore was mixed together. After that Alina had let us known that her favorite place to eat was McDonalds and thats were she wanted to go to lunch, so we all got on to the bus and took off! At lunch i found out Alina loved fries and ketchup so trying to be a nice lil sister and i gave her my ketchup when she ran out and then also the rest of my medium fries which were pretty much full! We then asked Alessia and Alina if there was anything that they wanted to do for the afternoon because we were clueless on what there was to do for fun. Alina said right away "i have one idea but im not sure you will want to do it also." She suggest that we go to a park that her mom used to take them to before she died. At this park we found lots of rides that because they were old and not inspected.... didnt seem safe.. AT ALL!!  But trying to be nice i offered that the four of us, me, Alina, Alessia, and our dad go on the ferris wheel but having the language berrier they understood me saying, I wanna go on the ferris wheel with dad while u two go on another ride... That was the scariest ride i had ever been on in my life!!!! it was sooooo NOT safe! and all rusty to! :( but we got down and Alina asked me if i liked it and i put a huge fake smile on my face and said yes i loved it!!! she then offered to have us go again and i wasnt sure what to say, or do.. so i changed the subject!!!! haha then the girls invited us to go on another ride that was also extremly old so i faked not feeling well and told my dad i wasnt ready to die yet! the two girls and my dad went on it, while the ride was going the opperator walked away to go "read the dirctions on how to turn it off" then came back.. she was like 90! eagerly ready to leave we all had a very good time i think more laughing at those who rode the rides then actually riding them ourselfs. To finish off the long adventurous day our friend kyle took us to orphanage number three where we saw 2 kids who we had met over the summer, Angela and Ira. we wernt there very long but long enough to take a picture and share some hugs! :) Bed time was fun. as i went to go make my bed on the couch Alina insisted that I sleep with them so the three of us gathered onto a queen size air matress attempting to fall asleep... I woke up with Alina legs wraped around mine and Alessia holding onto my stuffed dog :) It was a great day!

April 2

Friday April 2

We road home together.

All of us on the marshukka (bus). The three girls in the back, laughing about a song they all knew, Susan and I a few rows up but able to hear.

We had been at the orphanage visiting the girls and the director offered for us to take the two girls home for the week end. Alessia hesitated because she is counting the time she has left to say goodbys, Alina Yes Yes Yes.

Back at the flat the girls opened suitcases packed with clothes Susan purchased for when they leave the orphanage. Shirts and blouses, under clothes, socks, pajamas with snoopy in a painters hat and iefle tower, new jeans, coats. Every thing is perfect. They hold cloths up model and compare. Susan has coordinated the clothes with each other and Ashley. The two girls fold each item before setting it down, each a neat stack. I ask if they want to try clothes on, Susan suggests they might wish to shower and put on their new pajamas. This is the winning idea so off they go to reappear fresh and clean in their new pjs. Shy smiles and wanting to show you how nice they look.

We spend the evening together talking between languages. No TV. We talk about cooking and what we each like to eat, I tell them again that their older brother is a chief and can also help us. They say they do not do dishes at the orphanage but will help at home.

While we were still on the way home, Kyle our missionary friend and his co worker Jenna met us. I was “So Proud” to introduce everyone. “This is my daughter Ashley, This is my daughter Alina, This is my daughter Alessia.” Earlier I had asked how to say the word “sisters” Alina said “four sisters” Alina included Ashley and new older sister Charissa. I was more than touched.

Kyle had called his pastor. He met us with his wife and drove us to their flat to pick up extra sleeping supplies. Everything we needed for two new people, They then drove us to our flat.

It is early morning here now. Everyone is still asleep. I am in the little kitchen and they are all together in the living room. Ashley on the couch, Alina and Alessia on a blow up mattress, Susan on another. I can hear all of them softly breathing in sleep.