A Day of Extremes - and Kid Photos (long, sorry)

Yesterday and today have run into one big long day of extremes. Yesterday we met Marina, who is kind of our project manager here. She’s very organized and really good at communicating what’s coming up next, what we need to do, etc. Here is a photo of Marina:











Last night we got on the train in Kiev at 7 pm, and woke up in Donetsk at 6 am. John was thrilled, he’s always wanted to go on a train. We did have our own compartment, which was nice.

Here are a few train photos:




Train station in Kiev








The train we went on.











Goofball hamming it up.





I liked the train, but it was a really hard “bunk,” and I didn’t really sleep. We knew we were getting off the train and going directly to meet with the local inspector to get permission to go visit the kids at the orphanage. We were getting the bags off the train, then I heard John yelling. The train steps are short, metal, and steep, and it had rained overnight. He slipped on them, landed flat-footed on the pavement, and heard a large POP. Which is a terrible sign for somebody with a history of spinal compression fractures. He was in extreme pain, poor guy, and still is. Somebody went and got the nurse at the train station, four official-looking guys with a stretcher came and took him off, and Marina told me to wait right there with the luggage. It was very scary. They came back about 15 minutes later. The nurse had given John a shot of a high-level painkiller, but he was still in LOT of pain. We got him into a taxi, and to the hotel to lie down for awhile. He wanted us to still go ahead with the appointments we already had, so we left the cell phone with him and went on.

Marina and I went to meet with the inspector, at this point very late for the original 7:30 meeting. Marina went in and came out with our social worker, who accompanied us to the orphanage. We met with the head doctor, who went over the highlights of the kids’ medical reports, and then went to a large playroom on the second floor, with lots of toys – and a piano. Caregivers brought each child in, one at a time. Maksim is 4, confident and very active. He wanted me to watch him go down the slide, and to push him around on a riding truck. Irina is 3, and adorable. She is quiet, but social. Valentina is 2, very shy, and will be a heartbreaker someday. They all get along well, squabbling over toys occasionally like you would expect. They were all quite interested in what I had brought in my pink bag (toys and cookies). When I got the cookies out, I had their undivided attention. Maksim asked for a cookie, Irina took one when I offered it, and came and got another one and took it to Valentina when she was too shy to come over. She’s a good big sister already.

We knew we wanted to keep their first names, possibly as a middle name, and have been bickering over names for months. We didn’t realize we’d need them quite this early in the process, so it’s a good thing we finally settled on a few while in Kiev. Their American names will be:

Alexander Maksim
Natalia Irina
Valentina Grace

And here are their photos. I put them in by age, Maksim, Irina, Valentina:










Karen & Tim - I knew you'd love the big hair bows. And Maksim reminds me of Evan at that age.
David & Amy - I think Valentina reminds me of Bess, big blue eyes.

We will be able to go twice a day during the week to visit the kids, 9-11:30 am, and 3:30-4:30 pm, and in the morning on Saturdays. Our taxi driver for the whole day today, Roman, will be picking us up every morning and afternoon. He was a trooper today – he stuck with us all day and tried very hard not to hit any potholes or bumps for John’s sake. He doesn’t speak much English, but he did try to make us feel better with “Don’t worry, be happy.”

I was really hesitant to post this much information about the kids, because our adoption is not final, and won’t be for a while. I believe it’s possible that, even after we go to court, a Ukrainian family, related or not, could decide they would like to adopt these three, and as Ukrainians would be given preference. I don’t think that happens very often, but there’s always a chance. However, this is the information everybody most wants to know. I know I would, too.

It’s been a day of exremes because it was so scary when John got hurt getting off the train, and sad when he couldn’t go to the first meeting with the kids. But on the other hand, I got to see the kids for the first time, John got to see their pictures, we got to pick their official new names, and we got the ball rolling on the paperwork processes here. And John will get to see them tomorrow morning.

John is doing a little better, in fact after we came back from the orphanage we picked him up and he went with us to the notary office (we both had to sign papers to get everything started). He’s very sure this is the same thing that’s happened to him before, and even if he went to the doctor, the doctor wouldn’t be able to do anything but prescribe painkillers and we’ve already got plenty of those. I explained to Marina and the station nurse, but neither one seemed to know what I meant by osteoporosis, brittle bones, compression fracture, etc. So I’m not sure if going to a doctor here is the best idea for us anyway.

We’re in the Atlas Hotel in Donetsk which, praise God, includes unlimited free WiFi, air conditioning, and a free breakfast buffet.

Here’s our prayer list. Please pray that:
- John will get better, ASAP, and the pain would be much lessened.
- The adoption process would be finalized very quickly, and that no one else would show up to claim them.
- The kids bond with us quickly.
- Everything will go as fast as possible – I’m really anxious to get us all home.

Thanks again for your continued prayers, and your comments on the blog. This whole process has been a huge faith-building process, and I’m sure it will continue to be. But God is faithful, we’re trusting in Him, and He’s in control.

JoEllen