The Orphanage

Yesterday we took the kids swimming. It was quite the experience!!! First off we walked all the way down to the main square, it was probably a mile, at the very least to get to this point. The whole walk, Masha was telling us we have to get on the bus. We were with the Loboses and they had a stroller, we kept telling Masha we needed to walk to the pool. She did not want to give up on the bus thing. Finally, we all relented and got on the bus with the stroller broken down and what do we do? We ride the bus all the way back up the hill we just walked down!!! We couldn't believe it. Masha, apparently, didn't know how to get to the pool without getting on the bus. So we finally made it to the pool and the fun really began.
We paid at the front for the five of us. Drew, Jen, Masha, Nastia and Ruslan. They gave the adults cards to swipe and the kids bracelets. We weren't allowed to wear our own sandels into the locker and pool area, so we had to rent their sandels at the front. The sandels they gave me were more dirty than the sandels I already had on. A little counter productive if you ask me...

The lady that gave us our shoes, then gave each of us a number card. We, then, used our cards and bracelets to punch through the gates that led to the locker rooms. Once we got up to the locker room, the lady counted how many number cards we had and gave us one locker key per card. We changed into our swim suits with this lady on our heels the whole time. She asked if we had soap to shower with (the girls feet were filthy) and we told her no. She came a minute later with a bottle of soap and a sponge to scrub with. She followed us into the shower area and told us to get back out of our swimsuits! I pretended I didn't understand what she was saying...:). I did not get undressed, but our kids did. I scrubbed Nastia down really well, I was glad to have her under a shower. The lady watched to make sure that we all scrubbed sufficiently and fortunately didn't make me dress down. Both Ann and I would have refused if she asked us again.

Finally, we were able to go to the pool. A lady inspected our skin to make sure we were sufficiently clean. She made me lift up my top to show my tummy and back and that I was indeed clean there as well! I thought it was hilarious. What a huge to-do, just to be able splash around in an olympic sized lap pool. They only allowed us to play in one 20x20 foot corner of the pool. Even then, they didn't like too much noise from the kids, or much splashing. We only played for 45 minutes before all the kids had had enough. I don't think we will be going back there again.

Today we took water balloons, which the kids loved. We ate lunch at the orphanage again, then afterwards went to Potato House for ice cream. It was a pretty uneventful day. But we do have news that the Lawrence's and we both have court together on Friday at 9:00 am. This is very fast for the Lawrence's, but the courthouse closes next week for two weeks and Oxana begged and pleaded that the judge allow us to do it together with promises that she would have all the paperwork ready. She has been pretty amazing!

With court on Friday, our ten day waiting period will start on Saturday. This means that there is a chance that we might be able to complete this whole process before my brother's wedding in July. We will be cutting it really close, but it is looking very likely. We are praying that they are able to because I do not want to have to fly back again in July. We'll have to reschedule several of our plane tickets, but it will be worth it, if we only have to be here once this summer!

Thanks for following our blog! Thanks for your comments...it means so much to us!

Here are pictures to update Sunday thru Tuesday. Drew, Masha, Jen and Nastia outside the door to the church in Dnepropetrosk. The girls were dressed in dresses from their grandma's home. This was good because we were able to keep their dresses we brought clean for court on Friday.

Jen, George, Drew and Nadiya at Nadiya's home. This is the bedroom that Constantine is staying in. The bed looks more comfortable than what we are sleeping on...:).

This is the back of Nadiya's home from the view of Constantine's room. You see Drew, our translator (I can't remember her name) and Nadiya.

This is the shower at the ranch.

Me eating a fresh carrot, newly picked from the ranch grounds.

Monday, a bird, let itself get caught by one of the orphans. It liked my finger.

Jen, Masha, Lena, and Oxana in the orphanage waiting area.
Oleg and Oxana, our facilitators.