Dnipro Day 2-4

To get caught up...


Friday was spent waiting for the Social worker to call and let us know that the paperwork was done and ready for us pick up. We stayed near town all day waiting. Oxana and Victor walked around town most of the morning and afternoon. Drew and I went to the orphanage at about 12:00 and picked up Masha. She was very anxious for us to go with her to Babushka's house. So we headed there and spent about an hour just visiting and looking at pictures. Masha did a lot of the translation for us and we had a good time. Babushka is really missing her Nastia and just wept and wailed in the pillow (very dramatically :)) and explained that she wanted to know how she was doing and missed her. Add on top of that that we are taking Masha and she is feeling pretty sad right now.


We took Masha with us to get closer to town for when Oxana called and we needed to get the paperwork picked up. We met Oxana and Victor back at the orphanage and set out to the social workers office. She had already called to find out how much longer it would be. She said we needed to have the paperwork in hand by about 10 minutes to 4 or we wouldn't be able to get to court in time to meet with the judge and set a court date. We watched the minutes tick away to about 4:05 and she got a call from one of the workers that it was ready and to give them a ride to have it registered??? (I think?) We let Masha and Victor out and drove the social worker to another official building. She ran the paperwork in and was able to catch the person the minute before they were heading out of the building for the day, to get the paperwork registered. I think that another of the social worker people was already there and asked for her to wait and told her the paperwork was on it's way because two social worker ladies walked out of the building.

We then took them back to their office and picked up Masha and Victor and headed with all the paperwork to the court. They prepared a few more documents that we signed and got a court date for next Friday and 9 am. Oxana was relieved because then she was able to head home to her kids. We were relieved because this brings our court date up 2-3 days sooner than Oxana had originally told us we would have it. Perfect!! That means Drew will be with me for a few days of the 10-day waiting period and that will mean less time for me here alone at the end, which I really appreciate!

We crunched a few dates and there is a chance I could be home a week sooner than originally estimated. Hooray! I hope it continues to run as smooth as it has so far.

We all came back to the apartment that night and made plans for the weekend. Oxana would head out on a train the next morning for home. Victor decided that he would stay with us for the weekend and go with us to Odessa on Monday. We are hoping to take Masha with us because she was out of school on Friday and would be the whole next week for holiday. We hope Nadiya will let us take her.

So Saturday was a pretty lazy day. We got some laundry done and once it was out drying we headed to get Babushka's for a visit. We had called Masha ahead of time to let her know it would be about 12:00 before we would get there. When we arrived Babushka's had headed to her son's home and told Masha to lock the doors and we could leave. So I gave Masha the camera and had her take a ton of pictures of all the house and things she wanted to remember in the house.

We came back to the apartment and played games, watched a movie and made dinner.

Afterwards, I had Masha take a much needed shower before taking her back to Babushka's. Unfortunately, she still smelled a little of BO because I think the smell is in her clothes. I will work on that more later when she is officially ours and I can put her in nice fresh clothes. She was able to wash her hair and get ready for church tomorrow, which was the main objective!

We took her back home and I am now waiting for everyone to wake up so that we can head out for church in Dnipropotrosk. However you spell that city. Here are some pictures from the last couple of days.

Drew being silly behind the wheel on our way to Dnipro on Thursday.

First sight of Masha at the orphanage.

Reunion.

Dinner from Nadiya at the orphanage.

Sititng at Babushka's on Friday. This is their living area. It does have a bed in it as well for whoever ends up sleeping there some nights.

Drew with Babushka's glasses on.

Masha's room at Babushka's.

This is an example of a piece of wall paper that was often found in homes during WWII. It was so expensive that people could only afford to put a small piece on their walls and frame it with ribbon or fabric trim. This is the bed in Babushka's living room.

They have 9 puppies right now.

Drew and Victor in the bathroom at Babushka's.

This was the tub that I was very first able to scrub Anastasia down in last year.

Their toilet...

This is a picture of their grape vines. When we here last summer thse were covered with beautiful leaves and it was really pretty. Right now, everthing looks so different and drab without the pretty spring and summer colors on the trees.

The front door of Babushka's home.

Masha on the side of the house.

Babushka's gate with her house number.

A very dirty car!

Side view of Babushka's home.

Happy Birthday to Drew! We bought ice cream and put a candle in it to celebrate his birthday. We tried to share it with Babushka on Saturday, but she had taken off and we brought it back to the apartment and shared his birthday treat with Masha and Victor.

The kitchen of our little apartment. Home sweet home! I really do love coming back here, it makes me feel safe again at the end of the day. It is Constantine's apartment (Costya, as the Ukrainians call him). It is most likely where most of the families adopting from this orphanage will stay.

Drew with his ice cream.

My first finished scarf!!! I really like it and am very proud of myself. Those that have stayed in Constantine's apartment might not recognize this room. It is the main master bedroom at this apartment. Constantine has remodeled it, taken out a lot of extra furniture and bought a new bed!! Also, we have WiFi in the apartment now too. What great improvements. Especially the bed! I knew those of you that slept on the bed last year would be jealous because we have yet to sleep on it. I'm afraid we never will :).

Driving to Dnipro.

Pigs being pulled by a car. We have seen quite a few of these on the road.

A water closet near a gas station where we filled up. Some of you have commented that you were forbidden to use these, well, I wish we were because I was seriously afraid standing over this hole that I would fall in. It makes me nervous just thinking about it now! I was shocked by it because a child could fall in there and not be able to get out again. Yuck!! and Dangerous!!

A hole in the ground.

A street in Kiev coming near the main square. You can see the cars parked on the sidewalks.