Visit #2

Just got in from Visit number two and are elated. We officially signed papers for the Russian version of Child Protective Services today for Andy; we sign the ones for court tomorrow morning at 9:00. Our guide/translator is at the Ministry of Education right now, asking for official permission for us to meet Lil'Girl. We expect to sign her legal papers tomorrow.

Today we met with the doctor who gave us all the medical history and some of the personal history. She seemed very fond of both kids. Then we met with the director who gave us the personal history and showed us the artifacts she had. Andy has some pictures, a baptismal record, a baptismal cross, a hand-print. We will get all these for him when we are legally his parents.

We took them each a book of pictures of family and us and the furbabies and our home. They LOVED them. They looked at them over and over again, finding Jamie and I each and every time and showing us ourselves. We had a picture of the four of us taken, which I will print and mail back and the caregivers can add to the book.

We are sure that Andy has noticed that we spent time today with only he and Lil'Girl. We get to tell them tomorrow. Today we played tea party and Lil'Girl served Mama and then Papa. She was play-acting, so she thought.

The heart-break is that the whole time we played, the five other children watched from the next room. They sought out eye contact and smiled plaintively. Just breaks our hearts. Think of going to the humane society and having to walk past all the ones you can't help, and then magnify that a zillion-fold.

We prepared gift bags for all the children, puppets, bubbles, chocolate, matchbox cars, etc. which we got to give them right before lunch. They were told they could not open them until after lunch, which they complied with without a fuss. They were just thrilled to hold the bags and peer through the cello-wrap and guess at the contents.

Andy is a Tigger. He is go go go and do do do. He is very bright. Both of them wanted all of both of our attention all the time.

In other news, we got a nice phone call from Father Joe, the local Catholic priest, last night. He invited us to the Friday night concert of their Easter Season Music fest, held this coming weekend as most of the musicians were over extended during the long Easter Holy weeks, as they participate in both the Catholic and the Orthodox. Fr. Joe dropped off a map and directions in Russia, as well as an estimate of a fair price for the taxi (negotiated before you get in the car). I hope we can go.

Off to lunch and donation shopping. I hope to post again later, though I won't have any fresh news. You can post questions and I can answer them, as long as they are not about personal kid details.

So very happy to see Greg and Christy and Jenny made it to blog-land. :)

Love,

Suzanne

edited to add random city pictures. I know you want kid pictures, but I can't. Here are some other pics. Poor consolation, I know.