Cathy and I have been noticing things that are different about this trip. Some things change, some things are the same...
The SDA is in the same place. Our appointment there was pretty much what we expected, pretty similar to last year. Where we are staying is a little farther away; but, not by much and not in any bad way. We've been looking forward to walking Kiev again. Tuesday we walked from the apartment to the SDA for our referral documents, getting familiar with the neighborhood we're in now, seeing the same street vendors that were out when we were here last. At the SDA office we met a couple from Florida that were picking up their documents and then heading down to Crimea to adopt a sibling couple near the end of their orphanage time. There was another couple with them adopting a sibling group of four. Didn't catch where they were from. There was maybe another couple after us, we got our paperwork and were on our way.
Our driver and our facilitator picked us up Wednesday for the trip to the notary. Traffic is always an enjoyable spectator sport. It is almost like every cliched scene you've ever seen in a movie, including Dustin Hoffman's classic street-crossing - "I'm walkin' here! I'm walkin'!" That may be a slight exaggeration, but only a little. Cathy and I laughed just a little when our facilitator said rather casually of another driver that cut across us, "Ooh la la, you're nuts." Other families that have shared our same experiences might appreciate that. (Note from Cathy: I like that phrase so much it just may one that I start using)
I am still impressed by how old fashioned and old school this process is. Although every thing is done by computer and printer; our facilitator makes copies, and rather than staple the copies, he sews each one of the five packets of copies. I think there were three or four pages in each packet that he sewed very briskly in three places and tied the thread off.
After the notary we were on our way out to the orphanage to see Shani again after ten months.
What is different a year later at the orphanage, is, that not only are almost all of the older children gone to new homes and families, but the behavior of the children is different now, too. Last year, every day at four in the afternoon, we lost Justin and most of the kids to Avatar: The Last Airbender. A little bit to Spongebob, too. But Avatar was "it". There was no talking, no moving, no breathing during Avatar. Snacks were at four-thirty, then free time until the music lesson, then dinner.
Yesterday, the television was not on at all. Halloween is a uniquely American custom. Children do not dress up and go trick-or-treating door to door here. So, while Justin was getting, "Many, many candy!" We were getting better acquainted with his brother and teaching him English.
We had a little surprise yesterday, when we left and got on the bus back to the apartment. The bus route had changed! We used to make our way through a number of street vendors in kiosks along the road back to the subway station. Now, we hit the highway on the opposite side away from the kiosks and mall on our way back. It was a little unnerving to be headed in the opposite direction, before heading the way we needed to go...
What doesn't change is that each and every one of these children desperately want to be wanted. There are still the same number of children. New children have come here to take the place of the ones that found forever families. I feel like I am wearing Velcro. It is hard to ignore a child; but I am here for my child, and I see my child's slight frustration over having to share me with the other children in the room. This isn't any one's fault. I don't blame or fault any one - especially the little ones themselves. These are children that want to be wanted, they are desperate and hungry for attention. Cathy and I are the new toys in the room. These boys and girls want to play, they want someone to listen, they want someone to be there. Just like there is nothing better than relaxing with Honorable Number One Son in the back yard on his birthday trampoline.
Right now we are just waiting on our court date. Then ten days after that, we can start the process of bringing Shani home as Ethan. If our timetable is accurate, I should be home with Honorable Number Two Son by mid-December. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year, since it is all about spending time with family. But what a Christmas gift we have this year: as we celebrate the coming of our Savior, we add a new number to our family. The even number, "four"
Over the last few days, I've been telling Cathy why I think we are the Fantastic Four. She thinks I'm pretty good at embellishing and stretching the truth, by telling me that's not something to brag about :) ...Honorable Number One Son is our little hothead; he's impulsive...Honorable Number Two Son is our heart of gold; our diamond in the rough...Honorable Mother...well, now she is the most powerful one of our little group. She makes all of OUR problems (wait for it) invisible, just like any mother...
I can't wait to see all of our "Incredibles" together.
There's more to come, but right now we have tea, with apples and watermelon slices courtesy of our hosts. How awesome is that?!!
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