The One That Is All Routine...

Dave sez,

I was just thinking about how I was settling into a comfortable routine, when my routine was abruptly changed.

This must be what fall is like in Kiev; cloudy, foggy and cold. I think it may have been one day last week when I last saw the sun. I got up a little after seven. In the states in is No-Shave-November for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Hopefully next year I may get to participate. Ethan has been very diligent in reminding me to shave. I can only get away with NOT shaving every other day. A day's growth of bear stubble and I hear, 'Poppee..." and he makes a gesture of swiping his chin with a razor with the sound effect! "Yeah?!"  Da, Ethan, da. Popi will shave in the morning. Promise. Over the weekend I shaved both Saturday and Sunday. I think i shaved Monday, skipped yesterday, then shaved today.

Out the door a little after eight this morning, on the Number Eighteen to Independence Square, in to McDonald's for a couple egg McMuffins and hash browns, then on to the subway. I didn't have to wait long for the 507, since I got off at Holosiivska closer to nine. It was an unusually busy rush hour this morning with commuters racing from the subway to the buses outside Holosiivska station. I mad sure while I waited that I got well enough out of the way. I got out to the orphanage at maybe ten fifteen after. Ethan was still in bed sound asleep. I woke him up, then waited for him in the classroom. I can tell he's getting bored with the English routine, so today is probably the last day for the routine he's been in. He is learning some words, but he's not retaining anything. Some days he shows improvement. Days like yesterday and today, he's more in a hurry to get through it as quickly as possible and move on to whatever is next. Yesterday it was the computer video games. The classroom computer was shut down, and the teacher wasn't around, so that was out. Good thing I brought my computer to watch a movie.

We watched Iron Mans 1 and 2. Which pretty much took up the entire visit. At 2:30 Masha was back from school and Justin Hammer was just unveiling Ivan Vanko's drones at the Stark Expo. I got my excited "Popi!" and hug. Ethan's response was a high falsetto, "Popi!", then "Pfphah!" Gave him the John Belushi look from National Lampoon's Animal House - the one raised eyebrow, and he giggled. I remind him as much as possible of how he introduced Cathy and me to Masha. before we even saw her, he said, "Masha...sister?!" I keep asking him, "Da, or nyet?" He looks at me more sincerely and says, "Da."

Since Saturday, I've been bringing them both a Snickers bar each, along with a roll of Starbursts and Skittles. Ethan and I share Lifesavers during English and whatever else. Today he was pretty antsy for his candy. I've been making him wait until Masha is back from school and I give them both their candy along with hugs from me and Cathy, a kiss on the forehead for both of them and then I'm on my way back.

I managed to catch another 507 around three back to Holosiivska. Back at Independence Square I made my way over to McDonald's for a couple of burgers and then the long walk uphill and back to the apartment. When I got there, though the doors were locked and the lights were out, with hand printed signs I couldn't read. Fortunately, there is a McDonald's down below in the food court in the mall. Apparently there, though, they do not have hamburgers. They just have the Big Mac's and Quarter Pounders. So, I switched my order for two hamburgers to a Big Mac. I thought the price was a little high until I was handed TWO Big Macs to go. I don't get the meal, just the sandwiches. I come back to the apartment and have my burgers with hot tea. I'm wondering what happened to close down the street level McDonald's, and if it will be open in the morning for breakfast.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a uniquely western observed holiday, celebrating the migration of the Pilgrims to the new world, and the first harvest...at least those are the highlights from Wikipedia.

The most recent Ukrainian holiday was Independence Day in August. Following New Year's Day, January 1st, Orthodox Christmas is coming on January 7th.

It is hard to imagine, but we are very close to wrapping up our journey here. Early next week we will have the court's final decree and I will be able to get Ethan's new birth certificate. if we are able to get that and his tax identification number in the same day, more the better. If not, there is still time. Probably Friday, I'll check with Igor to see what day all that will come up, along with getting his passport photo taken. The other question will be, what day next week or the following week will I be able to bring Ethan back to Kiev to the apartment? Once he's back here in Kiev, with me there's only his physical and his visa at the Consulate left. It's just a handful of things happening in a short amount of time. Compared to last year, this trip doesn't seem very long at all.

This is the first Thanksgiving in twenty-two years that Cathy and I have not spent together. We will remember it for years to come as the Thanksgiving we had the MOST to be thankful for. We have Justin and Ethan. There was a time when we wondered if we would every reach a moment like this. If we would ever have ONE child. Now we have TWO.

Who knows what harvest tomorrow will bring us?

Next year, I want a Thanksgiving photo like this one:

The One That Starts Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone...

Dave sez,

"There Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone".

I've got that song by Bill Withers in my head along with my own version of Three Dog Night's "Odyn (One) Is The Loneliest Number".

Kind of a slow, quiet day here in Kiev. Pretty much a rerun of yesterday. Caught the Number Eighteen to Independence Square. Got an egg McMuffin with a hash brown.

The fountains in Independence Square were drained over the weekend. Yesterday there was a guy pulling the lights out of the fountain that circled the glass dome above the underground mall. There are a couple more fountains on the walk to the other end of the square to the stairs to the subway. Those were empty, too. This afternoon there were a couple of guys pulling the light fixtures out of them, as well. One the ledge around the bigger fountain - the one around the glass dome - there were big grey metal cases. I'm guessing that's what the light fixtures get put into. I'm thinking this is probably a seasonal thing, kinda like when all the Dairy Queens close. The fountains get drained and the lights get pulled in the fall before winter starts and the snows come.

Today was a grey, foggy day. Overcast but no rain. Dank.

I slept in a little later, and got out to see Ethan by 9:30. I found him looking out the window for me in the music room. He was kneeling on the sofa, under the sheer curtains with his face nearly plastered to the glass. There are two gates to the playground outside. One on the end by the orphanage; the other over by a daycare or pre-school that is in an attached building. During the week it is easier to come in that end, rather than walk a block over to the other side. Both gates are locked on the weekends; but since we usually make arrangements ahead of time the orphanage side is usually unlocked a few minutes before we get there, or just as we are arriving. So, Ethan didn't see me come in until I had slipped of the backpack and my coat and I tapped him on the shoulder.

I had surprised him.

I had stopped at the grocery and gotten a bottle of water, a Coca-Cola and yogurt with corn flakes. I gave him the egg McMuffin and water. He still has a cough. I had the yogurt. I sipped the Coke most of the time I was there, neutralizing the yogurt cultures.

He wasn't able to get on the classroom computer yesterday, but today the teacher was able to turn it on and start it and he spent the whole visit playing computer games. After rushing through his English. I'm sure that he will be shocked and freaked out by the rigors and demands of the Newcomers Program when he gets home. There will be plenty of time for him to get over that.

My son, Ethan, is terrible at video games. I mean that in the most positive and supportive way possible. I grew up with arcade games. I had mastered a certain level of incompetence on those. I've never really played much of the home video games. Cathy and I had gotten a Sega game system when we got married. It came with Sonic. We bought Aladdin. Not sure what happened to the Aladdin game cartridge. But, Cathy had a natural ability at both games. Her eye-hand co-ordination made her a winner. I watched as Ethan tried racing and soccer. It doesn't look like he has a natural ability for video games. I've noticed him get to a point where he resets the game. He's mastering Angry Birds. Bad Pigs is a bit of a challenge. he's pretty good at shooting gallery games. But any driving games worry me, because it won't be long before he starts learning that for real. Right now I have no confidence in his steering abilities. But then, I can't steer a video game race car either.

I'm anticipating an argument or two as "sibling rivalry" will soon be moving into my home. Justin is so much like his Mama and Ethan is kinda like me. Ethan's not very assertive, so when the smaller, younger kids come around clamoring over what he's got, he looks to Cathy and me for rescue. There's a point where he has to assert and stand up for himself and say, "Nyet". But it is a fine line between curiosity and disruption.

We spent pretty much the whole day in the classroom. Ethan played video games on the computer and I watched, or read.

Masha was just coming back from school as I was leaving. A little older and in sixth grade, Masha gets back from school a little later than the other, younger kids. She came tearing into the classroom again, today, calling "Popi!" wrapping her arms around me and burying her face into my chest. These are Ethan's final days here in Kiev before he comes home to the states with me for good. As much as I love his smile, it won't be much longer before I have his final court decree and he comes back to Kiev with me. Well get his passport and visa after his birth certificate and he'll have a final physical and we will be on a flight back home.

But, I linger a few extra minutes, until I can see Masha's smile and the twinkle in her eye, before I go.

I don't know what tomorrow will bring. Sunshine. Clouds and fog. Rain. Snow.

I have smiles at home waiting for me. I have a smile with me every day. There is something about Masha's smile that is different from Justin and Ethan's. So, I wait to see it.

Tomorrow, Ethan wants to watch a movie. Tomorrow, back home in America, it is one of the busiest travel days of the year. Please drive safe wherever you are going for Thanksgiving. Make the next few days memorable. Ethan and I will be celebrating our Thanksgiving in December when we come home.

See you soon!

The One About The Morning Report...

Dave sez,

 Dear Cathy,

Here's another opportunity for to tell about all the exciting things going on here while YOU are starting YOUR Monday by going back to work.

I had a hard time relaxing and falling asleep last night after we Skyped. Talking with you and Justin was like chugging a Berry Mt. Dew Amp. Not a good thing to do right before going to bed; but it was good to see both your faces and hear your voices and make faces at Justin and stick our tongues out at each other.

The alarm went off this morning at seven, and instantly I wished I had set it for seven-thirty. I reset it, laid back down for a few minutes and by five after, I had given up and gotten up. A quick shower, brushed my teeth and I was ready to head out by seven-thirty. I checked messages before heading out at eight for breakfast on the way to the subway.

Ethan asked if we could watch a movie today, so I was lugging a pretty full pack. I'm starting to feel the burn from walking so I took the Number Eighteen bus. I picked up an egg McMuffin and a hash brown from Mickey D's and headed down to Maidan station. Since there's no bookstore in the underground mall any longer - it's now a kiosk wrapped around a support beam with a young lady attendant - I skip walking the mall walk and head right down to the subway station. Did I tell you that yesterday there was a camera crew at the top of the stairs filming some sort of variety program. It sounded like some kind of karaoke or musical variety program. Maybe it was an audition for the version of The Voice they do here. I think it's a kid's version of that show. I really didn't stop to watch much, but there was a camera on a boom and on a track and a crowd huddled around a bright circle on the ground. I couldn't see a host, the crowd was pretty thick. There wasn't much going on this morning, just the normal Monday morning rush.

I made pretty good time. When I got out at Holosiivska, it wasn't long of a wait for a 507. I think I caught it by 8:30. It was pretty crowded for a Monday morning, and made every one of the stops on the route, so I was out to the orphanage by nine. I dropped my gear in the music room, ate breakfast in the dining room and then started to look for Ethan. I was kinda surprised he hadn't found me yet. When I asked where he was, I was told he was still sleeping. At ten after nine! I went and woke him up. He was sound asleep! He got up, changed out of his peejays into clothes and we got started on English. We started out our lesson in the music room, but the teacher said we could use the classroom today. He wanted to play on the computer in the classroom - the teacher said he could - but I guess none of the kids know how to turn it on. That's not a bad piece of information to withhold. By 10:30 he was ready for a movie. He picked Rise of The Silver Surfer. The story got in the way of the action, an he ended up playing some of the games you left for him.

I still like both Fantastic Four movies. Ethan started to pick up that we are becoming four, just like they are four.

We managed to squeeze in another movie, he picked The Incredible Hulk. We watched it together and I kept an eye on his reaction to it. He seemed okay. He was still playing the games while watching the movie.

I hung around long enough that maybe I could see Masha coming back from school. It was maybe 2:35 or 2:40 when this blur slammed into me. She gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. That's one thing I've noticed. Most of the children are pretty laid back and relaxed. They come back from school and they say "Hi" or "Hello". Even Ethan is pretty casual, considering these are his last few weeks before he heads home for good. When I woke him up, he mumbled good morning, but didn't seem excited to see me. It was like any morning back home. For him, that's probably a good thing. Every time I see Masha, she seems like she is so excited and thrilled to see me that she is about to bust. I know you probably didn't see how big her smile was when she hugged you those first couple of days we were here, but I keep watching her face. It lights up like yours does.

I don't know if I've ever told you this; but when people ask about us, how we met, how long we've been together, how I knew it was you, I tell them about when I first asked you out. I'd gotten used to hearing no a lot, so I was pretty sure that was what you would say. I didn't think we had a whole lot in common. You're smart. You went to college. The closest I've been is spelling the word on paper. But I will never forget that moment. It was like that moment in The Blues Brothers, when John Belushi's Jake is in The Triple Rock Baptist Church, and he realizes what to do to save Sister Mary's Orphanage. The clouds part, a light shines down and Jake is in this bright light and he says, "The Band." It was like that moment. I asked if you would go with me, and your face lit up like the Fourth of July. I'll never forget your smile. I'll never forget how happy you were to say yes. You probably didn't notice, but I stood up straighter than I ever had before, I puffed out my chest and I walked on clouds the rest of the day. I threw out a little Richard Pryor, too, from Silver Streak. "That's right, we bad, we bad."

That's the same light I see on Masha'a face. Most of the other kids want attention. They're hungry for it and dying for it. I get the feeling from Masha that she's glad we're there and we can be around each other. She doesn't say "Hi" or "Hello". She goes for the big hug. She puts her head on my chest and squeezes really tight. I saw her do that same thing to you. I think I will have twenty-eight hugs and kisses on the cheek from her for you when I come home.

I tell ya, I walked a little taller and straighter and a few feet off the ground on the way back to the bus stop.

Ethan has been asked how soon he's coming back to Kiev and when we are coming home. Even with the calendar I brought, he doesn't understand the concept of days or weeks yet. He counts each day as "tomorrow". He still has to learn the English for the days of the week, the word "week", "weekend" and "the day after tomorrow", "and the day after that". I think it might be kind of cool to surprise him by telling him on the day he's coming back to the apartment.

I think we'll ask Igor if we can still come back on the weekends before we come home to visit Masha.

I left around a quarter to three today and the first bus that came along was a 255.

I walked up that big hill from Independence Square and back to the apartment, and I am enjoying some hot tea. It's a cold afternoon! Colder than it was this morning!

I think I'lll travel a little lighter tomorrow. Carrying that pack reminds me of the days I was observing basic at MCRD. I'll see if I can get Ethan to play a few hands of Uno.

Tomorrow will bring us one more day closer to getting the final court decree; and, I'll be able to get his new birth certificate! I would imagine that we could probably get that done sometime early next week.

Keep you posted on that.

Love you.

Never let you go,

Dave

The One About The Lazy Sunday Afternoon...

Dave sez:

Hey, Cath,

You'll NEVER guess what bus I caught back from the orphanage...Stumped? The 507! can you believe it? I left right at five. I gave both Ethan and Masha hugs from you, I stopped for some Candy for tomorrow and a beer at that grocery right by the orphanage, and at 17:24, I caught the 507 at the bus stop to Holosiivska station. I was already to catch the first 255 that came by, when the 507 pulled up. Today was The Lazy Sunday afternoon. I went with two less burgers and one less fry, but I did remember the ketchup. The kids kept saying "Nyet! Nyet!" but I broke them down when I started eating. After they were done I sprung the Snickers on them. Ethan downed his in just a few bites. There was one burger left; and, Ethan ate that about an hour or two later.

Here's a little bit more on Masha. She doesn't like Ketchup. It's too hot. I'm thinking that would be barbecue sauce, but she sticks her tongue out and waves her hand over it at the mention of ketchup.

She doesn't cinnamon Altoids. I gave her one yesterday after we finished eating our burgers and she cried and giggled and her eyes bugged until she finished chewing it and swallowed it.

She likes Harry Potter, Big Tim Rush, Drake & Josh, Fairly Odd Parents and iCarly. I bet she likes Victorious, too. We spent the afternoon watching Nickelodeon, an
d that was the line-up this afternoon: Fairly Odd Parents, Big Time Rush - her favorite is James - Drake & Josh and Tuff Puppy. Amy Poehler's The Big B came on, and after that we switched over to The Goblet of Fire. She recognizes Robert Pattinson as Edward From Twilight.

I didn't get to stay for the whole movie. Ethan begged and pleaded for a break from English today. He promised that he would work on it tomorrow. The three of us huddled together on the sofa in the nursery where we took pictures of Scrat that other Lazy Sunday Afternoon.

 
Dinner is a couple of burgers from Mickey D's and a cup of hot tea.

Tomorrow we're back to the weekday routine of 9 - 2. Tomorrow starts the fourth week here in Kiev. We're counting down the ten day waiting period on the final court decree, in order to get Ethan's birth certificate. That should be either next Tuesday or Wednesday when we do that. Thanksgiving is an American holiday, so probably only the US Embassy and Consulate will be closed Thursday and Friday. Once we get his birth certificate, then he gets his picture taken for the passport and visa. Somewhere around there, I'll be able to bring him back to the apartment. We'll go to one of the Ukrainian offices for his passport. Then we have to go to the Consulate for his visa. He has his final physical, and then we should be on our way. That's pretty much what the next few weeks should be all about.

It seems like a month, but really, it's only four weeks.

Can't wait to see you on December 15th!

I miss you. Give Justin a hug and a kiss on the forehead and tell him Popi sez, Never let you go.

I love you,


Dave

The One That Is Dedicated To The One I Love...

Dave sez,

Dear Cathy,

I can believe that today was the day that you had to go. What a nice three-week second-honeymoon we've had, huh? I know that we've had a LOT of time, just the two of us, to do whatever we wanted - twenty-one years before Justin found us; and, he's only been home thirteen months now, still it's nice to have what we've enjoyed for the last three weeks.

It was really, really hard to let you go through the security gate at the airport this morning. But...Justin needs you back home. Max, Maize and Peanut miss you; and one of us had to get back and stock up for the coming Twinkiegeddon.

It's quieter here now. The weather's turned a little colder. It drizzled today. The weather is staying pretty damp, and blustery.

I just wanted to curl up in bed and miss you, but we both needed me to get out to see our boy today. It was really what I needed. I'm not taking the Number Eighteen anymore. There's no reason to ride the bus from the apartment to the subway, since there's no one to sit and spend the time with. So, I leg-it the half hour walk. It's a good brisk walk, and I need that right now. To keep moving. Across from the apartment there's a little convenience store, like a Casey's without the gas pumps, I picked up a Coke for me and a Sprite for Ethan. I hiked down to Independence Square and in to the McDonald's there. I found a cashier that new a little English, and I ordered four hamburgers, four cheeseburgers and three fries. A hike across the square and down the stairs to the subway. I spent a good half-hour to forty-five minutes waiting for the 507 - It's like finding a rare jewel! There was some lady dressed in Joseph's technicolor dreamcoat, painted like she was performing in The Mikado spent most of the ride talking and gesturing grandly. Not only could I not understand her, but she had a Big Time Rush soundtrack. I had my headphones in.

I got to the orphanage a little early and Shani came out to let me in. They'd let him have the key to the lock and he struggled a few minutes with it, until one of the older girls, Masha (Maria, in Ukrainian) came out to help him. It turns out he had the key in the lock and was turning it right, he was just not pulling the right end out of the lock. It was pretty comical to watch him twist and turn the key, yank; pull the key out, try the OTHER key, twist, turn and yank - nothing. Masha came out, took the key from him, put it in the lock, turned it and pulled the RIGHT end out. You should have see the look she gave him and the look he gave back.

Ethan and Masha are the two oldest children at the orphanage right now, so they pretty much spend a lot of time together. We'd seen a little of that before you left; that's why it kind of made sense to get a couple extra burgers and fries. They got permission to pull a table from the dining room into the music room while one of the ladies mopped the floor, and the three of us sat and ate together. The other children were napping. You've seen Ethan eat. He's like the Tasmanian Devil. A cyclone swirling, devouring whatever gets in the way. Masha sat quietly and nibbled at her burger, while Ethan machine gunned questions at me. Can we play soccer? Can we play base ball? - He was actually trying to say "bowling", but his English comes out as base ball. Can we watch a movie? You know he was asking two questions: either, A) can we watch a movie on television like we have been doing on the weekends; or, 2) did I bring the computer and disc drive to watch a movie that way. Since it was nap time, television was out of the question; and carrying lunch was enough. I'll probably take the computer out, maybe Monday or Tuesday...he'll have plenty of time for movies when he comes back to apartment with me before our trip here is done.

I started repeating the mantra: finish eating. Wash your hands. English first; then games. Slowly his confusion melted away, and he finished eating. I had one of the hamburgers, then a cheeseburger, Ethan and Masha both had hamburgers. I made sure Masha had a cheeseburger. There came a lull in the feeding frenzy, so I packed up the food in the backpack, and pulled out the gifts you left for them. Ethan shared one of the two packs of Skittles with Masha.

They washed their hands, and when Ethan started in on his English, Masha found her own notebook and an English book. She opened it to a page on "Family". The first paragraph was headed "My Father". Below that was a paragraph headed "My Mother". She asked me to read the first paragraph to her. Then she started flipping pages back and forth with topics like "aunt" and "uncle"; and qualities that family members have.

Then she saw what Ethan was working on. He's still working on the alphabet and numbers, plus three pages of words that he is writing out three times. She started writing the words down one page. Then I told her to write them out three times. She must have thought I meant three MORE times. Pretty soon, Ethan caught on that she was finishing what she was doing faster than he was - her four times to his three. I almost thought his head was going to pop, he was racing so fast to stay even with her. She had some spelling errors that we corrected as she went and she was still finishing quicker! Fortunately, he doesn't stay frustrated for very long. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

We played a couple hands of Uno, then Shani asked if he could play Angry Birds. He let Masha have a turn, while we set up the plastic pins and bowled there in the music room. Masha discovered a bowling game and we spent the rest of the afternoon bowling.

When I left at five, I told them both I would be back tomorrow at the same time. I may take a few less burgers and fries. They both asked for Snickers. I might stop over at the store by the orphanage and grab a couple bars.

I waited over at the bus stop for nearly and hour for the 507. When the fourth 255 bus came by, I decided to risk it. I asked if it went to Holosiivska. It takes a different route from the 507, but believe it or don't it comes right to the same spot as the 507 to the station. It sounds like the fare is different for the 255. $3, instead of $2.50...But, from now on, when I see a 255, I am on it like Blue Bonnet!

Looking at the clock, you're still somewhere between Frankfurt and O'Hare. I hope your trip is uneventful and you get to enjoy a Chicago style hotdog in the terminal before you head on to Minneapolis-St. Paul. Say "Hello" to the Windy City for me.

There'll be more excitement here tomorrow, I'm sure. Ethan still wants to go outside and play soccer. Not sure his cough and the weather will co-operate on that. I'm sure he'll ask a million questions about when he's coming back to the apartment in Kiev with me, and then home to America. I think I understand now that he says "tomorrow" and "tomorrow-tomorrow" for the day AFTER tomorrow. So, we're working on that and seven days make one week, so that he understands it'll probably be two or three weeks before he comes back to the apartment with me. Right now it seems like a long time. But, we're in the home stretch now and everything should move along pretty smoothly. Lord willin' and the crick don't rise.

I'm pretty sure I miss you more now than when I started this. I wish you were here to proof-read this. There really isn't any other way except spell-check to make sure there aren't any typos.

Time to go turn some pages and see if the words on them make any sense at all.

I think I need to tell YOU the same thing I tell Justin and Ethan.

Never let you go.

Dave

The One That Is All About The Court Day

Dave sez,

LOL

So, I just asked Cathy what stood out in her mind about today. Without missing a beat, she replied, "We have NO patience. God keeps giving us opportunities to build and develop patience, and we haven't done it yet!"

Today started at 3am, when the alarm went off so we could Skype with Justin. The first question he had for Mom was, So, when are you going to court? Cathy told him that today was his brother's court day. So, when are you gonna be coming home? Are you coming home Saturday? Cathy smiled. I'm thinking. Why? Do you miss me? Nah...maybe a little bit. How 'bout if I come home - tomorrow? Justin smiled really big.

We spent about an hour with him, and then went back to bed for a nap.

Our court appointment was for 10am, so we agreed to meet out at the orphanage at 9:30. Skipping breakfast - because feeding butterflies is never a good idea - we caught the Number Eighteen to Independence Square, headed down to Maidan Station and out to the Holosiivska stop. Normally it is not a long wait for the 507 from Holosiivska out to the orphanage; but naturally, since it is court day and we need to be there at a certain, specific time! Every. Other. Bus. But. The. 507. The. One. We. Need. To. Catch. Goes. By! I tell you what, that bus is rarer than hens teeth! We finally caught the 507 and made it out in time to jump from the bus to the car for quick hugs with Ethan and we were on our way to court.

Where we waited for the judge. Not only were Cathy and I anxious and nervous, but so was Ethan. He chattered away with question after question for the social workers and our facilitator in Ukrainian and fidgeted.

Last year we were in a court room. The courtroom was filled with benches but no state or defense counsel tables. just a podium for plaintiffs. On the judges right, our left at the front of the court was a cell. There were three chairs behind the bench for judges. The judge sat in the one to our far right, enjoying a view out the window during the proceedings. I will never forget how close Cathy, Justin and I became by expressing how we felt about each other before the judge, our facilitator, and the social workers.

This year, we were in the judges chambers. Along with the judge, her two clerks, and a court reporter, there were two social workers, our facilitator, Ethan, Cathy and I.

"I remember you from last year!" the judge said to us through our facilitator. "How is your son?"

He is awesome! He's great.

She was incredibly warm and friendly to both of us and especially to Shani. She asked both of us why we were adopting again. I told her that Justin introduced us to Shani, and we got to know him and we came to love him as much as we love our son, Justin. The two boys are friends and we all want to be together. Cathy answered the same question the same way, but the way she put it was so much more eloquent. I can't remember the exact words she used, but I will never forget what she said.

There are three things we have to ask the judge: we would like permission to adopt Shani, we would like permission to change his last name, and we would like permission to be named as his parents on his new birth certificate. The way Cathy put that is: "We would love to adopt him! We would love to change his name. We would love to be named as his parents."

The judge called Shani up next to her. She asked him how he was and several questions about what he wanted. She asked about his Math and English. His Math is not so great. She asked if he could calculate how far it was from Ukraine to his new home. He couldn't. She kidded him that if he could calculate it he could go. Then she asked about his English. She asked him to say something in English. He said his new name. She told him he had very good English.

We stepped out into the corridor while she reviewed the case for a final decision.

A few minutes later she invited us back into her chambers to congratulate us. In ten days we would have the court's final decree and we could then proceed to getting his new birth certificate, tax id number, final physical, passport and visa. Then Ethan and I will be wheels up for home!

Then, the adventure really begins! Brothers. Two boys - and ANOTHER year of "firsts"!

The One About The Word We Heard...

Dave sez,

At 2:06pm local time, as we were standing at the bus stop waiting for the 507 to take us back to Holosiivska station, for our subway ride back to Independence Square, the cell phone rang. We had been waiting for this phone call since around four yesterday afternoon, when our facilitator let us know he had gotten permission from the SDA to schedule a court date. He said something to the effect, "Wait for my call tomorrow morning. I will talk to you then. Okay? Bye-bye!"

We both had trouble sleeping. It is not difficult PUTTING things in God's hands. It is LEAVING them there that is the challenge. We've both felt that our hands were sticky with glue, and as we came away, what we wanted to hand over was still there in our hands, like a hot potato.

This morning we were both very tired. We didn't have any breakfast, we just hurried to the Number Eighteen to Independence Square, and down to Maidan station as if the faster we went and the closer we got, the sooner we would get the call we were expecting.

Shani has been growing increasingly restless. The weather is turning colder; and his cough is getting worse and worse. He's not in school anymore, so his only activity has been working on his English and video games. He's not at a point where he is ready to read or be read to. He's struggling with simple transitional words like "of", "us" and "are"; he's working to tell the difference between brother and brothers. He knows the alphabet through sing-song, and he seems to bog down around "L-M-N-O-P", and if you throw a single letter out of context at him he can't recognize it. So we have some work to do. But we knew that. We also know that his brother Justin struggled until one day it all fell into place and clicked; and what we heard at the last parent-teacher conference is that Justin is a very accomplished young man. Shani will probably carve out his own path to the same destination.

We surprised him by not eating lunch at the same time he did. He did a double take and (O_O) over that. But he managed to gobble down his food and come back to us for over an hour of Uno.

It is not the English lesson or the Uno game. It is the sound of his voice and his giggling while we are together that I lock up deep inside and store to share with his future children, one day.

We did spend the day looking at the cell phone, like the expectant parents we are. Every few minutes I'd check the time. Cathy would look at me. I would shake my head.

We were feeling a bit discouraged as we walked to the bus stop. Like the disciples after the crucifixion, wondering what would happen next.

At the bus stop, Cathy turned to me and said, "I guess it wouldn't be a good idea to call HIM to find out would it?", just as I was pulling the cell phone out of my pocket to check the time once again. The cell phone came out of my pocket ringing. It was the orphanage director.

"Hello, Dave, how are you?"

"I am fantastic, how are you?"

"Good. Good. We have scheduled a court appearance for you for tomorrow morning at ten." He gave us instructions on what time to meet to go to court, and those words went to my instinctive brain, where I will recall it when I REALLY need it. I was making a spectacle of myself by dancing like Steve Martin with "Happy Feet" at the bus stop. Yes, I can embarrass Cathy ANY where in the world!

Paul defined "faith" in Hebrews 11:1 as "the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."

Seems to be all about great expectations happening.

During National Adoption Month, six days before Thanksgiving in "the colonies" I am most thankful for family and extended family following our journey. Thank you for being here with us, and for adopting us, supporting us, encouraging us and praying for us. I believe that the prayers of a righteous person avails much.

We are now reaching the halfway point of our journey. There is still more road ahead...