Back On Line!

We finally got our internet back!  During that time, we moved closer to the end of our journey.  We will work avidly next week to get to Kiev and then home the next week.  I do not remember all I've told you or what all has happened, but I will post pictures and go from there.  Here's what's been happening:

Swan Lake.  I would love to see it over and over!  The row in front of us had all short people for a change.  Except for the two people in front of me.  Of course!  That happens almost 100% of the time!

An auto mechanic shop.  These are signs I see all the time as we ride the bus back and forth.

McDonald's has a world wide market.  Probably in every country.  We haven't been there yet.

This one says "Sushi Town" I think.  There's lots of sushi place here.  Yum!

Hi Masha!

The train station.  All buses stop here.  Gypsies hang out here too.  I hope to get a good picture of one when I get the courage.  They are scary ladies and they dress the way gypsies look in your mind.  I've been told that if you don't give them money, they follow you, then curse you if you continue to refuse.  They touch you and grab you sometimes too.  Intriguing, but scary!

This was soooo cool.  I went to the same Ukranian church I visited before.  The congregation let a group of Chinese Christians use their building for a while.  When the Chinese got their own building, they came and performed as a thank you to the church.  SO, We sat in a Ukranian Christian church, listening to a group of Christian Chinese sing songs such as Holy, Holy, Holy in their native language.  It really blew me away!

Ruslana and Hannah.  She worked at the hotel cafe downstairs from our apartment.  She helped us out a great deal here.  She even took us shopping to show us where certain stores are.  Her last day was yesterday.  She will go work on a cruise ship on the Black Sea soon.  She is a delightful young lady.

Hannah and the hotel cat, Мурзшк (mursic, I think it might be spelled that way.  Sounds like "purr" seek.)  He came into our room and we combed him and let him rest on the sofa.  We haven't told his owner yet (the hotel owner.)

Suzanne from Brooklyn.  She is adopting also.  We hang out with her a lot.  She's our newest, bestest friend here.  I hope we're friends for a long time!

Oh yea!  Our other best friend.  This is the guard gate at the camp that I give chocolate to.  He likes us.  I still need to get his name though!
I can't get the cursor past the next picture so I'll say good bye here.  Until tomorrow (I hope!) - Sarah

Short blog

Hello again friends!  Our powr has been out and we still do not have internet connections.  I don't know when it will lbe back.  Therefore, I am using a borrowed computer from a good friend.  It is late so I must be brief, but I will try to fill in some of the past few days for you.  A storm hit, a really big storm.  Many trees are down all over the city.  It has been pouring and is sup by phone.d to be variable for a few more days.  We have been totally disconnected, even from Drew, so he was a little worried until he finally got in touch by phone.

We are starting to take care of some business and should be occupied with final preparations.  We will get Katya's new birth certificate maybe next Monday and her passport by Friday (Lord willing.)  Please pray there will be no hangups with this.  Then we will travel to Kiev for maybe three days.  THEN HOME!  I hate to get to anxious because something always seems to come up.  In the meantime, Katya and Hannah and I are shopping for teacher gifts.  This helps pass the time well.

I will try to blog everyday when I am re-connected.  I must go now and travel across the city before it gets much later.  I have so many more pictures to show you.

CALEB - The comments are above the pictures, not below.  I know it reads weird that way, but I didn't want to change after I started it one way.

Anxious to see you all! - Sarah

It's Friday

I see we haven't posted anything for a while.  I guess time is slipping away!.  No wait, I think it's been a hard few days.  Yea, we heard that the judge did our case different than all the rest are done.  Our ten waiting days start today!  Wow!  We lost a whole week.  We were told to go back and do it the other way would mean going back to court, so we just decided to go forward from here.  The light at the end of the tunnel got a lot smaller.  That's what I spent most of Thursday dealing with.

Hannah mentioned that I slipped on the stairs and that was Monday.  I took a really hard fall and hope I haven't fractured any pelvic or sacral bones.  I am very swollen and have a huge bruise - about 12 inches across and 5 inches down.  For all my nurse friends, no, of course I haven't gone to a clinic.  you know me!  I can walk and function.  It only hurts to sit and lie down.

We visited with Katya Thursday, but didn't Wednesday or today.  Riding in the bus kinda hurts so I take it a little easy sometimes.  We are having fun with her.  Hannah and Katya are getting closer all the time.  Igor usually joins us.  I like that guy lots, but I want to spend more time with her.  I know leaving him will be hard for her, but I really look forward to leaving this place with her.  Then we'll be in more neutral territory.  (In the air anyway.)

Today Hannah and I changed rooms at the hotel.  We have a little more room here so it will be easier when Katya joins us.  That should be a week from next Monday.  That day we will really begin working.  Anyway, we have no internet connections here (wifi that is.)  There is a computer with a cable connection that we can use, but can't access the pictures I've taken.  I will see if I can remedy that.  Also we can't Skype from the room.  So, Mom and Dad, if you want to call, you'll have to email me and tell me when so I can go to a wireless station.  Then we can talk.

I'm feeling pretty depressed today.  I fell disconnected and like I'm never going to get home.  I miss my kitty!  I miss people too, but my kitty doesn't understand, my friends do.  I've talked to her on Skype before, but I think it's confused her.  Oh well.  It seems long now but I must remind myself that's it's a very short time in my life really.

We just went to see Swan Lake at the opera house.  It was absolutely magnificent!  When we're watching entertainment like that, it's like I could be home.  People are all just the same at the ballet.  No talking.  Just dancing.

Here are some pictures from the past few days.  Hope you like.


Katya's neighbor growing up.  We picked up photos of Katya's family from her.

Katya's cat.  He belongs to another neighbor now.

Katya's house growing up.  Half of it actually belongs to her, but it's uninhabitable.

Katya and her cat.

Her neighbor's dog, Blake.  He likes slippers.

The Black Sea.

The pink wall.  A landmark when we got close to the camp.

A man picture.  I include these in case there are some men friends who are interested in these things.

Tha back side of the train station.

A random picture taken from the bus.  I was trying to show how grafitti covers most buildings.

Pray for us to get home soon please.

Love to you all - Sarah

June 22nd

Since my Mom slipped and fell on the stairs the other day, we didn't go to the camp today.
But, I guess that it was good for us.  We hung around the apartment all day and met a couple of new people.
They were two men who have been traveling around a while, one of them had a goal to see every country in the entire world.  The other just goes to about two countries at minimum a year.  I asked the first one if he had ever been to Japan.  (If you know me, you know I love Japan =D )  Turnes out, he works for a man in Japan and goes there every six weeks.  I asked about it and if he had seen it since the earthquake.  Turnes out he was IN the earthquake.  He was on the top floor of an office building and the ground shook so hard, no one could stand up.  I'd say more on this matter, but I'd probably bore you even more than the blog already has.


Katya and Igor.  You'll notice that almost everyone in the picture is looking at the camera. 

In hopes on someday getting home!
~Hannah

Saturday and Sunday (again!)

Another weekend in Odessa, Ukraine.  The streets were full of people as usual.  It's kinda nice at night, strolling the streets in the "center," or tourist area.  The traffic is blocked off and the gardens are next to many shops and sidewalk cafe's.  The air is very pleasant and full of the smell of Acacia tree blossoms.  In the past three weeks, a parking lot type area was constructed (of bricks,) and two cafe's, along with a small amusement area, has been constructed.  They seem to put things in quickly here.  I get the feeling they are not super sound in construction, but it's nice to see it happen before our eyes.  I forgot to take photos of it so I'll try to remember tomorrow.

We have learned a better bus route to the camp.  When it was pouring rain, the mall Hannah and I discovered turned out to be a real find.  The grocery store has everything I need.  Well, almost.  There are still no official taco shells, but we've gotten around that problem.  There is a "Hello Kitty" store in the mall.  I will post the picture below.  I guess everyone loves Hello Kitty!

Saturday we went with the camp kids to the park.  Most of them played games, but we just sat and visited with Katya, Igor and Michelle (another friend here.)  The kids are so friendly.  I will miss them very much when I leave.  Perhaps I will be able to stay in touch with a few of them, like some of the adults I have met do.  I hope I can extend my feelings for them to you, at least a little bit.  They really only have each other (and those are fleeting relationships,) and the adults who volunteer their time.

Tomorrow I am taking another new friend, Suzanne, to the market to get some flip flops.  She is from Brooklyn and not a Christian.  Please pray that our interaction could help lead her to Christ in some way.  She's a nice lady and she's here adopting.  After the market, Hannah and I will met Katya at the camp and run errands with her.  She has photos at her old neighbor's house.  This is next to where she lived with her parents before her father died.  She actually owns half of the property she grew up in, but it's not livable, I have been told.  I am very curious to see it.  After we take Katya back to camp, we are meeting Michelle to visit a beach different than the one we went to before.  Apparently this one has had sand brought in and is very nice.  I look forward to it! 

This week will be not only for WAITING, but some business as well.  I have to extend our stay at the apartment, so we need to change rooms.  That should be fun.  lol!  Then Sunday, we quit WAITING and start working as hard as we can to get home as soon as we can. 

I'll let you know how the week pans out.  Here are some pictures.  I put the stray dogs in today.  They are everywhere.  The ones by the dog houses or on chains are actually at the camp.  They eat potatoes, mush, cherries, or whatever is left over.  I never see meat in their "piles".

The Hello Kitty store. (With Jay Leno!)

The park entrance where the camp kids go.



Igor always carries my bags for me.  He's a sweet guy.



At the park.  (Igor, Katya, Svieta, Hannah and Christine - L. to R.)



The iPad!  When this comes out, we usually get surrounded by all the boys.  They LOVE it!

The Strays



 Camp Dog

 Very sweet camp dog

Love ya'll! - Sarah

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday

It's been a few days so I need to catch up here. We went to the court house Wednesday morning.  It was a bit stressful because Katya had her final exam at 9:00 a.m. and court was at 10 a.m..  She was on time, but the court requires two witnesses to be present for these hearings.  One had to call in because her child was sick.  We were rescheduled for Wednesday at 3:00 p.m..  We took Katya back to camp, then retreated to the apartment to take a nap.

Thursday we exercised and just stayed at the apartment until time to get Katya.  We took a cab to save time.  It's much faster, but costs more.  Court went well.  My mind went blank at a bad time (as usual!) and I forgot the word "adoption."  I managed to get through it feeling pretty stupid.  I was relieved when my translator told me the prosecutor and the administrative representative both forgot their lines too.  I guess court makes everyone nervous.  Anyway, we were granted permission to adopt - YEAH!  Now we wait for ten days to see if anyone objects or changes his mind.  I feel quite sure nobody will.  The prosecutor, the administrator, the orphanage director and Katya were all 100% on it being favorable.   We left the courthouse with Katya and took her by a "mall" to shop a little and eat dinner.  Then we took her back to camp.  We can't officially have her until the ten days of waiting have passed and we get her changed birth certificate.

Friday morning we woke up early to meet Katya and her camp mates for a walk to the beach.  They go to the beach every morning if the weather allows.  The beach where they go is very small.  It is made up of shell pieces so it is hard on bare feet.  We just played aroung for a couple of hours and walked them back to camp.  Another nap was in order, then we went out to visit with friends here at the apartment and go to the grocery store.

Time is finally moving now.  I feel like we are moving toward the end.  Even the ten day waiting period has its tasks.  We need to buy some gifts for her teachers that were special to her.  This is customary.  She has chosen to put together small photo albums, so I get to learn how to get pictures developed.  I think the flash drive and photo store should do, but you never know in other countries.  We should leave Odessa between July 1and July 4.  We will be in Kiev until the 7th or 8th I think.  Then we fly home!

I will add some pictures from the past few days.  I miss you all.  God willing, we will be home in the 3 weeks.

This shows the size of the beach areas.  There are several little "areas" in a row like this.  This is the only one with chairs and umbrellas.

The spot we chose.

This a "before" photo.  Very pretty, soft algae-like stuff.

This is where it wound up.

 This is Christina, Katya and Alonya (L. to R.)

Here's what we do at the apartment.



That's all for now.  I'll try to keep up better.  Paka!

Monday

Hello friends!  Today not much happened.  Hannah and I walked around and took some pictures with some cool trees.  We visited Katya at the usual 4:00 and she asked her supervisor to translate for us.  This translator is another blessing sent to us.  Her name is Darina and I'll add a picture of her. 

Only two days before court!  Katya seems to be preparing herself to go.  She seems a little excited about it even.  Please pray for her boyfriend, Igor.  He gets depressed when things get hard, and his life is about to change.  He doesn't deal well with his depression.  When Katya leaves, he will go to House of Hope where he will begin trade school.  He is very fortunate to be placed in a living facility because most are on their own, if I understand correctly.  I mentioned recently in the blog that he will need sponsorship, along with another, younger boy, Kolya.  Please keep them in your prayers.

I was thinking the other day about how I feel like something should always be happening.  I feel a little guilty if I'm not actively doing something toward the adoption.  I had another thought then, that often we feel that way when God calls us to do something.  Like Sarai, we think we have to fill in all the gaps instead of waiting for Him.  For a very busy American woman, it feels so wrong to be still.  He has been so faithful through all of this though and I must reflect on that.  There are times of waiting, (thank you for your words Tina!,) but when it's time for things to happen, He parts the Red Sea.  Every time.  He is so amazing!  Praise God!

So I will wait, imperfectly at best.  And then I will run to update you when He moves more mountains for us.

Until next time,

Sarah (pictures to follow)

The cool tree.  You probable can't see the grafitti on it.  In Ukraine, it's nice because you can climb on the trees and rocks.  You can get off the path and touch the old artifacts, even in national places and monuments.  The problem is that people who deface and litter can so these things too.  Everything natural that's beautiful has trash and human markings.

Hannah in the cool tree.

Our walk.  These paths just pop up all over the place.  They always wind up at a busy road.

More beautiful roses.

Me and Darina, our newest translator.



Sunday

Fish, perfume, body odor and dill;  these are the smells of Ukraine buses.  Add to these, fragrant flowers and exhaust and you have the smells of the streets.  It only took about two days for the smell of dill to become repugnant to me.  Now I think I like it.  The herb goes over almost all foods.  It is abundant in grocery stores and  people carry it by the bunches on the buses (along with fresh fish.)

Today I took a walk without Hannah to the shipyards.  It is a magnificent view facing the sea, then when you turn around, you see the famous flight of stairs.  (I don't know why they're famous.  I've been told but I forgot.)  While I was walking, Katya called.  She asked if I was going to the camp today so I told her yes.  She asked if I was going to be there by 2:00 (at least, I thought that was what she said.)  I told her I thought I wasn't allowed to go until 4:00 and if on Sundays I could be there by 2:00.  She said "Yes."  So I told her I could be there by 3:00 probably.  She said "OK."  Hannah and I got there by 3:15 and called her.  She told us we couldn't go in until 4:00.  (We're still working on the communication thing!)  Of course it started raining and there was really no place to go except under trees.  Hannah and I bought a snack from a little stand and ate under an umbrella in the freezing wind.  It was one of those, "We'll always remember this," times.

We finally got in and played UNO with Katya and Igor.  Katya got us jackets.  We just played around and took pictures.  On the way home I took pictures of stray dogs.  I thought I should give the dogs some press since we've already covered the cats.  There are dogs everywhere, and I think I recognize them when I pass down the same streets.  They must have territories on the streets.  The people seem to respect them too, and try to take care of them.  I have seen one dead cat and one dead bird while we've been here.  At home we see them all over (you know!)  I see people feeding the stray dogs and the stray cats.  They feed the birds and the pidgeons are not afraid of people.  The animals are very dirty, however.

I will save the dog pictures for when I have collected more and for a boring blogging day.  Here are pictures for today:


From the stairs to the Black Sea.

Dad, these are for you; 
Big hoists on tracks.

More ship yard stuff with a cruise ship leaving the area.

Close up of the hoists (or whatever they are.)

Cruise ship and light house.

This is a muddy looking current coming from somewhere.  There weree no boats around so I though you might know what it's about, Dad.

A ship.  I was a little afraid to take the picture because there was a policeman near by and the ship looked so official.  I took my chances.

From the sea to the stairs.

We're feeling much more comfortable with each other. 

Me and my girls!

Hannah being silly.

Me being silly.

Igor is such a tolerant guy!  We posed him like this and he just went along with us.  He had the audacity to say that his kick-boxing is hard and ballet is easy!  Well!  We put him in a back attitude en releve' to try to change his mind.  If he visits us in America, we'll show him, ballet friends!

This dome means we're getting close to our bus stop so we'd better pay attention.

I hope I don't ramble too much for you.  I just have a good time reliving my day, so I hope you're still enjoying!

Blessings - Sarah