Forward Motion.

To start with we want to thank all of you for your love and encouragement, knowing that you are all with us on the journey surely makes it all the more an adventure to be on!

Today was an early morning for Ukraine. That is to say we had to be out the door at 8:45 to make a 10:30 appointment with the local inspector in Obolon which is the part of the city that John & Kevin's local social worker comes from. First I would like to observe the fact that the wind was brutal when we rounded the corner from apartment to street. It quite literaly took Lori off her feet. Now Lori is not as big as a minute (but as tough as a tiger and gentle as a lamb)even still we just both looked at each other like "man this really stinks!" Neither of us are morning people so it felt like Mark was jogging in front of us. LOL.

We got to the metro stop at Kharkivska and navigated the green line to the blue line to go to Obolon. I don't think that one has really lived until one tries to cram on and off the metro in any country pick one I note they are all much the same. I have the urge to "MOOOOO MOOOOOO" loudly as we pack like sardines into the alredy crowded car and it is not at all impolite to gently (I said gently) push and or shove the person in front of you if they are taking too much personal space. For example, this morning, Mark was behind me, I was standing in front of him facing out into the cab of the metro car and someone shoved the nice man who was already in front of me into my personal space (such that it was to start with) to the point where I can tell you with confidence he had something with Garlic and perhaps a beer for breakfast, and how much lint was in his pocket with the 2 other metro tokens I could count... and no, no dear friends I am not joking in the least. Lori said the Moooing is not kosher so I will continue to refrain at least until my last metro ride and then I may Mooo till my hearts content.

Onward... we got off the Moootro... er hum, I mean Metro and waited for G. on the platform. We climbed up the steps almost out of the metro station only to realzie we went the wrong way. We climbed back down and walked around to the next spot where G. went to the RR and we observed a Gentlemen outside who apparently did not have or did not choose to spend the kopets to do the same. Dead Serious. We navigate out of the bottom of the metro again and G. stops to make some copies telling us later that this copy shop is a good one because you can really make copies there all the time, not like some places that tell you with a sign "absolutely no copies" made here because some people he says are so insistant that they have to see a sign that says "absolutely no" before they will believe that they are really broken. We hop a bus go a few stops jump off and walk under a tunnel to the other side of the road past the people who are selling meat (hey, no worry about spoilage, it was not unlike walking in a meat locker all morning) and emmerge to this tiny building near a school. This is where the inspector's office is located.

We go in and take seats in the small lobby as G. goes to make introductions and find out if we can submit our papers now. While he is in the office, he gets a call, Zerina has found Z's file and by 5 tonight we will have permission to go and to visit him from the Govt. of UA. PRAISE THE LORD!

G. comes back and we wait a few moments for the social worker and the inspector to confir and then she invites us to her office. She is a woman with a kind face and we are put at ease as she explains she will be asking her questions in Russian and G. will translate for her. We are down with that, and she starts to slam us with a similar line of questions from the SDA. Cool under fire we navigate the answers and this time Mark seems to be more in the hot seat than I am. He is a pro, smiles answers her questions with confidence and she lobbs a few more at me. How will we proved for the kids? Do we understand how unusual it is for people who are not even parents of their own children to be seeking to adopt others and so many at once? How will we communicate? Can we offer them every opportunity in the world each of them and not just one of them? We do our best with all the questions and the verdict is:
Come back on Monday and we will have your papers ready for you to go and visit with official status at the Orphanage here in Kiev! Play Rocky's Theme Song here... We will also be listening to a short presentation about some of the needs of a children's school here locally and we will see what we can do to help with some sports equipment for one of them. I'm all about helping some kids. This makes Mark and I really happy since we have heard all kinds of requests have been known to pop up but this one is way reasonable and totally in our ministry ball park.

Back up on the street, back on bus, back to metro stop where G. tells us that he will be happy to take us sightseeing but we are like, Dude, take a rest, have a day off, you work to hard :) He agrees and we make a plan to meet back at Obolon station on Monday at 9:15. After which time we will go to the inspector's office get our documents and then go and meet with the Director for a meeting likely to last a solid two hours per G.'s knowledge of how things have gone in the past. She is getting her team of folks together and is suppose to be telling us the story on both boys to the best of her knowledge to include a Dr's report / psychological evaluation. Mostly we are just stoked that Monday is coming and that not only can we visit and get information and start this party offically but that we get to see the kids. Bless their hearts! G. also mentioned that it is possible that by mid week we may boogie south and start the party down there too. Not sure yet about that but we will keep you posted.

We left there and went to grab a bite at this mall near Lori's and then went to the Billa for some bread etc. for making dinner tonight. We are now happy and warm and safe and wonderful and blessed back in the appartment with Lori and Mama Olya is coming home soon to hang out with us for the night.

As a matter of prayer please remember that we can only submit docs for a court date in Obolon on Weds. and Fridays. G. made an interesting comment that the area is a little less likely to pull shenanigans than perhaps other areas. Please pray that
1. we get to get our papers in this Weds. to get a court date.
2. we get a good judge... period.

Please pray for the boys, they have seen this go differently for others, they have seen that your Mama and Papa come, they get to take you out you go places the process lasts a long time but you get lots of visits and time away doing fun things. This will not be quite the same because of the split location for adoption. We are going to make sure all of them have fun, and all of them get to bond with us and us to them and them to each other, it just may not look like what they have seen others get before and we do not want them to feel like they are getting slighted somehow. I'd so rather get them home and do cool stuff you know? We just need to convey that to them :)

Much love as the sun is setting here at 4pm in UA,
Mark and Jenn
PS spell check not working :)