Passport pictures today!

Photos:
Stas is such a happy boy!!!!

Next is AnnMarie (someone please come and get this little love!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

And finally, Taya, precious!! A big smooch, and lots of them!!!!

This afternoon Dan and Lizzy (I guess) will go get Stas' pix taken for passports. We have a pass from the director's office to take him. I'm guessing this is his first time out of the orphanage since he first arrived there. I wish I could go but I will stay back with Ricky sleeping. I will get pictures and video. We got a little outfit for him to wear for his special outing. (a Ukrainian purchase.)

Today we hung out with the group under the trees that has a bunch of kids with special needs. There are 4 with DS and many with CP. They mostly look like babies but I am guessing that most of them are pushing 4 or even more. Visited a bunch with AnnMarie and Taya. Way beautiful!!! I told Taya that her mommy and daddy are coming soon and I told AnnMarie that she will have a mommy and daddy, I just don't know who yet. She has THE most beautiful big, bright, blue eyes. Gorgeous!!! She was playful as I put a piece of a toy on her head and she tried to reach for it. I put it back and she knew the game. She smiled and laughed and liked to play pattycake. They sure tie those bonnets tight!!! Wouldn't want them to breath, Oops, I mean fall off. I'm not sure why the bonnets are so necessary in 80 degrees and in the shade, but okay?!?!

Funny things to learn about Ukraine. DRAFTS are bad, bad, bad. The first day when we went in Stas' room they had the breezy crib room door closed. All of the windows were open but they worried about any of us being in there b/c of the draft. They will steam in a car before they will open the window to get a draft. I love that Alexander lets us keep the windows all the way down.....

More later, b/c it is 2pm...lunchtime!!!

Interpol LOST the document?....oh my!!

But, it is the feast day of St. Thomas More, so we should get this all squared away soon. I have many here at the church praying for our situation.

The SDA got it, sent it to Interpol, they got it, voila....magic....gone! We have Sen. Klobuchar's office working on it and the SDA. Sound like a good combo? Actually, Klobuchar's office has been helpful for such things :-)

What a great day. We had a morning visit which was nice. Dan, Ricky and I hung out with Stas for an hour this a.m. and Lizzy and I this evening. Stas is an absolutely squishy doll, with piranha teeth. I don't think he has gotten a whole lot of oral care to say the least. He just wants to hug and lay his head on my chest. Way too cute. Kisses form Ricky today....somewhat hesitantly, then eventually rather joyfully, hands in the air dancing b/c he was such a good boy for doing so. (Because we applauded him of course!)

Saw plenty of Anastasia and "Russel". Oh my we had such a good time with them. Jenny V.--Anastasia copies everything that i do...she will be great at sign language it seems. She follows commands. Example, when we were playing with bubbles, I gave her the lid and motioned for her to give it to Lizzy. She happily hands it to Lizzy. She tries to copy my mouth motions, played patty cake, and all sorts of things. Oh, she is craving to be touched and held. She will be a major lovebug!!!

Russel is just way too cute and would make some mommy or daddy very, very happy. And how happy that mommy or daddy would be to have him. So cute and tons of pix now. He talks fairly well it seems. "Spa-see-ba" (thank you) he says (without the s--it is hard to say) "ba-bee-ba"---pretty good. I will have to talk in person to both of the moms to give you all sorts of details!!!! They are great players!

Enjoy the photos---AND please, please pray for Interpol document to surface!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Please pray!!

Trouble in Kyiv getting our Interpol which is the international background check. We could have been home by the end of this week (Saturday) but we don't know why the Interpol clearance isn't ready. The head of SDA said that people in that agency are vacationing and they divide up the documents and ours could be on someone's desk. Yippy. There is a way we are trying to locate it, but we are in Ukraine, remember. Some word today maybe.

Ricky getting better with Stas. Feeling like Groundhog Day (the movie) as I saw another adopting parent say....ditto. Love Ukraine, love Stas, love vacation, but love my family at home better than being here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please pray for our Interpol document to be found. St. Anthony...please pray for us to find it and please pray for the people to find time to do it :-)

Taya, AnnMarie and Russel are way, way cute. Will fill requests as soon as able. Internet is spotty and have opportunities here and there....

Blessings.
Gretchen

We're waiting on word--Day 4 with Stas in morning

Some photos for now...explanation later. It is mealtime, the bell rang.

Day 4--Morning AND MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH!!

We went to Mass, had breakfast, left Lizzy behind, took Ricky and left for the orphanage at 10am. The orphanage (the baby house which Stas is in is up to age 4 or 6 years old depending upon who you ask) is called Solnichko (or "sun".) We were late getting there because Alexander likes to take side trips. Perhaps you recognized this Jodi?? This is his line, "ah, ten minutes, market, okay?" That is a rhetorical question! He plans on taking you regardless of your thought. It is sweet because he really wants to show you things and to speak English. We ended up with a 1/2 hour visit because they wanted him back at 11:30am to eat. It was just as well. Ricky had a diarrhea diaper while we were there---contained. Then at 11:29am we smelled something coming from Stas. Yes---bad diaper---somewhat contained until they took him in the room and let him scoot across the floor with just his diaper on. Oh my, that explains a lot. At least they put a diaper on him for us to take him out.

MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH: Ricky wasn't miserable seeing Stas today. A little disturbed initially, then he even patted the spot next to him on the outdoor play equipment--the truck bench. My trick is working!!!! He is fine when we can see him for a couple hours a day, what about when he comes on the train, plane, and automobile, and even home with us???

On the way back to our "hotel", aka church, we stopped at another market to look for cucumbers for Alexander. They were too expensive--13 cents for a little cucumber if I did my math correct. We went back and put Ricky to bed to learn that now he had a bad diaper---NOT CONTAINED! Ugh. No Halya to interpret right now as she went back Kiev to be there for tomorrow a.m. at the SDA. So I motioned to Fr. that I needed to wash laundry. He must have thought that when I was waving my hands in front of my nose I was just telling him that I will smell if I don't do laundry. He said tomorrow. I realized that it is Sunday...therefore no unnecessary work. I totally understand, respect and appreciate Fr's point. Feeling as though my donkey fell in a hole and i needed to get it out (you have never smelled Ricky's diarrhea diaper????!) I called Halya and she talked to him. He understood after talking to Halya, too. After talking to his superior, we had a washing machine. It is a good reminder to me about the honoring/keeping Sunday as a day of rest (where and when you can.)

I will stay back to hang clothing on the line. Dan and Ricky to orphanage and we will see where Alexander takes them this afternoon. Beach??? Yeah right. Tomorrow though he wants Lizzy to see the museum before our afternoon visit. He also wants her to eat liver because he said she needs it. He is probably right but she will throw up again....just thinking about it. He bought some at the market and I'm wondering if he will come back with some prepared.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to you my dear dad, and to you Harry, my dear father-in-law, and to any other father reading this. Fathers are great...we need more good fathers in the world. The type that love their kids with their whole heart, provide for them and raise them to love and serve God. I am grateful to have a husband that fits all of these qualities.

Dan is a great dad! My love has intensified, once again, when I see him love this new little stranger who we will call our son. This is our second Father's Day in a foreign country adopting a child. 10 years ago we got our little love Jenny from Guatemala. Her Gotcha Day was Father's day that year. I remember it well! Here is Jenny:


Thanks Dan--I LOVE YOU!

Thanks for life Dad--I LOVE YOU!

Thanks for Dan, Harry!--I LOVE YOU!