Kirovohrad Feb 26Th, 2009

Today it was off to get flowers for Marianna’s caregivers, teachers. So we bought three bunches, one for each caregiver. Then once again it was off to the orphanage to pickup Marianna. We gave the flowers to one of the caregivers and she told us that not many adopting families give them flowers and that she was truly grateful. It was about 10:30am and we had her for the entire day, or at least 7pm. Trust me, every minute counts.

If you haven’t been to Kirovohrad yet, you might not have caught on, that the orphanage is on the outside of town. So there is a lot of back and fourth. Taking a Taxi is the way to go and they don’t charge much compared to American standards, so guess what? We headed back into town and picked up some lunch. After that we wanted to pick up some things for Olga.

Adrienne and I decided that since we had all day with our soon to be daughter, we would take her to the cinema and let her watch Kung Fu Panda (In Russian of course). Just before we went in to see the movie, I got a call from K. He asked me if I had our passports and if we could be ready if he was able to get the last document that they needed for our finale court date. I of course said YES!

This was a Thursday, not Friday, or even Monday as the attorney had stated earlier in the week. K said that he would call us back after three, or four. Well this was great news and we still had time to catch the movie. OK, you have to rent Kung Fu Panda in Russian, especially if you have watched it in English. It’s a blast to see it in a different light.

We nearly made it, but near the end we got the call from K. I don’t think I have ever seen Adrienne move so quickly in my life, as well as myself. We where at the apartment and changed in about 15 minuets. Kate met us outside the apartment and had a cab waiting. Then it was off to the court house to have our adoption approved, our not. Some of you might have seen Marianna’s photo on our Blog. If you have, then you probably guessed. WE HAVE A BEAUIFUL BOUNING NINE YEAR OLD GIRL!!!!!!!!

The court granted us our dreams, but we would have to take her back to the orphanage and let her stay one more night. The paperwork would not be done until tomorrow. We dropped her off at the orphanage a little later that night and let me tell you it was harder than ever before. That night I didn’t sleep and I know Adrienne couldn’t, because I kelp talking to her all night.

I was in shock most of the next morning. I was going to be a PAPA and Adrienne was a MAMA! Really we where dancing around! Marianna was a trooper. They asked her if she wanted to be with a Ukrainian family and she said No, she wanted to be with us. When they granted the adoption, Adrienne started to cry and I had tears in my eyes. You know men don’t cry.

Marianna is so happy. She spends the night at the orphanage and then we will be together always.

Gods speed, AKA Alice, the White Rabbit and the Princess

Kirovohrad Feb 25Th, 2009

Well today we stayed in because we where suppose to go to Marianna’s school and pick her up, but we got a call saying that she didn’t go to school and to meet Kate our translator so we can take a taxi to go see her.

We met Kat at 3:30 and headed to orphanage to find out what happened. When we got there, that beautiful girl was waiting for us and she had the biggest smile on her face as she came out with some of the other kids. Nothing looked wrong with her and she was playing, so what was the deal? We where told that Marianna’s teachers where concerned about her heath, or something like that and sent a note to have her looked over and that she could not go back to school until she was cleared.

We learned later that there was not a thing wrong with her and the teachers knew that she only had a few days of school left. They didn’t want her to interrupt her class mates and the school. Why didn’t they just say that, our hearts where up in our throats and we where thinking all kinds of things had happened to her.

After talking to Olga for about ten minutes, we headed to some place like Chucky Cheese, but with a Ukrainian twist to it. I paid more for the games she played than I did for the taxi ride to get there. Way more, but she had a blast! We ate dinner and played games until it was time to take her back to the orphanage. We stopped off at the store down stairs and picked up some chips and things for her to share with her caregivers and friends.

When we got back to the orphanage we walked her up the stairs where her group was and showed everyone the treasures. She then walked us back down the stairs and said her good nights. She than asked Kate for the thousandth time when court was, and told her that she was ready to go home with Mama and Papa NOW! We told her what we knew, that it could be Friday, or Monday. All three of us were hopping for the sooner.

We are ready for her at the flat! She picked out what she wanted to eat for breakfast so we would have it when she gets to come home for good. We told her that was fine, but she may want to pick out something she could eat on the ride back to Kiev. We all where ready to get home.

Adrienne and I can’t wait to get her into our house, because that will mean that we all are finally a family.

Gods speed, AKA Alice and the White Rabbit

Kirovohrad Feb 24Th, 2009

Today it was a beautiful day and the sun was out with the birds a chirping. Even though this day was turning out to be so beautiful, Adrienne still had her cold. This meant that we would need to stay in and catch up on our wash and don’t forget that even with the sun out, it was in the upper 20’s. It is so cold!

Washing took most of the morning, so we just set around being lazy. We would have to wait for Marianna to get out of school before we could see her. You have to understand that we American’s are so privileged to have working TV’s and many other things to keep us from boredom. I can’t get this TV to turn on after turning it off the other day. I have had the manager of the apartment out twice already and she doses something to it and it works. She doesn’t speak English and she never shows me how she fixed it.

After all this we headed out to pick Marianna up from school. We met our newest translator outside the apartment gate. Her name as we can pronounce it was Kate. Adrienne and I think that we three are scaring them off, or something. We met Marianna at school and got some papers that where from her teacher giving Marianna a good report on her school activity.

After picking her up we went back to the flat and we where going to try too call the Glazener’s so Marianna could talk to Kyle. On the way Adrienne AKA Mama got a bright idea. Why don’t we pickup some knitting needles, yarn and beading things to keep her occupied while we are in a holding pattern. It’s not that we didn’t bring things for her from America, but that all got taken from the other kids in the orphanage.

We are counting the days,
Gods speed, AKA Alice and the White Rabbit

Kirovohrad Feb. 23nd 2009

Well, Adrienne caught a cold from being outside in 25° - weather and has started to loss here voice. The good news is that we got a call from Lena, our head interpreter that we would be able to pick Marianna up from school every day and keep her until 7pm ever night. What wonderful news!

Since Adrienne has this cold we decided to take a taxi to Marianna’s school that is only two blocks away, we being Adrienne. As we arrived we where able to meet her teachers and some of her classmates and of course Marianna had to take photo of everyone that she was able to stop.

She even wanted to take one of her classmates home to the apartment with her. The little girl was all ready to go with her school bags packed and everything. The funny thing was that this little girl got mad at us when we had the translator tell her that we couldn’t take her with us. I guess Marianna and she had it all worked out before we arrived. It turned out that she was a friend of hers from the orphanage, but all the same, we didn’t have Olga’s permission to take her with us.

After going to the store and spending time with Marianna at the apartment, we met up with Lena and the attorney. This is when we found out more wonderful news. Our court date should be no latter than Monday and she had the ten day waiting period removed and if everything goes right Marianna will be ours that day. We will still have to go back to Kiev and the American Embassy.

Oh, by the way. I hate this TV in the big family room. I can’t seem to turn it off without messing the thing up!

Gods speed, AKA Alice and the White Rabbit

Kirovohrad Feb 22nd 2009

Today we slept in and it felt great. Now that I have a new pillow it was fabulous. I dreamt that we where all back home now!

Marianna had a Concert / Festival to get ready for and we where told not to come until 1pm, so it was off to the orphanage at 1pm. Marianna was there at the door setting in a chair that she had dragged down stairs and was waiting for us. We asked her how long she had been there and she said all morning!

Richard and I had Lena tell her the night before that the caregiver asked us not to come until 1pm, but she must have miss understood. We didn’t have a translator with us, so we didn’t get the whole story. All we knew is it broke are hearts again. As we got up stairs we noticed that there where no sounds coming from Marianna’s group and we didn’t see any children as we walked into the class. The caregiver came out of the room that the children slept in and told us that we would have to be real quite because the children where napping!

We played checkers and some other quite games. Like there are any kids that know how to play quite games! Marianna decided that we where going to go outside and play. She told the caregiver this and believe it or not, the caregiver said yes, so we where off in a flash playing with her outside in 25° - weather. It was cold! BRRRRR!

!!!!!

After about 10 minuets I decided it was to cold and it was time for us all to go back inside. I’m a Texas girl, not an Eskimo! We came back and Richard, Marianna and I where banished to a room with a piano, a table and a Dentist chair in it. It was also the room that you had to go into to get too the computer room. Surprisely enough guess who started to play the piano? It wasn’t Richard, or I, it was the Princess. She could play and read music. She may not be Mozart, but she has had some training. How awesome is that?

It was now time for the Concert / Festival. She was rushed off by one of the other kids to get ready for her première. We where taken to Olga and seated in a large classroom with the rest of the orphanage. It was great! The whole thing lasted about an hour and a half. What can I say, she was wonderful. The first part was in the large class and then it was back outside for the finish. The Concert / Festival was called their National pancake day, or something of the fact. It must be something big if Olga was there.

We really didn’t know what was going on, but it was fun to watch. I should not have been outside in that cold air, but it was worth it. Even if I did loss my voice and now have a cold. We did get video of most of it and will put it on the blog if we can get the OK.

We don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but we will play it by ear. We do know she will be going to school and then she will be back at the orphanage around 4 – 5pm. Then we will be off to see her again. That will be our whole day. We have not heard from the attorney and that is worrying us, but everyone is telling us not to worry. If we have been permitted to see her so much and spend time with her, then there shouldn’t be any problems.

I am now going to go sleep with my new pillow!

Gods speed, AKA Alice and the White Rabbit

Kirovohrad Feb 21st 2009

Today it snowed a little again. Vicka, (Lena’s newest trainee and one of the nicest girls) met us about 8:45 to go pickup Marianna. Marianna was at the door to meet us and she was very happy to see us. We took a taxi back into town and had breakfast at our favorite pizza place down by the town square and then she wanted to show us where she went to school even though it was a Saturday and the school was closed.

We had to find her some shoes so we walked from one store to the other and that meant going up many hills and down the others. After the third store we came across a pair that fit her and that we could all agree on. On the way back to the flat we finely found a store that had a pillow for Adrienne, if we didn’t she would be the Hunchback of Norte Dame. We had been all over Kiev and Kirovohrad looking for this pillow. You wouldn’t think it would be so hard to find a store that carried the dang thing.

We came back to the flat and Marianna started to play, sang and dance. Then it was to her computer. Really it is her Papa’s, but don’t tell her that. After that Vicka left and Lena traded places stayed the rest of the time. We tried to call Kyle (Bogdan), but he didn’t want to talk at that time. It was pretty early in the am back in Texas, so we could not blame him.

We took Marianna to Dinner and then it was back to the orphanage. It is so sad to see her go back there, but tomorrow she will be in a concrete and we are going to see her perform with her class.

Now we are back on a holding pattern and we are just waiting for our final day in court.

Gods speed, AKA Alice and the White Rabbit

Kirovohrad Feb 20Th 2009

Today we got up early and studied our Dossier so that we would be ready for our Guardianship meeting today. We had a little breakfast and then off to the meeting. We where so nervous and worried, that we might forget what to say.

After getting to where the meeting was to be held, we waited out side the door for what seemed like forever, but in reality it was only minutes. We where asked to come in and take a seat. As Adrienne and I walked through the door we noticed that there where 10 people behind a long set of tables. Not three, or four, but 10.

There was one woman that set right in front of us and she was the one that asked most of the questions. This is where our nerves started to get to us, Adrienne was asked why we wanted to adopt and after going over it so many times, she said something completely different.

Then it was my turn. I didn’t think I was nervous, but for some reason I started to answer most of the questions. That’s when Adrienne leaned over and said to me, stop answering all the questions. I don’t think any of them spoke English, but one of the women said something to one of the others and pointed to their ring. I think she said something to the fact that yes, we are married and smiled.

Then all of a sudden, the woman up front said that we had the blessings of the court and that they all wished us success, the whole thing toke less than 15 minuets. YEA!

We where suppose to pick her up at her school, but the school had let the students out early and she had to ride home with the other kids. We being Adrienne, Lena our interrupter, Vicka, Lena’s friend and myself had to pile in to a taxi and to the orphanage to catch up with her. We got to the orphanage and picked her up for dinner. Then back in to the taxi and off we went. Tomorrow we will be able to spend 9am tell 7pm with her. We can’t wait!

Gods speed, AKA Alice and the White Rabbit

Kirovohrad Feb 19Th 2009

Adrienne and I tired all night to get some sleep, but where unable to do so. We where so excited about seeing Marianna. So we got up early and got dressed to go and see the notary. K drove us down to the notary and we signed a bunch of legal papers and than we had to pick up the attorney and then we where off to see Marianna.

We saw our angle and she ran, or should I say flashed right pass me and flew into Adrienne’s arms. They held each other for about 30 minutes. Then I got my turn, she gave me the same hugs and kisses that Adrienne received and sat in my lap.

After the attorney and Olga observed our interaction they both gave Adrienne and me their blessings. I guess we passed their test. We had to leave for a little while and it was very hard on us three. K, Adrienne and I went back to the apartment to rest up until 4pm, then it was back to see Marianna until about 7pm and then we had to leave. Once again it was hard for all three of us. We told her we would see her tomorrow and she seemed to be ok with it. She knew that we where there to adopt her and that was all she cared about.

Gods speed, AKA Alice and the White Rabbit

Kiev / Kirovohrad Feb 18Th 2009

Well today we got up and waited around to her from K, We have been in our dress close all morning hoping we would get the call that everything was taken care and we could sign the referral.

We finally got the call from K around 12:30pm. We where told that everything had been taken care of and the sister would not be apart of the referral (Marianna will be the only child on the referral).

I don’t know what he did, or how he did it, but K is a miracle worker. He told us to be packed and ready by 5pm so we could go straight to Kirovohrad. Adrienne and I started throwing things in to the suit cases, we where ready to go and see that beautiful face of our little girl.

We arrived about 12am in the morning. K drove straight through and we made it in one piece.

Adrienne and I want to thank God for answering all yours and our prayers.

Yours truly, and Gods speed, AKA Alice and the White Rabbit

Kiev Feb 17Th 2009

Well, today we are up early for the 9 am referral. It is snowing and Adrienne was always told that it means something good. K, our coordinator picked us up and we headed off to the referral. Adrienne had her high heels on and she was so glade we didn’t walk.

Well that went fast; we are now back from our referral. It took us less the 20 minuets. The lady that we meet set down with us and asked Adrienne and me some questions about how we meet the child. She looked over the photo’s we where told to bring. Then there where some questions about her older sister and brother. K interpreted everything she said for us.

The last thing we where told was congratulations on your referral. We where so happy! We left the building and got into the car and then the shoe dropped. K told us that we got the referral, but the older sister was apart of it. What? K told us not to worry and he would take care of it.

It is now 3pm and we are still waiting on the call from K. We where told if he got things worked out then we would have to go back and sign the referral. It is now 5pm and we are still here. The waiting is unbearable. We are so tired from just pacing the floor. Adrienne tried to get some sleep, but it’s to frustrating not knowing if we will get the referral without the sister. She is 16 and is in another orphanage. It was to our understanding that Marianna has never meet her older sister and she would not be apart of the adoption. Infect we thought that she was older then 16 and unavailable for adoption.

We are so ready to go down and see our girl. We can’t stand the fact that our little princess is so far from us. We are still waiting to find out something and it is getting so late. Adrienne and I will head down to O’Brien’s to get some more of that good Sheppard’s Pie. We need to get out and clear our heads.

We got a call from K and he said that there was no word from the SDA as of yet. It looks like we will be here waiting for at lest another day. Please keep us and our beautiful girl in your pray’s.

Gods speed, AKA Alice and the White Rabbit

Kiev Feb 16Th 2009

Today it started snowing. I think it’s a good sign for things to come. The apartment management sent the guy to fix our TV, but only after my hero husband got it working. It’s a very quite day and it has made us very sleepy. After getting board out of our minds, we went out to look for a department store. I need a pillow. I only brought a small one and it dose not support my head on this horrible hard bed.

We spoke to our beautiful girl today and she wanted to know why we haven’t made it to get her yet. Richard had Vadim, our translator back in Texas tell her that we would be there after our referral on Tuesday. That is when she started to cry and told us to come and get her today. She was having none of this waiting stuff. It nearly tore our hearts out.

Tomorrow is our referral and we are getting nervous about it. Keep us in your prayers. If we get her referral, then hopefully we will head down to Kirovohrad where she is. We are so close, but so far away…

Gods speed, AKA Alice and the White Rabbit

Kiev Feb 15Th 2009

Today we slept in. It was nice to have a couple of extra days to gather our selves. After sleeping away most of the morning we walked over to the Hyatt and had a late breakfast. It was quite nice to have it so close.

It is a little bit colder today. Adrienne keeps telling me that she is so thankful that she decided to bring her fur coat. We didn’t stay out to long, because we had to meet the Wi-Fi guy back at the apartment. We where told that the internet would be up and running when we got to Kiev, but it wasn’t, nor was the TV. This is my excuse for not having the blog up to date.

The repair guy did everything I did the night before to the Wi-Fi, and it mercilessly started to work. He then told Adrienne and me that he would send out someone Monday to get the TV working. I think that they just forgot to have the internet and TV turned on. Who knows?

We went to the 24 hr. Market to pickup some things to make dinner, but it was closed. Who would have guessed? We ended up going to the O’Brian’s Pub and ordered the Sheppard’s Pie. It was quite good. The place was a little noisy. They had the soccer game on and most of the locales had on their team shirts and the shirts had a Dallas Stars logo on them. I look around, but Tommy Hicks Jr. was no where to be found.

After an early dinner we went back to the 24 hour market where we did pickup some food and sweets. We figured it would be cheaper to cook in than eating at the Hyatt. Adrienne thought she was a world traveler, but she really never walked into a market until now. What a cutler shock. She said that she had gotten use to something like Tom Thumb.

After that we dropped off our things at the apartment and headed off to the Square. I wanted Adrienne to see the underground mall and Kiev’s McDonald’s of course. The malls here are a little different than the ones in the State’s. For one thing, they don’t have as much to choose from.

The walk back is a lot different from the one on the way down. I mean it’s more like a hike in the mountains. If you have ever been to San Francisco, you might have a clue of what I am talking about. It’s all up hill and a big one at that. I read somewhere that there are on down hills in Kiev. You can sure say that is a fact!

With it all said and done, Adrienne and I are ready to go to the SDA Tuesday and get our referral so we can just go down and be with our beautiful girl.

Until tomorrow yours truly, AKA Alice and the White Rabbit

New York / Kiev Feb 14Th 2009

We are now in Kiev. Boy that plane ride was so fun. Adrienne and I feel like we are eighty some odd years old. How dose anyone not get off the plane without a sore neck and back and but and so on…

We get off the plane and there is someone at Customs waiting for us and it wasn’t Andre. We where told that Andre would be waiting for us out side of the airport as it was on my last visit here. This guy asked us for our passports and he turned and walked off with them. To say the least, Adrienne and I where a little freaked out. He soon came back with one of the head guys and they proceeded to walk us ahead of everyone else. We did not even have to wait in a long line for the official to look over our passports.

I called K (our adoption coordinator) to find out if he set this up. He said NO, and that Andre was waiting outside! He said NOT to go with him! We tried to tell them that they had the wrong people, but this guy showed us his cell phone and it had our name on a text message that someone had sent him. He was there to take care of us. I asked K to talk to him on my cell phone and to find out who he was as well as who set this up. After a little conversation and time K told me that everything was OK, it was VIP treatment and to just go with it.

We decided to go with him (Like we had a choice) and we got through the airport ahead of everyone else. This appeared to get us a few looks from some of the others on our flight. Andre was outside waiting just as K said he would be. We never did find out who set this up and probably never will. Adrienne thinks that it was all setup through our travel agent. Who ever it was, will you please tell the people about it before they get to the airport! Adrienne told me the VIP treatment was AWESOME, that it reminded her of when her mother and she would travel together and that she would do that again, but only if we know about it first!

We are in a one bedroom apartment, or should I say in the states it would be a studio apartment, but very nice. We can’t believe that we are finally here. We are having a hard time taking this all in. K stopped bye to see us without any notice. I was as Adrienne put it, sawing logs and she was indisposed. He wanted to make sure we had everything we needed and to invite us to dinner with him, his wife and a family adopting from another region.

Oh, by the way happy Valentines Day to all our family and friends that will be following in our journey down this hole. Trust me, Adrienne is Alice and I am the White Rabbit. Everything is so different here and we have so long before our final day.

Yours truly, AKA Alice and the White Rabbit

Dallas New York Feb 13Th 2009

Adrienne and I left our condo around 5am to get to the airport. Our flight wasn’t leaving until 8:40am. Adrienne was up at 3am to be ready to go and of course Wynnie and I waited tell the last minute to get up. It was a good thing we had our bags packed two days ahead. Wynnie seemed to be very upset that that she was not going on this trip, and she would give us this where do you think you are going look. She should be very happy when she finds out that she has some wonderful people looking after her and that we will be bringing home her Marianna.

Now the long flight too Keive, Adrienne and I are getting very anxious to get there and bring home our beautiful girl. If only it would be that simple. We left Dallas when it had spring like weather and we know that when we get to Keive it will be in the 30’s, or lower and that’s just the weather. We will be dealing with a foreign country and their rules, or the lack of.

After arriving at JFK airport, Adrienne and I eat lunch near the gate where our flight would be departing from and we started to people watch. We noticed that most of them where speaking Ukrainian. It all seemed a little funny, but sobering at the same time. Our next flight doesn’t leave until 5:40pm and that means that we have a lot of time to set around and do nothing else. There will be more tomorrow when we get settled in. We are now heading down the rabbit hole.

Yours truly, AKA Alice and the White Rabbit