The Journey Has Officially Begun!
This morning, we awoke at 3:45 am to video-chat with our girls so we could pray with them and read them a book before their bedtime. Then it was back to bed with us.
We awoke a few hours later, just one hour before Niko was to pick us up for our SDA appointment. I quickly scrambled some eggs with cheese, buttered some bread, and threw on my clothes and makeup while Jeff shaved and changed & clothed Carson. We were ready to go in record time.
We waited a few minutes for Niko... it is so comfortable and breezy here in the late mornings. NO humidity, which is such a welcome change from SE Texas.
The drive to SDA was so pleasant, as Niko pointed out where he went to university, and talked about his grown children. He pointed out buildings that were 1,000 years old, and recounted to us a bit of Ukrainian history. I love this place.
We parked right in front of St. Andrew's Cathedral and there was a few minutes until our appointment so Niko suggested we browse for some souvenirs at the local vendors set up just across the cobblestone street. Ten minutes went by too fast and soon we met Yulia, our other facilitator, and we were whisked into the SDA.
We sat on a corner couch in a small office, where Yulia sat with us and translated for a young woman who was going through our paperwork. Right in front of us, on the little coffee table, were parts of our dossier, and what I guessed was Kirk's file, judging by the sweet-looking baby picture stapled to the front of the papers. The SDA facilitator asked us a few questions, and then it became evident that she only had Kirk's file, not Lori's. I had a feeling all along, for weeks, that we would get to SDA and only Kirk's file would be with our paperwork. (Mama knows.) I started to get a little nervous, and was praying under my breath. Yulia confirmed with us that we had added Lori to our adoption, and asked me her birthdate, which we had never been given. She got on the phone and the other woman left the room to look for Lori's file. Minutes later, she returned with it in her hand.
They sat and read parts of the file to us, and then showed us Kirk's baby picture, and another younger picture, which we had never seen. How precious he was! Yulia commented that Kirk looked a little like Jeff. I smiled. We also saw two younger pictures of Lori, but no baby pictures.
We were not allowed to have the pictures, and were also not allowed to photograph the pictures they had with the files, but were told that we could have them at a later date.
Then we signed the book, and were told to come back tomorrow to pick up our referrals. Done!
Yulia walked with us across the street to a little restaurant that sold pizza, coffee, and drinks. We sat there and talked for a bit; (I had an amazing cappuccino).
Then Niko went to purchase our train tickets, and Yulia drove us back to the apartment.We will leave tomorrow night and take the overnight train to the kids' region. We'll get to meet them Thursday morning! The journey has officially begun!
We awoke a few hours later, just one hour before Niko was to pick us up for our SDA appointment. I quickly scrambled some eggs with cheese, buttered some bread, and threw on my clothes and makeup while Jeff shaved and changed & clothed Carson. We were ready to go in record time.
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| A few last-minute tasks before walking out the door |
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| Waiting for Niko outside our apartment |
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| SDA office is located right next to this centuries-old cathedral, St. Andrew's. |
The drive to SDA was so pleasant, as Niko pointed out where he went to university, and talked about his grown children. He pointed out buildings that were 1,000 years old, and recounted to us a bit of Ukrainian history. I love this place.
We parked right in front of St. Andrew's Cathedral and there was a few minutes until our appointment so Niko suggested we browse for some souvenirs at the local vendors set up just across the cobblestone street. Ten minutes went by too fast and soon we met Yulia, our other facilitator, and we were whisked into the SDA.
We sat on a corner couch in a small office, where Yulia sat with us and translated for a young woman who was going through our paperwork. Right in front of us, on the little coffee table, were parts of our dossier, and what I guessed was Kirk's file, judging by the sweet-looking baby picture stapled to the front of the papers. The SDA facilitator asked us a few questions, and then it became evident that she only had Kirk's file, not Lori's. I had a feeling all along, for weeks, that we would get to SDA and only Kirk's file would be with our paperwork. (Mama knows.) I started to get a little nervous, and was praying under my breath. Yulia confirmed with us that we had added Lori to our adoption, and asked me her birthdate, which we had never been given. She got on the phone and the other woman left the room to look for Lori's file. Minutes later, she returned with it in her hand.
They sat and read parts of the file to us, and then showed us Kirk's baby picture, and another younger picture, which we had never seen. How precious he was! Yulia commented that Kirk looked a little like Jeff. I smiled. We also saw two younger pictures of Lori, but no baby pictures.
We were not allowed to have the pictures, and were also not allowed to photograph the pictures they had with the files, but were told that we could have them at a later date.
Then we signed the book, and were told to come back tomorrow to pick up our referrals. Done!
Yulia walked with us across the street to a little restaurant that sold pizza, coffee, and drinks. We sat there and talked for a bit; (I had an amazing cappuccino).
Then Niko went to purchase our train tickets, and Yulia drove us back to the apartment.We will leave tomorrow night and take the overnight train to the kids' region. We'll get to meet them Thursday morning! The journey has officially begun!
Comments
...this is a crazy cool place.
Happy you are able to get both referrals tomorrow :)
good luck!
Hugs!
Katrina
Carlene's soon to be momma