#10 Tuesday, April 8th, 2009

Back in Novo Vodologa

So I have been waiting the 10 day waiting period out in Novo Vodologa - it was great to go to Kiev for a few days, nice to be in civilization and with friends. I was feeling terrible, sore throat and such, so I slept Sat/Sun at the YWAM boat after Michael left Sat. morning, and just rested and felt much better.
It takes some stamina to be here, with the traveling and change in time/food/surroundings, waiting for court and documents, etc - it's a little stressful! It gets to you after a while.
I took the train back to Kharkov by myself at 6am on Monday and had our familiar taxi driver there pick me up and take me back to Novo Vodologa, and then I walked to the orphanage to get Stas for the day at 3pm. I was soooo tired.
We have walked to town two days in a row with another girl, Natasha, who is being adopted by a friend in Missouri - she is a sweet girl, 12, who speaks english pretty well. It has been nice to have her along, her and Stas chat while we are walking and she translates for me!
We buy ice cream and they love to buy the imitation crab sticks, and we get chips and drinks and hang around town a bit. I bought them each a soccer ball for their classes, theirs are broken. There is not much available in this tiny town, it was exciting to buy pump soap for the sink, woo-hoo!
Yesterday was such a nice, warm and sunny day - today was a little cool and windy. We hurried back to the orphanage and Natasha went back and Stas and I went to the guesthouse.
We will eat dinner soon and I will walk Stas back tonight at 7:30.
The ten day waiting period will be up on Saturday, but we will have to get the court decree on Monday and probably leave here Monday evening to go to Kiev. We have to pick up Stas' passport in Kharkov also. When we get to Kiev, we will go to the U.S. consulate on Tuesday and get the visa on Wednesday - and we could possibly fly to NY that evening, or Thursday morning.
Wow, that will be exciting!
So for now, we are waiting, I can check email so that helps.
Will update again - nothing much to write about right now! More to come....