June 7th-SDA Appointment and My Mom's Birthday!

We're back at TGIFriday's for lunch and to use the internet again.  We're still not getting internet at our apartment even after a 2nd modem.  It looks like we may have to wait until we're in Zaprozhye before we have more consistent internet.  (Deep breaths! ha ha)

Today we went for our SDA appointment where I accepted the referral for Nadia.  Everyone who goes to the SDA in Ukraine gets to pass by this beautiful church and they usually post it on their blogs.  So I am too!

Serge took me up to the office while Jim and the boys stayed outside with his daughter Nicole who is here visiting from St. Louis for 2 months.  (Wish my Nicole were here with us!!!)  My part of the appointment was VERY quick.  In fact all the young lady asked me for was my passport.  That's it.  No questions, no inquiries as to why we want to adopt a special needs child.  Serge then read me Nadia's  first and last name from her file (which we already knew--Nadia Bersmyntx) and told me she has an open oval window (which we didn't know).  I prayed ahead of time for God to prepare us for any "surprises" and so this did not come as a surprise to me nor did it feel like one.  We don't know the extent of this heart condition but Her Maker certainly does.  We will hopefully find out more when we get to talk to the orphanage doctor.  The next 20min. of the appointment was Serge finding out more information on other children in the orphanage in Zaporozhye--I'm assuming so he can add them to his files to help find them families! 

This is me with Yulia, one of our main facilitators.  She is very sweet and has been so helpful since we've arrived.  Her first phone call to me was to let me know that she's available  for us 24/7.  That was very comforting!!! 

OK, somewhere along the way, some of you got the impression that I was wearing my fancy new shoes for both my SDA appointment and my Court appointment.  Let me clear things up.  This is what I wore today.  No fancy shoes--those babies aren't coming out of the suitcase until court day! (And yes, my suitcase did arrive last night at 6pm--woo hoo!)

Speaking of stilettos.  I'm not sure what this bumper sticker means but I had to take a picture of it!!!

Here is the tunnel we walk through to get to our apartment.

Here is a shot of the outside of our apartment.

And this is the climb from downtown walking back up to our apartment! I won't try this in heels!

Yesterday, we found a fresh food market and purchased some strawberries, bananas, and cherries.  As we were buying the fruit, a man approached Jim to ask for money.  The only reason we knew he was doing this was because the man who owned the fruit stand threw a cherry at the guy to get him to move along.  Said cherry then bounced off said man and proceeded to hit the lady selling us the fruit. We were startled but then got a good chuckle out of this new use for cherries!

While Allen was excited with our fruit stand find, my husband, a true motorhead, was THRILLED to find the Ferrari store across the street!  I would have taken more photos but was told to put my camera away after I snapped this one.  :)  I can always find a way to get in trouble--even 4,000 miles from home!

On our way home from the SDA today, we passed by the University of Kiev.  This building caught my eye (understatement) so I had to take a photo.  Isn't it great???  We're heading out to do more sightseeing in just a few minutes with Uncle Niko's daughter, Olena, so I'll have lots more to share tomorrow when we come back to TGIF.

But for now, I'll finish this post with a picture of my beautiful Mom who's birthday is today!!!  Happy Birthday Mom!  Wish we could be there to celebrate with you.  Hope you have a wonderful day!

Want to know something cool?  Today is Nadia's 1/2 birthday.  She is officially 2 1/2 today!!!