getting closer to the finish line!

Sorry for not posting in a few days, the computer and camera were not cooperating and I finally gave up trying. Today things seem to be on track.  OK, we are on day 10 of the appeal period, YAY!! Only 4 days left until my parents get here, bigger YAY!  And this is day 26 of my Ukrainian adventure!

Friday I got a special treat ..... it was Christmas program day at the baby house and I was invited to watch !!  I could tell something was different, when I knocked on the groupa door to get the kids, the nannies kept motioning to the floor above us and said "Albina!", and then motioned that they needed to get Sawyer dressed.  I said ok and thought that Kenzie (Albina) must be upstairs for something, no problem...I'll wait.  And wait I did!  For about 30 minutes with nannies coming and going with urgency in their steps, looking in the closet through all the clothing, Sawyer crying in the background ( shocking, I know ), people out in the hallways going back and forth and up and down the stairs all in a hurry.  I was starting to get a little worried, I could hear Kenzie talking so I knew she wasn't upstairs.  And then the groupa door opened and this is what I saw........

they were so excited, it was hard to get a decent picture

 Aren't they pretty ?!  And then they were joined by a very handsome Sawyer,

he wasn't nearly as excited as the girls!

 I managed to get a few more pictures, and then we went upstairs to the music room.

This is the music room all decorated for the program.  We were the first ones to arrive, so I was able to get good seats.

He wasn't too thrilled that he had to sit with me, but after a while he relaxed.  During the program he was more interested in the big video camera in front of us than the performance.  This is the first time I have been able to hold him with only one layer of clothing on!  He's got a belly!

All the kids being led in, Kenzie is in pink by the tree.

It was a cute little performance about St. Nikolai, that much I understood!  I was able to get most of it on video but with Sawyer on my lap "helping" me the camera was moving around a lot!  But it will still be neat for the kids to have when they are older.  All the kids got a gift at the end and Sawyer was trying to open his with his teeth, Christmas morning should be fun!

Not much else going on here, it stopped snowing and was real cold for a day or two and now it is warming up which has made a very slushy mess outside.  We spent our visits in the hallway this weekend.  I wish the acoustics were better in there, I would love to record some stuff but it just echoes.  Right now there are 3 families here to adopt.  Us, the Spanish family, and an Israeli family who adopted their daughter from here also about 5 years ago.  So we are all in the hallway together with our kids and then there are a few "big sisters" that come every week to play with their chosen child.  Kind of like the Big Brother/Big Sister program we have at home.  Anyway, it's comical to hear all the different languages mixed together!

The next two days I will be busy getting the final paperwork done here in region so that hopefully we can be on the train to Kiev Tuesday night.  I am excited that this wait is over with no complications, not everyone has that blessing.  Actually we have been very fortunate so far, everything has gone quickly and on schedule.  Let's hope that continues!  I want to thank everyone for sending comments and love this way, it REALLY does help !