High School or Middle School, that's the question!

Things are going really well so far with Katya. I haven't gotten much sleep and have been in constant motion, but it has been great. The real test comes next week when school starts. Katya already is saying "no" to school. She tells me that, but I can tell she knows there is no choice. That's where the question begins. She is 14 so we have a choice of sending her to HS or MS. After back and forth and weighing all the pros and cons, we have decided to send her to MS. It is a much less risky choice. At least that's what we have decided for the moment. We have to decide today, because school starts Tuesday. I am set to leave this morning to register her. I have to break the appointment I have with the HS and try and get one with the MS. I'll blog later and say how it turned out.
Back to Katya. Her first week has been a whirlwind. She swam at a pool and her sister Lisa's house (4 hours straight). Shopped for and bought a new bike. Played video "Cars" racing games. Eaten different food (she tried and likes lasagna). Went to church. Had her friend Paulina and Lisa's stepdaughter, Mariah, spend the night. Learned how to play the board game "Sorry", and is good at it.
I can't help to think all the time how the whole course of her life has changed. I just hope Beverly and I have it in us to raise her to be the women she can be to meet her full potential.
She is an awesomely sweet girl. She loves riding a bike and we have done tons of that this past week. She makes friends so easily and doesn't seem to shy away from hanging out or playing with kids she just met.
Well, gotta go and convince her to take a shower before we leaave..........

They're Home ! ! ! (and life begins anew for us)

Beverly and Katya arrived safely Friday night. This picture shows Katya with four of her friends that also were adopted this past year from Uglegorsk. They all were there to greet her at the airport. Katya cried a lot ! ! !

It has been a crazy three days so I haven't been able to post until this morning.

I need to go to work, but will hopefully post more real soon. There is lots to tell. Katya is doing well, and Beverly is recovering from being away from home for a month.

IN ROUTE PICTURE ! ! !

This was downloaded from Delta's website at 8:30am EST. Very cool....

YAY ! ! ! They are on their way HOME!!!

Beverly called me around 11:15pm EST tonight from the airport, and said they had tickets and were going to board the plane for the first of 3 legs home. First they fly to Paris France, then on to Atlanta, and finally on to Norfolk; HOME ! ! !
Beverly says that Katya doesn't show any sign of being afraid of flying. Beverly thinks Katya is fearless ! ! ! And she likes to be IN CONTROL ! ! ! Oh boy, Beverly isn't going to like that if it continues here in the USA. Even after getting their tickets, Katya was looking them over to determine where they were supposed to be (i.e. gate). I think some of it (at least my thought) is that Katya knows Beverly can't speak Russian and Katya feels like she has to take care of Beverly. What do you think? Oh well, we'll see how in control she feels in Virginia Beach ! ! !
I'm up late, because I needed to clean the house and grocery shop. It has been a long time since I bought that many groceries. Usually buying for Beverly and I is fairly minimal and one day at a time. Things are DIFFERENT NOW! ! ! I even bought ice cream ! ! ! I haven't bought ice cream just to have in the house in I so long I can't remember when it was. I think I'm going to gain weight ! ! !
I made an appointment with the guidance counselor at Cox HS for next Monday. We'll see how it goes. I have a feeling we aren't going to have all the paper work they will want. At least all of it translated into English. It would be nice to get her registered so she can start the first day of school, but if it doesn't happen, the world won't stop rotating.
Well, I'm fading again, and I do have to work tomorrow (YUK).
TOMORROW ! ! ! !; they will be HOME TOMORROW ! ! !

Counting hours now instead of days ! ! !

48 more hours ! ! ! Yeah..................
Beverly called this morning and said they went to the US Embassy. She accomplished some of the work, but not all. It turns out that the facilitators in Kyiv didn't realize Beverly and Katya are booked on an early morning flight Friday. They didn't have all the paper work translated yet, so she has to go back tomorrow.
They are staying in the same apartment I stayed in my last days there. It isn't in a convenient location and you have to walk a fairly long way to get to the underground mall or Friday's restaurant. Getting to either of those places requires going underground, because there are no pedestrian crosswalks at the street intersections. I did alright myself, but I'm an architect and kept my bearings underground. Hopefully Katya will keep Beverly from getting lost. Beverly worried about going down in the mall, because there is an Internet place on the lowest level, and she was afraid Katya would seee it and want to stay there for hours.
I took today off from work and worked on getting Katya's room ready. I started last night rearranging furniture and didn't get to bed until 1:00am. I also took time to call the school to make an appointment to meet with a guidance counselor. They told me I would have to wait and call tomorrow, because they haven't started making appointments for next week yet.
I'm starting to fade.... so I'm closing for now, but please pray for a smooth exit from Ukraine and safe and timely flights ! ! !

Monday Was a Better Day ! ! !

I spoke to Beverly the middle of the day yesterday (Monday) and she said things went better with Katya. My gut tells me (although I am not a very intuitive person) that she is a sweet sensitive girl inside and when things settle down our relationships will get even better.
3 more days ! ! ! I have a ton of stuff to do to be ready for their arrival. I need to shop for a bedspread and linens. The bed, dresser and night stand for Katya's room will be delivered tomorrow. That means I have to get rid of a futon and old broken down dresser and relocate some other things. We are going to wait for Katya's input before we repaint the room (she likes pink, but I'm hoping not for walls!!!), and decorate it.
Please pray that Beverly will use wisdom and give herself a few days to readjust and relax before she goes back to work (she usually pushes herself right back into the grind). Also pray about school for Katya. She is 14 and could end up in High School, but possibly Middle School (have I mentioned all this in another post?). We think MS would be best.
Off to work......

The Home Stretch ! ! !

5 more days until the girls arrive home. Some people have asked about greeting them at the airport. Anyone who wants to be there when the two weary travels arrive are welcome to do so. Beverly and I have been at the airport for several adoptive home comings. They are fun ! ! ! I'm sure Katya won't know what to expect and will be surprised by a crowd of people, but it seems to me that having a bunch of people there to meet you has got to top having just me there.
Their flight info is: Fri 24AUG -DELTA Flight 973 from ATLANTA arriving NORFOLK at 7:27PM. As can be expected with summer afternoon travel, the flight could arrive later due to weather delays, so check the Internet for updates before leaving home.
Please pray for Beverly and Katya. It has been a very l o n g hard summer for Beverly. It seems like she has been away from home more this summer than she has been here. She left the end of June on the church's two week long mission trip. Came back to a full appointment book and worked her head off for two weeks; then got on a plane for the adoption. She has now been there a total of five weeks ! ! ! She is my hero ! ! !
Katya is a teen and in spite of being an orphan (who you would think would be grateful), comes with regular teen "issues" and emotions and doesn't always act appreciatively. Add those on top of traveling all over Ukraine staying in multiple places and leaving behind the only life she has known from age 9 to 14, and trying to comprehend what life will be like for her here in the USA, has got to put Katya on a major overload ! ! ! She has been difficult to deal with the last 24-36 hours and Beverly is tired, which isn't the best scenario.
They are back in Donetsk today and should be finalizing the paper work there, and will get on a train (or plane) and travel to Kyiv to deal with the US Embassy and visa stuff.
Well, I have to go to work . . . . I sure do miss Beverly and am so anxious to get Katya home and settled in ! ! !

All's Well ! ! !

Beverly reports that she, Katya, Zania, and Karol are doing well. They have continued to enjoy themselves in Sevastopol. They went to a dolphin show the other day and they loved it. They were tempted to let the two kids swim with them. Yes, that's right, swim with dolphins ! ! ! The only problem was the cost. It cost $40 USD each, but realizing that since many people in Ukraine don't make much more than that in an entire month, it seemed "excessive".
There was a hair crisis today. Zania was messing with Beverly's hair cutting scissors, and was thinking about cutting off the "bangs" hanging down on his forehead. Karol suggested that Zania let Beverly cut it. He did, but kept telling her "choot choot", which means "very little". Well, at the end of the trim, Zania looked in the mirror and broke out crying. That caused Beverly to cry, and then caused Katya to cry. The good thing is that Zania noticed how badly Beverly felt and he stopped his crying and told Beverly that it was "okay, and not to cry".
It revealed that both Katya and Zania are sensitive to other peoples feelings.
Only 7 more days until they are HOME ! ! ! ! I'm excited and can hardly wait ! ! ! !

I'm HOME ! ! ! But my Heart is in Ukraine :o(

Well, I had a real experience getting home. My luggage got lost and trying to find it in New York caused me to miss my flight (and last flight) to Norfolk. I now know how to get around JFK airport, after spending the night there. Sleeping on a concrete bench in a Food Court wasn't any worse that sleeping on a moving train in Ukraine.

Beverly called and said things are going well there in Ukraine with her, Katya, Karol and Zania (sp?). They have had to deny the two kids doing fun things because they have acted up (trying to find the boundaries). The great thing is that it seems to have worked. The kids have better attitudes.

Katya rode a horse the other day for her first time. She rode one of the spinning rides at the bumper car place. You know the kind that spins a million miles an hour and then turns on its side. Most people throw up, but Beverly said Katya got off and took a bite of something Beverly was eating and then wanted to ride another ride. Beverly said Katya slept with her the last two nights. The first night was because she was because she had a bad headache and felt sick. The second night was because she wanted to ! ! !Beverly is very pleased that Katya seems to be so teachable and takes correction well ! ! !

The picture below is a picture of my new grand daughter, Meredith ! ! ! Isn't she sweet?

Gotta go to work . . . .

I don't know east from west it seems like ! ! !

In case anyone caught me on this, (contrary to my last post) I went west and Beverly and Katya went east.
This morning I went to the US Embassy to turn in the Imagrant Visa paperwork. I thought I would finally be on familiar territory there, but I found it to be somewhat of a foreign experience until the very last. I had to go through a security trailer (kinda like a airport screening). Once I went through that I found myself on the other side of the trailer in an area between the trailer and a building in front of me. There were no signs to direct me where to go. Oh, I forgot to mention the screener guy was Ukrianian and didn't speak English (if he did, it wasn't understandable) ! ! !
Once in the courtyard, I looked around and saw on my right a tent with people sitting in it. Lots of people ! ! ! I thought to myself, I hope I don't have to wait with all of them. I had an appointment, so I thought it wasn't the place I should go. I went back into the security trailer and fortunately there was a woman who just stepped in for a minute who, although Ukrainian, spoke English. She told me to go into the building and go down the hall to my right. Well, I ran into another security check point where I had to explain to a Ukrianian guard that I was there for an appointment. I showed him my Passport and he "buzzed" me in. Then I went to window 13 like the lady outside told me. The Ukrainian woman there said I had to go to the last window at the end of the hall for Imagrant Visas.
I know I sound like I have something against Ukrainians, but I DON'T !!!!!!!!!!!!! I just didn't expect to find so many in the US Embassy. After thinking about it, it makes sense to employ local citizens, and I didn't really experience any problems.
The lady that helped me at window 14 was very helpful and processed my paperwork quickly. The whole deal was over in 15 to 20 minutes. I was told that it will take Beverly and Katya about 1 hour (2 at the max).
I spoke to Beverly this morning and she and Karol Saner took the two kids to the beach today. I know Katya was happy. She loves the water ! ! ! (probably almost as much as ice cream)
I spend several hours today in an underground shopping mall in Kyiv. It looks a lot like a modern mall, except the corridors were smaller. I bought a couple DVD movies for Katya. It will be interesting to watch Superman and Spiderman in Russian ! ! !
I came back to the mall this evening to use the internet place here and grab some ice cream ! ! ! I think Katya's craving for ice cream has rekindled my love for it. I guess I'll have to go up to a size 33 paints ! ! !
Tomorrow I'l fly home Some I'm out for now

I'm going east; Beverly and Katya are going west :o(

Today Beverly and Katya got on a train with Karol Saner and her new son Zane. They are heading back to Sevastopol for a week. I wish I was going with them. I know Beverly does too. I am flying to Kyiv today at 6:30pm. I will be there for two days. One day will be spent doing US Embassy stuff pertaining to the adoption.
I stood out side the train car and waved, and say "Paka paka" to them (bye bye in Russian). Katya didn't seem too concerned that I was going. She did give me a big hug before she got on the train. She is definitely not a "needy" kid, in the sense of clinging to either Beverly or me. That is good, I think, because she will need to fend for herself in a strange country and school system that is totally different than she has ever experienced.
Beverly is "hanging in there" even though she has two more weeks to go. She feels like she has spent the last two months away from home.
Katya in many ways is the kind of kid we expected, but in other ways she is different. Like any teenager, or adult for that matter, she has a selfish streak to her. Especially when it comes to food and ICE CREAM !!!!

She and I had a little "test of wills" yesterday. I think I won, but with the language barrior, it is hard to say. I know I mentioned this before, but she does get over things quickly and doesn't seem to get in a funk. Our taxi driver, Sasha, heard her complain about having to wait for something (I think it was ice cream), and he said if she would like, he could drive her back to the Uglegorsk orphanage. She kind of laughed because she knew he was teasing, but I think she got his point. Beverly and I are are determined not to ever even mention sending her back. We want her to know that we are committed to her for the long haul.

I think it has finally sunk in to Beverly and I exactly what we have gotten ourselves into. I told Beverly that we can't get hung up on "making" her into anything, but to do the best we can at giving her a life of love and support to launch her into the life ahead of her.

I asked Shasha at lunch today if he has seen what happens to the kids that "age out" of the orphanage, and he said most boys end up in jail and most girls in prostitution. We had heard this from websites and other sources, but I wanted to hear it from a local who lives near the orphanage and has gotten to know some of the kids in the last two years.
Below are some pictures of some of the last 2 weeks. The last two are my favorites, because she is sitting on a bed sorting out little gifts she bought for friends at the orphanage. She even gave away things we bought for her ! ! ! The other one is outside the court building where the adoption was approved ! ! ! Some of you will recognize Avie Carlisle in the 4th picture. The lady sitting next to her is Ira, a friend in the Sevastopol church.

She has experienced so much in the last two weeks because we have had the opportunity to take her with us during the process and been able to actualy have a fun vacation with site seeing, swimming, eating out in restaurants, riding bumper cars, riding in a boat, etc.

I am so anxious for her to learn english so that we can communicate. I know she gets frustrated when we don't understand what she tries to tell us something, and I would just love to be able to know how she feels about her new life with us and what is going on inside her head.

In the last two days, she has started trying to say some English words. We bought a book in the book market the other day that has Russina and English words with Russian phonetics. She prounounced a few words on her own and came very close in most cases.

Well, I guess I'll close for now.

We miss everyone back home. Beverly and Katya's arrival in Norfolk is scheduled for 7:27pm August 24 on Delta Flight 973 from Atlanta.

COURT WENT WELL TODAY ! ! !

We went to court today and obtained approval to adopt Katya Ann Schmitt. The Judge asked her if she wanted to be adopted by us and for us to be her parents and to move to America, AND she said YES ! ! ! That seems on face value to be a no brainer, but it isn't. After spendin the last nine days with us, she wants us to be her parents. I know I have mentione dit numerous times, but it has to be hugely scary for her. Several people have asked her how much she knows about America and she says she really doesn't know anything.
Several of our Ukrainian friends have told her it is a good thing to be adopted and move to the us, but she surely has no clue what it is going to be like.
We have had lots of fun together. She is very outgoing. Every place we have gone, she goes up to kids she doesn't know and strikes up a conversation. She is very comfortable around adults.
Her love for ice cream has proven to be a source of "opportunity". she will eat it for breakfast if we let her, and she ASKS for it all the time. She is sitting beside me right now playing a video car racing game on a computer. She catches on to technology quickly. Some one gave her an old cell phone and she figured out how to make it play games, and I caught her reading the operating manual ! ! !
I have tons of pictures to post and will put them up when I return to USA on August 14. Trying to do it at the internet places is a pain in the rear end ! ! !
thanks to everyone for your prayers............

We're Still Here !!! And we got great news Sunday !!!

My daughter Casey had her baby Sunday ! ! !   7lbs 15 oz.  Her name is Merrith Claire (I think I misspelled Merridth).  Anyway we are as happy as can be to be new grandparents, and wish we were there in Colorado !!!!

We have had very full days with Katya and the friends her in Sevastopol.  We have seen lots of sites and swam in the Black Sea each of the last three days.  I'm running out of time, so I need to close for now.

Love everyone.............

Wow, what a ride ! ! !

We are in Sevastopol right now. Literally, it has been a real ride. We spent 9 hours on a train ! ! ! Then an hour ride from the train station to Sevastopol. We have been here for several days. We went to the Black Sea yesterday and swam. It was fun especially for Katya. She loves the water ! ! !
Oh yeah, Katya. That has been another real ride. She is as fun as she can be. We had great fun playing UNO on the train. There is a couple from Connecticut traveling with us while they wait for their ten day wait to end. Katya even went down to their train car and played cards with them. She is a very self-confident young lady. She will lead the way when we go anywhere, and handle our transactions when we eat out or buy in the market. BUT, she has shown another side to herself the last two days and has pouted some when she hasn't gotten her way. She does get over things quickly though and seems still to be happy with her new Mom and Papa (as she calls us).
I have so many things I could tell about our ADVENTURE! ! But I'm a slow typist, and it is getting late and we are at Avie Carlisile's flat using her computer.
Before we left for Sevastopol, the adoption inspector wanted to meet with Katya to make sure she wanted to be adopted. She convinced them she does. That was two days ago and may answer differently today. She didn't like spending two hours in church.
We have about four more days to spend here and then we get back on the train and ride another 9 hours back to have our court hearing on Friday the 10th. The court date is sooner than we were originally expecting, which is really good, because Beverly and Katya can travel back to USA on August 24 ! ! ! That's about a week sooner than expected.
I could go on and on... but better go for now. Hopefully I can post more often. Traveling makes Internet access difficult.
Love to everyone, and please pray for Katya and what must be going through her head! ! !

Katya is WITH us !!!!

Wow, it has been a crazy two days. We traveled overnight to Donetsk (not much sleep). We went from train station to Inspector's office without showers or change of clothes and then to the orphanage. We did more paperwork (orr at least we watched Victor do paperwork while we watched). THEN KATYA showed up and came into the office and gave us both HUGS ! ! ! She is such a sweetheart ! ! ! We found out that she thought we were supposed to be there the day before, and other kids told her that maybe we died while traveling. We are told she cried all day. :o(
Her new official name is Katya Ann (without and "e") Schmitt. In the Ukrainian adoption process way of doing business, we had to decide in 10 minutes, without consulting her. She seems okay with it.
Our first day together was fun. She shares my love for ice cream and had 3 ! ! ! And she has already had one this morning and asked for more after lunch! ! ! I think we will need to get this under control some how.
Trying to communicate has proved VERY interesting, but we are making due. She spoke on the phone last night to our friend in USA, Yulia. I think they connected, because she asked to call her this morning. We had to explain that she will have to wait until tonight.
She took her first elevator ride yesterday. She cried this morning because she had to have blood drawn for tests.