Crazy Goings On
Yesterday we had our appt. at the NAC. We were shown a 2.5 year old girl which looked great, unfortunately we had to wait to hear back on her health condition. Later that night while out with two other couples (Obrien's, Irish Pub, very nice place), we found out that the little girl had more problems than were first specified. So, this morning at 7:45 we were picked up and were headed back to the NAC. Supposedly this is the LAST day for any adoption referrals. After today the new regime will take over and everything will come to a standstill for who knows how long. The NAC is absolutely packed with people trying to get in to receive referrals for children.
Anyway, today we were presented with two choices. Pack up and go home or take a look at TWO children. The kids are in perfect health. A gorgious little 3 year old blonde girl and her six year brown haired old brother. They both look in great health (perfect according to their dossier). They are in the eastern region of Ukraine and we are told that it is a special orphanage (Presidential), whatever that implies. Supposedly children from here are never given to foreigners. Our facilitator impressed upon us how rare this referral was and it was given to us directly by the director of the NAC. We do not know why we were selected. Our facilitator, seems to have huge pull in this place. We talked with a couple from Canada who have been here for over a month and have not even been inside to see the director, and this couple were extremely wealthy. We on the other hand have been in twice in two days as has the other two couples we are travelling with. I don't know what this guy earns but he seems to be worth every penny.
We are both in kind of a daze over the two children thing, especially me. I have not even slightly wrapped myself around the idea of two kids to come back with us. My brain has kind of just shut down for the moment. Apparently for some reason there are many siblings who are available as opposed to single healthy children. We are hoping to have everything straightened away and possibly travel tonight to ??? on a train. But in truth we have no idea what is going on. For anybody who is a control freak this process is not for you. We have to just let our people here do their thing. We are just along for the ride.
As for Kyiv, this is a pretty amazing city. $$$$$ all over the place. At least in the central core where we have been staying and visiting. The women are basically all super models (no joke)wearing $300 jeans that are impossibly tight and $400 boots that have heels that are 5 inches high and tips that are so pointed that you are afraid for your life if you ever fell into one of them. The men are either all walking around with Ipods or pulling up in all manner of expensive cars. The only other place I have been to with this much outward display of wealth was in Newport Beach California. Not even close to what I expected. The weather is not really that cold but it is very humid here and the cold seems to go right thru you at times.
Anyway, I need to sign off for now.
Cliff
Anyway, today we were presented with two choices. Pack up and go home or take a look at TWO children. The kids are in perfect health. A gorgious little 3 year old blonde girl and her six year brown haired old brother. They both look in great health (perfect according to their dossier). They are in the eastern region of Ukraine and we are told that it is a special orphanage (Presidential), whatever that implies. Supposedly children from here are never given to foreigners. Our facilitator impressed upon us how rare this referral was and it was given to us directly by the director of the NAC. We do not know why we were selected. Our facilitator, seems to have huge pull in this place. We talked with a couple from Canada who have been here for over a month and have not even been inside to see the director, and this couple were extremely wealthy. We on the other hand have been in twice in two days as has the other two couples we are travelling with. I don't know what this guy earns but he seems to be worth every penny.
We are both in kind of a daze over the two children thing, especially me. I have not even slightly wrapped myself around the idea of two kids to come back with us. My brain has kind of just shut down for the moment. Apparently for some reason there are many siblings who are available as opposed to single healthy children. We are hoping to have everything straightened away and possibly travel tonight to ??? on a train. But in truth we have no idea what is going on. For anybody who is a control freak this process is not for you. We have to just let our people here do their thing. We are just along for the ride.
As for Kyiv, this is a pretty amazing city. $$$$$ all over the place. At least in the central core where we have been staying and visiting. The women are basically all super models (no joke)wearing $300 jeans that are impossibly tight and $400 boots that have heels that are 5 inches high and tips that are so pointed that you are afraid for your life if you ever fell into one of them. The men are either all walking around with Ipods or pulling up in all manner of expensive cars. The only other place I have been to with this much outward display of wealth was in Newport Beach California. Not even close to what I expected. The weather is not really that cold but it is very humid here and the cold seems to go right thru you at times.
Anyway, I need to sign off for now.
Cliff
posted by Judy @ 6:04 AM
2 Comments:
At 12:10 AM,
Silver Paladin said…
Hey, that is great if you can keep a little family together! It is so sad that little ones have to be afraid and alone, without parents, but I know you and Cliff would be great parents, and maybe the people you are dealing with can see that, and that is why they are working so hard to help you out! Good luck, and I hope that this really works out for you too!
At 2:09 AM,
Judy said…
Actually Steve, it has nothing to do with them seeing us as great parents. From what I've seen it has nothing to do with that. What counts is who you know, what you know, how much cash is involved, etc. The rules are not the same as they are at home. Our facilitator said that with the new regime coming in next week there is tons of KGB running around. Everyone is working 20 hour days, major stress. We just have to sit, stay quiet and watch it all unfold. Our guy Alex seems pretty awesome with all the things he has to juggle. I couldn't imagine doing his job.
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