day 9 in Dnepro Friday

We are starting to get really bored. We can't see the kids until 4 on school days and they have been practicing their music program and so it is usually more like 5:30 or 6 before we can leave the orphanage. We did stuff around the apt until we could stand it no longer and we called the Corbetts to see what they are doing. They already have their court date of the 31st and so we are happy for them and a little envious that they will be going home sooner than us. The medical issue with Andre is speeding up things for them. They just barely got the internet and so Sonya says they can hopefully blog now. Another nice thing for them is that they get to visit Andre in the hospital during the day which gives them something to do. I have resorted to sorting beads which is something I thought I would never get around to until the millennium :)

The Corbetts were able to come over and eat a little borscht and chat before we went to watch the dress rehearsal of the program. We have grown to love each of the kids in the orphanage. You can tell the ones who really long for a family. Alina has warmed up a bit but we cannot foresee any change of heart. Marina talked to her but we don't know if it will make a difference in her decision. When we suggested to Oksana that she could possibly change her mind she about died. She is a little ticked that we have had to go through so much already with Alina. We will see if anything changes.

We took the boys to the Pizza place on our side of the river and the Corbetts joined us. It was fun to talk to other people and not have to have everything translated. They are a great family and I am happy that we have so much in common.

I miss my family at home. When we are sitting here waiting and waiting I wish I was home reading a story to Scotty or playing with our cute grandsons James and Blake. They are sooooo sweet and are growing everyday. We will miss Blake's first birthday tomorrow and I can feel some serious homesickness coming on. Dave will need to change his ticket to go home a little later since our court date will not be before the 29th when he planned to go home. He feels a little guilty about leaving us all here but doesn't feel THAT guilty. I told him that last night I dreamed that I was in the sauna at home and took a long bath and then I woke up and said "oh Shoot! I'm in Ukraine!" They laughed, then kind of looked serious as they realized "yep we are still here."

all is well