Vitaly's Story Part III

Day Twelve: "Our Suitcases Return" 9:00a.m.-orphnageWe get up early to go to the orphanage. Vitaly does not cry this time, when he sees us. Grumpy- yes, but upset- no. I think he might begin to like us. 5:00p.m.- TernopilDima has joined us again. He has all of our suitcases, because they would not fit on the plane. We have had the same two outfits for five days. Some clean clothes and undergarments. I am so excited. I want to burn the clothes I have worn for the past five days. I do throw them away before we leave. We have dinner together and then play a card game called Fool.

Day Thirteen: "Scotch" noon-TernopilWe are in the hotel with Masha and Dima. Masha tells us that Dima needs some scotch. So, we say okay. So, we say does he need money to get his scotch? She say no, use the scotch in your room. Larry and I are confused. We do not have any alcohol in the room. So, we say he can go buy some. She says no get your scotch tape in your room. We laugh because we have duct tape, but no scotch tape. We are thinking she meant a drink.4:00p.m.-orphanageWe go to the orphanage to see V. We give him some more juice. He lets us hold him, but becomes very upset when his favorite caregiver walks by. Her name is Maria. She loves Vitaly very much and has raised him, since a baby. The second she holds him, he begins to smile and laugh. She tells us wonderful things about Vitaly. She is very happy , because Vitaly is going to America.7:00p.m.- TernopilWe go to dinner with Masha and Dima. We go to the most expensive restaurant in the town. We have decided to treat them to a nice dinner. I have chicken stuffed with mushrooms and mushroom "soap" (as the menu reads). Dima can eat and drink a lot and our bill is over 200 gryvnas!

Day Fourteen: "Dinner Treat" 4:00p.m.- orphanageWe go to the orphanage. Vitaly is in a great mood. They say because his belly is full. Today, they were given cabbage soup. He lets us play with him and he laughs. He is very cute and we are so happy.6:30p.m.- TernopilWe meet Dima for dinner. He wants to treat us this time. He really liked the expensive restaurant from last night, so we return. There are more people tonight including two very old men dancing with two very young women. There is a piano player and we have a lot of fun. Dima insists we eat dessert, so we split a huge ice cream sundae. He also gives us some bad news. They say we must wait 10 days after a court date for the vital statistics to be ready. Also, our paperwork will not be ready until Monday. This is upsetting, but not much we can do.

Day Fifteen: "Outdoor Market" 8:00a.m.- TernopilI get up earlier then everyone. I hate the bed. It is very old and caves in. I am glad Larry has brought a Gameboy, which I play for hours. We meet Masha and go to the outdoor market. I love it, but there are so many people. An old woman runs over my feet with a cart. Masha laughs and tells me the lady said I move like an elephant. We purchase a cute snowsuit for Vitaly. We also get some toothpaste, deodarant and a radio for the orphanage. We buy some children's tapes to play in the room.4:00p.m.-orphanageTime to see Vitaly. We cannot go earlier in the day, because the babies must sleep for four hours in the afternoon. Masha begins to call our days- "Groundhog Day". It is true, everyday seems to be just like the last. Vitaly is cranky and very hungry. We give him a bottle of juice. He likes Larry to hold him, but I think it is because he is tall. The hall we stand in has nothing for Vitaly to play with. We want to interact more, but they won't let us in with the other children. He sees Maria and screams. It is dinnertime for him, so we leave.7:30p.m.- TernopilWe head back to our favorite restaurant. It has great pizza and MTV. We head back to the hotel. Masha has a TV in her room. We play fool and watch a chessy American movie. Of course, it is dubbed, so we make up the words. Masha insists the start is a guy called Billy Zane. Larry says 'Nyet. So, they argue and laugh about it all night.

Day Sixteen: "Masha hat"- noon downtownWe go to the internet cafe. We are going to download a picture of Vitaly to send to everyone. We are all so excited for something to do. Masha goes shopping. It takes over one hour to download one picture.4:00 p.m.- OrphanageWe are going to the orphanage. Our cab drivers are getting greedy. They are like sharks swarming our hotel, when they know we will need a ride. When, we first got to Ternopil, cabs cost about 6 gryvnas one way. Now, they are charging 9 gryvnas. We think they have been talking amongst each other. When we see Vitaly, he seems very grumpy. We give him some juice, which helps to calm him. He is definitely very hungry. Masha plays with the Gameboy, while we play in the dark hall with Vitaly. We really wish we could use the nursery. Vitaly really seems to like Larry. He likes to look at everything. We take a picture of him in the Masha hat. ( It is a really cool different colored hat she wears.) Of course, we think this is really funny!
7:00 p.m.- Europa CafeOops, here we are again at the Europa Cafe. Nothing else to do but eat. We really like the Europa. They have traditional american style pizzas, and play American music. Whenever, we go in they will find us a seat- even if it is reserved. It is always crowded. We stop at the milk store on the way back to the hotel to get some drinks for the morning. We are tired and decide to go to bed early. Larry finishes his book and I play on the Gameboy.

Day Seventeen: "The Judge"- 9:00 a.m. HotelI awake early again. I am glad we have brought the Gameboy now for entertainment. We get ready to go meet Masha. Wait- no hot water- so no shower for me!11:00 a.m.- NotaryWe meet Masha and go to a new department of state office. We are notarizing documents, we have previously notarized. We wait two hours. Then they say it will be a LONG wait. At least, a couple of days for them to notarize. So we leave.1:00 p.m.- officeWe meet the Inspector Lady, who wants us to meet her boss for the final document she has collected. She is very happy and excited for us. Her boss is dressed in a very nice suit and looks great. We, on the other hand, are looking very shabby. Imagine, everyday we have tried to look presentable just in case, but the day we don't care BINGO. He asks us many questions like why Ukraine, why Vitaly, etc.. Suddenly, everyone is congratulating us and shaking hands. We have the signed paper needed for the NAC!1:30 p.m.- DowntownTime to notarize the NAC paper. We run to the first notary-not there. We run to the second notary- refuse to do it. We run across town to the third notary- too busy. We pant back to the first notary- jackpot! He says he can do it, but to come back later. This is bad, because we have an appointment to meet the court judge at three.4:00 p.m.- CourthouseTo the notary's office to pick up the papers. We then go to see the Judge, but he is not there. A lady Judge talks with Masha and says he will be back soon. We wait, the building closes at six. It is now 6:10 p.m. We are pacing back and forth. Suddenly, the Judge arrives with his friends. He refuses to speak with us. The lady Judge asks him if she can do the case. He couldn't care one way or the other. So, she takes the case and reviews it. She sets our court date for Wednesday- Yippee!! Could we be leaving for Kyiv by Saturday????7:00 p.m.- DinnerWe decide to try a new restaurant to celebrate the court date. It is called the Mermaid. The waitress is very friendly. The food is not very good, but the prices are. Our total bill is28 gryvnas for food and drinks. We decide to drink some vodka to celebrate. I ask for a bloody mary. Well, unlike American drinks, the liquor and juice are not mixed. So, you first shoot the vodka on top, then drink the juice underneath. We rename the drink a bloody Masha. We of course think it is very funny! Now, we have stayed to long at the restaurant. We are racing to meet the train to Kyiv by 8:45 p.m. We barely get to the train, with our papers for the NAC, before it departs.

Day Eighteen: "Groundhog Day"- 10:00 a.m.- HotelWe have nothing to do but sit and wait. Groundhog day as we have dubbed them. Masha has lots of work, it will be a long day for her. She is revisiting the Judge. Larry and I sit and wait in the room. We eat some snacks, we have brought. I am tired and feeling a bit cranky. I am catching a wicked cold. I go back to sleep.4:00 p.m.- OrphanageThis is the day we will give the donations to the orphanage. We meet with the Director. I have brought many clothes, shoes, blankets, meds and toys from the US. When, I give them, noone seems to care. We have lugged the bags all around Ukraine, and yet, noone really cares about the clothes. We have put a monetary donation in an envelope also. The Director and Masha are talking. While, I am sifting through the donations, I look up and everyone is looking at me. So, I smile. Masha asks "donation?" So, I am confused and say "not enough?" She looks confused and says, "where is it?" I laugh and point to the envelope they have missed. The Director now sees it too and laughs. Now, time to go see Vitaly. I have a cold, so I cannot interact very much. I try, but I am scared of making him sick. Larry does a great job though. He gives him a bottle of juice. I cannot believe it, but Vitaly cannot drink it all. And, yes he is full! So, I wonder if we are feeding him correctly. We are still new at this. Masha laughs and says yes. Vitaly wants to cuddle and I cannot believe how terrific he looks in Larry's arms. They are meant to be father and son. You can tell Larry will be a great dad and Vitaly adores him.8:00 p.m.- DinnerWe are trying a new dinner location. We like it very much. It is very quaint and good. I have dumplings, potatoes, and tea. Larry has schnitzel, potatoes and a coke.

Day Nineteen: "ADOPTION DAY"- DECEMBER 6th, 2000.
10:00 a.m.- TernopilSo, here we are. The day we have waited for the entire trip. It is the court date. We get up and go to buy some gifts for the Judge and her Secretary. We buy some office supplies for the Secretary. We also give her some cosmetics and paper. She is very pleased by the gifts. We decide to buy some beautiful yellow roses for the Judge. We stop to get a bite to eat to ease our stomachs. We have a small pizza and a coke.Noon- CourtWe pick up the Inspector. We go to the courthouse. We are expecting a big cold chamber for our hearing. Instead, the chamber is an office with seven chairs. The Inspector reads a magazine, while the Prosecutor (also a woman) looks very bored. The Judge comes in and the hearing goes something like this. (Stand up one at a time). Leanna or Larry what do you do/where do you live/will you take care of the child/will you want him? All are very basic questions. We ask them to waive the ten days, because he is delayed and we have airline tickets. They tell us to leave the chamber for ten minutes. The Inspector comes out and gives us her congratulations. Masha says it is a good sign. The Judge has us come back in the office. She has waived the ten days- YEAH! We are now his parents. We show her pictures of our home and dogs. She is very nice, but stresses the vital statistics office may not waive the ten day period. She says they are very hard.4:00p.m. - OrphanageWe are going to pick up Vitaly for his passport picture. He looks so cute in the outfit Maria puts him in. At first he smiles, when he sees Larry (papa), but it doesnt last long and he begins to cry. Since, I am still sick, I will not hold him. Larry carries him to the taxi. WOW- he loves it! He is very attentive and interested in the workd outside. He does not cry at all. Larry holds him close and he looks out the window. What a relief- we thought it might be more traumatic. We go to a photo shop. The photographer is not the best. We remind him it is only for a passport. The photos are very silly. We return Vitaly to the orphanage and go to dinner.

To be continued...