Half Way Through the Waiting Period...

So, it is official, we are half way through our waiting period. It seems like just yesterday we landed in Kiev and had the 5 weeks in front of us. We found out that March 8th is Ladies Day here in Ukraine which is similar to Mothers Day back in the States. No one works and it is going to add an extra day in waiting for the kids passports.

This week we have had some amazing visits with the kids. Cole is starting to be more attentive and talkative. We can't wait to get him home to his bumpo seat and jumper where he can really thrive. Rorie is being as talkative as ever. Every day she is practicing her "pouting" whine to see what she can get away with. She is such a doll and has such a personality. Lately Rorie and I have been playing copy cat (there is only so much you can do when all you are allowed to do is sit on a couch). Each day I add something new and so far she as remembered all 5 things that we have added over the last week. She is so smart!!!

Amanda and I went to the town center to walk around and look at the Bazzar and some of the marketplaces. The center has a very large underground bazzar that we were excited to walk through. It has somewhere around 300 or so little shops under the street and they are all the same. Your options were sunglasses, cell phone electronics, crazy trinkets, hats, and ladies underware.

On a good note, I think I have to admit to an addiction that I have. The other day when we were walking through the bazzar by the orphanage I broke down and bought a russian Monopoly game. For those of you that know me, I am utterly enthralled with the game. It started when I was younger and we used to go down to my great grandparents house in Illinois for holidays. I learned how to play with my grandpa and my grandmas brother who now lives in Ohio. Once my great grandma died, I received that old Monopoly game that I learned how to play on. Amanda, for Christmas that year, got a 3D frame and mounted the game and it is now hanging on our living room wall. This game is so special to me first of all because it is the board that I learned how to play on, and second it is from 1942 when the guy that developed the game was still selling them before Hasbro bought the rights and started mass producing them. Now I have a russian one to put into a 3D box and hang it up next to that old Monopoly game as another page in our lives.

We keep trying to find fun things to do. Time is moving very slowly and we have already watched all of the movies that we brought with us and the ones the Burmans bought along and left with us while they went home. Please keep us in our prayers as we are getting very antsy to bring our kids home. Please be praying that all of the paperwork goes smoothly as it has to go through two different governments in order for it to be complete. We are in a republic within a republic. It definitely make life interesting! Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers. Until we talk again next time....