Kolya was very sweet today, really happy that I didn't leave with David and Tyler (clearly relieved).  I did warn him, though, that I may have to leave anyway, and come back to get him.  I love that he loves cuddling!  David and Tyler have been stuck in D.C. since yesterday because of cancelled flights.  They are supposed to get on one today at 2:45 p.m., provided it is not also cancelled.

Now, where was I?  Each apartment we've had (on #3, now) has had a washer, fridge, microwave, stove, hot water pot, iron, ironing board, kitchenette, cabinet in which to place clothing or bags, television, and internet service.  The efficiency apartment I'm in now has no hair dryer, but the other 2 had them.  The apartment buildings are very old and run-down, but the apartments themselves have been renovated and look quite nice.  The second apartment even had heated kitchen and bathroom floors.

Keep in mind that I am not in the same little town as the orphanage.  If one stays there, then things may not be quite as nice.  We have yet to lose power or hot water (except when taking too long a shower).  The water in these buildings is shut off after 11 p.m or midnight, and comes back on around 5 a.m.  One of the apartments had "emergency" bottles of water for flushing when desperate in the night.  We didn't need them.  Toilet paper can be purchased in the grocery store.  There is no need to bring more than you might need on train rides, or in restaurants, or at the orphanage; and you could just as well bring travel kleenex packs for that purpose.  Definitely DO bring yourself some ziplocs of various sizes, and some antibacterial hand cleaner.  Kitchen and bath cleaner for wiping down counters and tables (like 409) is available at the grocery, as are laundry detergent and dishwashing liquid. 

I may have mentioned this previously, don't remember, but I visit Kolya Monday through Saturday after school and nap time.  Yes, the kids his age (11 y.o., 4th grade) are still put down for naps.  School lasts until around 1:00, and they are up and about again around 3.  I leave the apartment at 2:30 to be there by 3:00, and go to the main building.  Someone there (usually a girl who hangs out by the front door doing needlepoint) asks who I need, and she goes to get him. If she's not there, then I go to the secretary's office and ask for him, and she sends a kid to go get Kolya. 

When Kolya comes over from his building, we go to a big room upstairs to hang out and look at each other. ha!  Yes, it's actually a little bit boring sometimes, because all there is to do is what I bring for us to do.  You can drift on upstairs to watch the big guys play basketball in the gym, but there's really nowhere to sit, so you're just peeking in through the already-crowded door.  Kolya LOVES to play with Tyler's Didj, which Tyler graciously left me for him.  And of course he loves to play games on my phone.  I brought Bunco, and a deck of cards, a couple of Transformers, a couple of little cars, sticky-wickys, and drawing materials, too.  Maybe the younger kids like action figure-type toys, but Kolya's not much into pretend play.  Once he puts together some Lego toy or Bionicle, he doesn't play with it any more, like my 8 year old does. For an older kid, I don't know if I would take up much space with these.  I hold back on what I bring so that there's something new every couple of days, or so.  I stay until around 4-4:15, because the sun starts going down fast at that time, and Kolya still has homework to do after I leave.

As for snacks, I was glad I brought Kashi granola bars and a jar of peanut butter.  Jelly is easy to get here, not peanut butter.  Very tasty and fresh bread is available.  I bought each of us a Maglite mini flashlight.  They can come in handy when you don't want to disturb everybody staying in the same room with you.  Also, we brought a very small Coleman flashlight that stands without being held - good for trips to the bathroom at night.

The train ride can be interesting.  First class sleeper cars are not always available, and were $90 per person.  Those sleep 2.  Second class sleeps 4, and there may be strangers in the cabin with you.  Advice:  buy all 4 beds!  It's not that expensive, about $22.50 per bed.  The bathroom is absolutely disgusting.  Do everything you can to avoid having to use it - ha!  Translator will stay with you.  In fact, we didn't realize she was going to, but she stayed with us in the apartment.  That came in handy when I had to wake her at 5:00 in the morning to call a doctor. 

David read 3 paperbacks while here, and watched most of Season 1 of "24" which I had downloaded from iTunes.  Of course, much of that reading took place while lying around in the hospital for a week.  Bring chargers for all your electronic stuff, and cable to upload your digital pics to your laptop.  I have a headset/microphone for using with Skype and also for the Rosetta Stone English that I installed on the laptop so that Kolya can get started after I get him from the orphanage.  Check the power cords for your electronic items.  No power converter is needed for my laptop, my phone, nor my iPod wall charger.  I bought a surge protector that is also a European plug adapter that has worked for each of these items (bought from Magellan's- not cheap, but worth it in my opinion).  I have a converter for my hair dryer and curling iron, but check yours - many are dual-powered and should work with just an adapter.

It's 10:00 p.m., now, and I'm tired of thinking, so I'm going to watch a little "24" and go to sleep, after I get that load out of the washer, of course...

Just have to start today's entry with a big fat WHO DAT!!!  What a game!!!  That was so much fun to watch.  I was able to pay $25 (or was it $50) and have access to NFL.com for watching the game.  There was even live streaming of pregame and postgame stuff.  Bourbon Street really did resemble Mardi Gras, except that it appeared that the streets did clear out just a little, and on Fat Tuesday it's shoulder to shoulder from wall to wall for HOURS.  I was courteous to the neighboring apartments and wore my headphones for the game, although I am certain my occasional outbursts of excitement had to bother someone.  I hope it was "the smokers," whose foul cigarette smoke eeked into my apartment while I was trying to take my nap before the game! hahaaaaa!

This morning I've been a little pensive, thinking about my blessings. People who have never traveled out of the U.S. have absolutely no idea how good they have it.  And they forget that they only have it that way because they were blessed by God to be born in the U.S. instead of somewhere else.  The things I've been thinking about seem pretty standard at home, and I miss them:  a nice big comfortable car, a job, a clothes dryer, knowing which bottle on the shelf at the grocery store reads "fabric softener," Glad Wrap in a box (bonus: with a nice cutting strip attached), kitchen scissors with which to cut said wrap, Cabot cheese (or, any cheese made in the U.S.), a sharp kitchen knife, drinkable tap water, POPCORN! (although I'm told that they have popcorn in the capital, there is none to be found here), fitted sheets (or even sheets that simply FIT the bed! ha!), a recliner, ground beef, a large heavy duty skillet, a large freezer, ibuprofen, an oven, a toaster, 55 gallon hot water heaters, a can opener, lots of towels in the kitchen and bathroom, and being able to plug things directly into a wall outlet without blowing them up!

For the benefit of those who will traveling to this country to adopt, I have a few tips.  First, the packing list that the adoption coordinator gives you is pretty good.  I'm just adding a few things, and modifying others to my own taste. 

OUTERWEAR:  Ladies:  all ladies here wear stylish clothing, and dress nicely everywhere they go.  For the winter visits, wear straight-leg jeans so that they can tuck into your boots.  If not tucked in, you will look like a nerd.  Bring pull-on snow boots.  I have not needed any other shoes, but I did bring a suit for court, and brought shoes to go with it.  Bring a pretty, even colorful if you wish, scarf to wear with your warmest winter coat. ;o)  EVERY woman here wears a nice pretty winter cap when going out.  Many are crochet-type.  NOBODY goes bare-headed anywhere, and they think you are strange if you do.  The men really do wear those fur hats.  Most women want and have fur coats, and wear them everywhere.  David didn't really need any footwear other than his snow boots, either.  If you can find pull-ons for men, that would certainly be easiest.

We found that David didn't really need so many undershirts.  Washing machines are in each apartment where we have stayed, and they are so small that you simply have to wash frequently.  So, instead of 5 undershirts, 2-3 would have been adequate for us.  Ditto for underwear, perhaps 4-5 pairs, instead of 7-10, and socks, 3-4 athletic type, not 5-6 plus dress socks.  One pair of dress socks if dress shoes are brought for court is all that would be needed.  [Tip: Wash only on the "delicate" setting.] 

For me, only one of the very thin longjohns (I bought a silk blend) would be adequate, and I brought 2 heavy turtleneck sweaters and a sweatshirt, and only 1 dark-colored longsleeved knit shirt to wear under them on days when it was the coldest would have been sufficient.  If you plan to do a lot of sightseeing (which we haven't), you might want to bring an extra long sleeved shirt for layering, but I haven't worn the extra shirt I brought.  Perhaps after I get Kolya and take him sightseeing I will want something different, but so far, not.  I haven't at all worn the heavy pair of long underwear that I brought, and will probably donate mine to the orphanage along with the little gifts and carryon bag I plan to leave there.  One pair of lightweight PJs is good.  One pair of slacks is sufficient, in my opinion.  Again, you can wash them easily, and don't need them on back-to-back days.  Definitely you will want 2 pairs of jeans (I traveled in one, packed one), so that while one is drying you have another pair to wear.  WARM gloves and boots are a must, and wear a coat that has a hood for those extra frigid days.  I have a down coat that comes down below my hiney that has been perfect.  My matching boots are not really warm enough for long excursions.  Luckily, we haven't had many of those.  Socks:  4-5 pairs athletic socks, 1 pair of socks to go with your going-to-court shoes if you bring them.  MOISTURIZER.  Walking in frigid cold wind...  I carried my big backpack for travel, and continue to carry it back/forth to orphanage with activities to do with Kolya, cameras, etc.  I packed a purse, and carry it everywhere I go.

For Tyler (8 y.o.), the silk long underwear were perfect, 1 pair is all that was needed.  We brought a heavy fleece-lined hoodie and another regular sweatshirt, and should have only brought a couple of his undershirts.  There was no need for more than 1-2 extra long sleeved t-shirt for him for layering, and we brought 1 nice sweater and oxford shirt to wear with his docker-type pants.  Actually, he liked wearing just one of those long sleeved t-shirts and and the hoodie, with an undershirt.  Underwear:  absolutely no need for 10 pairs.  We brought far too many; 5-6 pairs good enough.  Needed only the snow boots; never wore the tennis shoes.  Summer, I would definitely bring them, but just not needed in all this ice and snow.  He wore only 4-5 pairs of athletic socks, didn't need the dress socks because he only wore his boots.  We brought one pair of fleece sleeping pants from Target, which he LOVED.  Also brought him a pair of camo pants that he wore to play in the snow.

For Kolya, very similar to what we brought for Tyler.

Get those microfiber towels as suggested!  They are great, dry quickly and are super absorbent.  All I could find was the "extra long hair towels," and they were good enough because they are so absorbent.  Bring a washcloth if you like them because there are none here.  Don't overdo toiletries!  Pretty much EVERYTHING is at the grocery stores here.  Perhaps bring each person a trial size of each on the list, but unless you are super picky, it's just not needed to add weight to your bags. Feminine products are available here, so no need to go overboard with them.  If you like ibuprofen, bring it with you!  If your doc will prescribe it, get the Lomotil as suggested.  WE HAVE NOT NEEDED IT AT ALL.  GET THE CIPRO FROM YOUR DOCTOR, AS WELL, AS YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU WILL HAVE AN EMERGENCY - TRUST ME ON THIS ONE!  David did use the Ambien.  I gave Tyler Triaminic nighttime or Benadryl, and I took Nyquil caplets.  This was all in the first week, though, just until we got adjusted to the time difference.  None of us had any motion sickness, but your adopted child just might, so be prepared for that.

Bring peanut butter, and tuna in the pouches. Mayo, ketchup, salt, and other spices and condiments are here.  Powdered drink mixes, including Gatorade because you don't know when you might need rehydrating, for example, after emergency surgery.  

More later - time to go to the orphange to see my boy!

I watched the sun setting from my 13th-floor apartment this evening after David and Tyler left to catch the 4:50 p.m. train.  A bright orange burst of God's glorious creation, with the sky all around streaked with hues of blue, purple, orange, yellow, and yet another shade of blue.  It set first behind the taller buildings, then passed across the sky, falling behind even the shorter ones, until it finally disappeared, leaving just smears of blending colors against the darkening sky. From this window it is possible to see snow-covered hills in the distance, beyond the city. The cities and towns here seem to be placed deliberately in valleys, between the surrounding hills.  I can see roads going over the hills, lined by trees on either side. The temperature rose above freezing briefly today, I presume, since icy patches had melted on the sidewalk and streets.  They should be frozen again by now. 

It's 7:30 p.m. and I am faced with my first night completely alone here in this country.  It's quiet here in the apartment, except for sounds coming from neighboring apartments, and the hum of my laptop.  The atmosphere begs for quiet time alone with God.  But, alas, my parents have discovered FACEBOOK! lol!  Mama finally figured out how to "chat," so we were able to say a few words.  She and Daddy are busy people. 

David sent a text message that they had a nice dinner on the train.  They brought instant soup, cheese bread, and fresh fruit with them, and Tyler ordered hot tea.  It's a 17 or 18 hour ride to the capital.  They arrive somewhere around 8 a.m. tomorrow, then their flight is at 2:05.  They will have a few hours of layover in Frankfurt.  Arrival in D.C. is at 8:00 p.m. local time, then the flight out to New Orleans is at 10, to arrive at midnight.  Hoping there's a bar or restaurant in D.C. where they can catch the end of the game!  I don't know if they'll catch any of it, once they can finally get through customs.  I plan to watch on NFL.com.

I am moving to a smaller apartment tomorrow morning before church.  Church is at 11, so I should have time to get that done.  Last week, with Tyler and me there, everything ran really late, and we didn't leave there until after 1:15, or so.  We caused an uproar, being Americans, and all. 

I'm already getting sleepy.  It's 9:00 p.m, though, so I guess I should be.  I need to pack my kitchen stuff for my move, now.  Then it's off to bed to watch another episode of "24 - Season 1" on my iPod.

This is so frustrating.  Our hands are tied.  I'm just sitting here in this rented apartment waiting to see when and if Interpol US will decide to cooperate with Interpol here and do a background check on us.  The adoption coordinator at the embassy here let me know that the problem lies with Interpol US, by the way.  They don't want to do a background check on us because we've already had one done by USCIS, apparently.  The embassy says that what will probably happen is that Interpol here will make a report for the court, even without their cooperation.  The problem is that their report will say that they tried, but were unsuccessful in obtaining our records.  Could they any more clearly say, "Judge, this family has not complied with our law?"  PLLEEEEEEASE!!!  The judge has no other reason to deny our adoption, but almost certainly will do so if we try to go to court without the Interpol clearance. 

This problem with Interpol's non-cooperation will affect EVERY American adoptive couple who comes to this country any time soon!  We simply have the dubious distinction of being the first ones our facilitator has had to deal with.

I don't know what else to do.  I have contacted Senator David Vitter's office, and left messages for Senator Mary Landrieu's and Congressman Steve Scalise's offices to request assistance.  Can you imagine that THIS weekend anything is going to get done?  How about Monday?  What about Mardi Gras week?

GRRRRRRRRRR...

David and Tyler tried to save some money (almost $200!) and ride in the van (instead of on the train) with our facilitator and friends back to the airport, but the ride was too uncomfortable.  When they were about 15 minutes out of town, David asked them to bring him back to the apartment so he can take the train tomorrow.  Poor David!  He is really hurting this evening, but he says it's his back and not from his surgery.  It's 7 degrees Fahrenheit right now, with a 20 mph wind -- frigid cold!

David finally was able to travel to the orphanage to see Kolya yesterday!  That was really cool.  Kolya was excited to see David.  He is very afraid that I am going to leave with Tyler and David this weekend and not return for him. Poor baby!  He's so sweet -- wants lots of hugs.

I want a snack.  Something sweet.  Hmmmm...

Interpol-Schminterpol

We are simply stuck.  It took all day to find out that we are now PROBABLY certain that either FBI or USCIS (most likely FBI) is the agency not releasing our background information to Interpol.  Why is there not just simply a form for us to sign asking to please release our information to Interpol, and why haven't we been presented with such form, yet?  American families can't be approved for international adoption without first having our fingerprints run through the State Department!  Doesn't the government here KNOW that already?  What a joke.  What a pain in the rump.  I am officially aggravated!  I am aggravated that we weren't warned months ago that we might be affected by the new law, so that we could get these background check clearances taken care of months ago instead of waiting, wondering, and then having to make TWO (OR ONE VERY LONG) VERY EXPENSIVE TRIPS TO THIS COUNTRY!  We couldn't even have hosted Kolya last summer without an FBI fingerprint check.  That's sitting in a file with the hosting agency, I guess.  (Asked about that some months ago, but did not receive them and did not remember to re-request them before leaving the country.)  Hopefully, we can at least get that sent over here quickly to satisfy the Interpol requirement.

To get something done, we apparently have to do it ourselves.  Our Senator's office is trying to help by at least making some inquiry into exactly who we need to give what to get this taken care of.  We'll see how that all pans out, but meanwhile -- back at the ranch -- we need prayers!  Grrrrrrrr!!!

WOW, what a day!

What a wonderful experience we've had today.  We were able to experience things that most adoptive parents never get to do, and that we certainly did not get to do when we adopted Tyler.  We were able to see behind the scenes orphanage life today.  Tyler and Kolya played out in the yard in the snow, until some older boys started picking on them.  We went into Kolya's dorm and school, and ate dinner with the director this evening.  Tyler was able to eat lunch and dinner with Kolya and his dorm-mates, and after we finished dinner, the director led us through Kolya's dorm to take pictures of his room, his friends, his classrooms, etc.

David woke up feeling pretty rough, but now is feeling much better.

We have a tough setback with the adoption process.  Kolya's country's government has a new requirement of an Interpol background clearance.  Adoptive parents from other countries (Israel and Italy) have had their ambassadors help out with contacts in those countries to get their clearances back.  The American ambassador here refuses to get involved.  And whichever American agency (we don't even know who that is, yet) that should be responsible for answering the Interpol request for information refuses to release it.  Nice, huh?   That's the ONLY thing keeping us from having our court hearing!  THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING!!!  Please pray that this works out quickly!

Not doing a whole post tonight because it's already 11:35 p.m., and I'm beat.  David got out of the hospital late this morning.  He is really, really happy about that.  I cooked lunch for us, then Tyler and I went to the orphanage this afternoon to see Kolya for a little while.  The temperature is above freezing for a few days, so the snow is beginning to melt and make ice at night, and it's raining during the day. Supposed to rain more tomorrow, then start snowing again Wednesday-Thursday. 

I got to have dinner with the people from the hosting program tonight (steak and soup -- very good), which was really nice.  The doctor from the hosting group came in to talk to David after dinner, so that helped him to feel better about the treatment he's received here.  When she left, he went to bed, and now he is raising the roof with SNORING!  I don't know what I'll do to sleep tonight.  I'm uncomfortable everywhere, so it should be a real trick.

Tomorrow I'm going to the orphanage with the hosting folks.  They are here in Eastern Europe interviewing kids for the upcoming summer program. 

I have to try and get some sleep...