Day 11 of waiting period, Monday - Day 30

Today we woke up a little earlier than usual.  We headed to the market and bought some toys such as Twister.  Then we thought we would  head to the mall and get a few things.  After that we took a cab to a different store, because we couldn't find what we were looking for at the first store.   On the way there, we found that our cab driver could speak a little English, so he is our official cab driver now.  We ate lunch at the second store, and to tell you the truth it wasn't all that good.  Once we were done our new cab driver took us to the hotel and we got ready to go to the orphanage.  Mom went today and the kids were excited to see her.  We played Twister and had a good time, we ate dinner at the hotel and then Sergei showed up!  It was a great reunion and we enjoyed our time together for the first time in a week and a half.  Then we relaxed at the hotel and went to bed.    

Playing Twister.

Luba and the Twister spinner playing board

Lera playing Twister.

Vladik likes to hide under the bed and play games on
our phone.

Lera and Dad.

Luba and Dad.

Playing UNO.

ADOPTION UPDATE:  Yesterday, I gave a little information about what was coming up next since we are now past our 10 day waiting period.  I would like to shed a little more light on the subject today.  Tomorrow morning we will begin the paper chase again.  Part of our court hearing 10 days ago was that there would be a time during the hearing that the judge would ask what we are asking the court to do? "What are you asking of the court?"  Dad was to stand and respond verbally, giving the following four items out loud to the court...
1.  We ask the court to allow us to adopt the children
2.  To change the children's name to...
3.  Change the birth certificates to show us as the parents
4.  To leave the place of birth and date of birth the same (as is)
and Sergei translated it for us into Russian for the court's understanding.

So we will pick up the court decree granting this and drive to a little town outside of Lugans'k where all 4 children were born and request they pull the children's birth certificates and make new ones according to the court decree.  We pray they would take care of this in one day, but legally they have up to 5 days to do this, if they so choose.  [If you have been keeping up with us, you might remember, Lugans'k was the town we arrived in, on the train from Kiev on our way to Severodonetsk .  Sergei picked us up at the train station and brought us to Severodonetsk where the children live now in the orphanage.