DETAILS.........

OK, before I write anything else, I will answer the question you have all been asking.........The Mtn Dews did not make it, because I made Chris take them out of our luggage before we got to the airport :)  I just didn't want to risk it!!! 

As you read before, our appointment went more perfect than I could EVER imagine.  I think it helped that we had Alyssa with us, because it sortof broke the ice.  The SDA is a little different than the NAC because your translators are not allowed back with you, but we felt very comfortable.  For those of you who remember the old NAC, it is NOTHING like it.  There is no "scooby doo" hallway you wait in.  It is definately not as busy as the NAC either.  We first sat in a little foyer area waiting for them to call us back.  Then a really cute girl who was our SDA translator, called us back, she spoke very good English.  She lead us back to a little room with a couch and a little round table.  They already had Dina and Sergey's files layed out on the table.  Poor kids, they looked HORRIBLE in the pictures :(  Dina looked like a little chubby boy and Sergey, well, he looked allright, buy neither of them looked ANYTHING like they do now, especially Dina.  I can see the resembelence of all three siblings though.  Luckily they let us take pictures of their pictures and we have attatched them above.  They are blurry, but glad we have them since they are the youngest piccs we have of the kids.  Dina is 3 in this pic and Sergey had just turned 6.  OK, back to the appointment, we sat down, and the psycologist first asked us questions about Alyssa.  She asked if we were happy to be her parents and if she was a good child.  Of course we told her yes.  She asked if Alyssa was happy to soon have a brother and sister, and we told her YES.  Then we showed her pictures of Alyssa from when she was first adopted until now.  She really liked to see those.  She then asked us if we still wanted to adopt Dina and Sergey????  We told her, "um...............No...........I think we have changed our minds, we pretty much just came here to sight see"  JUST KIDDING :)  We told her "OF COURSE"  It always puzzles me why they ask those kind of questions :o)  She then read their files saying they were both very healthy and said there was an attatched letter stating that they both wanted to be adopted.  She then told us that she was very happy to know that Dina and Sergey would be reunited with their sister, and to be going to a nice family.  We told her "Spaceba" (thank you) and that was pretty much it.  The whole appointment lasted about 10 minutes if even that.  Oh, and remember me being SO WORRIED about our paperwork a couple of weeks ago?  Well, she said our paperwork was perfect!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!  So......now we have  to wait on our referral letter before we can go to their region to start the adoption process.  We should get it tomorrow at 6pm, and then catch the overnight train to Simferopol at 8pm.  By the way, we got tickets for the train (I was very worried they would be sold out.......they usually are to this reigon).  The only problem is, we are split between 2 cabins.  4 people fit to one cabin, so we are hoping that 2 people in one cabin will be willing to trade cabins so we can all 4 be together.  If not, it is OK, atleast we'll be on our way to see our kiddos!!!  I am so excited!!!!!!

After our appointment, we didn't do much, just went to the store to buy Alyssa and Dina a belt for their jean skirts.  They are a 4T, but for some reason it is falling off of Alyssa, so I am sure it will fall off of Dina too since she is smaller than Alyssa.  We then went to eat at Uno Pizza, and I forgot to take a pic of our meal.........what was I thinking :)  So, no food pic today ya'll. :)  We also went to a playground earlier, but had to leave because, no joke, 2 VERY young boys, about 4 and 7 were trying to sell us stuff on the playground.  I told the older one that I didn't understand Russian, and he just wouldn't accept that.  He wouldn't leave us alone, and the younger one was yelling at Alyssa, so we just left.  Very sad :(  Oh, one more thing.........speaking of sad.........there was a young homeless lady in the streets yesterday begging for money with her sick little boy in her arms.  The boy looked almost dead.  My heard just hurt SO MUCH for this boy and I could barely look. I distracted Alyssa so she didn't see it. 

Back to today, we came back to the apt. early because Alyssa was exhausted!  We are gonna crash early tonight and get up early to pack and enjoy our last day in Kyiv for a couple of weeks. 

Oh, and I can't promise that I'll update as much as I have or with as many pics while in Kerch.  We have to go to an internet cafe there and the connection is VERY SLOW.  But, we will still update, I DO promise that!!!! 

By the way, the other pictures above are of the SDA (new new adoption center), a toilet in one of the malls (yes, you put your feet on the sides and squat) and a couple of Alyssa.

Goodnight, and thank you again so much for your prayers!!!

Love,

Chris, Julie and Alyssa