Settling In

We are having a fantastic time while we enjoy some very pleasant family time together as we settle into a routine. We are not stressed at all by the adoption as Sergey competently navigates through the process. The issues that have occurred only impact the timeframe and Sergey has managed to minimize the effect of each little bombshell.

After posting our blog yesterday, we went to the orphanage to visit with Elizabeth. Initially we were the only visitors but, over the course of the next few hours, the orphanage became a very busy place. There is an Italian couple and 3 other American couples from North Carolina in Berdyansk to adopt children. By late afternoon, all 5 couples were at the orphanage conducting business with the Director or visiting with the children. Elizabeth showed Jean her photos on the walls – she is pictured as a top student in her grade and as a member of the orphanage track and field and soccer teams.

Jean spent most of the time with Elizabeth by working on teaching her English (looking at animal and science books and writing the words in both Russian and English.) Jim, Kate and Taylor were engaged in multiple hands of Uno. At one point, Elizabeth was summoned into the office and when she returned to us, asked if she could go to her room and get her pajamas. We were very pleased to hear that the Director had given her permission to come and spend the night at the hotel with us. After a while, our facilitator arrived and he confirmed we could take Elizabeth for the night. We proceeded to go out to dinner and then returned to the hotel and watched a movie before turning in for the night.

This morning we awoke and had breakfast and then began school work. Jim worked with Kate and Taylor on math, while Jean spent about an hour and a half working on phonics and word puzzles with Elizabeth. She did amazingly well with pronunciation and reading. Jim then stepped in and did some math with Elizabeth, to gauge where she is at grade-wise. They use different mathematical operator symbols here, so it took a while to figure things out, but she tenaciously worked through the problems that Jim gave her. She was doing math on the level with Taylor (grade 6), albeit slowly, but that was a good sign!

Midday we switched rooms – the upstairs room had a delightful balcony and view of the sea, but was a little too small. The afternoon will include a visit to the billiard room here at the motel, lunch out somewhere (probably Hotel Berdyansk again!) and then a trip back to the orphanage. Kate’s half-sister Lena called this morning to discuss her upcoming visit – Jean took the call without the assistance of a translator – an interesing call! But, on a good note, Lena said that she could understand what was being said (mostly)! We expect her this weekend by train, perhaps with her 4 year-old daughter Vika and Kate’s half brother, Sasha. Should be an interesting time for all!