Ground hog day continues, and every day gets more fun!

This is Mel(adopting Timothy), I decided to guest post on Cathy's blog... ok, the computer is sitting on the table, and her and Tully are cooking dinner, so I just sat down and started typing. They have been so wonderful to let me come stay with them since my husband left to go home to be with our other kids. We are all in the same place in our process, so it's been a God-send having them here at the same time. God has been watching out for us for sure.


Back to me!My turn:) Yes, Mel is right on, God is looking out for us this season for sure. We just finished dinner and laughed and told all sorts of stories, have been talking non-stop since she got here, and have not even begun to run out of material. The next 9 days we wait through the court appointed wait time and then start the process for passports and birth certificates. Those take four more days, so that gives us another 2 1/2 weeks in country give or take a few days. We will get Marina most likely to come live with us next Wednesday the 10th and include a party at the orphanage if they will let us. This is both exciting and scary, since Marina's favorite past time now is to test her special needs parents and see what in the world we have in mind for her testing phases and sticking her tongue out and wagging her back side at us. She has some unique talents for sure! She also does not take no very well, unless it is being directed by an official member of the orphanage delivering it in smooth Russian lingo. I will definitely have to get some of those phrases before we leave! All I know is that someone needs prayed for, and I think it is probably us. Evan and Marina are a bit more bonded these days, they play together fairly well and I can see the teams being divided into an us against them fashion. This is scary. But fun at the same time. And then scary some more...

I am posting the photos from court looking out the window, and Marina's birth parents as well as just more candid shots of us at the orphanage. Oh!! I almost forgot to mention the mall tonight..Evan and Tully went to the mega game room and Mel and I went downstairs to watch some version of Ukraine's Got Talent! It was amazing. First uh, hard to describe but there were three grown men each harnessed with a life size puppet on poles on each side of them. When the men danced they moved the poles and it was like a can can line of dancers. Anyhow you won't be able to mentally grab that one but trust me when I say it was amazing. Next was three girls who were belly dancers with a candelabra on their heads, that was naturally lit (all 14 candles per girl). I won't even begin to tell you how long I think it will take to get the glitter off those gals, but it too, was very impressive. Joe Biden would have needed heart surgery and he has already commented on how beautiful the women are here! Well, enjoy the photos and will update more soon. No, I do not have pictures of the girls in candles...