Marina is decreed a Bachman by the courts!

Yesterday the 9th of November I spent the day in the car with our facilitator Marina as we had a very busy schedule! First we met at the orphanage and then went to the court to pick up our decrees that the court has said they agree we are now little Marina's parents. Then we went to the department of vital statistics and picked up the new birth certificate which also says this. When that was accomplished we took a ride over to the tax code office (similar to the social security office at home, complete with the long line) and let them do some paperwork that I signed my name to as well. The fact that I cannot read one iota of what I am signing is fine because our facilitator is so amazing that she checks and double checks everything and we trust her completely. She is so helpful and a lot of fun to hang out with for a whole day too! It was a great day overall and I am sure the driver of our car went home and took the eastern european version of tylenol after listening to us two yak and giggle all day! I had left the orphanage in the morning at ten thirty and had barely enough time to hug little Marina as we hopped in the car and left. I managed to return just as she came running down the hallway to greet us at almost 5 oclock but she was a little bent out of shape that I would not see saw in my dress and also that I had missed morning visit so she spent most of the time either putting me in time out over by the wall in a pile of leaves, or just fussing at me and making me stand in the street. Sigh, if she only knew that today her name was changed to Marina Hope Bachman! Tully and I were standing at the see saw as Marina and Evan were utilizing it and Marina was pointing to each of us, all four of us one at a time and saying something in Russian...but we knew she knew we are now a team of Bachmans by the way she said the words. When I was standing in one of my various time out spots another little girl from Marina's "groupa" ran to hug me and Marina came and grabbed me by my hand and claimed me from the other child, fussing out the other little girl for honing in on Marina's mama:) Both instances are huge leaps! Marina also signs MORE when it is snack time and she sees our green bag.
The weather here continues to astound everyone with the balmy winds and not cold enough for a coat (unless you are born here or a child- then you are bundled so only your eyeballs show and your arms are at a 45 degree angle out beside you from the extra layers) but I know we are enjoying it tremendously! I was battling a bit of congestion yesterday but slept extra long last night and feel much better today. Tully is climbing out from his bit of Marina's cold as well.
Tomorrow I meet with our facilitator again and we go to apply for little Marina's passport, which is a 4 day wait, and we can get it hopefully of tuesday next week, then we can go to Kiev and our embassy appointment on thursday and friday...maybe to leave saturday? Our flight is tentatively scheduled to leave the monday just after that on the 22nd and I know that the flight on saturday is nearly full already, so we will keep everyone posted and not get too ahead of ourselves in planning. We certainly know better by now! Anyhow we are so excited to have come this far and yesterday was monumental in the events of this journey...Marina is officially a Bachman!

ps-the photo is taken on a jungle gym climber outside and reflects the apartment buildings that circumvent the outer perimeters of the orphanage, which is surrounded by a high cement wall creating a courtyard of several playgrounds. This one is surely for older kids as it has much "higher" equipment to play on and requires Tully to get the kids across the monkey bars.