Passport day:)

Yesterday was one of those long car days that was both exciting and cumbersome. We left the apartment at 8 am with our housemate Mel, along with me Tully and Evan and got in a small nice little Chevy with the driver and facilitator (Marina). Off to various passport agencies and orphanages to gather papers and then back home to drop off Evan and Tully for the afternoon and I went back to the orphanage around 2 so Marina (facilitator) and I could meet the driver and Mel and the orphanage nurse and Mel's new son Timothy (he is in a different orphanage but nearby) and then all head to the regional passport office to get the children their applications to leave the country. This is also why we left Evan and Tully back at the apartment because they would not remotely have fit into the car. The kids were totally awesome on the ride and behaved really well in the passport office. The thing I was most impressed about was how loving little Marina was to Mel's son who was sitting on Mel's lap beside us in the car. Little Marina would lay her head on Mel's arm and stare into Timothy's eyes with just the biggest pool of LOVE swirling around! She patted his hair and stroked his face and was the most gentle little child. I had not seen this in her specifically yet, though I had no reason to think she did not have this tenderness about her. Timothy will be 5 in January so they are only a year apart but he is in size 18 months so seems much smaller, therefor younger. Anyhow with the additional side trip back to the bank to add a needed signature we had missed earlier in the day, we were looking at nearly 6 pm by the time our little Marina got back to the orphanage. She was tired but very happy and had spent the day either letting me carry her, snuggle her, or hold her hand. It was a great day and we should have passports either monday or tuesday...and the minute we have that paper in our hand we are off to Kiev with the kids free from the life they have known up to this point! WOW! Gotcha day is fast approaching! I will post photos later of Marina and Timothy at the passport office but am trying to hurry and get everyone breakfast and dressed and out the door to go visit Marina for the morning. We love spending time together and hate even missing a minute! Thanks for continued prayers and good cheer that you send our way, we love hearing from everyone:) Love, US