Paperwork

To let you all know I can not stand paperwork.  If anybody really knows me, they know that I am not always a detail oriented type of a person.  I leave Tom with his Type A personality to be in charge of all of that.  Well for the adoption process, I was in charge of everthing.  I think I did a really good job keeping everthing organized, updated, apistilled, notarized..... you get the picture.  Well now that I am here in St. Petersburg, it is after April 27, you know the day the judge said that our daughter can be ours.  I still don't have her here in my empty, longing hands just yet.  I don't really understand the whole process from this end of the paperwork nightmare.  There is more paperwork to file, more things that needed to be signed today, passport picture taken to the passport department etc, etc, etc...I will however be able to take my daughter out of the orphanage on Friday.

Tyler and I have been able to see her everyday, we have to go outside because Tyler is still considered a child by the orphanage, and he will carry germs that he can give to the other children.  I don't really understand this but we have to obey and we still are able to see her outside.  It is hysterical when they finally bring her to us.  She is all wrapped up in mulitple layers and she looks like the Michelin Man.  She can't walk and she can hardly move her arms and legs.  Today they had a scarf wrapped around her neck and I thought she was choking it was so tight.  I took that off of her immediately and she was very happy.  We found out that she absolutely loves to swing.  Everytime we have her in the swing she gets a big ol happy grin on her face.  I tickle her feet and when I stop, she starts to kick so that I continue to do it.  It is really cute.  I have noticed she is not holding my gaze at all.  She seems determined to look away from me, so I pray that when we finally get her with us she will be able to feel comfortable with us.  We still have not heard any words from her.  I think speech therapy may be in the future for us????  Tyler can not contain himself when he is with her.  He loves to give her kisses, and hug her and show her all new things.  I think we introduced her to her first "stick".  She loved it, she carried it with her the whole time.  She would move it between her hands, she tried to eat it and see what it tasted like.  I don't think the girl ever sat in grass or sand before.  We were fortunate to show her all of these new things.

Today the city is preparing for a large parade on May 9.  It is their Victory Day, and they were rehearsing outside of the Hermitage today and the military had all the streets closed off around the city area there.  It was amazing the amount of military there, and they were only there for a practice.

The weather has been a little chilly here.  I did not bring a "snowsuit" as our translator told me I probably would not need one, but I am a little worried now.  It is a cool crisp breeze blowing and even I was a little chilly today.

Keep praying for us, as I believe Friday will be the day we get to take our daughter home to be with us.

Tylers bed!

Military practicing for Victory Day Celebration on May 9.  Hermitage square

Along the streets of St. Petersburg

Outside Play with Tyler 

Booties on her feet!

She is soooo bundeled up