2/17/2009 TUESDAY

Early in the morning, we returned shoes that we had exchanged 3 times trying to fit E. She has a wide foot. For our morning visit to E. & D., we were shown to a new room. It is full of huge stuffed toys, two huge leather sectional sofas and a full kitchen. There are also a few exercise
machines in the back of the room. I guess this is the "quiet" room. We did play quietly, but we
also spent much of our time saying, "nee tro gai" (don't touch that) and "eta nee eegrushka"
(this is not a toy) After our visit, we stopped for lunch at the pizza cafe in Kramatorsk, before
beginning our 1 1/2 - 2 hour drive to see the older brother of E. & D. We also took some clothes for Y. to try on. He was really a good sport and did not complain...We had brought him another
car (a bright green Hummer) that he was glad to see. Y. definitely likes cars and computers...and although I'm not sure how much he has actually worked on computers, he picks it up quickly. Our Translator/Facilitator, Austop, had good news about our court date - Feb. 19.
While Chris and Austop were talking in English about the court appointment, Y was really listening and then Austop began exlaining to Sasha (in Russian) what he had just told Chris about the judge asking if Y. was ready to go to America and Y. said "Yes" in a quiet voice so as not to interrupt, and when the men kept on talking - not noticing what Y had said...he said "Yes" a little louder and then I winked at him to let him know that I had heard him and he smiled. After the discussion about court, etc. Chris and Y. began working on finding a racing game on the computer. Time to go came much too soon. We visit Y. on Tues. and Thurs. because the drive is approx. 1 1/2 - 2 hrs. and it gets dark so early...and it was snowing yesterday evening. When we arrived home, dinner was ready - Tanya is the best cook in Ukraine! After dinner, we checked our e-mail and had a message from our agency stating that all of our paperwork from our agency and the state of Alabama ( approval for us to adopt 3 children, instead of 2 ) was on its way to Ukraine and the only other paperwork needed was from the Dept. of Homeland Security - approval for a third
child's visa. Things seem to be going smoothly so far!