Day -2

We started the day with only limited sleep, but optimistic to get off to a good start. Christina picked up the final judgment documents at 9am and we were off to Illichovsk (birth place of the girls).We arrived at an apartment building with a small office built on the front and were treated like guest’s. The manager came in on her day off to help process the paperwork.

After several revisions we received new birth certificates and official documents making the adoption legal. Back on the road to the notary and sitting in very heavy traffic into Odessa, 30-45minutes for a 10 mile ride. We arrive at the notary’s office only to find she is leaving for lunch and we must return after 3PM. So we head to the tax office to get the girls identification numbers (similar to a Social Security Card). The clerk says he can’t process the paperwork until Thursday after 2PM.

So with little to do we head to the license office to register the new birth certificates and get the official stamp of authenticity. We arrive at the office only to find that the manager of the stamp is only available Tuesday and Thursday from 10-12noon and 2-5PM . After some long faces and desperate looks, someone steps out of an office and offers to process the paperwork to get the stamp. Then we are given a slip of paper and told to take it to the cashier. We arrive at the cashier fourth in line, after 30 minutes we are still three people from the counter ( one old man stepped in front of us to pay his bill) but at this rate we can’t pay the bill and make it back to the Notary.

So off we race to the notary, pick up the documents and race back to the license to see if the line is gone. Instead we stop at the Ukrainian back pay the bill and head up to the license office where we wait for another 30 minutes to received the stamped documents.

After a quick stop at the market to pick up water, bread and some cheese we arrive back at the hotel. Nine and half hours, two diet Cokes later we have made good progress, but are still missing the ID numbers to submit for the new passports.

Cheryl and I finish out the day with a trip down the beach for a Ukrainian burrito and beer….yum yum. Hopefully we can get a full night sleep. I think we are going to need our energy tomorrow. We will try to get the ID numbers and pick up the girls from the orphanage.

Wish us well, all the positive thoughts can only help.