Court Tomorrow!!!!

Last night, we got a text from Alla, the responsible manager for our facilitator's office that said that we didn't receive the necessary paperwork from the SDA yesterday. Apparently, there was a power outage that halted work. So we got up today, hoping and praying that it would be ready today. We got back to normal today. Our trusty driver Oleg was back after a day off to go to his real job as a fireman. I really like Oleg. He is a good man, and he has been very kind to us. We manage to communicate with his little English, my little Russian, and a lot of laughing. Denise didn't go to the orphanage today. She woke up with a bad headache. This is the first one she's had since we got to Ukriane (and I pray the last). She's doing a little better now, but she really didn't feel like a day of soccer in the playground with N.

So, the Morton boys headed off to the orphanage to visit the third to our trio. He was happy to see us, and I could tell he was wondering where Momma was. With one of the workers, I think I managed to express that she was sick but o.k. She told him, and he seemed to be okay with the explanation. When we got to his group room, they were "cooking" a snack. He was wearing a frilly little girly apron (and it was tied a little high on his waist to make it just a little geekier). He was quite a sight. I didn't take the camera, but I wish I had. That little picture could have provided great ammo for meeting girlfriends and a rehersal dinner that I am sure will be in our future (just not too soon). While N and Erick were playing on the playground, I received a text from Alla. Our paperwork from the SDA was received today. Whoo Hooo! That means we have a court hearing at 10 A.M. tomorrow!!! It all comes down to this. Tomorrow is the day that will determine whether N is ours. That's funny, because he already feels like he is ours. We just hope the judge sees it that way, and there are no problems. That's the big prayer request for today. We are confident that God has brought us this far, and that he will lead us through this step as well.

The rest of our time with N was spent kicking the ball around. He's a real character. I really saw a sign of hope. He isn't very good at kicking the ball on the fly, but he's a good little punter. He'll hold the ball out in front of him and yell "fut-bol" and look at you with this grinning look that says, "you wanna see me kick it?!" Then he'll give it a great punt. I am taking that as hope. Since he doesn't like to kick the ball on the run, I'm thinking he's already slanted toward American football. Maybe we're looking at the Oak Grove Warrior's punter, class of 2019 (or so). Z Slush get your coaches whistle ready, cause I think I have a little punter for you to train now that you're in retirement!!!!

In other news from Bilgrod-Dnestrovsky, there has been a peanut butter sighting in the grocery store here. To those of you in the states, I know that sounds about as significant as sighting a gunrack in the back window of a pickup, but here...this is big news. It's a little more expensive that caviar, but who would eat fish eggs anyway? At $4 a jar (a little jar), it seems like a reasonable purchase to get a little taste of home. I'll let you know if I spot a Cracker Barrel. I am not anticipating anything that big to happen anytime soon.

Other late breaking news...I shaved off my beard today. Couldn't stand it any longer. Not to worry, the Van Dyke (goatee) is still in tact. Fifteen years and I ain't gonna part with it now :)

Well, I had better run. I am missing watching "Dirty Jobs" in Russian with Erick. I can't imagine that it is helping Denise's headache to answer Erick asking every 1.78 seconds, "what is that" or "what are they doing."

Rounding the corner toward the halfway point,

Rick