People have started asking about gifts and a mom's shower. Instead of doing a store registry, we have made a list on a parallel site, ukrprincesses.blogspot.com. There is a shower being planned at Pleasant View Bible Church for sometime in March.
We don't mind getting multiples of items on the first two lists. If you get us something on the third, "one of each" list, please email my parents, Herman and Maryann Hartzler, at hermhart7@gmail.com so they can cross it off. They can also provide a mailing address. Thanks!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Back on the paperwork path, Uzhgorod sights
We started the day off by giving an interview to the Center for Civic Initiatives for us to include an article about our family in their monthly newspaper. Our preseence is a useful opportunity to talk positively about adoption and build some community pride in their good orphanage and encourage people to get involved. Everyone in the office had suggested this one by one when I first met them a week ago. Then the writer hurried off to another interview for a companion article about a local woman who heard that a recent graduate of the orphanage who is a single mom was going to be on the street and offered an empty room in her house; unfortunately, this room is not heated and there is no money for firewood for the mom and the baby, but it is inspiring that the lady accepted this stranger into her house.
After that we went on the bus with Sheila and her husband Maxim, who is a professional dancer and theatrical actor, to Uzhgorod. They will be accompanying a Transcarpathian cultural performance team to eastern U.S. in May. Max had to work, but Sheila took us to the Uzhgorod Castle and to the architectural museum (a Transcarpathian version of the Pirohovo museum we saw last summer, with a lot of wooden buildings transported here to demonstrate what towns used to look like) and an cheap but delightful restaurant that reminded us that Perechyn is not the best this region has to offer in style and service. We also shopped at a grocery 
store as big as a full-size American supermarket for the three class parties tomorrow, as well as some essentials like shampoo and toothbrushes for the kids.
We got back to Perechyn pretty exhausted, although Julie had time to go say hi to our daughters and tell them that we were leaving town on Wednesday. They all got very excited about that and were running around telling their friends. I was planning to go to the office for an hour or so but found it was going to close early, so just ended up working on some email in the room until Julie got back.
Then we met Val for the first time in almost two weeks and went out for supper in our new favorite restaurant in town: Pidkova (the Horseshoe). It has a nonsmoking room (which has been closed 2 out of 4 times for parties), solid Wi-fi, and an excellent banosh. (In fact, when Julie first tasted it, she said "Now we don't have to go back to the chan," which has given me lots of chance to tease her that the only reason she wanted another visit to the chan, 45 minutes each way, 90 minutes in the pot, and 4 dips in the icy creek, was to eat its banosh afterwards.) He had
good news: not only did the court release the final copy of the decree to him, but the local passport office accepted our papers early so they can get started as soon as possible. This is leaving a little more room for hoping that we can catch the 4 pm Kiev train on Wednesday and maybe even get the flight on Saturday instead of sometime next week. Getting our paperwork done at the Perechyn passport office tomorrow is going to be critical if we want a chance to dodge what Val fears may be a 4-day weekend.
New vocabulary:
banosh (BAHN-osh) - heat and stir cream until it clots, then slowly stir in corn meal and let congeal into a heavy pudding, then cover with homestyle curds, crackling (roasted bacon pieces), and dollops of sour cream.
chan (CHAHN)- Transcarpathian mountain hot tub, a metal pot heated over a wood fire, with stones in the bottom to keep you from getting burned and scented with large bunches of herbs
After that we went on the bus with Sheila and her husband Maxim, who is a professional dancer and theatrical actor, to Uzhgorod. They will be accompanying a Transcarpathian cultural performance team to eastern U.S. in May. Max had to work, but Sheila took us to the Uzhgorod Castle and to the architectural museum (a Transcarpathian version of the Pirohovo museum we saw last summer, with a lot of wooden buildings transported here to demonstrate what towns used to look like) and an cheap but delightful restaurant that reminded us that Perechyn is not the best this region has to offer in style and service. We also shopped at a grocery 
store as big as a full-size American supermarket for the three class parties tomorrow, as well as some essentials like shampoo and toothbrushes for the kids.We got back to Perechyn pretty exhausted, although Julie had time to go say hi to our daughters and tell them that we were leaving town on Wednesday. They all got very excited about that and were running around telling their friends. I was planning to go to the office for an hour or so but found it was going to close early, so just ended up working on some email in the room until Julie got back.
Then we met Val for the first time in almost two weeks and went out for supper in our new favorite restaurant in town: Pidkova (the Horseshoe). It has a nonsmoking room (which has been closed 2 out of 4 times for parties), solid Wi-fi, and an excellent banosh. (In fact, when Julie first tasted it, she said "Now we don't have to go back to the chan," which has given me lots of chance to tease her that the only reason she wanted another visit to the chan, 45 minutes each way, 90 minutes in the pot, and 4 dips in the icy creek, was to eat its banosh afterwards.) He had
good news: not only did the court release the final copy of the decree to him, but the local passport office accepted our papers early so they can get started as soon as possible. This is leaving a little more room for hoping that we can catch the 4 pm Kiev train on Wednesday and maybe even get the flight on Saturday instead of sometime next week. Getting our paperwork done at the Perechyn passport office tomorrow is going to be critical if we want a chance to dodge what Val fears may be a 4-day weekend.New vocabulary:
banosh (BAHN-osh) - heat and stir cream until it clots, then slowly stir in corn meal and let congeal into a heavy pudding, then cover with homestyle curds, crackling (roasted bacon pieces), and dollops of sour cream.
chan (CHAHN)- Transcarpathian mountain hot tub, a metal pot heated over a wood fire, with stones in the bottom to keep you from getting burned and scented with large bunches of herbs
Sunday, February 27, 2011
This morning over breakfast we made a list of all the things we need to get done before we leave the region. There are bills to be paid, forms to be prepared, phone calls to make, and parties to plan. If we check out of our hotel on Wednesday morning as planned, most of that will need to be done by the end of the business day on Tuesday. Suddenly, our time here in Perechyn is rushing to an end.
Paying for different stages of the girls' paperwork is always in cash and means we need to be thinking ahead to be able to have the right amounts on hand on the right day without carrying too much excess cash. Once we start applying for the visas, some of the fees can only be paid in US dollars, so that adds another twist - having the right kind of money on the right day in the right amount.
This evening I was working on the 5 forms that we'll need to submit to the Embassy as we apply for the visas the girls will need to enter the States. It's convenient to be able to download them from online, but we'll need to find a way to print them out tomorrow and have them filled out before we hit the ground in Kiev.
One of the more fun things on the list is planning a good-bye party for each of the girls and their classes. We have some small toys that we brought along to give to their classmates (thanks to Stan's mom and her neighbor) and we'll be shopping for refreshments tomorrow. The plan is to have the parties on Tuesday afternoon and say all the big good-byes then. The girls will still be there Tuesday night, but we would pick them up the next morning without a lot of fanfare on our way to Uzhgorod where we would hopefully be picking up passports and getting on the train to Kiev.
Are you getting excited yet? I know we are. Here are a few fun pictures of the girls that I've been looking for an excuse to post.
Here's Julia "it's all mine" Hartzler!
Paying for different stages of the girls' paperwork is always in cash and means we need to be thinking ahead to be able to have the right amounts on hand on the right day without carrying too much excess cash. Once we start applying for the visas, some of the fees can only be paid in US dollars, so that adds another twist - having the right kind of money on the right day in the right amount.
This evening I was working on the 5 forms that we'll need to submit to the Embassy as we apply for the visas the girls will need to enter the States. It's convenient to be able to download them from online, but we'll need to find a way to print them out tomorrow and have them filled out before we hit the ground in Kiev.
One of the more fun things on the list is planning a good-bye party for each of the girls and their classes. We have some small toys that we brought along to give to their classmates (thanks to Stan's mom and her neighbor) and we'll be shopping for refreshments tomorrow. The plan is to have the parties on Tuesday afternoon and say all the big good-byes then. The girls will still be there Tuesday night, but we would pick them up the next morning without a lot of fanfare on our way to Uzhgorod where we would hopefully be picking up passports and getting on the train to Kiev.
Are you getting excited yet? I know we are. Here are a few fun pictures of the girls that I've been looking for an excuse to post.
Here's Julia "it's all mine" Hartzler!
One of the girls' favorite things is playing with my hair. One day Stan got a picture of Maria fixing my hair while I braided Olena's hair.
When we got done, Maria took a picture of our finished work.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Counting down our last few visits
As we were walking back from the orphanage today, I was happy to be able count our remaining visits on one hand. As orphanages go, I consider this one a pretty bright and cheerful place. So many of the teachers we've met have a real connection with the kids. The place is pretty clean although well worn. Every physical need is met.
Kids can't thrive in an institution, though. We'll be happy for the day our girls come to live with us. Even so, we'll leave a part of our hearts here with the kids that are staying behind. I still haven't processed some of the sights I've seen - a young teenage girl with her head in her hands, crying alone in a corner of an empty room, grade school boys hungry for a chance to hug a parent figure, kids that daily ask if we know of any families who would adopt them.
Here are a few pictures of the orphanage and (on a lighter note) one of Julia in her dance class today.
Kids can't thrive in an institution, though. We'll be happy for the day our girls come to live with us. Even so, we'll leave a part of our hearts here with the kids that are staying behind. I still haven't processed some of the sights I've seen - a young teenage girl with her head in her hands, crying alone in a corner of an empty room, grade school boys hungry for a chance to hug a parent figure, kids that daily ask if we know of any families who would adopt them.
Here are a few pictures of the orphanage and (on a lighter note) one of Julia in her dance class today.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Day 11
Happy Birthday to my sister Amy! Yes, this is the 11th day since our court date. We aren't picking up papers today, though because the local judge started counting the 10 days from when the Kiev SDA office received the papers from the court session. Monday will be the day when the wheels start turning again.
Today I spent a good chunk of the day in Uzhgorod again, this time checking the last few items off my shopping list. The girls each have an outfit as well as coats and shoes. I'm thanking God that I was able to find everything they needed. Finding all the right items and sizes was quite a challenge because I didn't have any direct access to any English-speakers during the whole process and I couldn't bring the girls along with me to try things on. I've learned my colors, numbers, and clothing words much better in the past week. I know you'll be much happier to see the girls in the clothes, but here is a preview of what they'll be wearing as well as Julia modeling her cap and scarf.
It's been steadily snowing here for about two days and though you couldn't call it a snow storm, the snow has slowly accumulated. When I got to the orphanage this afternoon, Olena's teacher was telling me about something the class had done. Olena grabbed a piece of chalk and started drawing a snowman on the chalkboard. Sure enough, there in a metal bucket in the corner was a small snowman, slowly getting smaller. He was pretty cute so we got a picture of the class with their snowman.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
School Museum and Timeline
One interesting thing about the girls' orphanage is that it houses a cultural museum with one of the best displays of traditional embroidery in the province. Our first chance to see it was this afternoon. After our regular visit we went with Maria and two older girls to see the museum and take pictures. Just this afternoon Olena's teacher showed us some examples of her own embroidery work on rushnyky, ornamental drapes or towels used in ceremonies such a weddings. Maria has also shown us some samples of her own embroidery work.
As we were walking home from the orphanage we started counting how many visits we had left. We've been using this waiting period to get a lot of work done but soon we will be back in the thick of the paper chase again.
The court decree goes into effect tomorrow but the paperwork will not be available to us until Monday the 28th. We'll apply for the new birth certificates that next morning when the vital records office opens for the week and get our "KGB" clearance. Wednesday morning we'll put together paperwork for the girls' passports and try to submit it before noon in Uzhgorod. If that comes together, we should be able expedite the passports and have them in hand by the end of the work day. If so, we'd be taking the girls from the orphanage on Wednesday and taking the train to Kiev that evening. Any delay in that process has the potential to set us back a day or more.
Once in Kiev we'll be taking the girls in for a screening physical, then an interview at the U.S. embassy as we work through the process of obtaining their U.S. visas. It seems reasonable to assume we could be flying back to the U.S. on March 8th or 10th (not the 9th because March 8th is Women's Day and we won't be able to pick up papers that day because all offices will be closed- we'd have to wait an additional day if we didn't get the papers on March 7th).
The following pictures are Olena's teacher's embroidery and Maria at the museum.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Men's Day
Today was Men's Day so I got a lot of cheery congratulations. Originally it was Red Army Day to honor soldiers but now has become the counterpart to International Women's Day which is a big deal here. We also had an office party with chickens and cookies. The director and I were the only men out of about 11. It felt a lot like a Moroccan party, with a bunch of people hunched around a small table in a run-down kitchen with a lot of laughter and effusive hospitality.
Julie had a very successful shopping day. The shop owner actually picked her up at the hotel, and she got most of what we needed including Maria's white coat.
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