We have been in Ark (our abbreviation) since Monday night - and really enjoying ourselves as a family. We are staying at Hotel Dvina which is nicely placed in the middle of everything. Once you get the hang of it, it is a great city to meander around in.And on the babies update! Well, we have been here 5 days and have not even seen them. Evidently, until a baby reaches a certian age (2 I believe) the home is designated as a hospital and not an orphanage . . . so parents (us) are not allowed to take them until all the paperwork is absolutely final. That will be Tuesday. In fact, we will get them, change them, go to the airport and head to Moscow. Once in Moscow, we will finish the final passport / visa work and then head back to the states.
One BIG prayer request. There is a new requirement (from the US govt side) that the homestudy must be very precise about what medical issues the social worker discussed with you in regard to the children you would bring home. In the past, this has been pretty vague and no big deal (especially because the Russian side lists all kinds of problems to cover everything that could possibly go wrong). Now, what they list, and what our homestudy says - need to match exactly (this just changed this week!). Of course, ours does not. So pray we slide through on this. We are not anxious about it and we know something will work out.
More later (I am working off the Rusky keyboard in the lobby of the Hotel Dvina!).
Today we went ice skating on a huge outdoor rink. Lets just say we were not the most fluid folks on the ice - hard to get that kind of training in FL.
