The Garden of Eden

The Garden of Eden

Not to confuse where I am staying with the Garden of Eden but the day itself! Tuesday I had the kids up at 5am to ride the “Masoka” bus to Tomakovka to meet Yana they had arranged a taxi from here to there but when I knew I could do it for less than haft the price by bus it was to be.  So in the beautiful predawn light we ran down to the bus stop. A tiny white kitten followed us keeping the kids entertain. Animals eat up a little attention here. Most cat and dogs are too skittish, because too many kids have been cruel to them. Because of our kindness he tried to follow us on the bus. The morning was breath taking beautiful. The full moon was going down as the usually predawn light glowed so red and the sun rising over the tree and fields and ponds as we traveled along. We arrived in Tomakovka,  I am sure the kids were not thrilled I got us there an hour + early to save 140 G (so only about $15) It was a cool morning. So we wander around the market as they were setting up, looking for something warm to eat. I enjoyed watching the little old women set up their wares. One lady then took a 50 gr bill and brushed it across all of her wares wishing them luck! I have to laugh Derrick found us a loaf of bread not warm but good . Ilia bum a couple gr and comes back with a warm scone with meat inside. What we had been looking for all along before we consumed our plain bread. Yana meet us at the court house but the court order had to be done wrong as they had given us certified copies not the originals .Thank heaven our judge was already in so after another hour wait we left with a the legal proof I am official the parent to two more teenagers!

We finally left for the kid’s birth city for birth certificate and for me a dreaded meeting with some family. I you think meeting the inlaws is bad, try 12 member of your children’s family with whom you cannot even communicate with.  One of whom had given you such cold hatful stares the first time you meet them. Half the family was so kind, trying so hard to commutate. Their father’s brother, his wife, and 2 more of their children meet us and they were kind. We had met the wife/ Aunt and one other cousin last time. The paternal grandfather was there and then the mother sister (Whom I was told by one and it was visibly obvious she drinks like her dead sister! There was a close girlfriend of Lydia and two other I was never sure who they were. Of course they had arrange to meet at a pub/café? I was trying to figure if I was supposed to buy lunch for everyone. They see us as wealthy American and I had just brought a very nice laptop as a gift to the sister. Part of me is thinking how dumb I am to give such an expensive present but I had promised a way for the kid to keep in contact. (By the end of the afternoon I only want half the family in contact and the person with the computer is probably not one of them!) I felt the snake had just enter the garden! The mean side of me was wishing I had bought the cheapest so it would be broke in 6 months. But I bought a better one that was on a great special. By the end of the day I turned off my phone from the sisters calls and question about visas how much memory was on the computer etc. etc. On the other hand the Aunts tears and hugs were very sincere and warm. We have a a lot of trouble getting the birth certificate as the court order only list me as the mother, no father it took 45 min to figure out how they were supposed to do this . Finally,  I learned I am the mother  their biological father is the father. (sorry David I really was faithful) Then one more mad dash across the country side to make it back for Tax Id # we made it back by 6:10. they waited for us at did it. What a miracle, court papers, birth certificates, and tax #, all in different  towns , we spent 6-7 hours just driving but all in one day!

We came back to the orphanage to find 4 “ of water on our bathroom floor and spent a ½ hour mopping up with very little to work with. But we all keep cheering saying “ ZAP tomorrow not more internat!!!!”

The day ended with pillow stealing fights, kids finally going to the room next door so we all had 3 some 5 pillows for the night, Sweet dreams!