We finally arrive back at our hotel, famished, parched and ready to eat dinner. The only place is in the restaurant where we were told they were having a party that night and why we had moved my room from one side of the hotel above the “party room” to the other. I had a small box of a room, and it was less expensive. But, my, all that schlepping for what? Turns out the party cancelled, so that’s where we had dinner. Neither of us wanted any entertainment, food please and leave us alone!! Well, about 15 minutes after we arrive, so does Casanova. Are you kidding me???? Live entertainment, this guy should NOT give up his day job by any means. We just looked at each other across the table, not able to recount the day’s activities, the progress we had made or review any plans because this “modern day Louie” was singing and SO LOUD! The room was by No means large, so cool it for Pete’s sake, and give us a break!
We couldn’t get any service; Dima was past patience and ready to go without leaving a tip. And the food was not as we remembered back in September. I asked if they had gotten a new chef, and of course, they had. Oh well, we needed sleep.
Up early, same gang at breakfast, had they learned their lesson? Not too much smoking at that hour. We ate and met the driver, had to be at Oksana’s orphanage by 8am to see the doctor to get some medical info that the inspector insisted on. We left there, headed to inspectors’ office and guess what???!! YES! We sat outside in the dark hallway for I don’t remember how long!!! We had a driver to catch to bring us back to Donetsk, a 2 ½ hour drive back and a plane to catch!
Plus we had to go by Tolek’s orphanage, and before that stop at the grocery store to pick up fruit etc for that orphanage. Arkadiy was pleasant as always and when we left his bulding for the court house. He took us over for our paperwork, which was unusual, there was NOONE there! They were having some kind of celebration and we were so disappointed, that meant we couldn’t file, oh no!! But, he told us to guess what folks??? Are there only dark hallways in these buildings or what??? Yes, we sat and he told us to keep our mouths shut basically, we couldn’t talk, and he walked from door to door popping his head in until he finally disappeared into a room.
He returned later to ‘wink’ (eewwww, Dima had the heebies, I was laughing my head off!) and nodded to follow him.
He was able to get them to take the paperwork even though they were partying, and we left. Once outside the courthouse, he chatted more freely. When he said ‘good-bye’ you know what his parting words were?
“CeCe, Chula, Chula, Chula, sooo cute!!!”
Yep, that’s it folks, for those who think my 3 pound dog is a joke, hey, she’s working it here! :)
I have to get him one if we get Tolek, that’s in the plan already.
We walked to the grocery store, ran around crazy, Dima for the fruit, me for the gifts for Tolek, and together we picked out the best chocolates for the orphanage director. My adrenaline is running now as I am anxious to meet Tolek and nervous what his response to Valera’s new mother is going to be, making me his step-mom.
We arrive at his orphanage; it is definitely different from any we have been to. You can tell that it is for the younger children, I think the age range is 2 or 3-7 at which time you get moved to where Valera was. That’s why they were separated 3 months after they were orphaned and Valera moved to another orphanage.
We were led thru what I presume was the doctor’s office, oh my, it looked more like one of those experimental places, sorry to be so blunt, but nothing homey, comfy, or inviting there for sure!
Once in the director’s office, I was feeling a bit calmer, but still nervous. What was she thinking? We presented the gifts, and she was very thankful. She is young, that was surprising, the other directors were all so much older. Dima told me she used to be head of the athletics and an athlete herself, but got hurt and somehow became a director.
She was very nice, especially after receiving her chocolates. They went for Tolek…. In walks this little tyke, skinny, shy, and just too darn cute!! Like Valera had told me, “he so cute mum, he looks lika me momma, he so cute yoa gonna lika him mum I knowa.”
The director explained who we were, more importantly that I was Valera’s mother and he just looked at me. He was seated next to me and I couldn’t resist putting my hand on his back and hugging him, he is just adorable. He has the skinniest legs and arms I had ever seen, it was too funny the way his little legs stuck out of his shorts, but then, what was he eating?
As I pulled out each gift, Dima translated and was also filming! You go Dima, his first live camera video “gig’! At least with me…
Tolek opened his card that had stickers where you had to make a snowman on the opposite page, and as the director explained to him what to do, he said, “I know what to do with this!” SOOO much like Valera, that bold personality and only 5 years old!
Then I handed him the battery operated toothbrush that had a soccer ball on it. Well, that won the day! He wasn’t going to get to more gifts; he was so enthralled with this gadget! He kept turning it on and smiling, he was too precious. Then I handed him the car, a red engine kind of thing, and he said that was his favorite one. I had Dima translate that Valera had said not to let anyone else play with it so they did not break it or take it from him. He nodded understanding the advice his “older” brother was sending, and smiled.
But, he kept returning to the toothbrush, automation fascinates them over there, they don’t have battery operated things, and they can’t afford batteries. That was one of the unusual things we noticed when the sibs and Valera left last Christmas, they had taken all the batteries out of all the toys they were given and put them in their duffle bags to take back. Amazing the things we take for granted isn’t it?
We had coordinated with Arlin the time we thought we would be with Tolek for him to wake Valera at home to speak with his brother. It was 2:30am his time when he called. We held the phone up to Tolek as the director told him it was Valera calling from America, and when Tolek heard Valera’s voice, he just put his head down and had giant crocodile tears in his eyes and he began to cry. It broke my heart!!
The director told us that they are concerned for Tolek as he dreams of Valera often and misses him terribly, talking about him all the time etc.
They were really close, they were e all each other had in the world at 5 years and 6 years old when they were orphaned, and then to be separated 3 months later, that’s a scary thing!
He couldn’t speak, she kept encouraging him to say hello to Valera, and Valera- that stink- he didn’t want to wake up, I mean, when he’s tired and sleeping, DO NOT disturb him! I could hear Arlin doing what he could to make Valera understand the urgency of waking up, the fact we had Tolek on the other line and NOW!
It was not a good connection, and it was hard to hear, Valera was crying and so was Tolek, but we did what we could to connect the two.
The really good news is that the director said she had tried twice already to terminate the rights of the father so the boys could be adopted together because she knows they should be together, but she was denied. That was before Valera became available though, so our hope is since we ALREADY have her approval which is needed, and her support, and that of Arkadiy’s, we will be able to get the rights terminated and bring Tolek home.
Of course, that means ANOTHER dossier, more trips to the Ukraine, and the saga goes on. We had a very productive visit in my estimation with the director and an initial introduction to Tolek. I gave him a stack of pictures of Valera. We went through them one by one. He asked half way through where was the horse? What we realized is that the “grandmother” had taken a picture out of the photo album we had given Valera that had a picture with him and Cookie, the miniature horse on the B&B and given it to Tolek. We had more of Valera and the horse. It was just priceless to watch the expressions on his face as he looked at his brother in his new home and surroundings.
We didn’t dare mention adoption, but something about him coming to America. We had to be careful because when the grandmother gets wind that we have been there, she is going to raise havoc, that’s for sure.
The director told us she visits regularly, but she can hardly walk, she has someone bring her. On the one hand, I feel sorry for her, these two boys are all she has in the world, but she doesn’t have the means to raise them or care for them. She is trying to get the judge to release her son in prison using the boys as an excuse that the father needs to support them.
Now, of course, there is only Tolek. Although on paper she has no rights to him, she can hold up his adoption for months. Oh Lord!! Only He knows what the outcome is to be.
Go to Facebook and see his pictures. I have to go to bed; will finish the rest of the story tomorrow.
Night night…
We couldn’t get any service; Dima was past patience and ready to go without leaving a tip. And the food was not as we remembered back in September. I asked if they had gotten a new chef, and of course, they had. Oh well, we needed sleep.
Up early, same gang at breakfast, had they learned their lesson? Not too much smoking at that hour. We ate and met the driver, had to be at Oksana’s orphanage by 8am to see the doctor to get some medical info that the inspector insisted on. We left there, headed to inspectors’ office and guess what???!! YES! We sat outside in the dark hallway for I don’t remember how long!!! We had a driver to catch to bring us back to Donetsk, a 2 ½ hour drive back and a plane to catch!
Plus we had to go by Tolek’s orphanage, and before that stop at the grocery store to pick up fruit etc for that orphanage. Arkadiy was pleasant as always and when we left his bulding for the court house. He took us over for our paperwork, which was unusual, there was NOONE there! They were having some kind of celebration and we were so disappointed, that meant we couldn’t file, oh no!! But, he told us to guess what folks??? Are there only dark hallways in these buildings or what??? Yes, we sat and he told us to keep our mouths shut basically, we couldn’t talk, and he walked from door to door popping his head in until he finally disappeared into a room.
He returned later to ‘wink’ (eewwww, Dima had the heebies, I was laughing my head off!) and nodded to follow him.
He was able to get them to take the paperwork even though they were partying, and we left. Once outside the courthouse, he chatted more freely. When he said ‘good-bye’ you know what his parting words were?
“CeCe, Chula, Chula, Chula, sooo cute!!!”
Yep, that’s it folks, for those who think my 3 pound dog is a joke, hey, she’s working it here! :)
I have to get him one if we get Tolek, that’s in the plan already.
We walked to the grocery store, ran around crazy, Dima for the fruit, me for the gifts for Tolek, and together we picked out the best chocolates for the orphanage director. My adrenaline is running now as I am anxious to meet Tolek and nervous what his response to Valera’s new mother is going to be, making me his step-mom.
We arrive at his orphanage; it is definitely different from any we have been to. You can tell that it is for the younger children, I think the age range is 2 or 3-7 at which time you get moved to where Valera was. That’s why they were separated 3 months after they were orphaned and Valera moved to another orphanage.
We were led thru what I presume was the doctor’s office, oh my, it looked more like one of those experimental places, sorry to be so blunt, but nothing homey, comfy, or inviting there for sure!
Once in the director’s office, I was feeling a bit calmer, but still nervous. What was she thinking? We presented the gifts, and she was very thankful. She is young, that was surprising, the other directors were all so much older. Dima told me she used to be head of the athletics and an athlete herself, but got hurt and somehow became a director.
She was very nice, especially after receiving her chocolates. They went for Tolek…. In walks this little tyke, skinny, shy, and just too darn cute!! Like Valera had told me, “he so cute mum, he looks lika me momma, he so cute yoa gonna lika him mum I knowa.”
The director explained who we were, more importantly that I was Valera’s mother and he just looked at me. He was seated next to me and I couldn’t resist putting my hand on his back and hugging him, he is just adorable. He has the skinniest legs and arms I had ever seen, it was too funny the way his little legs stuck out of his shorts, but then, what was he eating?
As I pulled out each gift, Dima translated and was also filming! You go Dima, his first live camera video “gig’! At least with me…
Tolek opened his card that had stickers where you had to make a snowman on the opposite page, and as the director explained to him what to do, he said, “I know what to do with this!” SOOO much like Valera, that bold personality and only 5 years old!
Then I handed him the battery operated toothbrush that had a soccer ball on it. Well, that won the day! He wasn’t going to get to more gifts; he was so enthralled with this gadget! He kept turning it on and smiling, he was too precious. Then I handed him the car, a red engine kind of thing, and he said that was his favorite one. I had Dima translate that Valera had said not to let anyone else play with it so they did not break it or take it from him. He nodded understanding the advice his “older” brother was sending, and smiled.
But, he kept returning to the toothbrush, automation fascinates them over there, they don’t have battery operated things, and they can’t afford batteries. That was one of the unusual things we noticed when the sibs and Valera left last Christmas, they had taken all the batteries out of all the toys they were given and put them in their duffle bags to take back. Amazing the things we take for granted isn’t it?
We had coordinated with Arlin the time we thought we would be with Tolek for him to wake Valera at home to speak with his brother. It was 2:30am his time when he called. We held the phone up to Tolek as the director told him it was Valera calling from America, and when Tolek heard Valera’s voice, he just put his head down and had giant crocodile tears in his eyes and he began to cry. It broke my heart!!
The director told us that they are concerned for Tolek as he dreams of Valera often and misses him terribly, talking about him all the time etc.
They were really close, they were e all each other had in the world at 5 years and 6 years old when they were orphaned, and then to be separated 3 months later, that’s a scary thing!
He couldn’t speak, she kept encouraging him to say hello to Valera, and Valera- that stink- he didn’t want to wake up, I mean, when he’s tired and sleeping, DO NOT disturb him! I could hear Arlin doing what he could to make Valera understand the urgency of waking up, the fact we had Tolek on the other line and NOW!
It was not a good connection, and it was hard to hear, Valera was crying and so was Tolek, but we did what we could to connect the two.
The really good news is that the director said she had tried twice already to terminate the rights of the father so the boys could be adopted together because she knows they should be together, but she was denied. That was before Valera became available though, so our hope is since we ALREADY have her approval which is needed, and her support, and that of Arkadiy’s, we will be able to get the rights terminated and bring Tolek home.
Of course, that means ANOTHER dossier, more trips to the Ukraine, and the saga goes on. We had a very productive visit in my estimation with the director and an initial introduction to Tolek. I gave him a stack of pictures of Valera. We went through them one by one. He asked half way through where was the horse? What we realized is that the “grandmother” had taken a picture out of the photo album we had given Valera that had a picture with him and Cookie, the miniature horse on the B&B and given it to Tolek. We had more of Valera and the horse. It was just priceless to watch the expressions on his face as he looked at his brother in his new home and surroundings.
We didn’t dare mention adoption, but something about him coming to America. We had to be careful because when the grandmother gets wind that we have been there, she is going to raise havoc, that’s for sure.
The director told us she visits regularly, but she can hardly walk, she has someone bring her. On the one hand, I feel sorry for her, these two boys are all she has in the world, but she doesn’t have the means to raise them or care for them. She is trying to get the judge to release her son in prison using the boys as an excuse that the father needs to support them.
Now, of course, there is only Tolek. Although on paper she has no rights to him, she can hold up his adoption for months. Oh Lord!! Only He knows what the outcome is to be.
Go to Facebook and see his pictures. I have to go to bed; will finish the rest of the story tomorrow.
Night night…
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