We have the children!

We officially (kind of) have the children in our custody.  I say kind of because we are stuck another in night in what I like to refer to as purgatory!!!  I am not even Catholic!!  We could not leave the town the children have lived in the last year and a half and go to Nickolaev tonight as planned, BECAUSE Leeza's orphanage director left town for a meeting and was in available to sign yet ANOTHER piece of paper.  SO.....one more night at the hotel.  I shouldn't be complaining, but we are so ready to blow this joint and get to some civilizan and independence.  I am at least thankful that we got to take Leeza with us tonight. 

Now on to happier thoughts.  Zhenya smiled the entire time we were leaving his internat.  His caregiver cried which made me cry.  She didn't realize at first that we were there for the actually final time...she started tearing up as soon as she realized he was leaving for good.  We really liked her and feel that she really cared about him.  He happily changed into his new clothes and hopped in the car.  Very excited to be going to America.  I am so happy that he is so happy.  Leeza's leaving won't be official until tomorrow technically even though we do have her for good.  Tomorrow she will officially say good bye to her caregivers. 

Zhenya with his caregiver (Nastasha)

Our kids in their new clothes.  We took a short walk by the beach this evening.

We came back to the hotel and I changed Leeza's clothes into the new clothes I bought her.  While we were doing that Jeff was going through book we bought.  It is a English Ukrainian picture dictionary.  Zhenya was asking if all these things were in American.  He was so excited as they went through the book seeing all the thing that are in American that I thought he was going to bounce off the end of the bed.  I wish I had a video of it.  I was awesome!!! He was sooooooooooooooooo excited!  Leeza was so happy about her new clothes and the dolls we got her. 
So hopefully tonight is our last night here in the hotel and tomorrow we are off to Nickolaev after we sign the last paper and say PAKA (bye) to Leeza's caregivers.  Even better maybe the passports will be ready and we can head to Kiev instead!! 

I have to say everything with having the kids with us for real is going great.  I do believe we got the cutest, smartest, best kids in all of Ukraine.  Can't wait to get them home!!
We booked our flights home today for September 16th.  We will arrive home in Nashville at 10:55 pm.   Yay!! I am so happy to have a return date!!