Monday, February 18, 2008

We Are So Thankful We Did Not Get Sent Home Today

We did not get sent home when we filed our Petition for Second Appointment. This was a good day and sometimes that is all it takes. We wait now to hear more.

We played at the playgroup between St. Sophia's and St. Michael's. We ate at a fabulous cafeteria style restaurant that is down the first street on the right if you are facin the parking lot entrance to St. Michaels. It is the first door that you have to walk down "into the basement". It is clean, the food is wonderful, and it is not expensive. When we purchase food in restaurants often times you pay by the weight. Our cafeteria choices were weighed for serving size. The cheesecake was European style. No cream cheese but rather more cottage cheese or ricotta like. Our bill was around $12. The bathrooms were clean and the commodes were American style.

We walked along the overlook in the north of Artema Street. The city was built on hills much like Rome. It is a beautiful view and gets you off the city streets. You enter on to Artema again. After a few more blocks we took another side street that lead us to one of the entrances to the lovely church just down the road from the US Consulate. It was another pleasant walk to the apartment with the eyes. We picked up a postcard book for pennies and a lovely silver Ukrainian Orthodox pendant for around $20. Our tranlator said this is a convent and church. Very close by was a death camp during the war and this church helped people escape. The church is around 250 or 300 years old. Not as old as St. Sophia (around 1000 years old), but to us this church and garden is the mostly lovely.

4 comments:

Ruth said...

Hoping you don't have to wait long for your 2nd appt and that you'll be shown some healthier children at that appt!

Tami said...

I'm glad you weren't sent home today as well. Our facilitator told us if you can stick around, you're more likely to get a quick second appointment...or at least a referral. We never really did have a second appointment. Email me and I'll give you the details.
Also, you mentioned in another post that if you stuck around you may need to find a cheaper place to stay. If you are interested in finding a nice, less expensive place to stay, let me know. We stayed at an apartment run by an orphanage on the city's (west?) side. It was western style, completely clean and comfortable and run by an absolute God-send...Bogdan. We had internet access, a DVD player, a good size grocery store across the street and parks and playgrounds nearby (to run off energy! ;) The money goes toward a program to benefit children who have aged out of the orphanage system and it is only $30 per night. And Kreshadik and the SDA are an easy metro ride away.

ArtworkByRuth said...

Our friends that had an appt. in January had requested a second appt. and had to wait only a week, but then were shown only one file, but she was THE one! We will keep you in our prayers!
God Bless!

Carolann said...

Drew and Rita,
My prayers are with you that you get a healthy child under 6. Hang in there! We are here for you...
Carolann