Appointment Day!

Our appointment was Wednesday, March 13th @ 10am. Bill & I woke early and got ready to meet Valery down stairs by 9:15. After a quick metro ride to Independence Square, we walked up-hill for what felt like 10 miles. I thought I was going to die before we ever got there! We finally made it and we were even a little early. People who know me will be very impressed by that! The appointment before us ran late, so we didn't actually get called back until around 10:30. I'm not really sure what I thought this appointment would be like. A few people had said it was very stuffy & official, that no one smiled, and it was a little intimidating. I don't know if it's because Bill & I smile so much that those around us feel compelled to smile as well or what, but our meeting was anything but official & stuffy feeling. The lady who had our file understood English, but couldn't speak it well, she was very impressed at the polite conversation we had learned in Russian, and she smiled at us almost the whole appointment! It was very laid back and she only asked us two questions. 1.) How did we meet Oleg (soon to officially be Daniel)? 2.) Why do want to adopt him? We were simply honest, telling her the story of how we met at Bridgestone and that we fell in love with him and feel like he should be part of our family. She showed us his file and told us a little about his history. My favorite things though, were the pictures! They had 3 pictures of him in his file: the 1st was when he was 5yo & first entered the orphanage (precious!), the 2nd he was probably around 8-10yo (also precious!), and the last looked close to how he looked when we met him a year and a half ago. We can have the photos of him as long as we provide them with a current photo of him to keep on file. I've got to find me a 1 hour photo place around here because I really want those pictures! We go back Thursday, March 14th @ 4pm to pick up our official referral to adopt Daniel! Friday, March 15th, we will travel to the orphanage with our referral and this process will officially be up and running!

This is the sign that used to hang outside the SDA office. They have changed the name of the department now, so the old sign was removed and a new one will go up soon. We seen this sign in so many of our friends' photos, we just had to take a picture of it!

Here is me with Valery in front of St. Michael's Cathedral after the SDA appointment.

After our appointment, Valery needed to go have some copies made. He left us to tour St. Michael's while he ran to do copies. It is so beautiful, pictures don't do it justice.

 

There are murals painted all around the outside of the cathedral. They are amazingly beautiful and intricate.

This is the old chapel. The roof is wooden shingles that look like fish scales. Amazing architecture.

Statue of St. Michael in front of the cathedral entrance.

This is St. Andrew's Church at the opposite end of the same street where St. Michael's is. Valery told us that this was the original city, the two churches and that one road between them.

                              Close up to St. Andrew's Church.

This statue is in the square in front of St. Michael's. The center person is Olga, first woman king of Ukraine.