Meeting Nina

3/26/2009

Sleep on the train... ha! That was pointless. And, everything that people say about train bathrooms is true, but sometimes you just have to go.

We traveled through a tremendous snow storm only to arrive on the other side in Krivoy Rog to an overcast yet cold day. We picked up coffee at "McDrive Thru" and went to the apartment for showers. Some of the frustration is communication. Our translator does not give us a whole lot of details. But, we can overcome that.

The build up to Nina's meeting was incredible. We met with the director of the orphanage and talked some more. There was paperwork, other meetings. Then, finally, the purpose of our trip came to a climax... and I cried yet again, as I cried at the initial meeting with the SDA. I knew just exactly which one she was when we walked into the room. She is a sweet, little, healthy, blonde. The caregivers are overwhelming, but were so kind to describe Nina in glowing terms: bright, leader, assertive, desires to be first, orderly and enjoys letting her "grouper" buddies haul her around in the stroller. She is walking unsteadily, but she tackled the stairs independently. We met with the medical director who gave us a thorough report on Nina's condition and current medical needs. They have performed one surgery on her right foot, and they don't have the money for the other foot. So, we will need to address that when we return to the USA.

We had time to play with her but still more meetings. We were "allowed" to make a donation to the orphanage... in order to get her paperwork! Then, we drove around running paperwork hither and yon... no fax or courier allowed. We did! It's amazing how things are done here. Jordan and I fell asleep in the car. Finally, we made it back to the aparment, which is very nice, very European on the inside. The outside is frightening and very unattended. Big Nina said that it was taken care of under USSR. Now, there is no one to take care of the government buildings. So, they fall apart. The inside of our aparment comparatively is a haven.

Tomorrow, we meet Nina and take her to the hospital for blood work. We proposed that it was not good for Jordan and I to take her second meeting with us. They disagreed. So, we will do that tomorrow and hopefully have a little more time to play with her in the afternoon.

On a side note, we had a fabulous lunch of cabbage salad, borsch, fried potatoes/onion and battered chicken. All tasty or as they say in Russian, "kosna."