Court tomorrow

Court is scheduled for tomorrow morning. We are all excited about that. At the same time, we are sad that Bobby will be leaving directly after that to go by the US Embassy in Kiev to sign paperwork and will be catching a flight tomorrow evening from Kiev to come home. After court there will be a 10 day waiting period that is required, so we will wait again. Bobby will be taking the computer home with him, so today and tomorrow will be my last blogs. All others will come through him.

The weather here has been absolutely wonderful here. So far we have only needed a long-sleeve t-shirt and a light jacket. However, every baby that we we have seen on the street has been bundled up like we were about to have 2 feet of snow. They have on snow suits, toboggans, mittens, and if they are an infant in a stroller, they are covered up with a blanket. If they are a toddler, they waddle about like penguins. Some of these days, we have only had a short-sleeve shirt on!!! I asked Sasha why these babies are so wrapped up. His response is, "It is better to be too hot than too cold. Cold bones break easily." I have no doubt that last year, during the cold season, there were no broken bones in all of Ukraine to children age 5 or under due to a fall or accident!!!

The other day we awoke to a thunderstorm. It was so different than what we are used to: the lightening was quick, almost like a flash from a strobe light and the thunder sounded like we were at the bowling alley (the ball was rolling down the lane and then the striking of the pins).
The kids had told us that there weren't thunderstorms in Ukraine. Either they had forgotten or "global warming" has increased the hot air that comes this way (and I don't think that is the case). This morning we awoke to much colder temperatures. We could use a little heat in our apartment, but the city has not turned it on yet. It is difficult for my mind to understand how the entire city will have heat on the same day. I hear that it will be some time in the next day or 2. I am certainly not complaining, because we could not ask for better weather, or to be in a better city. It really is very nice here and some of the tree-lined streets that we walk down remind me of a colleg town. Maybe even Montevallo.

Today we went to the grocery store so that I could re-stock before Bobby leaves. We are able to get the best bread here, and I don't mind trying almost anything. Much of the bread is stuffed with different things. The best that we have had has been stuffed with cherries and another with apples/raisins. So, I bought 2 different kinds of bread (Sasha was not with us, so we didn't know enough to understand the Russian writing). I cut into the first one; apples/raisins and very good. I cut into the 2nd loaf; cabbage!! Bobby just about got sick, but Katie, Kevin and I loved it. I hope I can find it again!! Other food that is good: most of the sausages, smoked ham, and cheese. One thing that we are able to find is Lay's chips. I just don't understand why we can't get the bacon-flavored kind at home. We all love it!! Don't the upper management of Lay's know how much Americans love bacon??? It could be a #1 seller.

I will go for now. It is almost time to go to the orphanage. I will blog again right after court tomorrow and will be able to share pictures at that time.