The Trip- Day Eight

Tuesday
      Tomorrow is court. Today we met with Gulbanu to go over the procedures and questions. I have to speak to the court about why I want to adopt Grace and how I found her. I'm sure to cry. I don't know how I'll speak and not cry. We have to be there at 9:00 am tomorrow morning. We go in one after another until all three of us are finished. We then go sign some more documents and then we get to come back to the apartment to get Grace's things. We are to pick up the children at 3:00 pm.
     I am so ready and excited to have her with me all the time, but so frightened at the same time. I have never fed her, never changed her diaper, and never put her to sleep. I have no idea how each of those things works. I guess Grace and I will learn each other at the same time.
     Megol will be so sad to see the children go. The past couple of days she has spent more time in our room with us playing with the children. All three of our families really like her and we feel so badly for her. I don't think I could work there, love the children, and then watch them leave even if I knew they were going to a better life.
     We actually ate at a different restaurant today! What a treat! We ate at The Irish Pub and I tried a cheeseburger. YUCK! It was ok, but it was not what I really wanted. I think I'm going to come up with a list of foods I just have to have when I get home. Guess what will be at the top of the list- DIET COKE!. I'm craving one of those so badly.
     Aunt Mary and I finished putting together little remembrances for the babyhouse. We will take those with us tomorrow. I will also take all the donations that my dears friends from school brought for me to take. Each family also gave some money to help the babyhouse buy new furniture four our children's group. It is depressing to think about these children. They have nothing that they can call "mine." Each day our babies come to us in an outfit that has a permanent stamp on the clothing so that nothing disappears. I don't think Grace's group realizes that they don't have their own things, but certainly the older children do.
     So, Wild Child will be with me tomorrow night. Now you all can start praying that she does sleep. We got a copy of their schedule today in Russian. Gulbanu will translate it for us so we can see what they are use to. She says that we will not want to keep that schedule for even one day. We figured out that the children go to bed at 10:00 pm and get up at 6:00 am. Then they eat/play for two hours and nap for two hours the entire day. It just alternates. Boy will our schedule be different. I just hope I can last longer than she can- she is determined.
     I will try to email tomorrow night to tell you about court. Just remember that I will be a real live Mommy at that point and who knows if Grace will cooperate or not. We will see you in less than a week!