Day What? We can't remember...

Bureaucracy in the US doesn't hold a candle to this.....

Man, this place is truly something else. Everybody seemingly has their hand out for some piece of the overall action - and I'm not even talking about financial matters. It appears that red tape in Ukraine goes hand in hand with prestige and self-importance. Nevertheless, right now we have a window of return from some time between 28SEP and 3OCT. It's OK though, twice a day we get to go hang out with our new Douberlys.

That's probably what you all tuned in for anyway. Enough whining, on with the show. A quick scene-setter first - we got to play outside on a playground today with the two boys and we learned quite a bit regarding their personalities.

Andrew (oldest) is the cautious wary one who will absolutely not take a chance unless he is quite sure of the outcome - that is that the outcome will not result in physical harm. He is typical big brother material to his younger charge - specifically in that he looks out for Alex pretty much every step of the way. He is going to be just fine with all the new dangers lurking just outside the orphanage walls. Andrew is also an incredibly solid young boy with an appetite for ANY food placed near his incessantly wide-open and wanton gullet. Ah yes, you all must already know how personally proud I am of that singular trait.

Now Alex on the other hand is a completely haphazard individual with no apparent fear of grave injury or death itself. He will stand at a precipice and give you an evil grin right before he steps off the edge into whatever abyss lies below. That's just grand considering he will have three older and much more capable brothers to imitate and follow into all kinds of peril and danger. The only good news here is Alex possesses a determination that could easily rival that of his mother (you all know of what I speak). That fierce can-do attitude, married to a near obsession with task completion, make this child quite possibly the funnest two year old to sit just sit back and observe (no offense Josh and Jake). Of course, that fun only lasts until we pull this kid out of a hole his brothers dig for him right before selling him to the circus.

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention we are hurtling down a pot-hole stricken two lane road at breakneck speeds with our hair on fire? It kinda makes the typing a little - how does one say? - treacherous. That's right - you heard it first here folks....treacherous typing. I am quite certain the horror movie makers will be lined up to write a script centered around this new and sinister way to hurt yourself. You just never know when your screen may jump into your face and give you an unexpected LCD burn on the tip of your nose - whatever you do, just don't try this new adventure sport at home.

Back to the fun now. Put your smiles away at our utter misfortune and focus people on the task at hand. Please keep up the well-wishes and prayers - they truly perpetuate us through some not so pleasant times. It looks about near certain now that all the trap doors have been removed and our path is relatively clear - albeit extremely narrow and windy. (Metaphor anyone? - Or is that even the correct literary term for all the crazy-speak?) But we still need you each and every one to continue lifting up these kids. The heck with me and Kristina, we will be just fine regardless (if you consider us "just fine" now) - it's the two boys who really need us all now. These are incredible young men with no limits to their potential - they just need a family to care for them and some older brothers to torture them to within an inch of their existential limits. (Josh and Jake, this is not a license for this kind of behavior - don't get any big ideas.)
Thanks for all the support and thanks in advance for the boat-loads to come. You have all been so wonderful (and patient with my silly prose).

Signing off for now,

Lamar and Kristina