Stahlke Adoption

Long Faces

When Jonathan and I prepared to telephone Ukraine yesterday, we arranged for some uninterrupted time to make the call. Two kind volunteers watched the children swim at a nearby pool, with the added benefit of releasing some of their pent-up energy.

The background noise on Masha's cell phone filled the receiver, and she explained to us that she was riding the train from Kyiv to her home in Kramatorsk. She outlined for us the specific reasons for the delay, which are only procedural and not related to the substance of our dossier. Masha still feels we may travel in August, although next week is not likely.

After the call, Jonathan walked to the pool while I collected my thoughts and wrote down possible scenarios related to different travel dates. We are juggling child care, his job, my job, and the start of school, as well as the schedules of several relatives who will care for the children while we are gone. It's pretty complicated.

But the details of the trip evaporated from my mind as Jonathan walked up with the children. Every last one of them looked upset and sad. After bracing themselves to hear the news, they had received no news except--

DELAY.

posted by Stahlkes @ 2:14 PM