Bruises

The last 36 hours have been rough.  We've all had our moments.  Homesick.  Heartsick.  Physically sick.  I've spent the last hour going from one room, one bed, one child to another.  Sometimes it happens that everyone is having a moment simultaneously.  I only wish I could have allowed Liza to have one tonight.

My babies

She had a black eye today.  There was so much make-up on it, I almost didn't see what it was.  Tom did though.  He had one of those instant reactions that I felt stupid later for not having.  He asked her what happened, she said "It's nothing.  Just play.  It was me."  (meaning her own fault).  We had only been at the orphanage with her for 10 minutes when we got a call telling us to rush a copy of her birth certificate back into town and sign some more documents with the inspector.  Sigh.  I told her I was sorry to leave so soon to which she responded, "Its okay.  I'm kheppy."  She has the sweetest Ukrainian accent in her English words.  I kinda hope she never loses it.

I told one of our facilitators about her black eye.  She didn't hesitate to assume it was a fight.  "Probably the kids give her problems about going to U.S.  It happens in orphanages.  But Liza can take care of herself."  It's a toughness here that we don't like to see and they seem to find a necessity.  Why should she take care of herself when we're here?  Then again, maybe we're the reason she had to.  Our other three girls know self defense.  I just don't know if I've ever imagined they'd have to use it.

We turned in our paperwork to the judge here today and should have our court date set by Friday or Monday latest.  Hoping for no later than December 3rd, but I'd go so far as to pray for November 30th.  Sounds like a good anniversary/birthday present to me.  Our urgency to get her out of there has just been amplified.

Watching Thanksgiving posts on Facebook has been hard.  So we went to a restaurant today and set up our meal for tomorrow.  It seems nobody eats turkey here.  Tried to order the duck, but they were out.  Chicken it is.  Again. :)  I will go pick up Liza at 10am hoping her sister accepts our invitation to join us.  First up is a tour of the apartment and hopefully a few minutes for her to check her Facebook mssgs and email from the last three months.  Then lunch, then bowling.  That's right, bowling. :)

ps I finally had to use one of those toilets. :-\  This is an art form I tell you.  There's nothing to hang on to.  No TP.  No instructions.  Not even a good luck sign.