A Picture is Worth . . .

 . . . well, you know the saying.  Here's 45,000 words worth (+/- the words used in the captions) to describe our last several days!

Olya and Rusa after receiving a special gift!

Andre with his gift from his future family

Olya with the Popova sisters, Nastya and Anya -
big smiles all around thanks to the Shawleys!

Vola, Irra, and Nastya with Joe and some funny
glasses the girls brought to play with

Irra, Joe, Artyr, and "Unky" Tim - even Artyr is now saying "Unky"

Artyr, Vola, and Unky practicing their math skills
(Mommy would be so proud)

Anya with Joe's sunglasses

Alona's turn to wear the sunglasses -
please follow this link to find out more about these special young ladies
(www.walkinghispathcherr73.blogspot.com/2011/02/bittersweet.html)

On Thursday, we headed for our 2 hour car "experience" (kind of like an
amusement park ride) to Dnepropetrosvk . . . there was lots of room left
over in the back seat, as you can tell (How Russ, Lori, Erik, and Lena
or Russie, Cheri, Anslee, and Vika ever fit back there is beyond me). 

After applying for Artyr's passport, we headed to the mall in Dnepro
(much easier to type and say) for some lunch

Started off with an amazing leaf salad (VERY hard to find in Ukraine)

followed by some filet mignon (or as my brother Rob
used to call it "Fillet Morgan")

Then Artyr's dessert that we took a picture of for Mama back home
(poor Ginger missed out on all the good food this trip
. . . maybe next time, Sweetheart!)

Artyr showing Mama how good it was (our driver, Andre,
in the background,  thinks this is funny)

After lunch, we needed to work off our calories with a stop
at the video arcade (shooting dinosaurs really gets you sweating)

Then we headed for a race car game . . . I'll let you guess
who won the race (hint, I even beat the professional driver, Andre)

When we got back to Krivoy Rog, we headed to the orphanage
for the traditional tea with the Director. 
Here was a toast for Artyr (with our sparkling water)!

Here was another toast from our arms (again with our sparkling water,
and Artyr's Green Tea, which he almost spilled everywhere,
because he was laughing so hard)

One last picture with the Director of the orphanage!

On Friday, we arrived just in time to witness a
celebration involving a straw figure . . .

THAT THEY SET ON FIRE!!!  We later learned (on Saturday)
that this was the Ukrainian way of saying goodbye to winter
(a simple wave of the hand would probably have sufficed).

After the celebration, we headed inside to the boys group room for a party
with Artyr's group.  We brought 15 pizzas (every last piece eaten), 2 cakes
(only one small sliver left), and 5 two liters of juice (4.5 drank).  These
boys know how to eat . . .
and that is corn on the pizza, in case you were wondering!

One of the cakes (again, sorry Ginger!)

The other cake (Tim and I didn't even have any . . . the boys ate so much!)

Artyr's oldest brother, Евгения (pronounced Zhenna),
stopped by for the party to say"goodbye" to Artyr.
He is 26 and grew up in the orphanage with Artyr.

A picture of Tim and I with Artyr's group, his teachers, and his brother

Artyr's teacher, Angelina, with a camera that we gave to the group
to use on the many outings that Angelina takes them on

Another of Artyr's teachers with a tea kettle for the group

After dinner and the gifts, we all skyped Mama, Grace, and Jordyn

Then it was over to say "goodbye" to the girls . . .

. . . who decided to dance a little for the camera . . .

. . . and share their nice hat with me!

Then we went to the younger girls' group to give hugs
(and chocolate, of course)

One last picture with Artyr's dance instructor, Anya, and Tola (l) and Ilia (r)

The boys came out to the car to see us off (and pose for another picture)

This morning (Saturday), we woke up (with Artyr in the apartment,
by the way . . . wooo hooo) to a minor accident out front of our
apartment.  This was a picture taken about 1.5 hours later with the cars
in the same spots blocking the road and the police measuring the distance
between the cars, the cars and the curb, the cars and the trees, etc . . .
All this for a broken headlight on one of the cars!

After all the excitement, we decided to head to a restaurant called
"New York Street Pizza".  This is what Tim, who grew up in New York City,
thinks of their interpretation of New York Pizza.

After lunch we headed to the HUGE Orthodox church in the center
of Krivoy.  Here's a picture of Artyr and me in front of the church.

Inside the front doors of the church.

Sunlight coming through the stained glass windows

Tim and the lady who proposed to both he and I . . . and by
"proposed", I mean offered to be our wife.  We said, "No" . . .
breathe a sigh of relief Ginger and Mrs. Argiriaidi!

Tim putting on a genuine pair of Canadian slippers . . .
yes, I said, "Canadian". . . we went to the apartment of
several Canadian missionaries who serve God here
in the orphanages in Krivoy to meet . . .

Artyr's other brother, Roma, to say "goodbye" to him.  It was
really a pleasure to meet both of Artyr's brothers, and for him
to have this time with them.  Roma is 19 and also grew up in the
orphanage.  Please PRAY for both he and Zhenna!

Lastly, I have several prayer requests to share.  First, please PRAY for Artyr's passport to come in on Wednesday.  There is a slight possibility that it will come back on Thursday.  If this happens, we will be stuck in Ukraine until the next week instead of leaving Kiev on March 11th.  Speaking of Kiev, we are leaving on Sunday night by train (YAY!) to travel back to Kiev to complete our final steps before heading home.  We would REALLY like to get home as soon as possible, so please PRAY with us that God would allow everything to happen in His timing.  Also, please PRAY for Mike and LeAnn Gurley as they travel from Georgia to Ukraine beginning on Monday for the first leg in their adoption journey.  We should be able to spend some time with them in Kiev while we are there.  Artyr is really looking forward to that time (as am I).  Also, please PRAY for little Andre, that God would sustain him and hold him up until his future parents are able to come (Lord willing, in May, we believe).   Thank you so much for your prayers and for following along on our journey!  Have a God day!