We're in Kiev

We made it here yesterday morning around 11:00 a.m. We had good flights and everything went smoothly. We just got internet today in our apartment which is great! We were in a different apartment last night, but switched today. The first
one we had stayed in back in July. It didn't have a washing machine or a stove. This is a lot better!! The last apartment was warmer though because it was smaller and had a space heater. This apartment is FREEZING!! Yulia said the whole country is this way. I guess it must have something to do with Russia. I have read about how they cut their gas off for not paying bills and for political pressure. Maybe that's what is going on. I don't know if that is it, but Yulia said Ukraine is in an economic crisis and I saw on the world news that they are in a recession. I'm not sure, but it is COLD! I have on thermal underwear, a thick turtleneck sweater, corduroy pants, and two pair of thick socks and I am STILL freezing! I will probably have to grab a triple layer here before much longer. I am trying not to use up all of my clothes in one day! I didn't bring that many clothes because last time I brought WAY too much stuff to have to keep up with and drag around! This time I packed lighter and the clothes are thicker so I don't have near as many clothes to wear. I didn't realize I would need to wear everything in my suitcase as one outfit. Wow! It is cold though! I guess I will get used to it though. It sounds like if we can't get court before the holidays then I will be here a really long time. I'm really concerned about that because I DO NOT need to be away from John Paul that long, but I don't know how we would afford the extra plane tickets for me to make another round trip. And Rick HAS to get back to work! Please pray that some how we will get a miracle and get court BEFORE they close for the holidays. Yulia is not sure that it will happen and we are VERY nervous about it! Thanks!

We have had some men in here working for the last several hours. Apparently when I washed clothes it flooded the apartment below us. The have a hole in the wall now and are working on it. They have been here for a few hours. But they did get the internet fixed for us while they were working on the leak! That was awesome!

Anyway, our appointment is on Wednesday at 3:00. We will just be hanging out here until then. Then I think we have to wait until Thurs. to pick up our referral paperwork and then I assume we can be on our way! We are planning on taking the train down again. I'm kind of dreading the 18 hour train ride, but I have a little golden nugget waiting for me at the end of it! lol!

We went to a small market across the street and bought some dumplings. That's what Yulia called them in July. They were great! I actually bought some in the U.S. and they were called pierogies. These are MUCH better though! The type I bought today had meat and cheese in them. It was a mystery meal because I had no way of knowing what was in them since I can't read Ukrainian. They were great! I also found some round things that were battered. I bought some sun flower oil and fried them. They turned out to be some sort of fish patties with onions in them. It doesn't sound very good, but it actually was! Then we had some peanut M & M's for dessert. No fear that they would melt in our hands here!

Rick just had to take this picture of me freezing while updating the blog!