So we have gone to the notary and petitioned for Katya's adoption. Galia our interpreter was very nice. She explained everything as they went. Tatiana gave the notary and her assistant some chocolates as a thank you gift. Joe and I ate breakfast in the bar/cafe. When Joe asked for hot chocolate that's what he got, dark chocolate melted in a cup. It was gritty and bitter. I ordered cocoa with milk and got good, old fashioned cocoa. It was great! I had an omelet with "shrimps" tinned maize and greens. Their idea of a "cold garnish" is cold peas (canned) picked zucchini and a cole slaw like cabbage mix. We spent 5 hours with our baby. At first she didn't want us near her. But she slowly warmed up. They don't put diapers on the children because diapers are expensive and there is never enough. Tights and clothing can be washed and worn again diapers can't. The clothing will be worn over and over until it falls apart. Katya does use a potty but she also had 4 accidents. Joe took lots of pictures and video. Katya is very interested in the digital camera. Joe let her play with it, I turned it off and boy did she get pissed! Katya is very independent, she has order and plans in her head, It's just making herself understood. By the end of our visit she would talk to me, pat my hand, smooth my hair from my face. She is compassionate, kind and loving. Joe and I ventured outside the hotel for dinner and munchies. We went to "Cafe California" for dinner. The door man spoke some English. We had beef kabobs Russian style, basically Salisbury steak formed into a long row then baked on a skewer. I also got a salad with crab, so I thought. No it was shredded cabbage and a huge glob of mayonnaise on top of tomatoes, peppers, and a small amount of crab meat. My first bite was all mayo. I tried not to gag, I finally moved the top layer over (mayo & cabbage) and ate the crab, tomatoes and peppers. They also served white bread! I was never so happy to see white bread in my life! They do not serve your coffee or tea with dinner, it is served after your meal. Black coffee here is basically espresso, coffee with milk is cappuccino, and as Joe found out, milk is server hot. Milk is more like heave whipping cream. Per Joe it is very thick. Our room has been another obstacle. The shower is run by a switch on the sink. Water is heavy in iron content so you drink bottled water. And the water is carbonated. It is weird drinking seltzer water. Its even weirder boiling seltzer water for tea and coffee. The beds have no real mattress, its more box springs sheets and wooly blankets. I actually miss Moscow. At least in Moscow there was one British /English channel. Here the one channel with English runs the same program all day. The other channels are Russian or Chinese. Even the menus, info, and signs in the hotel are in Chinese or Russian. We definitely stick out as tourists, an people know the only reason why people come here as tourists - the orphanages. It's 4:30 in the morning and Joe and I are both awake. Sleep for 8 hours is in high demand but we can't get it. And today is our last day with our daughter until our court date, whenever that might be. We stopped after dinner at a little shop and bought Pepsi, Pepsi "Light" (diet), instant coffee, chocolate, and seltzer water. I want to buy tights, etc. for the orphanage for the next trip. Our in ear thermometer was a huge hit! They asked for few things when we asked what we can do to help. The in ear thermometer, the thermometers that is on the the forehead, disposable masks, and sample bags for baby girl urine samples, I am going to do my best to find them. Diaper rash ointment, etc. is in high demand. Joe and I are going to ask Fred to meet us with McDonalds food and a huge WaWa coffee for me. We are definitely suffering from culture shock. At this point I go from tears of despair because we have to leave Katya here for another second to hard headed determination to do everything to bring her home and make this experience worthwhile.



Yesterday was definitely an adventure - the notary process was simple enough, 500 rubles (about $18) for the translator - had to use a court appointed one, not ours. 350 rubles for the notary. I changed $200 into rubles and got 5500 rubles. Katya was much more friendly then the first day. She is not only speaking a few words but is ready to start speaking sentences. After a few hours, she was going on & on to Rain about a perfume sample she got out of Rain's purse. Definite sentences in her mind, of course most of it was not actual words but baby babble, but she thought she was speaking in Russian. I got about 45 minutes of video so far and lots of pictures, though not as many as I would have liked. Still working on the first memory stick out of 4. I'll get more today when we go shopping. We want to buy some clothes for them before we go. They can definitely use some. Not much of interest in the city to take pictures of. Only so much to take pictures of with Katya before you end up taking more of the same picture. She is definitely a cutie, she has Rain's eyes - more grayish blue then actual blue. We think she has scabies so we are going to treat ourselves before we go to bed tonight. The pediatrician gave is a prescription for a salve just in case - good thing. Today is our last day with Katya. Our flight tomorrow leaves at 11:25AM so we will be to the airport by 10:00AM. Dinner was interesting - we had "beef kabob" - basically beef formed on a skewer. I never thought beef would taste so good. We went 4 days without eating American food. Still none in sight but we're looking for anything that even is close at this point. We found a vendor and got some Pepsi - that was so good! Russian cuisine is very different than American - though in Moscow it is closer than it is here in Khabarovsk. Yesterday it was -20c when we got up - a bit chippy but the silk thermals did their job well, the boots too. We over packed, but with the cold here it is better to be prepared. Next trip we can pack more changes of clothes or more donations in the suitcases. Russians seem to love their chocolate and it is pretty darn good.