Elena is Officially our Daughter Now!

Hallelujah and Glory to God!  Elena is officially our daughter now!  Look for an announcement in the future with her new name.  : )

We started at 8 am yesterday and ran non stop for 12 full hours  before we were able to go pick up Elena at camp.   Over 95% of the running was by foot in the heat with very little water and no food.  I didn't want to drink much since it is very challenging to find a toilet (especially one that isn't a "squatty potty").  We went to the orphanage and then from office building to office building  all over Lutugino and then back and forth to make unexpected changes (including the mispelling of our last name).  Then when a storm blew in and the wind was blowing the dirt and dust from the roads and pollution we finally took a taxi late in the day.  We were able to make the change to the wrong spelling of our name just in the time before the notary office closed.  An official at another government building waited for us after hours for us so we could complete our paperwork.   What a blessing and mighty answer to prayer!!! 

We had gone without eating a single meal when it was time to finally pick up Elena from Nevertheless, I was abounding with energy and excitement!  It was incredible to reach this moment by God's grace!  The director of the camp, counselors, and all the other campers were huddled around us saying goodbyes with tears!   Elena didn't have many friends left from her orphanage and age group but there were several older kids there from the Lutugino orphanage.   It was a bittersweet moment for Elena and the other girl being adopted by the Grigg's.  

After a tearful parting with lots of hugs, Oleg drove us back to Lugansk city.  We dropped off our things at the apartment and then walked back to the city center to try to find something to eat however it was already 9:30 pm by then!  Nothing was open except for Mandarin Market (a large grocery store) so we bought some food and then went back to eat and then call our families!  It was so much fun watching Elena look with such childlike wonder at so much for what seemed like the first time.  Going shopping and walking the streets in a bigger city isn't something she has done much of in her life and especially without a large group!

Today we are going to get Elena's new passport and then book our airline flight to leave very early tomorrow morning for Kiev, God-willing!  Then we will have 2 more days of paperwork and medical examination in Kiev and hopefully be on schedule to leave Kiev to go home early Saturday morning!  We are very eager to return home!!! 

Mama and Elena after a LONG day finally leaving Elena's camp.  Looking weary but elated!

The children walked us to the gate to say goodbye and exchange more hugs (tearfully)!

Just a few of Elena's peers (most are away somewhere else)

 The birth certificate office

Building after building in order to complete documents (some of the buildings didn't look like government offices like this one).

Alexi entering the building where the government official stayed late for us to complete a very important document with the correct spelling of Elena's name (we went back here 3 times)

Ukraine!

Little elderly woman with a cart full of vegetables

This went on and on for 11 hours in Lutugino (there was some in between waiting time also of course but not time enough to stop to eat)

Finally on the way to  the market (Mandarin Market at the Lugansk City Center)

Elena and all of us finally able to eat dinner at 10:00 pm!