Not So Dark

Friday was full of the unexpected. Our driver arrived at 7:00 a.m., almost​​ an hour early. The 2-3 hour drive to the camp to meet Igor took over five hours between a flat tire, semi-cautiously driving around on a mostly flat spare until we found air, and difficulty finding the camp. At some point our facilitator called and told us we weren't going to be staying in Novomirgorod where the orphanage is located, but in Kirovograd city, the region's administrative center (also known as Kirovograd region, or oblast). We're really in the center of Ukraine (Click on the picture to see our route and where we are.).

When we arrived at the camp Igor greeted both of us with a big smile and a hug. A woman told us the camp director wasn't there and no one knew about Igor going with us. There seemed to be much confusion with this woman, but at least some of the children knew we were coming as a little boy independently asked me in Russian, "Are you Igor's Mama?" We immediately called our facilitator and she told us this was all crazy. Yes, the camp director wasn't there, but she had just gotten off the phone with her, confirming everything. While talking to her Igor jumped in the van, clearly ready to go, and when I mentioned this to the facilitator she excitedly started saying, "GO! JUST LEAVE! GET OUT OF THERE! GO NOW!..." She knew we had permission and we had our referral in hand. Besides, we had to rush to Igor's town to meet with a local social worker and then to the orphanage to meet the orphanage director. Moments after leaving the camp Dave points out a stork flying nearby. I had to laugh at the symbolism of seeing a stork when we just picked up our big boy! The drive was supposed to take four hours, but I'm quite certain we did it in three hours or less as our driver went flying down the rough roads at 60-70 miles per hour. Dave was sitting in the front seat and I don't think he let go of the handle bar the entire trip. In fact, I could tell when the driver was about to make a sudden slow down to (sometimes partially) avoid a pot hole from Dave's left hand raising to press against the roof! We're both surprised he didn't lose his transmission with the way he drove.

Our meetings in Novomirgorod were short. The social worker needed to hear Igor say that he wanted us to be his parents. I saw her give a contemplative smile as she looked at Igor and us and then said, "Sometimes it happens by God that a child and a family look like they are biological."

Kirovograd was another 45 minute drive, but it was all worth it. We had thought we'd be staying separately from Igor, but it turns out the orphanage director felt it was better for us NOT to stay in Novomirgorod since the people in the village knew the kids had gone to camp and no adults were staying over at the orphanage. Also, Sunday is Ukraine's Constitution Day (Monday, observed) so we won't be able to complete paperwork for this stage of the process until Tuesday.