Halleujah!!!!! Dima called today about 1pm to say my clearance was back and we will have court on Thursday!!!! I can’t believe it – it was such a relief to hear those words I felt the tears coming on!! I had so prepared myself to hear the opposite this week and to still be waiting. I haven’t felt that kind of relief in a very long time!
So after all that good news that day just got better. We were invited the home of a family here for dinner. We met this couple thru a young lady, Ina, that was adopted and is back here visiting for a while. We ran into her by accident – no knowing she was here. KT had known her as a child thru the hosting program – it’s truly a very small world! The family that Ina is visiting happens to be a couple that knows Ira as well. The lady – Valentina – used to work at the orphanage and her husband, Igor still does work there. So Igor and Ina picked us up about 6:15 pm and drove us about 5 minutes to their home. It was very nice – small and modest by US standards but quite lovely and very warm and inviting. Ina, having been adopted a few years ago, is very good with her English so she was the translator for the night although it was surprising how much we all could communicate at times.
Valentina had prepared a glorious meal for us and it was so very delicious!! We had true homemade Ukrainian borscht, bread, sausages and cheese, cucumber and tomato platters, stuffed cabbage, roasted chicken, pelmenies (sp) (homemade tortellini but topped w/ sour cream – delicious!). There was a wonderful kiev tort for dessert with some of the best tea I have ever had in my life! We were in heaven – the food was just wonderful and we had not had a good meal in so very long. I don’t think I’ve had a truly hot, decent meal in over 2 weeks – since I left Kiev. Valentina and Igor’s son, Sergey, and his wife and 4 yr old little boy came as well. So it was a true Ukrainian family dinner. We felt so included and welcome. They had many many questions for us about the US. They wish to visit America one day but it is very expensive for them. Valentina kept piling the food on our plates – we were in pain by the time we left. We didn’t leave until about 11:30 although we tried many times as we felt like we were imposing. But they just sit at the table and talk and keep on eating into the night. Sergey and his wife drove us home and we came in just reeling for a wonderful night with amazing culture exchange. They were all just so warm and hospitable with so much laughter and so willing share absolutely everything they had to offer. It was truly a special night – one we will never forget and a real “hidden gem” in this whole trip!
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