Back for our 2nd day with Nikki June 25th 2004

Up again today and back to the Detsky Dom! We were going to return with presents bought the night before. The ride was still as long and hard, but we were as excited as the day before. We really liked both Alex's, and Michael, and it was fun talking to them about our experiences. They had listened to us talk about Fatima on the way home last night, and now - they were offering up advice on her and telling us things about her. Then they would hurry and go back to talking in Russian almost as if they didn't want us to understand. They did however, understand that we were interested in her.

Nikki came running out of no-where, grabbing me. "My Mamma"! She exclaimed, much to my delight! She was stilll in the same clothes that I had put on her the previous day. She must have really liked them, or had been afraid to take them off, for fear they would be taken away. She smelled a bit ripe in them, but she still looked adorable, and I was so so happy to see her. We sat and played and talked with her for a bit and then Alex motioned us into the Directors room.

Alex (the translator and coordinator) had us sit down. His wife Luba was in the room also. Alex suddenly reached over into Luba's purse and pulled out two vials or bottles. You could tell it was for bloodwork. The director started to talk fast, and Alex and Luba interpreted that Fatima was sick, and that they needed to re-test her. We were dumbfounded.

Let me back up a bit. The night before we left for Russia, our Bishop came over and gave us both a blessing. In Vinny's blessing, he was told that he would have to make a very hard and serious decision regarding a third child over in Russia. I don't remember the exact wording of the blessing, I did not write it down. But it was something to that extent. Now, suddenly, after talking to these new people we had met traveling on the way home from an orpanage, they had literally taken it to heart - (as we may have thought we had) and came prepared!!

They then left the room, and we asked the director a lot of questions about Nikki and Fatima. I will call Fatima Aliana from now on. The story of how all the names changed will follow later. So, we sat and chatted via translation with Michael about Nikki and Aliana. We searched for answers. We were told the girls differences.. and their likes. We were told they were very good friends.

Later, when we had a chance, we pulled Nikki asie, and asked her if she wanted to come home with us and be our duaghter. We told her about her american name - Nikki - she was absolutely FINE with it. We told her if she wanted to keep her Russian name she could. She emphatically said NYET!!. So, with that, our daughter, Olivia Nicole was born (aka Nikki). She seemeed so happy - like she was crawling out of old skin - and getting rid of something she didn't want to be in. It started happening in front of our eyes! It was amazing. Suddenly - during our "talk" - the door burst open, and another girl ran in and excitedly told our interpreter Luba something. Then she left. Luba was laughing, telling us that the young lady had told her that the rest of the orphanage girls had given their "permission" for Aliana to come to America too! HAHAHAHAH! We were stunned! It seemed the walls had ears. =)
Back to Nikki - she answered Dah to all our questions, YES, YES, she wanted to come home with us. She was in much need of a loving home enviroment (aren't they all?) .

We were once again treated to lunch - it was the same simple feast as the day before. The jolly head cook, laughed and hugged me. She then shyly asked us to buy her a bread slicer, and when she heard that we would, I got another kiss right dab on the smacker! Quite a sight!

I'm ending this post now - because the story that follow's is so special - it has to have a post all of it's own.

Until next time.........