Miss Cami plays a costly trick

After lunch - Cami went back to the orphanage for her nap. We were notified that the director had relented, and she would be able to spend some time with us that evening. We were overjoyed!

The two missionaries that we had met showed up later that evening when we had all three girls. It was really fun. We had them give the first discussion, and then watch in amazement as the girls asked questions. THey had never heard of Christ or Heavenly Father or the Holy Ghost. It was really a special time for us. Also - we had written down some house rules, and the missionaries translated those for us while the girls played with their barbies. They would answer the questions and seemed to really understand what was expected of them. We were VERY happy just being with them.

After the missionaries left, Aliana's Aunt, Uncle and sister came for a bit. It was nice visiting them, and they were so nice, making sure we had addresses and small gifts. They were very thoughtful. We spent about an hour visiting with them, and the girls just played and jabbered in Russian. It was beautiful. Too soon, however, our extra translator and chaufffer came to pick up Cami to take her back to her orphanage. We let her go with hugs and kisses and promises that on the morrow she would be back with us, and be in our arms and have lots of fun. She did not want to go, but obediently did as she was told.

The next morning, we got the girls ready for a fun day. We were so happy to be with them. We couldn't wait to be with little Cami again, and had to wait at the hotel for our translators to come and get us.

They showed up and knocked on the door. Luba was her name, and she was different this time. She was very curt. She told us we could not have Cami that day. "What"???? we cried?? She then informed us that Cami had been hurt in our presence the night before, she had hurt her ankle bad and had had to go to the hospital. We were stunned. Cami had not been hurt. We frantically went over in our minds what would have hurt her. Nothing. We were stumped. We tried to explain to Luba that Cami was fine with us, but we were ignored, and we were told that the orphanage wanted to talk to us about the "incident". GLADLY. There had been no "incident".

A few hours later, we were at Cami's orphanage in the directors office. We explained through translators that Cami was just fine the night before, and she was not hurt in anyway. She looked down her nose at us, and told us that Cami had come home hurt, (a HUGE allegation - one that could cause us to lose all the children) and complained of us hurting her ankle.

I don't know why - but I suddenly insisted on seeing Cami. I wanted to see for myself this "injury'. I kept insisting until they finally frankly got sick of me? I don't know. But finally we were allowed out back where the children were playing outside.

Cami indeed had her ankle wrapped with some gauze. Big deal. It kept falling off. She RAN to us when she saw us. She said "Mama", and took me by the hand, and started doing tricks for me on the monkey bars. HMMMM. If a child had an injury, how could she run and jump so well?? We sat there for over an hour and watched the girls play with Cami. She certainly was just fine.

The director was red in the face as she called the translator back, and we got told the news that we could take her for the rest of the day!!! HAHAHAHHA! We were so so happy! The first thing we did, was find out what had happened. Cami, anxiously explained that she didn't want to leave us, so she made up a story of getting hurt, hoping she would be able to stay WITH us, and much to her chagrin, it had worked against her. Poor thing. But now we had all the girls together again - and we we were walking down the road - admiring things, and suddenly, the girls spied DRIED FISH.

Wait for THAT story. It's next!

Playing with the girls - and meeting Oskana

It was morning. The girls had slept well that night. Vinny and I looked at each other and smiled. The girls were so excited at the hotel, they had been into everything. They had giggled and fussed over the simplest of things. We let them play and play until they were spent, which didn't take long. They were pretty spent.

Soon, our phone call came, that we could spend the day with Cami. This was going to be the first time that we would have all of us together. Grandma, us, and the girls. How exciting!!

We had to wait in the hotel room. After breakfast (which we had made sure we had bought at a grocery store the night before), the waiting game began. We didn't have to wait long. Pretty soon we got a knock on the door, and we were led down the hall to go to the Van.

We showed the girls Stavropol. We knew it somewhat at this point. When we got to the Detsky Dom, the girls were allowed in with us. Yeah! We went in to claim our littlest one.

This orphanage was very strict and not so kind. We were only allowed to take Cami for a few hours and not ever for overnight. Not until we had the court date, that was. We were disappointed, but at least she lived close by, so we felt better about that. Apparently, as you will see in a bit, Miss Cami did not! I will explain in a while.

We took the girls back the "zoo". There were also carnival rides and bungee rides. We also saw the missionaries again, and made arrangements for the girls to be taught the first discussion at the hotel that night!! How cool was that??? We were SO excied! The girls rode in cars, looked at animals, and walked around. They had a blast. We took them to a restaurant similar to McDonalds to eat lunch. Their stamina was high, they wanted to play and be everywhere! Aliana was really really good to help us translate to people. She helped us get our correct money back and it was amazing. It was if she had the gift of tongues, and knew what was being said, even though she didn't have clue. It was amazing.

Cami started getting tired around one pm. This was right after we ate. Just before we took her back to the Destky Dom for a nap,, we got a startling phone call. You see, in Russia, if a member of a family does not approve of an adoption, they can stop it. Well, we were notified at lunch, that Aliana's immediate Aunt and Uncle who had adopted her youngest sister, Oksana, were there in Stavropol and wanted to meet us right then. Would we wait?????

Our hears stopped. We didn't know the cause for the visit. Was it to wish Aliana well? Was it to talk her out of going with us? We just didn't know!! We said a quick prayer, and Vinny said "Yes, let them come'. We waited with nervous trepidition.

They showed up ten minutes later, the Aunt a round jovial woman, and the uncle, shy, but thoughtful. Oksana and Aliana ran to each other, each crying hard. It was a hard moment. We were overjoyed, when we learned that they approved of us, and told us that Aliana had not wanted to be adopted by them when she was younger, and in fact had been sent back to the orphanage because of it. (She was waiting for us!!). They asked if they could see us later, we said yes, and gave them our address. They were and are wonderful people. They finally left, but they kept telling the translator that Aliana looked like me. That made me happy. =). It was time to take the wee one back for her nap.

Time for Aliana and Nikki to say goodbye forever to their Detsky Dom

The time had come. We were finally herded together, and suddenly, out of the blue, we realized that Aliana's two older sister's, Luba and Angela had been notified of the adoption, and had been sent to the orphanage to say their goodbyes. I don't remember which one, but one was NOT happy at all - (I don't blame her) and she cried and cried and cried. (They both cried). I tried to translate that we would be good to her, and give her a good home... it was obvious that Aliana wanted to be with us, and loved us, but she was so torn with her sister's there. With Nikki, it was somewhat different. Svet wasn't anywhere to be seen, and Natasha watched nervously until the end, and so just before we left, I hugged her and NIkki together, and pulled my watch off and gave it to her. She was crying then, and it was breaking my heart. Just before we got in the van to leave, another surprise!! We found out that both times we had been there, Aliana had a brother there named Hassan. He was thirteen!!! So, I marched him over and had him hug his sister goodbye also. Parting was such bitter sorrow for Aliana. Now, for NIkki - she just hopped in the van. She wanted OUT. She was so ready to go. It was like, "C'mon you guy's, lets GO!".

We finally got Aliana away from her sisters and got a group shot with the orphanage. Then we got in the van and we left. It was late, and Aliana sang to us all the way back. I think I wrote that already in another posting. She cried a little, but held on for dear life. We all felt relief. We did get pulled over by the Russian police at one point for quite a while, we were nervous, it was dark, and so we prayed. We were basically in the middle of nowhere. Finally, they left. We were at an old gas station, so we allowed the girls to run in for some drinks and treats. How they enjoyed that!

We got back to the hotel very late, and everyone was very tired. The girls would not be ours for about five - seven more days in Russian court, but the orphanage had been VERY kind, and had let the girls go at the point, so we wouldn't have to keep traveling the three hour ride every day back to see the girls while we were there. So technically, at that point, we were parents!! It felt so good! Tomorrow, we had an appointment to go see Cami. We were so tired, but before we went to bed, we showed the girls how we prayed. We saw smiles and giggles, they didn't know what to do, but the Spirit was strong, and they were very obedient. How lucky we were.

More to follow.....