We are finally home. The plane ride was long and exhausting, but it feels so good to be back in Canada. You take so much for granted living in a place that has so much. It felt so good to sleep in our own beds, and sit in our own couches and watch English television.
Sorry it took us so long to write an update. It's been an adjustment for everyone(mostly us). Katrina just fits in like she has always been with us. She is a typical two year old- very busy. We are run off our feet, we don't know what happened to the quiet, timid little girl we met in Ukraine. Anyways, she is wonderful and she is learning new words everyday.
Katrina loves our dog Milo very much. They get along well, with them both chasing eachother around the house(with me following close behind).
Thank you to every one for yor emails, warm wishes, and upon our return special gifts for Katrina, they were all greatly appretiated.
In summary, we are so happy we have our daughter home with us so we can love and cherish her in her forever family.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Latest Update
Hi Folks,
Would love to write to you all individually, but just to many of you. Thank you all for your wonderful messages, they really keep our spirit up. We are on day 5 of our 10 day wait, it feels like 10 years. We can't wait to get home and start our new life with Katrina. These are our latest photo's hope you enjoy them as much as we do taking them. Love Pat, Elisabeth, Paul and Katrina.
Would love to write to you all individually, but just to many of you. Thank you all for your wonderful messages, they really keep our spirit up. We are on day 5 of our 10 day wait, it feels like 10 years. We can't wait to get home and start our new life with Katrina. These are our latest photo's hope you enjoy them as much as we do taking them. Love Pat, Elisabeth, Paul and Katrina.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Update at last!!
Hi Folks,
Yes we are all o.k.!! We are in a little village with not many amenities, but as you see we have found an internet cafe so at least we can update you all with our news. Katrina is just wonderful, and learning lots of things every day. We go to a play room at the orphanage and last week she wouldn't play on any thing, and would cry at any noise or new person. Now we have a job to keep her off the play area. She loves the swing, building bricks, going through a rubber tunnel which last week she screamed at now goes in and out all the time with big smiles. She knows Mummy, Daddy and Grandma, and will take a ball to who ever we tell her to go to. Blows kisses to us when we leave and is pleased to see us twice a day. We have an apartment about 20 minutes walk away and pass two supermarkets, but there is little else around. We have to walk 40 minutes to get to this internet cafe and the temperature is always in the 30's. Apart from seeing Katrina it is very boring. The paper work is never ending, we go to court on Friday, and all being well 10 days later she will be ours. Then we have to get her birth certificate changed from Valintyna Sergeigevna Kalynina to Katrina Elisabeth Andrews. Then we face the 12 hour train trip back to Kiev. Then it's getting her Visa from the Canadian Consulate...... then we can come home. It is very hard to ask questions withthe lanquage problems, as it is mostly Russian and some Ukrainian and no ones speaks English here. A couple from Germany are adopting a little girl and we share the play room with them and they speak very good English and told us about this place which has been a big help. Hope to send some photo's soon, Pat Paul, Elisabeth and Katrina.
Yes we are all o.k.!! We are in a little village with not many amenities, but as you see we have found an internet cafe so at least we can update you all with our news. Katrina is just wonderful, and learning lots of things every day. We go to a play room at the orphanage and last week she wouldn't play on any thing, and would cry at any noise or new person. Now we have a job to keep her off the play area. She loves the swing, building bricks, going through a rubber tunnel which last week she screamed at now goes in and out all the time with big smiles. She knows Mummy, Daddy and Grandma, and will take a ball to who ever we tell her to go to. Blows kisses to us when we leave and is pleased to see us twice a day. We have an apartment about 20 minutes walk away and pass two supermarkets, but there is little else around. We have to walk 40 minutes to get to this internet cafe and the temperature is always in the 30's. Apart from seeing Katrina it is very boring. The paper work is never ending, we go to court on Friday, and all being well 10 days later she will be ours. Then we have to get her birth certificate changed from Valintyna Sergeigevna Kalynina to Katrina Elisabeth Andrews. Then we face the 12 hour train trip back to Kiev. Then it's getting her Visa from the Canadian Consulate...... then we can come home. It is very hard to ask questions withthe lanquage problems, as it is mostly Russian and some Ukrainian and no ones speaks English here. A couple from Germany are adopting a little girl and we share the play room with them and they speak very good English and told us about this place which has been a big help. Hope to send some photo's soon, Pat Paul, Elisabeth and Katrina.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Saturday June 23-07
A quick update from Elisabeth, Paul and Pat, relayed by Ken
"We are in Kramatorsk near Donetsk eastern Ukraine and are
involved with some really wonderful people who are helping
us to adopt a gorgeous little girl "Katrina" 2 1/2 yrs, Blond hair,
Blue eyes and a cute little turned up nose.
We are staying in a lovely apartment which is only 20 Min's walk
from the orphanage and have been allowed 2 visits a day which
gives us a super long time with Katrina.
As soon as we can obtain an Internet link we will update the blog
with some wonderful pictures
Thank you for your continued good wishes, thoughts and prayers.
Pat, Paul and Elisabeth "
"We are in Kramatorsk near Donetsk eastern Ukraine and are
involved with some really wonderful people who are helping
us to adopt a gorgeous little girl "Katrina" 2 1/2 yrs, Blond hair,
Blue eyes and a cute little turned up nose.
We are staying in a lovely apartment which is only 20 Min's walk
from the orphanage and have been allowed 2 visits a day which
gives us a super long time with Katrina.
As soon as we can obtain an Internet link we will update the blog
with some wonderful pictures
Thank you for your continued good wishes, thoughts and prayers.
Pat, Paul and Elisabeth "
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Still looking at the sites, we walked 15km to St. Sophia's and paid to go in and walk around the grounds. St. Sophia's is 1500 years old, and is a world heritage site. Old but in beautiful condition! On the way out we found a great gift shop, not full of junk like most of the tourist traps (in Victoria, and Kiev). We then walked on to Independent Square to have a McDonalds!! Yes we know what you are thinking, but it is safe and familiar and we were surprised at how much we all enjoyed it!!!!! Next we walked up to St.Andrews and were not allowed in as we were not wearing head scarves. We looked at some art work on sale on the sidewalks but didn't see anything that we liked. It was a long walk home but we stopped for ice lollies at the Great Golden Gate which is also 1500 years old. The next day we took a drive (recommended by Lesya) to the other side of the city. It was an interesting ride as we went across the Metro Bridge crossing the river Dnipro. We went to a shopping mall which advertised that Marks and Spencer's was there. Very disappointing didn't see anything worth buying. Nice journey seeing the other side of the city, too far to walk, so it was nice having a car ride for a change. Hoping for news any day now.
Sunday, June 10, 2007
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