Tying up loose ends

Step 1 - get passport/visa pictures taken of kids. DONE!

Step 2 - pick up the official court decree on May 31 May 29. Kids will be entered into the passport system. DONE!

Step 3 - pick up passports on June 3 May 31. Travel to Warsaw.

Step 4 - Medical appointments (scheduled for 3 pm on May 31)
Step 5 - Embassy interview (June 3?)

Step 6 - pick up Visas (June 4?)

Step 7 - Fly home! (tickets are for June 7, but if we can go earlier, don't have to pay too much to switch, have a direct flight, and can get seats close together, we might. We'll definitely have to see on that one).

Yesterday, we made our final trip to Family Park, the indoor run-around until-you're-sweating place.  And one final trip to Pizza Mario. And one final trip to McDonalds. I hope. Oh, I hope.

This morning, we walked to the institution for the last time. They needed a copy of some paperwork and we needed to sign some things. Then the woman they call Aunt Monika gave them a scrapbook full of pictures of them and a sweet note. David's special friend was there to say goodbye to him and so were many of the other people. I got tears in my eyes as I hugged Monika. You can tell she (and the rest of the people at the orphanage) love the children. I can't say enough good things about how good the orphanage was. It's very well-run and the kids are taken care of by people who love them. Kids belong in families, but I think it's better than most.

Anyway, as we walked away, the doorway was filled with people waving. The kids are so excited to come to America that I don't think they have really thought about the people they will be leaving. It does make me sad for them, the things they have lost.

We came home and started packing. Have I mentioned we're ready to come home? We've been pretend packing for a couple of days, but we really started in earnest today. Since the institution gave the children so many clothes and toys, we will have to buy more suitcases to get everything home. We're testing to see if we can get away with one or two suitcases.

While we were packing, G was taking care of paperwork. She and the head of the Adoption Center had to beg the people to get the paperwork done at 1 pm today. If they didn't, we wouldn't get the passports until Monday. But the lady kindly relented so we can still leave on Friday.

After the paperwork was properly filed, we took the kids to get passport photos. We'll pick the photos up later today, along with one final trip to our favorite restaurant. Then we will push the kids' bedtime back a little bit so we can have cake at our translator's flat tonight.

Tomorrow is a(nother) holiday. We have no plans other than to finish packing and clean up the apartment. Oh, and do one final load of laundry.

And Friday, we meet with our landlady at 7 am (!). Since Roxy doesn't usually wake up until 6:30, it will be interesting. Obviously, we must be ready to go early. After we meet with the landlady, we will pick up the passports, then head to Warsaw. Hopefully we make it to Warsaw in time to make our 3 pm medical appointments for the kids.