1st Visit - first contact
Tatyana our facilitator in region
Proud papa with his little girl - social worker/official in background
Visit 2 - Our little snowball
Visit 2 inside - The stacking cup master
Mother and daughter investigate toy camera
Visit 3 in the "turtle room"
Dad gets a kiss
Practicing walking
We knew that camera would be good for something
Look Dad - I have buttons
One giggly girl
Visit 4 in a nurses office
Crawling...
Standing on her own...
A priceless mother and daughter moment
Visit 5 in the nurse's office
Flying babies are fun
Visit 6 - Meal time!
Aren't those little red Mary Jane's adorable. Maybe if she clicks them together we can all go home
Visit 7 - Oh what a beautiful morning!
Patty calls this the "Tiny Julia" pose, in honor of Tiny Tim from the Christmas Carol
Visit 9 - Love those stacking cups
Can I have a drink?
After a drink of juice from a real cup
Here's her "exploring" face
12th visit - New toys!
Nested, stacking balls are even better then stacking cups!
Juice time! My favorite part of the visit
She climbed up on that chair herself and is quite proud
Some attempts at a partial "family portrait"
Miss Squiggle Bottom didn't want to sit still for that
She's still real cute
Julia Mary after the big day in court!
Check out the little legs - too cute!
Saying goodbye at the end of Trip 1
Remains of the ride-on toy Julia was photographed on in her Reece's Rainbow picture - taken on our 7th visit to the orphanage
Very first picture we ever saw of Jenny
Welcome at Airport
Customs Line
First views of the country
Driver described as the local "twin towers"
First church we saw - down the street from our apartment as it turns out
First view of the apartment entrance - not promising
Most porches are enclosed for the winters here
View of the building from the main street
They are not big on electrical safety
Here we are!
4th floor - no elevators here!
Porch windows
Park across the street - hope to bring somebody there soon!
The water heater - very important - worked quite well
Classic European bathroom heating and towel warmer
The tiny little clothes washer
This office building provided a constant neon glow to our bedroom window
Same church as before, viewed from our porch
"Times Square" or Broadway at least of the capital here
St. Andrew's Church
The adoption authority in the capital
Church next door to the adoption authority
Dinner with two other adoptive families at beginning of Trip 1
Dinner with another family at the end of Trip 1
Central train stration
Train to the local region
Inside the train
Bedding on the train
How about those curtains - do you know whose national colors those are?
Outside court room after decision
Our driver Valentin with Patty
Valentin's sporty BMW
Our 2nd apartment building
Door to the apartment building in city 2
Living room in region
Bedroom in region
View out our back porch - everyone else's back porch
Park views from our window
New office building connected to our apartment
Church from our 2nd porch
Same church close up - under reconstruction
First snow from our apartment porch
Town square and monument in front of our apartment building
View down main street from near our apartment
Important local building - lights up like Empire State Building at night
Soviet era commuter trains
River park/walk near our apartment
Sports stadium
Graffiti seems to be a big thing here
Assumption Cathedral (an Organ Recital hall now)
Cathedral and monastery by "Constitution Square"
Paintings for sale between the monastery and fountain park
Every Saturday new brides get their pictures taken in the park
...Even when it is snowing and really cold!
Smoking and spitting seem to be acceptable activities for the brides during their park photo shoots
Largest cathedral in 2nd city
The friendly local supermarket, where we had many comical shopping adventures
Patty freezing - enough with pictures of the grocery store!
Constitution Square
Having the war tribute and monastery next door to each other presents an interesting contrast
Just an interesting building by our church
Local Catholic Church
Opera House
Arch in park by the Opera
Soup House - one of our favorite places to eat
Nothing like ending the evening at "Coffee Life" the local Starbucks
Freedom Square
Church we passed on the way to the orphanage each day
City we are staying in from the road
Local power plant
First views of orphanage town
Middle of the road house in town
New commuter home
More of the town
Local grocery stop
Local school
First views of orphanage grounds from road
Orphanage main building
Patty and Driver approach building
Main entrance
Playground
Donkey in orchard - used for "animal therapy"
Icons in the nurses office
Some toys and cups for our little girl
