Saved by Odessa

Hands down today was the most enjoyable, relaxing day since arriving in Ukraine over three weeks ago. We are still in the lovely (yes, I am still in Ukraine & I said "lovely"!) coastal city of Odessa & it is spring, glorious spring! This place is literally coming to life before our eyes! The petunias are being hung out under the sidewalk umbrellas & the potted geraniums are out. There are fresh coats of paint going on planters all over the city. It is soooo refreshing!!

We leisurely walked the city today & enjoyed lunch at what is my new favorite place, an outdoor cafe on the cobblestoned, main street that is closed to cars.

And then we people-watched in the City Gardens. I am terribly regretful that I missed, twice (!), a photo opp of the most electric yellow platform shoes I have ever seen. I am sooo sorry you will never see those shoes. My bad for not snapping out of my gawking state in time to whip out the camera! I'm gonna go out on a limb & say they were "over the top" even by Ukrainian standards.

We really hate to leave here but tomorrow we are returning to Mariupol (via an 18-hour - CAN YOU SAY UGHHHH?? - train ride) to visit daily with Henry until his waiting period is up and his new passport has been issued (I think the plan is to return to Odessa - YEA! - on the 9th via an 18-hour train - Boo). It's not that we don't want to visit with him! It's just that Mariupol is so drab (maybe it will be better this time - I can only hope!), we only get to visit with Henry a few hours a day, and we will be there for ELEVEN days. That is the longest we will have stayed anywhere during this whirlwind trip! But it is much-needed bonding time with Henry & that part we are looking forward to! I miss our lil' guy & his red soccer ball seems lonely here in the corner of the apartment with no one to play with it. I know he will be glad to see his soccer ball :)!

We are looking forward to returning to Odessa (of course, by then I might only have my sights set on HOME!). Not only will it be even more spectacular weather but we will spend our first few days as a family here!

Now I am not one to own up to all the reasons my plan wasn't the best, but when this whole thing (adopting Nastia) started, it was my plan to come to Ukraine in February (which is when we thought Nastia would be avialable for international adoption). Then Henry came into the picture & February turned to March (even though February was never a possibility - but we didn't know that). Then the SDA closed for two months for the holidays & March turned into April. I am here to tell you, had I come to this country any earlier in the season (ie. when it was colder) for the length of time I'm having to be here, Ida gone stark raving mad. Plain & simple. And Ida taken my sweet & innocent husband right along with me. Yep, God's plan, once again, was much better........

Odessa, you have "saved" us from ourselves. You have been the breath of fresh air that we desperately needed. We will be back! And we will be smart enough next time to enjoy either an opera or a ballet (maybe both!) at your spectacular opera house!!

Until Mariupol.......