The Paperwork Has Been Delivered

     All of our paperwork has hit the ground in the Ukraine and has been delivered for translation thanks to another family adopting from the same orphanage.  Everything is out of our hands for awhile now, and the waiting game begins.  The estimated date for us to travel to go get Masha will more than likely be the end of October or first of November.  This is only an estimate and completely contingent on our paperwork being approved.   It is just good to know we are done running all over the state getting notaries and notaries for notaries. 
     Masha did receive her cell phone from us, and the girls have talked to her just about everyday since.   I have even gotten to talk to her several times now.   Unfortunately my Russian is severely lacking so if my conversations make it past 30 seconds I would be surprised.  It is good to hear her voice though, and she does always respond to me in English.
     Now for our biggest concerns as we move forward.  Number one on our list is our girls when we travel.  Liz's sister Allyson has offered to come stay at our house while we are gone, but that does not make it easy to leave them.   Carley(7) did not do to well the last time we left for just a week, and she is already worried about this trip.  We have discussed taking them with us, but we both believe they are too young to go on this trip.  It will be heart breaking to leave without them.   I plan to come back as soon as I can, but it looks as if that could take 2-3 weeks before I could return.    This will weigh the heaviest on our hearts while we are gone.    Right now we just have to pray that support from our friends and family will be enough to keep our girls comforted while we are gone.  Second on the list really just involves myself.  I usually have to schedule vacation 4-6 months in advance do to my profession.   Being that the dates are unknown it will be last minute.   I am very thankful to have a great group of partners that have been very understanding of the situation.  It will still be very hard to cover that much call if it lasts over two weeks.  Hopefully the right thing to do will present itself to us before we actually get a travel date that will help to put our mind at ease.
     Please keep our family in your thoughts as we move forward to bring Masha home.