Well folk's the MADNESSis over, as of 5:00pm Simferopol time(10:00 am est) no one contested our adoption and we are headed to Eupitoria to get our new birth certificate.......WOW WOW and....WOW... I dont really know what to say. I talked to Oksanna at 4:57 and she had just talked to the judges clerk and all was good and I told Madison to make sure she told all her friends that tonight would be her last night there and she had the biggest and most beautiful smile I have ever seen on her face. Tonya was sitting next to her and they gave each other a big hug. We will be having a PARTY at 5:30 Wensday at Gargarina and then we wil get all her things and off to the apartment. We will apply for a passport and a visa and then we head home. This has been the longest journey Donna and I have ever experienced outside of the normal thing family's do (wedding, pregnancy and anniversaries) in 10 years when Donna and I look back and this time it will seem like 10 minute in comparison to all the memories we will have and the changes that will take place from now till then, but we will never forget the children we met and the lives that have changed. I wish I knew the words that would describe the experince we have had, to spend time with these kid everyday and talk and play,andto see their everyday life, I pray they all end up with a family that will love them, but I know a lot of them wont. Well I have to cut it short I'm back on the road again to Upitoria and lots to do, this time will be more enjoyable than before, I will have more later and I will have some help writing this tommorow night, I can't wait.
Love Jeff, Madison & Tonya
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Monday August 24
Today was an ordinary day, walked to Gargarina and got the girls and called a cab because Madison did not want to walk so I gave in and got us a ride. We went to the apartment and droped off the back pack and went to the market and gathered things for lunch and dinner.
We came back and made lunch and the girls ate and went to watch tv while I cleaned up the kitchen. After watching tv for an hour I told them it was time to shower and study English, well the shower was no problem but English is starting to be a little bit of a challenge. Madison is very persnickity (I love that word) about being clean, she never get dirty. Her feet do sometimes but she will stop and wash them, so a shower is no problem. Tonya gives me no problem about the shower either. I finally sat them down to study English and they sat and giggled at each other for a minute or two and for part of the English lesson we called Donna and they talked to her so that works and they dont even realize it. They went back to giggling and watching tv. We ate dinner and got an early start on our walk back to Gargarina and took our time getting there. The girls had ice cream and listened to music on my I-phone on the way. If you would have asked me six months ago if I thought I would ever have little chick music on my I-pod I would have laughed at you. I guess I'm a push over. My boy's are gonna have my butt when I get home! I can hear it now, you were so tough on us and look at you with these girls. That's OK I was raising men not young women so they can handle it, or they better get used to it. Well that's about it for today, twenty four hours from now we will be in the clear, pray the prosecutors don't do anything crazy and 6:00 pm Tuesday comes and goes uneventfully for us and we will be home soon.
Love
Jeff, Madison & Tonya
We came back and made lunch and the girls ate and went to watch tv while I cleaned up the kitchen. After watching tv for an hour I told them it was time to shower and study English, well the shower was no problem but English is starting to be a little bit of a challenge. Madison is very persnickity (I love that word) about being clean, she never get dirty. Her feet do sometimes but she will stop and wash them, so a shower is no problem. Tonya gives me no problem about the shower either. I finally sat them down to study English and they sat and giggled at each other for a minute or two and for part of the English lesson we called Donna and they talked to her so that works and they dont even realize it. They went back to giggling and watching tv. We ate dinner and got an early start on our walk back to Gargarina and took our time getting there. The girls had ice cream and listened to music on my I-phone on the way. If you would have asked me six months ago if I thought I would ever have little chick music on my I-pod I would have laughed at you. I guess I'm a push over. My boy's are gonna have my butt when I get home! I can hear it now, you were so tough on us and look at you with these girls. That's OK I was raising men not young women so they can handle it, or they better get used to it. Well that's about it for today, twenty four hours from now we will be in the clear, pray the prosecutors don't do anything crazy and 6:00 pm Tuesday comes and goes uneventfully for us and we will be home soon.
Love
Jeff, Madison & Tonya
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Idependence Day in Ukraine Aug 23
Well it,s been another WILD weekend in Simpferopol!....HA HA Went to Gargarina this morning at 9:45 marched upstairs and asked the care takers for the girls and said I,d like to bring them back at 6:00 and they looked at each other and said DAH(yes) and looked at me and said DAH(yes). I thought to my self that was to easy I should of said 8:00. Well we headed out for the market, we got invited to a cookout and we needed some things to take. We had a good day, played outside, Tonya helped me with some of the cooking and prep of the food. The girls had a blast, they played all day and should sleep good tonight. Three days from this hour I will be leaving Gargarina with Miss Madison in tow after her going away party with her friends and that will be the last time she ever spends a night or another day there. They have been good to her and I apreciate that, but I just wish there was no need for such a place. I am counting the hours and minutes, the only down side is the limited time we will see Tonya. If all goes well we should be leaving Simpferopol by next Tuesday or Wensday a week the 2nd or 3rd and headed for Kiev and getting our visa to go home. That about does it for today.
Love
Jeff & Madison
Love
Jeff & Madison
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Saturday August 22
Walked into Gargarina today at 10:00 am located the girls and walk into the assistant directors office asked if I could have them all day and she said no problem. There is no ryme or reason on how they do things, it is day to day on what they might say. Yesterday I was told one hour a day of visitation and only with a translator present and at 3:00 pm we walked out of there with 3 hours to go to the park with their permission and on our own. It's real easy to get frustrated sometimes but you have to remember when you come here, you play by their rules and they can change them when they want. What they do not realize is their day's to play are getting very limited. Tuesday of next week is just around the corner. Well we stoped to get something to eat and went to the apartment and they watched tv and I started cleaning. I have not been here much since Donna went home I spend my time at Gargarina or walking around sight seeing. It was getting a little rough and I was mopping the floor and Tonya comes in and try's to take my mop and I say neit(no) and she get,s real demanding about the mop. So I sit down and start typing on the translator and ask her about cleaning and cooking. Cleaning is not her favorite but does not mind it, cooking is some thing she really like to do, so I told her she could help me cook lunch tomorow and she liked that. They are getting ready for a big election in the Ukraine and the politicians are running around Simpferopol today campaigning and it nothing like at home. We walked by the Parliment Building on the way home and they were holding a rally, then they get in 20 cars or so with huge flags and play loud music and cause traffic jams everywhere. I'm on the nineth floor and can see a large intersection out the window and they have gone through it at least four times. People blowing horn in approval and others screaming the unthinkable. Sunday is Independence Day in Ukraine a big three day weekend, the holiday is observed on Monday, all it means to me is one more day with no Independence and 11 day wait instead of 10. I sit here and type and then look at it and say to myself, man thats not nice and remove it and turn around and do it again two minutes later. I think some of being here with nothing to do or not being constructive everyday and doing the same thing is starting to get to me. I,m really missing my kids and Allison, Diane, my dogs and my life in general. I cant wait to get home and see how big Allison is, and by the way the newest addition to the Dziedzic family after Madison of course will be a BOY, Mr.Elisha Nash Dziedzic. Oh and I,m missing Donna to!HAHA..... Madison and Tonya had a huge pillow fight today and when they got done thier hair was sticking up every where, no sheets blankets or pillows were left on the bed, they had a blast. I have three son,s and not having any girls these two play pretty rough and dirty, hair pulling, slapping and so on it was wild but all fun. Well its 11:05 here and 4:05 at home three and half hours before the drop of the green flag at the Bristol night race I sure hope my wife or friends read this and DVR it for me. HINT HINT
Love
Jeff & Madison
Love
Jeff & Madison
Friday, August 21, 2009
Friday August 21 Another great Day w/ Madison
Hey everyone
I walked by the river today, nothing out of the ordinay to report there. I arrived at Gargarina at 9:00 and there were kids every where, I seen 7-8 boys 3 blocks before I got there and of course they recognized me and started waving, and all the locals at the bus stop look at you like you have two heads it's funny to watch there reactions. For some crazy reason they would not let me take Madison until 3:00 today so I said ok and I will just hang out and play with the kids. I wish I could still hang with the kids I'm sore as can be. They had rope for jump rope and a couple blow up beach balls and the jump ropes wooped my backside BIGTIME. It has been years since I used one. I have been taking a girl named Tonya when I get Madison to go with us, and her and Madison get along great, Tonya's English is either a little better than her's or she is not as shy using it as Madison.
We have had a lot of fun and it make's it a little easyier for Madison to express herself because Tonya does'nt feel akward using English and she's more willing to try. I recieved a e-mail from a couple we now that are working on an adoption here and I told them if they wanted I would be honored to convey any thing they wanted and they composed a beautiful letter to her and I took it today and read it to her and the translator and to be able to read each line and listen and see the response was one of the most incredible things to see. This girl has a beatiful smile and to see her light up at each high point and know she is truely happy and the look of relief of knowing someone will be there and love her and care for her is amazing to see. I can't wait till the day I see her walk off the plane when she gets home to Kentucky. I finally got Madison and Tonya and we headded for the park and they rode a couple rides and we got a paddle boat that hold 5-6 people and paddled our backsides off for an hour. We took a bunch of pictures and sat in the shade and talked some. I told them tommorow was English day and of course they looked at each other and laughed. I have made it a point to learn one or two Russian words every couple days, so I can point out that if I can learn and put up the effort they can and it is working but I'll be the first to say Russian is not easy. Tonya has two younger sisters who are being adopted next month, but they can only take two and they want younger children so Tonya is giving her consent because she knows that is best for them. I wish I could bring her and about 10 others home with me. Well I don't know what the holiday is but Monday is one here so it's a three day weekend and the down side to that is it adds one more day to my waiting period. We did go by the courthouse and proof read the document that will go to the town Madison was born in to get her new birth certificate. I will probably have to change the name of this blog to the Madison (Nina) Tonya blog soon she is with us so much anymore and you will hear a lot more about her. I have a list of people who have reqested I send them pictures and that I dont post on here, if anyone wants to be on the list send me a e-mail and I will add you to the list.
jeffdziedzic@yahoo.com
Love
Jeff, Madison and Tonya
I walked by the river today, nothing out of the ordinay to report there. I arrived at Gargarina at 9:00 and there were kids every where, I seen 7-8 boys 3 blocks before I got there and of course they recognized me and started waving, and all the locals at the bus stop look at you like you have two heads it's funny to watch there reactions. For some crazy reason they would not let me take Madison until 3:00 today so I said ok and I will just hang out and play with the kids. I wish I could still hang with the kids I'm sore as can be. They had rope for jump rope and a couple blow up beach balls and the jump ropes wooped my backside BIGTIME. It has been years since I used one. I have been taking a girl named Tonya when I get Madison to go with us, and her and Madison get along great, Tonya's English is either a little better than her's or she is not as shy using it as Madison.
We have had a lot of fun and it make's it a little easyier for Madison to express herself because Tonya does'nt feel akward using English and she's more willing to try. I recieved a e-mail from a couple we now that are working on an adoption here and I told them if they wanted I would be honored to convey any thing they wanted and they composed a beautiful letter to her and I took it today and read it to her and the translator and to be able to read each line and listen and see the response was one of the most incredible things to see. This girl has a beatiful smile and to see her light up at each high point and know she is truely happy and the look of relief of knowing someone will be there and love her and care for her is amazing to see. I can't wait till the day I see her walk off the plane when she gets home to Kentucky. I finally got Madison and Tonya and we headded for the park and they rode a couple rides and we got a paddle boat that hold 5-6 people and paddled our backsides off for an hour. We took a bunch of pictures and sat in the shade and talked some. I told them tommorow was English day and of course they looked at each other and laughed. I have made it a point to learn one or two Russian words every couple days, so I can point out that if I can learn and put up the effort they can and it is working but I'll be the first to say Russian is not easy. Tonya has two younger sisters who are being adopted next month, but they can only take two and they want younger children so Tonya is giving her consent because she knows that is best for them. I wish I could bring her and about 10 others home with me. Well I don't know what the holiday is but Monday is one here so it's a three day weekend and the down side to that is it adds one more day to my waiting period. We did go by the courthouse and proof read the document that will go to the town Madison was born in to get her new birth certificate. I will probably have to change the name of this blog to the Madison (Nina) Tonya blog soon she is with us so much anymore and you will hear a lot more about her. I have a list of people who have reqested I send them pictures and that I dont post on here, if anyone wants to be on the list send me a e-mail and I will add you to the list.
jeffdziedzic@yahoo.com
Love
Jeff, Madison and Tonya
Thursday, August 20, 2009
August 20 Great Day with Madison
Woke up this morning earlyier than my normal early, got ready and headed out. I have been changing my route to the orphanage every other day for diffrent scenery and today was beautiful, sun comes up at 5:00 and the temperature until 11:00 or 12:00 is perfect even on the hot days.
Took pictures of a WW2 memorial, along with a tank that no denying had been in the war, it had bullet marks all over it. The last two days I have run into someone I know, well let me clarify that, they are people that I met here but when I thought about it I realized I have been here way to long. When I finally leave I will have logged about 60 plus days here and as frustrating as some of those days may have sounded here on the blog it really has been a great time and an experience of a lifetime. I got to Gargarina(orphanage) at 8:00 this morning which is really early but I sat outside and watched the staff change and the older kids come out first and then younger and so on, and you think of going to work some days and its the same old thing and you some times get in a rut, and these kids do the same thing all day long sun up to sun down. They don't really have a lot to do, toys don't exist, they throw rocks, play in the dirt. They have a play ground that is fairly well maintained . Its just sad to look at them and see this child who we would normally look at back at home and think grade school, high school, college and wife, family and all the things that lay ahead in life and these little people just keep doing the same thing everyday hoping some one will give them a chance at a family. Finally my Madison comes out and I feel a little guilty because I,m only taking one and if I could I would take 10, but I get my big hug from her and she is happy to see me. We sit in the shade and watch everything and wait for the director to get there so we can get permission to leave. We walk back by the river and stop and ate lunch and went to the apartment to study English and Madison takes a shower and we have a good Russian/English debate on whether we are going to have a Russian speaking day or English speaking day.
I lost again, she does good with English but she does not want to use it here, she say's when she gets home then she will speak English. So my Russian is getting better by the day. We headed out at 5:15 to walk back to Gargarina and get there by 6:00 and I sit there until 7:30, play with the kids and head back to the apartment. We have 5 days and we should have the new birth certificate and then apply for a passport and on to Kiev for a visa. Well that's enough for today and tomorrow is looking about the same, maybe ill change my route again and there will be something new to tell or maybe some one new to run into. HA HA
Love
Jeff & Madison
Took pictures of a WW2 memorial, along with a tank that no denying had been in the war, it had bullet marks all over it. The last two days I have run into someone I know, well let me clarify that, they are people that I met here but when I thought about it I realized I have been here way to long. When I finally leave I will have logged about 60 plus days here and as frustrating as some of those days may have sounded here on the blog it really has been a great time and an experience of a lifetime. I got to Gargarina(orphanage) at 8:00 this morning which is really early but I sat outside and watched the staff change and the older kids come out first and then younger and so on, and you think of going to work some days and its the same old thing and you some times get in a rut, and these kids do the same thing all day long sun up to sun down. They don't really have a lot to do, toys don't exist, they throw rocks, play in the dirt. They have a play ground that is fairly well maintained . Its just sad to look at them and see this child who we would normally look at back at home and think grade school, high school, college and wife, family and all the things that lay ahead in life and these little people just keep doing the same thing everyday hoping some one will give them a chance at a family. Finally my Madison comes out and I feel a little guilty because I,m only taking one and if I could I would take 10, but I get my big hug from her and she is happy to see me. We sit in the shade and watch everything and wait for the director to get there so we can get permission to leave. We walk back by the river and stop and ate lunch and went to the apartment to study English and Madison takes a shower and we have a good Russian/English debate on whether we are going to have a Russian speaking day or English speaking day.
I lost again, she does good with English but she does not want to use it here, she say's when she gets home then she will speak English. So my Russian is getting better by the day. We headed out at 5:15 to walk back to Gargarina and get there by 6:00 and I sit there until 7:30, play with the kids and head back to the apartment. We have 5 days and we should have the new birth certificate and then apply for a passport and on to Kiev for a visa. Well that's enough for today and tomorrow is looking about the same, maybe ill change my route again and there will be something new to tell or maybe some one new to run into. HA HA
Love
Jeff & Madison
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