3rd and final trip to Tambov, Russia

Hi Everyone,
Well, we've made it to Russia, AGAIN!  That plane ride SUCKS!  Too long of a time in a confined space.

Darn Verizon Blackberry still doesn't work - dialed *228 and CRAP still no signal.  I will call support when we get to Tambov from our room's phone.

We are at the train station and we are in a NICE room (sarcasm) - you rent it by the hour - so you can only imagine...I just need a place to lie down and get a few winks.....

I am attaching the view from our room's window.. Train doesn't leave until 10 p.m and it is only 1:30p.m.

Prayers for Steve's mom - she is in the hospital - had a mild stroke and getting a heart catherization done tomorrow... We hated to leave her.. but Olesya needs us here and Grandma wanted us to come and get her.  Hang in there Linda, in 2 more weeks she will be home for good!  We love you!  Please take care of yourself.
Tamra & Stephen

ANNOUNCING THE ADOPTION OF:

OLESYA DAWN LEWIS
BORN:  4/10/09 IN TAMBOV, RUSSIA
ADOPTED: 11/15/11
FATHER:  STEPHEN D. LEWIS
MOTHER:  TAMRA S. LEWIS

AFTER 10 MORE DAYS OF WAITING.. WE WILL RETURN TO GET HER - AROUND NOVEMBER 28, 2011 WE SHOULD BE BACK IN MOSCOW.
WHOO HOOO!
THE HAPPIEST COUPLE IN THE WORLD TODAY!
STEPHEN AND TAMRA LEWIS

Trip 2 - 2nd day of visitation

Today Olesya was a bit distracted... There was a Russian couple in the visiting room with a little boy and she was listening to the woman speaking Russian -- of course not really understanding much of what we said to her.

She had a barrett in her hair - it was metal and I ended up taking it from her.. she started putting it in her mouth... she tried to get it back from me... and I had to be a mom and tell her "no" because she put it in her mouth.... Then we were writing her name with a pencil and I was saying OOOOOO and then she started repeating me..... LLLLL EEEEE SSSSS YYYYY AAAAA.. it was a game... and she was giggling.  It was fun until daddy had to take the pencil away.. he was afraid she would poke her eye out!  LOL

We go back at 4:30 this afternoon.
Tomorrow we only get to see her in the afternoon... we have to get our speech ready for court and the other couple will be in the visitation room.  It should be a busy day again tomorrow.

There are no pictures of me today.. Steve didn't pick up the camera at all!  I did get a couple of good videos and will try and upload one to facebook.

We slept horribly last night.. our twin beds are bump, lumpy and the springs are sticking out and their was a wedding party in the banquet room below us...

We ate pizza today for lunch and it was yummy!

Lena our interpreter today, is very pretty.  She teaches English at the university... she looks really young, but she has been teaching there since 1997.

Talk again later this afternoon.
Stephen & Tamra

2nd trip- 3rd day - 1st day in Tambov

Hello everyone,
I know you are on pins and needles waiting for my blog!  LOL.
We arrived by train this morning at 7:30 a.m. and we then had breakfast and got changed.

Note to Darlene.... no food on train this time.. and blow dryers are in hotel...

We arrived at orphanage around 10:00.  The kids were all screaming... it was a little crazy.. They tried to give us a little boy - and I said "no"  "Olesya"  a little girl... she had been screaming for us.. she saw us through the door and they took her away...I was not happy.... we finally got Olesya... we went to a play room and visited with her until 12 and then we went and watched her eat.. they said she hasn't been eating well... but she ate a bunch while we were there.  Rice, peas (one at a time on a Tablespoon size spoon), and cabbage soup...she ate it by herselft with a large spoon and a cup of tea. 

When she was done.  She scooted in her chair.. they removed her bib and then she went to wash up.  We then left... we have been having trouble with internet connection in the room.. so we are in the lobby area.  I know you are dieing for pictures... so I will attach a few..

Again, they have put medicine on her face... there is nothing on her cheek unless there is a little pimple or something... the medicine is some kind of iodine.  The chin looks like a little rug burn.. who knows?

She has grown about 4-5 inches taller.. which is good.
We are excited to see her again this afternoon at 4:30.. it is 3:00 now... so not much longer.

Steve says he looks like his dad here.. which I totally agree..

that is all for now.. will post more pictures on my facebook page...
PS my phone is not working... I told them to turn on the international calling... but I must have been suppose to do something as well... oh well.. e-mail me or post on facebook if you need anything.
Talk with you all again soon.
Stephen & Tamra

Trip 2, day 2 snow!

There was hardly any snow yesterday when we landed... it started snowing 15 minutes ago.. and everything is already covered. 
We just had breakfast at a little cafe and Steve loved it... it was a croissant with cheese, cucumber, tomato, lettuce and mayo... It wasn't exactly what I was thinking of for breakfast... I was thinking more like Cinnamon and cream cheese...  It was okay.
Last night we had McDonald's..I wasn't being adventurest.
12:30 we have to go to the doctors for our physicals.. Hope it all works out well.  it is 11:15 a.m. Moscow time.
Well nothing more to report at this time.
More to come.  Still waiting to see our Olesya again.
Stephen & Tamra

Made it to Moscow

Steve and I boarded the plane in NY only to find out that we weren't sitting next to each other.  I'm sure he was relieved about that... he didn't have to listen to me talk for 10 hours.  I got stuck beside a old lady that was stinky(pewwee).  We just got to our apartment and then we took a walk down a street and stopped to have McDonalds in Moscow.  Steve said it tasted the same.  It is 2:30 p.m here and we are both ready to go to sleep. 

Not much snow here.. just a few spots here and there.  Most of it has melted away.

Tatiana is to meet us tomorrow at 12:30 so we can go do the physicals... then we will wait for the train to do the overnight train trip (9 hours) to Tambov so we can see our little girl again.  She probably doesn't know we are coming... I'm sure she will be surprised to see us again.

Steve is yelling at me to save the power on this laptop.  Gotta go!

Well not much else to say - more to come.
Tamra & Stephen

Trip 2 - Court Date - BACK TO THE USSR!

Hello everyone,
We are about to embark on our 2nd trip to Russia - Plane leaves Columbus tomorrow at 12 noon.  This one will be the one where the judge says Olesya is ours forever! (hopefully)  Prayers are requested on November 15, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. (our court date and time) for the judge to allow Olesya to be ours and for us to finally become parents after many years. 

The weather over there is freezing!  Totally opposite as it was back in June where we were wishing for air conditioning.   Steve and I are so very excited to get to see Olesya again.  It's going to be another long trip..grueling plane ride and train ride... but that is what it takes to get to my daughter.

From what I understand at this moment... the judge decides if there is a 10 Business day waiting period.. 10 day waiting period - or 10 days are waived... we are of course hoping that they are waived (even though it probably is very likely).   It takes 5 days to get Olesya's passport in Tambov (no exceptions)... then I am told it takes 3 more days in Moscow to get what we need from there... I know we have to visit the US embassy...and Olesya has to have a physical... not sure what else... lots of running around...hurry up and wait - exactly what we've been doing this whole process.

So here we go again... this time when we come home we will be parents.  Steve and I are so very excited and just can't wait to see Olesya again.... she is about to be covered in kisses and hugs!!!

3rd trip plans:

The plan (right now) is to fly out again on 11/26/11 and return sometime around December 7 or so...no exact dates yet.

Deep breaths....  Count to 10....  This process is about to be over.  God bless everyone going through this process. 

Hold on baby - we're coming!

Tamra & Stephen