Kemerovo to Novo

This is Kip, I am blogging on behalf of Kim, as we are both wiped out from the long travel and big events of the day. As she briefly mentioned on the prior Post, we met with the inspector at the Dept. of Education, which went very smoothly. Lots of Russian spoken at us, while Anna, our coordinator simultaneously translated...We sat (up straight and attentively) and nodded. After so many months of paperwork, correspondance with Adoption Ark, emotional ups & downs caused, in part, because of the actions of others (lady in Tennessee); the brief and important meeting with the Russian authority was surreal. Like walking through a dream, expecting the worst but hoping for the best. As suddenly as the meeting started, it was over. Next our travel partners Linda and Frank, went into the inspectors office with Anna and had their meeting. Happily it went smoothly for them as well.
Kemerovo is beautiful...Siberia is beautiful...No Really! it is remarkable. We left Kemerovo from the Dept. of Education building and were terrifyingly driven directly to Novo (sp)??, the closest city to the orphanage, by Sergei (Andretti). Tomorrow, we meet the director of the orphanage and receive a briefing about our "recommendation", if all is well...we meet Maksim. WOW, it seems this trip, which once felt like it would never come, now is flying by at the speed of a dream. I guess that is no surprise, when you consider all of the travel...jet lag...and emotions. Here's hoping that all goes well tomorrow, the most important day of ALL. It is now 9pm Monday night--11 hours ahead of EST. More to report tomorrow or late tonight for some of you...