Thank you all for your comments! It has helped us stay a little connected to home. I am finally hooked up to the internet here, and we have 2 days to go. We have continued to stay busy and have had lots of excitement. We are having such a wonderful time, but there are those moments when thoughts of home become a desire as well. So as usual it will be bittersweet when we leave on Tues.

Just to catch up a little on what we have been doing. On Fri. Stan, I, and Kareel went to the CBN headquarters here in Kiev. The Webbers are the representatives here, and they have a niece, Karen who works with them. Karen is the one who did the interview, she is such a nice person. We had met her before and she put the last DVD with Kareel's adoption on it. It was such a beautiful day that we were able to do it outside. Might I add that we have had exceptionally warm weather here for this time of year. Kareel was asked a lot of questions and handled it very well. A segment was also done in a park, playground area near by. We were quite the spectacal there. I think everyone was wondering what in the world are they following this funny little boy around with a camera!! We've had some kids actually afraid of him at the playground, and the mothers hustle the children out of there.

Fri night Laura invited Phil and Lauri over for dessert. They are the main base leaders at this time. Great people, and we had a great time with them. They have 2 younger children here and they are incredible soccer players and Serg and Victor have had a lot of fun playing with them. Serg and Vic have even had opportunity to play with some Ukranian boys from the neighborhood, so that was neat. Everyone here is quite good at soccer.

Yesterday we got our souvenier shopping done in the morning. The first time there without feeling frozen! It was quite an accomplishment to have everyone find what they are looking for. We stopped at Mc Donald's for a few burgers and then headed out to the property where they are doing all the construction. The accomplishments are unbelievable. There are still property disputes going on unfortunately. We spent the rest of the day there with Kelly and Vicki Hoodikoff. What hospitable people! It was so warm that the kids were actually barefoot at one point. We had our first barbeque of the season! They did not have a grill it was more of a homemade pit, but it worked and we had delicious food. We celebrated Inna's birthday there. Laura made a cake and Vicki helped make it very special.

Another beautiful day and later we hope to go to the circus.

Sandra, I think that Lena might show us tomorrow how to make vereneke. Lisa, the poem was so special as usual. I am going to make copies and the kids will put copies in their scrapbooks.

The alcoholism here still is so overwhelming, and it is hard to see many young people early in the morning already drinking. Everyday we see many showing the effects.

Love,

Mary