Bringing Dariya home: Consulate appt and medical

We arrived at the consulate a little before 9am for our appointment.  They asked us if we had a copy of our appointment letter.  Um, no I just emailed and made the appointment last week and don't have a printer (guess I should have put one in my carryon LOL).  So they looked at the appointment docket and our names were not on it. 
No worries, the guard said come in and let me check a few things.  We went through the security checkpoint .  We had to be checked and rechecked because we brought in our backpack and they kept asking if we had anything electronic in our bag...no I don't think so.  Then we finally figured out Dariya's toy telephone was in the backpack. 
Once we cleared security we entered the main building.  Jason and I were both expecting to see other US citizens there.  Nope not a one.  There was a huge line outside of Ukrainians waiting to apply for a US visa.

Once inside we were sent directly to the international visa/adoption area.  We were served immediately by a very friendly lady.  She helped me complete the necessary documents.  Dariya's birth name had to be written in Ukrainian, I have gotten good at some Russian language while here but haven't mastered the writing.  (Victoria we should have had you do this for us). 

It was almost a catastrophe as Jason set our plastic file folder containing all our paperwork on the top of the stove this morning.  When I looked at the embassy paperwork some of them had singe marks on the bottom, I thought he had spilled his coffee on them (thankfully they were the extras I had printed and not the completed ones.)

I was sent to the cashier to pay our $404 for Dariya's visa and brought the receipt back to the person who was helping us.  She gave us our copies of the documents, told us our appointment for our interview is at 2pm on Tuesday and sent us off to our medical. 

As we were walking out I looked at my watch and it was 9:10.  YAHOO the day was going well.

We made it to the medical by 9:40 and saw the nurse immediately and the doctor shortly afterwards.  Dariya had to show off her singing and signing with a round of Oh Mr Sun and Itsy Bitsy Spider.  The doctor loved it.   She checked Dariya out and suggested we get some saline drops for her nose as she is a little stopped up, especially before traveling. 
She then said she would complete the paperwork and give it to us in about 20 minutes.  We went to the cafeteria so Nico and Jason could get a coffee. 
We were counting our blessings thinking we were only going to be at the hospital about an hour. 

Then the doctor came and met us and said that she wanted to have chest xrays done on Dariya because she had one negative TB screen at the orphanage then had another one with numbers a little elevated. 

We went down the hall and were immediately ushered into the xray room.  Jason opted to stay outside (chicken).  They had Dariya lay flat on her back and me hold her down.  Oh my imagine trying to hold down a really greased pig.  Dariya was having none of the xrays and moved around too much during the first 3 xrays so they did a fourth.  I had Jason come in to hold her legs while I held her arms.  I am sure the people in the hallway thought we were killing her.  She was screaming for all she was worth.  But, as soon as it was over and I picked her up she was fine again. 

We stood in the hallway and prayed that her xrays showed clear.  We were informed the next step was to go to a nicer facility and they would have to sedate Dariya and do a complete scan on her.  This would take several more days here in Kiev.

Thankfully God again heard and answered our prayers.  The doctor called us in again and said she was ok to sign all the paperwork to allow Dariya to get her visa.  We will have to follow up with our home pediatrician in a month on the TB screening.

Overall, Dariya is doing very well.  Being in a studio apartment we can't get away from her when we put her down to bed.  Last night she decided to stay awake until we gave up and went to bed with her at 10:30.  As soon as I layed her down when we arrived home today she rolled over and went straight to sleep.  Good girl!

Final step, interview tomorrow at 2pm and sign all the documents we filed today.  Then we will be issued her visa about an hour later!

Please continue to pray for our journey home.  Dariya and I have bulkhead seating on the long flight but Jason is a few rows behind us. Please pray that someone will change seats with us so we can all be together, that Dariya sleeps and is great on the flight home.  Also, we ask prayers for the transition for all of us.