Picture: Oles, Dimitri, Elizabeth and Jonathan. On Thursday, July 27th, we spent the evening together on the beach relaxing. We ate dinner at a beachfront restaurant on the Black Sea. It was a wonderful respite from the rigors of the previous few days! Dimitri, a government official, became a friend while we were there and was very helpful to us in the adoption process. And it was great to just spend some leisure time with Oles, our facilitator, whom we all grew to love.

Picture: Elizabeth, myself, Oles, & my husband in Odessa. During the few hours between the end of the business day and the time my husband had to catch his evening train to Kiev on July 26th, we walked around seeing the sites in the area near the Port of Odessa. Odessa is a very interesting city with an almost Mediterranean air about it.

Picture: We met Anna on July 24th, 2000. Jonathan first held her about 10 minutes after we met her. He seemed so enthralled with her as she stared intently into his eyes for the first time. She sucked her thumb contently the entire time she was in his arms. I really think he fell in love with his baby sister right then!

Jonathan and Elizabeth with "Ronald McDonald". It is positive proof that there is indeed a McDonalds in Odessa!