Just smile and wave, boys, smile and wave…

We have had many frustrations over the past three weeks as we rather impatiently wait to receive our court date. The first document (administration’s rubber stamp) was really not needed, and the original of Vera’s letter was delivered to the SDA on the 16th (the fax on the 15th wasn’t adequate). So we continue on as court will happen on the 18th.

Our (my) patience has worn thin on a few occasions. Mari has been my sanity through this whole process, and for the past 23 years, she has been my sanity in many other insane times.

I think often of the penguins from the movie “Madagascar”… “Just smile and wave!” That simple phrase puts a lot of things into perspective. If you’re in a situation you can’t do much about, “just smile and wave!” It doesn’t do much good, but it makes one feel just a little bit better about a not so good situation. You have the ability to take things in stride and press on (laugh, if necessary) until you CAN make adjustments.

The 17th, we were on pins and needles all day long waiting for a word… any word about whether or not we would have court. There was so much we didn’t know, especially since the rules tend to keep getting changed in the process. Early afternoon, we decided to ping Alyona to see if she had heard anything… The SDA had not responded, and usually processes application requests at noon, and again at 6 pm… Okay, we’ve waited this long, what’s a few more hours?

What to do in the meantime? Well, faith in the belief that we would have court told us we should take Vera shopping for black shoes and some slacks or a skirt (no skirt, though she looked very nice in the one she tried on). Off we go to Athena (Afina) mall… A phone call and 30 minutes later we have a translator (Lena) and an entourage (Olya and another friend, Anna). Shopping for the slacks went fairly quick. They're a bit long, but Mari can measure and hem them up in no time. Shoe shopping, however was a different story… Things are just a bit pricey in the mall. Olya and Anna disappear to find a shop that may be close by.

So while we wait, it’s down to the food court for pizza. Lena orders, then, says “What do you want?” “Pepperoni is fine”… okay… So we now have two large pizzas coming for four people. I weigh more than Lena & Vera combined, and the thought crosses my mind—Are we going to eat all of this? Not to worry… A Phone call with news of a nearby shoe store (near the mashukas) and 10 minutes later, two more people (again I outweigh both of them combined) arrive and our problem is solved.

As we eat, the long awaited phone call comes in… The SDA has approved the application, it will be on the overnight train to Odessa and we will have court on Thursday!!!

With the good news in hand, we continue to eat… What happens next, you just had to be there… We get down to the last three or four slices of pizza; the six of us had our fill, but we don’t want it to go to waste. I choke down another slice, then Lena grabs the last slice of pepperoni, slaps it upside down on the last slice of ham/cheese/red pepper, picks up the pizza “sandwich” and puts it up to Vera’s mouth… Vera, being somewhat resourceful, takes a bite, puts it to Lena’s mouth; she takes a bite, then repeating the process with Anna & Olya, going around at least twice to get as much of the pizza eaten as possible.

Off to the shoe store… Four girls in a shoe store… Enough said.

Just smile and wave, boys, smile and wave... and don't forget your wallet.