OBOSIT

"Obosit" meand "tired" in Romania. The last few day have been busy!!

Saturday: we stayed in all day ....way too hot to go outside. We watched DVD's, drank water and rolled around under the fan. Late in the afternoon, a friend from Illinois, who was in town with her two teenage daughters, visited. They had been at a camp all week and were flying out the next morning. Emma and I took the subway to another part of town and met them at a restaurant. We brought them back to our place and they hung out a while... drove them back to their hotel around midnight. It is always good to see old friends!

Sunday: it was a hot blur ....we stayed in all day again. We missed church, because the girls stayed up so late on Saturday night. And church, well, it is an oven. In 5 minutes, sweat is pouring off of you. It is almost unbearable to be there. It's impossible to take Sofia there, so Lisa can't go. The girls wilt and are just miserable. I try to hang in there, but it is hard. If you go to church in an air-conditioned, comfortable, modern facility ....thank the Lord. That type church is basically unknown here. Not complaining, but it is our real reality!

Oh, I did walk to the mall late in day and got "The Brady Bunch Movie" to rent. I can't tell you how enthralling it was.

Monday: basically, I spent the day at Otopeni, our airport. Our friend Emily was flying out. Emma and I took her and waited with her. Finally, British Airways decided she was not flying that day due to some problems they had with a late plan and connections. She haggled a while. Finally, we all left. She spent the night with us (a girly sleep-over) and that was that!

Today: we left for the airport at 6AM. I know ...insane. But, traffic was a breeze! She got through and is on the way home. I then went to the mechanic and he came through! From there, I went to the post office to try to collect a package. No such luck. It had Lisa's name on it and I didn't have her Romanian Residence Visa card with me. Oh well, win some lose some. Here, you lose more!

Next, went with our friend Alina to try to get the birth certificate worked out. We took a subway, 2 trams and a good walk to get to the office. This is a big city! Almost sailed through, but we lost again. One document had Lisa and my middle initial on it and this was not acceptable!!!! It must be our full name. Had to take 2 buses back to the hospital where Sofia was born to get it corrected. Fortunately, they did.

Then we went across town to pay the tax to get her official Romanian Birth Certificate. It was a whooping 1 lei, which is about 40 cent, but a hot hour away! Got it! Then, off to get our recently acquired Marriage License translated officially into Romania. This costs over $30.

Eventually, all of this will result in a real live Romanian Birth Certificate for Sofia. It will then be copied and given to the US Embassy and will result, eventually, in a passport and "Documentation of the Birth of an American Citizen Abroad," which will suffice as her American Birth Certificate.

Whew! I'm hot and tired!