spotty internet...catch up soon!

Well, to catch up…I did post some pictures and such on face book, but here is the “rest of the story”…

The flight from Michigan to Philly was good…I was very sad about leaving the kids…It was good I just did a drop and run…that made it easier on everybody. Once I got to Philadelphia, all was well…I had talked to the kids a couple of times and they were great…really didn’t have a whole lot of time to talk to me! We decided to call this first night our “honeymoon night”. We stayed at the Embassy Suites. It was fantastic! We had a light snack and moved on to dinner. While we ate, we watched the ducks…it was a “show” in itself! We decided to head to bed early because it would be the last night in a “real” bed…feather down pillows and all…

We didn’t leave til later on Saturday, but decided to go ahead to the airport…highly advisable for any international flight…especially carrying what all we were carrying…left plenty of time for searching! We went to the USO and hung out for a while…ended up laughing and cutting up with everybody there…they were fantastic. This was the first USO I actually have been in…Joey has been in several, but said this USO was the BEST! They treated us to everything under the sun…then told us to pack more for the flight…it would be a long one! Two big thumbs up for them…

Next, the flight from Philly to Frankfurt was pretty uneventful. I tried to sleep, but decided it was better just to stay awake…that dozing on and off was highly overrated! Now, the flight from Frankfurt to Kiev…totally different story! Joey and I were separated; however, it was just by the aisle. A tiny girl sat beside me…and she talked like Anna…constantly! In fact, she was talking and I was trying to listen, but alas, I dozed off. When I woke up, she said “Hey! Did you have a good nap?” and continued talking a mile a minute! She ended up being our “savior” in Kiev. Once we landed, we pretty much was told…ok, time to get off…and that’s it…so we followed the cattle herd. Everything was pretty self explanatory…until it was time to get into the passport line…there was so many lines to choose from and so many people getting in all the lines! So, my new friend started talking to a guard in Russian, said ok…then grabbed my arm and sternly said “COME!”. So, we did…and it was a great thing! She said the guard told her to go to the “Ukraine Citizen” line and they would work us through…well, I love it…the passport stamper guy looked at my passport, stamped it and that was that. Nothing said, nothing questioned…it was so time for his break! Joey came behind me…and I waited and waited…still no Joey…it was probably only a 30 second delay, but it felt like forever…Joey said the stamper guy was talking to his buddy…probably telling jokes about these silly Americans! All is well, we made it through…all of our luggage made it through…Fantastic for a first International flight! We got all of our things, said goodbye to our friend and off we go…We started toward the door looking for something like VanDyck, Reece’s Rainbow…anything to cue us into this is the guy that’s gonna drive us. Sure enough…there was Alexander and Nico…Alexander had our name…at that point I could’ve kissed him! I was so glad he was there…Nico was very straight to the point…this is what we do now…I thought he looked like Michael Douglas! He is such a cutie! Alexander let me be the tourist…he was so much fun…He let me take his and Joey’s picture at the airport…and then told me go take the picture of the McDonald’s sign in Ukrainian…gotta love it! The other family came along and off we go! Driving in the Ukraine is something everyone should experience…once! Everybody drives 1000km/hr…signal lights are highly overrated and “lanes” are a suggestion. However, during all of this…Alexander pulled over on a “questionable” bridge, told Joey to go ahead and take a picture…of the most wonderful sight…the Freedom Monument…then, told me to GET OUT…then told me again…actually, what he was telling me to do was get out and stand beside Joey so he could take a picture of the two of us…it was fantastic…his car stopped in the middle of the road…Joey and I cuddled together on the wobbly bridge, and Alexander taking a picture…ah…these are the moments! Our apartment in Kiev was fantastic…I have lots of pictures that go into detail if anyone going wants to see them! Water pressure was great! We were walking distance from the underground mall and the greatest restaurant! We ate there just about every meal. Locals said it was the Ukrainian fast food…whatever it was…it was always a great meal. After the first dinner there, we saw a music video being made…A beautiful girl in a red dress with a black wrap…we stayed and watched it for a while…then decided it was late enough to go back and go to bed. The SDA appointment lasted only a few minutes…everyone was very nice and very informative…if they started talking about our paperwork, they were always very good in explaining what was going on. I appreciated that. We did have a problem, but it was fixed really quick. I was thinking it might not be fixed for a couple of days, when if fact, it was fixed in a couple of hours. Everybody in Kiev dresses the same…black coats, sprayed on jeans, spike heeled boots, and perfect hair…so we all know, I stuck out like a sore thumb! Everyone knew without a doubt we were American. It was funny, we had people to stop us on the sidewalk…you speak English…are you American…we would get this sigh like “it sure is nice to be able to speak English again”…one guy stopped Joey…come to find out he was in the 82nd and is on 100% disability…living here in Kiev teaching English! Only my husband could find another paratrooper 1000’s of miles from home! Another group of kids came over…she started speaking broken Russian…we stopped her and told her we speak English…they all flocked over…come to find out they were Peace Corp volunteers! We had a great time talking to them. That is how we also found another RR family…if you are wearing a hoodie…especially a Nascar hoodie… in Kiev…you have to be American! We walked over and introduced ourselves, and yes, he was American! This was pretty much our time in Kiev…it was now time to pick up our referrals and get to our region. The line was so long once we got back to the SDA…so many rumors floating about…I guess it always happens…but…we received our referrals…and off we go!

The train ride was icky…it was hot, tight, and loud…10 hrs of that was definitely enough! When we “landed” in our region…it looked like something out of an old spy movie…the trained stopped, Nico said let’s go…and off we go! There was a brick walkway between the tracks…that is were we stood til this wonderful figure started towards…Yes, it was Father Andrew! We were for sure because he was wearing his collar! Joey noticed that right off…He approached and said Let’s Go…that is about the extent of the language…so, off we go! He has a Renault Elf…Nice “trunk” space…loaded all of our stuff plus, all of us…comfortably…which is something we haven’t had.

Our “apartment” at the church is wonderful…Father is great…he tries so hard to talk to us…Maria cooks for us…she is fantastic too…Halya is great...mainly, because she answers our calls and translates for us…which is a hoot in itself! The church is very neat…the pictures (paintings of all sorts), the “All Seeing Eye”…even if you can’t understand everything…you know God is with you. Outside there is the “world’s largest rosary” it would make kids interested in praying the rosary! More about the outside later…on with the kids!

The day we arrived…we got here around 0630...made it to the church with enough time to change clothes and eat breakfast. Then off we go…we had to go to the Children’s Administration, then to see the girls! We had about 10 minutes each with them! It was enough to verify…yes, these were the girls…yes, we understand they have uniqueness to them, yes, we want to adopt them! I don’t know how anyone could come in and say…nah…we decided not to get this kid…one look into their eyes…you know they need you and you need them! Our girls are perfect in their own ways…more about them soon….right now…I am headed off to bed…Mass in the morning…then off to see the girls!

Good night…