Mission Accomplished! Homeward Bound!

Well this is it, our last evening in Ukraine.  Tomorrow morning we will finally head for home.  It was 34 days ago that we left on our mission, God’s mission to add Lena to our family, mission accomplished!  This journey was placed on our hearts back in October of 2009, tomorrow we will move into the next stage, “Life with Lena”.  But before we get home and unpacked let me share a little more about our last days in Kiev.

We’ve had the pleasure of spending time with 2 other adoptive families while here.  We first met up with Melissa Macy, Melissa and her husband Brian have been following our blog, through comments they had made, we knew they to were in Ukraine to adopt.  We finally caught up with Melissa and son, Dennis (Brian had returned to the states) in Kiev after getting in contact through Facebook and then by phone.  A personal opinion: have mixed emotions about the whole social networking culture, think it can be overdone, but it has been an incredible tool for us through this process, as it’s connected us with other families that have shared invaluable information, encouragement, love and prayers.

We made arrangements to meet with Melissa and Dennis at Independence Square, then head to the theater to meet up with the Rowell family (who adopted a sibling group of 4), whom Melissa, Brian and Dennis had met along the way for the movie “Tangled 3D”.  The movie was in Russian, but the company English!  It was a wonderful afternoon!  We got to spend a bit of time together after the movie swapping adoption stories.  We will never tire of hearing how God brings about His perfect plan in so many varied and wonderful ways as He fits families together. 

The next day we all got together for ice skating.  Lena has discovered she loves to ice skate, 5 times to date at Independence Square’s outdoor rink.  I must admit I’ve even decided I enjoy being out of the stands and on the ice.  My ex-hockey player, referee, coach husband was even able to instruct me on the finer points of doing "cross overs”, and by George I think I got it!  Lena cracks us up, she now claims herself, “a professional” even when lying flat on her back on the ice.

Monday was Lena’s exit medical, she was such a trooper, imagine it couldn’t have been easy having to expose herself for the first time as our translator (female) and myself sat with her through the exam.

Yesterday was our appointment at the US Embassy for visa paperwork, all went smoothly.  As we pulled up there was a huge line of folks, Ukrainian folks waiting their turn, it looked as if it was going to be a long wait.  From what we understand, for every 100 visas applied for by Ukrainian citizens only 7 are approved.  We were ushered to the head of the line and escorted into the building.  Forty five minutes, and more paperwork later we were done, and told to return the next day at 2pm for Lena’s visa.  At that point Charlie put on his “sales” hat and throttled up his negotiating skills to try and convince the gal we needed to get Lena’s visa that day.  It didn’t work.  But I appreciate your skills and the effort honey! ;]   We had hoped we could possibly leave today if we where able to get the visa yesterday.  Charlie’s sister Nancy (love ya Nance) has worked hard to get us out on her passes (she works for United) flying either 1st class or business class, but if we didn’t get out Wednesday we would have no connecting flight into Frankfort for another 2 to 3 days…  so we leave tomorrow, flying economy all the way, Charlie's thrilled about the long trip home with knees in chest... Up at 3:30am to be out the door by 4:30am, flight leaves at 6:45am, to Munich, onto Dulles, where Lena will officially become an American citizen, then arrive Phoenix at 8:32pm!  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!!

Today we took the opportunity to visit “Lavra” or “Kiev Monastery of the Caves”, it is a historic Orthodox Christian Monastery which was established in 1015.  A beautiful place.  Google it, very interesting.  Wish we’d been permitted to take pictures inside the many churches and underground caves where the mummified bodies of saints lie in state in glass cases. 

Then it was off to the Embassy for our 2pm appointment to pick up Lena’s visa.  Wonderful to sit with 5 other families and again share some amazing stories and all appreciating some English conversation.  Will have empathy for Lena when “the honeymoon” stage is over and she begins to miss all that she has known.  We pray that the adjustment will come easy for her…

So visa now in hand!  And it’s time to pack!! 

America and sunshine here we come!!!   Woohoo!!!

me, Lena "the professional" ice skater and Charlie... :]

sure enjoying each other...

Tangled 3D