Just a few more days....

We only have a few more days in our girls' town. Tomorrow is our last "normal" day. Thrusday & Friday we have alot of paperwork (new birth certificates, passports, and we have to go to both of their birth towns) Saturday morning we will go to the orphange for the last time to pickup our girls and say good bye. I KNOW that will be hard. We've been allowed to play with all the other children and get to know the staff (as well as we could communicate) it will be hard to say goodbye. I get tears in my eyes just thinking about it.

BUT the anticaption in my heart to be able to take Sarah & Selah out of there and into our family is so high, I can't even let myself think about it too much:) Cause I can't hardly wait to do that!!!

It's been so hot here. We had packed light winter clothes for the girls but even that would be too hot. I'd been looking for some cute things for them but the girls clothing here isn't quite my style to say the least BUT I found some pretty little girlish things today woohoo!! I can't wait to dress them up:)

This trip has been amazing....we have "lived" here. We shopped in the markets, walked the streets, made Ukraine friends, found a church....we haven't been tourists (although I'm sure we stick out lol) In so many ways it will be hard to leave. My heart has been shattered a few times here, seeing the needs....but I love this country. Didn't really expect to feel like this....Don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to getting home and FOOD...and Shad, our family & friends and FOOD....our home and having a car instead of riding in a 1960's van with no air....my bed...A/C and ceiling fans....FOOD... but Ukraine will be in my heart in a special way forever. It's been a trip of a lifetime. Jon is kidding mow how he took me to Europe for 6 weeks...he is so funny!

I haven't posted alot since we've been here. The expirence has been so intense, that all I could handle was remarks on FB:) I have so many pictures to post on here also but we use an internet cafe & it just is hard to do everything. Ilove to post the girls picutres on here, FINALLY to have them in my arms, it is such a wonderful feeling!

Everyday, even on the weekend & holidays we see them and we both take turns with both girls. When I hold Sarah on the swing, I tell her how I saw her little face & KNEW she was meant to be my girl! I tell her all about her room, toys, new clothes and ALL the people who are waiting to love on her! With Selah I tell her how God surprised us with her and we talk alot about FOOD:) She likes to eat, she is chubby, short and round, not what you'd expect LOL but so cute:) This month has helped us to get to know them & really understand what their lives have been like for the last few years. Honestly, even tho it's been a LONG trip, I really think it is best for the children to do it like this. (In china, I was taken to the orphange, handed Shad and we left and went to the hotel-we had to get used to each other in a much more invasive way. Here it's been gradual and every week, you could see their trust and love for us grow. The last few days it has been so hard for us to leave them. I am so glad that they just have 3 more full days there and then they'll wake up on Saturday morning and we'll dress them in their new clothes and shoes and we'll be on our way:)

Saturday we will take the afternoon train to Kiev & get there about 11pm. I am so thankful NOT to have to take the overnight train. I can tell you that was pure misery....Next Monday we'll have our embassy appointment and their medicals appt. then we will get their visas on Tues and leave on Wednesday morning! We will probably leave our apartmentat about 3 am, our flight leaves Kiev for Frankfurt Germany at 5:35am! then we fly to Dulles (Washington DC) where the girls will become US citizens!!! Then we'll fly to Tampa, getting there at 8:05pm! We will have traveled for about 24 straight hours...FUN with THREE handicapped kids, 2 who have not been out of their orphange for years...I apologize in advance to all who will share our flights....LOl Anyhow I know we're going to have some folks at the airport to greet us...CAN"T wait to see everyone espicially SHAD!!!! I'll probably start crying :)

I just think of that scene from "The Inn of the 6th Happiness" when the missionary comes hobbling into town with two kids in her arms after going thru many trials....it's very insipring...I can just see it in my mind's eye now:) What a feeling that will be!!!!!!!

Sarah has some major eating issues, even when I'm feeding her. So depending on how she is, we may or may not take her straight to All Children's. I'm afraid after traveling for 24 hours I may end up in jail if we have to go straight there! I get a bit over protective with my kids and medical people. I've never had good expirences there at ACH & don't have the relationships like I do at Lakeland Regional, but I know Lakeland would just send her to ACH anyhow...they dont' run diagnosistic tests on kids there. If her food & drink intake is ok, we may wait and go see our ped on Thursday morning. We'll see...there are pros & cons to both!

Selah is very healthy but has some issues with her legs, she was diagnosised with CP and is stiff. Otherwise besides the usual tests and shots, she should be fine.

So soon we will be home and leaving as a family of 7! Who would have ever thought I'd have 5 kids? Not me that's for sure!!!!!! I can't wait to show them LIFE:)