Went to book tickets for the train for Steve, Sam and me....over $1000 and NO sleeper car available...YIKES! We can't do that! It's not just the money, it's the fact there is no sleeper car. I'm really not sure Sam should fly with his eye like this although I haven't asked Dr A but I just don't think I can fly. I hate it under most circumstances but knowing I'd have to fly from Florida to a big city and then change to a commuter jet to go to Rochester is more than I can bear at this point in time. I really am afraid of having a panic attack mid flight! I really do NOT want to drive us either...that is a long way and it is not an easy drive at all. We've been driving it now for almost 6 years and we've tried various routes, but really they are all pretty horrible in places.
I'm not a wimpy girl, but of everything I've gone through in the past 8 months, this has just overwhelmed me. We have to go, but I just can't imagine doing it....I've traveled overseas by myself, but this whole trip has me beyond stressed. Really have NO idea what we will do about this....
And it's not just the travel, it's Jon trying to be at work daily...making sure all our nurses come and we have someone to help out with Sarah and Shad.... this is sooooo complicated!
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Happier times.... a year ago today was a Saturday, and the first time we were allowed to go into the institution on the weekend. Our facilitator was gone, most of the staff were gone. It was much worse for the children on the weekends....I'm not going to go into details, but it was hard....
We were very thankful and appreciative to be able to go in and see the girls. That was an incredible gift and favor.
Here's a picture of me with a McDonald's hamburger! Torez had no American food or restaurats but our facilitator left from Donesek Friday night and he send me hamburgers back by our driver. Our facilitator was so worried about me not eating LOL I kept telling him I had lots of fat but boy did that hamburger taste good!!!
Here is a video of our new daughter Sarah Joy....you know I told them as soon as we got them that they were ours now.... she is such a giggler:) Rolling is all she had been able to do at that point, she was so weak.
Selah and mom
Vitial our driver...and boy could he drive! He had been a driver in Afghanistan when the USSR was trying to fight there and he had some stories...but he didn't speak English so we could only talk with our facilitator was there to translate
Ok the next set of pictures, I really dont' get what it was. It was near the institution out in the middle of no wheres... It's a mom and child...this has nothing to do with the institution as it is about a mile or more away from it.
Evidently back here there had been a movie theater at one time
Then we were also told a story about it being a WWII hospital for Russian/Ukraine injured soldiers. The Nazis came through (there was a huge battle ground a few miles away) and killed all the soldiers and then Stalin said the solders deserved to die as they did not fight back..
Stalin was not loved much...
but Lenin everyone loved.... here is his statue out in the middle of no where!
flowers planted in front of our apartment by the little old lady
As you can see Springtime was coming to Ukraine as we were there....I miss it, I wonder if it is like that today....
my boys when we got back
Steve and Sam love each other so much
So we walked downtown with some other Americans we met there who were adopting from another orphanage
meat market
we called this Lake Torez
yes that is an old shepherdess
the old shepherd lady
Steve on the hills of Torez
the family
our NJ friends
we found the only Pentecostal church for miles...more on them later we loved them so much
Across from the church, was the cemetery. I will tell you a very odd thing about us, we really like cemeteries...LOL This one was so interesting and evidently the week after Easter is somewhat symbolic and the families go and eat at the cemetery. Some of the richer graves had picnic tables by them, no kidding! There were some folks on Saturday but on Sunday as we went to church, most of the town walked down to the cemetery! I thought they were all going to church with us LOL!
very old grave
see the family is eating at a table
a coal miner's grave
graveyards make you think.....
see the syringe on the ground in the middle of the picture? they were all over the place
a street we passed on the way home all the time
we walked that road many times!
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I tried to upload a video of Selah that is sooooo sweet. It was taken that day after she watched us play with Sarah. I may do it on it's on blog as it is long and not loading...there was also a short video of Sarah pulling herself up on the couch. I will try later to load them.
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Please remember to pray for Selah, she is doing good physically compared to the last few weeks. her heart rate is actually in the 50's as I have walked in her room to check on her! But she is still the same, we still want our funny little girl back so bad!
Thank you!
Just one train note - my parents took it one time from Tampa to Houston, TX and said it shook them to death.. sore shoulders and necks. Said it was a rough ride. Just wanted you to consider that since you have a bad neck. You are amazing with all you do - don't know how you find the time to do your blog each day, but I'm thankful you do. Your blog is helpful in many ways - ways you may not even know. Praying for you and your family.
ReplyDeleteLoving this look back at your time in Ukraine. Have you considered just flying to the largest closest city and then renting a car for the few hours to drive the rest of the way and then again on the way back? You should be able to get a small car for like $40 each way.
ReplyDeleteTime to suck it up, Mama. Pull up your big girl panties and chomp down on the bullet. Your baby boy needs you.
ReplyDeleteOh hon, I hate to hear you stuck like this!!! ((((tender hugs)))))
ReplyDeletePerhaps--just for short term--could your doctor give you some medication to help you cope with this trip/flying? There are antidepressants/etc that are "longer acting" anti-anxiety meds. I went on them when my food-allergic son started school. I was absolutely paralyzed with fear, so the doc put me on lexapro/buspar and it was a world of difference! I was just so worried he'd have an anaphylactic reaction at school, every phone call made me jump--and if it's the school nurse, I start shaking! (Fortunately his last ana reaction was 6 yrs ago.)
It didn't take long for them to "kick in" and then I would use ativan for break thru anxiety.
I don't blame you one bit--you've had so much to cope with, more than many ppl have in a whole lifetime! But if Sam's doc clears him for flying (I'm thinking the fear is the lack of humidity/recycled air & germs?) could he have an eye patch for the flight?
You can do this. You are strong and you have God on your side! He will give you the strength you need.
I do understand, I've not flown much, but was on a "puddle jumper" from NY to VT in blustery weather--I couldn't even take a sip from my cup! Of course my daughter fell asleep lol.
I hope you find a solution very soon.
Praying!!!! xoxo
Check out Allegiant Airlines. They fly from Orlando/Sanford, Fl or Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL to Buffalo (Niagara Falls airport - IAG). This is slightly over 1 hour from Rochester. Their fares are incredible! I fly them all the time. This is no tiny commuter plane. They are big planes - no connections - just one flight. They only fly on certain days of the week, so you'd have to check to see if those days would work for you. You have to pay extra for luggage and other options.
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