December 20, 2007 Day 43 in Ukraine-America here we come, Da svidaniya, Do pobachennya, goodbye Ukraine! 3:23 amI just could not sleep past 2:30, I was too excited to be going home. Kara took forever to calm down too, but we both fell asleep around 10 o’clock.
7:00 am
Sitting here at the airport and waiting to board my flight. Kara is lying down beside me, she is exhausted, and I hope she sleeps on the plane.
Sergey picked us up again, and the ride was filled only with American rave music; I felt like I was teaching aerobics with that stuff. He did stay with us for a while and helped me buy some things for the family, and then he left us here. He forgot to tell me I needed to check in first, but I figured it out.
We met with the same impossibly rude passport official that we had met upon our arrival. He asked for every document he could think of to delay me as long as possible and you could tell he relished in making us wait, he even asked for the adoption decree. That man has some major issues with Americans adopting, you can tell; he was laughing with his co-workers while he asked for more documents from me. He even asked for the customs form I filled out on the plane on the way to Ukraine.
The mom adopting the two children was there too, she told me that the single woman adopting was turned away because she put the adoption decree in her luggage. I don’t know for sure, but I think she is missing her flight. (
2008 If PAP's happen upon our blog, please make sure you keep all adoption paperwork with you in your carry-on luggage.)Dear God please let us get home safely.
Two very tired passengers, home with family at last. 12-20-07 Sky Harbor Airport Phoenix AZ.
December 21, 2008 One year at home
Kara on December 20, 2008
The last 6 weeks I have marveled over the time that has passed since we met Karina in Vorzel, adopted her and brought her home. So much has happened the past year, Kara has grown, learned so many new things, she is walking, learning to climb stairs now, trying to talk, and is attending preschool! It has taken a year for everyone to call her Kara; she has been Karina for the majority of the past year, only mama consistently calls her Kara. That is OK with me; I usually call Kara Toshka.
The past 6 weeks I have spent rereading my adoption journal and writing about my 6 weeks in Ukraine has been somewhat difficult for me. My close friends kept telling me to just wait and write this all out in another year or so, but I believe that it was best to do it now, I remembered incidents I had forgotten and was able to add to her story somewhat, I also recalled memories I had forgotten and wished I never remembered. It was rough to look back on a journey that was not always easy, was often very lonely, and was one of the most complex experiences I have ever been through, yet it was also one of the most rewarding and life changing. It truly was the best of times and the worst of times, but that is how memories are made.
I will never forget the two precious girls whom set us on our Ukraine adoption journey and I will hold them in my heart forever. I will never forget that all three girls; Oksana, Daria, and Karina, could have been sent somewhere unspeakable and am so appreciative that all of them have forever families.
Our family is blessed to have Kara in our lives, we love her so much, and we will always be grateful that she is our daughter.
Day 43 in Ukraine-
America here we come,
Da svidaniya, Do pobachennya, goodbye Ukraine!
3:23 am
I just could not sleep past 2:30, I was too excited to be going home. Kara took forever to calm down too, but we both fell asleep around 10 o’clock.
7:00 am
Sitting here at the airport and waiting to board my flight. Kara is lying down beside me, she is exhausted, and I hope she sleeps on the plane.
Sergey picked us up again, and the ride was filled only with American rave music; I felt like I was teaching aerobics with that stuff. He did stay with us for a while and helped me buy some things for the family, and then he left us here. He forgot to tell me I needed to check in first, but I figured it out.
We met with the same impossibly rude passport official that we had met upon our arrival. He asked for every document he could think of to delay me as long as possible and you could tell he relished in making us wait, he even asked for the adoption decree. That man has some major issues with Americans adopting, you can tell; he was laughing with his co-workers while he asked for more documents from me. He even asked for the customs form I filled out on the plane on the way to Ukraine.
The mom adopting the two children was there too, she told me that the single woman adopting was turned away because she put the adoption decree in her luggage. I don’t know for sure, but I think she is missing her flight. (2008 If PAP's happen upon our blog, please make sure you keep all adoption paperwork with you in your carry-on luggage.)
Dear God please let us get home safely.
December 21, 2008 One year at home
The last 6 weeks I have marveled over the time that has passed since we met Karina in Vorzel, adopted her and brought her home. So much has happened the past year, Kara has grown, learned so many new things, she is walking, learning to climb stairs now, trying to talk, and is attending preschool! It has taken a year for everyone to call her Kara; she has been Karina for the majority of the past year, only mama consistently calls her Kara. That is OK with me; I usually call Kara Toshka.
The past 6 weeks I have spent rereading my adoption journal and writing about my 6 weeks in Ukraine has been somewhat difficult for me. My close friends kept telling me to just wait and write this all out in another year or so, but I believe that it was best to do it now, I remembered incidents I had forgotten and was able to add to her story somewhat, I also recalled memories I had forgotten and wished I never remembered. It was rough to look back on a journey that was not always easy, was often very lonely, and was one of the most complex experiences I have ever been through, yet it was also one of the most rewarding and life changing. It truly was the best of times and the worst of times, but that is how memories are made.
I will never forget the two precious girls whom set us on our Ukraine adoption journey and I will hold them in my heart forever. I will never forget that all three girls; Oksana, Daria, and Karina, could have been sent somewhere unspeakable and am so appreciative that all of them have forever families.
Our family is blessed to have Kara in our lives, we love her so much, and we will always be grateful that she is our daughter.