Sunday, January 23, 2011

One year ago today....

We left to for Ukr*ine to begin the journey of a lifetime.
First we almost missed our international flight as we sat in the wrong terminal and watched the one we should be in empty out and board the plane.  Then we watched it close.  And the plane prepare for departure. 
A few minutes later we realized with a jolt that THAT was our flight.  Yikes.  Not good.  Grab the kids and luggage and see if it's too late....!  Thankfully, after looking at us like we're complete morons (!) they opened it up and let us on.  And we were the 'cheap seats' in the very back so we had to walk all the way trhrough ...getting the 'moron' stares from everyone!
But hey...we DID deserve it.

Anyway...that was just the beginning of the greatest journey we've ever been on. 




 We were so, SO excited to meet this little guy....
And even though things didn't go quite as planned and we had to leave without him after being in country for a month....(and that was REALLY hard)  it was such an AWESOME time....one we'll never forget.  It was a wonderful bonding time with our teens and our little 2 yr old LOVED the trains and planes....
We met Alexander, our wonderful friend and he showed us around the whole month.  We made good friends, tasted wonderful foods at their homes....and just enjoyed living simply for the time we were there.  We rented an apartment where we could walk to many places and found our 'favorite' little shops and eateries. 
Then I had to have a ROOT CANAL while there....oh, NOT so fun!!!  But then it got better when my dentist looked like Tom Cruise.....

Oh the memories.

And we got not one but TWO trips out of it...because we went back a month later to finalize the adoption.

I can't believe it's been almost a year since we met Artiom....I'll never ever forget that first meeting.  How small he was.  Totally unbelievable and something I'll cherish in my heart forever.

It was a wonderful time.  (sigh) 

6 comments:

  1. and soon hopefully you will be back there to bring another lucky child into that wonderful, crazy family of yours. From my lips to God's ear...

    love finds a way,
    Renee
    chasing-moonlight.blogspot.com

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  2. Well, it sounds like even though you had a few bumps (almost missing your flight and 2 trips!!), you had a positive experience and a much better time in-country than we did!! We weren't doing so bad until those last two weeks, then we got the total brush-off!! :)

    So glad that you are remembering your journey, and I'm with Renee- go get another one! ;)

    xoxo, Kari

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  3. Did you say ROOT CANAL??!! Let me guess....Alexander's idea??? I never heard that part of the story! Crazy...Ukraine medicine! NUTS!

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  4. Yeah, and they did it themselves at Rambo's!!!

    There was lots of smoke coming from my mouth....

    thank goodness for the vodka ;)

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  5. Gretchen, don't let Jodi fool you. She had it done in a back alley after she had shot-up some heavy illegal drugs in-between her toes (so her teenagers wouldn't know). Yes, there was smoke coming from her mouth but it was of the illegal kind. You'll have to go back and read her post on that experience to get the TRUE story! What a hoot that was. That's when I became completely hooked on Jodi's blog--never knowing what crazy situation this whacky woman was going to get herself in was addicting! :)

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  6. You are one odd duck!!!

    ha ha ha


    in between the toes....who THINKS of things like that!

    A weird mind...that's what!

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