WE ARE HOME!!

We made it home safely and on time.   I was a little worried about making it through customs, immigrations and security in Washington D.C. with only a 2 hour layover, but we made it!!  We landed in Terminal B, went to Terminal C for customs & immigration and made it to Terminal A where they were just starting to board the plane.  We landed in Texas exhausted but into the welcoming arms of many friends and family members (we were counting today and it was right over 50 people).   It meant so much to us to have them all there!!  They have been praying for us, encouraging us, and supporting us throughout this journey. 

Slava Bogu!!! We are coming home!!

Slava Bogu means "Praise God" in Russian and I am definetly praising God today!!  It has been a long and crazy day, but we have Alona's visa and will be picked up for the airport in 3 1/2 hours!!  No sleeping tonight!!  Please pray for travel safety, no delays on flights, and a quick, easy time going through immigration in Washington, D.C. --  we want to make it home on schedule!!  We should arrive in San Antonio at 7:25p.m.   I have missed everyone and home so much and Alona has already told me "Nyet plach" No crying!!  I can't really promise that at this time.  This has been quite a journey and I am talking about the last 2 years not just the last almost 6 weeks.  I know this is just the beginning really, but as Mike always says "I am looking forward to seeing how God works this all out".   I will end this post with Alona's words (she has told everyone she meets, including random people on the street) " Alona Grace Mullins go to America forever!!"

Enough Said

Today the rain let up a little.., Yea!!  I don't know exactly what is going on with the weather, but it reminds me of a tropical depression.  It will rain really heavy and then let up and then another deluge comes.  I realized a while ago that is exactly how I have been feeling the last few weeks.  I can see the sun through the clouds for a little while and then all of a sudden I am overwhelmed.  Can I do this?  Can I help heal this child's heart, will she ever truly trust & love us?   I think Alona's emotions are doing the same thing.  She is over the top excited to finally be coming to America to live forever and she names every single person she know by name.  Yet, I think the idea of me being "mom" forever isn't an idea she can fully grasp or even wants to (at times).  I think she has been on her own for so much of her life that she doesn't know how to be a child.  Then there is that part of her that is emotionally at the level of a 5 or 6 year old.  One example is that she told our translator that when she was in America before her mama and papa would not let her watch TV much and only cartoons (as she rolls her eyes).  Yet everytime we see a place that sells movies what does she look at Nemo, Toy Story, Barbie movies..,  So how do we parent this broken child who has been rejected and let down by so many people in her short life?  The only way is to totally trust and rely on God and His equipping.  He and He alone put this child in our hearts and lives.  As I was sitting here today, hearing "No" for the hundredth time.  He brought this Scripture to mind  "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you"  John 15:12   Enough said...,

First U.S. Embassy Appointment

We had our first U.S. Embassy appointment/interview this morning and it was pretty quick.  I don't know if it was because they were closed on Friday and will be closed again tomorrow, but we literally did not see another person there other than the security people and the man that handled our case.  They asked a few questions, had me sign a couple of forms, pay for the visa and told me to come back on Wednesday after 2:00p.m.  So Wednesday  at 9:00 we are scheduled for Alona's exit medical exam and then in the afternoon we pick up the visa.  Please pray for these last two things to go smoothly because I really want to be on that plane Thursday morning.

View from our apartment balconey

It has been raining pretty heavily all day and it is 55 degrees.  So after running to the Embassy, we ate at Alona's favorite restuarant and then went and bought a movie "Nemo".  When the menu comes up it gives you 4 languages to choose from and one is Russian; but Alona chose "English".  We only made it through half of the movie and then Alona said she needed to sleep for 1 hour and then watch the rest.  I thought she was kidding because she never sleeps during the day, but she fell asleep in about 5 minutes.  I guess it is the dark, cool, rainy day nap.  It is 4:30p.m. so I am not going to let her sleep but 1 hour or I will be awake all night.  I know everyone in Texas would love to have some of this rain, but I am hoping it stops by tomorrow because I am getting a little cabin fever being stuck in this small apartment for the last 3 days.  Tomorrow is an Ukrainian holiday, Constitution Day, and there are all types of celebrations planned.  They have been setting up stages and are suppose to have a parade of some type, but there is also an 80% chance of rain.  Hopefully, it will stop so we can get out and see the sights.  Oh yeah, one more thing...., guess who wanted to wear Mama's babushka poncho today?  ALONA!!

A little market down the hill from us -- most of the stores don't have signs on the front of them

Rain and Babushkas

It is raining here again today and I think that it is suppose to continue until we leave on Thursday.  So please pray I can keep a very active girl busy indoors for 4 days.  Yesterday we left the apartment to go get some type of craft to do and all I had brought with me was a travel umbrella.  This umbrella is rather small, but would work for 2 people if both people would walk close together and in the same direction; but of course it didn't work for us.  I came back looking like a soaked rat.  When we first came to Ukraine, I had brought clothes for both warm and cool weather.   The weather was so hot when Mike was here that I sent all my warmer clothes home with him.  Well now it is cool and rainy with the high yesterday being 62 and the low 56.  I have one sweater and one long sleeve t-shirt and that is it.  So with dripping wet clothes and no clothes dryer, today I am left with little to wear.  But I found a clear poncho (like from the dollar store) in the outside compartment on my suitcase; so today when we went out I put it on.  Alona just starts laughing and laughing and tells me I look like a babushka.  When we get out on the street she walks at least 20 feet in front of me and keeps turning around and looking like I can't believe she really is wearing that.  When we get done eating lunch and are walking home this babushka that lives in our building (and Alona talks to every night) sees us and comes out in the rain to ask a question.  Guess what the question is "where did your mother buy that?"  Alona says "America" and then the lady looks all disappointed; so Alona asks me if when we leave in 4 days could she give it to that woman and I say "of course".  So both Alona and this lady are happy!!  When we get in the apartment Alona decides to take a picture of me and I keep telling her "Right, mama looking good"!  She decided then she would dress up like a babushka...,

Alona babushka

Counting Down the Days!!

This on the main street also -- Kreschetik Street

It has been a quiet day.  It has rain most of the day and been in the 60's.  I think it is suppose to be this way for the next few days.  Alona and I have played cards, colored, played games and watched a movie.  Now we just went out and bought a kit to make some sun catchers; hopefully, this won't be a big mess. 
I made a calendar when we first got to Ukraine for the month of June in English and Ukrainian.  We have been marking off the days until court and until papa left to go home.  Today I told Alona we could start marking off the days until we get on an airplane for HOME!!  5 more days.., well since it is 9:00p.m. here in Ukraine I am going to say "4 more days"!!!!

WooHoo..., PASSPORT!!

We picked up Alona's passport today at 3:30 p.m.   I am so thankful!!  It felt so strange when I opened Alona's passport up and saw her picture and then saw the words "Alona Grace Mullins".  It still feels surreal to think that she is really our daughter forever. 

Our first U.S. Embassy appointment is Monday at 10:30.  Tuesday is a holiday here, but the plan is for Alona's exit medical exam to be done Wednesday morning and we have our second U.S. Embassy appointment Wednesday afternoon and hopefully leave with a visa.  Our facilitator told me to go ahead and book my flight home for THURSDAY!!  That is only 5 days away (not counting today or the day we fly).  Please pray specifically for everything to go smoothly with the Embassy and the medical exam; so we can be on that plane early Thursday morning.  I don't have the exact itenary of our flights, but I think we land around 7:30p.m. in San Antonio. 

I had a really great time tonight!!  My friend and neighbor, Letty Quintero and I went to dinner to celebrate her last night in Kyiv.  She is returning home with their 4 newly adopted children.  I don't think either of us ever imagined that after hosting 2 years ago, that we would be in Kyiv at the same time bringing home our children within 5 days of each other.  Isn't God amazing!!