Coming Home and Transition

We will be home Wednesday night at 7:21 pm!  We fly into San Antonio on United airlines.  I have been thinking about the best way to make our transition to normal life.  It is going to be tough.  I have to pray and think about everything I do because what feels natural isn't always the right thing in this case.  So many people have asked about bringing the kids gifts when we get home.  We are so thankful that we have so many friends that want to love on our kids!  We have been thinking a lot about it and we really feel like right now gifts aren't the best thing for the kids.  They will be adjusting to the bounty of American life and we want to be sensitive not to overload them with material things.  We want them to know that love is not "things" but rather family and friends.  This is what I'm talking about when I say that I have to think so much about every decision we make.  It's so tiring!  I'm struggling right now with what to do about sleeping when we get home.  Alex's bed is upstairs with the rest of the boys.  Tanya and Ellie are sharing a room downstairs.  I know he feels very secure with Tanya but if I let him start sleeping with her the transition might be even harder later. I just don't know what's best.  Maybe someone has experienced this and I would love to hear your opinion.  Bedtime tonight went great.  Last night during Alex's fit, I called Natasha and she explained that if he did not obey me and go lay down, he would not have any candy or sprite tomorrow. He had a terrible fit so all day today he was not allowed to have any candy or sprite.  Natasha kept reminding him that he has to obey me.  He wanted gum at the embassy and I wouldn't let him have it.  Tanya explained why he couldn't have it and it made him really bad.  He was terrible at the embassy.  He got over it until he wanted candy again and then he would pout and try to make himself cry.  I just kept telling him (through Natasha) that because he chose to disobey last night, he could not have candy.  Lots of pouting today!  I felt terrible.  I wanted to give him candy but I knew I had to stick to it.  And it worked!  He laid down right after his shower tonight.  It took him a while to go to sleep but I think that he's just so excited!  I just kept telling him "Good Boy".  Every once in a while, he would look at me and say "Mama, zaftra, America?"   Zaftra is tomorrow.  His actual words were "Mama, afa, uh-eh-ee- uh?" because he doesn't pronounce very many consonant sounds.  We have been working on a few and he can do them but when he says words, he only pronounces the vowels.  It's so sad because it's like no one ever bothered to help him say words correctly.  Tanya always understands him and tells everyone what he said - even in Russian.


Today we woke up at 9 but didn't get out the door until noon to go eat lunch.  A taxi picked us up at the restaurant and took us to the Embassy.  I had to sign some papers in the embassy and then we had to wait about 30 minutes for the kids Visas.  While we were sitting there, another couple walked in.  It was a blog friend who I actually talked to on the phone once before about adoption stuff.  We email each other all the time and here we are in Ukraine together!  I also met another family who I've been reading their blog.  We also met a dad who leaving tomorrow with his 2 children. We will get to see most of them again at the airport tomorrow.   We were supposed to go to visit Natasha and Inna's grandma but it was raining so we couldn't go.  Instead we went to the Dolphin show which was really amazing.  All the seats were really close and they did amazing tricks.  We loved it and I think the kids really enjoyed it too.  We think it was actually better than the dolphin show at Sea World.  Really!!!  We had to say goodbye to Inna tonight and we were sad.  We will see Natasha in the morning at 4 am when she picks us up!  Ok, I have got to start packing.  We went back to the chocolate factory today and bought more chocolate.  It's so heavy so we are trying to arrange all of our bags with even weight so we won't have to repack at the airport again!  Oh, how I can't wait to be home with my whole family together!!!!!


Liz want to add a little bit to the blog today while I pack!  Here she is:


Hey friends!  What a privilege to have been given the opportunity to travel with Joni to Ukraine for the very special purpose of bringing HOME her babies!!!  WOW.  I feel so blessed to have been given such an intimate experience of international adoption right before my eyes.  As a Christian, it is so beautiful to see the similarities between this earthly adoption and the spiritual adoption that as believers in Jesus Christ, we  experience!! One of my favorite pictures I took, was a picture of some paperwork that Joni had to fill out in order to complete the adoption.  The title of the paper was "FORM 1-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative."  Isn't that the coolest thing?!!  From orphan to heir!  I just loved that! "Now if we are children, then we are heirs- heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory." Romans 8:17 


Each of you who know Joni personally would be SO proud of the way she has handled everything over the last week.  This process is not for the faint of heart.  It is tough...but SO WORTH IT.  Truly! She has done an incredible job already- even as it has been very, very tough at times. Your prayers are evident!


Lastly, I wanted to address a question that has come up a lot.  Many of you are asking how you can help once the kids are home. Joni feels so loved and cared for and thinks she has the best friends in the world!!  (WELL...of course she does, right?!!)  We all love her!!  That is why we are all wanting to know how we can help her family as they transition home.  I would suggest that if you want to give, think of ways that you can give in such a way that their WHOLE family is a recipient instead of gifts directed just towards Tanya and Alex because of what Joni mentioned above.  Meals are awesome!!  There is a care calendar that is going around and that is truly great.  For others of you, giftcards to restaurants are another idea....Think of this as a gift of time that you are giving their family to bond or a much needed date night for Joni and Jody.  Even grocery store giftcards and clothing stores would be soooo good.  That way Joni can use these as needs arise for the children, but have more control over what is purchased and how it is given etc.  I will also say that the cost of adoption, as you know, is staggering, and there are many more costs ahead as they look toward dental bills and medical bills etc.  So, I know Joni is forever grateful for everyone's generosity already and maybe this will help you with other ways to continue to give and bless her family of EIGHT!!! See ya'll soon!  xoxo  love, Liz