7 Quick Takes - Last day in Ukraine and the trip HOME!

1. The boys and I have been home for 5 days! I'll do a few quick recaps, then try to write it all up later. 

2. Last Friday a driver picked us up and took us to the medical appointment for Maks.

 3. He passed that fine, and we headed to the embassy for his visa. Luckily, because it was late afternoon, they were super fast about it. We met another adoptive family there who was so nice. They helped entertain Maks while I dealt with the paperwork. The embassy is a neat place. 

4. We left there and picked up another adoptive momma to head down to get her referral. We got caught in traffic, again, thanks to the protests, and she had to get out of the car to run down there before they left. I only went with because I had not yet gotten souvenirs and I was not about to spend 5 weeks in a country and leave with no souvenirs! I bought a bunch of stuff for the kids, friends, and family at the street vendor there. Then we had a bite to eat and on the way out noticed that the door under St. Andrew's was open. It was a gift shop and I was so excited. I walked inside and cried. The icons and other things there were so beautiful and very reasonably priced. I bought a few things and then we left.

St. Andrew's is breathtaking at night. 

5. I then met up with my dear friend Louisa, who I had never met in person, but we had spent countless hours on the phone together spazzing out about the journeys we were on. I was so glad we ended up in country together. 

Louisa, Maks, Nicole, me, Sam 

6. Early Saturday morning at 3 am, we left for the airport. I had only slept about 1 hour. We took off around 5:55 and Maks did great on this flight. He slept a lot of it, and we had an empty seat next to us, so we could spread out. We landed in Frankfurt (aka, the worst airport ever), changed diapers, got a snack, he napped some more, and we prepared for our 10 hr flight to America. 

7. The 10 hour flight was not pretty, but we were sat next to an amazing guy who was so calm and sweet to Maks. God answered a prayer there for us. He was a big help, and just having an understanding person next to us really helped. Maks barely slept an hour this flight. Sam wouldn't let me put him in the bassinet until late into the flight, so it was pretty difficult. Both boys had a poopy diaper fiasco at about 5 hours in, but Lufthansa rocks and helped me get through that one. We landed in Denver and got through customs and everything else with the help of a great airport employee. A nice man there commented that he had a 9 yr old son with ds and what a blessing he was. 

By the time we got to Phoenix, I was deliriously tired. As soon as the plane started its decent, I started crying. I couldn't wait to hold my girls. Maks had fallen asleep after petting the arm hair on the guy next to us, so we were waiting for a flight attendant to help get us out. The nice man with a son with ds asked if i needed help and said he'd be honored to carry him out for me. :') I walked out, got him loaded up, walked down the ramp, saw my Grammy, grandpa, and aunt, then saw my hubby and two big girls walk up behind. I just held them all and cried. My little girls then showed up and I cried some more. Kyle woke up Maks and he lit up like a Christmas tree. He loves his daddy. 

We'll have pics from a great photographer and I'll post more soon. Maks and all of us are doing great. He's a wonderful little boy, and we are so blessed.