3 Days America!!

Well then, my blog is finally unbroken. It is been "down" so to speak for the last several days. There were plenty of message that appeared to be informing me of what was going on with the blogger, but they were all in Russian. Thus is my world...

Anyway, we spent the last three days in Odessa as a family of four. It's been like an awakening for all of us. We have learned to communicate in our own little way (most of it not with words!) & both kids remain curious about English (although not as much as I would like - but for the record, my opinion on this is that there has to be a motivation <which is why I have not learned Russian> and I believe the motivation will come with immersion in the language & culture <which, I realize, defies why I have not learned Russian - but still... - fact is, I don't really need any friends here becase I am going home...IN 3 DAYS!>). We had tickle-fests, giggle-fests, wrestling matches (Henry is pretty fast & wirey!), and just chilled together. Oh, and we went to a ballet at the Opera House in Odessa because it was a once-in-a-lifetime (have I mentioned that I have no intentions of ever coming back here?) chance to see the Opera House & it was worth the risk of taking an 8-year-old boy. We only stayed for about half & they both said they enjoyed it. They were good but I did have to sit between them in order to halt the commentary & giggling. They are, indeed, your average siblings.

There is soooo much I could say about our time together but I suspect the details of our lives are similar to yours if/when you raised & spent time with your children. It's just normal stuff - well, except the fact that we can't converse with our children. There's that challenge... but then, it really has had a way of bringing us closer. We've had to learn each other's "style" & nuances. It’s been good for us. And in a way, I’m glad we cannot talk about why & how it that we all came to be a family in Ukraine. The why & how is not really important… That we *are* is what is important right now.

That’s not to say I do not think about their why & how. I am curious about their pasts (if you were wondering if I ever got the information I asked for about their neglect/abuse histories, now you know…) but mostly in the sense that I want to be able to help them work through any issues that they’ve brought with them or to watch for signs of developing issues. None-the-less, we are left to figure this out on our own. Maybe it’s best. I disagree. But others – the ones who could have provided this information – obviously felt it best not to share – so I am left with whatever fallout there is from their decision. I do pray that God gives me the wisdom to guide them to a healthy, happy life.

Today we spent a good six hours in the car traveling from Odessa to Kiev. So I had some thinking time (oh no…you can stop here if you want!). I’ve been conflicted about how I’ve experienced Ukraine. Other than the time with my family (which I have LOVED!), I cannot say that I’ve enjoyed this trip AT ALL. The places we’ve stayed have all been, in my opinion, creepy; even the “very nice” apartment where we stayed in Mariupol had “issues”. I could go into detail but there’s no time or space (or interest on the reader’s part!) for that. I think the point is that the entire country is “old” & “cold”. Nothing is what we would consider to be “quality”. Even the “nice” places are not “nice” by American standards. There is building after abandoned building; some that were under construction but not finished (and I’m thinking, “What? Did their economy tank or something?”), some are falling down, and some you honestly cannot tell if it is on its way up or down. The buildings are hideously ugly. There are piles of rubble beside EVERY home & building (completed or not). There are plumbing & electrical issues in every apartment. Sorry, I digress. The point is the country feels robbed to me. It feels like the human spirit has been squelched, stamped out, ruined. We (the human spirit), by nature, are proud. We, with the right motivation & resources, are smart, creative, do good work, and take good care of the things we have. This goodness that is our human nature does not seem to exist here. Certainly, it is such that “people” exist here, but they hardly seem human. The lack of kindness toward one another. The complete disregard for one another. It just all feels so wrong to me. I cannot believe that God intended us to live like that. Nor can I believe that people *want* to live like that. It leaves me, once again, shaking my head.

That is not to say there are not kind people here. But overall, I’ve not found much warmth & kindness. And it makes me sad. Not so much for me because I am going home to family & friends & a community & “the south” (where we wave at everyone who drives by whether we know them or not!) that is warm & kind. But for the people I leave behind. I guess I can’t help but wonder what this beautiful country (and it IS beautiful here!) could become if the spirit of the people was renewed & there was warmth & kindness. I guess post-communism remains ugly for many, many years. Pray for the ugliness to end here. Pray for the human spirit to be renewed.

So that’s my take on this place. I could be wrong. Maybe there’s more kindness than I have perceived. But I don’t think so (I have pretty good “energy feelers”)…

Here we are. In our last creepy place before HOME! As I’ve said so many times about the places before, I cannot describe this place. It’s so over-the-top that I dare not attempt describing it (I am not that crafty with words that I could bring you here to experience what we are seeing). Suffice it to say, 3 DAYS AMERICA!! Sydney… Roxy… Grandma… Grandpa…

Tomorrow is our last day without anything to occupy our time. We will have our driver pick us up & take us to the big mall with lots of stuff to do. That oughtta be cheap! But there is no price too high for getting my kids outta this “accident waiting to happen”! There will be NO wrestling or tickle-fests in this place. And then both Monday & Tuesday was have appointments at the US Embassy. We will be issued our kids’ visas on Tuesday & leave this place at 4:00am (Ukraine time) Wednesday morning for a 6:45am flight!!

Our flight is due in around 6:30pm ET!!! We will have cleared customs in DC, so we look forward to picking up a pizza (because we haven’t had enough of that here – and if you came before us, you know what I mean!) & heading home……….