No Internet

I'm at my parents' house checking email...our internet is down.
Hopefully it will be back up in the next few days. :(

Have a great week!
Julie

Just have to comment...

I get some interesting questions about Halle Grace. People really just are curious, and I totally get that. But since this is my blog, and I get to say whatever I want, I just have to comment on some of the questions we get... :)
- Halle Grace will be babbling on in Russian, and person A will ask "does she speak English?". There's about as much chance of a 5-year-old orphan from eastern Ukraine speaking English as there is a 5-year-old American speaking Russian. I find this humorous!

- Person B will hear that we recently adopted Halle Grace from Ukraine, and they will ask, "did you have to go there?".
"Uh. Yeah." I really don't understand that question. Is it that they truly think you can just order an orphan and they will ship her over? Or are they just trying to make conversation? This one just cracks me up!

- Person C: Are your other children yours? Again, "Uh. Yeah." I know, I know what they mean - are they biological. But it's not the greatest way of asking it. What I really want to say is that it was WAY easier getting the boys than it was getting Halle Grace. Labor and delivery is much shorter and easier than adoption...as is pregnancy for that matter. AND they don't give you drugs! If you used EFFORT as the measuring tool, you could say that Halle Grace is MORE mine than my bio kids. :)

- Person D: Are you going to learn Russian? "Uh. No." I picked up a LITTLE while in Ukraine, but that whole "you can't teach an old dog new tricks" holds true for me and learning a language. Have you tried to learn Russian as an adult? I think it would be a full-time job... Sorry Halle Grace! (Thank the Lord you're doing a GREAT job learning English!)

- Person E: Will they let her go to a regular school? Yep. Our tax dollars hard at work - education for all!

No, these questions don't offend me. I know they are not meant to be offensive. But just know that if you have ever been someone's Person A, B, C, or D, they just might have had a good laugh at your expense! :)

Wow - it's late. I'm off to bed. Anyone want to add to the list?

Overdue Post

Wow! I don't think I've gone this long without posting in weeks (or months!) By the way, this picture has nothing to do with this post...I'm just indulging my ability to show off our little girl! Thanks again, Amy, my fave photographer. Love you!
Life is a little less dramatic these days now that we're home and settled (except, of course, for the new little drama queen in the house!). The honeymoon is over, and we are seeing some "opinions" from Miss Halle Grace. She can turn the tears off and on like a faucet. It's pretty impressivs. At first, we were really sensitive with her about it...thinking she was just overwhelmed, etc. Now, the tears are over things like cleaning up her toys, putting her shoes on, how I fix her hair, or taking a Sunday rest (i.e. today). I think this is good, because she is really just being a normal 5-year-old little girl. We have seen no signs of trauma or real stress, and we are all attaching beautifully. We feel so blessed! She is such a joy and a very happy little girl (minus the pre-mentioned exceptions)

We had a great "girly" weekend. Friday night, we ate at Pei Wei with Kalee. I love that place! Halle Grace loved the edanamme and the fortune cookies. We rented Enchanted, which she LOVED, and painted her fingernails. That movie is so cute! Saturday, Halle and I made strawberry pancakes at home and went swimming at my parents house. It was a little chilly, but she didn't seem to mind! Last night, we went to dinner and church with Valerie and Kallie (their other-halves were on the camping trip, too). Have I mentioned how much I love our church? It is incredible. Scott and the the boys ended up coming home late last night because storms were headed their way. They had a great time camping, hiking, and fishing. It's just a little boys' dream weekend!

I spent a big chunk of my morning working on my blog. I'm still working out some kinks (like how to get the white background off of my photoshop creations). :)
Like it?

Halle's Grace's English progress...
I want to remember how much she has learned at the 2 week mark, so this list is really more for posterity. She seems to understand at least half or more of what we say. The following are words/phrases she currently uses:
phrases
bye-bye
may I please
you're welcome
good girl
thank you
no thank you
counting (to 10)
all done
how are you
I love you
bless you
no, Daisy (our dog's name) :)

words
various body parts: eyes, nose, mouth, hair, hands, feet, fingers
various foods: apple, banana, pear, grapes, strawberry, salad, tomato, chicken, potato, chips, cake, pancakes, cookies, snack, popcorn, yogurt, hot dog, cherry, pineapple, juice, water, Sprite, jelly, chocolate, milk
brothers
airplane
bed
toys
home
car
animals: dog, cat, giraffe, elephant, zebra, monkey, bird
computer
kitchen
blanket
clothing: pajamas, dress, shoes, socks
smile
baby
boy
girl
chair
school
church
trash
ouch
drink
eat
flowers
good
God
amen
pink
pretty
family names(extended family, too)

Monkeys at the Zoo

I took lots of monkeys to the zoo today! I was driving carpool to Museum School, which happens to be down the street from the zoo. We thought it was time Halle Grace got to visit the animals! I let Grant skip school to join in the fun (after all, the zoo IS educational, right?). We dropped off Garrett and his friend Camden at Museum School, then Grant, Halle Grace and I headed over to the zoo. My sister met up with us a little later with Tyler and Zoey. :)
Halle Grace loved it - her favorites were the monkeys and the giraffes. But like most kids I know, she had more fun just running and playing than actually looking at the animals. :)
I went to pick up Garrett and Camden after Museum School so they could join in the fun. A great time was had by all!

A few zoo thoughts on the Forth Worth Zoo...
It's one of the best zoos in the country - it actually reminds me a little of the San Diego Zoo (on a much smaller scale, of course)

As usual, I regretted not starting at the back of the zoo and working our way to the front. It's a LONG walk from the Texas Wild section to the car!

Bring insect repellent for the bees that flock to the picnic tables when you eat lunch! I forgot. Again.

Favorites: feeding the birds with those little birdseed sticks, watching the chimpanzees doing acrobatics (they were so wound up today! Must have been something in the air...:), the new penguin exhibit, listening to Halle Grace rattle off all the animal names in Russian!

Making Vareniki

We travelled back to Ukraine today by making vareniki! Halle Grace LOVES the stuff and was so excited to help. She babbled on and on about her grandmother and how she used to make it. She lived with her grandmother briefly, and speaks of her often. I need to record her stories and have them translated so we can hear them in English!

Katie taught me how to make vareniki when I stayed with her. It's a lot like ravioli. You make a dough out of flour, water, and a dash of salt. Just until you get a nice dough that's not too sticky. Then you knead it for several minutes. The kids loved that part! After that, you let the dough rest while you prepare the filling. Ukrainians often use whatever leftovers they have on hand. We used some mashed-up potato, leftover roast from last night, and cheese. After the dough rests for awhile, break off about a fourth of it at a time. Keep the remaining dough covered while you take one part and roll it in your hands until it looks like a snake. Then chop the "snake" up into little pillows. One at a time, roll each little pillow into a circle - thin, but not too thin. Spoon in a little filling, then fold it over and press the edges together to seal. Then you go around and make little angled folds to double-seal it, as well as make a pretty edging. You boil them just like ravioli - about 5 minutes or so. In Ukraine, they served them a lot with sauteed onions. I just tossed them with a little browned butter. Yum!
Garrett wasn't the biggest fan, but Halle Grace and Grant loved them - kept asking for more. Grant said, "this should be a famous recipe!". Well...it is - in Ukraine!

Here are the little chefs working hard (Grant had already gone outside to play). Yes, that is a sparkly flapper-girl dress Halle is wearing, and yes, she wears it almost every day. :)

Russian Encounter

Revised for the Vosses
Yesterday, we went to the water park to buy our season passes. (Try explaining that it's not open until summer and that we're just here to buy our tickets - charade style!). While in line, the ladies in front of me kept smiling at Halle Grace. Finally they asked if she spoke Russian. So did they!!! They talked to her some and she loved it. She said her name was Halle and she was 5 years old. (good girl!). Then she proceeded to tell her ALL about the yucky history of her life before the orphanage. Yikes! No boundaries there! We'll have to work on that when she's speaking English. She also told the ladies how much she loves her new family. AND that she would like to learn gymnastics! My sister is a gymnastics coach, so she was thrilled. Anyone know of a Russian-speaking gymnastics coach in Northeast Tarrant County? How great would that be! The Russian ladies told me that we really should find someone that Halle can speak Russian with occasionally so she won't lose her native language. Anyone have experience/success with keeping Russian? It would be a challenge since we don't speak it.
Yes, I know about Nastia's gym, but it's in Plano. That's about an hour drive from my house. Have you seen the cost of gas? :)

A few minutes later, another lady walked in and told us that she had a daughter from Russia. They adopted her 5 years ago and she's doing great!

Small world.

Scott and the boys are going on their annual Father-Son camping trip this weekend. So it's just Halle Grace and I! Any ideas for fun things to do? :)

Swimming and Putt Putt

We're definitely not in Ukraine anymore! We went swimming yesterday at my parents' house with my sister's family. It wasn't terribly warm, but they turned on the hot tub and the kids loved it! Of course, I forgot my camera. Ughhh!! Halle Grace LOVES the water and just jumped right in. The boys eventually went over to the big pool, but that water was pretty chilly. Halle tried to join in, and I had to fish her out (poor little thing - scared her to death). She kept telling us she knows how to swim (I guess she figured out that she doesn't). She starts lessons in June! :)

She mostly loved strutting around in her new swimsuit. It's green with sparkes and flowers and a little skirt - and she looks adorable in it. (again, forgot the camers, you'll have to wait on swimming pics :( She woke up this morning asking again to go swimming. We'll have to hold off for a little while I think. Summer's coming soon though!

Halle Grace had her first putt putt experience with our friends the Silvia's Saturday night. She loved it (for about 9 holes - just like her mommy!). We went for ice cream afterwards, where she chose strawberry with M&Ms. The boys got vanilla with gummy bears. They just picked at theirs, as usual. But Miss Halle Grace ate every bite (again, like her mommy!).

This week we plan to finally settle into a routine. We also plan to really start working with her on her English. We have enjoyed attempting to use our Russian words, but it's not helping her, so we're working on breaking the habit.

Happy Monday!

AA Shower

Scott's team at American Airlines threw Halle Grace a shower on Friday, and let me tell you - she was quite the little princess! It was like making up for all the birthdays and Christmases she's missed out on. We had so much fun watching her ooh and ahh over all the fun gifts. A big thank you to the Latin America Revenue Management team. You have truly blessed our family. The team went in together and gave her a doll house, which has been a huge hit at our house! Even the boys have tried to play...although Halle wouldn't allow any horsing around. She likes things the way she likes them! (A teensy bit bossy at times :)
Scott's coworkers were so thoughtful - they even had presents for the boys! Thank you so much!

Scott's parents came to visit this weekend, and Halle Grace was great with them. We told her who they were and showed her pictures, so when she met them, she just ran right to them with her arms up for a hug. She is so proud to have family. She charmed her way right into their hearts (just like with the rest of us!)

It is fun watching the boys begin to bond with Halle. Grant has taken on the role of the protective big brother who dotes on her, and Garrett is her buddy! Garrett has enjoyed having a playmate while Grant is at school. :)

Another highlight was Friday night when Scott and I were putting Halle Grace to bed. We have been praying for her, but that night we asked her if she wanted to say the prayer. She did, and this is how it went (in English even!)..." Please Mommy, please Poppy, please Grant, please Garrett. May I please. Amen"
Is that just the sweetest thing you've ever heard?
We are so happy with her progress in learning English. She's adding new words every day and she is saying several phrases. We think she understands over half of what we say.

Here's Halle Grace with her new dollhouse. Grandpa put it together for her! (How Scott got away with not helping, I don't know! :)


This morning the boys played in the sprinklers with the neighbors. Halle seized the opportunity to use her new umbrella.

Update

Halle Grace is having a great week! Except for today at the doctor. They wanted to take some blood to run some tests, and apparently, her veins aren't that great. It took them FOREVER to fill those viles, and she was screaming most of the time. We were all crying - nurses included. Poor baby. But she is now the proud owner of a carton of ice cream, strawberry ice cream bars, pringles, and gummy bears. She's curled up on the couch resting, watching Cinderella (her favorite) and life is good again!

We got great news from her school. We went to register her at school (she'll start kindergarten in August), and they told me that they are starting an all-day kindergarten class this fall for ESL students! Hooray and thank you, Lord!!! Poor Garrett's class will still be half-day. But I think that will end up being a good thing for him to have a little extra time with mommy. :)

We had our first photo shoot yesterday with Amy! How cute are these?

First Weekend at Home

What an amazing weekend! Halle Grace is adjusting quickly and is just a perfect fit. She is so affectionate with us and it is obvious how proud she is to have a family of her own...and we are just as proud to have her! What a blessing - beyond words. Here is Scott with our 3 kiddos ready for bed after we arrived home from the airport. We loved the sign! Thanks Kathy, Grant, and Garrett.

Here's our little angel sleeping peacefully in her own bed. Hooray for sleep!

On Saturday, we went to Central Market to eat lunch and play. Halle Grace wore those fairy wings ALL DAY LONG! How cute is that?

That night, our our good friends stopped by to pass down their daughters' Barbie Jeep! Halle LOVES it - I wish you could have seen her face. Priceless!
Thank you, Reagan and Skylar!!!\


This morning was Halle Grace's first time at church. I LOVE this picture - it's shows how much her brothers adore her.


This afternoon, we had visits from Kathy, Kenny, and Kalee. We will be forever grateful for what they have sacrificed to care for our boys while we were gone. You have blessed us beyond what we can express and we are so thankful for you! Come back soon!

Tonight was dinner at my parents with my sister, Shane, Tyler and Zoey. The cousins had a great time playing, and Halle just jumped right in like she's always been here.

Thanks again for all the warm welcomes and comments. It's amazing to see the fruition of so many prayers through this little girl!

I promise to post more about our journey home soon. For now, I'm headed to bed. I'm still adjusting to US time. :)

Halle Grace's Homecoming

I'll blog later with the details, but we're home and having a great time! Halle went right to sleep last night in her own bed, with a huge smile on her face. She slept until 8:30! Now she's playing guns and swords with the boys, while wearing a tutu dress, a big flower in her hair, and zebra sunglasses. She's in heaven, and so are we!
Enjoy the pictures, and MANY thanks to Amy and Dad for the great shots. Thanks for all the support and warm welcomes last night. It means more to us than you know! God bless!

Home Stretch!

Good news! Julie and Halle are in the air and headed to DFW. Their flight was scheduled to arrive at 6:25 pm, but it looks like it will be delayed. They sat on the runway in London for an hour and a half before taking off. I would expect them to arrive around 8:00 in Terminal D.

If you are planning to greet them, go to the lower level in Terminal D at gate D23. I’m told there is an Au Bon Pain wagon at that location just to give you a landmark. This is where all International arrivals leave the customs/immigration hall. I’ll send out another note if the time changes.

Also, I’m looking for two volunteers. I’d love to have someone take photographs and I would also love it if somebody could bring a video camera to video the occasion.

Thanks,
Scott

Quick Note from London

If I had known we wouldn't get out of here today, we would have headed to town for tea and crumpets with the queen! Poor Halle Grace has basically been waiting in airports for 2 days straight...and in for another day of it tomorrow. We'll be getting to the airport super early so we'll be first on the list for tomorrow. It's a nice airport, so that helps. The food is good too. Although, not cheap!

Our hotel last night was not as nice as the one we're in tonight, but our waitress at dinner spoke Russian (thank you Lord!), so it was worth it!

Gotta run - Halle is VERY sad at the moment and is wondering why we are back at a hotel and not seeing her "Papa" in America. I've been drawing pictures to try to explain it all to her, but I'm afraid she's not quite getting it. Then again, niether am I!

We're hanging in there! We are praying and believing that the Lord will get us HOME tomorrow. I can hardly stand waiting another day to see the boys. Love and BIG hugs to you, Grant and Garrett!
xoxoxoxoxo

Frustrating

I’ve got some very frustrating news – Julie and Halle will not be making it to DFW today. It’s a long story, but it looks like the same time tomorrow.

Change of Plans

Sorry, but we’ve had a change of plans. We’ve decided that it is too risky to go to New York. As standby travelers, I’m afraid they may get stuck there with all the flight cancellations we have been making.

So, they are staying the night in London and taking the London Gatwick flight AA 79 to DFW (non-stop) that arrives here tomorrow evening (Thursday) at 6:25.

And They're Off

Scott Posting

I've been on the phone all morning with Julie. Since Halle is still a Ukraine citizen, she has to have a special visa to transit through London or she must have a confirmed ticket beyond London to connect on the flight to New York. And since they are traveling as non-revs, they do not have confirmed tickets beyond London.

It took a lot of work (and thankfully, the flight to London was delayed), but they just boarded the flight and should be in London in about 2.5 hours. It was very stressful, but we figured out a way to let them onboard.

If all goes as planned, they will connect in London to AA's flight 141 to New York, arriving at 10:50pm. They are going to stay the night with Julie's mother at a hotel.

There is some more stress coming as you may have heard about a little issue that AA is having with the S80 aircraft. If all goes as planned, they will head to DFW on Thursday morning, hopefully on flight 731 from LaGuardia to DFW arriving at 2:10pm. However, they may have to get up very early if issues surrounding the S80 inspections make us worried that it will be difficult to get here.

Bottom line - if you are meeting them at the airport, stay tuned. It could be anytime on Thursday, but we are targeting 2:10pm.

How are orphans different from typical American children?

I thought you'd never ask! Here are some of my observations. I know many of you have more...

- they order salads at McDonalds because it's the only thing they remotely recognize

- they use breakable glasses and bowls with expert care (orphanages don't have plastic cups - no sippy cups either!)

- they brush their teeth in the morning and at night without being asked

- in the morning, they neatly fold their PJs and place them under their pillow

- they drink hot tea every morning, and sometimes in the afternoon as well. Halle loves the stuff!

- they can get dressed (including zippers up the back of their dresses AND tying their shoes) completely independently

- with an orphan, an escalator ride is a fun-filled thrill ride

- if you've bought an orphan ONE thing, they will continially ask for more of that thing, as well as for other things. Wait...sorry - I forgot the title of this post for a second.

- They will wear their shoes on all hard floors in the house. They have been told it will make them sick if their feet touch the cold floor (even with socks on). You will need to get them slippers so they won't wake you up clapping their shoes on the floor when they have to get up to go potty.

- they will eat raw onions and garlic, but they will not eat spaghetti (at least mine won't - she'd rather just have the tomatoes plain, thank you.)

- They will want to wear the same outfit all week long

- they might be more prone to motion-sickness. Every adoptive parent needs Dramomine and a plastic bag handy.

- You will never see a child more proud of her parents than an orphan

- orphans don't have baby books, mine doesn't have a single baby picture

- orphans are great over-comers. They have endured and survived things no child deserves.

- many don't know when their birthday is because they are often celebrated seasonally with all the "summer" (or other season) birthdays together. Some aren't even sure how old they are.

Halle Grace in the Big City

I just put Halle Grace to bed, and it was easy-peasy! Hooray! She was READY because we had a very exciting day (and very little sleep last night!). After getting back from the Embassy, we rested for awhile at the apartment, then headed out to explore. Really, she just wanted to take her coloring book and crayons to one of the benches in the courtyard, but it turned into an all day event (so, yes, we ended up carting the coloring book and crayons all over town!). We walked down to Independence Square, which she was dazzled by! Everything must feel so new to her - so exciting.
I also took her through the underground mall beneath the square for her very first escalator ride! I wish I had videoed it, because it was just priceless. She must of thought it was a carnival ride of some kind, because she just giggled the whole way and wanted to go over and over again.
Then we sat on a bench in the square and watched the skateboarders. It's amazing to me that fashion can be so different in Ukraine, but the skateboard-look is exactly the same here. It must be universal.

I called our adoption friends, Drew, Michelle, Luke, and Tatyana and we got to meet them for dinner. They knew about this great place that has a little indoor play area, and really good pasta dishes. :) I had spaghetti (with the real tomato/basil sauce, not the ketchuppy stuff you find in Ukraine). I ordered Halle spaghetti carbonara. She picked at it a littie, then ate all the cherry tomatoes out of my dish. It was so funny to see Halle meeting new people and feeling all shy again - it reminded me of when we first met her. After awhile, she warmed up, and even went to the play area with Luke and Tatyana. She had a great time, and so did I. I'm so proud of how she's adjusting! That Tatyana is amazing as well - you'd never know those girls were orphans!

Those of you that will meeting our daughter over the next week or so, you will most likely see the shy little Vica at first. Stick around, and you'll get to watch her warm up and become the little Halle Grace we know and love! It's quite a transofrmation!

Another change of plans...(when is there not?). We're heading out of here TOMORROW at 3:45pm (that's 7:45am Texas time). We'll go to London, and then to New York. We'll have to stay the night there because we'll get in too late to connect to Dallas. We'll be in Dallas sometime Thursday morning (depending on how early we decide to head to the airport in New York!). Our plan-A Thursday Delta flight is getting too full to risk flying stand-by, and this is the best plan B we had that didn't mean staying until Saturday. At this point, I really don't care how I get there, I just want to get home!

Pray for me tomorrow as I have to try to explain through pantemime that we have to turn off the electronic devices for landing and take-off, as well as keeping the tray tables up. This was a challenge on our flight to Kiev! :) We are getting quite good at pantemiming, actually. I'm sure we're quite entertaining for the Ukrainians to watch. Now that I think about it, I might need a little more praying than that. What I really want is supernatural patience for both Halle and me as we make this journey across the globe. I once went to Hawaii with the boys by myself to visit my friend, Lyndy. I thought that was brave. At least they understood me when I yelled at them... hehe. No, of course I won't be yelling at sweet Halle (because of the supernatural patience you will all be praying for...:)

I'm off to weed through our stuff and make sure we'll still be able to carry-on our bags. Flying through London makes that crucial because of the new terminal at Heathrow and all the craziness that goes along with that. Too bad I can't pack socks and things inside all those stacking dolls! :)

I can't believe it, but I'm signing off from Ukraine! Hallelujah!

I hope I still have things to talk about when I get home. If you read the blog, you've already heard all the good stories! I'll have to be thinking up some more on the way home so I'll have something new to say when I see ya'll in person! :)

Love and hugs to all!
Julie

Flashback...Going Away Party

Sunday Night

Halle Grace’s Going-Away Party was one of the highlights of this whole experience. Katie and I went shopping for the kids in Halle’s groupa, and we found all kinds of goodies! Johnson & Johnson body wash and new toothbrushes for all…bubbles and tiny stuffed animals for all…a cake, bananas, and juice, too. All the makings of a great party! : )

Oksana was on her way back to Mariupol, but wouldn’t be in until late, and we knew there would be no time on Monday for a party. So Brandon, Katie and I seized the moment and just showed up with all the goodies! We brought one of Brandon’s friends from church to help us translate (SO glad we did – he was a huge help getting permission from the caretakers).

The kids were so excited to see us – Halle especially. She was such the proud little hostess! I doubt she grasped the significance of this little event. It was her last night with this group of orphans who have been her family for the past 14 months…and that she will likely not see again. The kids enjoyed all of their treats, and thanked Halle over and over, “Spa-see-ba, Vica!”. So sweet!

After they had their goodies, we all just played for a little while. The caregiver on staff was great and really let us interact with the kids, which is rare at this orphanage. You realize why the more time you spend with the kids…they all call you “mama”. They all desperately want families. I will never forget these sweet little faces, and Halle’s groupa will now become a regular part of our family’s prayer life. I wish I could take them all home. One in particular was a precious little girl named Christina. She’s the girl that performed with Halle for me the other day. She’s a beautiful, soft-spoken little sweetheart. Halle usually saves part of her snack for Christina when I come to visit her (“Christina’s a good girl”, she says). At the party, Halle and Christina came to me together and asked if Christian could come be a part of our family in America, too. Ughhhhh! Unfortunately, odds are good that she is not even available for international adoption. I just may have to check on that…

As the party went on, I think we all had to fight back the tears. The reality of these kids’ situations, and the future ahead of them if they are not adopted, is overwhelming. I see these precious, healthy kids without families, and I know of all these families waiting and struggling with referrals in Ukraine, and I can’t make any sense of it. But I trust in the Lord, who is the “defender of orphans”, and I choose to believe that he will be merciful and that he will protect and bless these kids. I believe that prayer can and will work miracles in the lives of these children. I urge you to add the orphans of Groupa 1 at the Little Sun Orphanage to your prayer list… or any orphans for that matter!
The Lord led us to our little Vica, and I believe he will continue to use the power of prayer to unite orphans with families. He is bigger than the red tape and he is bigger than the SDA! Please, Lord, move mountains for these precious children…

When we left, the caretaker told me that she would not be here tomorrow when I pick up Halle. She wanted to tell me (again) that Halle is a very good girl and that she will be so happy in our family. With tears and a hug, I thanked her for taking such good care of our daughter for us.

Thank you, Lord.

We're DONE!!!

Tuesday, 2:30pm

We just got back from the Embassy (where we got our visa in practically record time (1 hour!), and we are completely finished!!! All that's left is to come home. I broke into tears when the lady at the Embassy handed me Halle Grace's visa and said, "she will become a US citizen when your plane lands in America." It is finally time to go home! I am so overwhelmed with the reality of it all. This girl, who was a Ukrainin orphan just days ago, is now our daughter, and in 2 days, will be an American citizen. After a month in Ukraine, I realize more than ever what a blessing it is to live in America. Don't get me wrong - Ukraine has a lot to be proud of, and overall, I have enjoyed being here. But there is just no place in the world like the USA. The freedoms, the opportunities, and the conveniences we enjoy are such priveldges. I feel so blessed to be a citezen of such a great country. Not to mention the fact that it's just HOME.

Scott checked on flights tomorrow, but we'd have to take 4 different flights to get home (Kiev-Munich-Frankfurt-Chicago-Dallas). I don't think I'm up for that being by myself with Halle Grace. Actually, I don't think I'd be up for that under other circumstances either! Waiting until Thursday means 2 flights - Kiev to JFK (Delta) and JKF to Dallas (AA). That sounds much better, doesn't it?

Halle is adjusting well to being with me 24/7. We're finding ways to communicate, and most of the time it works! Last night was really hard. By the time we got into our apartment and ready for bed, it was 11pm. Halle was so tired, and coudn't get to sleep. First she cried because she wanted to watch TV, then she cried because she wanted a banana (she had just had a little snack before bed), then she cried because she missed "Mama Nadia" (her favorite caregiver). Break my heart! I didn't know what to say to make her feel better, but I just held her for about an hour while she cried. Not a fun night. But finally, she drifted off to sleep, and she woke up happy. God knew I would need a good cappuccino this morning...there just happened to be a great coffee shop next door.

To those Ukraine rookies, any suggestions on what to do tomorrow in Kiev with a 5-year-old, and a mom that's by herself and speaks little-to-no Russian? :)

Big Day...small post

Things went a little differently than we expected! We got everything done - including passport (yippee!). But we could not get tickets out of Mariupol or Donestk for tomorrow morning, so we left tonight!

Now Halle and I are in Kiev! But we are exhausted and are off to bed. I promise I'll give all the fun details tomorrow. Night night! :)

Tommorow

Brandon and Katie have the Annie soundtrack, and for those that know me well, you know it's one of my all-time favorites. And now I'm sort of living it (except our home isn't EXACTLY like Daddy Warbucks)! Yes, we admit we've made jokes about teaching Halle some of the songs...like "It's a Hard Knock Life". hehe. Aweful, I know! It's only funny because her life at the orphanage has been NOTHING like Annie's (except maybe for the "orphan wear"!) :)
Sometimes, while out walking, we'll sing the "Sandy" song to the wild dogs that roam free..."dumb dog, why are you following me...I ain't got a crumb dog, how about letting me be...".
I'm telling you, the parallels to that classic musical just go on and on! :)

Anyway, the Annie theme song for today is "Tommorrow", because that is the day I get to take Halle with me, and the day her life changes forever! Let's have a quick look at the classic orphan theme-song.... :)

The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
Bet your bottom dollar
That tomorrow
There'll be sun!

Just thinkin' about
Tomorrow
Clears away the cobwebs,
And the sorrow
'Til there's none!

When I'm stuck a day
That's gray,
And lonely,
I just stick out my chin
And Grin,
And Say,
Oh!

The sun'll come out
Tomorrow
So ya gotta hang on
'Til tomorrow
Come what may
Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
I love ya Tomorrow!
You're always
A day
A way!

(wow - I feel like I've been posting a ton lately! It will slow down over the next couple of days, though. If you haven't checked in in awhile, scroll down and catch up. Also check out the new Mariupol pics to the right)

and the Commies go to...

Ya'll are the best comment-making readers a blogger could ever hope for! Seriously, I can't tell you what it means to have so much support and prayers. We are so blessed by all of you!

I'll start with the category winners.

1 - Best idea for visits with Halle Grace:
The Commie goes to...Brandon and Katie Price - "I've got an idea for what you can do with Halle on a visit! You can bring her to our house to spend the night, and we can do our nails, and stay up and eat strawberry swirl ice cream! Yessss!"
Although there were TONS of great visit ideas given (which I used MANY of, by the way), none could compete with this one!

2 - Best "Hang-in-there" comment:
The Commie goes to...my Aunt Carrie - "HANG IN THERE!!!!!!!! WOW you really are in the final stretch and I know how those last days must feel like ten in comparison because it is so close.
Look at the positive side of all this waiting. God is teaching you and your entire family so much about patience and an even deeper appreciation for family and friends.
I will definitely say Larry and I learned those exact same lessons the two times Luke was in Iraq. Hang in there became our motto as we would get rare calls from Iraq to hear about six hour firefights or that our son and the other Marines he was with were spared only because an insurgent buried a bomb to deep.
But, the BEST lesson in having to "hang in there" has got to be how powerful our God is and how He hears our heart and what we need even if we have yet to ask. Just as He brought you all Halle Grace,
before you even knew of her and how God would know to speak to you through one of your own children so that you would be listening and hearing as only a Mother could. Blessings to you all. :))"
Love you, Aunt Carrie! No one knows "waiting" like you!

3 - Best frivolous news from home.
The Commie goes to...Scott Hinshaw -
"1. There is a man who is pregnant and he was on Oprah.
2. Oprah cried yesterday because her dog died.
3. The Clinton's made over $109 Million in the last 7 years
4. Obama bowled a 37 (you may even be able to beat that!)
5. Gas is $3.21 now.
6. Central market had the Grilled Chicken Herb Panini on special today - Joy said it was great.
7. Zoey gave me five, on the side, and in the hole.
8. Joy is pregnant (ok, just kidding).
9. Your dad is supposedly building the tree house.
10. Naomi Campbell was arrested at Heathrow again for spitting on a policeman.
11. Jamie Lynn Spears may be engaged.
12. Jessica Simpson was hospitalized (can't remember why), but is doing fine now. Romo had prior engagments, so he was not at the hospital.
13. Grant guessed the amount of candy in the jar at school and won the whole thing. It was 86."
I also LOVED hearing bits and pieces of what's going on with many of your families. Can't wait to get home and really catch up!

4 - Most inspiring poem.
The Commie goes to...Elizabeth Whatley
"Today is the day there are 5 more to go. I am so ready to be gone and away on our own.

The days seem longer, like a 70's afro. On the bright side we can play "salad cafe" 'till they mow

I am sick of the clouds, I am sick of the time...just creeping along leaving Veeka behind.

I want to go home, and play with the boys, I want them to see how much of Veeka we enjoy!

So until then, we will laugh and we'll giggle. We sit on the tables and slides and we'll wiggle.

We'll be thinking of things we get to do on the plane. We'll long for the moment we get to feel sane.

We'll hope that the jet lag and is left as far behind. As these days in Ukraine .... and then we won't mind.

'Cuz we'll have Veeka-Halle-Grace-Victoria-Elizabeth-Hinshaw and say:
"Hip Hip Hooray, our puzzles complete, I love it in Texas! Yee-Haw it's been really neat!"

The End...

It really is better when you "rap" it or sing it free-verse style...peace out!"
Honorable mentions in this category: my mom, Crista Ashworth, and Megan Mitchell. Ya'll are awesome!

5 - Wild Card
The Commie goes to...Kendra Vaughn, because not only did her post bring tears to my eyes, but she mentions several times how cute my son is! Flattery gets you everywhere! :)
"just wanted you to know I saw cute little Garrett's face today on his way into class and thought of you. He looked so cute . . kinda like he might be missing his Mommy, but so very cute!"

AND the Grand Prize winner for the most faithful and enthusiastic comments is Elizabeth Whatley!!! Your hand-painted (by Olga right here in Mariupol) Matrushka stacking doll is already packed! :) Congratulations! Aren't you glad I ran into you at Walmart just before I left and gave you our blog address? I know I am! :)

SIDE NOTE (literally) - look at the side bar and click on the Mariupol picture to see Brandon's great photography collection of this town our daughter calls home!

Last Saturday in Ukraine!

Todays visit with Halle was one of my favorites...and it's the one time I didn't bring my camera!!! Ughh!
We were outside, playing near her groupa. She ran over to "Mama Nadia" (her favorite caregiver) to take the dried apricots I brought for the kids. A few minutes later, all the kids came running over to us to say "spa-see-ba" (thank you). It was precious! Eventually, Halle's friend, Christina, came over to play with Halle and I. She is 6 years old, and beautiful - so sweet and polite, too. Halle Grace says she is a "good girl". The rest of the visit, she and Halle Grace put on little shows for me, taking turns singing and dancing - sometimes individually, sometimes together. It was the cutest thing ever! I'm going to check and see if Christina is available for adoption and just bring her home, too (just kidding, but I pray that she will find her "happy ending").

For lunch, Brandon, Katie, and I went downtown for a last little celebration! We had great food, and just wandered around a little. Tomorrow will be a busy day with church and Oksana coming in. I'll also need to get laundry done and packed, because Monday will be even busier! I'll try to post Monday after we pick up Halle Grace from the orphanage. Please pray for favor with the judge and other workers that will process our paperwork on Monday so we can get it all done. It will be a crazy day!

I will be announcing the "Commie" winners soon...if you want to enter one last comment for the grand prize, now's your chance! :)

Things I Will Miss about Mariupol and Ukraine in General (in no particular order, except for the first one!)

1 - my "roommates" Brandon and Katie! They have been so generous to invite me to stay with them, and we have had so much fun!

2 - Grivna. It's pretty, and is really fun to spend. It feels like play money! :) (I'm sure Scott will really appreciate that one)

3 - Euro-Techno music. Are there radio stations at home that play this music? I can't imagine being in a car without it! (hehe)

4 - watching The Office every night. I don't know where I have been, but that show is so funny!

5 - sleeping 'till 9am (I know, L-A-Z-Y, but it's SO NICE!)

6 - Cherry Perogies (mmmmm)

7 - fruit juice (faves include pineapple, mixed berry, cherry, peach, green apple, pear)

8 - tea and cookies (this is a daily ritual here...often twice a day. I think we should embrace this custom in our family so Halle will feel more at home :) hehe

9 - the crazy driving. It really is fun - like a carnival ride. I don't want to hear any more comments about MY driving at home...

10 - the Coca Cola - it's made with real cane sugar here (like the Dublin Dr. Pepper) and it is soooo good.

11 - the weather. (just kidding. For this Texas girl, it's like eternal winter here - I have the tan to prove it!

11 - people-watching. It's fascinating - from the model-thin women in their 5-in. stilettos, to the babushkas shuffling along with the canes and their plastic bags, to the children dressed like little eskimos in the 50-degree weather...never a dull moment!

Last Friday in Ukraine?!?!

I hope to be home with Halle Grace by this time next week!

Good news from the Embassy today - they received our updated approval! Since Scott went through Kiev to sign his part of the paperwork before leaving, the forms have already been filled out...they just need Halle's medical check and some signatures! :)

Our plan now is for Oksana and me to run around like crazy on Monday, hoping to all the birth certificate and passport paper work done. You would think that shouldn't take all day, but yes it will, and that will be much quicker than in most regions. When we're finished, we'll go to the orphanage to say our good-byes, give gifts, get Halle Grace out of that "orphan wear", and out of that orphanage! What an amazing moment that will be - to drive out of that driveway for the last time, with Halle beside me!

Halle Grace and I will spend the night at Brandon and Katie's (and yeay- they can translate! :) Then the two of us are on a plane to Kiev at 7:20 on Tuesday morning, and straight to the embassy. This gives us plenty of time to get everything finished at the embassy, and do a little sightseeing too! So...if there's space for us on that Thursday morning Delta flight, we'll be on it!

Today was so funny with Halle Grace! She was all about her imagination. We spent the morning outside (finally!), pretend-fishing with long sticks in the rain puddles. We would catch the "fish" (soggy, muddy leaves) and pile them up, and she would get so excited to see how many fish we had! This entertained her the entire visit! This afternoon, while inside, she found a little packet of sugar in my purse and asked what it was. I thought I knew the Russian word for sugar, but I guess not because she didn't know what I was talking about. So I told her it was for coffee or tea (I know those words in Russian...aren't you impressed?). She got all excited and said something about coffee and groupa and "be right back". A minute or two later, she appeared with a tea cup filled with water. She called it her "coffee" and was so proud of herself. I sprinkled some sugar into the water and stirred it with a pencil. She sipped it just like a little lady and sept saying how tasty her coffee was! So funny! Puddle-fishing and a tea/coffee party all in one day - visits don't get much better than that!

Welcome Home at the Airport

This is Scott posting.

We would love to have a crowd to meet Julie and Halle when they arrive. I know it is a little early to know for sure when they are coming, but Plan A has them arriving on April 10 (Thursday) at 8:24 pm on AA flight 487 from JFK.

Some have asked if we only want family at the airport. The answer is that all are welcome. Dates and times may change and we will try to communicate changes as we learn them.

If you plan on greeting them at the airport, please send me a note at scott.hinshaw@aa.com and include your name and cell phone number. We may also have a meet and greet where people can meet Halle later on.

Last Thursday in Mariupol

I just love saying that.

For our visit this morning, Halle and I colored and created a giant paper chain (thanks Elizabeth!). She also put great effort into crumbling cookies and raisins into her yogurt to make "yogurt soup". Look out Racheal Raye!
This afternoon, she had a little tummy ache, so she laid in my lap and we watched a Little Einstein episode on the laptop (thanks to the Doves - great idea!).

Things to do tomorrow...
1 - Call the embassy to check on the status of our updated I171-H approval
2 - check in with our facilitator (she's working her magic and trying to get us to Kiev on Monday night instead of Tuesday night. Hoping that works out!!! LOVE that woman!)
3 - visit Halle Grace (it's been rainy all week, so we've been inside working on puzzles, crafts, and games. Tomorrow's activity - make puppets and put on a puppet show)
4 - start shopping for orphanage gifts for caretakers, director, etc. Probably chocolates, champagne...the usual around here.

Keep the comments coming for the comment awards! Ya'll are the best!

ThE CoMmEnT AwArDs

I am announcing the first ever "Comment Awards"...(or the Commies).
Comment away!
Winners will receive a special virtual-trophy (a "Commie"), and the grand prize winner (1 only) will receive a small Ukrainian nesting doll set - brought all the way from Ukraine in my suitcase! :) Good luck and let the games begin!
Here are the categories:

- best idea of things to with Halle during our visits

- best "Hang-in-there, you-can-make-it" comment

- best frivolous news from home that I might be missing

- most inspiring poem (there is already one nomination in this category - see the Whatley's poem in the last post's comments :)

- wild-card category (in case there is one I love that doesn't fit within the above categories... :)

Last Wednesday in Mariupol

I can finally say that! Today is day 8 of our 10-day appeal period. I think I mentioned before that day 10 is a Friday, which means we won't be able to start any paper work until Monday. The goal is to be on a plane to Kiev with Halle Grace on Tuesday night. :)

Today, Katie and I took the bus to downtown Mariupol. It's about a 30 minute ride from the section of town where we are. They have a huge outdoor market, plus an indoor "mall" (that term is used loosely here). It was so much fun shopping and exploring. We also squeezed in lunch and a coffee break. This little coffee shop has lattes served with a scoop of ice cream! We had them with chocolate syrup too, and they were sooo good! I don't miss Starbucks at all. The cappuccinos and tea here are amazing!

Visiting Halle is getting tough. I'm tired of leaving her there at the end of our visits. She cried and pouted when I left our last two visits. I'm just ready to get her OUT! I see the light at the end of the tunnel, but we still have 5 more days of visits... fast forward PLEASE! I don't mean to complain. We are so blessed to have found her and I love seeing her little smiling face each day. I am also blessed to have found Brandon and Katie as well (check out their website!). Life is good. But I'm just ready to get on with the show!

Again, thanks for all of your comments and emails. They feel like little pieces of home and they bring me so much joy! :)

April 1

During our visit this afternoon, Halle and I went outside because it was so nice out! It was cloudy, but close to 60 degrees. We were big rebels because I didn't make her wear her hat. We got in trouble later, when a caretaker spotted Halle outside without her hat on! Come on, people! We had fun making "salad" out of anything green we could find...mostly new spring weeds and some pine needles. It was delicious! :) hehe
I've taught her to sing the chorus of Jesus Loves Me, and while making salad, she started singing it! How sweet is that?

Here is a picture of Halle and her little friend, Vera, who is being adopted by an American mom from New York. Yes, that thing on Halle's head is a bow, and yes it is attached to her hair! This is what bows look like here, and it just cracks me up! She came down all spiffed up this morning after a dance recital of some kind. She told me about all about it, but unfortunately, I have no idea what she said! I just smile and nod my head and say "da" alot... :)

This is a fun picture from our little "dress-up" visit yesterday. She is such a ham for the camera - loves to pose and then look at the picture on the camera LCD. Such a girly-girl!


And I'm finally uploading pictures from the Morning Market that I posted about earlier. The first one is a long row of vendors selling potatoes and onions. These are major staples here. I've never eaten so many potatoes in my life! The second picture will be a mystery to Americans, as bags are free with purchase everywhere at home. Here, plastic bags are something you buy and reuse - they can be precious commodities. They are a sort of status symbol as well it seems. My favorite vendor at the market is the third picture. It's one of the many places you can buy those stilettos that make Ukrainian women who they are. Everyone wears them here - and the gaudier the better. It's truly a sight to behold! (you can click on the pictures to see more detail - I know you want an up-close look at those boots! hehe)