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! :)
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Last Wednesday in Mariupol
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Praying for Tuesday! I know your heart must be aching to start life at home with your new daughter.
Hang on, your in the homestretch now, baby!
Well, just try to think of these visits as one on one time that you won't get a lot of when you get home. She'll have brothers, cousins, freinds, toys, books all kinds of stuff and who knows-you may be chopped liver then! ;)
You could always go back outside and dig up more snacks!
May the next week fly by!!!!!
LYLAS
Hi Julie & Halle Grace,
I can only imagine seeing the light at the end of the tunnel would make you want to fast forward to next week….hang in there by treasuring these last few days you have in this country which has blessed you and your family with Halle Grace. Look for things you can bring back with you which will connect Halle Grace to her heritage. Look in the markets for a recipe book, some traditional art, bring the newspaper home from the day you met her, the court date or the last day your in country to remind her of “happenings” on that important date, ask the orphanage if the children can write good-bye notes or draw pictures to her for her scrap book....just treasure these last few days.
Love ya!
Lisa in Spain
http://payne-familyadventures.blogspot.com/
You must be so excited but I bet Halle is even more excited. If that's possible. :)
I just think of how much she must miss you when you leave. I hope you were able to leave the family book you made for her. If so she has probably looked through it a million times already.
LOL I love Joy's sense of humor. She's a crack up. :))
Hang in there. Love you, Carrie
Ok...so here's a poem to cheer you up...
"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!
The Whatley's
Elizabeth that was too funny! :)
I keep thinking how it would feel to leave the only world you have known and go to a new land with a new language, new name, new family, NEW FOOD. (If she likes to eat tulip bulbs, that has to be a good thing!) She's going to love her new life with you guys. And I think it is so cool that you will know at least two of her little friends from Mariupol. Maybe they can keep up?
I know the boys are probably ready to see their Mama!
Just a week or less!
Post a Comment