We will be in Dallas one week from today and we will be preparing to board our Northwest flight and fly to Ukraine. I cannot believe it. My stomach has butterflies. I woke up this morning and started making another list. I went to Wal-mart yesterday and thought I was through there. No such luck. I have another list to fill there.
VBS has been such a success. We have one last night.
We are getting started on new exterior doors today. We have been waiting for awhile to do this project. They will be beautiful. Can't wait.
We got news from one of our facilitators that they will keep Alyssa while we are at our SDA appointment. What a blessing. It was the perfect news for her care. We both cried as we realized that someone half a world away was so thoughful about our child whom they have never met.
Tammy
Friday, August 1, 2008
One week from today
Posted by Kevin and Tammy at 7:35 AM
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6 comments:
And what a ride it will be!!
Especially since you're taking your daughter with you, take LOTS -and I mean LOTS of baby wipes. We took two refill sized packages and used them all within the first week or so we were there. We used them for EVERYTHING from cleaning hands and faces to dirty tables to ice cream off kids...and even for refreshing sweaty bodies that had been crammed into the back seat of a car with no AC and no open windows when it was well over 90 degrees outside. Baby wipes are available in Ukraine, but the selection is sparce (we were only able to find Pampers brand for sensitive skin--which left everything sticky) and they are quite expensive there as well.
Don't forget to pack a couple of steno sized notebooks (one for taking important notes about your kids, a smaller one for tracking expenses, and another small one just for jotting down stuff you don't really need to keep and several good pens to go along with them in your carry-on. You'll need them as soon as you walk off the plane. We didn't do this and had a dickens of a time finding them in downtown Kiev. We eventually found a notebook, but all we could find were cheap junk pens -- that ultimately died during our meeting at the SDA. Talk about embarrassing! They just smiled, handed me a new pen and we moved on. But it was still embarrasing!
Leave the clothes pins home, but do take some comfort snacks and LOTS of pepto. Pepto: Plan on 3-4 chewable tablets each for you and your husband daily. You'll need them. Take some tummy trouble medicine for your daughter as well. DO NOT even let her even brush her teeth with tap water. Also watch her really closely during baths/showers and make sure she doesn't stick freshly washed wet hands or anything else in her mouth.
As for snacks, we took a bunch of protein bars and packaged fruit leather for snacking on during long rides and for when meals weren't readily available...and we used them all. We even gave some of the protein bars to our facilitator who was often running around doing document work during lunch time. Pack stuff like this them in several different zip lock bags and spread them out throughout your luggage. We lost a couple packages at customs, which we expected. But we still had enough for the rest of the trip because we'd put them all in different places in the luggage.
We also took our daughter into the SDA appointment with us. She was welcomed by all the SDA staff and charmed the socks off them as well. For us, we're really glad we took her with us, too. In all honesty, she knew which kids were for us long before we did and SHE was the one who convinced us to visit them, even though we were very unsure. She said she felt like they were supposed to be her brothers. We had prepped her a lot before and especially as we were waiting to travel to region that it might not work out...but it did and she was right! Of course, she was 8 at the time...
She also came to court with us and even testified before the judge. So did our older son. We kind of half expected it and the judge was really cute about how he handled it, so it really wasn't too scary for them. I seriously doubt your daughter will have to testify being as young as she is, but she will probably be welcome at the hearing.
Well, that's about it for now. Happy freaking out!
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
"casting all you anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7
We don't serve a small God. We serve the God who spoke the universe and all life into existence. That same God is on His throne and sovereign over His creation.
We pray for your safe travel and return with your new daughter.
Kevin & Pam
I'm so excited for you all and can't wait to follow along in your journey, with prayers.
I have tears in my eyes thinking about you leaving for Ukraine. We are leaving today, and I can't believe this incredible journey we have been on.
I will be praying for you as you come here to bring your children home. There will be frustration, anxiety, tears of joy as well as frustration. God will sustain you. HE will NEVER leave you, nor forsake you.
We will walk with you through this!
SKYPE: this has been an incredible life-line for us here! Set up skype on your laptop, bring headphones with mic. if you don't have it on your computer, and outlet adaptor. Figure out your time difference --we had late nights here so we could talk to family at home.
Praying for you!
Zenon & Monique Horb
Thanks Tammy for the prayers and encouragement on our blog! I know that the Lord will go before you on your journey! How exciting that you are almost going!!! We'll be praying and following along.
It's almost time! How exciting!
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