We Are Home!!! (For A week)

I have tried to write this like 5 times, so please forgive any typos or run-ons.  Jet lag is rough. Whoever said it was easier to come home was full of fooie!  No jet lag at all in Ukraine....but can't seem to get over it here.

 I am so excited to write that E and I made it home!!!!  We flew out of Kiev Wednesday (1/1) afternoon.  We had an overnight layover in DC.  The flights were pretty uneventful until the last hour before landing in America.  Every few minutes E would keep checking how much time was left on the flight.  She would huff when it wasn't where she thought it should be apparently.

Now the next part is just my opinion....I can't verify it because of the language barrier....but when we were finally over DC and she could see the lights, she got excited....for about 10 seconds...then the ugly face, followed by "America foo....Ya Ukraine."  Yep...there's my stinker!!!  So my opinion part....she doesn't WANT to like America....and she really enjoys pestering me, yep she is 14!!!!

So we headed to the hotel.  She didn't outwardly seem excited or say "Klass" but she did say "Mama photo" several times.  So I had to take her picture in several places in the room.  Then I got "Mama, Kontact," (the Ukrainian version of Facebook), I had to post her pictures right away.  Sooooo, I think its safe to say she liked the room.

  

We woke-up at the crack of dawn to head back to the airport and head HOME!!!  I let E know that the flight was only 1 1/2 hour long and she responded with "Hallelujah."  We both actually slept most of the flight.  When we landed......We were so excited to see Papa and sisters!!! The ride home was actually kind of quiet, so of course my nerves set in again, worrying how she was doing.

We arrived to the house.  Papa had previously put labels on items in the house, that said both the English and Russian names.  We didn't know how it would be received by her, like maybe it was too much too soon.  BUT....it actually ended up being a kind of scavanger hunt.  She liked finding them and making sure Papa wrote the right Russian word.  ( He only got 3 wrong)....not bad at all.

We relaxed for a little while and then Papa took the down time as an opportunity to go over a few "rules" or expectations of the house.  She actually was very receptive to them.  NO, ugly faces at all.  

Then we broke the #1 adoption rule.....J took her to WalMart, to get a new flat iron.  (She dontated hers to the missionary house in Ukraine and I promised I get her a new one in America).  We kept it pretty short and sweet, but overall, she was fine.  She liked smelling all the different perfumes and body sprays.

Ok, so here comes the added parts so pardon the lack of flow!!!

We took E roller skating to meet the Ukrainian children that were being hosted in our area. She didn't really mingle much with them.  She did like talking to one girl (who couldn't skate very well), but E's athletic side took over.  See she can inline skate very well, so she didn't have the patience to slow down to talk much with this girl.  Oh, and she also won the skating dodgeball game!!!!  Yes, that's right....my little Ameri-Krainian....home 2 days......not only went skating.....participated in a group activity......with a bunch of English speaking strangers......but she WON!!!!!

This is her new coat and boots. She was dying to have white!

Sunday we went to church, but that was very overwhelming for her.  (We attend a very large church). So we did a family activity that night....bowling.  She had never bowled before....and it doesn't require much English....and she enjoys being active.  She had a lot of fun!!!  Then we all got excited when they cancelled school for Monday because of weather.  One more day together!!  Woohoo!!!

Now, she has had her real down moments....we will keep those details private.  But I just wanted to let you know that there is a new reality for us all.  We have discovered that in this child there are the emotions of a 7 year-old, 14 year-old and 20 year-old.  As with most orphans, they have had a hard life, most adults haven't had to experience what orphans have had to face.  Our job is to provide unconditional love, just as Christ has for us.

As far as English.  She really is trying.  And we are trying to learn Russian.  Essentially we will need to become a bilingual family.  Unlike some Ukrainian children that have been adopted, E. NEEDS to hold onto her native language because she has older siblings in Ukraine.  Her older siblings are precious to us as well.  We are blessed for our child to have older siblings that are supportive of the adoption.  But her siblings do not speak any English either.  So E must keep her native language so she can communicate with them. 

So right now we have high highs and low lows. Our prayers is that eventfully things balance out and there maybe more time in the middle ground.