Day 30 : Everything is done!!

Dearest Alex,

Well, the paperwork is all done!!!! I can’t believe it. You are officially ready to leave Ukraine. Getting everything done has given me a new perspective. I was initially fussy that we couldn’t leave tomorrow and had to wait for Wednesday, but now, I feel like I can handle anything. We will just have a fun day tomorrow, you and me, and enjoy your last look at Ukraine for a while. I am absolutely committed to bringing you back, but I need a little break. Ok, truthfully, more than a little - it might be a year or two before I can do this again.

We started out way too early this morning. You were up at 4:00am????? Why??? I will have to get used to this. You were running, doing pushups and pullups and all other sorts of heinous things that are painful at best but early in the morning are horrid! Then you came back and woke me up at 6:30am because you knew that I am not a morning person. You were so cute, trying to get me out of bed and then gave up and said, “10 minutes more, mom,” and went off to the shower. I managed to rouse myself, but it wasn’t pretty.

Sasha came to get us at 7:30 and we were off to the doctors office to get your immigration physical. There was another adoptive family there who had adopted 4 (yes, everyone heard me right) 4 unrelated children with medical problems). They looked so tired, I felt so sorry for them. 3 of the children came from Mariupol (obviously a different orphanage) and 1 from Donetsk. Oh and btw they all looked to be under the age of 7. I typed on google translate to you that even though I loved you, I could not have handled four of you at once!

Once we were done with the physical, it was off to the SDA. Becky and Kevin, I watched your papers being walked into the SDA to be registered! Then we waited a long while in the unbelievable heat for Sasha to complete his business with some North Carolina families. I wanted to walk around, but you were so busy listening to music on your iPhone, so I Ieft you in the car and walked around. I found a few little things that I enjoyed dickering with the sales people to get. Then after about 30 minutes I went back to the car, at which time, you hopped out wanting to go buy some souvenirs for yourself, by yourself. This independent streak you have is a mile wide! I know that hanging with parents is ultimately uncool, but buddy, get used to it! Anyway, I let you go, watching you from afar. 

We went to lunch at this point, everyone was pretty hungry. Every other time we have gone out - they have taken credit cards. Do you think these people did? No, of course not. Every other time we have asked the driver to lunch, do you think they wanted to? No, of course not, but today, of course. I had pretty much spent all but 200 hrivnas, and now had to feed 4 people off of this. I can’t win - poor Sasha had to kick in! We are such lame people when it comes to picking up the tab! Anyway, it was a nice lunch, then off to the American embassy.

In contrast to the last time we were there, this time it was a ghost town, no one in sight. We went through security and went into the immigration visa area and waited. You were so antsy, every two minutes, you were asking, “Go now, mom?” I realized real quick I am going to have to teach you delayed gratification, as well as doing things things as part of a family. Not your fault - you haven’t had a chance to learn this, but you will get a crash course. Anyway, we were called up after about 15 minutes and the same gentleman who helped us before was there again. He checked all of the paperwork and then told us to go wait for the customs officer. Again, you were all antsy and wanted me to just go up to the window and I had to keep holding you back! Finally, we were called up and a final review of paperwork told us what we already knew, that it was complete.

Then we were told it would be at least an hour maybe two and sometimes we would have to come back the next day. Yikes. Here I was trapped with you in a building with nothing to do and no electronics allowed, and there weren’t even other people to watch! I tried quizzing you on your English words, but you gave me a look like, “Please, I am not 5. I don’t play I Spy.” So I dropped that. But we got lucky, after only about 20 minutes we were called up and given all of our paperwork. It was an exciting moment for me. I don’t know if you realized it at the time, but that marked the end! The absolute finite end of everything. You were now officially ours in both countries and it is a done deal. No going back.

I hugged you and kissed you, which earned me a roll of the eyes, but I didn’t care. I know I was embarrassing you in front of others, but I was too happy. We walked out of the embassy and got in the car to go back to the apartment where you promptly fell asleep, deeply, and started snoring. It was so cute! I even snapped a picture and put it on facebook. I have to start amassing embarrassing photos sometime to show your girlfriends, don’t I?

And speaking of girlfriends, you came clean with me today about Olga. It seems she is your girlfriend, even if she is an “older woman.” You told me, “Love doesn’t know age” and you are right. I know that sometimes love can strike young, so I won’t tease or make fun. But I know that this must be very hard for you to leave her. You wanted to get her a gift to send to her, so when you went out to the market, I gave you money to get a small trinket. Tomorrow we will take it to the post office and mail it to her. I will help you there, but it is up to you to write to her and keep up the relationship. If you don’t, it doesn’t stand a chance!

And again, you were in and out all afternoon. Going to the small market nearby, wanting to go play soccer with some neighborhood boys, etc. I really don’t like you going out alone, but at least I can watch you play soccer from the apartment window. You are like holding on to smoke. But hopefully, once I get you home, this will pass. I know as we get closer to leaving, you are getting more agitated, and I understand that. But somehow, I have to learn how to say no to you. You give me those puppy dog eyes and say, “Mom, I love you,” and I am so busy trying not to cry that you are off before I can stop you!

Well, I am making dinner now, so I must go. It is hard to fill you up like any 14 year old boy.

More later,

Bethany, G3, G4, & Amanda