Day 31 - Leaving tomorrow!

Dearest Alex,

Day 31 - last day in Ukraine. I can’t believe it. What a journey it has been. In one way, I am so sad to leave tomorrow but in another way, I can’t wait to leave. I miss home, my other son, my bed, big salads. What will I miss - the people, the cheap beer on draft wherever you go for pennies, the chance to practice my horrible Russian on unsuspecting people, and the friends we have made here.

I truly feel that between our last visit to Ukraine in 2007 and this one, I have experienced living here, more than an extended visit. I would move here in a heartbeat if I could just assure that certain amenities (like air conditioning, a good mattress, and year-round lettuce) were available. Rest assured that if you ever want to move back some day, I will support it and come with you for a while, but I have a feeling, that once you get entrenched in America, you will want to stay. Maybe I am wrong, but we will see.

Now that this whole thing is done, I am relieved, energized, happy, and sad all at once. It has been a journey that our family has shared with you and countless others and I am sad to see it end. I am relieved that nothing really went wrong, and energized to be able to start the next phase of our life together.

Last night, you were late coming in from playing soccer and I was getting worried and then mad. When you were 15 minutes late - I was frantic. Then you came in and brought me a rose! You had been saving all of the change from our purchases (you have been handling the money since I am not very good with it) and you took it to buy me a flower. You are so sweet (and crafty) - you knew that would soften the blow of being late. And you were right - I couldn’t get mad after that!

I think we had a little breakthrough last night. You finally revealing the truth of your feelings for Olga was a sign you trusted me not to be judgmental. And I won’t be - I am sure there will be things that come out that will curl my hair - but they will not change my love for you one bit. Rest assured that you can throw almost anything at us and we are staying right by your side. Maybe no one else has stood by you in this world, and I am sure you can’t fathom anyone doing so in the future, but we are committed and we will be right there next to you!

Today we are going out to buy you some music. There are a number of bands that you really can’t find their CD’s of in America, so we are going to get some here. Then off to a post office and then early back to the apartment to pack and get to bed early for our flight tomorrow. We have a pick-up to go to the airport at 4:30 am. Yikes! That is really early. But you and I can just snuggle up and sleep on the plane all the way home. We were lucky to get pretty good times - we have a 2 hour layover in Amsterdam and a 2 hour layover in Minneapolis but other than that - straight home we go!

Love you bunches!

Bethany, G3, G4, & Amanda