(To the right: Americans at last! Photo of girls in D.C. with 2 American icons, U.S. Soldiers and STARBUCKS!!!)
A Marathon Month!!!!
We are home, praise GOD! Everyone made it home safely. After a 1 1/2 hour taxi ride to get to the train station, a 12 hour train ride to Kyiv from Berdiansk, multiple metro and taxi rides with 3 girls while in Kyiv, 4 plane legs from Kyiv to Fresno (28 1/2 hours), and a 1 hour drive home to Hanford, all of the kids are in bed asleep after a warm and joyous homecoming.
Last night, while pulling an all-nighter packing, we almost packed away our Russian dictionaries. Then it donned on us that we would probably still need them to communicate with our new daughters, duh!!! Thanks to Anya and Victor meeting a van at 3:40am, we were able to get to the airport and checked in without a huge hassle. Thank you so much Anya and Victor for everything you did for us. Without you guys and God, this adoption couldn't have happened.
Many, many, many hours later, Dan's mom and the kids met us at the Fresno airport, along with Steve Barr, one of Dan's buddies from work. Steve was called in for logistical reinforcement (i.e. we needed his Tahoe to get all of the luggage and Dan home). Of course, Dan couldn't go alone, his little buddy, Jacob, had to go too.
Once we got home, the girls got their first look at our new home and their new bedrooms. After playing a couple of hours with their new siblings, we finally got all of the kids tucked into their beds. Luda, Galina, and Nastia enjoyed snuggling up into their new beds. Hopefully, they will maintain that feeling of warmth and security for years to come.
To close for this evening, we just wanted to send out infinite "Thank you's" to all of our dear friends in Kyiv and Berdiansk. Without these people, our lives would not be as full and blessed and it was a huge honor to get to know all of these wonderful, selfless people of God. The list is as follows: Marilyn (Julie's Mom), Elaine (Dan's Mom), Anya, Victor, Julia (Anya's daughter), Julia (SDA), Luda (translator #2), Larissa (translator #3), Karen (translator #5), Steve and Kristi Weber, Dima, Misha and Luda, Georgia and Galina.
To everyone else who prayed for us and supported us as well, it would not have been possible without God hearing your prayers. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Adoption is a true miracle of God and you all have helped to make our miracle come true.
Jason will be in town on Friday and will get to meet the girls for the first time. They are all excited. We plan to take our complete family photo for our Christmas cards. By the way, they will be late. We will continue to post to the BLOG through Saturday in order to post the Christmas family photo.
Love and Blessings,
Dan and Julie
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