The Homecoming Story - and It's a Good One!

Oh, friends. I have such good things to tell you about our trip home. I had asked many of you to pray specifically about our travel home with Vera, and boy, did God answer! In so many big and wonderful ways!

Jon and I got up at 2:30 am on Thursday (Ukraine time) to shower and do the last minute packing. We woke Vera at 3:30. It took a few minutes to wake her, but when she finally sat up she stretched out her arms like an airplane and pretended to fly. I confirmed to her that, yes, we were up in the middle of the night to go get on a plane and head home! She was so excited!! She walked around the apartment saying, "Paka" to everything. Paka bathroom. Paka kitchen. Paka bedroom. It was so cute! We left our apartment at 4:00 am and Niko (good ole' Niko!) drove us to the airport. We checked in with no problems and when we arrived at our gate, the plane was already boarding. We took a bus to the plane and got right on. Our seats were in the very back row. I sat by the window and we put Vera in between us. She was such a champ! She was so excited to be on the plane heading home. She smiled and jibber jabbered. The plane started moving and we could tell she was nervous, but she kept flashing us smiles. Jon was explaining to Vera with motions and sounds what was going to happen. She did fabulous. Just fabulous. As we were climbing, she pointed to her ears and had this pained look on her face. We gave her a snack hoping the chewing would help. She never made mention of her ears again. Praise God! She enjoyed it whenever the flight attendants brought her a drink or snack. She sat on my lap a bit and looked out the window. She never fussed once. We landed in Amsterdam a few hours later and Vera started clapping and smiling. Then she said, "Dome! Dome!" (Home! Home!) So we had to explain to her that we still had one LONG flight to go. She was so excited to be coming home! As were we!!

We spent almost 3 hours in Amsterdam and it was a good thing. We hadn't been given our boarding passes for our 2nd flight when we checked in in Kiev. Jon tried 3 different kiosks in Amsterdam and none of them worked for us. They worked for other people, but not us. We went and found our gate and Vera and I hung out there while Jon tried to find a desk to get our boarding passes. It got to the point where we had less than an hour until our plane was supposed to take off. No sign of Jon. He had been gone almost an hour. I admit, I had knots in my stomach. All I could think was, "I need to go home. Please, Lord, get us on this plane." I worried. And then, I prayed. I knew God knew we needed to go home. He knew I was done with this trip. He knew the other kids needed us home. He knew. Finally, Jon found us and we were all set. Apparently when we checked in in Kiev, they had input Vera's passport information incorrectly and the errors had to be fixed. We got in the very long line and waited to be interviewed before boarding the plane. That was no big deal. Vera panicked a bit when we went through security. Those big, new x-ray things scare her terribly. Thankfully, they just used the wand on Vera...they didn't even make her get out of the stroller. Thank You, God! We made our way to the front of the very packed crowd thinking that when the plane started boarding they would let us be among the first on since Vera obviously needs help. But when the attendant came, she just opened the door and everyone flooded through. What happened to boarding First Class and those who need assistance first?! I was frustrated. Halfway down the jetway, we had to get Vera out of the stroller to gate check it. People were so impatient. I got even more frustrated. Granted, I was exhausted, but I kept my cool. We got on the plane and got all situated for the long, almost 9 hour flight to Atlanta.

Before I share what God did next, I have to tell you this. Vera has tantrums. But they're not just any tantrum. She screams, she bites, she hits, she pulls hair. I will be sharing with you soon about Vera's tantrums because I want to help you understand why she does this. Let me just say now that on Wednesday evening I locked myself in the bathroom and cried and cried and cried. I was so done with Ukraine. I needed to come home. I missed the other kids. I was sick of the apartment and trying to keep a 6 year old who doesn't know how to play with toys entertained. I needed to come home.

So, we got all situated in our seats and Vera entertained herself with the buttons on the screen in front of her and the magazines in her seat pocket. I sat next to a lovely woman who commented on Vera's cuteness and asked how old she is. I told her she's 6 and that was that. She had her Kindle in her lap and earphones in. But a few minutes later she asked me if we were returning from a vacation. I told her we had just spent 5 1/2 weeks in Ukraine to adopt Vera. We were finally going home. Well, the Lord hand-picked this Christ-loving woman to sit next to me on the plane. I had tears rolling down my cheeks as she told me that she adopted her son 5 years ago from Russia when he was 4 years old. Can you believe that?! I didn't ask her to, but she gave me so much encouragement. She told me the first month or so is going to be really tough, but once Vera is speaking more English, things will get much better. I was able to ask this woman questions about Vera's tantrums and sleeping and all sorts of things. Oh, how I needed this woman right then! Glory to God!!

The long flight over the ocean went very well. We were fed well and Vera was such a trooper! She asked to go to the bathroom quite a bit, but I think she was just tired of sitting. She was either sitting in her stroller or sitting on the airplane the whole time. Sometimes when we took her to the bathroom she actually went, but usually not. :) She is terrified of flushing the toilets on airplanes. Poor thing. Overall she was so content. She never cried. She fussed a few times, but for the most part she was agreeable. Another huge answer to prayer! A few hours into the flight, Vera started her bedtime swaying. We knew she had to be exhausted so we gave her a little melatonin to help her fall asleep calmly. Within 30 minutes she was sound asleep. I was hoping she would sleep 4 hours, but after 2 she woke up and was done. When Vera was awake, she would say, "America!" every few minutes with her cute little Russian accent. Then she would say the kids' names. She was beside herself excited about coming home. Can I get an Amen here? That is another HUGE answer to prayer!

Finally we landed in Atlanta. I was fighting back tears the last 30 minutes of our flight. We were HOME! I can't even express how that felt. It makes me cry now just remembering. We got off the plane and got in the long line at passport control. It actually went pretty quickly. We were then taken to an office where someone had to review Vera's Ukrainian passport and our adoption documentation. That took 10 or 15 minutes and Vera just sat there quietly in her stroller. Another answer to prayer! She was just as done with the trip as we were. We kept telling her, "In a few minutes, we'll see Jacob and Caleb and Abbi!" She was probably wondering if we were really going to see them. We got our go ahead to leave passport control and went to get our baggage and re-check it. That was quick and easy if I remember correctly. :)

THEN, my poor little baby was traumatized for life. As was I. We had to go through security again to enter the main part of the airport. We had not had any trouble with security being understanding about Vera...until then. This was Homeland Security. And they were not messing around. I am all for making sure America is safe, but what they did to us is inexcusable and ridiculous. We got all our carry-on things put on the conveyor belt and Jon went through the big x-ray thing. This scares Vera just watching and she started to get panicky. I bent down to comfort her and she put a death grip on my hand. I told the man that Vera has CP and can we please let her stay in the stroller. I don't really remember everything he said to me, but Vera and I were separated. The man explained that a lady would take Vera while I went through the x-ray thing. I asked if I could wait until Jon was done so that he could be with Vera. Well, Jon got pinged for a private, full pat-down and had already been taken away. I asked the man to please make sure Vera could see me at all times. I explained that we just adopted her and she doesn't speak our language and she's terrified (which was obvious by her crying and the look on her face...one I will never forget). Well, they didn't care. Away my screaming, terrified Vera went while I went through the machine. I got done and they made me wait there until I was cleared. Finally the security man let me go to Vera. She was just a mess. I was so ready to yell at someone, but I knew I had to keep my cool so I wouldn't scare Vera any more than she already was. Then the lady who had taken Vera away asked me if she can stand up at all. I said yes, but she needs help. So the lady had me get Vera out of the stroller and stand up. Then she gave Vera a full pat down, while Vera is crying and looking at me obviously still terrified. Strange hands all over her body, hair and clothing. The lady finished and I pulled Vera onto my lap to calm her down while the stroller was taken away to be checked with the bomb detection swabbing things. Meanwhile, our things were all piled up at the end of the conveyor belt. Anyone could've run off with our stuff this whole time. Jon was still not back. I did not see one other person get a pat down. Just us. Crazy! The lady brought the stroller back to me and told me we could go. I calmly talked to Vera and told her we were going to go get our shoes back on and get our things and then we would go. She nodded at me through her tears and finally quit crying. I put her in the stroller and went to start gathering our things and put mine and Vera's shoes back on. Jon finally joined us at this point and I just wanted to cry. I couldn't believe they just did this to us. Vera, though, she was so amazing. She cried when she was scared, but she calmed right down when the whole ordeal was over. And I will say that it was good to see her scared to be taken away by someone else. It was good that she was calling for ME, her mommy. It was good that she knew she was supposed to be with me. It was good that she let me comfort her and calm her down instead of swaying and sucking her fingers. It was a bad situation, but there was good in it too. Although, the whole thing really could have, should have been avoided.

We left security and went to find a restroom before heading down to the train that would take us to the escalator that would take us to our family. Vera was scared when we pushed her onto the train, but I sat down right in front of her and held her hands. I told her the train was going to move and she would push back in her stroller. We would go really fast and then the train would stop and she would lean forward in her stroller. I told her the train will do this 4 times and then we'll go see Jacob and Caleb and Abbi. This made her smile.

I had to share that security story so that you will appreciate even more how Vera was when we finally got off that escalator and hugged our kids. Have you seen the pictures on Facebook? She was ALL smiles. She gave each of the kids big bear hugs. It was so awesome! Another answer to prayer!! She was so ready to be with her brothers and sister. So ready. Only God could've done that.

Our homecoming was awesome. I couldn't hold back my tears as I hugged each of my big kids. 5 1/2 weeks is really too long to go without hugging them. We spent a few minutes with Jacob, Caleb and Abbi and then we headed out to where our welcome wagon was patiently waiting for us.

Here's part of the group awaiting our arrival.

Oh my. To hug my precious friends. To cry with them. There are no words.

We were so blessed and thankful to have Jon's brother and his wife here for our arrival.

They drove all the way from Illinois to help welcome Vera home.

Having Jenn and Pam there meant the world to me (below). If not for these two beautiful women, we would not have found Vera. Jenn (on the left) has been advocating for Vera since September 2009...at the same time that Jon and I began seriously discussing foster care and adoption. Jenn prayed, hollered and fundraised for Vera like you wouldn't believe. For almost 2 years. If I remember correctly, Jenn and Pam met last year in a round about way because Pam's family hosted a girl from Ukraine last Christmas thru New Horizons. Pam and I had met a few years ago and then lost touch. Because of New Horizons and a comment Pam had made on their Facebook page, Pam and I became FB friends. Jenn had posted Vera's picture on Facebook, and on Valentine's Day Pam shared the photo on her wall where I saw Vera's precious face for the first time. And I knew she was ours. These two women will forever hold a special place in our hearts.
Our homecoming was more than we could ask for. We are home.

There are many more photos I want to share with you. I'm also working on something fabulous for you, but I'm waiting for a few more pictures to be emailed to me (hint, hint). I can't save the photos that were posted on Facebook. In the meantime, these will have to do.

Thank you all for journeying with us. Thank you for praying. Thank you for showering so much love on us. Thank you to everyone who signed up to bring us meals. I can't even tell you what a blessing this is to us. We are beyond thankful.