HOORAY!!! WE ARE FINISHED!!!

Thursday April 22, 2010 EMBASSY IS DONE!
Hallelujah!!!! We are completely finished except for coming home!!!! Ira and I went to the embassy today at 2pm. We were the first family there. We went up to the window – our paperwork was stacked and ready except for me having to sign a couple of things. Then we sat and waited about 10 minutes – then we were called to the next window. There Ira was fingerprinted because she is 14. Then we sat back down and waited about another 5 minutes and were called to the 3rd and final window. That window was operated by Joy, and American from South Carolina!!!! Not only did I hear English – I heard down home southern English!! She was delightful – very upbeat, happy lady. She was the “interview” person but that is just a formality – there was no interview. She just has you raise your right hand and swear that all information you have given is true. Then she had me sign a couple of documents. It is all very informal and lighthearted. She had everything in the computer and said the visa would be done soon!!! She chatted with Ira – playing with her and making her laugh at the whole process. Then Joy told us to do what we’re used to doing – sit and wait!! We sat and waited about 30 minutes max. Then the first lady at the first window called us up and gave me Ira’s passport with visa!!!!! Oh happy days finally!!! She also gave us the sealed envelope for immigration – explained everything to us about what to do when we got back to US airport. Then we were congratulated and told we were FINALIZED and free to leave Ukraine!!!!! I couldn’t help it – I cried again!!!
What was so great about the whole process this afternoon – other than being finished – was 3 other families came in behind me. I guess all 4 of us had 2pm appointments to finalize the process. Anyway – they were all American and it was just so nice to talk to them and spend that hour all together in the waiting room. Everyone had very similar stories and each family was laughing at all of the insanity we’ve all been through over the last 5 to 6 weeks. All 4 of us were adopting older kids which was just neat to see. One girl 11 – going to Chicago, one girl 13 – going to California, Ira 14 - NC and one boy 15 to Virginia. Turns out the boy was hosted thru Frontier Horizons as well! What a small world!!
We all got our visas for our children at the same time and we all hugged and congratulated each other and all exited the Embassy together with 4 new Americans!!!!! It was one very very happy afternoon for 4 families from America!!!
We’ve been out walking around some this afternoon– just killing time. I’m taking Ira and KT to the Buddha Bar and Restaurant tonight to relax, celebrate and have a great meal!!! Erica and I ate there at the beginning of this trip and thoroughly enjoyed it. I think it is a great way to end the trip as well. KT has been with us since we arrived in Kiev and it has been wonderful having her here. We feel like she pretty much started this whole process for us by bringing Ira to us in the first place and it is somehow very right that she got to share in the end of the final process. Tonight will be a wonderful end to a long 5 weeks!!!
Tomorrow will be a day of nothing but fun and sightseeing. Then we will have an early dinner as we will be picked up for the airport on Saturday morning at 4:30 for our 6:45 flight – crazy early but we are coming HOME!!!!!!!