Welcome To America Princess Ivanna!

Oh my goodness there are just not enough space in the world for me to blog everything that I want to right now but eventually I'll get it all on here so that I can keep it FOREVER!!

The last few days of our trip were extremely busy.

On Monday, 9/13 we were able to apply for the passport however that took three days so it wasn't ready until Wednesday and didn't get signed until Thursday unfortunately - however we were able to go to the US Embassy on Thursday without and get the Visa process rolling.  We knew the Embassy required two days so earlier in the week we had finalized our flights for Saturday hoping that every single thing fell in place just right so we can make that happen.

Wednesday 9/15 was Anna's birthday - Ivanna's biological mom.  Yuri (bio dad) was supposed to have Skyped to us on this night so we could sing her Happy Birthday but that didn't happen.  I'm sure they were most likely going through some emotional times but I guess I was just not very understanding towards the end of the trip and it didn't help getting sick, then Andy catching it then the poor princess caught it.  But Anna and Katia came by on Thursday night and Ivanna was tickled to have company.  She just loves people in general.  But I tell you - I didn't want to show it but this was very emotional to see.  When I saw tears from Anna I thought for sure I was going to lose it and burst in to tears myself but I managed to hold it all in.  I just can not imagine the hurt and the happiness at the same time.  But, I am really glad that they came to see Ivanna and hate they all didn't get to see her on Friday evening.  Unfortunately we discussed and we had to tell them that we didn't want them taking us to the airport we just didn't think that emotionally we could handle that and maybe that was selfish but I didn't want Ivanna to see either of us cry (us meaning Anna or myself).  Well enough of the depressing stuff.

Danielle and Ben (Igor's mommy and daddy) came to visit us at the apartment that evening.  Our day again was quite busy - we started off early Friday morning with the medical evaluation required for Visa submittal.  Unfortunately - there wasn't a notation on her medical paperwork that she had ever been tested for syphilis so we had to go upstairs and get her blood taken.  WOW was I anxious about her having to have this done - I was so afraid of her being hurt.  Well, it was way worse than I expected.  Andy and I had to hold her and I think Nadiia may have been holding a piece of her too while the nurse pricked her finger and got the blood she needed for the test.  All the while Ivanna was screaming and crying uncontrollably - but just as soon as the nurse let go of her hand she immediately stopped and wanted us to kiss her boo-boo.  WOW my heart just ached.  Then we went back in with the doctor who was just super nice.  She did a quick check and I do mean QUICK and then we had to wait on the package to be prepared for us to take with us to the Embassy to obtain the Visa - OUR LAST STEP!!  Ok got it and then we had to wait until 2:00 p.m. to go to Embassy.  When we got there they scanned us with the wand at security and Ivanna just put on a show for them.  She loved having the wand waive over her - she was so silly.  The gaurd was really nice and she kept walking back over to him for him to do it again.  It was hilarious.  Then at about 3:10 p.m. we walked out with our completed VISA!!!!  Praise the Lord we now oficially had everything we needed to depart on Saturday morning.

When we left there with Nadiia - we went to eat at the Italian place we liked so well.  I just tell you I was really going to miss her.  She had her stuff together and I don't know how she kept running the way she did and now she is juggling families and I know she is gonna be worn out by the time the next few months are over.  After we departed - she said she had to go pick up something and was going to come by our apartment - when she got there - she had gotten Ivanna a "Princess" purse that was purple - that was so sweet - earlier in the week she had brought her a pair of PINK sunglasses!!  Sweet, sweet girl and I can't believe she has found a lucky guy yet but whoever catches her will have him a good woman!  Saying good bye was terrible - so terrible that I let her walk out without giving her her "happy" - but that's ok I'm going to e-mail her and get her address and I also want to get her a DVD of the Beverly Hillbillies so she can see who we were talking about.

Sivlet picked us up at 4:15 a.m. Kiev time on Saturday morning - that was 8:15 p.m. on Friday night for most of our local folks.  It was raining and quite cool but we still wore out our summer clothes and chose to not wear jackets so we wouldn't have another item to keep up with once it warmed up.  But we did dress the little one appropriately.  She was good as gold on the trip to the airport. 

Andy's brother, Bobby, picked up the boys for us on Saturday evening and we landed in New Orleans aroudn 7:15.  Ivanna was asleep before we even got a mile down the road.  She was just exhausted.  We ended up getting home around 9:45.  When we got home there was a "Welcome Home" sign in our front yard, snacks and drinks in our refrigerator, fresh fruit, yogurt and bananas for our little sweet baby girl and then several different bags of happies as well.  Including fresh cut flowers on our kitchen table and pink roses in baby girls room and a bed full of more happies for the princess.  WOW was this ever so sweet.  I just can not even thank those ladies enough for all they did for us.  Donna, Kim, Holly, Beth - YOU ROCK!!! 

The house was clean and it had been lived in for the last 5 and a 1/2 weeks - that was so sweet of him to straighten up. 

Ivanna came in and was introduced to her brothers, Steven and Ryan and my goodness she LOVED them and I know she understood - she did the same thing to them that she did to us for the first couple of days - just rubbed on their faces and smiled and hugged and kissed them over and over and over.  Then she got to meet her Uncle Bobby and Paw Paw (my daddy).  It was quite an amazing site.  Can't wait to share some pictures with you.

We then gave her a few minutes to absorb things and we took her in to her room.  Another WOW!!!  She LOVED IT!!  She couldn't get on the bed because it was too high for her but of course we put her up there but we have a stool (princess no doubt) that she now uses to get up on her bed and down.  She had a bunch of little happies on the bed and her baby dolls - she had to take them all and love on them and give them kisses - that was just soooooo sweet.

How was our plan rides with Ivanna?
Well, the first leg of the flight from Kiev to Munich was very good and was about 2.5 hours.  No trouble at all as a matter of fact I caught a little cat nap. 

Second leg of the flight from Munich to Charlotte, NC was our longest leg of the return.  Several babies and small children on the plan and each one of them cried and was whiney the entire time mostly.  So there was no sleeping on the plan.  I will tell you this Ivanna was the BEST child on the plane and I'm not just saying that because she's our child either.  She was truly great.  This flight was over nine hours and we absolutely could not believe how well she did - and she watching cartoons and slept quite a bit.  THEN the very last ten minutes I'm not sure what triggered it but she wanted her safety belt off of her and she was not taking no for an answer.  She screamed so much I thought she was going to pass out from not taking a breath - but as soon as we landed and clicked the button to remove her seat belt and immediately she stopped.  I do believe though that part of her trouble was her ears popping - she kept holding them and she let me rub them so I'm thinking it was a combination of many things - not to mention she was tired.  Too funny - I just tell you mommy can't stand it when she cries - almost makes me do it with her.    Then we got off the plan only to go through passport control, get our luggage, have them rechecked and then off to immigrations check point for her package from the US Embassy in Kiev to be processed so we didn't have much time to spare and had to get moving as soon as they were done.

Last and final leg of the return home was the WORST!  Poor girl - we got on the plan and I got her strapped in and all was good, then as soon as the engines started - she started screaming again.  Oh my I kept holding her and rocking her from the side and even though she would not allow me to take my hands off of her she still was not going to lett up.  Then once we were settled in the air - they still kept the light lit for seat belts and after thirty minutes of her screaming I finally just undid the seat belt and decided I'd take the consequences.  Luckily they didn't say anything to us because they knew that had completely quitened her.  Then she crawled up in my lap and wanted me to rock her and was asleep in about 10 minutes.  Then since this was our shortest flight - it was then time to stick her back in her seat and buckle her in.  Well, this time I left the belt loose enough that she could get all the way over to me and she wanted me to hold her the whole time so this time she was whimpering but not screaming and I rubbed her ears the whole time in hopes to keep them from popping as much

Today - we all got up this morning to get ready for church.  We are still not unpacked but we will get to that tomorrow evening.

For now I'm going to sign off and go to bed - the princess is already asleep bless her little heart.  Next blog I'll give you pictures and videos as well as let you know how she woke up this morning and tell you about her first night of sleep in her forever home.

Love to all,
The Stratton Family