Blinded by the light...

...at the end of the tunnel.

Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree…we’re comin’ home. The processes are all falling into place now…and our return is imminent. Carson’s passport is not actually in hand yet…but it was scheduled to arrive by train last evening by 10p. The passport has been printed…I believe “lost in transit” may be the proper phrase to use for it’s whereabouts the last several days. Luck would have it…today is Ukrainian Independence Day. The businesses are shut down and the city is prepped for a bacchanalia. There are huge stage sets in every major square…the vendors are setting their tents. I’m certain the party will be a big one…Ukrainians do love to drink. It is legal to walk the streets with open containers…and lukewarm beers are being enjoyed by many a passerby…at all hours of the day and night. There are also a number of rural communities literally dying because of the alcohol problems. But that’s another story…

I’m certain that the city will be filled with fireworks. I don’t believe that I have mentioned in the past…but fireworks are a daily occurrence in this country. Every…single…night. I love fireworks…they are one of my favorite joys in life. However…there is no set time for when they will go off…or where they will go off. On Saturday nights in Xapkib (Kharkiv)…there were no fewer than five displays surrounding our apartment. You heard them all…but you saw very few. I’ve seen them in Kyiv several times…as well as Odessa. I’m still not certain why they set them off as often as they do…no one seems to have the answer. It seems a very expensive activity…for a country in such need…but I will enjoy watching the face of the little man when he experiences his first fireworks this evening. We rarely head out after dark…it doesn’t actually get dark here until around 10p. It’s light again by 4a. The days are extremely long here…17-18 hours. However…tonight we will share the independence of Carson’s homeland with him for what will quite probably be the last time in his life. He will be American soon…of Ukrainian descent.

The last 10 days have been such incredible joy. All of the darkness that we have suffered in this country has seemed to fall by the wayside. The world through the eyes of this child is a delight to experience. It’s like a newborn child…in a four year old’s body. Everything is new to him. He loves to eat. And…he eats just about everything. He loves vegetables. He will eat whole tomatoes and cucumbers (the cukes here are smaller than ours back home) at a time. He will sit in a restaurant…and clean his plate. He’s not always an angel during his restaurant visits…but he’s learning. Dede definitely has her hands full…but she handles him very well. He loves to test the waters…and with the language barrier…it’s that much more difficult. However…she’s jumped into motherhood with all barrels loaded…and she wears the role beautifully. I couldn’t do it.

He’s learning English…and we are trying to transition away from the Russian phrases that we use with him. It’s unbelievably surprising to me how much of what we say that he actually understands. A Russian lady that sat next to us at a restaurant for lunch yesterday was amazed at him. We had talked with her for a little while…she had worked with the adoption process at one time. She understood the situation with him completely. When Dede asked him if his food was too hot…he shook his head “no”. When she asked him if it was good…he shook his head “yes.“ The woman leaned over and smiled with surprise that he got it. I’m telling you…this kid is brilliant. He‘s also a brilliant manipulator. I cannot for the love of me figure out how he learned some of his tricks…but he’s got a few. I’m certain that none of them worked on the Drill Sergeants at the orphanage…but he’s got some moves. When he’s done something that he’s not supposed to do…and he knows it…and he gets caught…he looks over…smiles…then comes to hug on you and give you a kiss. It’s really cute…but you’re still not playing with that electrical outlet Carson…it’s dangerous honey. He does this to Dede the most…she’s usually the one telling him “no.” Welllllllll…he’s her kid…I’m just Aunt Kelly…and with me…if it doesn’t hurt him…he’s probably gettin’ away with it…we’re buddies. Okay…so I’m not that bad…I make him behave…but I do usually leave the discipline to his mama. Like I said…he’s her kid. ; )

He visited the beach yesterday for the first time. We took the subway over (not his first trip…he’s subway savvy)…and he loved it. We swam in the Dnipro River…along with thousands of other Ukrainians. For a Wednesday…the place was packed. He’s taken to the water like a fish on holiday. He’s not at all afraid of going under…loves it actually. He jumps in the air and falls down into the water…and sinks below the surface…only to be snatched up by his mama or I with a face full of water…and laughter that makes your heart sing. He drank a few pints of that river too I’m afraid…but never bothered him for a second. He’d brush himself off…and take another flying leap. Water wings are certainly in this kid’s very near future. Little Kelley’s a waterbug too…she can show him the ropes.

As for now…we are preparing for the journey home. We leave Kyiv at 8:10p on Tuesday night arriving in Paris at 10:30p. We have a layover for the night…with a 9:20a flight on Wednesday morning. I have booked a room…but will try to figure out a way to take a late night trip into the city so Dede can at least see a few sights. Paris IS the “city of lights”…and at night is spectacular. She has talked about Paris for much of our stay here…and to at least take a ride down the Champs-Elycees…and to see the Eiffel Tower with all it’s strobes…would be warming for her soul I’m sure. We’ll see what we can do.

On Wednesday afternoon we arrive in Birmingham at around 4:30p. Of course…we are flying Delta (Don’t Ever Leave The Airport)…through Atlanta I might add…so we will cross our fingers that we are there on time. Our layover in Atlanta is about 3.5 hours…so that should be plenty of time to cover any faux pas. The one thing that has kept me going through much of this excruciating process…is imagining the look on the faces of family and friends back home when they lay eyes on this angel for the first time. The tears of joy that I’m certain will be shed when you hear him giggle…watch him strut…and listen to him carry on an entire conversation with you in Russian. He has a bit of a lisp (in the back of his mouth…not the front)…and Russian has lots of sh…ch…and zh sounds…it’s precious to hear him talk.

As for Dede and I…well…we can taste the Davenport’s pizza…Surin Tokyo rolls…and the Dreamland ribs we’re going to munch out on while watching the Tide take to the field for the first time this season. These are actually extra special to me…as I live in Colorado…have been out of the country since January…and have not been to Alabama since last summer. I’m really salivating for my faves. For me though…first on the menu is a Milo’s double cheeseburger. The sloppier…the better. All we’ve done is eat for 9 weeks…but it’s all we think about back in the U.S. of A. too. Okay…well…we do think about seeing all of you…really…we do…while sitting over a Davenport’s pizza…of course. ; )

I am continuing to take pictures…but will only post a few more before we return home. I will continue to take pics of the trip home…and will post those upon our return. You may not hear from me again before our return unless something crazy happens…but I will update back in the states. There are many more stories to tell than I have had the opportunity to post…but those will be told in time…over pizzas…sushi…a bottle of red wine perhaps. This adventure is still in the embryonic stages. Dede…cheers to you my friend…I love him as much as I’ve ever loved another human being…but honey…you’ve got your hands full. I will raise my glass to you again and again…for the sleepless nights…the exhausted days…the exhilarations and the heartaches. But more than anything…I thank you…for bringing this little man into my life…and for giving him the gift of life. It is as admirable an endeavor as I have ever witnessed. Cheers to you!!!

Das vadanya....

Peace...