Well, after 2 days of traveling, we finally arrived in Krasnoyarsk this morning (Sunday). We had a 12 hour layover in Moscow, so we were booked in a hotel near the airport where we got about 6 hours of sleep. I HIGHLY recommend it to other families who might be traveling to Kras. I had read on some blogs about how families chose to stay in the airport the entire time. I honestly don't know how they did it! All that smoke can kill a man!! Even though, there are "designated smoking areas" in the airport, it lingers EVERYWHERE and all of our clothes and bags stink! Anyways, the hotel was a little like the hallway in The Shining! A little creepy, but I'm a little spoiled when it comes to hotels. Just ask Scott! It did serve it's purpose though...
Amazingly, we feel so much more comfortable traveling here now. I guess since this is our 3rd time, it should feel more comfortable. We know where to go and what lines to get into. We haven't gotten lost on this trip! That's huge!
We also haven't smelled B.O. yet! Yippee! I think it's due to the fact that it is freezing temperatures here right now. To top that off, Scott doesn't have a coat. He might have to make a purchase at the Kras mall...hmmmm, a black leather coat, perhaps, since that's ALL the people wear here. Unless you're a woman, and then it's lined with a fur hood! Yes, we are standing out a little more now than the last time we were here. Oh well, I'm just thankfull we aren't here in winter. PTL!!!
Our flight to Kras started off a little frightening. About 10 minutes after take- off, a woman towards the back started screaming and there was a lot of commotion. People started turning around. We couldn't get a good view because we were in front of a divider. I about threw up! I thought there was a terrorist and I was going to die. Really! I did! Here we are, obeying what God has called us to do, and we were about to go out on a plane! I'm so dramatic. But really, something happened because after the flight attendants ran back there, they came back with a large man (I'm not talking about fat, either) up to the front of the plane with an enormous welt on his face and he was bleeding. Then, another elderly woman came and sat down in the front, obviously upset. We never found out what really happened, but when we got off the plane, there were 2 police cars at the bottom of the stairs. When we exited the plane, one of the policemen came onto the plane and the other stayed at the bottom of the stairs. Oddly enough, we never saw the large man! Scary! Nice welcome back!!
We slept for about 7 hours today, went to the "grocery store" and bought some pasta (go figure), water and bread. Thankfully our peanut butter and jelly is still here from last time. Yay, lunch! We are going to aske Yelena to go to the store tomorrow with us to pick out some things that Sophie would eat, since we can't read Russian! I don't want to give her our "American food" cold turkey. I'm hoping to ease her into that transition.
So, tomorrow is the day! We pick up Sophie at 3 pm. Yelena said after we leave, we will go to a passport photo place in Sosnovoborsk afterwards and wait for her picture to develop before leaving. I asked why we don't just do it in Kras and get it the next day and she said that most times the babies are crying by the time they get back to Kras, or they've "thrown out" (funny) from the car ride. Yikes! Makes sense, I guess!
I keep thinking of what Sophie will be feeling tomorrow. It's so strange to me to think that a baby will be leaving her home of the last 7 months of her life with NOTHING! She has no personal items. She will be leaving with the clothes we bring for her and nothing else. So sad. I also am sad for her. She's leaving all of her "family" that she has probably grown so attached to. I wish I could make her understand that we are going to give her a life that the orphanage could not! That she is a child of God and He has a HUGE plan for her life. I wish I could tell her and make her understand how much we love her and have loved her for the first time we saw her picture. Sadly enough, I know it is going to be so hard on her tomorrow, and the next few weeks to come. I know there are going to be many tears. I know there are going to be sleepless nights and hard days to come. It's not going to be all sunshine and butterflies! A girl can dream though, can't she! We love this little girl so much and she will never know how much she has changed our lives...for the better! I think she has already drawn us closer to each other, our family and God!
We covet your prayers and have been so thankful and blessed by all the encouragement from our family and friends. This is going to be a long journey and although it seems like the end, tomorrow is just the beginning! Please pray for little Sophie that her day tomorrow will be as peaceful and it can and all the days to come. Please pray that Scott and I will be able to give her what she needs and comfort her and understand that she is coming from a hard place.
Good night and sweet dreams! I know what I'm going to be dreaming about...if I can even sleep at all! Tomorrow we will have her!!!!!!!!!!!!
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