Membership

Over the past few days, I have been busy...doing nothing.  And for those of you who know me, you know I hate doing nothing, unless of course I am at the beach.  Which, for the record, this is no day at the beach.  My only real tasks have been take out the trash, bank, grocery store, cook, repeat.  In that order, with little variation.  The one variation was my assignment by the facilitator to make my appointments at the U.S. Embassy.

So on Monday I sent my request for a noon appointment on Thursday.  My request went something like this, "I am in the process of completing our adoption of a 10 year old girl.  We will be receiving her passport late in the day on Wednesday and are planning to go to the medical exam first thing on Thursday morning.  Therefore, I would like to schedule our first appointment with the embassy at noon."  They reply, "you do not need to have the medical completed prior to your first appointment.  We recommend coming to the embassy for your first appointment at 8am in the morning and then going to the medical. That way you could make it back in for your second appointment later in the day."  Ding, ding, ding...the light is going on in my lightening fast brain.  Wait, "you mean I can get both appointments in the same day?"  The embassy, "yes, we would be happy to see you at 2pm on Thursday to FINALIZE your VISA."  Yippy!  Oh, happy day.

Why so happy, well as my friend Alice put it "yea, you are coming home one day less late."  That is right, one day less late and I couldn't be happier.  While of course even leaving on Saturday would have technically gotten me home in time to see Emma before prom, it would have meant a very rushed airport arrival.  And Emma really wanted to be at the airport to meet Daria there and of course to see her mom and Annabelle too.

I have to tell you one other little bit of the story.  When I was in Germany, Nancy and Friederich prayed for me the night before we left.  Friederich said, "I don't know what it means, but I just get the word concession coming to mind."  So here is my concession.  While I am sure this has happened before, not one person ever mentioned even trying to get the embassy and medicals all done in one day.  And to the best of my knowledge, I don't know anyone who has had this happen.  So I will take it as my concession.

Now...there is still the chance that something could happen and I haven't actually purchased the return tickets.  But...there is no reason to believe there will be any complications.  I think it would have to be a case of not having all of the necessary paperwork or something happening with the medical.  But I pray everything is in order and that tomorrow flies by without a hitch.

In the meantime, I have our return tickets on hold.  We are set to arrive in Denver at 7pm on Friday night.  We will be stopping in Washington D.C. on our way, so we will clear customs there and be home free in Denver.  I started packing this evening and doing a little house cleaning.

The girls and I made what should be our last trip to the store.  Daria is very helpful, she always insists on carrying something.  As does Annabelle, which means I had a nice easy walk home.  Daria has plowed her way through every game I have on my phone, I need to check and see what level she has made it to on Angry Birds.  She is very curious about all the documents, she wants to read everything.  Sometimes right in the middle of when we are trying to sort them all out.  I am trying to get her to say my name and ask when she wants something.  Right now, she will either point or bring whatever it is she wants to me.  Then she will stand there until I answer one way or the other.  We will get there.  I gave her soda last night at dinner, she had a really hard time falling asleep after that.  Now, no soda after lunch time.

Annabelle is all kinds of done being here.  Her defense mechanism is sleep.  She has read like three books and played a lot of games on her iPod.  I am still glad she came, glad for her, glad for Daria and glad for me.

I have been thinking about all things that I will not miss about Ukraine.  Tops on the list is the rude people at the grocery store followed closely by the incessant car alarm outside of Karen's apartment.  Although, I have always wanted to experience living in a city, I never thought it would be Kiev.  I dreamt that it would be Manhattan.  Oh well, I have gotten the shopping daily, walking where you need to go thing down.  And oddly, the city sounds have become quite comforting.  It beats the eerily quiet of Romny or the zombi land of Nikopol.  Both towns had nice qualities about them, Romny had the rolling hills that I am sure are quite beautiful in the summer and fall and that big golden pig.  Nikopol had the water right there, which unfortunately I didn't get to see until our last day.  As I looked at the lake, I had to wonder if people here ever use water for recreation like we do.

As much as I have thought about what I won't miss, there are actually things I will miss.  I met some of the most amazing people while I was here.  Folks I never would have met if it hadn't been for this adventure, and yes, I can actually call it an adventure at this point.  Not  torture or punishment, adventure. And the people God put in my path have blessed me beyond measure.  I am sure I will miss someone, but here is my best tribute...Karen, sweet, sweet Karen.  You opened up your home, your heart and your life for us.  You traveled with us, you prayed with us, you cried with us and you rejoiced with us.  For over 2 months I have come and gone, along with a variety of family members and all our stuff, thank you! Tara and Phil, it only took 2 months but I finally walked in your door and didn't cry!  Now that is a big accomplishment.  Thanks for everything, the amazing food, the cozy bed, the genuine and sincere fellowship.  I felt absolute peace every time I entered your home.  Sasha...Sasha...Sasha, wow, our 20 year old translator.  Bet you didn't know what you were getting yourself into, first real exposure to Americans and you end up with the Degnan's.  Not only did she travel everywhere with us, she even had to share a tiny, very tiny hotel room with us.  She got a little more Degnan than she bargained for there.  You baby sat me, took me to the bank, the grocery store, the pharmacy, your ordered my food, you bought my train tickets, bus tickets, picked me up at the airport, called the taxi and played hours of cards with Lily.  You even got to listen to Jamie and Lily sing Lady Gaga.  Sorry about that!  Then there is the other Sasha, Sasha's boyfriend is also Sasha, he became our trusty taxi taking picking us up in the middle of the night at the train station, dropping us off in the middle of the night at the train station.  Taking us to the notary, the embassy, the airport!  You Rock!  Then there is the ICA gang and the group from the Thursday night Bible study.  Who would have thought that I would meet a guy from Golden Colorado, who actually knew people that I knew.  Small world.  There are others, and each and everyone of you have blessed me.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

I have to say something about all of you back in Colorado...Berthoud to be exact.  Grace Place...just so you know, there is no better body of believers anywhere in the world.  I choose you guys and can't wait to get back.  I had 2 offers from folks at Grace Place to come to Ukraine to be here with me and for me.  Wow, now what does that say about our church.  Clay, your wisdom and encouragement are priceless and so very appreciated.  Steve, thank you...I appreciate you beyond words.  Mama Melody, Suzie, Brenda, Cheri, Kathy, thanks for all the friendship over the years and for loving me in spite of myself.  Then there are those of you who did your own little acts of kindness, Selene, thanks for consistently checking in on me and for the support and genuine understand!  Mark, Danita and Kelsee, thanks for taking Lily and making her birthday so special.  The Stephanie's...thanks girls.  Alice, you are very wise.  Babette, you make me smile constantly.  Lori and Shar, thanks!  Lucy, thanks for you words of encouragement.  Hollis, Donna & my favorite cafe friends...I miss you! Jolene, I can't wait to visit.  Clark & Kris, Chris & Monique, the Roge's, the Garret's and Juli...all those other adoption veterans, a huge, "I am not worthy to walk in your foot steps" you guys are inspiring!  The amazing Barbara, you are right there with them.  Stacy and Calvin who relocated their family to take care of mine, wowzers!  Bill and Karen Miller, who uprooted themselves from their own ministry in Kherson to come and rescue me from the pit of despair.  Not only did the make the 2+ hour drive, then Karen actually stayed with me for a week, feeding me, walking with me, talking with me.  That was faith in action right there, I love you guys!  And there are many, many more who shared with me along the way.

Who knew I had so many friends....near and far.  Well we have only the best used to be neighbors anywhere.  Yip, the Liebman's who expanded their family to a family of 6 by taking in Lily and Emma for a week.  And the Armitage's who have taken Lily every morning for weeks.  Then as if that wasn't already enough the 2 families went on to throw Lily a birthday party complete with Rob's hot wings and some sassy gifts.  I so appreciate you guys, really beyond words.  Leaving and missing her birthday was heart wrenching and Cindi the way you just put my heart at easy that morning at the school, thank you!  Louise, I loved that you were the only person up when I got up each morning.  Thanks for popping in and saying hi so regularly.  Debbie...so glad you followed along and for your friendship.  Karen, thanks for watching out for Annabelle.  There are so many more of you, I read every single response ever posted and appreciate each and every one of you.  And Harry, my favorite customer of all. Thanks for following along on my craziness, don't hold it against me.  We will have to catch up over a cup of coffee real soon.

This journey also gave me the opportunity to reunite with several friends from days gone by.  First, Nancy, well Nancy, Friederich and Benjamin.  Thanks for taking in a very weary traveler for a week.  You fed me, both physically and spiritually and sent me back out to finish the job.  I so enjoyed our time together and wish it could have been longer.  In the process of seeing them, I also got to see our friend Lulu and get to meet her family.  What a sweet family, just like Lulu.  Thank you guys so much for welcoming us into your home and feeding us a yummy meal.  Not to mention the amazing tour guide, Christoph.  Then there was the little chats with Barbara C, thanks for your wisdom and encouragement, and I still am praying for you every time I feel the need to have a pitty party.   Paige, Eileen, Sharon, all ladies who have inspired me over the years and whom I deeply respect.

There are hundreds of others out there who have followed along on my journey.  Many of you I don't even know.  Some I have heard from, most I have not.  I have been intrigued by all of you along the way.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the most amazing group of all.  That would those of you who actually call me family.  To the most amazing husband of all...Jamie, you are my rock!  Thank you for not institutionalizing me.  I can't believe the journey we are on.  Who would of thought, 4 girls!  Then there is my girls...all four of them.  Emma, wow who would have thought that we would be apart for nearly 10 weeks all in one year.  You are beyond your years, thanks for taking care of business, literally, while I was away.  You are amazing and make me proud every single moment of every single day.  We have a lot of catching up to do.   Annabelle, my sassafras.  I love your spunk and intensity, even though you kinda scare me sometimes.  Thanks for being my travel buddy and setting such a great example for Daria.  You had to endure some tough stuff, first being without your mother for 6 weeks and then having to travel with her for 4.  Traveling in an open compartment of an overnight train, dragging suitcases through strange cities.  Visiting an orphanage, having to meet two grieving grandma's, endless hours waiting, a Ukrainian court, brutal bus rides and eating a whole lot of chicken.  I couldn't have finished this without you and couldn't be more proud than to be called your mom.  Lily, oh my little Lily.  Talk about a travel veteran.  You did it all girl, multiple SDA appointment, one long and heartbreaking trip to Romny, a cramped and icky hotel.  Some nasty food and a very scary bus ride.  Followed by weeks of waiting, miles of walking in brutal temperatures, constantly looking for falling icebergs.  Overnight train rides, sardine packed metro rides, apartment changes, orphanage changes, being told no twice and having one turn to yes.  And then one heartbreaking goodbye at the train.  You were brave, you were fun and you were one major trooper.  Follow that up with being without your mom for nearly 6 weeks and having me miss your birthday.  You inspired me and make my heart happy constantly.  Daria, so much we don't know about one another yet.  But what I do know is that you are brave and courageous and obviously have a sense of adventure.   You are bright and smart and I can't wait to learn more.  Lets get home and start doing life already.

Beyond my immediate family there are a few others that have to be mentioned...Alicia, thanks for picking up the pieces as they fell.  We couldn't have done it without you.  I appreciate you and love you.  My Daddy, who I know has worried about me every single day.  Thanks for worrying and thanks for trusting, I love you.  My mom and Mark who have followed along from the other side of the world.  Thanks for all the Skype calls and for listening to me babble and wallow, I love you guys too.  All the Degnan bunch, from San Diego to Long Island.  Thanks for the prayers and sister Sue, thanks for constantly checking in on me.  I so appreciate and love you.  To all you attached to the Perry name, you have truly blessed me.  Thanks for including me in the family.

Then to anyone who started following this journey because you are considering traveling a similar road.  I pray my journey didn't frighten you off.  While it is certainly not what I had envisioned, at this point I wouldn't want it any other way.  I have grown more than I ever thought possible, had experiences that I wouldn't trade for anything and accomplished the goal we set out to accomplish, making an orphan no longer an orphan, rather a chosen child.  Setting her in a family forever, to love her, accept her, encourage her and give a hope and a future too.  Sure things could have gone smoother, wrapped up faster, been less expensive...but things happened EXACTLY the way God wanted.

So, for now I say goodbye.  You will hear from me again, but I will probably have to change my title.  I don't know how interesting you will find it to following my day to day life but I am sure I will enjoy writing about that just as much as I have enjoyed sharing my insanity with the world.  Oh and by the way, I'm not insane any more.  Well, only as insane as I was before this "trip" started.  Who wants to be normal anyway?

Pop in and say hi anytime, either here or at my door.  You are always welcome.

For now, I am grateful that membership has its rewards.  I am proud to be a member, of the U.S., of the body of Christ and of the Degnan's!