We're packing up this morning, and going to say our final good byes at the orphanage after the kids get home from school at 1:30. I'm sure it will be a tear-filled 30 minutes before we head to the bus station to catch the train to Kiev.
Last night we had the Good Bye party---which was just eating fancy cake and fizzy drinks at the kids' seats following dinner. Pretty uneventful----until the fireworks guy came and put on a SPECTACULAR 3 minute show. It was the best $37 I've spent this whole trip. Everyone loved it, and it made Allison feel so special. She gave me a huge hug and thank you.
They loved the fireworks, but the evening was surprisingly unemotional because everyone knew it wasn't the final good bye. No one cried. No one gave gifts or notes---except me. I gave away the heavy hand creams I've been lugging around for 6 weeks, and I'm so glad to be rid of them.
Each of my kids seems to have fallen madly in love during the past month. That makes it even harder for us to leave. (Just in case your worried, Dear, I'm madly in love with Crimea, and it will be very hard to leave today, but no one will ever take YOUR place.)
Tonight will be our first night with Allison. We'll be cramped in a tiny cabin on the train with 4 suitcases and two new teenage brothers. YIKES! What a scary way to begin her new life.
Good luck with your good-byes! That was so hard to do. All those cute little kids I wanted so badly to stuff in my suitcases. Sad. I still think of them often.
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