Embassy day 1 down. Now for the big one.

This is going to have to be a quick update.  I have a nearly 15 month old in my lap, a 3 year old with my socks on beside me(and halfway in my lap also), and a 4.5 year old who keeps sticking his head in front of the screen to see what I'm doing, and a 5 year old who I have one eye on to make sure he doesn't take apart the TV with a butter knife.  Makes blogging difficult, but I wouldn't change a thing. 

Keeping things chronological I'll start with the train ride.  I got the kids out of the orphanage late Wednesday afternoon.  By the time I got them back to the apartment it was time for supper.  They ate great.  My mom made some Ukrainian dumplings because Marina said that is something that they all would like.  It was super easy to make.  Just boil until tender and then stir in some butter.  Marina was right, they loved it!  I also got my first experience giving Josslyn and Alik their medicine.  They take it really well, which is a huge blessing, since they both take 3 medicines twice a day.

Our train left at 10:40PM, so by the time Roman picked us up at 9:40 I had 4 tired kids on my hand that have 4 different reactions to being tired.  Alik got wired, Kellen got fussy, Josslyn got clingy, and Danil got calm and quiet. (Praise God for the last one!)  The kids did great at the train station!  I was a little worried that a couple of them might try to make a break  while we were loaded down with bags, and backpacks....and children.  But I guess the unfamilar surroundings caused them to stick to me like glue.  I had Kellen in the wrap, a backpack on my back that weighs more than my two smallest children combined, Alik and Josslyn held my hands, and my mom carried Danil.  Thank the Lord we had Roman to help with the bags! 

The train ride went smoother than I ever imagined it could/would.  Our room(and I use that word loosly.  it is SMALL)  had two benches.  Alik and my mom slept on one, with their heads at opposite ends.  I sat in the middle of the other with Kellen sleeping at one end and Josslyn sleeping at the other.  Danil slept on a pallet on the floor between us.  For a while after everyone was sleeping I didn't even feel sleepy.  I just couldn't believe that I had all three of them right there with me.  It was a little surreal.  And it was all going so much smoother than I had imagined, which made it even more surreal.

Our train got to Kiev a little before 7am.  Our driver took us to our apartment.  We dropped our stuff off, fed the kids breakfast, and headed out to do Embassy stuff.  My appointment at the Embassy was at 10:30am, but all that really consisted off was a lady looking over some papers and making sure that I had everything I needed for my visa interview today.  After that I paid all the Embassy fees, and then we took the kids to have their medicals done.  All four of the kids were very cooperative, even though I know that they were tired, and bored, and hungry.

Today is the BIG day though.  Today at 2pm is when I have the actual visa interview.  I'm pretty nervous about it for several reasons. 1.  I have to have the kids with me, and since I think it is going to take a while(there is alot of paperwork to go over), I know that they are going to be bored, not to mention ready for a nap.  2. I'm worried that something in my paperwork will either be wrong, or incomplete, or unsatisfactory in some way.  If something has to be changed or fixed, then that means we could possibly not get the visas until Monday.  3.  I'm just worried that I won't get the visas today, in general.  I can't come home until I have those visas, so I won't be able to take a deep breath until I have them IN MY HAND.  I don't care if they cry the entire trip home, as long as I get those visas.  And on that note, going on how the kids have been doing so far, I think the trip home is going to be much smoother than I have been anticipating.  Flight seating on the way home is going to go like this.  Kellen in my lap, Alik and Josslyn on each side of me.  I plan on us being on a seater row.  Danil will sit by my mom.  I don't know if our seats will be by their seats or not.  I am hoping that the kids will sleep alot on the flight.  We have to leave our apartment at 3am to go to the airport, so I know that they will be tired.  Luckily, Danil gets pretty calm and quiet when he is sleepy, so he just might have a very smooth trip.  Prior to getting the kids out of the orphanage, I was most worried about Danil on the trip home.  Now that I have them out for a few days, I am most concerned about Alik.  When he gets tired he get verrrry wound up.  And when he gets bored he gets very mischevious.  And when he doesn't get his way he can throw a noisy kicking fit.  It might be a long plane ride for whoever is sitting in front of him on the plane.  I plan on putting him by the window, so hopefully that will help entertain him. 

I'd love to write more, but I've got a baby that needs a nap.  I hope to have a chance to blog after the Embassy today to let you now what the visa verdit is, victory or defeat.  We've had trouble with the internet here though, so if you don't hear from me then that is the reason why.  Also, if you happen to get a chance from about 6-8am CST then please say a prayer for my interview to get the kid's visas.

Thank you so much for all your prayers thus far!