Post-Trip

We had a fantastic trip to Eastern Europe to meet our sweet new son. It was very surreal. I couldn't believe that we were not only on the other side of the world, but actually meeting the sweet little person who we have been pursuing for ten months.

Being at the orphanage was overwhelming. The sights, the sounds, the smell, and the little faces. It's not something I'm ready to write about just yet. It wasn't horrible, in fact the orphanage is one of the "better" ones for the area. The people who work there seem to truly care and do the best they can under the circumstances. It's just, I don't know. The weight of knowing why all of those little faces were there is very heavy. Knowing I could only bring home one makes it heavier.

The city was absolutely beautiful. It had a crazy busy-ness that only large cities have. The traffic was nuts, and I would sit it the back seat of our driver's car and try to concentrate on the buildings and scenery around me rather than where we were going and the traffic around us. The roads were shared by lots and lots of tiny European cars, pedestrians, bicycles, and the occasional horse and cart. Oh, and there were electric train-bus things that rode on rails that ran down the middle of the street, powered by a wire over head. The combination of old architecture with Cold War-era high rises was an odd mix for the eyes.

We were totally surprised by the number of people who spoke some English, and if they couldn't, they would still try to be helpful. Our interpreter was very helpful when he was with us. If not, we muddled through the best we could. The hotel staff was excellent.

Since coming home, we've been pushing forward to bring him home as quickly as possible. While there, we found out that his medical needs are a little more involved than we originally anticipated, so we are increasing our fundraising efforts. He is going to need a bit more care, so we're preparing for that. We have been so blessed by the number of people that have supported us so far. Our Reece's Rainbow account doesn't reflect the true amount that has been given to us since a lot of the giving has been direct to us.

I wish I could share some of his pictures here, but we can currently only share him privately. Trust me, though, he smile is well worth the wait. I will, however, leave you with some pictures taken from our hotel balcony.