Paper work all done

We are all most at the end of the journey (finally) It has been hard to put things down the last week as I have been consumed by Ethan’s passport and spent most days staring at the phone waiting for it to ring. Now that my head is a little clearer here are some of the things we have done and where we are now in the process.

As you know we got the call yesterday to say Natasha was on her way to pick up the passport. She made the train last night for the overnight trip to Kiev. She called to ask us to meet her at the train station in the morning to pick the passport up from her. On a side note I want to add that I will always consider Natasha a good friend, she has had a lot of troubles this month as her husband got very sick and then while on the train last night found out her husband and son had been in a car accident and the car is badly damaged. A car was driving straight at him and he swerved to miss the head on collision and hit another car. They are both ok but this was very hard for Natasha to cope with being so far away. We have exchanged addresses, emails and phone numbers to keep in touch. She’s done a lot for us. She will be able to spend the next 10 days at home with her family which will be good for all of them.
Yesterday we took the children to the park for some fun in the sun and they both enjoyed this. We walked back through the botanical garden park and it was wonderful to hear the song birds singing.

This morning we got up and made the short walk to the train station, it was the best feeling to hold Ethan’s passport in my hands. We spent an hour with Natasha before she got on the bus for the 4 hour trip home. She now gets the 10 days at home. Hooray. I then took Martin and Laura a walk through the train station as Martin had not seen the inside when we left, he had to walk around with the luggage and porter. At 10:45 Lesya called to say that we would be going to the Canadian Embassy today to get Ethan’s Visa, this is the last step before coming home. She said only I needed to go so I was picked up at noon by Irena and Valdim and was taken to get a visa picture done, then on to the embassy. I finished filling out the paper work from the paper work Irena had and waited for Olesya to come down. This is who works in the visa and Immigration department at the embassy. She looked the paperwork over and said everything was in order and that we are to come back at 4:30 to pick it up. Before she came down I should tell you that Ethan decided that he needed his nappy changing so there was a table that he got changed on, but my backpack which included my hand bag are not allowed in the embassy so I had luckily carried a nappy and wipes in with me. Then on the trip home I gave Ethan a drink of apple juice, he was sitting beside me and I looked down to see that he had thrown up all over his coat, luckily it had not gone on the seat in Valdims car. I think he got a little car sick. With no Martin there to help it made my life interesting. At this point there is no more paper work to be done, and tomorrow we can enjoy the day, get the kids and us to bed for hopefully 6 hours of sleep before the 20 hours of travelling on Friday.

So we are almost packed and ready to go and right now waiting for the phone to ring 1 more time to get the visa.

Oh ya Laura and Martin have gone to the park for a bit seeing as it is sunny and warm again today, I have stayed home so Ethan could have a nap.

It is funny I have many mixed feeling about coming home now that things are almost at the end. I will be so glad to get there, but I know that this experience will feel like a dream once in Woodstock. We have had some good times and bad times while here. Lows and highs, it has covered every emotion I have. We have made some new friends, some we will see again and others we will not, and some we have to leave here in Ukraine as their process is not yet done. I know one thing when Ethan is old enough to be told he will hear all about how he came into our lives.

See you all very soon
Jennifer, Martin, Laura and Ethan who has a passport now.

..........................................................

Just a quick up date from when I last typed this. I was picked up at 4pm and taken to the notary office to sign some papers, it was then off to the embassy. Olesya met us in the entrance with all of Ethan’s paperwork and the all important passport with a visa for Canada, as I came out I jumped for joy and Irena said to me “well that is the end”. So that is it for the paperwork trail, we are free of it now. I have been busy this evening packing so tomorrow we can enjoy our last day.

See you all this weekend.