Bittermannsblog: Going home!!!

Well... seems as though the end of our journey is now here!!! 1 year ago today (I believe) we officially committed to Pasha on Reeces Rainbow- and now here at that one year mark we received his visa and clearance from the medical Dr's here to bring Pasha home to the United States! Wow! 1 year!!! 1 year ago Pasha was a picture on a website who stole our hearts and whom God told us "this is your son". So much of my life has changed on one year! 3 years ago tomorrow was the day that my ENT told me "you have cancer". February seems to be a life changing month for me!! Feb is also the month my 1st son was born!! WOW!

So a bit about what has happened since I last blogged (which I don't know when that was so bear with me...) Ummm... Tuesday we went to the embassy for our 1st appt to do our paperwork, Wed we picked up Pasha from the orphanage "Gotcha day" and picked up our passports! And now today is Thursday! Today we got picked up at 8AM, went to the embassy to drop something off, then head the other direction for the kids (we were with the Jacobsons and their 3 kids too!) medicals, Pasha had to have a chest Xray b/c he was exposed to TB 2 years ago. But he was treated back then and he's fine, but they always do a chest Xray if their chart is flagged by TB. His Xray came back clear and the Dr sent us on our way! Now let me say- this Dr was so wonderful. I have heard horror stories about the medical and how mean the Dr's are- this one- she was SO wonderful! Her first thing she said is "Oh, you have no kids?" And I said Yes- I have 4 at home! She looked SHOCKED! Made a holy cross sign across her chest and smiled! She was great with Pasha- very tender and caring. I heard some new things we didn't know before (seems to happen each time we're at a Dr's) and then she said before we left "He is VERY underweight. VERY small. Not average 5 year old." I said- yea I know! And then she said it again, to which I again said- Yes- I know! He's lived in an orphanage his whole life! Pasha weighs 14kg so roughly 30 lbs at 5 years old. I have seen some kinds come home as little as 15 lbs at an older age so this didn't shock me too much. But if you were to see Pasha in just his undies- you'd think he's one of those starving children you see on those TV ads. He is VERY tiny. But thankfully we're 1 week away from seeing a whole team of Dr's at the adoption clinic.

Now our sweet Pasha is tucked into bed asleep getting rested up for our journey home tomorrow! We will be getting picked up at 6:30 AM Ukraine time and landing at 3:55 Pm chicago time! Yea for being home with ALL 5 of my kids! I CAN NOT WAIT!! Thank you for all of your love and support over this last year! I love you all!!! And now for a few pics! :)

Bazaar where I bought Pasha's snowpants and boots since I forgot to get them!