Day 1 - Planes, Trains, and some UGLY buses

The last few days I have been feeling yucky. Sick to my stomach, nauseous.... etc. all due to nerves. I guess international adoption is just a touch stressful. So we get to the airport and go to customs to declare the money we were carring and BAM I start feeling bad. Yes this maybe TMI but I hope you find the humor in it. So I excuse myself and head to the restroom sign that we passed on the way by. I'm doing my speed walking to make sure I get there in time. As I round the corner and head down the long hall I realize that the female restrooms are at the other end of the hall / terminal! I start express speed walking, which I might add is not the most graceful thing you have ever seen. I pass a man on his way to the boys room. I smile and nodd and try to keep from flailing as we pass each other. Finally I make it to the restroom, Oh sweet mercy! I go to the first stall. I shut the door and grab one of the toilet seat covers. Now I have often wondered about how one is supposed to use the cover. Does the flap go to the back or front? Are you supposed to tear the middle part out or let gravity do its thang? Anyhow, I tear the three little pieces of attached liner so the middle will fall open being as careful as I possibly can in my present state, not to tear the outer part and have to start over. I gingerly place the liner over the seat of the toilet and turn to sit down when I hear it. You know what it was? WOOSH!! I turn just in time to watch my precious life saving cover disappear into the abyss of rushing water. Thank you very much automatic flush toilets! I got another liner ready and sat down quick, just daring that thing to flush. If it was gonna take my liner it was gonna have to fight me for it.

We leave our home port and head to D.C. where we went to a mexican restuarant and ordered chicken enchiladas with a green chile tomatillo sauce. Random right? It took us 45 minutes to switch gates. We had to go on a bus transport that looked like it was something out of the movie Starwars. It was as tall as the terminal and had the engine and everything else under the seating area. It was strange looking. Then we got to the next terminal and had to take a train to get our exact terminal. Get the name of the post yet??

The flight from DC to Frankfurt was interesting. The plane was neat and even though it is the longest airplane used today the seats had very little leg room. Not too bad for me but for my 6'1" hubby it was uncomfortable. We did everything possible to get comfy but it was no use. When the seats were in thier upright position it was like sitting with a 2x4 strapped to your back. When we could we would recline the chairs to get some relief. We always feel bad about reclining the chairs in the planes because of the poor people behind us but it was neccessary this time. The poor man sitting behind me was rather large and you could tell extremely uncomfortable. I tried not to put my seat back all the way to give him more room but it was to no avail. He kept hitting and kicking the back of seat. No doubt in his attempts to get comfy. Needless to say I wasn't his favorite person at the end of the flight which makes this next part either extremely terrible or extremely funny. The plane has stopped and we are all getting ready to deplane. I'm standing and the man behind me is sitting. It was then I noticed a few rows up this guy's headrest was raised. I excitedly told Josh to look as I proceeded to lift my headrest. Wouldn't you know there wasn't a stop on that sucker and it flew into the air, hit the man sitting behind me and ended up in his lap. Horrified and apologizing profusley I replace the headrest. How does this stuff happen to me?

Anyhow we get to the country with no more drama. The man who picked us up was very nice and showed us around and took us grocery shopping. It was an event trying to find cream cheese. BTW, we never found it. I'm not sure what we got but it is yummy. We got to the apartment which is on the 5th floor. The elevator is very small so our guy went up first and told us to follow him. Easy right? No problemo. He gets to the top and yells down to us to push the button. We did! Like 5 times! So we pushed it really hard and it starts coming down. the doors open and we smash in like sardines. It is really dark in there and no numbers on the buttons. We count out 5 buttons and push the fifth. Nothing. we push it again, again and again. Nothing. Stupid Americans don't even know how to operate the elevator! I push #4 and it starts. I get off at the 4th floor and start up the stairs. Josh stayed on and went on up to the 5th floor. What the duece? I guess the elevator just doens't like me.

Anywho, here we are until our SDA appointment on Wednesday morning. I will fill you in on any other adventures we have while waiting for the appointment. It does feel good to be so close to our babies!! I can't and I mean can't wait to hold those little boogers. My other two are doing well and enjoying their time with family. My littlest fell alseep about 5 minutes after I left and my oldest cried for me about 30 seconds. Makes me feel loved.

Thank you all for your prayers. We had a safe and uneventful flight and our bags made it all the way. Thank you Jesus!