FAITH

This morning came too early.  However, I was grateful that I slept until my alarm.  We got everything ready and loaded so we could head to the airport.  

On the way to the airport we picked up Anya.  I really held it together pretty well at the airport in the beginning.  I kept seeing people crying and crying and hugging and hugging.  I would quickly look away and think to myself, “Think happy thoughts!  Think happy thoughts!”  Then something happened (I don’t remember what) and I completely lost it.  We started walking toward security.  Everyone stopped and we hugged and cried.  I hugged and kissed Albina and said, “I love you so very much!”  Then she said, “Oh my gosh!” and started crying more herself.  I hugged and kissed Alina (she had been crying all morning about leaving) and told her I loved her.  Then we walked upstairs by security and waved goodbye for about 20 minutes while they got through security and we all sat around crying.  We kept doing the “loser” sign (where you put an ‘L’ up to your forehead), because James had tried to tell Albina that it meant “I love you” in America.  Albina knew better and called him on it.  However, it became a family joke after that and we would do it to each other all the time.  (Although, we found out that Alina doesn’t know it means “loser” and thinks it really does mean “I love you”.  As a result, when we would do it for Albina it would break the emotional tension, but when we would do it for Alina she would start crying even more since she didn’t know it was a joke and really thought it meant only “I love you!”)  

We left the airport and took Anya to church.  Then we headed home.  Everyone was emotional, tired and a little on edge.  James took a short nap.  I wasn’t able to sleep for a long time, but finally fell asleep.  He didn’t wake me up, but let me sleep through church (He, Emma, Tori & Micah went to just Sacrament Meeting today).  I kept waking up and crying more.  I’m completely spent and need sleep, but have way too much on my mind to completely relax. 

Last night and this morning I kept thinking, “I’ve got to get these kids back here!... Whatever it takes, I’ve got to get these kids back here!”  I’m so unsure how to do everything.  The amount of money seems insurmountable (especially if we want the timeline to be as short as possible so we can get Albina for as long as possible since she’s already almost 16 ½ !).  I feel really anxious to get them all back soon, but especially since Albina is so much older.  I really want to get her here to have as much time as possible before she heads to college and such.

Faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith, faith………  

More pictures from airport: