We finally made it! We departed from RDU around 2:30 pm on Monday, although we got a bit of a late start for the airport. We still had some last minute packing to do, trying to get everything packed into one suitcase apiece and into carry on luggage. Diana and I shared a suitcase, as one was going to be used primarily for clothing for the other children in the orphanage.
Friday afternoon, I went to my bank and withdrew $15,000 in hundred dollar bills. However, when I got home, we were concerned that some of the bills would not be acceptable currency needed for Ukraine. So, Monday morning I headed back to the Crescent State bank branch in Cary to see if I could exchange money into better bills. The ladies at the branch on Kildaire Farm Road are the best. We spent about an hour going through the bills, picking out the best they had. That is real customer service!!! I then had to go by the credit union and pick up an additional $4K for additional expenses (gas, travel, etc...). I had to go to several branches to get what I needed, followed by a trip to a couple of stores looking for a travel adapter. I finally get home around 12:30 pm, about the time for us to head to the airport! I was never so glad to see the final bags packed.
We flew to Charlotte, getting in around 3:30 pm. It was a pretty quick turnaround for our 5 pm flight to Munich, Germany on Lufthansa. The flight was pretty full and a bit cramped, however the service on board was excellent. We arrived in Munich around 8 am. We would have loved to explore Munich, since our flight was at 1:30 pm, but it wasn't enough time in reality to do so.
The final leg of our journey got us into Kiev around 4:15 pm, where Sasha met us and drove us to the apartment where we will be staying the next two days. Tomorrow, we head to the State Department of Adoptions to register our adoption and pick up the referral the following day. Please pray that everything goes smoothly!
Thanks for all of the prayers and support each of you have given us. Can't wait to see the kids!
Friday afternoon, I went to my bank and withdrew $15,000 in hundred dollar bills. However, when I got home, we were concerned that some of the bills would not be acceptable currency needed for Ukraine. So, Monday morning I headed back to the Crescent State bank branch in Cary to see if I could exchange money into better bills. The ladies at the branch on Kildaire Farm Road are the best. We spent about an hour going through the bills, picking out the best they had. That is real customer service!!! I then had to go by the credit union and pick up an additional $4K for additional expenses (gas, travel, etc...). I had to go to several branches to get what I needed, followed by a trip to a couple of stores looking for a travel adapter. I finally get home around 12:30 pm, about the time for us to head to the airport! I was never so glad to see the final bags packed.
We flew to Charlotte, getting in around 3:30 pm. It was a pretty quick turnaround for our 5 pm flight to Munich, Germany on Lufthansa. The flight was pretty full and a bit cramped, however the service on board was excellent. We arrived in Munich around 8 am. We would have loved to explore Munich, since our flight was at 1:30 pm, but it wasn't enough time in reality to do so.
The final leg of our journey got us into Kiev around 4:15 pm, where Sasha met us and drove us to the apartment where we will be staying the next two days. Tomorrow, we head to the State Department of Adoptions to register our adoption and pick up the referral the following day. Please pray that everything goes smoothly!
Thanks for all of the prayers and support each of you have given us. Can't wait to see the kids!
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