DREAMING OF OUR OWN HOME AGAIN

 Our dream home is still not a reality yet. Today we went by and visited our home, we even got to sit at the kitchen bar and visit with our real estate agent and the man we are buying the house from but we won't be moving our things in for awhile.As we sat in the kitchen we could hear the roosters crowing outside and birds singing in the backyard, The gentle breeze was blowing through the windows. I could imagine our grandchildren playing on the floor in the family room as we visited in the kitchen. Tonight I am dreaming of our new home and finally getting all our things out of suitcases while my husband, and our daughter and son-in-law watch Batman in the other room and the babies sleep soundly in the beds. Tomorrow I will wake up to the squeals of my dear little grandchildren who greet me each morning as if I just stepped off the plane.

NOTES FROM HOME

I have finally found a little time to spend at the computer again. I thought I should let you all know how we are doing. First of all.................
I had no idea that we would experience the same Culture Shock coming home as we did when we arrrived in Ukraine. We are so happy to be home with our family again but I have to say there are days I find myself feeling a little displaced. We still have not been able to move into our new home yet so we are living with our daughter and her husband and 4 children. We are so grateful for their kindness in allowing us to be here so long. We love spending so much time with family. We all took a trip to Santa Cruz to spend about 12 days staying in a beautiful cottage on the beach. We're back and Karrissa and Brad's now and our son Nate comes over a few times a week to join us for dinner or a movie. We are enjoying catching up with our friends at home. I have also spoken to a few of the returned missionaries who are home now. We have spoken about our mission experience during Sacrament Meeting at church and once at a fireside. We loved it. We will have another opportunity to speak again in September and probably when we move into our new ward. I haven't been able to stay in touch by e-mail with my fellow missionaries or my Ukrainian friends the way I intend to as soon as we have our own computer again. I did get to talk to Olga, our interpreter/ and dear friend on the telephone and the minute I heard her voice my eyes filled with tears. I couldn't stop crying as she quickly told us all the things she wanted us to know about life in Ukraine. Oh, how it made me miss you all. I am so grateful to have been to Ukraine and to have been a part of the Donetsk Mission. I am so grateful to President and Sister Fry for all they did for us and for all the missionaries they love so very much. I am so grateful for all of you who kept me going with prayers and wonderful encouraging comments on the blog. I promise I will write more soon and post pictures again as soon as i am able to use my own computer again. Tomorrow Bruce and I are going to Monterey again for a few days and I hope I will be able to use my computer while we are gone to post some pictures.

For now I just want all the missionaries and my friends in Ukraine to know that you are in our prayers daily.
We love you, and miss you so much.

THESE THREE ARE KEEPING ME BUSY

sorry I haven't written yet.

HOME

We have been home a few days now and this is the first time I have had to post.
Wyatt is off with Papa Bruce, Monroe went to the store with her dad, the baby is watching his mom cut Cousin Leigh's hair in the garage and Maverick is taking a nap. Wyatt and Monroe have not left my side for long yet. We have all gotten up early each morning to make waffles, we have played MEMORY (card game) many times, we have watched movies, they have helped me cook and clean the kitchen, read books, and gone to the park a few times.This Nana is exhausted but OH SO HAPPY. We won't be moving into our new house until the first of June so we are staying at Brad and Karrissa's. We don't have a phone yet, and I am using Brad's computer to post this as quickly as I can. We will be giving our talks in church tomorrow but I haven't had time to write my talk yet. Oh boy, did I forget what life is like with little children. I promise all my friends both in Ukraine and home in America that I will be better at writing you personally when I am in my own home and have more free time. I love you all and miss you so much.

CHANGE IN FLIGHT PLANS

OUR FLIGHT PLANS HAVE CHANGED.

OUR PLANE LEAVING KIEV WAS DELAYED 6 HOURS WHICH MEANS WE WILL MISS 2 CONNECTIONS . WE ARE GOING TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN NEW YORK

(WELL AT LEAST TRY TO CATCH A FEW HOURS SLEEP)

AND FLY TO SALT LAKE AND THEN SACRAMENTO.

WE LEAVE NEW YORK ON FLIGHT 1103 AT 7AM AND ARRIVE IN SALT LAKE AT 1024

WE WILL JUST HAVE A FEW MINUTES TO CATCH OUR PLANE TO SACRAMENTO AT 1115AM. WE WILL NOW BE ARRIVING IN SACRAMENTO AT 12:01 PM MAY 5TH DELTA FLIGHT 1187