19 | October | 2008 | Legos and Tutus

Since we did not have any internet access the first 2 1/2-3wks of our trip we were unable to keep everyone informed as we had hoped. I have gone back and roughly came up with one, some days more detailed than others. Presently I can now give a more day to day happenings.

Thurs. Sept. 18-Stephanie’s Mom and Dad arrive. Packing, packing,packing.
Fri. Sept. 19-Drove from Birmingham to Atlanta for overnight flight to London. Our friend, Jeremy drove Trey’s truck back home.
Sat. Sept. 20-Arrive London and go to hotel. Eat breakfast at hotel restruant while room is prepared. Go to room and crash hard. Shower and take Gatwick Express into Victoria Station London. Splurged and took tour on red double decker bus with guide. It was really the best way to see London on such short time because the major sights are so spread out around the city and it would have been too tiring and frustrating trying to get to them by foot or taxis. We had a wonderful time together. It was a beautiful day, sunny and a bit cool but comfortable. Lots of pictures of course. we ate at a British pub and it was great food, atmosphere and we talked to two ladies from Ohio. After eating we souveneer shopped on the way back to Victoria Station and our hotel.
Sun. Sept. 21-Awoke 4:45 to get ready to catch plane to Poland. I took medicine for urinary tract pain before we left hotel. While in airport waiting to find which gate to go to, I suddenly became very pale and seriously ill. I got to the water closet just in time to vomit neon orange/red bile. Yes, the urinary tract medicine. Oh my, I could not believe I was this sick right before I had to get on the plane for Poland. Thankfully I got all the vomiting out literally before boarding. Not how I wanted to start my day!! Arrive Krakow, Poland and our CHI contact, Grace and her husband was there to greet us and take us onto Libiaz. As we entered the Libiaz area Trey and I joked we might be staying on the 8th floor of those nasty communist/ghetto looking apartments. Well, as it turned out we were not on the 8th, but the 4th of those apartments with dark concrete stairs the whole way up. Not fun carrying up luggage full of stuff to last a month. we experienced major culture shock at first, but then when we realized the man hanging the curtains for Mary’s room was her foster Dad and he was o.k. with the living conditions, then we figured it must be okay. we were given a literal walk about to the bank to pay for the apartment and to show us where to buy food and then back to the apartment for a brief rest. Grace went to pick up the social worker and then came and got us and we were all off to meet Mary!!
Mon. Sept.22-We walked to foster home in a.m. and had blast playing with Mary. Went to court with foster parents and were granted a 2 week bonding time and immediate custody of Mary!! WOW!! Second hearing set for Oct. 6. Back to foster home for big lunch. Foster parents brought Mary over this night to see apartment and where she’ll sleep. Trey, Peter, Margaret went to grocery store so they could show Trey what Mary likes to eat. While they were gone she began to cry and cry loud and long. I brought out a pretty wrapped present and we unwrapped it together. The tears stopped when she realized it was a new “Lala”-doll. We now know this little girl loves dolls alot! She went back to the foster home that night with her new Lala.
Tues. Sept.23-Margaret brought Mary over around 9-10a.m she’s ours till the second hearing. We were like 1st time parents alone with this new little one thinking “o.k., now what?” We had great day and went to foster home for big meal and then back to apartment. She went to bed with no tears!
Wed. Sept.24-Played, colored with Mary and then walked to foster home for big meal. Always soup then some kind of meat, breaded pork or chicken and potatos. This day the meat was wrapped in cabbage and then you put a tomato base sauce over it. Very very delicious. Every meal was incredible and it was all prepared by Babcia(Grandma). she was amazing! Peter took Trey to his job sights to show Trey his work and how Polish construction is performed. He showed him the roofs he’s working on in a new subdivision. Peter and Trey are so very much alike. We went home and late that night I began aching and running a very high temperature and slept on the floor some of the time because I was just so uncomfortable. Trey and I shared the very hard maybe double futon for our bed. Our side/hips hurt so bad they even felt bruised.
Thurs. Sept25-Ran very high temp. unable to even tell Trey we had a thermometer to take my temp. Trey and Mary walked to foster home for big meal. Trey vomiting and diareaha from drinking water from tap.
Fri. Sept. 26-high temp. 103+ Trey and Mary to foster home. First social worker visit. Did not go well, I had been struggling with a lot of issues, the most being so sick with temperature, severe back pain, chills, aches and then deep emotional issues. Battled so many questions,thoughts concerning adopting Mary.
Sat. Sept. 27- Happy Birthday Morgan!! Temp. 103.4 Doctor came to apartment to examine me and gave me prescriptions. Basically I have the flu found out one of the other foster girls had it and I had had close contact with her and kidney infection or bladder infection. so now I’m on 5 medicines. I called my great friend who is a pharmacist and she looked up the drugs and was pretty impressed with what was prescribed.
Sun.Sept. 28-Trey and Mary went to foster home for lunch and then Peter and Margaret took Trey to Auschwitz and Birkenau in Oswiecim. I stayed home and continued with my high temperature and drug popping.
Mon. Sept.29-102 temperature, starting to feel I could be getting better.
Tues. Sept.30- Drove to Krakow to meet with Erin and Sebastian V. missionary friends of our children’s pastor, Tommy Ray. I had been emailing Erin for quite a while and we were so pleased to finally meet. what an awesome couple and they and thier team are doing some great work in the college type atmosphere of Krakow. We were offered to stay the night at their work office which is a two story apartment and had a big bedroom with an actual queen bed with a real matress for Trey and I and a seperate room for Mary. It was $10 per each adult!!!
Wed. Oct. 1-Erin and Sebastian came to pick us up at 9am and we were all off to the city center. They were great company and tour guides. We got some souveneers for the boys. Trey was introduced to the KEBAB here. Long story. Drove back to Libiaz for the second social worker meeting. This too was not as good as they hoped and both the social worker and Grace were concerned the judge would not look well at granting us the adoption. I just wanted to continue with our bonding time, just give us our granted time. I did not want to quit and go home as they were suggesting. The social worker decided we should go to Catholic Adoption Center to speak with psychologist.
Thur. Oct. 2- Still working on relationship with Mary and Praying nonstop.
Fri. Oct. 3- Went to another town to Catholic Adoption Center and spoke with other psychologist, our social worker, Grace(CHI contact). The main thing they wanted from me was for me to be able to put words to my feelings, which when in another country with different customs and morals is difficult and much is lost in translation. I had talked with our agency director and social worker from Lifeline in Birmingham, Trey, good friends and just had been dealing with so many what if’s, and what nots. I just realized I hadn’t gone through all we had gone through and all the months working to get there to quit and go home without her. So we talked and when we left they were all positive and said they would write a positive report for the approval of the adoption. so we left it at that and continued with our bonding time till we would meet the judge again on monday. Friday night I went out for coffee and desert with Margaret and Kasia, our new friend and translator between the foster family and us. Margaret had lots of questions and rightful concerns about the adoption and we mom’s were able to clear the air and talk through so much. I needed to reassure her that I did indeed want to be Mary’s mom.
Sat. Oct. 4- Peter and Margaret took us to the mountains of Zakopane in Southern Poland near the Czech border. It was a horrible wet/cold raining day with fog and so sad that we could not see the beautiful mountains because of the thick fog. However we could tell it was a beautiful vacation spot and had a fun time with the family. They even bought a St.Bernard puppy for their daughter, Victoria, she named her Berta. St. Bernards are sort of a Zakopane mascot.
Sun. Oct. 5-Lunch with the foster family and then Trey took me to Auschwitz and Birkenau. We ate supper at a restraunt with a menu in English. I had fish and vegies, Trey a perogie sampler. Mary stayed the night with the foster family as ordered by the judge.
Mon. Oct. 6-Court at noon, long long long! Judge declared us the parents of Mary, set our vallidation time for 14days down from 21.Trey found out he could stay another week with me and Mary so he would be with us in Warsaw for one week. He flys back Oct. 18 instead of Oct.11. Yeah!!
Tues. Oct.7- My Birthday! Margaret took us to Mary’s preschool to meet her class,teachers, principle. Mary was blank faced and quiet the whole time. The school is very cheerful, stimulating and very impressive. We went back to the apartment and began packing for the trip to Warsaw. AT 5:00 we walked to the foster home for the last time for Mary’s farewell party. There were special treats and a cake and presents were given to Mary and us and we gave to Margaret, Peter, Babcia and Kasia and Lucas. It was a sweet time by all. When leaving it was really something. She will always know how loved she was and that she was not just given away, but truely deeply loved by Peter and Margaret, their children and the other foster children. They are a very special family and are doing an amazing work for the children in Poland. The best thing about us leaving was the other little foster children singing “Bye Mary Garrett! Bye Mary Garrett!” over and over and over. Wow! We pray they all get new mommy’s and daddy’s or that their relationship with their biological parents will be restored. Please pray for a wonderful little girl-K who has 2 Poland families interested in her right now. Pray that the adoption center will decide soon which family will be best for K and that it will not take a long time for her to be united with her new family. She is such a beautiful girl and sang so much. We love you K and will continue to keep you in our prayers. Their are other children in the home, some available for adoption, some not and we will continue to keep praying for their situations.
Wed. Oct.8- Drove to Warsaw with Grace’s husband who picked us up on his way back home to Warsaw form business trip. Arrived in Warsaw late that night. Only staying 2 nights at posh Asian decor apartment till other long tern apartment will be ready on Friday.
Thurs. Oct.9-Walked to mall. Bought Mary new shoes. Very cool.
Fri. Oct.10-Taken to new long term apartment. Very nice!! This isn’t Libiaz any more. Key entry into building with security guards, ELEVATORS, large in city center close to everything. Went to U.S Embassy to sign needed documents before Trey leaves.
Sat. Oct. 11- Went to new mall, walked around city some.
Sun. Oct. 12-Went to Palace on the Water and the large park. Went to church with Grace and husband at International Christian Fellowship. Great Day!
Mon. Oct.13- Went to notary and signed more documents and then to Old Town. we loved Old Town. Bought small water color painting from old paiter, took Trey’s picture with him. Took lots of pictures. Some shopping too.
Tue. Oct 14-Went to 30th floor of clock tower for panaramic view of city. Ate at Hard Rock Cafe-Warsaw.Got Mary a few new cloths, Christmas ornaments. Cold, wet day today.
Wed. Oct 15- Went to another beautiful park with a playground for Mary. Walked up Royal Way to New Town. Saw changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Trey got some office supplies at Epik.
Thur. Oct 16- Got Visa and passport photos taken of Mary. They are horrible, but realistic of what she looks like when a stranger talks to her, so they’ll work. went to Praga on the other side of the river. Nothing to see, so took the tram back across to Old Town. Got some stocking stuffers for our 5 children, yes that’s right 5! Yeah! Lots and lots of walking. Ate supper at a Polish Kitchen. We all ordered soup, Trey ordered side of mushroom, cauflower and we also got some potato dumplings. we all ate well, especially Mary.
Fri. Oct.17- Went for breakfast and thought we had ordered pancakes, but when the food came we all had omelets? Anyway, not pancakes but they were delicious. Today was cold and raining. We bought some thank you gifts for friends and foung the Jewish Temple and only Kosher store in Warsaw. We went to Coffee Heaven and sat there for a long time in the comfy chairs enjoying our time and cappaccinos together. Mary was too cute this day. we talked about our time together in Poland and our hopes for when we return to the states and being reunited with the boys and adding Mary to the bunch. Finally gave in and went home to pack Trey for his flight. Went out for supper to a pizzaria, no English menu, so we did not get anything we thought we had ordered. Not exactly what we wanted Trey’s last Poland meal to be.
Sat. Oct.18- Trey flys out of Warsaw to London. Just Mary and me now. Found Flat Stanley template online and created my own for Morgan. Ate at apartment and then Mary took nap. After nap what else to do then go to mall. Bought groceries then home for supper here and bath and bed. Mary asked a couple times for Trey and she went and got her toy planes and flew them and said “Tata bye bye” I assured her he flew home to her brothers and she and mommy would stay together and then we would fly home to Daddy. I asked if she understood and she said with a big nod”TAK!” YES! and a big long hug to follow.
Sunday Oct.19- Grace took us to Palac w Wilanowie or The Wilanow Palace. I had really wanted to go here and today was a beautiful sunny cool day to go. It was also FREE to tour the palace today. Lots of portraits of the King and other family members of all that had lived there. Amazing portraits in size and details. We toured the gardens also. Mary made a craft, more like Grace and I colored it as we encouraged her to help, but in the end she was really pleased and loves the stage coach she took home. The palace had tapestry on the walls and murals on ceilings and walls and huge plaster bust and one especially grand one of King Jan III on his horse defeating the Turks. After the palace we went out to eat and then to the 5pm church service again. It was a wonderful day and so thankful to Grace for taking us and staying with us for the tour. Trey called and he was in Atlanta with all 4 boys and his mom. Halleluia Daddy is home!! Trey said they were all so glad to see him but mainly asked where is Mary when is she coming home. He said all the boys had grown so much and thinned down. Oh, I can’t wait to see them too.