our last day together...

So the kiddos slept in late (nothing really new - only new part was Hudson NOT going into their room and banging on their heads to wake up). 

As soon as N and Y woke up, I got a huge hug from both of them.  Over the last few days I've received so many hugs from them.  It makes me wonder how much physical connection they get when in the Ukraine.  No matter what I feel like I barely scratched the surface regarding how much love and affection these boys need.  

The boys had to be at the airport by 630 pm.  Since I wasn't sure how the airlines would work that day(any cancelations or delays) I decided to get a hotel room to be close.  We were able to get into our room early so the kids could swim. We ordered in pizza for dinner.  

By 6 it was time to get to the airport.  We all got in my car and headed out. When we arrived we had to make sure we got out all their stuff.  Each boy was taking home a large duffle bag, scooter, overflowing backpack, snacks for the flight and another bag of miscellaneous stuff.  

We arrived by 630 but I felt rushed.  I had to get the boys checked in and because their bags were so big they had to go through the oversized baggage check. There was not any times for tears, only hugs, kisses, more hugs, pictures and one last squeeze and they were off. 

They were supposed to take off at 940 pm but their flight didn't leave until 11 pm. They made it safely to Turkey and arrived in Ukraine today (January 17) sometime around 2 pm CST. 

It was definitely hard.  But not as hard as I had anticipated.  Without realizing this, I had grown accustomed to this kind of feeling. For the past 7 years, since my eldest was a baby, I've had to say goodbye to him every other weekend (more or less) and hope and pray for the best.  I almost had to become numb to the pain to survive it.  So, in my mind, I had to say goodbye, let them go, and hope and pray that they will be safe and God will watch over and care for them until they come back.  The situations are very similar.  So, now it's the wait and see time.  The time where a part of my heart is gone, broken in a way, until they return and we are all whole again.