Trip 1, Return Home;

It has been a struggle to get through this past week. I am so tired from the jet lag and my schedule is completely turned around…what was the middle of the night there is the middle of the day here, so I am tired every day and wishing for a nap. What was the middle of the day there is the middle of the night here…but my body wasn’t getting it and both Joe and I would be up half the night! Also, no appetite during the day, but at 2am…starving!! I am just getting turned around.

Mommy Kisses

Holding Daddy's Hand

The last day we were in Russia, we felt so sad. We had to leave our precious baby behind. Before this trip and for the past 1 & ½ years, I was the one who would tear up whenever I would think about her- living in an orphanage without a mommy and daddy to cherish and love her. I was also the pessimist who was concerned we would be referred a child who we were unsure about medically-things we were not prepared to deal with. So after leaving, I’m actually doing better. I am reassured. She is beautiful. She is perfect. She is healthy. She is not in an ideal situation yet, but she will be very soon. The baby home is old and does not have a lot of resources, but it is clean and the women who take care of the babies seem to care about them. Joe is the opposite. He was the one consoling me for the last 1 & ½ years. Now, he tears up whenever he thinks about her or talks about her!

Anyway, when we were leaving and driving to the airport, it just felt like we going to the baby home again. But, no. We were headed home. The first part of our big adventure that we had been planning and anticipating for so long was now about to be just a memory.

On the way to the airport, we got a phone call from my sister. It was 1 pm, Saturday afternoon in Vlad, but 10:30 pm Friday night at home. Kami was watching our dogs, 3-pound Zoey, a Chihuahua-yorkie mix and 25-pound Coco, a miniature pinscher and fox terrier mix. Coco and Zoey scrapped and guess who won? Zoey was bit on the head and her little eye popped out!!!!!!!!!! They were rushing her to the emergency vet. For anyone who doesn’t know me, Zoey is my little baby. Chihuahua’s tend to bond to one person and I’m that person. When I am home, she is my constant shadow.  I was beside myself. She had surgery that night and they put this little dog on 5 different medications. Kami ended up staying up all night Friday and Saturday until we got her on Sunday morning. We had arrived home at 2am Saturday night after our plane landed, we got our luggage and drove home.  Joe had to go back to work Sunday (and fly back to Amsterdam) so I was alone with poor little Zoey, with her eye still sown shut after the surgery. She was not eating or drinking and just did not look good. Kami came at 10 pm to help me give her night time medications. We almost took her back to the emergency vet, but after calling them and our friend Cory, who is our vet, we were reassured. I took her to see Cory on Monday and even by then she was doing better.

Since I also had to work all week, I took Zoey to my parents for doggie day care.  She had one of those cone things on and she could not eat or drink with it. She also needed meds during the day. She has been there all week at this point. (I took my sister’s dog, Daisy, while she was out of town and they kept Zoey for me. Daisy could stay home all day by herself, but Zoey could not.) In an effort to get her to eat, they gave her whatever she wanted…so this week Zoey had roast beef, mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs with ham, toast…and she ate it all up! She is going to be sad when she gets home and has to eat her Iams dry dog food again!