A US Passport and Birth Certificate for Lillia

This last Friday we headed into Kiev to submit all the paperwork for getting Lillia her passport and birth certificate at the US Embassy. The night before I started getting a little nervous because all of the sudden the trip seemed a little overwhelming because I had not traveled so far with her yet. We got up at the crack of dawn to make our bus at 7am and get the 7:20 train to Kiev. We got on a "fast train" that makes it into Kiev in about an hour. Lillia was so great, the entire trip she was such a trooper! We made it to the embassy and got all of the paperwork submitted. Unfortunately, we just barely missed the fast train back to Fastov, which being a Friday late afternoon was not a good thing! Dima was staying behind to catch up with an old friend, but he did see us to the train and sat with us for a while. We got on 30 minutes early and train was already filling up, so I was grateful we had a seat. The train was stifling hot and muggy. We had a babyshka sit next to us, which was a blessing, because she talked to Lillia practically the entire way and kept her busy and quite occupied and content. I had Lillia unzipped out of her sleepers and she was still sweating. But she didn't cry once the entire 2 hours that we sat on that hot, hot train (what a miracle). There were people standing and crowded in the isle, so I was just glad we had seat and Lillia made it fine. But she did have a meltdown on the bus heading home from the train station, and I think that was mostly my fault. I think she just got way too hot and than I was grateful for another babyshka behind us who started talking to her and she quieted down (even though the babyshka was telling her how bad her mother was for not taking her in a stroller and holding her, I was still grateful to her. :) LOL). We did make it home totally worn out. Can I just say my mother-in-law was so incredibly thoughtful and had made some soup and crepes for us....I had nothing else in the house ready to eat so I was very grateful to her. It is Sunday night, and after a long, long day at church I feel I am still recouping from our trip to Kiev. :)