"Next Time Order a Bigger Taxi"

On Saturday, our hero, Oleg Magdych, decided that even if there wasn’t space in the van we could ride to the airport with him anyway. We could ride with the suitcases. So he was like, “Meet at our normal drug deal spot.” He always picks us up in this certain place outside of our apartment building that we call the drug deal spot. To make it all the more legit, we threw some flour in a Ziploc bag and when we got in the car we tossed it to him. It took him a split second to make the connection and then he made a knowing face, nodded his head, and stuck the bag in his jacket. (We realized after we were in the airport that if he got caught with that in his jacket the police weren’t likely to believe it was just flour, so we hoped no one would decide to search him…)

We went to the airport to wait for the group from Birmingham, but more importantly, two of our favorite people in the world, Mark and Jenn Smith. Mark and Jenn are working on adopting kids from Ukraine and they were sweet enough to stay with us and we were sooooo excited.

So Magdych dropped Mark and Jenn off at our apartment and we talked for a while and then we went on a picnic in the woods and the leaves were changing and it was just so pretty. Picnics are the best thing ever. I don’t know why it took me living in Ukraine to realize that. Tallahassee people, we’re going on picnics when I get home. Just plan on it.

Here are some pics of our picnic:



Lori and Mark



Me and Jenn



I love it when trees turn colors!



It's so awesome, these woods are 10 minutes from our house.



Happy people




After our picnic we took Jenn and Mark to the World War II museum, my favorite place in Kyiv. Jenn had never been to Ukraine before and Mark in his three journeys here never made it there so it was a must.



I'm the tour guide!



The WWII park is my favorite place in Kyiv and this is my favorite part of it. I love these statues.









The city in the background is the side of the river that me and Lori live on. Most of Kyiv is on the other side, but our side's pretty big too.







All right, men, bring in the artillery!



We can take out a few Nazis with these puppies.



Awwwww
















We love the Metal Momma!


This morning we went to church and had a great time. Max went with us to lunch and gave us an insider’s tour guide. We’re not really sure where the source of a lot of his info comes from…but it was entertaining nonetheless.







When Max gets a hold of the camera...


After our pizza party at Dva Gusya we came home so Mark and Jenn could repack and get their stuff together before they took an overnight train to Zaporozhiya. We decided since they had 3 suitcases a taxi would be a much better idea than trying to ride marshrootkas and metros, so we got a taxi. We went outside at 7 to meet our taxi and immediately realized 4 people and 3 suitcases was going to be next to impossible. Our taxi driver was more convinced than we were. He kept telling me, “This is not possible. It’s a small car.” We could only fit one suitcase and a backpack in the small truck. I assumed I would have to stay home and try to stuff the three of them and 2 suitcases in the car. I climbed in and Lori managed to dive under a suitcase. Then Jenn jumped in the back seat too and we pushed the front seat all the way up. Somehow, I have no idea how, we managed to shove 3 people and two ginormous suitcases in the back of a Fabia. Mark squeezed into the front seat, the driver looked at us astonishingly and we took off. Not long after I felt Lori messing with my sweater with her teeth.

“Can I help you?”

“Sorry. I just have to keep moving it because I can’t breathe.”

“Oh my gosh! Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I just can’t breathe.”

“Oh, well if that’s all…”

We tried not to move, which was fairly easy because moving wasn’t really possible. Our backseat situation made a Tokyo subway car look roomy. At one point my cellphone started ringing and we just started laughing uncontrollably. Never in a million years would we have been able to get to our pockets. Our taxi driver told us, as I handed him the money, "Next time order a bigger taxi." Wise advice, taxi man. Wise advice.

We managed to lug three suitcases through the station found the Smith’s car and loaded them up. They’re safely on their way to Zaporozhiya and the only consolation we have is that we will be able to see them on Saturday. Yay!

Arrivederci!