Last Day in Latvia

It's hard to believe I'm finally writing about this day...it is true that the longer you wait the harder it is to remember. But thankfully I took ridiculous amounts of photos and have the young minds of my kids to help me remember.  I find myself in a VERY rare moment of having no one in the house but my little one fast asleep so thought I would try to knock out this post...and then all there is left is traveling home, which is a long post in and of itself.

The last day in Latvia posed a few challenges for us...there was much to be done and only one day left to do it in.  We had really tried to make a vacation and enjoy ourselves and suddenly we found ourselves needing to go back to Spriditis for the rest of J's things, say goodbye to the orphan director there, pick up Visas at the Embassy, get our painting shipped and meet up with the daughter of our friends who we were escorting back to America for them.  And to make things really interesting we slept a little late too!  Shocker I know!

Oh, and I forgot that I had promised to get a cell phone for our friends who would be traveling soon and go ahead and get it to their daughter in Riga so they could contact her.  I was up at a decent hour and quickly got my shower.  Gary decided to finish up what was in the fridge and thought a good breakfast of our last bit of traveling bacon (sounds like a follow up to the traveling pants), eggs, potatoes and toast would be in order for our last day here.  While he was cooking (remember we can only use one unit at a time so it took forever for the potatoes to fry) I decided to run on out to buy the cell phone and get started on the many things to be done. 

I remember it was a beautiful morning..crisp and cooler but sunny.  I went to the first suggested spot and they said to go across the street.  At the Narvesson (where they sent me) I could get the Goldfish for the phone but couldn't get the actually phone...they sent me a bit further to the Tele2 store.  As with everything in Latvia, you take a number and wait.  All the little tags telling you which number to pull from were in Latvian so I took my best guess and pulled a number and waited.  I had no book, no smart phone, nothing to occupy my time but people watching!  So that's what I did...there were about 20 of us waiting and I began to wonder about each of them and their story.  The young woman who looked so very "put together," the older woman who was obviously a businesswoman in her suit and smart looking jacket, the old couple - he needing a shave and she with her cute dress and tennis shoes on - wondering what their lives had been like over the past many years of occupations and war and changes. 

After about 45 minutes, my number came up on the little screen and I hurried up to the desk and quickly asked if she spoke English. The answer?  "of course!!"  In short order, I asked for the right phone, gave her my Goldfish.  She activated it and I told her I needed it to be able to accept incoming International calls...she pushed lots of buttons and said ok..all set.  I paid and hurried out and back to the apartment. 

I miss Riga...I can still remember the way the sun felt glaring that morning as I realized it was after 10am and we needed to get on our way, yet taking the time to enjoy the views around me.  The flower market as I walked back, the grouping of students on the corner doing a small version of a flash mob and the not so good views too...of the beggars on the Russian Orthodox church steps. 

When I got  back, breakfast was ready.  We ate and everyone got ready and we tried to map out the day.  The dilemna?  Kemeri was a 1 hour train ride outside the city...the train left a 11:30am and we were definitely not going to make it.  I needed to be at the Embassy no later than 3pm because we were meeting our friend's daughter no later than 4pm. And that meant I needed to catch the 2:15pm train back to Riga from Kemeri (remember that 1 hour train ride?).  So, you do the math...there was no time for me to go...yet I couldn't leave Latvia without saying goodbye to the friends at Spriditis! 

We quickly got ready and called our cab driver from before to see if we could get a ride to Kemeri.  He was happy to oblige as we were a pretty decent cab fare...and I was looking forward to the children getting to see the road trip version out there...and in the cab, it was only about 40 minutes.  He picked us up and off we went.  We arrived to Spriditis and J took off...he wanted to go over to the school and say goodbye to all his teachers and friends there.  It was a little weird since  he didn't really want us to come along...but he's 15...and isn't that normal?  I often embarrass the ones I've had for much longer ;-)

E ran off with M&M to play on the playground and Gary and I went in to find our wonderful Orphan Director and visit for a moment.  We had a few more gifts to give out as well so once we found them we started with hugs, pictures, tears and gratitude for sticking with us and working so hard to help us get both of our boys.  And she had a gift for me!  A photo book of Latvia and a book of Old Riga...wonderful memories of our amazing trip.  They are truly amazing people at Spriditis!  The hour passed so quickly and we had to hurry off to the train.  I gave final hugs and promised we'd be back in November or so.  We all walked to the playground together and took more photos of all of them with E.  Then the we had to practically run to the train station to make sure we made the 2:15pm train. 

Without J with us, I muddled through buying tickets there and accidentally bought one too many.  She thought five of us were heading back and there were only four.  It was very emotional getting on the train from Kemeri station one last time...I know we'll be back twice more, but it was very odd to be there and be leaving three of my family there while me, the girls and E headed back.  Something about the finality of it just seemed weird.

We didn't realize about the extra ticket til we'd made the train and the ticket person came around...she asked me where the fifth was...in pantomime of course.  I held onto the ticket...and then at one stop, realized someone had jumped on the train and was sitting on the steps and not coming in.  It dawned on me, this person was most likely either homeless or just couldn't afford to pay to ride the train.  When the ticket lady came around again, I gave her my ticket and asked her if she could just delight someone during the day who needed to buy a ticket...give them one for free.  She looked at me like I was crazy...and I said "gift...make someone happy?"  She laughed sweetly, thanked me and said "I try!"

That is something I notice continually about the people of Latvia...they are very kind, wonderfully sweet people.  But they aren't used to getting something with no strings attached.  Things that are kindnesses "just because"...these are foreign to them.  Yet it is truly delightful to be the one on the giving end of these interactions.

As we neared Riga, I began to get anxious and felt as if we were on the Amazing Race.  We deboarded the train and made our way to find a cab since it was already after 3pm.  We had switched our time to meet our friend's daughter to 4:30 or so.  We found a cab and made sure he knew where the new Embassy was and then conveyed we needed to go there and he needed to wait please.  It was supposed to be a quick run in and pick them up visit.  And it kind of was except it took nearly half an hour inside.  When I was in there it was so cool to be present when another Latvian family I'd met on FB was in there picking up her daughter's final packet declaring her a US Citizen...it was wonderful to get to see that happening!  Tears and happiness just all the way around.

After our number finally came up, I hurried back out and found a very antsy cab driver waiting there...but wait he did!  He hurried us back to Elizabetes iela and we quickly grabbed our painting to try and find the post office.  As we walked back towards Freedom Monument I was thinking we just didn't have time to handle this before meeting our friend's daughter.  We did finally find the PO and waited briefly...then we gave up and ran to meet her by Cili Pica (our hangout).  She's adoreable!  And she immediately hits it off with our girls.  She gives quick hugs and goodbyes to her foster mom and then she has to run.

We quickly head back to the PO and wait again.  They get to us pretty quickly and they seem shocked that I want to mail this painting.  The clerk (thanks to Em and her translating skills) tells me it will be 27 lats...and yes that's expensive but it's better than leaving the painting behind and it's also a lot cheaper than it cost to ship the other direction!  We wait and wait while she packages and wraps the painting...and I say a little prayer to please let it get home safely.  Finally we are done and we head on to the next errand!

We take our additional girl's things back to the apartment, get everyone a sweatshirt since it is getting cooler and then run out again.  I wanted to get over to Old Town as there were a few quick things I had wanted to  pick up for home.  After renting everyone bikes again, we headed quickly to Old Town...picked up some pottery, a matching bag like my daughters' got and hurried to the souvenir shop where I had seen these cute dangling rings...I got one for each of the girls.  From there it felt like we could breathe...and it was getting late.

We rode bikes back to the canal and I sat on the banks while they rode around a bit more.  It was starting to rain so we headed back, turned in our bikes and walked back over to the apartment.  I started packing right away because it then dawned on me, "we're leaving in less than 24 hours!"

Dinner was whatever was left in the apartment...which wasn't a whole lot...but enough to fill our bellies and save a dollar.  The boys finally made it back rather late and had enjoyed a really nice afternoon.  They had wrapped things up at Spriditis and taken the bus to Kauguri where J's grandfather lives.  Gary got to look at old photos, visit with grandfather, take more photos and J got to say goodbye.  Then they took the train to Majori and the boys enjoyed the coffee shop with the little Russian lady before heading back to us.

After settling in, getting everyone some dinner, we had Circle Time to help us refocus for the next day...the day we would actually leave.  We were ready to come home...but we knew too how hard it all was for J.  And honestly, I've said it before, I love Latvia.  Thinking back on that night, I remember feeling bittersweet.  Soooooo ready to get home to our family, both immediate and church, our pets, our food!! and Diet Mountain Dew LOL...but knowing I would miss this place. 

Prayers and bedtime and then on to travel day...which takes a post all on it's own.

I wrap up this post on Sunday, November 6...which is National Orphan Sunday.  I am so grateful God opened our eyes to how He wanted us to serve Him in serving orphans.  We had a great day today worshipping and sharing in church...and I urge all of you to find the way you can get involved.  Yes, it is 147million kids strong of an issue...and how do we fix it?  One child at a time.  Find where He wants you to be...but above all, do SOMETHING.  Don't just sit by with pity...that isn't what they need and that won't help the situation. 

And as I shared this morning that God just laid on my heart in the middle of church today...God showed us how to get involved and our family was meant to adopt.  But to be very clear, orphans do not live in our home.  Our children live here; our kids have come home.  Once we answered the call for Him, our sons became orphans no more. 

And I challenge all of you, please be ready to say yes.  Your child may be out there somewhere, waiting for you to get out of your comfort zone and find him or her.  You wouldn't leave your biological child waiting.  So if you feel even slightly that God is calling you to take that step, please don't hesitate. 

If it is meant to be, He will make the way.  And if it isn't meant to be, He'll shut the door.  But that's His call isn't it?