Some People Winter in Florida. Some People Winter in Arizona. I Winter in Ukraine.

I'm in Amvrosivka. My luggage isn't. No trace of it.  I'm exhausted. I'll see Sasha tomorrow.  I need to sleep, but below is what I wrote on the plane.

Once again, getting to Ukraine was not easy.  Once again, a major winter storm pushed through Oklahoma, and much of the country, just as I was preparing to leave. Once again, I encountered flight delays. But instead of getting bumped to Business Class and arriving in Donetsk just a few hours behind schedule like two weeks ago, I find myself arriving in Ukraine 24 hours later than planned. Fortunately I don't have a court hearing to attend and have more flexibility. This will put us a day behind, but hopefully we can still wrap everything up before Sasha's and my date with an airplane out of Ukraine on Jan 4.

As stressful as this change in plans was for me on Saturday, it may actually have been a blessing in disguise. After saying goodbye to Curt and the four kids. worrying about every possible thing I could, not sleeping, then spending four fruitless hours at the Tulsa airport on Saturday, I was exhausted and emotionally spent.  It was almost too much.  Some dear friends came to pick me up at the airport.  They hosted me at their house, then brought me back to the airport in time for my flight the next day.  I didn't realize how much I needed this. My gentle friends fed me, took care of me, and provided a very comfortable, quiet respite from the frenzy I've been living in lately.  For those 20 hours or so, I had no responsibilities and it was immeasurably healing.  By the time I got back to the airport, I felt completely refreshed, confident, and calm. There go those guardian angels again.