Thank you Dar... I hope she'll be happy too....
Update....
My Girl had her last day at work yesterday and of course it was a very emotional day for her. She loves her work and was proud to work for the company she was working for. As she was finishing up her job she remained committed to doing as good a handover as possible not only to do the right thing by the company - but also because made her feel good to leave everything "in order"..
Her friends at work have asked for photos and that she stays in touch so of course she's now thinking of ways to do that. She's thinking of a blog of sorts to share with friends and family.
On Saturday night her friends came to her apartment for a "Girls Party" and I can only imagine what the conversations were like...
Her friends came over for dinner a few times during my last trip and to see the rapid fire conversations... laughing and banter was really something to behold!
Over the past few days I've thought a lot about what she is leaving behind and I silently repeat my respect and admiration for her over and over again in my mind. Of course I'm not keeping it inside because I think it's important she knows how much I respect and admire her because I can only imagine the rush I'd be in if the situations were reversed.
I asked her if she had a cry in the office when they gave her her gift and said their farewells but she said, "No, but my friends will come to the train station and I think I will cry then".
It's really lovely she has people there that care about her so - but sad that she is leaving them behind.
My family (especially my mother) are jumping out of their skins waiting to meet her. I've tried to explain she'll need a little time to settle in and adjust but I've promised as soon as she feels up to it we will come and visit.
Of course in typical style My Girl says "I will be fine, we will visit after one days sleep" but I think we'll just wait and see. The trip to Oz is quite a bit further than most other places in the world - and certainly a lot further than she has ever traveled before.
(hmmmm... did I mention this???) By coincidence her first weekend here coincides with a family reunion for the Ukrainian side of my family. She's quite nervous about this but I've explained she will be in exactly the same position as me as I won't remember most of them and haven't met most of my cousin's children. They are expecting about 200 people on the Saturday so I think if anything we might stop by for a quick visit (to see the older Aunties and Uncles) and give our apologies when either of us starts feeling our head spinning.
I think I have pretty much everything covered at home. The carpets will be cleaned on Friday and I've ordered flowers for Monday so I can take them to the airport for her arrival. Yes... I intended to take flowers but she added during a conversation on the phone "Will you be waiting for me with flowers"?... So I guess thee will be no surprises with My Girl!
Shhhhh.... just quietly - I have arranged a friend to come along with my camera to get a few pics of both of us as she comes out of the arrival gates because I'm hoping they will be pictures we will cherish for the rest of our lives.If her reaction is anything like my return to Ukraine in May it'll be an auxiliating series of pics. (In May I really wasn't sure what to expect as we were still trying to contain our feelings after the first trip but as soon as she saw me she ran through the arrival doors and threw herself into my arms. Hmmm... many kisses and hugs and jumbled expressions of joy) 
So... have I forgotten anything??? I'm sure I have but I'm confident that any hurdles we meet will be overcome by my desire to do the right thing and her commitment to not let anything slow us down. She has a very clear plan for what our lives will be like after her arrival and everything has been prioritised as "Task #1". I can't help but think she (and we) will need more time to let a few things evolve...
By the way... the Aust Immigration web site has had some excellent information that I found. There's a book (in Russian even) on "What to do when you immigrate" which gives a little check list of all of the important things to get done once an immigrant arrives in Oz. A lot of it is obvious but it's comforting to know I'd thought of all the important stuff. Those from Australia taking this path would do well to spend time on the immi website over and above the research they'll do for the visa applications. I have a bit of a theory about government employees in that most of them are people who want to feel fulfilled in their jobs so treating them in a certain way usually gets you a lot further. (Well - that's the theory anyway and most of the time it works downunder)
I really have nothing to complain about from our Dept of Immigration staff or the staff in the Embassy in Moscow. How could I complain huh??? We're still in shock I think!
Oh.... The family (our family) has already put in a request for the "eldest nephew" to come to Oz for Xmas... We both think it'd be great so she'll make arrangements when she is in Moscow at the end of this week.
Tomorrow she leaves her home town and even I feel quite sad that we won't be visiting there often in the future (Her family are now in Moscow). I only had the two trips there (one very short) but it's a city I remember with much happiness and pleasure. It's the place of her birth and childhood years, and even though it's very different to where I grew up I can't help but think her life's journey has prepared her well for the future.
I hope all those that are still seeking new love as are lucky as we have been but then again I know luck only had a small part in the equation. My Girl is really a remarkable person... and I think we can all debate how we should be looking or who we should be looking for but ultimately our goal should be to find a remarkable person... FOR US!
If anyone asked what the most important factor in our "success" was TO DATE (because long term success is certainly not yet guaranteed) I would have to say the similarities in our character. She's very pragmatic... she's not one that let herself be seduced by grand fantasies of "what could be"... and she's very realistic about the challenges ahead. We want the same things in our future and a few crisis' since meeting have shown each other what we'd both like under considerable stress.
I've also mentioned this before but I think her experiences living and working in Germany have been a Godsend because she has already experienced the massive culture shock most women only experience after immigration.
I doubt I will be posting much in the first days or weeks after her arrival because I have a feeling we will be very busy. Of course I hope to still have time to have a peek in RWD and contribute where possible but that's likely to happen more after things settle down a little.
So... 6 days to go and everything is on track. Tomorrow she leaves for Moscow, and on Sunday she boards the plane - that will connect with another plane - that will connect with another plane - that will bring her into my arms.
Oh... final thought...
I've found a new Russian grocery store that has opened about 10 minutes from our home and a Russian language book and DVD shop a few minutes more away. I mentioned this to her and the first thing she said was "Good, I hope we can buy fish there".
I think the dried salted fish will
have to be found somehow in the very near future!
Kuna
