The last couple of days have been filled with preparation for our return. Yesterday, I went shopping with the intent of finding a sweater for Sveta to wear for her America debut! (The clothes I brought were too big.) Knowing a 40 year old and 16 year old have different opinions of what is appropriate, I was trying to remain neutral to allow for her to select something she loves (within my parameters). Then, my plan was to give the thumbs down on her selection, buy it without her knowing, and then surprise her with it today. It backfired! The result of my failed plan: Sveta pretended to not really like the sweater and Vika became angry with Sveta because she would not admit she loved it. After about 10 minutes of tention, I was forced to resolve the matter by purchasing the sweater and sharing the details of my failed plan. The girls then laughed and all was well.
Side note: I did, however, use the experience as a learning lesson. I told Sveta she needs to always tell me (respectfully) what she is thinking and feeling. Plus, mothers and daughters hardly every agree on clothing purchases, especially fathers! There would be times when we must compromise.
Today, I am planning to spend quality time with Nikolas and his brother. I have asked my facilitator to join us to help translate the dialogue between Arthur and me. I am hoping Arthur is willing to open up and share some intimate details about their past so I can help Nikolas work through his emotions. Please pray for Arthur, I know he too must have strong emotions about their past home life. I pray today goes well..I want him to feel and believe he is family too.
Oh, a funny story about Kateryna...last night she was sitting on my lap eating her apple and I told her she could help me pass out chocolate cookies to the children, but each child could only have one (o-din in Ukraine). (Since it was Saturday, I knew more kids would be in range.) She completely understood my English. She instantly became the cookie police. She would shake her finger at those who came back for seconds and wave at those coming down the hall and encourage them to stop by for a snack! It was quite comical. Again, Katya does not speak Ukraine, only her "doight doight" language. I am constantly encourage there will be a breakthrough with therapy!!!
Enjoy the weekend!
Happy Birthday!
My wake up text...
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
And another day closer...
Hello to all! I hear the Aggies are going to play LSU at the Cotton Bowl...Beat the hell outta LSU! Whoop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (That is about all the news I have received from home since Nov. 4th...hey, gotta know the important stuff!)
Yesterday, Derek and I took the kids to get their passport pictures taken. I am sure everyone who saw us thought...look out, here comes the Brady Bunch! We all cramed in one vehicle (not a van or surburban), so as we stepped out of the car, we looked like the clowns at the circus. Not sure if you can tell from the picures, but the kids are so small for their age. Another "to-do" done...one step closer to getting on a plane!
Since Kevin has been gone, I have been spending most of my time thinking /reflecting during the evening hours. I am saddened by the fact that there are soooooooooooooo many great kids without a family. Most of these kids are very loving and affectionate. Each day we arrive, they bolt out of the classrooms across the hall from the 'social' area and run over to say, "Hi! How are you?" When you reply with "I am fine". Their reply is ususally "Good!" For some, this is all the English they know. However, they do enjoy practicing and learning more English. Once boy who is about to be adopted by an Italian family, sat on the sofa with me for at least 30 minutes studying English flash cards. When he learned he could not keep the cards, he became upset. I wish we would have had an extra set to give him, but Derek needed to keep the cards as an activity for Tanner's plane ride home. All the kids LOVE fruit and gum. We usually stop at the store before we go to the orphanage and purchase several bunches of bananas and a couple dozen apples. The supply goes very quickly and typically every child says "Thank you!" (yes, in English...if they don't know how they always ask another kid before walking away) You can see the gratitude on their face...something many US kids lack these days.(my opinion)
My overall impression of the orphanage is very different than I anticipated. I was expecting a very dreary building with an institutional feel. I had been preparing myself to play a "mind over matter" game to get the courage to visit. Quite the opposite. The building is full of children's murals and it is extrememly clean. The children make their beds daily and have been taught to take their shoes off when they enter a room with a rug. (Yea! I am hoping Kateryna and Nikolas remember this since they have carpet upstairs!) They also do very well with conserving energy. The children only turn the lights on in the main room when it is dark. I don't mean dim...dark. (My Dad and Kevin struggles with my lack of conserving sometimes!) Another trait many have learned is to share. If I give one of my kids a pack of gum, they don't keep it for themselves, they immediately start passing out the other pieces. (As does Derek's boys.) I really hope they keep their chraritable spirit as they age...many of us seem to be stuck in the "me" world and need to learn to appreciate all the opportunities and overall lifestyle that exists in our homeland.)
Back to the children, I can totally understand how someone can find peace in working with underpriviledged kids. I have a niece currently teaching in Cambodia and a dear friend and her husband working to educate folks in Turkey. Danielle and Heather- I now truly get it! It takes special people to sacrifice EVERYTHING for a meaningfull cause. You are in my thoughts and prayers daily...Much love and respect to you!
Ok...now I have too many tears falling as I type... I am in a restaurant with Derek (Kevin & Tamara- we are in Coffee Inn again)...more to share later!
Love to all!
Yesterday, Derek and I took the kids to get their passport pictures taken. I am sure everyone who saw us thought...look out, here comes the Brady Bunch! We all cramed in one vehicle (not a van or surburban), so as we stepped out of the car, we looked like the clowns at the circus. Not sure if you can tell from the picures, but the kids are so small for their age. Another "to-do" done...one step closer to getting on a plane!
Since Kevin has been gone, I have been spending most of my time thinking /reflecting during the evening hours. I am saddened by the fact that there are soooooooooooooo many great kids without a family. Most of these kids are very loving and affectionate. Each day we arrive, they bolt out of the classrooms across the hall from the 'social' area and run over to say, "Hi! How are you?" When you reply with "I am fine". Their reply is ususally "Good!" For some, this is all the English they know. However, they do enjoy practicing and learning more English. Once boy who is about to be adopted by an Italian family, sat on the sofa with me for at least 30 minutes studying English flash cards. When he learned he could not keep the cards, he became upset. I wish we would have had an extra set to give him, but Derek needed to keep the cards as an activity for Tanner's plane ride home. All the kids LOVE fruit and gum. We usually stop at the store before we go to the orphanage and purchase several bunches of bananas and a couple dozen apples. The supply goes very quickly and typically every child says "Thank you!" (yes, in English...if they don't know how they always ask another kid before walking away) You can see the gratitude on their face...something many US kids lack these days.(my opinion)
My overall impression of the orphanage is very different than I anticipated. I was expecting a very dreary building with an institutional feel. I had been preparing myself to play a "mind over matter" game to get the courage to visit. Quite the opposite. The building is full of children's murals and it is extrememly clean. The children make their beds daily and have been taught to take their shoes off when they enter a room with a rug. (Yea! I am hoping Kateryna and Nikolas remember this since they have carpet upstairs!) They also do very well with conserving energy. The children only turn the lights on in the main room when it is dark. I don't mean dim...dark. (My Dad and Kevin struggles with my lack of conserving sometimes!) Another trait many have learned is to share. If I give one of my kids a pack of gum, they don't keep it for themselves, they immediately start passing out the other pieces. (As does Derek's boys.) I really hope they keep their chraritable spirit as they age...many of us seem to be stuck in the "me" world and need to learn to appreciate all the opportunities and overall lifestyle that exists in our homeland.)
Back to the children, I can totally understand how someone can find peace in working with underpriviledged kids. I have a niece currently teaching in Cambodia and a dear friend and her husband working to educate folks in Turkey. Danielle and Heather- I now truly get it! It takes special people to sacrifice EVERYTHING for a meaningfull cause. You are in my thoughts and prayers daily...Much love and respect to you!
Ok...now I have too many tears falling as I type... I am in a restaurant with Derek (Kevin & Tamara- we are in Coffee Inn again)...more to share later!
Love to all!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Another day closer to home...
Yesterday was fun! When we, Derek and I, (we share the cab daily to save on expenses) arrived at the orphanage, the kids told us a program was about to begin and asked us to be the "international judges" of hte judging panel. We said "yes" without knowing what we were judging. As we made our way to the gym, we noticed there were many soldiers present. We learned that the older boys from the orphanage were challenged to compete with the soldiers in a fun, physical contest. It was very fun and quite entertaining. Some of the challenges were pull ups (who could do the most...one from each team). The boys only lost by 3 in this round...this kid had much determination! Then sack races. This round was a tie because the soldiers sack tore and the last few soldiers decided to run to the finish line as there was no bottom to the sack. (We panel of judges penalized them for cheating!) Then a team challenge as to the most basketball goals.Then a race passing the basketball overhead. Then a race across the gym and back with a somersault on the way down. The somersault was more challenging for the soldiers since one tends to lose flexibility as he ages. The next race was VERY funny. Each team had to carry a small girl across the gym and back while their arms were locked in a 'bench" position, pass her to the next pair, and so on...the team that finished in the fastest time was declared the winner. The boys were faster. However, mid way through they lost their "bench" and carried the girl by one hand and one foot. At first the crowd gasped as she fell into this "pose", but the boys did not drop her. She actually laughed the entire time her head was about two inches from the floor as the last few groups ran with her. (We judges penalized the boys for their "cheating" in maintaining their "bench".)
In addition to the challenges, their was local entertainment. Three orphange girls sang karaoke. (I recognized one song. (The place when we frequently dine has this video playing overhead.) Kateryna was quite excited about the singing and music. She was dancing and trying to immitate their "moves" while the 3 girls performed. (Confirmation she is taking dance classes back in America. Maybe this can help as therapy.)
By the time the competition was over, it was time for us to leave...going back today to visit...
Wishing you all a great day!
In addition to the challenges, their was local entertainment. Three orphange girls sang karaoke. (I recognized one song. (The place when we frequently dine has this video playing overhead.) Kateryna was quite excited about the singing and music. She was dancing and trying to immitate their "moves" while the 3 girls performed. (Confirmation she is taking dance classes back in America. Maybe this can help as therapy.)
By the time the competition was over, it was time for us to leave...going back today to visit...
Wishing you all a great day!
Monday, December 6, 2010
The overseas jobsite...
Hello to all!
I am going to keep this short...yesterday was spent with the kids. We played in the lobby area of the orphanage with Derek and his two boys and the newest American couple (Karei & Dave) from Minnesota. Please pray for their process to go smoothly. Their tentative travel plans for a return trip is Christmas Day.
Kateryna seems to comfortable with my coming and going from the orphanage. She has not had a crying fit the last few days when I leave. Perhaps it is because I have been walking her back to her teacher vs. allowing her to see me drive away. (My parenting skills are getting better...YEA!)
I am trying to be comfortable with the freedoms Sveta is accustom to here in Ukraine. Through orphanage rules, she is allowed to come and go as she pleases during the weekend. Example: After dinner last night she told me she planned to take a bus back into town to visit with her sister Tanya (the one in college). I was obviously concerned, especially knowing it was dark, 12 degrees farenheit and in order to catch the bus, she must walk through the woods for a bit... then down a very dark road to a main road. She obviously does this often so I bit my tongue and said OK.
Nikolas was not himself yesterday. I need to continue to encourage him to express his feelings. Please pray for me to have the right "motherly instincts". I know he is ready to come home. I found a piece of paper hidden inside his jean pocket where he is marking off the days until the 18th (our return date). When I asked him about it, he simply said, "Why can't we leave now...why do we have to wait?" Again, please pray for him as he may struggling with his emotions with regards to the huge change in his life.
Here are photos of the town...
I am going to keep this short...yesterday was spent with the kids. We played in the lobby area of the orphanage with Derek and his two boys and the newest American couple (Karei & Dave) from Minnesota. Please pray for their process to go smoothly. Their tentative travel plans for a return trip is Christmas Day.
Kateryna seems to comfortable with my coming and going from the orphanage. She has not had a crying fit the last few days when I leave. Perhaps it is because I have been walking her back to her teacher vs. allowing her to see me drive away. (My parenting skills are getting better...YEA!)
I am trying to be comfortable with the freedoms Sveta is accustom to here in Ukraine. Through orphanage rules, she is allowed to come and go as she pleases during the weekend. Example: After dinner last night she told me she planned to take a bus back into town to visit with her sister Tanya (the one in college). I was obviously concerned, especially knowing it was dark, 12 degrees farenheit and in order to catch the bus, she must walk through the woods for a bit... then down a very dark road to a main road. She obviously does this often so I bit my tongue and said OK.
Nikolas was not himself yesterday. I need to continue to encourage him to express his feelings. Please pray for me to have the right "motherly instincts". I know he is ready to come home. I found a piece of paper hidden inside his jean pocket where he is marking off the days until the 18th (our return date). When I asked him about it, he simply said, "Why can't we leave now...why do we have to wait?" Again, please pray for him as he may struggling with his emotions with regards to the huge change in his life.
Here are photos of the town...
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Kevin is home safe & sound...
To those of you that emailed me out of concern because I have not posted, thank you! Here is why:
As a frugal Butschek, we ran into a slight snag on Wednesday. Kevin was scheduled to fly out at 5:35 AM on Thursday. Snow was predicted Wed evening so we decided to leave Zhytomyr a bit early and drive to Boryspil (approx 3 hours away...through Kiev to the opposite side) and stay at a hotel to be sure he did not run into transportation/weather issues and miss his flight. Because we were going through Kiev, our facilitator suggested we stop at the US Embassy to complete our first round of paperwork. This took longer than planned. Therefore, we did not arrive in Boryspil until the evening. (seems like no big deal...right?) We checked in and immediately wanted to eat as we literally had not had anything to eat the entire day. Fortunately, the hotel issues each guest a ticket for a meal. (Based upon US portion sizes, I should say a snack!) We realized after our free snack, we only have about $50 in local currency between the two of us. Not good as the banks were closed already and Kevin needed to have some just in case his flight was delayed in Ukraine as emergency funds. At the time, it didn't seem like it was too much of a penance to stay hungry until morning.
My plan was to walk to the bank Thursday morning,exchange money and then have a late breakfast. Surprise! Mother nature blewin a snow storm that deterred me from leaving the building. The wind was blowing so hard the snow was circling in the air like a tornado. It was -18 degrees celcius which is about 0 degrees Farenheit. IT WAS COLD!!!! (I have only experienced cold like that one time on a ski trip in Colorado, but I had full ski wear that time.) Needless to say, I chose to go without food again versus braving the elements! Some of you are probably thinking, what an idiot (especially my family in Montana and North Dakota as they deal with weather like this often.) Well, when you look our a hotel window and see NO ONE walking around, the decision to stay in seems normal and smart! (HA HA!)
It snowed all day which made my driver late for my pickup. Then we had a very slow commute back to Zhytomyr. Did you know in Ukraine you could covert one side of a divided highway (2 lanes each way) into a 4-5 lane road? Imagine an inch between your rear view mirrors and bumpers... inhale diesel for 4 hours...tilt your car 45 degrees every now and then. Keep in mind, your side is the side which gets to look at a frozen ditch through the window when tilted! I have been teasing my driver that he is an older James Bond as he resembles Daniel Craig. So, when a four wheel drive vehicle would pass us (again there is only an inch between cars) using the ditch, I would remind James that the road, while slower, was our better path. I did not want to become a member of the polar bear club!!!
That was the Wed/Thursday ordeal. I spent Friday at the orpanage with the kids and did the same today. Nikolas and I did leave for a bit to buy a pair of winter shoes and spend some quality time together. (He did not get to go bowling or ice skating the first time because of his 'hospital' stay.)
Our outspoken son is back! He told me he is going to convince Maggie Mae (our dog) to sleep with him every night. When I questioned his methodology, he said he didn't know how he was going to do it...further questioning led to an admission of stuffing food in his sheets! I quickly said "absolutely not"! The rule of the house is food remains in the kitchen at all times!!!
More tomorrow...
By the way, Kevin is back home and is trying to adjust to the time change.
As a frugal Butschek, we ran into a slight snag on Wednesday. Kevin was scheduled to fly out at 5:35 AM on Thursday. Snow was predicted Wed evening so we decided to leave Zhytomyr a bit early and drive to Boryspil (approx 3 hours away...through Kiev to the opposite side) and stay at a hotel to be sure he did not run into transportation/weather issues and miss his flight. Because we were going through Kiev, our facilitator suggested we stop at the US Embassy to complete our first round of paperwork. This took longer than planned. Therefore, we did not arrive in Boryspil until the evening. (seems like no big deal...right?) We checked in and immediately wanted to eat as we literally had not had anything to eat the entire day. Fortunately, the hotel issues each guest a ticket for a meal. (Based upon US portion sizes, I should say a snack!) We realized after our free snack, we only have about $50 in local currency between the two of us. Not good as the banks were closed already and Kevin needed to have some just in case his flight was delayed in Ukraine as emergency funds. At the time, it didn't seem like it was too much of a penance to stay hungry until morning.
My plan was to walk to the bank Thursday morning,exchange money and then have a late breakfast. Surprise! Mother nature blewin a snow storm that deterred me from leaving the building. The wind was blowing so hard the snow was circling in the air like a tornado. It was -18 degrees celcius which is about 0 degrees Farenheit. IT WAS COLD!!!! (I have only experienced cold like that one time on a ski trip in Colorado, but I had full ski wear that time.) Needless to say, I chose to go without food again versus braving the elements! Some of you are probably thinking, what an idiot (especially my family in Montana and North Dakota as they deal with weather like this often.) Well, when you look our a hotel window and see NO ONE walking around, the decision to stay in seems normal and smart! (HA HA!)
It snowed all day which made my driver late for my pickup. Then we had a very slow commute back to Zhytomyr. Did you know in Ukraine you could covert one side of a divided highway (2 lanes each way) into a 4-5 lane road? Imagine an inch between your rear view mirrors and bumpers... inhale diesel for 4 hours...tilt your car 45 degrees every now and then. Keep in mind, your side is the side which gets to look at a frozen ditch through the window when tilted! I have been teasing my driver that he is an older James Bond as he resembles Daniel Craig. So, when a four wheel drive vehicle would pass us (again there is only an inch between cars) using the ditch, I would remind James that the road, while slower, was our better path. I did not want to become a member of the polar bear club!!!
That was the Wed/Thursday ordeal. I spent Friday at the orpanage with the kids and did the same today. Nikolas and I did leave for a bit to buy a pair of winter shoes and spend some quality time together. (He did not get to go bowling or ice skating the first time because of his 'hospital' stay.)
Our outspoken son is back! He told me he is going to convince Maggie Mae (our dog) to sleep with him every night. When I questioned his methodology, he said he didn't know how he was going to do it...further questioning led to an admission of stuffing food in his sheets! I quickly said "absolutely not"! The rule of the house is food remains in the kitchen at all times!!!
More tomorrow...
By the way, Kevin is back home and is trying to adjust to the time change.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
The home He has built is move-in ready...
At daybreak we awoke to a cold, cloudy, dreary morning. As we began to discuss what may be asked by the judge in court, sun rays started to appear and cascade through the windows, reminding us of the Divine Architect. Just before our taxi pickup time, the rays disappeared and the sky became gray, but not with gloom, beautiful snow flurries set the stage for our big event...court! As you may know, no two snowflakes are alike, each has its own identity and when grouped together, create a reflective display of His creation. Much like our soon-to-be family, we are all born with our own DNA and purpose in life. When God unites us, we too, become a reflection of His power and His love.
Those of you that know me really well, know that I am a planner and had my adult life mapped out with all the important details: marriage, house, children (both number and names), etc. Looking back, I had no idea we would be led to adoption. In the back of my mind, I was beginning to accept the role of a non parent with anticipation of another vocation for Him. It just was not clear as to what 'it' was. I can not tell you how many times we talked about adopting over our 17 years of marriage, but just didn't move forward with action. Now, we know why...this time was needed to construct the perfect home for these three children who need us as much as we need them.
During the court proceedings, the older two children were asked several questions by the judge. Svitlana, our shy one, breezed through with no hesitation or quiver in her voice. She told the judge she was sure she wanted to be adopted and was sure she wanted us to be her parents. Honestly, I was amazed at her confidence. I do believe it was the fear of not being adopted that concealed her true personality, thus far.
On the contrary, Nikolas has been boasting on a regular basis what he planned to tell the judge. At one point, he even stated he was going to ask the judge why we had to wait so long before we could fly home. When it was his turn, he froze after his reply of "yes" to the first question which was "Do you want to be adopted?" It didn't matter what question was asked or if a choice was given, he was not able to speak. He began to tremble and I grabbed his hand attempting to provide comfort. I was worried the judge and the panel would deny our petition for him if he was not able to at least explain why he wanted us to be his parents. I also wondered if my hand holding would be perceived as coercion. After what seemed to be several minutes of waiting for an answer, a tear welled up in Nikolas's eye and he was just about to break down. I, sitting beside him feeling helpless, was weighing my options as to whether or not I should ask the judge for a recess to allow for Nikolas to regroup. Thank God for perfect timing...At that moment, the judge began laughing (as did the panel) and told him it was O.K. He could tell by looking in Nikolas's eyes that he wanted to be with us in America.
Next up, Miss Kateryna. Not according to courtroom procedure though...she made her way up to the front questioning platform after going through many failed attempts of keeping her occupied. At this point, the judge humored her with a question: "Do you want to be adopted and live in America?" Her immediate reply was "Da" (Ukraine for yes). This was enough information to send the panel into laugher again and then into deliberation.
As each child responded with answers of "yes" to their desire to be our child, every second of our wait for His Will to unfold was now behind us. While it was hard, patience is a virtue!
Once they returned, the judge announced the ruling....the petition to adopt all three has been granted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Introducing our newly constructed family:
Svitlana Ann
Nikolas Henry
and last, but not least, Kateryna Kate
Now, we must wait (AGAIN!) Ukraine has a 10 day wait period. The children will remain at the orphanage until then.
Some other great news to share, Derek and Tamara's petition to adoption their 2 boys was approved today, as well! Looks like it will be the traveling Brady bunch on the flight home:)
As we close for the evening, we know God's presence is all around us...the snow is blanketing the city. A reminder, once again, of His blessings...not only our new family, but all of you! Thanks again for what you have helped accomplish through your prayers and support. Can't wait to see you...We Love YOU!
Those of you that know me really well, know that I am a planner and had my adult life mapped out with all the important details: marriage, house, children (both number and names), etc. Looking back, I had no idea we would be led to adoption. In the back of my mind, I was beginning to accept the role of a non parent with anticipation of another vocation for Him. It just was not clear as to what 'it' was. I can not tell you how many times we talked about adopting over our 17 years of marriage, but just didn't move forward with action. Now, we know why...this time was needed to construct the perfect home for these three children who need us as much as we need them.
During the court proceedings, the older two children were asked several questions by the judge. Svitlana, our shy one, breezed through with no hesitation or quiver in her voice. She told the judge she was sure she wanted to be adopted and was sure she wanted us to be her parents. Honestly, I was amazed at her confidence. I do believe it was the fear of not being adopted that concealed her true personality, thus far.
On the contrary, Nikolas has been boasting on a regular basis what he planned to tell the judge. At one point, he even stated he was going to ask the judge why we had to wait so long before we could fly home. When it was his turn, he froze after his reply of "yes" to the first question which was "Do you want to be adopted?" It didn't matter what question was asked or if a choice was given, he was not able to speak. He began to tremble and I grabbed his hand attempting to provide comfort. I was worried the judge and the panel would deny our petition for him if he was not able to at least explain why he wanted us to be his parents. I also wondered if my hand holding would be perceived as coercion. After what seemed to be several minutes of waiting for an answer, a tear welled up in Nikolas's eye and he was just about to break down. I, sitting beside him feeling helpless, was weighing my options as to whether or not I should ask the judge for a recess to allow for Nikolas to regroup. Thank God for perfect timing...At that moment, the judge began laughing (as did the panel) and told him it was O.K. He could tell by looking in Nikolas's eyes that he wanted to be with us in America.
Next up, Miss Kateryna. Not according to courtroom procedure though...she made her way up to the front questioning platform after going through many failed attempts of keeping her occupied. At this point, the judge humored her with a question: "Do you want to be adopted and live in America?" Her immediate reply was "Da" (Ukraine for yes). This was enough information to send the panel into laugher again and then into deliberation.
As each child responded with answers of "yes" to their desire to be our child, every second of our wait for His Will to unfold was now behind us. While it was hard, patience is a virtue!
Once they returned, the judge announced the ruling....the petition to adopt all three has been granted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Introducing our newly constructed family:
Svitlana Ann
Nikolas Henry
and last, but not least, Kateryna Kate
Now, we must wait (AGAIN!) Ukraine has a 10 day wait period. The children will remain at the orphanage until then.
Some other great news to share, Derek and Tamara's petition to adoption their 2 boys was approved today, as well! Looks like it will be the traveling Brady bunch on the flight home:)
As we close for the evening, we know God's presence is all around us...the snow is blanketing the city. A reminder, once again, of His blessings...not only our new family, but all of you! Thanks again for what you have helped accomplish through your prayers and support. Can't wait to see you...We Love YOU!
Monday, November 29, 2010
First snowfall at the jobsite...
Court tomorrow!!!! YEA!!!
Today we awoke with a surprise... about 3 inches of snow on the ground with more falling. It was a beautiful site. The flakes were large like those you see at the ski slopes. Unfortunately, as the day progressed, it turned into Texas snow...slush and rain! Kevin and I looked ridiculous walking around in all the slushy ice in our tennis shoes. By the time we walked to the restaraunt we frequent the most (about 5 blocks), we were drenched from the mid-calf down. (The sidewalks have many surprise potholes you can't see with slushy snow on top.) Enjoy the view from our apartment...
The kids are excited about tomorrow. Nikolas still does not understand why Ukrainian law has a 10 day waiting period before they can actually leave the orphanage. To be honest, we question its purpose too. I assumed it was to allow relatives to protest, but have been told this never happens. Regardless, we are moving in the right direction.
Yesterday, we spent the day shopping at the weekend market with Svitlana and her best friend, Vika. Derek, our newest American friend, accompanied us too. The weekend market reminds me of Chinatown in New York, but somewhat disorganized. You can buy just about anything...clothing, plumbing, toys and food items. Most vendors are set up in a 5X8 area which is covered by a tent. Others simply set up in the traffic areas on the ground. We actually saw beheaded, plucked, raw chicken sitting on a piece of cardboard paper on the ground for sale...unfortunately, the weather conditions added a little seasoning for the purchaser! (it was rainning and muddy) Needless to say, we stuck with clothing options. I will say, Kevin was tempted as he is still hungry for a large meal!
Will post more after court...Please pray for things to go smoothly as planned.
Much love to you!
Today we awoke with a surprise... about 3 inches of snow on the ground with more falling. It was a beautiful site. The flakes were large like those you see at the ski slopes. Unfortunately, as the day progressed, it turned into Texas snow...slush and rain! Kevin and I looked ridiculous walking around in all the slushy ice in our tennis shoes. By the time we walked to the restaraunt we frequent the most (about 5 blocks), we were drenched from the mid-calf down. (The sidewalks have many surprise potholes you can't see with slushy snow on top.) Enjoy the view from our apartment...
The kids are excited about tomorrow. Nikolas still does not understand why Ukrainian law has a 10 day waiting period before they can actually leave the orphanage. To be honest, we question its purpose too. I assumed it was to allow relatives to protest, but have been told this never happens. Regardless, we are moving in the right direction.
Yesterday, we spent the day shopping at the weekend market with Svitlana and her best friend, Vika. Derek, our newest American friend, accompanied us too. The weekend market reminds me of Chinatown in New York, but somewhat disorganized. You can buy just about anything...clothing, plumbing, toys and food items. Most vendors are set up in a 5X8 area which is covered by a tent. Others simply set up in the traffic areas on the ground. We actually saw beheaded, plucked, raw chicken sitting on a piece of cardboard paper on the ground for sale...unfortunately, the weather conditions added a little seasoning for the purchaser! (it was rainning and muddy) Needless to say, we stuck with clothing options. I will say, Kevin was tempted as he is still hungry for a large meal!
Will post more after court...Please pray for things to go smoothly as planned.
Much love to you!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
We miss all of you more than you know...Happy Thanksgiving!
As our day is coming to an end, most of you are sitting down to carve the turkey and spend quality time with family and friends. We so want to be there with you! We tried to celebrate Thanksgiving here. It was non-traditional, and very disappointing.
For starters, we searched and searched for a place to eat dinner. We found a new restaraunt on the European highway just outside town called Casa de Campo. It advertised as an authentic Argentine steakhouse.(Fogo de Chao instantly came to mind...although we didn't expect all you can eat meat since beef is really hard to get here) Since we have been craving steak, (only had beef one time thus far and it was not very good) we jumped at the opportunity to dine as a family. When the waitress came for our order, it took three meat selections before she did not say, 'Nyet' (no). How can you be a steakhouse and not have a ribeye or NY strip? In the end, most ordered chicken. I guess this is the penalty for not sticking to traditional turkey! (We have not found it on a menu here at all...)
Fellowship was great as we were joined by Derek, Tanner, and Conner from San Antonio. (Tamara, we hope you made it back home safely.)
We wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving!!! Enjoy the pictures from our celebration, as well as the cars I mentioned yesterday.
One more important update, our court date is Tuesday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
For starters, we searched and searched for a place to eat dinner. We found a new restaraunt on the European highway just outside town called Casa de Campo. It advertised as an authentic Argentine steakhouse.(Fogo de Chao instantly came to mind...although we didn't expect all you can eat meat since beef is really hard to get here) Since we have been craving steak, (only had beef one time thus far and it was not very good) we jumped at the opportunity to dine as a family. When the waitress came for our order, it took three meat selections before she did not say, 'Nyet' (no). How can you be a steakhouse and not have a ribeye or NY strip? In the end, most ordered chicken. I guess this is the penalty for not sticking to traditional turkey! (We have not found it on a menu here at all...)
Fellowship was great as we were joined by Derek, Tanner, and Conner from San Antonio. (Tamara, we hope you made it back home safely.)
We wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving!!! Enjoy the pictures from our celebration, as well as the cars I mentioned yesterday.
One more important update, our court date is Tuesday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
We have made progress and can share some good news....Nikolas has been released from the 'hospital' AND we received the signed separation documents from the local government where Nikolas was born!!!!!
This was a huge milestone to overcome. Many thanks to all of you for your prayers!!!!
Before yesterday, we were struggling a bit with the emotions of all three kids. (plus ours) On the Nikolas front, we were getting very angry, not only because he was in the 'hospital' and no one could explain what, if anything, was being done, but he had not showered or changed clothing (this was day 7). I know everyone reading this is bewildered (as were we). How can a hospital allow patients to go without bathing, etc? What we began to understand through discussions with our facilitator is how economically challenged this country is...the country debt is so extreme the goverment controls the power in an effort to conserve. Therefore, the hospital does not have the means to generate hot or even warm enough water on a daily basis to allow for patients to shower. (Even if this was possible, the building and plumbing may literally be pre-war.) Obviously, this is hard for us to understand, but it also explains why things are so dark here at night. The street lights are very dim and typically, there are no lights in the stairwells in any buildings. One good thing that is very apparent, is that Ukraine must have the world's greatest mechanics....I have never seen so many older cars on the road and being used daily. I will post a few pics soon...the abulances remind me of something you would see on M.A.S.H.
Back to Nikolas: Our facilitator made arrangements for us to take him out of the hospital for a few hours. We took him back to our apartment for a hot shower, clean clothes and a welcomed meal of meatballs. He was so happy and thankful, he cried when we had to return to the hospital. The tears were flowing and it took everything we had to keep from a river developing from our eyes, too. He kept saying he was ready to go to America and go home! Again, we are very thankful for everyone's prayers as they got us through this emotional time.
Next, we were questioned again by Svitlana. She seems to have a legitimate fear of being left behind. I think it stems from the fact that she is already 16 and knows one element of the law which states she is now of age to not be eligible for adoption. We have tried to explain, as has our facilitator, that because we are also adopting her younger sibling, her adoption is legal.(I think the roadblocks we have incurred with Nikolas have become, in her mind, reminders that nothing is final until the court hearing.) In an effort to lift her spirits, we took her bowling on Sunday. The bowling alley was very American. (Brunswick lanes) Unfortunately, the American music videos playing overhead were not sensored. I learned the true words to many songs. Hopefully, she did not understand all the bad words! In the end, what matters to her is the court date.
Later, we met up with our newest friends, Tamara and Derek, for a round of chaos at the orphanage. (The are from San Antonio and are here to adopt two boys who are absolutely adorable!) Kevin and Derek were the catalysts to all the happy yells and fun that evening. We had our kids and many others involved in the fun. (Of course, Tamara and I had to corral them every now and then...especially when an Italian family appeared and seems to be shocked with our loud following.) When it was time to leave, Kateryna cried and had to be pulled from my arms.
Saturday evening, we were invited to dine with Alla and her mother at her mother's home. Although there was eight of us, she cooked for an army! Check out the many authentic Ukrainian dishes on the table...this feast was full of additions. About every five minutes, Alla or her mother would jump up from the table and bring over another dish and say "Try this!" (This was alternated by her mother reminding Kevin and Derek that real men drink Vodka...how could they say no to the hostess?) When is was time loosen our pants, it was time for dessert! She said she made a cake, but in reality she made a cake and about six other desserts!Not only will I never forget the food as it was good, I will never forget the company. Alla and her mother are so enveloped with love for the children, their adoption must be bittersweet. We were told over and over again that night how wonderful Sveta is and how lucky we are to have her as a daughter. As the evening came to a close, I told Alla's mother that it was her turn to be treated to authentic local cuisine in Texas and that she should accompany Alla on the next hosting trip. I told her that if she didn't make it for a host trip, she is expected to come to America for Svitlana's wedding! Kevin immediately chimed in with "well, that's not going to be for at least 15 years, so you should plan to join Alla on a hosting trip!!!" As we all laughed, we toasted and raised our glasses (yet again!) to our new family and friends.
This was a huge milestone to overcome. Many thanks to all of you for your prayers!!!!
Before yesterday, we were struggling a bit with the emotions of all three kids. (plus ours) On the Nikolas front, we were getting very angry, not only because he was in the 'hospital' and no one could explain what, if anything, was being done, but he had not showered or changed clothing (this was day 7). I know everyone reading this is bewildered (as were we). How can a hospital allow patients to go without bathing, etc? What we began to understand through discussions with our facilitator is how economically challenged this country is...the country debt is so extreme the goverment controls the power in an effort to conserve. Therefore, the hospital does not have the means to generate hot or even warm enough water on a daily basis to allow for patients to shower. (Even if this was possible, the building and plumbing may literally be pre-war.) Obviously, this is hard for us to understand, but it also explains why things are so dark here at night. The street lights are very dim and typically, there are no lights in the stairwells in any buildings. One good thing that is very apparent, is that Ukraine must have the world's greatest mechanics....I have never seen so many older cars on the road and being used daily. I will post a few pics soon...the abulances remind me of something you would see on M.A.S.H.
Back to Nikolas: Our facilitator made arrangements for us to take him out of the hospital for a few hours. We took him back to our apartment for a hot shower, clean clothes and a welcomed meal of meatballs. He was so happy and thankful, he cried when we had to return to the hospital. The tears were flowing and it took everything we had to keep from a river developing from our eyes, too. He kept saying he was ready to go to America and go home! Again, we are very thankful for everyone's prayers as they got us through this emotional time.
Next, we were questioned again by Svitlana. She seems to have a legitimate fear of being left behind. I think it stems from the fact that she is already 16 and knows one element of the law which states she is now of age to not be eligible for adoption. We have tried to explain, as has our facilitator, that because we are also adopting her younger sibling, her adoption is legal.(I think the roadblocks we have incurred with Nikolas have become, in her mind, reminders that nothing is final until the court hearing.) In an effort to lift her spirits, we took her bowling on Sunday. The bowling alley was very American. (Brunswick lanes) Unfortunately, the American music videos playing overhead were not sensored. I learned the true words to many songs. Hopefully, she did not understand all the bad words! In the end, what matters to her is the court date.
Later, we met up with our newest friends, Tamara and Derek, for a round of chaos at the orphanage. (The are from San Antonio and are here to adopt two boys who are absolutely adorable!) Kevin and Derek were the catalysts to all the happy yells and fun that evening. We had our kids and many others involved in the fun. (Of course, Tamara and I had to corral them every now and then...especially when an Italian family appeared and seems to be shocked with our loud following.) When it was time to leave, Kateryna cried and had to be pulled from my arms.
Saturday evening, we were invited to dine with Alla and her mother at her mother's home. Although there was eight of us, she cooked for an army! Check out the many authentic Ukrainian dishes on the table...this feast was full of additions. About every five minutes, Alla or her mother would jump up from the table and bring over another dish and say "Try this!" (This was alternated by her mother reminding Kevin and Derek that real men drink Vodka...how could they say no to the hostess?) When is was time loosen our pants, it was time for dessert! She said she made a cake, but in reality she made a cake and about six other desserts!Not only will I never forget the food as it was good, I will never forget the company. Alla and her mother are so enveloped with love for the children, their adoption must be bittersweet. We were told over and over again that night how wonderful Sveta is and how lucky we are to have her as a daughter. As the evening came to a close, I told Alla's mother that it was her turn to be treated to authentic local cuisine in Texas and that she should accompany Alla on the next hosting trip. I told her that if she didn't make it for a host trip, she is expected to come to America for Svitlana's wedding! Kevin immediately chimed in with "well, that's not going to be for at least 15 years, so you should plan to join Alla on a hosting trip!!!" As we all laughed, we toasted and raised our glasses (yet again!) to our new family and friends.
Friday, November 19, 2010
Construction delays...sometimes the Contractor knows best
We are sitting here at Coffee In reflecting upon the last two days events. We now know we are delayed with moving forward, at least a week, perhaps more. Yesterday, we were irritated with the potential news of a delay. While we stewed with the inevitable, we were brought back to reality with a very real event. We witnessed the horror of a child being dropped off at the orphanage by authorities. All we knew, at the time, was a child was in immediate need by a heartbreaking cry.
Background: We were sitting with the girls at the orphanage. We saw a white van drive away and asked Sveta if this was the process for a child to be taken to the hospital. She said no. About 20 minutes later, we saw the van return. At the same time, the majority of the boys were outside playing soccer. We heard a cry of a child and I assumed a younger boy had been hit by a soccer ball or had broken a limb, something very serious because the crying would not stop or subside. Moments later, we noticed children trying to peer through the director's door to see what was going on. We knew something was different and wrong. We then watched, as a child was escorted past us down the hall towards the dormortory section of the building, sobbing uncontrollably. The poor girl had been picked up by authorities from her 'normal' environment and brought to the orphanage as a measure of protection. At that moment, our delay seemed so minor compared to the horror this child just experienced. Obviously, the daily situation this child was in was far worse! The cry was something I will never forget!
Today, we were angered with the news we are delayed with approval for Nikolas due to the recent elections. Once again, our wants were minimized with a reality more important. We were visiting Nikolas at the hospital with our facilitator. One of the nurses asked why Americans were in the hospital visiting a child. (The nurse was not aware of international adoptions and found it very strange that people would travel across the world to adopt.) As soon as she understood our intentions, she immediately asked me if I wanted to hold a baby that was left. I was unsure what she meant by left, but welcomed to see a newborn. Once I held sweet little Alexandra, I learned her mother had abandoned her. She was less than a month old. I am guessing she was around four pounds. Her skin was perfect. She had been crying and was fussy. As soon as the nurse put her in my arms, she opened her eyes to my American baby talk. She has beautiful blue eye and was focused on the stranger holding her. I asked Nikolas, jokingly, if he could be a big brother to her. Soon, she was asleep in my arms. I wondered if this was meant to be as her name is Alexandra. (Alexandra was on our list of girl names for the last ten years!) I questioned our facilitator on the process of this child becoming eligible for adoption. She indicated that there are many, many Ukrainians that are in line for a baby and the timeline for adoption eligibility. I knew instantly my role was to calm her at the time and some other mother was meant to be blessed with her. What an experience! Again, this child's needs were far beyond our need to get home!
So, we wait and pray for good news soon! We miss you all and LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!
Background: We were sitting with the girls at the orphanage. We saw a white van drive away and asked Sveta if this was the process for a child to be taken to the hospital. She said no. About 20 minutes later, we saw the van return. At the same time, the majority of the boys were outside playing soccer. We heard a cry of a child and I assumed a younger boy had been hit by a soccer ball or had broken a limb, something very serious because the crying would not stop or subside. Moments later, we noticed children trying to peer through the director's door to see what was going on. We knew something was different and wrong. We then watched, as a child was escorted past us down the hall towards the dormortory section of the building, sobbing uncontrollably. The poor girl had been picked up by authorities from her 'normal' environment and brought to the orphanage as a measure of protection. At that moment, our delay seemed so minor compared to the horror this child just experienced. Obviously, the daily situation this child was in was far worse! The cry was something I will never forget!
Today, we were angered with the news we are delayed with approval for Nikolas due to the recent elections. Once again, our wants were minimized with a reality more important. We were visiting Nikolas at the hospital with our facilitator. One of the nurses asked why Americans were in the hospital visiting a child. (The nurse was not aware of international adoptions and found it very strange that people would travel across the world to adopt.) As soon as she understood our intentions, she immediately asked me if I wanted to hold a baby that was left. I was unsure what she meant by left, but welcomed to see a newborn. Once I held sweet little Alexandra, I learned her mother had abandoned her. She was less than a month old. I am guessing she was around four pounds. Her skin was perfect. She had been crying and was fussy. As soon as the nurse put her in my arms, she opened her eyes to my American baby talk. She has beautiful blue eye and was focused on the stranger holding her. I asked Nikolas, jokingly, if he could be a big brother to her. Soon, she was asleep in my arms. I wondered if this was meant to be as her name is Alexandra. (Alexandra was on our list of girl names for the last ten years!) I questioned our facilitator on the process of this child becoming eligible for adoption. She indicated that there are many, many Ukrainians that are in line for a baby and the timeline for adoption eligibility. I knew instantly my role was to calm her at the time and some other mother was meant to be blessed with her. What an experience! Again, this child's needs were far beyond our need to get home!
So, we wait and pray for good news soon! We miss you all and LOVE YOU VERY MUCH!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Many Prayers are NEEDED
As I mentioned, all is well with the process for the girls. However, we have followed the same exact procedures for Nikolas and have been denied. Our side recites the law and officials recite another clause in the law. Unfortunately, the law is VERY vague. It basically states a child under guardianship can be separated from an older sibling (one who has 'graduated' from the orphanage) if there are unusual and extreme circumstances. (I am paraphrasing) However, no examples are cited, thereby, allowing all kinds of interpretation. In addition, government officials in charge are newly elected and do not have power of authority until the 25th of this month. (yes, sounds crazy!) So we must wait!
We are confident our team will make inroads and provide good news soon due to the power of prayer! In the interim, Nikolas sits in a 'hospital' bored to tears. We visit him daily. He is a quick learner and loves problem solving. As soon as he understands the alphabet and phonics, he will easily adjust to his grade level. (Jennifer- if you are reading this, I am sure your hosting and teaching helped greatly!)
The picture I posted should make you laugh. Kateryna (Katya) has a wonderful personality. She is a talker! (if we could only understand what she says...hopefully US doctors will help) We are teaching her how to draw and count to 10. She is smart. As an example, we drew a smiley face and she pointed to her eyelashes to remind us we forgot to include these, along with hair. Once we made these adjustments, she then copied our drawing to the best of her ability. It was also her first time to view a "pop up" book. Each time she turned the page, her response was a joyous gasp of excitement. (It didn't matter how many times she turned the page.)
Sveta continually asks for reassurance that she is coming home with us. The delay is causing some anxiety. Keep in mind, her life experiences, thus far, are not equal to an American teenager. She is about poise and harmony. One of our focuses with her is for her to understand she does not need to parent the younger kids.
Today, we wait and spend time with the all three!
We are confident our team will make inroads and provide good news soon due to the power of prayer! In the interim, Nikolas sits in a 'hospital' bored to tears. We visit him daily. He is a quick learner and loves problem solving. As soon as he understands the alphabet and phonics, he will easily adjust to his grade level. (Jennifer- if you are reading this, I am sure your hosting and teaching helped greatly!)
The picture I posted should make you laugh. Kateryna (Katya) has a wonderful personality. She is a talker! (if we could only understand what she says...hopefully US doctors will help) We are teaching her how to draw and count to 10. She is smart. As an example, we drew a smiley face and she pointed to her eyelashes to remind us we forgot to include these, along with hair. Once we made these adjustments, she then copied our drawing to the best of her ability. It was also her first time to view a "pop up" book. Each time she turned the page, her response was a joyous gasp of excitement. (It didn't matter how many times she turned the page.)
Sveta continually asks for reassurance that she is coming home with us. The delay is causing some anxiety. Keep in mind, her life experiences, thus far, are not equal to an American teenager. She is about poise and harmony. One of our focuses with her is for her to understand she does not need to parent the younger kids.
Today, we wait and spend time with the all three!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
The Divine Architect at His best again!
The last couple of days have been unpredictable to say the least. On one day we drove to Moline which is where the girls are from. The purpose of the trip was to persuade the local region officials to support our petition of adoption.
To give insight on the process:
The local (where we are) officials must support the adoption as they are the current guardians of the girls. In order to do this, the orphanage director and elder siblings must also support. Next, the regional officials from the area in which the girls were born, must also support. In this case, the region where the girls are from is so small, the officials are not familiar with the international adoption process. For this reason, they initially declined to entertain the petition. (ignore it) However, our facilitator suggested we jump in the car and show up unexpectedly to provide faces to the story. We did. This resulted in a regional commission to be formed and a meeting to be forced that day to question our intent. (similar to a court hearing) While we were asked only a couple of questions, (I am sure it was because our facilitator set the stage appropriately), the questions posed were legite. Do we have bio children? Were we prepared for lifelong challenges should Katya not be medically cured? In the end, we were told we were noble people for coming across the world to adopt needy children whom no relatives were willing to support. It was a wonderful experience to see the vote as unanimous in our favor and witness the appearance that the commission voted on the best interest of the girls! We parted with many Thank yous and God Blessings!
Now for Nikolas:
To give insight on the process:
The local (where we are) officials must support the adoption as they are the current guardians of the girls. In order to do this, the orphanage director and elder siblings must also support. Next, the regional officials from the area in which the girls were born, must also support. In this case, the region where the girls are from is so small, the officials are not familiar with the international adoption process. For this reason, they initially declined to entertain the petition. (ignore it) However, our facilitator suggested we jump in the car and show up unexpectedly to provide faces to the story. We did. This resulted in a regional commission to be formed and a meeting to be forced that day to question our intent. (similar to a court hearing) While we were asked only a couple of questions, (I am sure it was because our facilitator set the stage appropriately), the questions posed were legite. Do we have bio children? Were we prepared for lifelong challenges should Katya not be medically cured? In the end, we were told we were noble people for coming across the world to adopt needy children whom no relatives were willing to support. It was a wonderful experience to see the vote as unanimous in our favor and witness the appearance that the commission voted on the best interest of the girls! We parted with many Thank yous and God Blessings!
Now for Nikolas:
Monday, November 15, 2010
God supplies the mortar as we continue to build...
As I mentioned, our focus yesterday was Nikolas. We thought it would be a nice surprise to bring along his biological brother to the hospital for a visit. As we understand, they truly do not spend lots of time together, but we observed when they are together, they love each other very much.
I think I mentioned in an earlier blog, Nikolas's brother is enrolled in the local trade college studying to be a chef. When we called (technically our facilitator called him due to the language barrier) to extend the invite, his brother was so pleased that we want to have a relationship with him and that we consider him to be part of our family, he invited us to come to the restaurant where he works so he could cook us a special pizza. We were thrilled he felt comfortable enough to want us to dine with him and to accompany us and asked him to make Nikolas a pizza for our hospital visit.
While at the hospital visiting, things seemed very easy. Looking back, it was the common love for Nikolas that solidified this long term relationship. We pray that his brother stays focused on his personal goals and that he achieves his dreams. He has so much drive for a child that has grown up in an orphanage and is truly a courageous young man. He is a great inspiration for Nikolas!
I think I mentioned in an earlier blog, Nikolas's brother is enrolled in the local trade college studying to be a chef. When we called (technically our facilitator called him due to the language barrier) to extend the invite, his brother was so pleased that we want to have a relationship with him and that we consider him to be part of our family, he invited us to come to the restaurant where he works so he could cook us a special pizza. We were thrilled he felt comfortable enough to want us to dine with him and to accompany us and asked him to make Nikolas a pizza for our hospital visit.
While at the hospital visiting, things seemed very easy. Looking back, it was the common love for Nikolas that solidified this long term relationship. We pray that his brother stays focused on his personal goals and that he achieves his dreams. He has so much drive for a child that has grown up in an orphanage and is truly a courageous young man. He is a great inspiration for Nikolas!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Sweet 16!
Sveta's first birthday party: I am posting pictures from her party here in Ukraine. While this was a celebratory event, a few thoughts to share to give you a perspective of how different things are here and how little things, we probably take for granted, are never experienced by orphans.
*When asked "What kind of birthday cake would you like or what is your favorite kind of cake?" Her reply was, " I don't know, I have never had a birthday cake."
*When asked "What would you like to do to celebrate your birthday?"
Her reply was, "I don't know, I have never had a birthday party or celebrated my birthday."
*When purchasing a greeting card here, the envelope does not come with the card, it is an "add on" cost AND the envelope is not the same size as the card.
We had a great time and followed pizza and cake with a round of ice skating. Unfortunately, Nikolas was stuck in the 'hospital' so he was not able to participate. Therefore, we are spending all day today with him. Enjoy the pics!
*When asked "What kind of birthday cake would you like or what is your favorite kind of cake?" Her reply was, " I don't know, I have never had a birthday cake."
*When asked "What would you like to do to celebrate your birthday?"
Her reply was, "I don't know, I have never had a birthday party or celebrated my birthday."
*When purchasing a greeting card here, the envelope does not come with the card, it is an "add on" cost AND the envelope is not the same size as the card.
We had a great time and followed pizza and cake with a round of ice skating. Unfortunately, Nikolas was stuck in the 'hospital' so he was not able to participate. Therefore, we are spending all day today with him. Enjoy the pics!
Friday, November 12, 2010
As Grandma in North Dakota would say when frustrated "Oy yoy yoy yoy yoy!"
For those of you Texans, the above phrase is said under one's breath as you are bewildered by the events taking place...
Today, we learned Nikolas was taken to a 'hospital' for his preventive treatment. When we inquired about what we were preventing, we were told a heart murmur. (I am not sure how you prevent one that supposedly exists! A heart condition was news to us!)
While preventive care is welcomed, it is for long 10 days! We visited him today and left perplexed...the entire situation is vastly different from what you would expect. We are concerned about the entire process...more to share later...please pray for him to keep his spirits high!
We were planning a 16th birthday party tomorrow for Sveta as our first true family event. However, since Nikolas is not able participate, we are moving to plan B. We are going to celebrate her birthday at the ice skating rink with her friends and bio sisters. (Her official party will be after we return home. This will allow both babushka's and deedus's to be present-Granny, Grammy, Papa, & Poppy)
The good news, we accompanied a local government official to the local college where Nikolas's brother studies to witness his written approval of adoption. It was very obvious he loves his brother, but was brave to agree to our adoption petition. He asked us to attend his cooking event at the local mall Sunday. He is very excited as he has been studying with an Italian chef and loves this type of food. While we are thrilled to go, we are saddened to know Nikolas is not able to attend.
Secondly, we are making inroads with the issue of the girls adoption. (The way the process works- the birth regional government must approve as well as the government where the orphan resides.) Although the birth region is non decisive, the local regional inspector is advocating the entire process. We are planning to drive to the girls birthplace on Monday to make our plea. Please pray!
On a lighter note, it has finally turned cold enough to wear a winter coat! When we were in Kiev Wed/Thur, we ran into others without coats and we approached with the assumption of them being American. (because they were without coats, too) They also, found humor in the obvious identifier. We have been told by one of our facilitators that Ukrainian culture teaches you to bundle up to protect yourself to avoid sterility and sickness. Boy, do we stick out from the locals!
We really do miss home!!!!!!!!!!! There is not one Mexican restaurant here, nor is the queso/chips and salsa anywhere on a menu! The local restaurant where we blog thinks we eat 'steak' every night...actually, we do...it is a pork chop and the only thing the waitress knows in English!
Lastly, we are typically VERY bored from 7-11PM local time. Feel free to call us at 011 380 936 217 645. We have been told this number is a free number for you.
Happy Sweet Sixteen to Sveta!!!!!!!!!!
Today, we learned Nikolas was taken to a 'hospital' for his preventive treatment. When we inquired about what we were preventing, we were told a heart murmur. (I am not sure how you prevent one that supposedly exists! A heart condition was news to us!)
While preventive care is welcomed, it is for long 10 days! We visited him today and left perplexed...the entire situation is vastly different from what you would expect. We are concerned about the entire process...more to share later...please pray for him to keep his spirits high!
We were planning a 16th birthday party tomorrow for Sveta as our first true family event. However, since Nikolas is not able participate, we are moving to plan B. We are going to celebrate her birthday at the ice skating rink with her friends and bio sisters. (Her official party will be after we return home. This will allow both babushka's and deedus's to be present-Granny, Grammy, Papa, & Poppy)
The good news, we accompanied a local government official to the local college where Nikolas's brother studies to witness his written approval of adoption. It was very obvious he loves his brother, but was brave to agree to our adoption petition. He asked us to attend his cooking event at the local mall Sunday. He is very excited as he has been studying with an Italian chef and loves this type of food. While we are thrilled to go, we are saddened to know Nikolas is not able to attend.
Secondly, we are making inroads with the issue of the girls adoption. (The way the process works- the birth regional government must approve as well as the government where the orphan resides.) Although the birth region is non decisive, the local regional inspector is advocating the entire process. We are planning to drive to the girls birthplace on Monday to make our plea. Please pray!
On a lighter note, it has finally turned cold enough to wear a winter coat! When we were in Kiev Wed/Thur, we ran into others without coats and we approached with the assumption of them being American. (because they were without coats, too) They also, found humor in the obvious identifier. We have been told by one of our facilitators that Ukrainian culture teaches you to bundle up to protect yourself to avoid sterility and sickness. Boy, do we stick out from the locals!
We really do miss home!!!!!!!!!!! There is not one Mexican restaurant here, nor is the queso/chips and salsa anywhere on a menu! The local restaurant where we blog thinks we eat 'steak' every night...actually, we do...it is a pork chop and the only thing the waitress knows in English!
Lastly, we are typically VERY bored from 7-11PM local time. Feel free to call us at 011 380 936 217 645. We have been told this number is a free number for you.
Happy Sweet Sixteen to Sveta!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Our Six Flags experience to Kiev...compliments of Vitali!
For those of you living in New Braunfels, imagine driving on Walnut Street (between Albertsons and HEB) for 2 hours, at 80+ miles an hour, with no seatbelts, while driver watches an American movie with Ukrainian voice overs, while, at the same time, arguing with his girlfriend on the phone...this is a day in our life with our driver Vitali! For those of you outside New Braunfels, imagine a Six Flags rollercoaster on crack!
That said, we arrived safely to Kiev today for our SDA appointment for Nikolas. All went well, we expect our official referral letter tomorrow. Since we are not able to pick up our referral letter until late tomorrow afternoon, we are going to use this time to tour St. Sophia's and St. Michael's cathedral. We are fortunate in that our apartment this time is located on Independence Square which is only 3 blocks from the sites! In addition, we are celebrating tonight for many reasons:
*2nd SDA apt over...proceeding with the adoption paperwork for Nikolas
*we are feeling a very strong bond from all three children (pls see picture of Sveta's surprise text to us last night)
*Tanya (Sveta's older sister) graciously signed separation papers to further the process
*we had our first shots of Ukrainian vodka...very smooth...
*we finally have a somewhat comfortable bed to sleep in tonight
*we found salad and vegetables on a menu...we ate very well tonight for the first time!
Coincidently, the celebration was perfect timing to the atmosphere in Kiev...we were able to see fireworks from our balcony.
Tomorrow, we expect to head back to Zhytomyr later in the evening...hang on...here comes Vitali!
That said, we arrived safely to Kiev today for our SDA appointment for Nikolas. All went well, we expect our official referral letter tomorrow. Since we are not able to pick up our referral letter until late tomorrow afternoon, we are going to use this time to tour St. Sophia's and St. Michael's cathedral. We are fortunate in that our apartment this time is located on Independence Square which is only 3 blocks from the sites! In addition, we are celebrating tonight for many reasons:
*2nd SDA apt over...proceeding with the adoption paperwork for Nikolas
*we are feeling a very strong bond from all three children (pls see picture of Sveta's surprise text to us last night)
*Tanya (Sveta's older sister) graciously signed separation papers to further the process
*we had our first shots of Ukrainian vodka...very smooth...
*we finally have a somewhat comfortable bed to sleep in tonight
*we found salad and vegetables on a menu...we ate very well tonight for the first time!
Coincidently, the celebration was perfect timing to the atmosphere in Kiev...we were able to see fireworks from our balcony.
Tomorrow, we expect to head back to Zhytomyr later in the evening...hang on...here comes Vitali!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
The Brick Laying Continues...one-by-one...by one...by one...
Today we were unexpectedly able to visit the orphanage. We received a call from one of our team members that she needed to go to the orphanage to collect separation paperwork for the girls. While this on the surface sounds like a simple, expedient process, by the end of the day, the paperwork is still not complete. We have been informed of a local delay which is not related to the law. Our team is doing extra work to try to mitigate further issues which we will describe in detail in person. We are very thankful we have such a great facilitation team!!!!
The bricks layed today :
*SDA apt for Nikolas in Kiev tomorrow!
*Further bonding with all three children!!!
*Learned the reason Sveta is considering changing her name...bascially, she is concerned we Americans would not pronounce her name correctly. (We, too, have been guilty of saying it incorrectly.) We are encouraging her to keep her beautiful name as it means "light". So, here is a helpful tip:
Use the "S" sound (as in ssssssssssss) followed by the pronunciation of the letter "V" (vee) followed by "eta". (pronounced like Fiesta without the S)
Poor girl, once everyone is able to correctly pronounce her first name, her new last name will always be her challenge!!!!
Please keep the prayers coming!!!
We are excited that new friends of ours are to arrive next week to begin their adoption adventure. They are from San Antonio and plan to adopt two boys.
The bricks layed today :
*SDA apt for Nikolas in Kiev tomorrow!
*Further bonding with all three children!!!
*Learned the reason Sveta is considering changing her name...bascially, she is concerned we Americans would not pronounce her name correctly. (We, too, have been guilty of saying it incorrectly.) We are encouraging her to keep her beautiful name as it means "light". So, here is a helpful tip:
Use the "S" sound (as in ssssssssssss) followed by the pronunciation of the letter "V" (vee) followed by "eta". (pronounced like Fiesta without the S)
Poor girl, once everyone is able to correctly pronounce her first name, her new last name will always be her challenge!!!!
Please keep the prayers coming!!!
We are excited that new friends of ours are to arrive next week to begin their adoption adventure. They are from San Antonio and plan to adopt two boys.
Monday, November 8, 2010
3 Kids + 1 Dog=Fortune!
Making progress! Today we were with a member of our facilitation team all day. We started at 9 and ended at 6 PM local time. Accomplishments:
*received official approval from local authorities to adopt the girls (although this is great news it is not the final approval)
*was introduced to the Director of the orphanage who approved our request as guardian of the girls
*our soon-to-be youngst child was released from the hospital
While it sounds like we were running around all day, truth be told, we sat and sat and sat, while our facilitation team did all the work. We spent a good portion of the day with two of our soon-to-be children and completed the day by picking up our youngest from the hospital and transporting her back to the orphanage. Once we arrived back at the orphange, we were able to play with our little one. I think Kevin needs to be driven and admitted to the hospital as she worn him out!!! Perhaps the cat has a suite available! He literally was soaked with sweat from playing with her. I, on the otherhand, used the time to exercise by having her replicate yoga moves. She is definitely is a copycat!!!
Tomorrow is expected to be slow...we are hoping to secure an appointment with the agency in Kiev on Wednesday to officially receive a referral for our son!
By the way, I have many pictures to share. I thought I could use my USB cord from my IPod to transport data from my phone to my laptop...it is not working! Sorry...I was trying to pack lightly!
*received official approval from local authorities to adopt the girls (although this is great news it is not the final approval)
*was introduced to the Director of the orphanage who approved our request as guardian of the girls
*our soon-to-be youngst child was released from the hospital
While it sounds like we were running around all day, truth be told, we sat and sat and sat, while our facilitation team did all the work. We spent a good portion of the day with two of our soon-to-be children and completed the day by picking up our youngest from the hospital and transporting her back to the orphanage. Once we arrived back at the orphange, we were able to play with our little one. I think Kevin needs to be driven and admitted to the hospital as she worn him out!!! Perhaps the cat has a suite available! He literally was soaked with sweat from playing with her. I, on the otherhand, used the time to exercise by having her replicate yoga moves. She is definitely is a copycat!!!
Tomorrow is expected to be slow...we are hoping to secure an appointment with the agency in Kiev on Wednesday to officially receive a referral for our son!
By the way, I have many pictures to share. I thought I could use my USB cord from my IPod to transport data from my phone to my laptop...it is not working! Sorry...I was trying to pack lightly!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
A Surprise from Nikolas (Nikita)
Again, today was a great day!!!
As we were wrapping up the day with the girls, we received a call from Alla letting us know Nikolas older brother had just learned of his upcoming adoption and wanted to meet us. This was a surprise, as Nikolas had told us he had not seen his brother in a long time. His brother, Arthur is almost 18 and he too, has 'graduated' from the system. I had mixed emotions about meeting him because I was not sure if he was a proponent of Nikolas being adopted. In the end, I knew it was the right thing to do...
Arthur explained he had spent time with Nikolas and asked him about us. I gathered Arthur's initial thoughts were along the lines of indifference, both towards us and the process. He indicated he changed his mind when Nikolas said " I love Momma and Poppa and want to be with them". As Arthur relayed this intimate conversation with Nikolas to us, he had to choke back his emotions. It was truly a heart wrenching moment. I gave Arthur a firm hug and told him that he (meaning Arthur) would be permanently tied to our family, too. We wanted Nikolas to keep this relationship with his brother.
Arthur plays basketball for the local college and is studying to be chef. This explains where Nikolas's interests in basketball and cooking originate...he admires his older brother.
By the way, another unexpected Ukrainian experience- We have been going down the street to a little cafe called "Coffee In" (perhaps it meant to be Coffee Inn for an English translation) to blog. The preferred music is Spanish. Not Tejano, but more like Mexican Rivera Resort style...the words in the songs are all in Spanish. It is nice to feel like you are drinking a margarita...at least some things feel like home!
As we were wrapping up the day with the girls, we received a call from Alla letting us know Nikolas older brother had just learned of his upcoming adoption and wanted to meet us. This was a surprise, as Nikolas had told us he had not seen his brother in a long time. His brother, Arthur is almost 18 and he too, has 'graduated' from the system. I had mixed emotions about meeting him because I was not sure if he was a proponent of Nikolas being adopted. In the end, I knew it was the right thing to do...
Arthur explained he had spent time with Nikolas and asked him about us. I gathered Arthur's initial thoughts were along the lines of indifference, both towards us and the process. He indicated he changed his mind when Nikolas said " I love Momma and Poppa and want to be with them". As Arthur relayed this intimate conversation with Nikolas to us, he had to choke back his emotions. It was truly a heart wrenching moment. I gave Arthur a firm hug and told him that he (meaning Arthur) would be permanently tied to our family, too. We wanted Nikolas to keep this relationship with his brother.
Arthur plays basketball for the local college and is studying to be chef. This explains where Nikolas's interests in basketball and cooking originate...he admires his older brother.
By the way, another unexpected Ukrainian experience- We have been going down the street to a little cafe called "Coffee In" (perhaps it meant to be Coffee Inn for an English translation) to blog. The preferred music is Spanish. Not Tejano, but more like Mexican Rivera Resort style...the words in the songs are all in Spanish. It is nice to feel like you are drinking a margarita...at least some things feel like home!
Sveta, Tanya and Vika
Again, today was a good day... We took Sveta and her older sister, Tanya, along with her best friend, Vika to eat pizza and visit. Our language barriers today were offset due to Vika's knowledge of English. Vika has been hosted in America in the past and is truly a wonderful child. She is extremely smart and has a warm heart that would complement any family.(She, along with her younger sister Maya, are perfect girls to be adopted and they both already know English!!!) That said, we also learned that if you do not accentuate the correct syllable of a Urkainian/Russsian word, no one can understand what you are saying! This seems to be the majority of our problem.
While we tried to make the day fun, the 'elephant in the room' was the saddness of Tanya. Tanya is Sveta's older sister and unfortunately, has 'graduated' from the system. (Meaning she has been sent our on her own as an adult.) She is also a very beautiful girl with a tremendous potential. She is quiet and shy, but working towards educating herself in computers. We are hoping we can help her obtain a student VISA to study in the US. She just needs an opportunity!
While we tried to make the day fun, the 'elephant in the room' was the saddness of Tanya. Tanya is Sveta's older sister and unfortunately, has 'graduated' from the system. (Meaning she has been sent our on her own as an adult.) She is also a very beautiful girl with a tremendous potential. She is quiet and shy, but working towards educating herself in computers. We are hoping we can help her obtain a student VISA to study in the US. She just needs an opportunity!
Kateryna and the cat
We were able to visit the 'hospital' today where Kateryna and a cat were being treated! Yes, after we entered the front door of the children's ward, we were surprised to see a cat sleeping on the bench in the first room. While we are unsure if the cat's treatment requires extra R&R, we are sure that he seemed content with his amenities.
Katya was absolutely thrilled to see us! She opened her arms and wanted to be picked up and held. She did this to both me and Kevin. Our first thought was WOW, does this child have a permanent smile fixed to her face?
We did learn quite quickly she was very hungry and thirsty, as she devoured cookies and juice. We spent time practicing words and drawing. She did very well with exception of knowing which hand is her predominent hand. I noticed she drew half the picture of a flower with her left and the other side of the flower with her right. Perhaps she is ambidextrous...we are very hopeful her speech challenges are related to inner ear issues/tonsil issues. At this point, no one could explain how long she would be in the 'hospital'. I guess only time will tell...
Katya was absolutely thrilled to see us! She opened her arms and wanted to be picked up and held. She did this to both me and Kevin. Our first thought was WOW, does this child have a permanent smile fixed to her face?
We did learn quite quickly she was very hungry and thirsty, as she devoured cookies and juice. We spent time practicing words and drawing. She did very well with exception of knowing which hand is her predominent hand. I noticed she drew half the picture of a flower with her left and the other side of the flower with her right. Perhaps she is ambidextrous...we are very hopeful her speech challenges are related to inner ear issues/tonsil issues. At this point, no one could explain how long she would be in the 'hospital'. I guess only time will tell...
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Moving from Project Manager to Subcontractor
Where do I start...we thought we knew our role for this project...now we are convinced we are merely a laborer of The Divine Architect. We entered the orphange for the first time today. We had prepared ourselves for an atmosphere of gloom. We couldn't have been more wrong!
As soon as we turned off the main street into the long drive, Kevin noticed a young boy waiting at the street corner. As we passed him, we noticed he was literally running after the vehicle. It wasn't until the van door opened and the child dove head first onto our laps that we realized it was our son-Nikita! He had been told about an hour beforehand of our visit and had been waiting for us at the road the entire time. We couldn't have asked for a more welcoming experience! He was so excited he lead us all the way up to a TV room in the top floor to let an adult know we had arrived. At that point, we were surrounded with about 15 children, all of whom were wanting to know more about the visitors.
A few minutes passed and Sveta entered from school. We were told she had been grinning ear-to-ear all day, as she learned of our arrival in Zhytomyr that morning. The excitment was clearly visible in her eyes and the warmth was felt in her embrace. Unfortunately, our third and yougest child Katya, was taken to a hospital the day before due to a mild fever. We are told it is nothing serious and expect to see her tomorrow.
What is hard to convey is the unblemished spirit these children have for a family. They all are living their lives as any normal child would, with one exception, they NEED a family. Should anyone reading this blog feel a calling to have more children or know of someone who wants a child, I strongly urge he and she to pray for an open mind to adopt. I have more thought on this, but for now, will withhold.
Thanks to all for your prayers!
As soon as we turned off the main street into the long drive, Kevin noticed a young boy waiting at the street corner. As we passed him, we noticed he was literally running after the vehicle. It wasn't until the van door opened and the child dove head first onto our laps that we realized it was our son-Nikita! He had been told about an hour beforehand of our visit and had been waiting for us at the road the entire time. We couldn't have asked for a more welcoming experience! He was so excited he lead us all the way up to a TV room in the top floor to let an adult know we had arrived. At that point, we were surrounded with about 15 children, all of whom were wanting to know more about the visitors.
A few minutes passed and Sveta entered from school. We were told she had been grinning ear-to-ear all day, as she learned of our arrival in Zhytomyr that morning. The excitment was clearly visible in her eyes and the warmth was felt in her embrace. Unfortunately, our third and yougest child Katya, was taken to a hospital the day before due to a mild fever. We are told it is nothing serious and expect to see her tomorrow.
What is hard to convey is the unblemished spirit these children have for a family. They all are living their lives as any normal child would, with one exception, they NEED a family. Should anyone reading this blog feel a calling to have more children or know of someone who wants a child, I strongly urge he and she to pray for an open mind to adopt. I have more thought on this, but for now, will withhold.
Thanks to all for your prayers!
Trusting in the Divine Contractor
We successfully picked up our official referral letter for the girls on Thursday. This means that we are offically allowed to go to the orphanage to visit the children. Therefore, we left Kiev at 4PM and headed to Zhytomyr. (The orphanage is just outside the town of Zhytomyr which is just over 2 hours away) As per our previous blog, we are still waiting on the approval letter for Nikita, as the SDA would not discuss our case in the same appointment with the girls. (We will go back to Kiev for this next week.)
As we jumped in a car with our new driver headed for Zhytomyr, we realized how much trust we must have through this entire process. We literally have lived in a stranger's apartment, allowed a stranger who practices to be a NASCAR driver at night take us on a two hour venture through the woods without regard to any of his warning indicators (low fuel, temperature, & oil) and deliver us to yet another stranger's apartment. WE CLEARLY SAW ALL THE ILLUMINATED LIGHTS THE ENTIRE TRIP AS HE ZOOMED PAST THE ONLY TWO GAS STATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES!
Truth be told, we are unsure we could have followed through with this last adventure without our friends Becca and Craig having just done the same a few weeks prior. THANK GOD FOR THEIR PIONEERING SPIRIT!
That's not all...
After arriving safely in Zhytomyr and getting keys to our latest apartment, we then realized our phone which contains ALL contact information for everyone in Ukraine we need to know and need to call, was dead. No problem...we plugged in the phone only to receive a message that said enter PIN and PUK #. WHAT? We tried a few common numerical American series of numbers and then received a message we have exceeded our attempts and our phone was blocked! We immidiately headed to the streets to find an internet cafe in hopes someone would pick up our MAYDAY late at night.
Once again, Becca to the rescue. Due to the time difference and the fact she is now back in America, she picked up our urgent cry via email and was able to reach out to Natalia by phone to obtain the info. Now we are set.
Bottom line: He has His final set of plans and we are working off of our rough draft!
As we jumped in a car with our new driver headed for Zhytomyr, we realized how much trust we must have through this entire process. We literally have lived in a stranger's apartment, allowed a stranger who practices to be a NASCAR driver at night take us on a two hour venture through the woods without regard to any of his warning indicators (low fuel, temperature, & oil) and deliver us to yet another stranger's apartment. WE CLEARLY SAW ALL THE ILLUMINATED LIGHTS THE ENTIRE TRIP AS HE ZOOMED PAST THE ONLY TWO GAS STATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES!
Truth be told, we are unsure we could have followed through with this last adventure without our friends Becca and Craig having just done the same a few weeks prior. THANK GOD FOR THEIR PIONEERING SPIRIT!
That's not all...
After arriving safely in Zhytomyr and getting keys to our latest apartment, we then realized our phone which contains ALL contact information for everyone in Ukraine we need to know and need to call, was dead. No problem...we plugged in the phone only to receive a message that said enter PIN and PUK #. WHAT? We tried a few common numerical American series of numbers and then received a message we have exceeded our attempts and our phone was blocked! We immidiately headed to the streets to find an internet cafe in hopes someone would pick up our MAYDAY late at night.
Once again, Becca to the rescue. Due to the time difference and the fact she is now back in America, she picked up our urgent cry via email and was able to reach out to Natalia by phone to obtain the info. Now we are set.
Bottom line: He has His final set of plans and we are working off of our rough draft!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Change order at the SDA (State Department of Adoption)
We just returned from our SDA appointment. Natalia was informed she must separate the children by family (only the girls are siblings) which means we must return for another appointment. We expect the referral to come from the SDA for the girls tomorrow thus, starting the process for our court hearing. The separation is expected to lengthen our journey here in Ukraine. At this point, we think we'll be heading to Zhytomyr tomorrow. Zhytomyr is where the orphange is located and we are told the kids are anxious to see us! As soon as we know our second SDA appointment date, we will need to come back to Kiev to seek the referral for our third child. So, for now, we wait!
Recovering from jet lag
The apartment we are staying in is very accomodatiing and cozy. I didn't know that building materials such as plywood could be used as a mattress, but it can. However, it must not have mattered too much as we slept 14 hours. We awoke to the phone ring thinking "How nice for Natalia to give us a morning wake up call." When we hung up, we decided take our time getting up and having a leisurely breakfast.We were shocked to see the time read 12:45 in the afternoon! (Yes- Kevin slept 14 hours!!!)
We spent what was left of the day walking around downtown Keiv and trying to cash traveler's checks. Hardly any bank will. We finally found one that would and so with spendable money in our pockets, we set out to find a place to eat. So at about 5:30 this evening, we sat down to enjoy our breakfast.
We spent what was left of the day walking around downtown Keiv and trying to cash traveler's checks. Hardly any bank will. We finally found one that would and so with spendable money in our pockets, we set out to find a place to eat. So at about 5:30 this evening, we sat down to enjoy our breakfast.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Should have opted for the upgrade...
We are here in Kiev. Looking back, we should have opted for at least business class on the flight from DC to Frankfort.(Imagine craming 2 more sardines in the already packed can meant to hold only 12!) We quickly learned that German airlines keep their cabin warm to allow for a heightened olfactory experience. In addition, it was a huge ordeal to step into the isle. The seats were so close front to back, you could not exit the row without the seats in front of you being completely upright. This, coupled with our isle seat occupant being a very elderly lady who truly required wheelchair assistance, plus the elderly man sitting in front of her refusing to move his seat upright, made for a long period of immobility. Note to self- consume no liquid prior to departure on the return flight!
Upon arrival at the airport, we learned Ukrainian taxi drivers are very similar to the NY gypsy drivers (off duty limo drivers who want to take you into the city without reporting the fare). They ALL want to drive you somewhere! Thankfully, Natalia (our attorney) and her husband were already there waiting for us!!
We arrived at our apartment and are completely exhausted! We are planning to meet the Hills (our friends from New Braunfels who have just completed their adoption of two girls) for dinner. They have been here for about a month and have many tips to share. Please visit their blog for inspiration: http://www.journeythruthehills.blogspot.com/ Becca is the Executive Director for Charis Orphan Care.
Upon arrival at the airport, we learned Ukrainian taxi drivers are very similar to the NY gypsy drivers (off duty limo drivers who want to take you into the city without reporting the fare). They ALL want to drive you somewhere! Thankfully, Natalia (our attorney) and her husband were already there waiting for us!!
We arrived at our apartment and are completely exhausted! We are planning to meet the Hills (our friends from New Braunfels who have just completed their adoption of two girls) for dinner. They have been here for about a month and have many tips to share. Please visit their blog for inspiration: http://www.journeythruthehills.blogspot.com/ Becca is the Executive Director for Charis Orphan Care.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Ground Breaking Ceremony...
At last!!!! We are finally taking off to Ukraine. Will post more details soon...THANKS TO ALL FOR YOUR DILIGENT PRAYERS AND SUPPORT. The response from many has been very moving. Please know, YOU ARE LOVED!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Our site preparation is done!
Finally, all our paperwork has been submitted to our attorney in Ukraine and we expect to receive confirmation of our dossier approval by the State Department for Adoption and Protection of Rights of the Child (SDAPRC) in about four weeks. Then, our international portion of our journey begins!!!
Before I tell you about these precious children, I must share with you how I now see very clearly the path in which we asked to pursue for our family to be complete. He has given me gifts of family, friends and patience to allow my faith to continue during all our troubled times with conception and loss of life. While our minds and hearts have always been open to adoption, until we met these children, I never felt confimation this was my providence. Now we wait for our dossier to be approved to pursue our family!
Before I tell you about these precious children, I must share with you how I now see very clearly the path in which we asked to pursue for our family to be complete. He has given me gifts of family, friends and patience to allow my faith to continue during all our troubled times with conception and loss of life. While our minds and hearts have always been open to adoption, until we met these children, I never felt confimation this was my providence. Now we wait for our dossier to be approved to pursue our family!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Kateryna & Tanner
Hello to you in America!
Preparing for my Broadway Debut...
Starring Kateryna Kate as "Little Orphan Annie"
Apt. view in Independence Square in Kiev
Looking out our window tonight in Kiev...
Celebrating the Hill's Adoption
Yes, that is a Mississippi flag in the background in Kiev...odd as Kevin and Becca are from MS!