In country!

Jetlag - whew! Brian is going to feel it worse than I am, though, because he's taking a nap! I'm powering through to stay awake and get on the new schedule quickly. We'll see how it goes. So far, I have a caffeine (withdrawal) headache because the only diet-coke they have is "coca-cola light" which doesn't have any aspartame and is kind of gross - lol! Oh well, guess I drink too much diet coke anyways.
Mom got into town Thursday. In the 2 days before we left, we had a whirlwind packing job, another doctor's visit (C has an ear infection :( ), radiator leak in the van, lost debit card into the abyss between Walmart cash register and baggage carousel, frozen pipes, and kids puking! I tell ya - Satan attacks when he doesn't like what's happening. That's all I see there! Problems were all solved (well except the van, and it will wait).  Mom has been sick really bad since we left, but she is feeling better.  Please pray for her energy and health as she is there with A & B!
The morning we left, I could NOT find some of the medication we were planning to take. We looked high and low, unpacked ALL of the suitcases (there were 3 suitcases weighing in at 49.5 lbs after packing and repacking 800 times, a carryon rolling suitcase, and a backpack), and finally gave up. Brian's mom ended up driving us to the airport due to aforementioned van problem... Halfway there, I realized that since we hadn't taken our van, we didn't have our stroller. Then, I thought we didn't have the moby wrap either and I was really upset about all the things we now were without.  A said from the backseat, "MOM!  God's got it under control. He will take care of it!"  lol - nothing like your 9 year old to give you a wake-up call.  As it turned out, my Mom had one of the exact medications I misplaced, and my friend had the other. Plus, this friend was able to meet us at the airport with a stroller!  So, thank you A for the reminder, and thank you Lord for your provision.  It was really hard saying goodbye to our moms and kids, but we know at the end we will have ALL our kids!
We survived the first leg of the flight in the regular coach seats. It wasn't too bad, and it was quick.  In Chicago, we met up with another couple and their adorable 11 month old son.  We ate and hung out at the gate letting the babies crawl around and play.  The flight from Chicago to Frankfurt was as expected. We sat in the bulkhead where they give you a bassinet for the baby.  Between us, the other couple adopting, and 2 other families... There were 4 babies all in that row.  That means that roughly-40-50% of the time at least 1 baby was crying or fussing.  Ah well, not a ton of sleep, but whaddaya do?  It took us forever to deplane, so by the time we got to the next gate there was only about an hour which went fast.  Brian sat in exit row, and I had 3 seats to myself with C.  It worked out, and we got in some good sleep on that flight!  Upon arrival, we were happy to discover all our luggage made it. We cleared customs and met our facilitator with a van. First he took us to our apartment. It's really beautiful and has a jacuzzi tub!  I'm taking advantage, because I know starting Wednesday, the accomodations will be drastically different.  Then, we went to the grocery store and exchanged money. Then, we took the other couple to their apartment and headed back to ours where we ate PBJ (btw- we brought the peanut butter because they don't have it here).  We tried REALLY hard to stay awake as long as possible.  6:30 was as far as we got, but it will get better each day!
Today, we got up and ready for our appointment. I was a little nervous -wondering what they were going to ask and if we would do okay.  Our facilitator picked us up and we headed over there.  It went fine, not really any questions for us.  By the time we finished, we were told to come back tomorrow and pick up our referral papers! So, we went across the street to a cafe to wait for the P family (the couple we traveled with) to have their referral. Then, we ate lunch there. Now, we're back at the apartment. We think we will head to a cafe for supper, then grab laundry detergeant at the grocery store.  Tomorrow, we will take a walking tour of Kyiv, get our papers, and catch a loooooooooooooooong overnight train to see V*ktor on Wednesday!!!!!!!!!
Last night, his roommate told him we were here, and he can't wait to see us :)

The view from our apartment :)

FIVE MORE DAYS!!!!!!! OH MY!!

For current political reasons, the blog has switched to private. So, at this point, I'm hoping somebody is still reading.  I know you have to login to read it now, but hopefully some of my writings are worth it :)

So much to do, so much to do, so much to do!!!!  I have started writing instructions like a mad-woman. Instructions for my Mom on how to make laundry soap, A's schedule for getting ready in the morning, how to use electronic devices in the house, who to call for carpooling kids, etc. etc. etc.  Then, there's the calendar of events for Mom, then Brian's parents, then for Brian when he returns.  Oy vey!  Cub Scouts, Awana Grand Prix (AAAAAAAH!!!!  Need to build a car in the next 4 days!  Junior? Help?), Cubbies, TNT, basketball, preschool.  When I make casseroles, I'm doubling up and sticking half in the freezer.  I have lists of groceries needed for the house, items we need to buy for the trip, things to pack, things to do (btw- so sorry for those of you who never got a Christmas card:(  They might not make it this year.  Some went out, but not all of them), people to call, forms to sign.  On and on and on and on

For some reason, I was crazy enough to schedule a 3-day family weekend vacation right now! No, really, I think it was a great thing that we got to do a fun weekend together especially since we're leaving A & B.  They both readily agreed to a weekend at indoor waterpark and hotel instead of having birthday parties this year.  Score for me - no dressing up as a clown, baking a cake, chasing a bunch of kids around :)  Just got to hang out with the kiddos having a blast!  We went there after tumbling and basketball Saturday morning, played in the waterpark all day, had the best pizza EVER (well, except for Giordano's), played awhile longer, then back to the hotel room for baths.  I ran out and got a birthday cake (Brian's bday today) for a snack. B and C were asleep when I returned.  Sunday, we had breakfast and headed to the waterpark around 10.  It's a great place to go!  It's not huge, so you can find each other if you walk around for a few minutes.  The kids bounced from slide to slide, down the lazy river, splashing in the pool. A, C, and I headed up to the room around 4.  Brian and B came up not long after. She was sick. Really sick :( poor kid!  A REALLY still wanted to go to Olive Garden for supper, and Brian didn't care one way or the other. So, I got a date with my little man (and C) for supper last night! B was sick all night long, poor sweetheart. She really bounced back this morning.  Now C has a fever. Oh joy. At least she seems happy, though!

We leave in FIVE DAYS!!! FIVE!  NUTS!  Mom gets here in THREE days :) Wow - it just doesn't seem real.  I am not prepared enough to be leaving in 5 days!
Two big prayer requests at this point.  Please pray that an apartment can be found for us in region.  Also, pray for a quick timeline. Things can move quickly - like 5 weeks, or they can drag - like 8 weeks.  We want to get home with ALL our kids as fast as possible.  We don't have control over the timeline, we don't have control over the apartment. God does, and we will trust it's going to be okay.
I talked to V*ktor on Saturday.  I get all high pitched, squealy, and happy when I say anything about how soon we will be there.  He laughed at me, but I could tell he was just as excited and antsy:)

Your Grace is Enough, Your Grace is Enough, Your Grace is Enough for meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee :)

Getting closer!!!

 

I don't really feel like I have any one important thing to say, so this may just be a bit of my rambling :)  WE HAVE 18 DAYS UNTIL WE LEAVE!!! WOW!
   So we got home from TN and turned on the water.  One faucet (which was already kind of a problem anyway) just kept running even when knobs were turned off.  So, we shut the water off to that faucet and 3-4 days later Brian was finally able to completely replace it.  Old houses are tricky, you never know WHAT you're going to get when you go tearing into a project.  Poor guy kept having to go back to H*me Depot every day to get a different part!  Alas, that's done, and now I have a few more (hopefully quick) projects for him to do in the next 18 days- yaaaa!  (Sorry, every time I say how many days I have to say yaaa - it's  reflex - haha).
     V*ktor continues to be excited about our arrival.  Having the date has indeed made it seem a lot better for me anyway, and I think it probably has for him, too.  He has asked if we can bring some things for his roommates and maybe other kids.  Though I am going to want to pack a lot of stuff for us since we'll be there so long, I definitely want to take some things for him and the other kids.  So, if anybody wants to donate any of the following for us to take over, just let me know:  bouncy balls, gum (like in 5 pks), hand/foot warmers (the onetime use to put in gloves and shoes), hats, warm gloves, chap stick (poor kids beg for this because their lips are so chapped), or other small toys. These I can carry with me whenever I go to the orphanage and hand out something to each kid I see.  His roommate J's mom (still praying for a miracle with the registry for this sweet boy) was just there for a visit and she said every time she was there that the kids just swarmed her for hugs and a little suprise.  It's an opportunity for us to love on and minister to the other kids as well as it is for us to get V*ktor home. Ha- at the start of hosting, we thought of it as our mission trip without leaving home.  Now, I guess through our adoption over there, we will be on a mission trip of sorts :)
       I have just a swarm of thoughts in my head and prayers going up.  If you are wanting some specifics on what to pray for us, I'm just going to lay out a list here for you :)

• It's really starting to hit that I will be leaving A and B for possibly 8 weeks.  That is a REALLY long time!  Please pray for them that they would be happy, content, and not worry about us. Sk*pe will be a big help.
• Pray for our parents and friends who will be caring for A and B.  Pray for their strength, energy, and wisdom when parenting for us in our place.  Please pray for good health.
• The financial part of it is not a definite.  Plane ticket prices can vary greatly and there's always the chance that some piece of paperwork can slow down the process which means longer time in-country and more expenses.  We have fundraised the amount we were told we would need.  We completely trust that God has brought us this far and will continue to provide when it is needed.  We hope that we will be able to stay within what we have.
• Travel mercies - that C will be a good little traveler and that we can all get over the jet-lag as quickly as possible.
• Please pray for our safety and health throughout the whole process.
• Remember V*ktor in prayer, too.  Though he is really excited and can't wait to come home, I can imagine he may have some anxieties.  Change is HARD!  It can be scary. Even when you decide to do something and know it is a great decision, there's still a little fear involved in trying something new - the unknown.  I know there always is for me anyway - in new jobs, moving, or other major changes.  Pray for him and for us as his parents.
• Finally - Please pray for a FAST timeline.  There are a number of steps in the process.  Sometimes they go very quickly and sometimes things move slowly. For example - if a certain paper has to be signed by a specific person in a specific office... The day you go to that office, that person is out for the day... it's Friday... You've just added 3 days to your timeline.  or     The judge only wants to do adoptions on Thursday.  You just got ALL your papers and it's Friday... You've just added 6 days to the timeline.  We know God has it all under control and He has a plan.  We are praying for things to move quickly, but in the end we trust it will happen in His perfect way.

This picture is so cute :) My sister M is such an awesome aunt! She knows B so well that she got her a Lalal**psy doll just like the mermaid that B just picked out as a birthday present from my mom. I told B several times that we could take it to the store and let her pick out another doll or toy. She was INSISTENT that she wanted to give it to her cousin H so they would both have one to play with. Such a sweetie!

Thanks again everyone for continued prayers and encouragement!  We are truly blessed!  Oh also, I do have some Tshirts left, so if you want one let me know!  Free-will donation