Hello from the Ukraine!

We haven't had internet access until now, so I'm so glad that my daughter Haylee has put some updates on the blog for us...she's so good at that :)

I will add some details here (for those interested :)from the last 2 days and hopefully upload some pictures tonight too. The computer is a bit slow, and I'm tired from a long day so I'll see what I get done.

We had a whirlwind couple of days before we left--its amazing how much I still had to do the night before--I'm not sure how that happened. We did enjoy some family time taking the local trolley around town the day before. I ended up not getting much sleep the night before...and then we had to get up before 3 am to get to the airport for a 6:40 flight. Thanks to our good friend Danielle who helped me with last minute packing.

Once it was finished I picked up my baby to cuddle and nurse for the last time before we'd need to leave. That time was precious. IT was very hard to say good bye to our 6 sleeping angels, and yes, I bawled and prayed earnestly for them.

WE got to the airport EARLY believe it or not, which despite being tired, was rather nice for a change to have a low stress check-in. We were able to get seats together for John, Jonah and I on the first flight to Minneapolis. I can't remember what we did on that flight--it was pretty short and I think we slept a little bit. I remember getting a tea from Starbucks while we waited for our flight (thanks for the card, Mom and DAd!)and tried to figure out who the Becker family was...which we didn't until the next flight :) The 2nd flight--to New York--we did not get seats together...but at least Jonah was sitting with John. They enjoyed watching Master and Commander together (especially since Mommy doesn't often like to watch action movies). I was sanwiched between 2 people in a different row, which was fine except that I have to pump breastmilk to keep up my supply for Aidan when I return...which I wasn't going to do so close to a big guy and a lady, so it was interesting pumping in the plane bathroom (as well as airport bathrooms) but I guess you do what you have to do! (There was a lady next to me whose mother was in surgery for a herniated ulcer so I was glad that I was able to talk to her...please pray for her mother, Betty and also that both she and her daughter Helen may have peace through faith in the Lord Jesus.)

The third and final flight --from New York to Kiev-- went very well. We got seats together and even in the first row of our section so we had some more leg room. We got some much needed sleep, had dinner, watched "Invictus" which was very good, played some games, and of course I pumped :) Right before we went on the plane we met the Beckers...Steph and Darrell, who are adopting Isiah from Reeces Rainbow!
It was nice to meet them and once there we were able to share some things and exchange info to meet later. Boy could we relate to the lack of sleep and excitement of being here but the difficulty fo leaving our dear children.

Once in Kiev, we were greeted by Yuri (who we'll be staying with in Brovary), June ( a missionary from US who was here with Yuri that we met last year), Anatoly our facilitator, and Irina (our translator). IT was very different this time....last time we did not know anyone; this time we were greeted by 4 familiar faces, which helped alot. Yuri drove us to the mission house in Brovary where discovered we did not have internet access (we needed to get a new card for it) and we'd forgotten our converter and couldnt find the phone...but we were able to find a converter and Yuri found the phone. We have missed having our good friend Jamie here (American missionary) who is in the States right now :) but Yuri has been helping us and would call his daughter to translate when needed. We are thankful to be here--like a home in a very unfamiliar place.

We all crashed for a nap for a few hours (it was only 4 am in the US) and then got up to try to contact the kids. As I was trying to figure it out, my resourceful mom called on the house phone! She'd had the number from last year :) So she conference called the kids in and we got to talk to everyone. They were all doing well.
(By the way, those who'd heard about Elsie our 3 year-old with the bladder infection right before we left....she was already feeling much better with no fever, but not feeling or acting quite herself, so it was hard to leave her. Please keep her in your prayers) We had stopped at a big store on the way home for food, so I put food away and heated up some dinner we brought home, and the boys watched National Treasure II (our friend Jamie has a lot of good movies here) Then we all crashed for the night.

Today we had our SDA appointment at 9:00 am. Our friend Taras (who happens to have the same name as the little boy we are adopting with Lacie)drove us around today. The appointment went well today... we saw pictures of the children and learned a little bit about them. Both were left at bith at the maternity house at the hospital. Both had single moms and both were never visited at the orphanage. It is so sad to know they never were loved or cherished-- I think about how much we miss and love our children at home. As I was cuddling Aidan for hte last time I thought about that too...how Lacie and Taras never knew that love. And I don't know the exact circumstances...I can't help but think that it was very hard for their mothers to give them up. It must have been painful and difficult. They did give them the gift of life which unfortunately often does not happen. I recently read that there is a 95% abortion rate in the US for children with Down Syndrome...I don't know where I saw that but that is really disturbing. So while it can be hard to understand why these children are dumped at orphanages, its even harder to understand that, and I thank God that their lives were not taken away and that now...even though it is "late" that they will have a family to love them, Lord-willing.

We didn't learn a whole lot at the appointment, mainly info we already knew and the medical information was vague, so we will learn more at the orphanage. It was a brief meeting--we were just asked to tell about our family and why we were adopting children with special needs. They said to come back tomorrow between 4 and 5.
So tomorrow we will return and then take an overnight train to the orphanage!

We spent the rest of the day with our friend Taras who took us around and helped us and the Beckers to get a card for our internet modem and to get a new card for the cell phone we're borrowing (thanks Malone famiy :) so we can call home for inexpensive. That is a relief. It was a hot and tiring day but it will be worth it. We enjoyed having lunch with the Beckers and hearing about how God has worked in their family....please pray also for their kids at home and that God may provide a way for Darrell to get home quickly so he can help his sons with the harvest of their farm. They would be so thankful for their 10 day wait to be waived...we can pray for it!

We'd also like prayer that the INTERPOL clearance will come quickly--this is needed before we can have a court date...which we hope we can have by the 30th of this month, so we can fly home on the 1st back to the baby and the kids.

Well, I better get some sleep...guess I'll load pictures tomorrow as John has fallen asleep! Good night (or afternoon to you!)