Update- Day 33

Well, we have had some eventful times these last couple of days!

Yesterday, started great. I met our friend for a girl's breakfast at a wonderful cafe. It was a really nice time and a special treat! When I returned, we had our daily walk to the market. Then we went to the internat to pick the kids up. The kids and the guards know us now, so when we walk in we get alot of "hellos" which is nice. The kids always give us smiles and waves and will usually run to get Natalie. We picked them up and walked back to in flat. This is where ir gets interesting.

As David starts unlocking the door to the flat he realizes he can't open the lock. He tries for a while, then calls our trusty Zhenia. He calls the flat manager who comes out to check it out - 30 minutes later. The flat manager calls a lock-smith (he calls himself this, but we have our doubts). While the waiting around is going on, I walk all the kids to the market for a snack. When we return, David tells us he is leaving to get another key made and will be back in about 30 minutes. An hour later, no David. He calls and says it is taking longer than expected and he is not sure what we should do. It is now about 3 hours later. It is misting outside and cool. I tell him I am walking the kids to the market for some supper and ask him to call us a taxi. Then....my cell phone dies. Great!! So, I tell the kids we are going. You can imagine all of their attitudes at this time. Little Benjamin starts crying because he has not been inside yet and wants to know where Poppy is. I try to explain to him what is happening and Natalie helps me. We get to the market and I get Natalie and Benjamin some food and ask Caleb and Jacob to wait, as I am running out of money. I can't talk with David so I have no idea if he is calling a taxi. I decide not to chance it as it is getting close to the time I have to return them. So, we walk back. Halfway back, my cell phone rings!! It's David telling me he is on the way and I tell him I am walking them back...then it dies again.

I drop the kids off with lots of hugs, kisses and tell them I am sorry for the day. They have already been told we would not see them on Tues because of paper work. Benjamin is really sad and I feel so bad that they didn't get a real supper or get cleaned up! Me and the boys head back. When we return the flat, David is outside waiting on the locksmith. We are still locked out. The locksmith gets here and tries for about 30 minutes to get the door unlocked. Can't do it. He says he is going to cut the lock. He will be back in 5 minutes. So, an hour and half later he returns!!! We have been sitting in the hall, boys are starving and have to go to the bathroom. The door gets cut open and the lock comes off. It is now 9:00 and we get into the apt. The whole thing took 6 hours!!!! We then get the news that WE owe over 450 grievna for all of this and still owe more for a new lock that will be installed today. I really can't say anything nice about this news, so I will just move on from here.....

So...today (Tues) we went to an office to sign for new birth certificates for Natalie and Benjamin in Poltava and then David headed off with the internat lawyer to get another set in the region of their birth. We are praying that they are also able to get the tax papers they need. If so, we will be able to start processing the passports and looks like we can be home by the 5th!!! If they can't get the tax papers, it will be the first of the following week. Please pray that they will be able to get the needed tax papers today!!!

The best news is that we are moving Natalie and Benjamin in with us tonight once David returns. So, I am getting a few things ready and starting today, we will have all 4 of our children with us! Praise God!!!

Coming up on Day 10 of our wait!!

Today was a good day. Last night, Natalie and Benjamin spent the night with us. This morning, we got up, had some breakfast, got dressed and headed out about 10:00. We were picking Natalie's friend, N, up at the internat around 10:00. We could not locate a taxi driver, so we walked to the internat in hopes that we would have a driver to the mall. After picking up N, who was looking so cute, we headed out. Both girls were really excited about the planned day and I couldn't help but get emotional in the car ride over. We had talked with our friend, Cathy, earlier and she was meeting us at the mall with her friend and D. We did eventually get 2 taxis to take us to the mall. We met up with Cathy and her crew. It was so good to hear a southern accent!!! (She's from Kentucky)

We got all the kids set up to ice skate and we caught up with Cathy over some coffee and juice. The kids had so much fun skating together. D is pretty good at it and our 4 are getting better each time we go. Caleb now wants ice skating lessons "in case he is invited to an ice skating birthday party!" From there, we headed to the arcade for a little time on the games. All of the kids got along great and it was fun to watch them all interact.

After this we went to McDonalds for some food and ice cream. At this point, we split up. Cathy and her friend volunteered to take all the boys with them to the park and David and I took Natalie and N to our flat- which is where they wanted to go. At the flat, the girls took a bath, played outside a little, ate some snacks, watched the movie Spirit, and I painted their nails. N is really a sweet and quiet girl. She has visited the States before and Cathy knew her.

We called Cathy to check on our 3 boys and found out that Jacob had fallen and scraped up his hand and elbow pretty good. Cathy was prepared and took care of him. If I haven't said this before, I will say it now. I pray that Jacob and Caleb come home healthy and without too many cuts and scrapes!!!!

It was time to go and pick up our sons and we found them at Cathy's watching a video. We walked all the kids back to the internat and it started to rain lightly. Benjamin was a little sad and after talking to him, I feel pretty sure it was because he was heading back to the internat and not our flat. I walked him back to his room and as I was leaving, he called out to me "Mom!" I looked back and he was smiling and waving bye! Sweet thing! We went back to Cathy's to chat and pick up some chocolates she brought for us from home to give as gifts. Then headed home for showers and bed.

Tomorrow is day 10 of our 10 day wait!!!! Tuesday is a big day for paperwork. Please pray that we will get all documents that need to be completed on Tuesday done, which will allow us to start processing the kids' passports on Wednesday. This is so heavy on my heart, but I do know that God works all things for good and I pray that I will rest in His sovereignty.

Closer still

As I write this, our 4 children are sleeping in our flat! We received permission to allow Natalie and Benjamin sleep over tonight. They are really happy to be here. It was a rowdy "time to sleep" time, but they are all finally down. Tomorrow, we are taking Natalie's friend ice skating. She has been talking about that alot and we hope it brings them both joy!

Many ways God is showing us that He loves us these days and is in the small things in our life - Our friend, Cathy, called tonight. She is in Poltava. We are hoping to get with her tomorrow, as well. Another friend called us from the States. It was wonderful to hear her voice! Our facilitator is bringing us peanut butter!!

We mostly have been hanging out, playing, eating, etc.. We did try to go to the circus today, but it fell through. We didn't know where it was and it started to rain. Hoping to do that next week.

Not alot new, of course. Looking forward to Tuesday so that we can get this process moving forward. Please pray that God will allow us many working hours in our day on Tuesday to complete birth certificates and tax papers and favor with all the people we encounter on Tuesday. We really need both of these completed on Tuesday in order to get home at the earliest date we have estimated.

Day 6 out of 10

I am so thankful to be on this journey. I am amazed that God called us to adopt again and again 2 children! Somehow, I don't feel prepared or adequate to parent them. I am so glad I am not in this alone. I know that God goes before me and that He equips me. All 4 of my children give me great joy and I feel so blessed to have been given the opportunity to parent them! I pray that God will mold me and use me in order that my children will grow up knowing the Lord, loving the Lord and pleasing the Lord.

Today I am reminded of so many things that I am thankful for-to name just a few:
David is able to be here the entire time
Natalie is now calling me Mama
Benjamin chose to be called Benjamin
Jacob and Caleb desire to be brothers to Natalie and Benjamin despite their struggles
The adoption process is moving along without any problems, only time delays
Uninterrupted time getting to know Benjamin and Natalie
Communication is becoming easier
We are almost finished with the 10 day wait
Friends and family are praying us through our time in Ukraine
Special time with God
Internet that allows us to stay connected

I thought I had come up with a plan to save us some time once we were able to get moving on our paperwork. Note that I said I had come up with a plan. Well, it's not gonna work. So, we are back to waiting and praying and relying on God. A much better plan, but I get so caught up in my timeline...! I am reminded by friends to enjoy my time and to wait on God. I am trying and getting closer day by day. A blog writer I follow has inspired me by his prayers and petitions to God and his total reliance on God to meet all his needs in all of his circumstances throughout his adoption. I read Hebrews 11 again today and pray for mustard seed faith.

Natalie has asked us if we would take her and a friend ice skating and to McDonald's on Sunday. We agreed and got permission to do this from the internat. You should have seen her reaction. Today she asked if her friend could take a bath!!! Of course she can take a bath. This one request keeps playing over and over in my head. I pray that on Sunday we will show the love of Christ to Natalie's friend.

Seems like we have done this before....

Everyday is alike...it seems. We are trying to break up the monotony (sp??) with variations of the same things. Monday we went to the mall for the arcade, some food and for general looking around. Tuesday we went to the park and then back to the flat. Today we went to McDonald's and then back to the flat. The kids want to come to the flat daily, but we try to put in a few variances for all of our sanity!!

We try to vary our food, but that is difficult to do. So, it's variations of chicken, pasta with butter and sandwiches for supper. Breakfasts and lunches are usually the same daily. Coke and M& M's are my happy things. At the flat, we play card games, take baths and showers, watch movies, play some soccer outside, play on the computer...things like that. After we drop them off, we walk back and usually hit the local market for restocking of our kitchen. At night, after the boys are in bed, David and I chat, read or watch a movie.

I tell you....I am ready for home! Everyday I am so happy knowing that I am one day closer. Don't get me wrong, I am happy we have this time together as a family. It is just wearing on me to have nothing to do and no hand in the process. I have no idea when we will be home. It all depends on when paperwork gets finished at each particular stage. Next Tuesday, we have to go and get not one but TWO birth certificates for Natalie and Benjamin in two different regions. If that is finished in time, we can try to get the tax papers completed. I know God is much bigger than any departments or timelines I invent and am trying very hard to trust in His plans and His timing. We are in limbo on when we will go home. It is sometime between June 5 and June 10.

My prayer is that I will rest in God's sovereignity and His ability to cause all things that come into my life to work for good.

Raining in Poltava....again

Today was day 2 of our 10 day wait. The children are counting down the days. It rained all day today. We went out and bought umbrellas yesterday because of all the rain we are having!

This morning we took a taxi down to the Arts Center in Poltava. Natalie was reciting a poem and wanted us to hear her. Great, we are in! When we arrived she and Benjamin ran out to get us. We thought we were going to a recital of some type. It turned out we were attending a pep rally and awards ceremony for a Swedish cosmetics company. It seemed something like Avon. I was laughing the whole time because we were attending something totally different that we expected. However, this company sponsored Natalie's class and several of the children were reciting lines of a poem. We were glad we were able to hear her. They all looked so cute up there!

Afterwards, we all went to the flat together. It was raining so it was a day inside. We played games, listened to music, ate some food and basically hung out. I brought some sun catchers, so we painted those today, as well. We hope to get outside and get active a little more tomorrow. We took Natalie and Benjamin back around 7:00.

The boys Skyped with their friends at church again. They loved it! This week we will basically try to find things to pass the time together. It's good time to be together without distractions and getting to know one another better. All 6 of us are anxious to get to America. We have a friend flying in the end of this week and more friends coming a few days later for their 3rd adoption.

Our family has grown!!!!

We had court today and....we are now the proud parents of 4 children!!!! Praise the Lord!!!! It only becomes really official once we have our 10 day waiting period and are given the court decree. But, to us....it's official!

So, the details----we rode to the courthouse and arrived about 12:45. Shortly afterwards, N and A arrived with the orphanage lawyer, Irene. We were escorted into the courtroom. At this point, I was full of emotion. Then, we had to wait for the Chief Prosecutor. This took the emotional side of it away from me, as the wait was long. All of the kids did great, waiting and the candy we gave them as bribes really helped! She finally arrived and court began. The judge walked in and we all stood. He then went over why we were all there. David was asked to stand and tell them about himself and then I did the same. More reading of documents. Then David was asked to stand again and go into a little more detail of why we want to adopt A & N and about life at home in the states. Then, they asked me to stand. The first thing the Chief Prosecutor asked me if I was scared now that I would have 3 boys and a girl. I thought it was a funny question and laughed and explained that I was already a boys' mom and couldn't wait to have a daughter. She asked me a few other questions- pretty harmless. They asked N if she was in agreement with the adoption- because of her age. She said yes and was very quiet and shy during her questioning. Then a few more readings, introductions of the Inspector and the lawyer.

The judge and the one juror left us to discuss the case and make a decision. The boys were asked at this time to come and answer a few questions about the adoption. They were embarrassed but did a great job! The judge then came back and declared us the parents of....Natalie Hope and Benjamin Andrew Dunham.

Wow!!! It was a very successful time in court and the kids were really emotionally pumped up-all 4 of them. We had to walk to a notary then headed back to our flat. Then we were off to the requested destination to celebrate....McDonald's! Then back to our flat to hang out for awhile, bath for Natalie, then back to the internat. They really don't want to be at the internat now! I walked Benjamin and Natalie to their areas to be dropped off for the first time. As we walked, Natalie was singing "10 more days, 10 more days..." After dropping Benjamin off, Natalie showed me her classrooms and then I dropped her off. It was a long good-bye today.

An interesting side note- as we were at the flat hanging out we had someone ring our doorbell. All I can say is that we are very thankful Zhenia was here! It was the passport police. They wanted to see our passports and wanted to know why we were here. Zhenia complied and did some questioning of his own. It seems like one of the tenants of this flat complex may have called them to have us checked out. I do not know what we would have done if Zhenia had not been here with us! Many phone calls were made when the passport police left and we have a plan if we ever have visitors again. We also have 3 locked doors to enter before you even get into our flat, so someone had to have let him in! Well, we will try to be as quiet and unseen during our duration here!!! Talk about weird....

We now have 10 days to wait and then more paperwork. Please pray with us that after our 10 day wait that we will be able to get moving quickly on birth certificates, tax papers and passports which will all be done here in Poltava.