Another Busy Day

Wow. We expected moderate activity yesterday, but what we got was more waiting...of all the nerve! We began by getting medical results from last time here, then off to another office to get more tests. Heat in this country can be turned off by a single switch, a-la the "soup nazi," but one must go to multiple sites to determine if he or she has anything contagious. What we found out is that Paula and I have a healthy bouncing 14 year old girl.

"Mayor" Nina proceeded to the passport office and we met her there. We gave 100 reasons why our passport should be processed first and they were SO amiable! They told us that the passport would be ready Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. Ashley got her picture made, then we went to our second trip across town to the notary. Ashley had to sign another document in front of them, President Yushenko, the Rada, and the Secretary of the U.N. The document said that even though she is our daughter, she is good with making the journey back to the U. S. I thought we covered that in court. I had a power of attorney document for Paula, but the notary came in and said that Paula would have to physically be here to sign. You can imagine my delight. I began to pray fervently. This was the first time this notary had done this procedure since (you guessed it) the new law change. They reluctantly decided to make the document, but they said "good luck" with it back at the passport office.

We had lunch at Politburo Cafe. It was an eclectic decor- Soviet era propoganda of the "good ole days," and Christmas cheer galore. Add in some American R & B, and you've got yourself one big oxymoron. Anyone over 30 would love to have seen this. I just sat and laughed. Nobody understood why, but that is nothing new for me.

We arrived at the passport office (did I mention fervent prayer all the way?). Yana took all the papers in and came out in seconds. I asked if everything was ok. She said "it's better than ok, the passport should be ready Saturday." Praise God for turning hearts and minds. Scripture talks of the Lord turning the hearts of rulers like the currents of the river. I was again reminded of the fact that people are watching and I have a testimony to live out before them. God has really given me peace throughout. It looks like we will be leaving on the night train to Kiev on Sunday. So if any of you are wanting that Zaporizhzhya keychain, I do not have a lot of time to hear from you.

Random thought of the day: You really have not lived until you have ridden on a perpetually bumpy Ukrainian road, in the back of a car, in the dark, with a hot cup of McDonald's coffee. Oleg called it "extreme coffee drinking."

Ashley has been really happy. She is not exactly showing a lot of curiosity about English, but she will wonder what we are all saying soon enough. God willing, we should make the Thursday trip home that I originally booked. Thanks for praying.

God Bless,
Ande

On the Move

We arrived in Zap early Wednesday morning. There was a ton of snow on the ground. We hit the ground running and managed to secure the birth certificate and their version of the social security number. Of course, there was some situational comedy involved with the processes, but I cannot mention that here. I will have things to tell when we return. The lady at the birth certificate office was absolutley wonderful. At one point, I thought she was going to cry while wishing our family well. Those of you who have been through this know how long the first day is.

Today will likely be just as long. We have to get some medical stuff done and begin the passport process. Nina has been great. In fact, we should not have been able to get the birth certificate until today, but she pulled some strings.

Ashley has been happy. She has smiled a lot since our late arrival at the orphanage, which I love to see. Anderson has been great, but has had to endure lots of time in the back seat of Oleg's car doing nothing. I think it makes Ashley feel better to have someone her age here with her.

We are staying at the Intourist Hotel. I was shocked (but should not have been) to find that the posh, modern lobby in no way resembles the old rooms upstairs. Perhaps we will move today back to our old flat. We miss all of you. Thanks for your prayers.

God is Good,

Ande

Ukrainians Everywhere

In Cincinnati, we ran into our friend Cathy Stafford in the airport. She told us that all of the Poltava children who had been hosted over Christmas were on the plane with us. Many of these children were in Birmingham last summer with us. When I got on the plane, I immediately saw Vitalik (Carter) and he lit up. Little Oksana (Holmes) ran up to me and gave me a bear hug. The kids seemed to be in good spirits despite leaving loved ones behind. They were with us all the way to Kiev.

Otherwise on the trip, Anderson and I settled into mature bahavior. We identified a man who looked like Autstin Powers (yeah, baby). Another man looked like Nacho Libre. We recited many movie lines and laughed.

We made it over just fine. I have never seen so much snow here. Fortunately for us, there is a heat wave moving through. The high today should hit 43. We will enjoy the weather for a couple of days before the thermometer moves south again.

We dropped our bags off and took to the streets of Kiev, our home away from home. Our facilitators have long ago learned to just let us go. They tell us where to be and when to be there and we just get it done. We grabbed lunch at "Be Healthy" before coming in here.

Tonight we will catch the 8:30 train down to Zap. Since tomorrow is Wednesday, I suspect we will somehow end up at an English lesson. I wish I could somehow get credit for all of the classroom time.

Otherwise, all is well with us.

Blessings,
Ande

It's Time

Anderson and I are in the Birmingham airport waiting on our journey to begin. We will leave JFK at 5:40 this evening. It is hard to believe that we have finally reached the point of Ashley coming home to live with us. Please pray for our list of appointments: 1) birth certificate, 2) country code, 3) passport, 4) medical screening, 5) visa. We are trusting God for agreeable staff and smooth processes.

We will be staying at the Intourist Hotel, so perhaps some of you will see us on the webcam that captures Lenin Street. We are not sure how the gas situation is over there, so we really hope there is heat.

Paula, Chris, Noah, and Lily, we love you and will miss you tremendously. We will talk soon.

Blessings to All,
Ande

Going Back Soon

I cannot wait to get back to Ukraine.  I know that most of you reading this may think that I am insane (including my wife), but I find myself wanting to be there when I am here.  I have such a longing to be with those who are hopeless, as well as the friends we have made who have taught me so much.  I live with this tension constantly:  What would it be like to live there by choice, as opposed to being born there with no way out?  Some of my self-made paradigms are smashed, others are confirmed each time I visit.

There are 2 there that I care about the most.  Ashley is finally coming home in a couple of weeks (praise God).  Nina, who will always be my 6th child, will probably grow up there.  For three and a half years, I have lived between the now and the not yet while the adoption story was being written.  I am resolved that I will never have a reprieve from living in 2 places.  I want to somehow help the single mother who has volunteered for the burden of raising someone else's child in her apartment in Ukraine.  Lena is a hero.

I would appreciate prayers for Anderson and me.  I anticipate a great time to invest in our relationship.  I hope that he and Ashley can build a foundation.  Parenting a 14 year-old girl and ice skating....I have done neither.  Falling probably looks about the same and hurts just as much.  Have you ever seen that dork who, on his way down, swipes his arm out and takes 2 or 3 to the ice with him?  I pray for grace, wisdom....and really good balance.

Can't Get Away from Ukraine

We were home but for a few days when we got an email from Yana.  She said that her supervisor at the school where she teaches was "crazy for Americans."  They wanted to know if we could do a Skype chat on Christmas Eve to talk to their English class about Christmas in America.  We agreed to have our entire family on the chat.  

After we finally got the webcams working, we had a fun time talking to the kids about our family traditions and the true meaning of Christmas.  I particularly enjoyed hearing the girls in the class ask Anderson, our 13 year-old questions such as: "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Anyway, it is amazing where technology has brought us.  I hope that our time with these kids has made a difference in their lives and that they have seen Christ in us.  I am sure that we will find a way to visit them again in a couple of weeks.

Back in Alabama

We had to go "dark" on the blog postings because we changed our plane tickets to leave 2 days early.  We decided to surprise the kids back home, so we busted in on them during church service. It was funny because they were so surprised, but could not say hardly anything!  Thanks to Alan Thompson for picking us up.  I am so ready for turkey and dressing.  

While it was good to get back to things more familiar, I have to say that I miss being in Ukraine.  I especially miss my daughter, whose days are numbered there.  I can't wait to go back to get her.

By the way, I posted a photo from court so that you can see Ashley.  When you see a smile like that, it is easy to see why we love her.

May the Blessing of Christmas be Yours this Holiday Season.

Ande & Paula