10 Days Really DOESN'T Mean You Will Have Your Kids in 10 Days!

UGH!!! So, here we are again at the end of another day and nothing more accomplished towards getting our kids or getting out of here.

Lance is feeling better physically today, but not emotionally. It has been another long day, more money spent, and a lot of frustration. Luckily today, Tanya is feeling better (she was not feeling well yesterday, which we didn't know about until today). So, I apologize if I was kind of hard on her in my post yesterday.

When we got back to the apartment yesterday, we all kind of kept to ourselves because we were so exhausted. So, we weren't really sure when we were leaving today. Lance got up early and found that there was no hot water for his shower, so he let me sleep a little longer. I got up around nine and went into the kitchen. I don't think Tanya had been up too long either. I asked her what time we were leaving and she said 9:30. So, I only had 30 minutes to eat and get ready. I hate to admit it, but I went without attempting the cold shower. In reality, we didn't end up leaving until about 10:15. Oh well. We left all excited hoping that today we could get one step closer to getting the boys. We did a lot of praying and soul searching, and we know that God has a plan and that only His timing is perfect. So, we have tried to adjust our mood today and not sound so frustrated in our posting. We might accomplish that, and we just might not.

The first place we went was back to the Regional Office of Vital Affairs. This is the office that the folks were all leaving yesterday to go to the funeral. Tanya was in there for almost an hour and then came out with bad news. The way we had to position to adopt was different than normal due to the age difference between Bogdan's older brother and Lance. Everything is totally legal and our facilitator is the one that had us file the paperwork the way that we did. All rules were followed and the judge even spoke about the reasoning behind all of this in the court hearing. The folks at the Registration Office did not care. The person working today was afraid that she was going to get in trouble if she accepted the court decree as it is written and wanted clarification from her boss. Tanya told us that even the new court rules that deal with the new Interpol background checks confirms that all is ok with the way our petition is written. This lady still was not budging and told us to leave and she would talk with her boss. When she got information from him, she would call us and we could come back.

Since we were close to Babushka's apartment, we decided to go wait there. We called the boys and then Babushka called right back. She said they were at the cemetery and that they would be home in about 30 minutes, but that Dasha was there so we could go up if we wanted to. We decided to go grab a quick bite to eat instead. So, we went to a Mexican restaurant close by that Tanya knew of it. It was not a cheap restaurant, but we weren't eating much anyway. Lance had a burrito that he said was pretty good. I, being an emotional eater, decided to have blinkchicky (pancakes) with ice-cream. I agree with Michael, the dad of another couple we met here adopting. Ice-cream helps solve a lot of problems. That is probably why I have put weight on during this trip...lots of stress....lots of ice cream!

As we were done, the boys called and said they were home now, so we went a few blocks back to their house. Tanya came in with us to say hi and stayed for a little while and then went out and visited with Hasan in the car. The boys and Babushka were so excited to see us and we were thrilled to see them too. We told Babushka she couldn't come in the room for a few minutes and the boys signed the quilt that I had made her. Then we let her come in and the boys gave her the present. She was so thrilled. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. She told me she couldn't believe that I did this for her. She said it was the “most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for her.” And, “that she’s never seen anything like it before.” She said the pictures were fabulous and said that she was going to show it to everyone at her work. She was crying and even more tears came out when she realized that the boys had personally signed the quilt. The boys were beaming. They were so excited that she loved their gift. She gave me the biggest hug. I just love her so much and we hugged and cried together! She told us that we were her family too! She was a little embarrassed because her face was red from crying with her present and also from crying at her daughter's (the boy's mother) graveside. What an emotional roller coaster poor Babushka has been on. Loosing her only daughter 18 months ago and now having to give up her grandsons that she loves so much must be so hard. She knows that she is giving them the opportunity to have a better life. I sure hope we can provide that for them!

We sat and visited for as long as we could. Babushka brought out the boys baby pictures and I took a picture of each of them. I don't know really how good they will turn out, but I tried hard to get a good clear copy of each of them without a reflection from the light or window. We now have baby pictures, some of them growing up and some of them with their parents to keep as memories for them. I told Babushka that I wish I had those when we went home because then I could have added some of them on her quilt. Well, I'm sure she will get another one sometime.

She served us tea and a snack and we enjoyed our visit. We asked her some more family information that we could share with the boys. We really didn't get a whole lot of new information, but we did find out that she will be turning 55 on her next birthday, May 30th. I'm already planning a present that we can make in the next month or so and send to her in plenty of time for her to get it on her birthday. She is family and we want to make sure the boys never forget her, as if they could.

Tanya called and it was time to go back to the Registration Office. So, we put our shoes and coats on, got the electronics back from the boys and said our good-byes. Everybody had smiles as we were saying good-bye this time, because we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. (As my sister says, I sure hope the light at the end of the tunnel is not another train!) We were passing hugs all around when Dima, stood on the area where you sit to put your shoes on, leaned over and grabbed me around my neck and leaned down and kissed me on the lips! Ahh, what a sweetie! Tolic even smiled a large smile when we were saying goodbye and Lance kissed him. Maxim, was reaching for Lance, because he needed his hug and kiss too! We told them we would let them know something as soon as we knew something.

We got to the Registration Office at 2:45. Tanya had gotten a letter that she needed to take to the judge asking for an explanation of why the decree was written the way it was. I'm not thinking the judge is going to be too happy with this! In America, once the judge signs a decree, it is the final word. But, anyway, we have to take this letter to the judge tomorrow and get her to redo it! (Luckily, because of the elections, the judge and other official offices will be working.) I asked Hasan why do they work because of the elections and he said that someone may need an official ruling on something so they work. He said that in the past election that his name was not on the list at the polling place. So, he had to go to the judge and get a decree allowing him to vote. This took about an hour. So, the judge works tomorrow for things like this, I guess. Anyway, we have something to do tomorrow and hopefully, the judge will be able to fix this mess.

Tanya told us she did have good news however, about our passports. She began to explain that because of the current election something to the effect that the political authorities are sharing responsibilities at this time. So, for the whole, yes the entire, country of Ukraine, the offices that print official papers such as visas and passports have ceased printing. This was not sounding like good news. Who knows how long this printing will be ceased because who knows how this election will turn out. Ukraine doesn't have the most positive record when it comes to elections. If you recall, several years back, one of the candidates running for president poisoned the other candidate. Anyway, Tanya said the only way for us to get out of here would be if we could get the old style passport, the red ones. Basically, the old style of passport don't have to have a scanned photo that is sent to Kiev and then resent to the region. They just glue a picture in the old passport and seal it and it only takes about 30 minutes or so to do, which was the god news. If we aren't able to get the old style passport, who knows when we will ever get to leave here.

We tried to go by the passport office, but they were closed...again. We tried to go by another passport office where Hasan has a friend that works, but they only work a half of day on Saturdays. The good news about that office, is that while he was inside, we got to watch several kids sliding down the hill across the street on their sleds. That was a fun moment and made us wish we had our kids with us now so we could enjoy the not so cold day outside together. At least we did get to see them, hug them and love on them today.

So, please pray that tomorrow, the judge will agree to give an explanation to go along with her decree, that it will be reprinted and bound together quickly. If we can get this done by 4:00, then we will still be able to go back to the records office and get our birth certificates. If this happens, then we can get the other paperwork started on Monday and Lord willing, be on a train to Kiev by Tuesday. Please pray that the judge doesn't have a problem doing this. Tanya told us that in this region before they had a problem similar to this and the judge filed paperwork in the Attorney's office against the registration office because they were not accepting her court decrees. If this happens, it could be forever before we can pick up our boys. We can't get them from the orphanage without this court decree and their new birth certificates. Please join us in prayer about this. God can move mountains and we are asking that he moves this one!

We stopped by the store again to get a few things. Lance, of course, needed to get more dingy (money) from the ATM and put more money on his phone. We were out of milk and I was out of ice cream bars! ;-) Lance was in a very depressed mood and just stayed at the front by the ATM while I went in the store. I didn't really care to go back to the apartment and wanted to walk around the store, and then just walk back to the apartment. But, since Lance was encouraging me during my meltdown, I decided to make it quick in the store so that we would be ready to go when Hasan and Tanya were through shopping. I talked him through it and reminded him of God's timing and love just as he had done for me. By the time we were back at the apartment, he was doing much better.

Hasan found the remote to the DVD player, so we may actually be able to watch a DVD and be able to change the language from Russian to English. Let's hope so. We need to veg out to a movie tonight. Tanya went to have dinner with Hasan and his family and Lance is cooking while I write this. What a team we are! We are having a much better dinner than Lance's Ramen noodles and my cereal last night!

God is good, but the offices here in Ukraine are not. Thanks again for praying us through another rough day. I wanted to share this post from yesterday in case you didn't see it. It is from Eileen, a missionary friend of ours in Russia. "blessed are the (adoptive parents) who perseveres under trial for when (they) have been approved, (they) will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who trust him.

Thanks everybody for all of your prayers and encouragement. That is what is keeping us going. Love you all!