we will be leaving for Ukraine. The time since we learned of our appointment date has flown by!
We have been trying to get everything ready to travel. If anyone has suggestions of items to take, please share with us.
Thanks!
Love,
R & T
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010
INTERPOL is a bad word
Well...it may not be a bad word, but it sure did make me say some - I am ashamed to admit.
We found out on Tuesday that the Ukraine court is now requiring an Interpol clearance check and this can take up to 40 days! Luckily we will be able to get the letter there at least a few days ahead of us. The letter authorizing Ukraine to to request the check has to be apostilled by the state before it can be sent to Ukraine.
For those of you who are not familiar with the process, we have done paperwork, paperwork, paperwork. We were made aware of the change in the process earlier this month, but it was supposed to begin with adoption dossiers SUBMITTED in Feb. You submit certain info in order to get approval for your COURT DATE. Our dossier was SUBMITTED last fall and our COURT DATE is 2/10/10. But, now, even families who are in Ukraine trying to complete the adoption process are required to produce this clearance.
Thank goodness we found out before we got there and can get a little head start on it. We are told that it may prolong our time in Ukraine as we wait on this clearance.
We know that is is all in God's hands and that we have to do what the Ukrainian courts require, so we will do what we have to do.
On another note - we may get some winter weather here this weekend. We have had some really cold days, then some warm days. The weather has been strange. I think the cold days have been God's way of preparing us for our travels. Now, let's pray that the weekend will not be too bad. Bad weather causes problems at work because we will be at full census and we have to be staffed properly. And we have a birthday celebration Sat. night for our nephew Bradley who turns 14.
Please keep us in your prayers.
Love,
R & T
We found out on Tuesday that the Ukraine court is now requiring an Interpol clearance check and this can take up to 40 days! Luckily we will be able to get the letter there at least a few days ahead of us. The letter authorizing Ukraine to to request the check has to be apostilled by the state before it can be sent to Ukraine.
For those of you who are not familiar with the process, we have done paperwork, paperwork, paperwork. We were made aware of the change in the process earlier this month, but it was supposed to begin with adoption dossiers SUBMITTED in Feb. You submit certain info in order to get approval for your COURT DATE. Our dossier was SUBMITTED last fall and our COURT DATE is 2/10/10. But, now, even families who are in Ukraine trying to complete the adoption process are required to produce this clearance.
Thank goodness we found out before we got there and can get a little head start on it. We are told that it may prolong our time in Ukraine as we wait on this clearance.
We know that is is all in God's hands and that we have to do what the Ukrainian courts require, so we will do what we have to do.
On another note - we may get some winter weather here this weekend. We have had some really cold days, then some warm days. The weather has been strange. I think the cold days have been God's way of preparing us for our travels. Now, let's pray that the weekend will not be too bad. Bad weather causes problems at work because we will be at full census and we have to be staffed properly. And we have a birthday celebration Sat. night for our nephew Bradley who turns 14.
Please keep us in your prayers.
Love,
R & T
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Two Weeks from Today - Ukraine Bound
Child's RoomWe have the room ready. I didn't spend a lot of time or money on the room because I am not sure that we will use this room. If we bring one child home, most likely, we will use this smaller bedroom. If we bring two children home, we will either use the medium-sized bedroom or both rooms. I would like to use an ocean theme and found some cute prints on Etsy, but will wait to let the child have some input. Right now, I have some stuffed monkeys in there and a stuffed Boxer dog like our Chance. The bed is a trundle with storage drawers underneath. We also have a chest-of-drawers in the closet and will most likely get another chest or nighstand because at the moment, there is no place to put a lamp. I do not like the bright green curtains with the burgundy floor, but that is something that can be changed or we can get a throw rug. I do love the duvet & cover, so hopefully the child will as well.
Are you ready? I bet I have been asked that question at least one hundred times since we got our SDA appointment date. Ready in which way? To travel? To be a mom? Have the room ready? I usually answer that I am as ready as I can be.
Are you ready? I bet I have been asked that question at least one hundred times since we got our SDA appointment date. Ready in which way? To travel? To be a mom? Have the room ready? I usually answer that I am as ready as I can be.
I work with a great group of folks, but I do know that some of them have been discussing among themselves that they just don't understand why we are going so far and why we are spending so much money to get a child from Ukraine. Most of these people probably have no idea of the cost of a Ukrainian adoption vs. a domestic adoption.
I don't let this bother me. We are doing the right thing. We are doing what God wants us to do and He has His reasons behind what we are doing even if we do not know what they are.
We have a mini-revival at church today and tomorrow. Dr. Tim Lee is preaching and gave his testimony this morning. He lost both legs in combat in Vietnam, just weeks before he was supposed to be discharged. He spoke of how God did this to use him to spread the Word and that God did not hurt him and it was not an accident that this happened to him.
God has a reason for "closing my womb" and for leading us to Ukraine. Whatever the outcome, it will be God's will.
God's will be done.....
Love,
R & T
Monday, January 18, 2010
Glad Tim bought the electronic translator....
because we had a Ukrainian pastor, Sasha, at our church last night and I only understood one word without the translator! And that word was....book.
OK - now in my defense, he was speaking Ukrainian and our Rosetta Stone is Russian. We did understand musica, but that was a given - music.
Luckily the translator is Ukrainian born and married to a pastor here in town - and she lives in my mom's neighborhood - so, I think if we get in a pinch once we get the children home, we can make an emergency call.
I have a bad sinus infection - the type that builds pressure in my head and won't break up. I barely slept last night due to the headache and went to work this morning to do payroll. I left around 11:30 and went to the doctor this afternoon. So, I am on antibiotics and still have the remnants of the headache from last night. Hated to use ETO time for today, but I have to get well for the trip.
Will try to post photos of the kid(s) room when I feel better.
Please continue to pray for Al Goff in Haiti. He worked in a medical clinic today. So proud to call him our friend. Those of you who know him will agree. He is so selfless and it is much more that a job to him, it is his calling.
Love,
R & T
OK - now in my defense, he was speaking Ukrainian and our Rosetta Stone is Russian. We did understand musica, but that was a given - music.
Luckily the translator is Ukrainian born and married to a pastor here in town - and she lives in my mom's neighborhood - so, I think if we get in a pinch once we get the children home, we can make an emergency call.
I have a bad sinus infection - the type that builds pressure in my head and won't break up. I barely slept last night due to the headache and went to work this morning to do payroll. I left around 11:30 and went to the doctor this afternoon. So, I am on antibiotics and still have the remnants of the headache from last night. Hated to use ETO time for today, but I have to get well for the trip.
Will try to post photos of the kid(s) room when I feel better.
Please continue to pray for Al Goff in Haiti. He worked in a medical clinic today. So proud to call him our friend. Those of you who know him will agree. He is so selfless and it is much more that a job to him, it is his calling.
Love,
R & T
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Getting Ready & Prayer
Before I start on us - please pray for the people of Haiti and the many orphans there. This number will undoubtedly climb with the recent tragedy. Please pray for our friend, Al Goff who is there as the Disaster Relief Director of Global Aid Network (GAIN). He arrived yesterday thanks to the assistance of Hendrick Motorsports who provided their jet, pilots, fuel, etc. Pray that he and his team remain safe and that they are able to help the people of Haiti.
The room is almost ready. Looks really bare, but we do have the bed assembled and it looks really good. We have the duvet on and the curtains up. The sheets are ready to go - just had to buy a mattress pad today. We will decorate more after we get home from Ukraine.
Only three weeks from today and we will be on our way to get our child(ren).
This morning's sermon was on life and anti-abortion as was our Sunday school lesson. Of course, I cried through the sermon because I just cannot relate that someone could kill their unborn child. I was appalled to hear the statistics that Pastor Hodges quoted. It hurts so bad to know that someone could do this when there are those of us who would give anything to have child. BUT - as he said, God has a reason for the wombs that he has closed and I truly feel that His plan for us is to get our child from Ukraine.
Please keep us in your prayers as we continue on this journey.
Love,
R & T
The room is almost ready. Looks really bare, but we do have the bed assembled and it looks really good. We have the duvet on and the curtains up. The sheets are ready to go - just had to buy a mattress pad today. We will decorate more after we get home from Ukraine.
Only three weeks from today and we will be on our way to get our child(ren).
This morning's sermon was on life and anti-abortion as was our Sunday school lesson. Of course, I cried through the sermon because I just cannot relate that someone could kill their unborn child. I was appalled to hear the statistics that Pastor Hodges quoted. It hurts so bad to know that someone could do this when there are those of us who would give anything to have child. BUT - as he said, God has a reason for the wombs that he has closed and I truly feel that His plan for us is to get our child from Ukraine.
Please keep us in your prayers as we continue on this journey.
Love,
R & T
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Countdown
We leave three weeks from tomorrow. It is surreal that we are finally at this point after over a year of paperwork and hurry up and wait.
We have a pastor from Ukraine speaking at church tomorrow. How cool is that? Certainly not a coincidence, but God's hand once again in our journey.
We will finally get the bed today and begin to get the room together. We will not decorate the walls or anything until we return. That way we can let our child's personality shine through.
Keep us in your prayers.
Love,
R & T
We have a pastor from Ukraine speaking at church tomorrow. How cool is that? Certainly not a coincidence, but God's hand once again in our journey.
We will finally get the bed today and begin to get the room together. We will not decorate the walls or anything until we return. That way we can let our child's personality shine through.
Keep us in your prayers.
Love,
R & T
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Travel Arrangements Made
We will be leaving on Sunday, 2/7/10 and will arrive on 2/8/10.
We are trying to get the room in order and will most likely get the bed and chest-of-drawers this weekend. I am thinking of doing a beach theme, but will not make that decision until we get the child(ren) as we may end up doing two rooms.
Will try to keep the blog updated as we prepare to travel and as we go through the process.
Love,
R & T
We are trying to get the room in order and will most likely get the bed and chest-of-drawers this weekend. I am thinking of doing a beach theme, but will not make that decision until we get the child(ren) as we may end up doing two rooms.
Will try to keep the blog updated as we prepare to travel and as we go through the process.
Love,
R & T
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