It has been busy month. We were so blessed to spend Christmas with the Ukraine children. We all miss them. It was such a joy to experience Christmas with them.
We are working towards going to Ukraine to adopt them. We have been on this journey for about a year and a half. We hope and pray it will all work out soon. Waiting on their registration to be complete, not fun. But God has done some great things in that time. We are trusting in His care and protection of them. We know that God sees the whole picture and we only see part of the big picture. God's plans and timing are perfect.
I'm up early on a Saturday morning. I had to call Ukraine to try to talk. I did. Hello and I'm eating is about all that was said. I will try again later. What a joy to get that much. I miss them terribly.
We are already a family. God put us together months ago. Now they too have the homesick feeling of missing us and missing their home here. They know they are loved and we are trying to come for them. We must be patient. Patient just trying to say hello. Patient on the months it takes to adopt.
I have heard some get puppy love for orphans. I never experienced that. I knew there was never a chance of us changing our minds. They were ours. God has given them to us. I know there are possiblities of problems. We have met some of them. But I know God gave them to us. Therefore God will work out the details.
Ricky and I stayed up late last night talking. I've had a dull headache for a week. Maybe sinus. A toothache for a year. (Yes, my first crown, my first root canal and yes, it still hurts. The amazing thing...it did not hurt till it was "fixed"). I digress. Talking about money gives me a headache. I know that God will provide. Just what God will provide or how I do not know. We had to total the estimated cost of the adoption. It is a large number. Then to talk to others that have adopted recently, and be told to take and extra ten thousand? How can something cost that much more?
Our four children are very excited to be getting closer to the time of adoption. They also miss the others. It is so sweet to hear my 8 year old. At every meal she prays she mentions them to God and asks for His help. I love it. We are planning on taking them with us to Ukraine. In my mind it was always the plan. Plans have to be financed. The end result is as a homeschool mom it is not possible for me to leave them for 6-12 weeks. We had been told we would be in Ukraine 8 weeks. The last two families were there 6 weeks. Hopefully we will not be there longer.
Our time in Ukraine....some things are very scheduled and rules to be followed. We are praying our time their would be useful to others. That God would use us as He desires. That we would be willing to be used by God in whatever He leads us to at that time. We do not know how much interaction will be possible with other orphans. I know God has a plan.
We are also praying about hosting again this summer. It must be decided next month. We are told we are crazy to consider it with plans of 3 new children being here. Again, it is not up to us. We are to be empty vessels willing for God to fill and use as He sees fit. We will pray.
