"Metcha" Anniversary

Today, November 12th, is our "Met-cha" anniversary. It's hard to believe that a year has passed since we first saw our kidos. I can still see the place and time we first laid eyes on them.

The first one I met was Nadia. She was leaning against the wall outside of the director's office after we had met with Galina. She had just been summoned from school and had a look of fear and bewilderment. I can only imagine her concern as she was told that a couple was here to meet her and her siblings for possible adoption. Nadia has told me since that she saw us first and that we passed her as she was sitting on a couch during our tour of the orphanage. Nadia immediately grew 7 inches in 7 months and has became a sweet young lady. There are days when she tries to get bossy with her sibs, but she gets back into routine when warned. She had to be the "Mom" all those years and it was hard to let go and trust us. But eventually it happened, and Nadia is getting to enjoy her late childhood. Nadia is terrific with her English and played both team soccer & volleyball this year. Nadia is a daddy's girl.

The second one we met was Kolya. He showed up about 2 minutes after we first met Nadia. Galina was positioned at the staircase and he was hiding behind her as the introductions were made. He was shy at first and we would come to realize that his few misbehavior incidents the first few weeks were a result of his struggle to let go of the only caretakers which he gave his loyalty. While there, he would come to see us as the authority and care providers he so longed for. In the past year, Kole has mastered English and gained a few pounds. He has a great attitude and sense of humor. Always the pleaser, Kole hardly complains and always does what is asked of him. Mom always says, "we need 10 just like him". Kole is definitely the "Mamas boy". He played competitive soccer this year on one of the best teams in Longmont. They went undefeated and Kole definitely contributed. He is a treasure to have around!

The third one we met was Julia. She was at the sanatorium when we came, so our driver and a caretaker had to go get her. We first met Julia in Galina's office. Heidi and I were ushered back into her office to talk with the kids and she arrived in due time. She had to sit closest to me on the other couch and in my peripheral vision I could see her checking me out. She held onto the Teddy bear we gave her and was silent for most of the discussion. I can still see her in that blue sweater she wore. The poor child hadn't worn clean clothes in a long time and her hair was severely matty and cut incorrectly. I just knew she was a diamond in the rough and that we had to rescue her from that lonely, dingy place they had her. Julia has since learned English and is doing well at school. Lots of therapy and TLC has helped Julia learn about family life and she is a sweet little girl. It's still a struggle most days with "Yule" as I call her ( we still call her Yulia at home), but I couldn't image our lives without her and her gentle, caring spirit. Equally affectionate with both of us, but sways towards Mom on most things, Julia marches to the beat of her own drum. You can't and shouldn't put her in a mold. Simply put, Julia is Julia. She has gained 15 or so pounds and grown a few inches in the past year. Mom swore she grew an inch the 10 days she was gone in September! Julia's favorite activity is the horse riding therapy class she attends on Saturday mornings.

In 27 days, we celebrate "Got-cha" Day!

~ Felix ~

We have a date!

We had an e-mail waiting for us from our facilitator this morning. We have our official SDA appointment on January 18th, 2010!

I have some work commitments during the first and second week of January as well as mid-March so this date works well for me. I was concerned about having to make up work when we returned. It seems the Lord had it all planned out all along, he knew my needs without me having to ask! Also, the US and Ukrainian Christmas & New Years days will be done so there will not be any government or embassy closures. Perhaps we can get everything done in quick order this time.

We talked to Zina this weekend again, well actually, Nadia talked to Z for over an hour. They were giggling and laughing and sharing information about school and such. Z originally wanted to share a bedroom with Rimma when they all are finally home. Nadia was happy to announce that she and Zina worked it out and they want to be "bunked" together. It is good to see two long distance sisters getting along and wanting to be together.

~ Felix ~

Hospitals & Broken Phones

Our friend Bruce is in Kherson finishing up the adoption of his two kids. He reports that Rimma has been sent to the sanatorium for a strong reaction to her recent TB test. This will be the second time in as many years that she has had this happen to her. R does not have TB, rather, the inoculations they give in Ukraine cause false readings. Wanting to be safer-than-sorry, they send kids for a 6-8 week stay. This should have no impact on our adoption of her. Julia was in a sanatorium for the same reason when we met her. My only concern is that R doesn't like the food there and the last time we saw her at the sanatorium, she was all skin & bones, having lost a good deal of weight. I can't wait to get her home.

For the past two to three weeks we haven't been able to call Zina. We knew something was wrong and sure enough, Bruce discovered that Z's phone is busted. We will get that remedied by working through Oksana or Sergey.

Thank you, Bruce for helping us with the girls while you go through your adoption process. We all appreciate your efforts!

We are still waiting to hear about our appointment with the SDA. We weren't going to know something until next week anyway. But, with the 3 week closure, we may not know anything for sometime.

~ Felix ~

3 Week Shutdown in Ukraine

H1N1 has hit western Ukraine. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko ordered a massive and unprecedented disease-control program to go into effect immediately in an attempt to prevent the spread of the disease. Schools nationwide will close for three weeks, and "all mass gatherings will be forbidden," Tymoshenko said. Seventy-one people have died of flu and acute respiratory infections in Ukraine since the start of the epidemic, according to the Prime Minister.

So what does this mean for adoptions? We have not been advised by our facilitator but certainly this will delay our appointment by at least three weeks, if not more. Most government offices will follow suit, it is assumed. We are taking the news in stride, we still have some prep work to be done before R comes home and we were a bit concerned about a sudden appointment date. We may be home for Thanksgiving and Christmas after all.

Our real concern is for those families in Ukraine adopting now, including our friends Bruce Deyoung and Jim & Teresa. We also have Richard & Cindy and Martin & Victoria in our prayers. They have appointments this month and have made plans or bought airline tickets to travel.

~ Felix ~

The Rules, Revisited

Since we seem to have a week or two before knowing of our SDA appointment date, I thought that we could revisit an old topic from a past posting.

In a recent e-mail a new friend, Tiffany, spoke of the 10 rules of our house that we instituted once we got home with the kids. She thought that they were a good basis for her own set of rules in her home. That post is almost a year old and her e-mail got me to thinking about them again, although they are ever-present and in plain sight on the fridge door. They have been tweaked a little since that post and sometimes the kids act like they don't exist, but I am quick to remind them to go read rule such-and-such when an infraction occurs. Here they are again, refined by lessons learned this past year.

1. Be kind...PERIOD!
2. Keep your room tidy and make your bed every morning.
3. If you make a mess, clean it up immediately.
4. Return your things to your room after use.
5. Turn off lights, water, radio, television when not using them.
6. Eat only in the Kitchen or dining room.
7. Wash hands before eating and when returning from outside.
8. You will do your kitchen day after every meal, your laundry on your day and your daily chores.
9. Obey Mom and Dad when you are told to do something.
10. This is your home, take care of it.

~ Felix ~

My Best Christmas Ever

Do you remember this video from 2007? It was at this moment that I realized...they had my heart forever!

~ Felix ~

Some news

Well, we survived the first winter storm of the season. I (Felix) got half a day off on Wednesday and all day off on Thursday. The kids didn't have school on Thursday. Poor Heidi had to go to work, though. Everyone is back at school or back at work today. Eileen Christofferson came over for a couple of hours yesterday with Ann, Sophie and Anna. We popped some corn and watched a movie after the kids came in from playing in the two feet of snow in our yard.

We received word this morning that all is well with our adoption plans and that we haven't been forgotten. Here's what our facilitator had to say.

• The SDA confirmed that our facilitator's info was correct and R is indeed available this month
• We will not get an appointment this week or next, but rather the second week of November
• He expects an appointment for the end of November or the first week of December

That's good news because we were actually dreading news that we would be given an appointment within two weeks. Yikes! We know a couple of families that have been given an appointments that close from their submission dates. Wow!

In closing, we ask that you remember two families in your prayers. We lift these families up to the Lord as they follow His plan for them.

• Jim & Teressa, who despite heartbreak and considerable setbacks have marched forward for the third time this year to bring home not one, but two to three children from Ukraine.
• Bruce & Michelle DeYoung. Bruce is returning to finish up the work he and Michelle started last month. They are bringing home two teen-aged children from the same orphanage as R & Z.

~ Felix ~