We’re in Kiev, with the kids. I am going to blog mores later about our crazy, crazy day yesterday and our long night on the train. But for now, Aaron went to the grocery store and I am exhausted!
Category Archives: First Adoption
Today and Tomorrow
We met the McCoys today, adopting Celia. They are just as kind and wonderful in real life, as we thought they were. They live in Arizona, quite far from us, but they have family in our town. We hope to keep in touch with them, so our kids can grow up knowing each other. We have really enjoyed getting to meet so many different families here and hear what has led them to adoption.
Other that that, we’ve had a boring day. Some packing and stuff, getting things ready for tomorrow. I packed two little outfits. We also have two grocery bags of toys to give the children at the orphanage, thanks to the children and youth staff at our old church. They are also in the process of collecting shoes and other donations for this orphanage.
I am eager for tomorrow and also a bit um, anxious? Sasha arrives here at 4am! We will all go back to sleep for a bit and then start the document run at 8. I just really hope we can get it all done. I know we will if it is possible– Sasha and our driver are really wonderful. I am sort of hoping for a day of down time before we head back to Kiev. We’d like to see the McCoys again and rest a bit.
Boys and Broken Hearts
In regards to my post about little men, I just want to say that I don’t judge why anyone picks a particular child. That is none of my business. I have lots and lots of respect for all the families adopting from this orphanage and I am certain that they picked the right child(ren) for their family.
But, my heart is still broken for the boys. Where are their families?
I’ve gotten a couple of interesting responses to my that post. It’s not just me who sees this. It’s not just this orphanage or this country. All over the world, including in our own country.
There are so many factors which make a child adoptable, it seems. Age, special needs, description, referral photo. Why in the world is gender one of those factors?
Being here has only strengthened my desire to fight for these children. Especially the boys.
I would like to challenge you to pray the prayer “Break my heart for what breaks Yours.” I will warn you though, be prepared. You may end up half a world away like we are!
A Very Good Day
It is only 11am here, but today is turning out to be a very good day.
Thanks to some wonderful friends at home, our house will be decorated for Christmas. It sounds so trivial, but coming home to a festive house will mean a lot to us. It is hard to get in the Christmas spirit here. We are not bombarded with the holidays like we are at home. We are doing out best to remember it is in 10 days and we listen to Christmas music often. Especially Sara Groves’ FREE O Holy Night Tour. You can download it here. It is a wonderful mix of classic Christmas carols and her own music.
I am feeling way less sick today. I think I’ve coughed once all morning. I am so glad that I should have my energy up for Friday.
Our driver took us to the outdoor market. It was so much fun! I am glad we declined his offer to help us. Struggling to communicate can be a bit fun at times. We got boots for both kids, which were each $31.25 USD. That was about what we found them for at a store around the corner from us, but that store had few options in their sizes and we like the ones we got. We just wandered around the market for awhile, taking it all in. Lots of clothes for sale. That was most of it, at least in the section we were in. There were also ladies pushing little coffee carts for the vendors to warm up. I can’t imagine being at one of those stands all day.
My mom will be mad… I did not take a single photo of the market. I wanted to wait until we were leaving, in case that was NOT okay with them. I did find this photo, which looks like the same market we went to. But, you have to imagine snow everywhere. A few inches on the ground and people shoveling it out of the way with whatever they had… brooms, dustpans or shovels.
After that, we asked our driver to stop at the grocery store. We wanted to get some gifts, like boxes of chocolate for the orphanage staff. One of the things I wanted to get was a children’s book in Russian for them– just to have as a keepsake. We looked at all of the books at the grocery store, not sure which one to buy or what they were able. But we found a children’s alphabet book with all of the Russian letters. Very cute. We also got all of our major gifts covered. And we got diapers. Basically my whole list from yesterday has been done. A big relief.
We also got a call from Celia’s papa today! They’re here! I really fell in love with Celia while advocating about her on my blog. Meeting her during our visits at the orphanage just confirmed that she is just as special as I thought. Although we have not met them in person yet, Celia’s family seems really wonderful too and I am so excited to get to know them and hear how their first meeting went with Celia. Just for clarification, her name is not really Celia, just like Scarlett Lena was not really Erika, the name we first identified her with. It is just a code name for internet protection.
The reality of Friday, picking Ilya and Lena up forever, is slowly hitting me. Setting out their clothes, packing our bags, it’s all becoming a lot more real.
For a Laugh
If you have been to Eastern Europe, at least the country we’re in, you know that they listen to music that most of us Americans have not listened to in at least 10 years. Some 20 or 30 years. Enrique Igelsias. ABBA. Heart. Haddaway’s “What is Love”. The theme from Beverly Hills Cop. On the radio. All the time. Especially the last one. Hilarious.
Well, one morning on our way to the orphanage, we heard this song. Could it be more adoption-appropriate?
a moose in moscow 