Extra Prayers Needed...

Greeting Everyone,


Well, here's the update. We did not get the required signature in Kiev from the SDA today. However, all is not lost! Tomorrow, first thing in the morning, Yuri assures us they are suppose to sign it. The judge here in Kirovograd has agreed to accept a faxed copy until the original is sent by train. So we are still on the schedule for 2:00 tomorrow in court. However, if Yuri does NOT get the signature first thing in the morning, we have to wait until next week. PLEASE pray they sign it first thing in the morning. I completely believe in the power of prayer. Luke 1:37 "Nothing is impossible with God".

We still haven't heard when the boys will be able to come home with us. If Lamar and I had it our way, we would leave the judge's chamber, take a cab over to JetSki Dom, grab the kids and never look back. However, it's not that easy. Yuri wants us to keep them there until our birth certificates and passports are done. He said it is really tough to bring kids with you and have that done. Obviously we respect Yuri, but it will be hard knowing we could have the kids if we so desired. Hmmm? I'm very anxious to see how this pans out.

The boys are doing very well. They are being great sports trying out English. When it's time to clean up and Lamar and I start singing the "Clean Up" song that you all know, remember, and love. Kolya pipes right in and sings, "Lean-da....lean-da". Now when we start cleaning up, Lamar says, "It's Lean-da time!" It kills me! We are still working with sharing toys. Actually Kolya has an amazing strategy. If he sees something Yarik has that he really wants, he finds a "decoy" toy, runs up to Yarik and grabs the toy he wants. Before Yarik has a chance to cry, he throws the "decoy" toy into his hands and takes off with the desired toy. It works for him, too! Yarik falls for it every time. I have a sneaky suspicion that his two big brother back at home will not be as gullible falling for this Master Plan.

Yarik is still a mess. He fell on the corner of a brick wall and cut open the side of his face near his eye. We were sure it was going to be a black eye. He cried less than a minute and then he wanted down to play. He's incredible. He's VERY tough. He impresses us with how he is trying English, too- especially if the reward is a bite of banana. He will try saying ANYTHING for a bite of food. However, even though he is a very good eater, if he doesn't like something, there is NO way it is going down. We cracked open a walnut outside and gave him some of the inside upon his begging insistence. He took one taste of it and spit it out so quickly while wiping his tongue to remove any residual taste. We really had to try hard to not laugh. I can't wait to see his reaction to the taste of his first lemon. Watch out! We might have to pull out the rain gear again!

We had a chance to go to the market again. We finished up all our shopping for the boys today. we have everything from Pull-Ups for Yarik at night to new toothbrushes, teddy's, hats, underwear, clothes, snacks, etc. We don't want to get too much stuff here because we have to bring it home with us. However, we will be here at least a week with them, so we need some stuff.

This morning our land line phone rang at 7 a.m. I think it was Sergei wanting to know if we would be going to lunch at that restaurant. Augh! We were sound asleep, too. We stay up late here so we can Skype with the boys after their school, and we try and sleep in. I'm trying to remain positive about being woken up by a large, persistent Ukrainian man, but the only thing I've got is that maybe God is preparing me for being woken up by hungry, little, persistent Ukrainian boys. Could be...! I can't wait!

One thing I keep forgetting to mention. To all my Dog-Loving Friends and Family (especially my big sister, Teresa...hee hee hee!) I must share with you something very sad. There are street dogs ALL over the place in Ukraine. I never heard of street dogs except in "All Dogs Go to Heaven". I didn't know they still existed? Dogs roam all over the place here begging for scraps and hand outs. If they want to take a nap, they just drop where they are and fall asleep. Lamar and I have to step over sleeping dogs when we walk places. It's the craziest thing. It even breaks MY heart to see so many animals without homes. The dogs are all over the outside playgrounds at the orphanage, too. Ukrainian dogs don't say 'Bow Wow' here either. Ukrainian dogs say, 'Gov-gov'! When Yarik and Kolya see a dog, they point and say, "Gov-Gov". Isn't that a riot?


Well, I'm off to see if I can get online to paste this blog. We are having a real difficult time with our internet the past couple of days.

We will let you all know as soon as we receive word about tomorrow. Fingers crossed, prayers sent, and candles lit...but please don't burn down your houses!

Love to all-
Kris