One year ago, we had our little foster baby, Helen. We were having our first real "trial run" as parents and were saying, "Hey, this isn't so hard!" OK, so we were a little naive.
One year ago, we were spending new year's eve with some friends, and Rob got really sick- the first day of a week long bout of dysentery.
One year ago, we were in a different apartment, trying to keep our landlady from storing more stuff in our cabinets and trying not to let on that there would soon be a child in our home (on several occasions she tried hard to convince us to wait to have kids, for the sake of keeping her apartment clean).
One year ago, it hadn't even entered our imagination that April would be pregnant before our adoption was final.
One year ago, we were expecting to bring our daughter home from Ukraine sometime in the summer of 2010...and that she would be about 18 months old.
One year ago, Rob hadn't started noticing gray hairs.
One year ago, we never gave a thought to Interpol or the actions of the Ukrainian Parliament.
One year ago, we were in a very different place! Much has changed, but God has not.
One year from now...well, it makes me dizzy to think of all that will change in the next year!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Still waiting on a court date...
The latest is that East Asia Interpol emailed some sort of letter to Ukraine Interpol (we hope it has the correct information in it). However, we don't know what the letter says, because only a worker from the State Department of Adoption is allowed to go and pick up the printed out email. The SDA has refused to pick up the letter for the past 2 days. They're too busy. We need this document to get a court date. At this point, we're told that we might not get a court date until January 11th, because no one will pick up this document. This delays our adoption another week and means Rob might not return to the USA with our daughter until the beginning of February.
I'm (April) scheduled to fly out on the 12th of January and return to the USA. (so if our court date is the 11th in Svalyava, then I'll do an overnight train ride on the night of the 11th and go straight to the airport in Kiev) I need to return to the USA for a doctors appointment (pregnancy) and it doesn't seem wise to wait until late January or early February, considering the doctor's concerns at my last visit.
We're feeling frustrated and sad. It doesn't help that we're in Kiev (an overnight train ride away from our daughter), so we don't even get to see her while we wait.
I'm (April) scheduled to fly out on the 12th of January and return to the USA. (so if our court date is the 11th in Svalyava, then I'll do an overnight train ride on the night of the 11th and go straight to the airport in Kiev) I need to return to the USA for a doctors appointment (pregnancy) and it doesn't seem wise to wait until late January or early February, considering the doctor's concerns at my last visit.
We're feeling frustrated and sad. It doesn't help that we're in Kiev (an overnight train ride away from our daughter), so we don't even get to see her while we wait.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
2 Things
1 - We're still waiting on East Asia Interpol, but we called the office and they're willing to send an "internal email." We'll see if that works...
2 - A small chance to tease Rob. That's right. April is writing this update. On our 3rd day with our daughter, the orphanage workers asked if we wanted them to trim her hair. I immediately said, "no, thank you!" I want to have her hair grow out. Then, Rob turned to me and said, "Maybe we should have them trim around the ears a little?" I'm not sure where he got this idea and I asked him, "Do you realize you're asking me if I want our daughter to have a mullet?"
2 - A small chance to tease Rob. That's right. April is writing this update. On our 3rd day with our daughter, the orphanage workers asked if we wanted them to trim her hair. I immediately said, "no, thank you!" I want to have her hair grow out. Then, Rob turned to me and said, "Maybe we should have them trim around the ears a little?" I'm not sure where he got this idea and I asked him, "Do you realize you're asking me if I want our daughter to have a mullet?"
It Gets Worse
So I'm about to call East Asia Interpol myself and see if that helps. Talk about an impasse...
East Asia refuses to do a report on us because we're not criminals. But Ukraine cannot move forward with our adoption until they have that report. Ukraine is willing to accept a document explaining why they won't do a report, but East Asia Interpol won't even produce a document like that.
AAAAARGGGGHHHHH!!!!!
East Asia refuses to do a report on us because we're not criminals. But Ukraine cannot move forward with our adoption until they have that report. Ukraine is willing to accept a document explaining why they won't do a report, but East Asia Interpol won't even produce a document like that.
AAAAARGGGGHHHHH!!!!!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Our Adoption: The Neverending Story
Our saga continues as our heroes are aided in their quest by an unlikely ally: The East Asian Ambassador to Ukraine.
When we last left our weary family, they were awaiting approval from East Asia's Interpol office. The latest reports indicate that Ukraine's Interpol office has faithfully faxed requests to East Asia, requests which have been repeatedly ignored.
The intrepid facilitator, Helen, is exhausting all her resources to find a way to get this form. So she called the highest ranking East Asian official in Ukraine. Interestingly, this was not their first meeting. The Ambassador very kindly helped the adoption along a few months ago by providing a form which the East Asian government was unwilling to provide our soon-to-be-parents. He has proven a very helpful and kind gentleman, and we wonder if he's just excited that anyone in Ukraine is interested in East Asia.
So stay tuned, and see if the Ambassador's phone call makes a difference!
(All I can say is...Cosi is going to have quite the story to tell someday.)
When we last left our weary family, they were awaiting approval from East Asia's Interpol office. The latest reports indicate that Ukraine's Interpol office has faithfully faxed requests to East Asia, requests which have been repeatedly ignored.
The intrepid facilitator, Helen, is exhausting all her resources to find a way to get this form. So she called the highest ranking East Asian official in Ukraine. Interestingly, this was not their first meeting. The Ambassador very kindly helped the adoption along a few months ago by providing a form which the East Asian government was unwilling to provide our soon-to-be-parents. He has proven a very helpful and kind gentleman, and we wonder if he's just excited that anyone in Ukraine is interested in East Asia.
So stay tuned, and see if the Ambassador's phone call makes a difference!
(All I can say is...Cosi is going to have quite the story to tell someday.)
Shopping and More Cosi
This is part of the 15 minute walk to the grocery store in Kiev.
Notice Baby #2 snuggled up nice and warm in Mommy's belly. We haven't been around many full length mirrors, so April was pretty sure no one could tell she was pregnant under a few layers of clothing. After seeing some pictures, she realized that she was wrong.
The pigeons know how to keep warm! Whatever is under those manhole covers is really heating things up.
Along the way we saw this frozen well. People on the street are still using it to get water, so I guess it's not totally frozen.
The streets of Svalyava
And here's our little girl!
And this is how the camera usually sees her. We quickly learned that "Dai!" means "Gimme!!!" It's funny how many of our videos of her end with us backing away and trying to keep the video camera out of reach.
We get better pictures and video outside- because she's pleasantly distracted.
Notice Baby #2 snuggled up nice and warm in Mommy's belly. We haven't been around many full length mirrors, so April was pretty sure no one could tell she was pregnant under a few layers of clothing. After seeing some pictures, she realized that she was wrong.
The pigeons know how to keep warm! Whatever is under those manhole covers is really heating things up.
Along the way we saw this frozen well. People on the street are still using it to get water, so I guess it's not totally frozen.
The streets of Svalyava
And here's our little girl!
And this is how the camera usually sees her. We quickly learned that "Dai!" means "Gimme!!!" It's funny how many of our videos of her end with us backing away and trying to keep the video camera out of reach.
We get better pictures and video outside- because she's pleasantly distracted.
Monday, December 27, 2010
We know what you want...
I've never seen a child get so excited about putting on boots. This was one of the more reserved times. She gets downright giddy when she realizes she's going outside.
And here's Cosi carrying a stick and trying to see her breath on a cold Ukrainian morning. The cold never seems to bother her- one tough little girl!
And here's Cosi carrying a stick and trying to see her breath on a cold Ukrainian morning. The cold never seems to bother her- one tough little girl!
Maybe January 6th?
Update on East Asia Interpol Clearance = we don't have it yet! We're still waiting on East Asia.
At this point, we're told that we will not be able to have our court date on December 30th. If East Asia Interpol comes through this week, then we can have our court date on January 6th. (as long as Ukraine doesn't vote to put a moratorium on adoptions before then)
What does that mean for us? An extra week of waiting (we're looking at a late January return to the USA at this point) - and - decisions to be made about me (April) flying back (alone) early to have a doctor's appointment for baby #2 (the doctor wanted me to have an ultrasound at my last appointment b/c i might have excess fluid, but i put it off b/c I was flying out the next day for Ukraine).... we're not sure what to do... Maybe I'll fly back to the US for the doctors appointment and then return to Ukraine. Then, I could spend the last week of January in Ukraine waiting and doing paperwork with Rob & Cosi, as well as be able to fly back with them to the US. She's going to be more than a handful on the plane...plus I don't want to miss out on those first days once we have our daughter...
Decisions, decisions...
At this point, we're told that we will not be able to have our court date on December 30th. If East Asia Interpol comes through this week, then we can have our court date on January 6th. (as long as Ukraine doesn't vote to put a moratorium on adoptions before then)
What does that mean for us? An extra week of waiting (we're looking at a late January return to the USA at this point) - and - decisions to be made about me (April) flying back (alone) early to have a doctor's appointment for baby #2 (the doctor wanted me to have an ultrasound at my last appointment b/c i might have excess fluid, but i put it off b/c I was flying out the next day for Ukraine).... we're not sure what to do... Maybe I'll fly back to the US for the doctors appointment and then return to Ukraine. Then, I could spend the last week of January in Ukraine waiting and doing paperwork with Rob & Cosi, as well as be able to fly back with them to the US. She's going to be more than a handful on the plane...plus I don't want to miss out on those first days once we have our daughter...
Decisions, decisions...
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Superstitions
While we were inside our hosts home in Svalyava, Rob started whistling a Christmas song. All of a sudden (from the other room), our adoption facilitator came running and frantically told us "do not whistle! You can not whistle inside a home!"
It turns out there is a Ukrainian Superstition about whistling inside a home. It could mean that you are wishing for the home to burn down - or - it could mean that the people who own the home won't make money (or something to do with money).
It turns out there is a Ukrainian Superstition about whistling inside a home. It could mean that you are wishing for the home to burn down - or - it could mean that the people who own the home won't make money (or something to do with money).
More Videos
This first video is Cosi running past Daddy to get to Mommy :) In the beginning, she is being held back by the worker because they were trying to finish putting her shoes and clothes on- it seems like torture! The poor little girl just wanted to run to Mommy! We think it's so funny how she gives Rob a little sideways glance as she runs past him.
And here's where we're trying to teach her to say "Zip!" and to come to us for help when she needs it. She's very independent.
This last video is of the other children in Cosi's group- bear in mind that all of these children are over three years old. After seeing these kids, we can understand why she hasn't developed much of her speaking abilities and why she tends to grab whatever she wants (because what will any of these kids do to stop her?) We were happy to hear that Dasha (the little blond girl rolling on the floor) was just adopted by a family from Luxembourg- they had their court hearing yesterday. Dasha is unable to swallow, walk, talk, or hold up her head, and she has a lot of other health problems. At the end, there's a shot of Cosi playing with one of her caretakers. This particular woman was very warm and friendly and obviously cared for our little girl. And yes, Cosi is on the potty.
And here's where we're trying to teach her to say "Zip!" and to come to us for help when she needs it. She's very independent.
This last video is of the other children in Cosi's group- bear in mind that all of these children are over three years old. After seeing these kids, we can understand why she hasn't developed much of her speaking abilities and why she tends to grab whatever she wants (because what will any of these kids do to stop her?) We were happy to hear that Dasha (the little blond girl rolling on the floor) was just adopted by a family from Luxembourg- they had their court hearing yesterday. Dasha is unable to swallow, walk, talk, or hold up her head, and she has a lot of other health problems. At the end, there's a shot of Cosi playing with one of her caretakers. This particular woman was very warm and friendly and obviously cared for our little girl. And yes, Cosi is on the potty.
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