"When Can I Stay Forever?"

That is the question I was asked just a few days ago. We were invited to attend a Ukrainian Independence Day celebration on Sunday. It was lots of fun with good food, swimming, and an abundance of translators. All the people were so kind and very excited about our adoption/hosting process.

As we were leaving, I asked Liliya to translate some information to the girls about the upcoming dentist appointments this week. (More on that in a sec) The kids were in the car and it had started to rain. So standing in the rain under an umbrella with her daughter waiting, Liliya patiently translated a what turned into a quite lengthy conversation! What an incredible gift she has been to us! So in the middle of talking about dentists and swimming and random stuff, Katya asks what must have been on her heart and finally she saw a chance to express. Nastya followed that up with "Nastya no hochish internot" (Nastya does not want to go to the orphanage). With hearts melting, we looked at both girls, held their hands and told them that we loved them both very much. We said that if it were up to us they would stay here forever and not leave at all. But that it was not our decision and if we did that we would go to jail. That got a few laughs and they understand. Then we told them we had done everything on our end and that we were just waiting for the governement of Ukraine to tell us when we could come to Ukraine. We told them that we hoped it would be before Christmas. That is all we could give them. This led to a quiet, introspective ride home for Katya and to nightmares that night for Nastya. My heart breaks that they must return.

I followed up that conversation with a little more via the online translator. I told them again how much I loved them and that I could not wait for the day when we can talk more about what we are all thinking. I told them that this was God doing this work in our lives and they wholeheartedly agreed and Katya said that He had given them so much good.

On another note, please pray for me. I am tired. It has been a doozy of a month and the adrenaline is over. The next week seems daunting on an emotional and physical level. Allee and Jadon start school Tuesday and that is also the girls' last day here. Another doozy on timing! It seems that just about every major life event of the past two years is being squeezed into this particular time period. Allee is worried about school and the girls are emotional about leaving. I have much preparation to do on both ends. Oh, did I mention my birthday is Sunday? I want to make this time sweet for all but have many conflicting demands. Pray that God redeems this time and gives me the grace I need.

On yet one more note, we have had some challenges with Katya. She is super sweet and loving one minute and then so pouty the next because perhaps I say that we are going to the park and she would rather swim! Like a 12 year old one second and 2 the next. It's hard to know how to react and how to balance grace and firmness. And then there are little things that are difficult. Particularly when it is time to do anything, sit down at the table, get in the car to go somewhere (even somewhere she wants to go), get ready for bed, etc...she had a gazillion things that she needs to do before doing the thing that we have asked. I am struggling to clearly, patientely and firmly redirect and show her what to do and to realize that anyone needs to have a little time to finish up what they are doing before moving on to the next thing. But this is definitely an area we are praying for wisdom... Of course I guess all this is maybe not so different than our boys but we just know how to deal with these issues with them and I guess because of her age we expect more. But I know I shouldn't. She hasn't had the blessings of godly parental love, training, and example. I guess we are just seeing firsthand some of the struggles that we completely expected (and thankfully not nearly as bad as imagined actually) - this just happens to be reality rather than imagining!

So on to the dentist update. Nastya went last Thursday and did great! She had two teeth pulled (don't worry they were baby teeth that needed to come out) and one filling. She is so brave and just had a few concerns when the drilling started. She was very happy when we told her that new teeth were going to come in where the others were pulled. And she had her first experience with the tooth fairy! She wanted a real live puppy but a tiny, cute pink and purple one along with some gum was okay too :) We go for round two tomorrow...

Today has been an interesting day. We got home from roller skating at 9:00 tonight and with a child who was pouting because she didn't want to leave the skating rink - glad she loved it so much :) Then we couldn't find my beloved 11 year-old golden retriever, Bailey, who had gotten himself stuck in a hole that he had dug for himself in the mud. It took quite awhile with flashlights to find him in the dark yard and while calling him, we woke up a few kids :) It was kind of like 'Shadow' on Homeward Bound. But at least he wasn't hurt!