What an amazing gift!

We had the most precious reunion last night at the airport! It was everything I imagined and more! We got the greatest hugs of all time and huge smiles as we walked out to our car about midnight. Thank you so much to our paparazzi crew who captured those sweet moments! Then we drove about an hour and half home with one stop to get bananas... I think since last night they have each had about 8 pieces of fruit. They are like kids in a candy shop with the fruit - they are amazed that I allow them to have it. I figure its good for them and it will taper off eventually. At least it kind of started to at Christmas with Nastya.

Anyways, so we arrived home and met each and every animal (we kind of have a zoo!). Then they wanted to take a bath (and needed one - they showed up in several layers including sweaters?!? - this is Texas in August and I don't think it is cold in Ukraine either!!). Finally we put on their pjs and we prayed and went to sleep about 3 in the morning. Wow! They slept until 8 and then up we went, cooked breakfast (eggs, little sausages, bread) which they ate well, cleaned up (Katya really likes to help clean and is very organized), got dressed and headed to my parents' house to swim and meet the horses. Oh, before we left Zach and Katya played around on the computer listening to music. She loves music and we had sent her the Breakaway CD (praise and worship music) and a cd player for her birthday. She recognized all the songs and seems to really enjoy them. We had fun looking at pictures too.

So we arrived at my parents and I finally let them unbuckle and roll down the windows once we got into the gate. They were in awe of the sunroof and stuck their heads out. It was amazing to see Nastya's reactions at seeing things again and Katya's reactions at seeing everything for the first time. The funniest reaction was when Nastya saw Solomon - my parents' huge New Foundland who was a tiny puppy at Christmas - she was so confused at how he had grown SO big :) Another example, Nastya knew the seat belt is a non-negotiable but Katya is learning that (just like Nastya did at Christmas). I watched Nastya ride her bike, pet the horses, and swing under the trees today and remembered the emotions of the last day in January that she relished doing these exact things and neither of knew if she would ever be back to do it again. Thank you Lord for bringing these children to us!

Swimming Time!!

We headed to the pool and they have been telling me that they know how to swim. Just before getting in they asked for life jackets!! I had none except for Ben and Ella's - much to small! They said they knew how!! So they squeezed into these mini life jackets and tentatively got in, holding onto me for dear life. Very soon though, they were flopping around, holding their breath underwater, and attempting a few strokes. It won't take them long to learn, but we will have life jackets that fit next time around!!

After all that we ate lunch, went up to the house to rest a bit with a movie, and fit in a little bike riding. Katya is a bit frustrated that her little sis can ride and she can't. It was too hot to practice long today but she will get it soon.

Katya is so incredibly sweet and thoughtful. She really likes Ella and braided her hair so pretty today. She is very helpful and notices when things need to be done. She is very friendly and likes to be with us all the time. She is also calm and I think has a calming effect on Nastya :) She is doing great with English too - it is fun to teach them English.

I go to bed tired but full of joy!

What a gift it is to have these precious girls.

A few hours...

And we will hug our girls!!! They arrive late tonight. We are taking the kids to dinner and maybe a movie while we wait for the plane to arrive!! We talked to them when they got to NY and can't wait to hold them and see them.

It is surreal after all the uncertaintity. When we put Nastya on a plane eight months ago we had no idea if we would see her again but dared to hope... And now here they come!!!

Well Said

Here is an article written by Stephen Curtis Chapman. I saw it on another blog and wanted to share it.

FRANKLIN, Tennessee (CNN) -- According to UNICEF, there are 143 million children in the world who have lost one or both parents.
In America alone, there are half a million children in foster care, and approximately 120,000 of these children are waiting to be adopted. In many countries, children are too often orphaned or abandoned because of poverty, disabilities and disease; every 15 seconds, a child loses a parent because of AIDS. These are staggering facts that can seem overwhelming and discouraging, but I believe that God has a loving plan for each child, and that plan is you and me.
Caring for these children is not the job of governments or institutions; instead, it is the job of families, people and communities. As Christians, our compassion is simply a response to the love that God has already shown us. Mother Teresa would constantly remind those who worked with her that the Bible clearly teaches that whatever we do for the least of these, we do for Jesus. So in a very real sense, caring for orphans is a chance to meet the person of Jesus in "the guise of human suffering." This is an invitation from the heart of God to know him and to experience his love.
Nine years ago, my wife and my eldest daughter, Emily, traveled to Haiti on a mission trip. Having been exposed to extreme poverty for the first time, Emily returned home with a determined passion to make a difference in the lives of at-risk children.
Only 12 years old, Emily went on an all-out campaign to persuade us to adopt. She bought a book on international adoption with her Christmas money and would read it to us regularly. She began fervently praying and writing letters to Mary Beth and me, encouraging us to consider giving a waiting child a home. Emily knew God was leading us in the direction of adoption; however, Mary Beth and I were not yet convinced.
My wife and I had always supported the idea of adoption, and as Christians, we understood the importance of loving and caring for others. But what I had not yet grasped was that adoption is a physical picture of what Jesus has done for me. I did nothing to deserve God's love; in fact, I was living as an orphan, without hope. Yet God chose to pursue a relationship with me, and through the death of his son Jesus, I was adopted into God's family.
My wife and I began moving toward adoption with fear and trembling and asking all the questions people ask. I remember Mary Beth crying herself to sleep at night saying, "What are we doing? I can't do this." However, God kept reassuring us that this was the direction he was leading us. It was a huge journey of faith for us.
In May of 2000, we found ourselves in a hotel room in China's Hunan province, welcoming the newest member of our family, Shaohannah Hope. From that moment, we began our journey into the world of adoption, orphan care and Shaohannah's Hope.
We went on to adopt Stevey Joy and Maria. Recently, our youngest daughter, Maria, passed from life on this earth and is now safely in the arms of Jesus. We have been completely overwhelmed by the love and support of so many during this time of deep, deep sadness. Through all that we've experienced, one thing we still know is true: God's heart is for the orphan.
In our travels to Latin America, Africa and Asia, we have visited many different orphanages. If you look past the surroundings and into the eyes of the children, they all have the same look. They seem to convey, "I don't think this is what I was made for. Where do I belong?"
These children are crying out for the hope of a family, for the hope of community, for the hope of a permanent love. Our mission, and the mission of our adoption charity, Shaohannah's Hope, is to show hope to these children and to mobilize people, families and communities to be living examples of God's love for them.
We started Shaohannah's Hope in order to connect willing families with waiting children, but the reality is that there are many orphans who cannot be adopted. Even though we may not be able to bring them into our homes, we still have the opportunity to show them the hope we have.
If only 7 percent of the 2 billion Christians in the world would care for a single orphan in distress, there would effectively be no more orphans. If everybody would be willing to simply do something to care for one of these precious treasures, I think we would be amazed by just how much we could change the world.
We can each do something, whether it is donating, adopting, fostering, mentoring, visiting orphans or supporting families that have taken in orphans. You can change the world for an orphan.

Coming To America!!!

They got the visas! They got the visas!!! Woo-hoo!! Thank you Lord!!

I can't describe the relief and excitement I feel!!! We will see our girls in less than five days!!!

BIG Week!

Saturday August 2nd - My sis, brother-in-law, and my parents board a plane to leave for Ethiopia to bring home little Bennet Toufiq. We will be keeping their three year-old daughter Ella while they are gone. What is even more fun about this is that we are staying at my parents house the first five days they are gone and we will be swimming every day! Yeah for something for the kids to do to burn off their endless energy in this incredible hot weather that has been keeping them indoors!!!


Monday August 4th - (this will really be the middle of the night on Sunday for those of us in the US) The critical visa appointment takes place in Kiev that will determine whether the kid are coming on the hosting trip. We are praying that there are NO complications.


Thursday August 7th - We move back to our house with Ella to get last minute stuff ready for the girls and to make a BIG grocery trip. Edit: I just realized I forgot to include that this was also the BIG day that our dossier gets submitted!!! I clearly need sleep :)


Friday August 8th - Our sweet girls are scheduled to arrive late at night. They will be tired but we cannot WAIT to have them here. Everything's ready for them!


Wednesday August 13th - Bennett comes home - party at the airport!!! This morning is also the girls first dentist appointment.





Even with all this - I think it will be less stressful than this past week has been - at least a really fun version :) This past week has been tough - I have been trying to get a ton of work done in the office and getting lots of things checked off the list to prepare for all this. I've just felt overwhelmed in many ways trying to accomplish quite a bit. So I am glad the prep time is just about over :)



UPDATE AND URGENT PRAYER REQUEST:



Since I first typed this post, my sis had a snag in her process. They are still going to Ethiopia tomorrow - thank the Lord, but there is a chance there could be a problem with their immigration paperwork. Basically a typo was made by CIS about the age of the child they are adopting. It must be changed and the paperwork must arrive in Addis Ababa before Wed. or they will be stuck waiting on a visa and delay their return. Pray that God works out the details!!! There is already a senator on it but the timing will be close at best.

God of Provision!

I am so incredibly thankful that the much needed dental work that the girls need is being provided! I finally talked with our wonderful dentist today. She saw Nastya in December but it was so close to her leaving that there was not time to tackle the problems. I have been so concerned about both their teeth - although they do look better in pictures now that they has been following my instructions and brushing! What good girls :) But there are some very serious cavities that must be causing pain although Nastya said they didn't. And we don't know what to expect with Katya's teeth yet, except that Nastya told us that Katya had a few pulled! Not a great sign!

We have been praying about how we might get some of the most pressing things addressed while they come for the hosting trip. The biggest hurdle has been the finances. As my sis and I were discussing today - during the adoption process money is like water through the fingers! So I really felt that I needed to ask our dentist - whom I have seen since I was a teenager. I was worried that because we know her so well that she would feel obligated and that is the last thing I wanted. So, I explained to her the situation and told her to please not feel that she had to say yes and that if she can't (she is semi-retired with lots of grand babies) to just recommend who else I could talk to. She kind of laughed at me and told me I was silly for being nervous to ask her and that she would LOVE to do their dental work at no cost! We set up an appointment for their first cleaning, x-rays, and an exam to plan what needed to be done next.

I am so humbled by her generosity. We have not had to ask for help financially before from outside our family. It is an awesome thing. I am so blessed and humbled to be able to recieve this gift. Granted it is for the girls but since we plan to adopt them - I am asking for help for my children. And I think God is teaching me something here.

You see - this is big. Much bigger than us. We cannot do this ourselves. Of course not. "You can do nothing apart from Me..."

But I mean we cannot adopt these children and raise them without the help of other people as well. God will use and already has used MANY other people to minister to these children. Of course this is so true in the lives of all our children but I guess the enormity of the task right now - finances, length of travel and childcare while we are gone, supporting and loving the girls and us as we walk the ups and down of the road before us, medical care, just feeding and clothing five children in general, etc, etc...just makes it crystal clear that we need help. Even more crystal clear that while the Lord clearly provided the adoption money - times are otherwise a bit tight right now.

God will use others in this journey and it will be their blessing and ours.

Thank you to all you love and support us through this - through prayer, encouragement, advice, physical help, and finances. We are richly blessed.

2 Corinthians 9:8-15

And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9 As it is written: "He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever." Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

Books

I just started reading The Connected Child by Dr. Karyn Purvis. Zach and I are finding it to be a worthwhile read. We are only in the first 25 pages or so, but out of many books that I have ordered - this one just seems to make sense. I agree with many of the views expressed so far and appreciate the compassionate viewpoint that is offered. Anyways, we've ordered several adoption books and most we never read past the first few pages because they've been on the negative side and very technical. At some point maybe we'll find them helpful but not for now.

My favorite have been biographical stories of adoptions but The Connected Child is the first 'helpful' book that I've wanted to recommend. As far as the biographical ones - here is a list of a few faves: The Strength of Mercy by Jan Beazley, Finding Home by Jim Daly, Castaway Kid by R.B. Mitchell(this one is autobiographical by an adoptee - very insightful), and Saving Levi by Lisa Bentley.

Anyways, I'll post another update when we are further through it.