10 Day Wait is Over!!!!

Today, our facilitator, Andrew (works with Sasha) was able to pick up the inspector from Child's Services and go to the courthouse to obtain our court decree. We have been waiting for the last 10 days to obtain this. Nothing else could happen until this mandatory 10 day wait was complete and we had the court decree. This decree states that we are the parents of the 3 children and changes their names to their new American names. Andrew also went to the orphanage and picked up the old birth certificates. We had to have these to get the new birth certificates. Andrew picked Katie, Kevin, and I up from the apartment to get the new birth certificates (since I am the Mom, I had to be there). Guess what??? It is a holiday of some kind for the birth certificate department, so we were not able to do this today. Tomorrow, we will try again. We also plan to take the kids to Kiev to apply for the passport. This should be a fun field trip and will get the kids out of the orphanage. When we got back to the apartment, we had our devotion/prayer time. Katie prayed, "Lord, don't let the new kids drive Mom nuts tomorrow as we go to Kiev." I hope that you will all be in prayer for the same!!!

Actually, the kids are settling in with our visits and can't wait to come to America. We are trying to teach some English and a few polite phrases, such as "Thank You" and "May I have...". It is just hard to get into too much of this with them still being at the orphanage, and all the other kids around. Most of the other kids in their group also love attention. They love for me to get out the multiplication flash cards or the English/Russian teaching book that I have. I have determined that neither of the 2 youngest kids (Eli and Keri Jo) can read or do much math, although Keri Jo seems to be very willing and smart. I can't get Eli to sit down for more than about 5 seconds!!! I have determined the following: Eli loves Kevin and sports, but doesn't like to be touched very much, Keri Jo loves praise and I see fast behavioral changes when I praise her, and Kolby might be a Mama's boy. I don't know if any of them can ride a bicycle, but it should not take long for them to learn.

This time that we have had waiting has been very beneficial for all of us: we have learned so much about them, and they have learned some about us.

Our devotion today was Psalm 27:14:

"Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord".

I must say that that is extremely hard to do most of the times. It is much easier to do SOMETHING than to do NOTHING!!!!

One week from today, God willing, we should all be home. YIPPEE!!!!!!

Love you all,

Kim