BIG Prayers!

OK, we think we may have found a way to make S available for international adoption, thus waiving the one year waiting period. Ukraine says if children have a "special disease", all wait times can be waived. I was able to come across a PDF file that listed acceptable diseases and many, many heart defects are listed. S has a heart defect! This could be our miracle! Can you fathom, our God, giving this sweet boy a heart condition when He created S, just so 16 years later he could be adopted? That would be God's plan. It brings me to my knees just trying to imagine how much God knows, how he brings everything together, unfolds all the little details, and works on things in your life years in advance when you have no idea the plans the Lord has for you. Amazing doesn't begin to.touch it.

Our facilitator is going to be looking into this and seeing if it is something that will work for S. We need really urgent, strong prayer that THIS is our answer. That we can go and rescue this child. Please pray S will fit into this medical clause and his waiting time will be waived. I believe in the power of prayer. I believe in God to make all things possible. Please spread the word and get this prayer chain BIG! Yeah!

With God, all things are possible. ~Matthew 19:28

Due for an update

I don't have a lot to update with, but I do have some stuff I can let you all in on!

We had been praying to find someone who speaks Russian to call S with us so we could translate. Finally found the sweetest family to do so! So thankful! We've tried calling a couple times and haven't talked to him yet. On the bright side, we've talked to his aunt who signed over her rights and she was very nice. Thanked us a few times for all we've done for S and how much she appreciates that he has someone who cares about him. It kills me that it took 16 years to find someone. But he has been found now, that's all I can focus on! On the down side, we learned his situation is much worse than we ever could have thought. Without saying too much on here, S doesn't really have any authority figure and isn't held accountable to do anything or be anywhere. He will leave for days at a time, doesn't go to school every day, and may be selling his belongs for money just to get by. I took this news pretty hard. Who is watching over my tender hearted boy? Is he being influenced in a negative way? Where does he go when he leaves? Where is he tonight? Is he hungry? Is he warm? There's no one to love on him, to show him right from wrong, to encourage him. While these thoughts and many more creep into my mind, they make me absolutely crazy. I HAVE to trust in God and rely on my faith. That God will sustain him. I know this way of life for him is nothing new. I know this is his "normal". It is gut wrenching for a mother though. To mother from across the pond.

S had a birthday and we had a cake delivered. That sucker cost $70, but I can't be there with him to make his birthday special. So, I am pretty sure I can't put a price tag on trying to make him feel special, wanted, and remembered on "his day". He wrote me how thankful he was that we remembered him with the cake. Oh hunny, we will never ever forget you. You will never be forgotten ever again, my love.

Please continue to pray hard for a waiver on his waiting time. Again, we won't know until April but we almost HAVE to have this happen for adoption to be possible. We were told getting S on the registry would be nearly impossible. God did it. We are told getting a waiver on the 1 year wait is almost impossible. But we know God is bigger than that. We know anything is possible through Him. We will continue to pray for a miracle because S deserves no less. He is SO close to becoming your typical aged-out orphan teenage in Ukraine. That just can't happen to him. So please join is in prayer!

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who[a] have been called according to his purpose. ~Romans 8:28

Longing

I miss him. I received an email yesterday of a picture of S from the lawyer that went to his region. S had the biggest smile, so much pure joy. I've seen more than a few photos of him from his orphanage and he was never smiling. I can't help but think in that moment he knew...he knew we wanted him. He knew he was meeting with the lawyer to get him on the registry because we CHOSE him.

I was so thankful to get that picture. At the same time, it was so hard. I cried. A lot. I miss him. More than words can express. My arms ache to hug him. I miss seeing his smile. The way his skin crinkles up around his eyes when he smiled, the hint of dimples, the huge-open- mouth-beautiful smiles. The sound of his laughter. His giggles. Oh, he's a giggler. I miss how I'd have to watch my every move or sure enough the kid would jump out and scare me! He succeeded in that numerous times a day; I guess I never learned. I miss feeling his arms around me, holding onto to me when I hugged him. Squeezing me tightly, lingering the hug with his head resting on my shoulder. I miss my kisses on the cheek goodnight. I miss the sound of him saying "I love YOU". I miss the sound of his voice saying "mom!" From down the hall. I miss his "goodmornings" and "goodnights". I miss having him help me with Pumpkin, buckling her in the carseat, carrying her, playing with her, getting her snacks or breakfast. Not because I need the help but because I see his love for her and it just melted my heart. It was so heartwarming to see how eager he was to make her happy. To be her big brother. He loved her so naturally. Like we had always been together. I miss seeing the two of them together. So far apart in age, but so connected at the heart. I miss his silliness, how he finds random things funny; just like me. I just miss the sound of his voice! My heart aches for him. I miss telling him "Good job!". The way he looked up to me to make sure I was watching him. The way his face look when I approved, when I told him how good he was at something. Because I don't think anyone has. I miss watching him play soccer and basketball and cheering him on. I miss playing card games with him, how competitive he is. How excited he gets when he wins. I miss hearing him sing to songs on the radio, seeing him dance. I actually miss how frustrated we would both get trying to understand eachother, most always ending up in hysterical laughter. I can feel the absence of him in our family. We are missing someone. I am longing for him. God, please bring me back this boy as quickly as possible.

I see other families that get to Skype, and talk on the phone every day to their child. I silently envy them. I know it's wrong to feel that way and I know I shouldn't. But I can't help but to want the same. I can't help, as a mother, wanting to hear my sons voice every day. Wanting to see his beautiful face. I just keep telling myself that I will see his face and hear his voice everyday for years to come. This little voice just keeps telling me to keep going. One foot infront of the other. One day at a time.

Then I beg with God. I beg for Him to please create a miracle and let this year+ wait be waived for our boy so he can be back where he belongs. Because this momma misses her son.

Yay!

This is a few days late...but we found out amazing news last week! I couldn't sleep one night, it was around 2am and I just had a strong urge to check my emails. Much to my surprise, I had an email waiting from our facilitator. My heart started racing as I opened it and I was just shocked. I had no words besides a huge grin on my face and "thank you God" running through my mind. She had written how the lawyer got S on the registry and how she was able to do something that usually takes months in 1.5 weeks. She told me S wanted her to tell me he loves us and misses us. She said she probably won't know until April whether or not the 12 month waiting period can be waived or not. I woke up my husband right away and told him. We both rejoiced and thanked God for this huge miracle. For turning the nearly impossible into possible. God is SO good.

I don't know if I've touched on this before, but in Ukraine there is a year waiting period once a child gets placed on the registry. Ukrainians get one year to adopt the child, then if after a year they are still available, the child is eligible for international adoption. It is really, really rare, but sometimes this waiting period can be waived. We are praying really hard on this that the waiting period is waived and we can get S just as quickly as possible.

We've learned recently that when people and children find out a child is being adopted, the child faces great pressure and criticism. S has told us of this in the last week and it has concerned us. We know God is with him doing what we can't but this momma can't still help but to worry.

Please join us in prayer that 1) The 12 month waiting period is waived. For God to go before the lawyer and prepare the hearts of whoever our lawyer will be speaking with to want to do good for this child. To let us travel to get him as soon as humanly possible. 2) To keep S strong under all the pressure and negativity against adoption. Let him hold us and our amazing memories fresh and close to his heart.

We appreciate all your prayers...the power of prayer has just been amazing and has moved mountains! We must keep it up!