Amazing Grace

This update will be brief. It's been a long day (you know, the cliff bars & beef jerkey kind of day but without the cliff bars & beef jerkey because we didn't know it was going to be a long day!), it's after 8:00 and we're just eating our dinner (our frozen pizza cooked in the microwave because we American's do not know, nor care right now, how to light a gas oven), and we need to be packed and ready to leave here @ 5:00AM.

Today was indescribable (well, actually, this whole trip has been indescribable but today even more so)!! In summary, we requested our second SDA appointment, had our second SDA appointment, and got our referral to go to our daughter's orphanage and "meet" her all in one day. Rightfully, this is at least three day's worth of work. In the grand scheme of things, had we not gotten our referral until tomorrow, we would not have died on the spot (although I probably would have put on a good act!). But we are getting a little Ukraine weary and it was a particularly long day, so this was the perfect pick-me-up!! Only by His grace...

It has been 8 long months since we've seen our girl and we are all smiles about seeing her tomorrow. I think I've mentioned that I am a cryer, so you get the picture...

By American standards (even American city standards) people drive like maniacs around here, so despite the fact that we have yet to see an accident, please pray for us to have safe travels tomorrow (about a 6- to 7-hour car ride) and for all to go smoothly with the local authorities. I think I previously mentioned that "preselection" for adoption is illegal in Ukraine. And while we technically haven't "preselected" either of our children, the local authorities might not concur. And their presence will strain our reunion with our daughter. Bummer....but it's a small price to pay to finally get to her & get oh so much closer to bringer her home!

We are waiting for one last document from our son's region in order to submit a request to the SDA for a court date to adopt him. If all goes well, we hope to have a court date by the end of next week!

I will try to get online and post an update tomorrow evening!!