Getting ready

After a year and a half of the paperwork chase and fundraising it hardly seems possible that we will soon be returning to Ukraine, the birthplace of two of our beloved daughters Alesa 15 and Julia 12. Have we really been home two years from our last trip? It has been 4 years since we brought our then 13 year old son Zhenya home from Russia. Time has flown by so fast.

Our appointment date is June 9th. We have been packing and trying to tie up all the loose ends. Leaving home for anywhere from five to seven weeks is never easy. Luckily for us our older children will be able to hold down the fort. Our 24 and 20 year old sons will get a taste of the responsibility of running a household. They are very protective of their younger siblings so we know they will be in good hands. Our oldest, Brett, was even giving me the third degree on the camp I signed the girls up for while we were gone. I remember when he used to tell me I worried too much when he went to camp "mom I will be fine" now look how the tables have turned. It is so fun to see them mature into adults.

God will be watching over everyone and everything while we are away so I am at peace with this part of our trip.

We are praying for Lena whom we have not yet met. We feel like we know about her from talking to  several families who have been to Ukraine and adopted from her orphanage. There is also a fantastic website called www.Reecesrainbow.org who helps Downs Syndrome and other special children find homes. This is where we were first introduced to Lena. She is a beautiful, bright, talented 15 year old girl who was getting close to aging out of the system and wanted a family so badly. God called us to be that family.

So begins the start of our journey to Lena.