Update

I guess if I keep a blog I should update it once in a while. Now that we have made it through the holidays (that sounds like we made it through a tooth extraction, we had a wonderful Holiday with an extra snowed-in week and I don't want it to end tomorrow... but whatever happens life trudges on). We have been trying to figure out airplane tickets and whether or not to take Elijah with us. We prayerfully decided that we will take him with us and have both had that confirmed. But the airline tickets are another matter. We decided not to use the "friends and family" perks that a friend was going to share with us (thank you Jeff and Stephanie) because you have to fly standby and that doesn't seem to be the best with Elijah and getting there on time and the adopted children getting home. But there are a million other options (none so cheap :( ). Do we fly non-stop from JFK? Do we take any amount of layovers in other countries (Germany, Poland, England, Paris-- the list is practically endless)? Do we use the VIP service that is supposed to get you through customs quickly? Hopefully we will decide and get tickets purchased tomorrow.

We have our little pile of Christmas gifts and other things that we collected to take with. But we need to start planning in earnest on the packing. Now that we have a toddler to pack and carry for we will really have to be picky! Clothes are no big deal you can always wash them (and lay them on the radiator to dry- they tell us) so as long as we have 3-4 days worth of outer and a weeks of inner we should be good. But exactly how many books, DVD's and toys do you take for our entertainment? Oh, the decisions. Then there is our medicine box... not even going to go there right now. LOL

I'm nearly done with the two small scrapbooks about our family that we are taking. We have heard that they are useful in so many areas, from the SDA appointment to the court hearing. But mostly they are good for the adopted children to get to know you before they are thrown into a life they don't know. Our wonderful facilitator has been an immense help with the translations for these.

Let see, what else? The children we are leaving behind will be in good hands with the Messegees. They have graciously agreed to live here and take care of everything. Everyone is excited about that one.

We asked Bishop Coppin, I should say President Coppin as he is our stake president now, to give us each a blessing. He VERY readily accepted and performed with great love. He is definately a man of God!! And a very good friend. He told me that Heavenly Father was pleased with our decision. He blessed me with health through the whole trip (a big concern, right now) and the ability to recognise the sweet Spirit's help and absense. He blessed that our current children would continue to be as excited as they are to adopt and that they would know that we love them. He also blessed me that we would have success. He blessed Keith with that direction with of the Spirit to be the leader and head of our family. That he would continue to have the ability to recognise the help of the Spirit and the lack thereof. That none of his previous health issues would arise while in Ukraine. Wow, can a person fail surrounded by family and friends like this?!?!?!?!

Anyway, that was kind of long but I think that you are all updated. I'll try to explain a little about the process in the next couple of posts, for those of you who are just hearing about this.