Date for Dossier Submission

We just heard from Kristen, our adoption coordinator that our dossier has been translated and we were given an appointment of when our dossier can be submitted--August 3rd. This means that we now know we will not be traveling before August 3. We will possibly be given an invitation to Ukraine 2-3 months after August 3. We realize it could be as soon as September that we are traveling or as late as December. The average time though is 2-3 months after our dossier is submitted.
We realize that some of our paperwork will have to be done again, but not until June. We are just so excited to have another reminder that we are getting closer and closer to bringing Katarina home. We continue to ask you to pray for us as we are on this journey. . .for the funds needed, language to be learned, and for God to prepare us for what lies ahead. Thank you for your love and support!

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for my husband, Mark!
In my wedding vows to Mark I read Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us". Mark is "immeasurably more" than I could have asked for in a spouse and friend. He is definitely a gift from God!
I am so glad we are on this journey of adoption together. He helps keep me focused on the truth of the situation when I get impatient, mad, hurt; and he shares in my joys! I take comfort in knowing that Katarina will have such a wonderful father to love her and exemplify Christ to her.
I love you, Mark!
Diane

Dossier Arrives in Ukraine

We got news today that our dossier arrived in Kiev and will start being translated tomorrow!!! What exciting news for us!!!
We'll let you know when we hear that our dossier has been submitted!
Thank you all for your continued prayers!
We are very grateful for your support and love as we continue on this journey of love and faith!

Thankful Thursday!

I thought I would get my children involved in writing "Thankful Thursday" today and this is what I got. . .
Daddy's day off (which happens to be Thursday)
Karate (which also happens to be on Thursday)
our dog Shasta (Karis said this--She is the main reason why we have him)
Swim lessons (at the YMCA)
skunks (o.k. I haven't figured that one out. . .)
computers (knowledgeable resource--can't you tell that was from our 1st born?)
diet Mt. Dew/Sierra Mist/Root Beer (and of course, a Root Beer float)
J-e-s-u-s, G-o-d, H-o-l-y S-p-i-r-i-t (Spelled by Caleb--He goes around spelling
just about every word)
TMS (The Master's Study--The Monday school our kiddos go to)
And me, being the Mom, am thankful for all those things and my wonderful hubby and kids!!!

Dossier Sent to Ukraine

Kristen from America World called today and said that she is sending our dossier to Ukraine to be translated! It was so good to hear that; and know that we did not have to redo any documents!!! Thank you, Kristen!!!!
Once our dossier is in Ukraine, the team there will translate it and submit it in Kiev.
Now begins the long wait that everyone warns us about! We anticipate waiting AT LEAST another 5 months. Please pray that we will make good use of this time--We still have books to read, Russian to learn, and garage sales to put together!
We are looking forward to learning about transracial/transcultural adoption at St.Elisabeth/Coleman this Saturday. After this seminar, we will have completed most, if not all, of our adoption training. Of course, we still have books to read--books about bonding, adopting a toddler, how to make the transition smoother for Katarina going from an orphanage in Ukraine to America, etc. So much to learn. . .

Thankful Saturday!

O.k., o.k., I am late again with my "Thankful Thursday"!
This is harder than I thought it would be. Not that we have few things to be thankful for, but we have far too many to choose from!
One thing that keeps coming to my mind is those who have loved us enough to ask the tough questions. . ."Why adoption? Why now? Why Ukraine? Why take your 3 kids with you?" We are so blessed to have godly men and women in our lives who dare to ask those questions. Those questions have been good for us. . .it helps reaffirm that this is where God is leading us, the development of our faith, and our total dependence on Him through every step of this process.
We pray that God will continue to bless us with godly men and women who dare to ask us the tough questions. . .not just about adoption, but every area of our lives!
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another" Psalm 27:17

Paperwork is finished!!!! (&Thankful Thursday-two days late)

Can you believe it? Our paperwork is finished! We took all the paperwork to the Secretary of State's office yesterday morning to be apostilled (notaries are verified and the state seal is put on the documents)! We then made copies of all of it, then to the post office to mail it to America World Adoption Agency where they will review all the documents. If we have all the documents and they look good, they will then be translated into Ukrainian, then our facilitator submits our dossier to Ukraine. We will be sending a total of 30 documents to Ukraine.
Wow! That sure feels good to have that done!
It will be a year by the end of this month that we officially started this paperwork process!
Sorry I forgot to write on "Thankful Thursday"! I realized it at midnight Thursday night! Today, we are thankful for people like Jessica & Alice (from St. Elizabeth/Coleman),Jarod(from the Assessor's office),Ka & Deb(from ZF notarizing our documents), Dr. Jeff Ferguson, and Jerry (one of our deacons @ZF)who went the extra mile to help us with paperwork! In this long, and sometimes frustrating, process, it is so refreshing to have folks like this who are "on our side"! Of course, as with any "good and perfect gift" we have to give God all the credit who created these wonderful people and went before us!