We have a date! Our appointment is Aug 12th at the Ministry in Kiev. 

We will be visiting the orphanage on August 13th.  

patience

Waiting is also active. Most of us think of waiting as something very passive, a hopeless state determined by events totally out of our hands. The bus is late. You cannot do anything about it, so you have to sit there and just wait. It is not difficult to understand the irritation people feel when somebody says, “Just wait.” …  The secret of waiting is the faith that the seed has been planted, that something has begun. Active waiting means to be present fully to the moment, in the conviction that something is happening. A waiting person is a patient person. The word “patience” means the willingness to stay where we are and life the situation out to the full in the belief that something hidden there will manifest itself to us. Impatient people are always expecting the real thing to happen somewhere else and therefore want to go elsewhere. The moment is empty. But patient people dare to stay where they are. Patient living means to live actively in the present and wait there.
— Henri Nouwen

We know the sun is rises over the Carpathian Mountains in Ukraine each day we wait for our travel date from the Ministry in Kiev.  It won't be long now!

The Blessing of the Easter Basket

Khrystos Voskres!"(Christ is Risen!), 
"Voistyno Voskres!"(He is Truly Risen!) 
The traditional greetings and replies spoken by Ukrainian Christians around the world  
during Easter. The celebration of Easter is welcomed with great enthusiasm not only for  
its spiritual enlightenment but also for its deep rooted cultural traditions. 

Since the introduction of Christianity to Ukraine by Prince Volodymyr in 988 AD, Ukrainians have become devout and faithful followers of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is why the church is at the core of being one of the founding corner stones in the building of Ukrainian communities. 

The lively, beautiful and colorful traditions of Ukraine, whether religious or cultural, have been passed down from generation to generation. Together, young and old are seen hand in hand experiencing these joyous times, sharing the wondrous gifts that were once celebrated by their forefathers. 

One of these cherished gifts is the Traditional Blessing of the Easter Basket.On the eve of Easter Sunday, baskets filled with brightly colored Easter Eggs ("Pysanky") and the traditional Easter Bread ("Paska"), along with other foods, are brought into church for blessing by the priest. There is a deep religious and cultural significance in the Blessing of the Easter Basket. 

When Ukrainian Christians from around the globe arrive home after attending the celebration of Easter Mass, family and friends gather around the table with bowed heads in prayer to thank God for all of His Graces and praise the Lord in singing "Khrysos Voskres". At this point in time there is a sense of brotherly unity among all Ukrainian Christians, even though they may be far apart, they are celebrating the Resurrection of Christ and dinning on the prepared meal of blessed foods in unison

Spirit of Adoption Sweeps across Ukraine

Watch this inspiring video from CBN world news after the recent Orphan Care Summit in Kiev, Ukraine that hosted 530 Christian Pastors and Ministry Leaders from many countries. 

Making a difference - Every Life Matters

This is an amazing book I recently read about one person who has the desire to make a difference in this world - even if just helping one person. It starts with normal everyday people, like Katie, who follows her heart and Jesus.  It is inspiring to know what God can do through us if we step out in faith, hope and love.

"I have absolutely no desire to write a book about myself. This is a book about
a Christ who is alive today and not only knows but cares about every hair on my head. Yours too. I'm writing this book on the chance that a glimpse into the life of my family and me, full of my stupidity and God's grace, will remind you of this living, loving Christ and what it means to serve Him. I'm writing with the hope that as you cry and laugh with my family you will be encouraged that God still uses flawed human beings to change the world. And if He can use me, He can use you."

Katie Davis

Springtime in Kiev

Our dossier was done in a very short amount of time and is expected to arrive in Kiev, Ukraine on Monday, March 4th, 2013.  It's only been about 3 months since we decided to walk through our "open door" to adopt from Ukraine.  Grace International Adoption Agency has been with us every step of the way to make this happen.  We are hoping to be traveling to Kiev this Spring!

Family Tree

We've added to our family tree, a stronger one to make...

Two children from another plant, has become our new namesake.

Just as a limb is grafted from one tree to another...

It alters and improves the plant, making it uniquely, like no other.

Our family tree has been improved, adoption made this so...

For love, much more than bloodlines, makes us thrive and grow.

We choose to share our life and love, and all the joys to come...

Our "Family Tree" will blossom, with the arrival of our daughter and son.

~Author Unknown~

National Flower of Ukraine - Sunflower

Flowers have been always held in great admiration in Ukraine. You would hardly find a peasant house without flowers growing here and there around it. 

Ukrainians believe that flowers are a special gift from God. Flowers in the everyday life of Ukrainians has grown considerably — and seems to continue to grow. Hardly any occasion of some significance can do without flowers which are presented in bouquets of considerable sizes.

Flowers have made their way onto embroidered decorative towels, tablecloths, shirts and dresses, and into paintings and murals not only on the walls of public houses but on the walls of private homes as well. Flowers feature in songs, poetry and in art.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ukraine Dossier

From my experience with other countries - the Ukraine Dossier is not complicated and very manageable to complete in a short amount of time while you wait for requested documents. Everything helps when considering where to adopt.

1. Home Study
2. Home Study Agency License
3. Home ownership/rental documents
4. Warranty Deed
5. Employment Verification
6. Medical Forms
7. Marriage License
8. Photo page of passports
9. State Police Clearance
10. Form I-171H from USCIS
11. Application to Adopt
12. Power of Attorney
13. A notarized written consent from adoptive parents to obtain Interpol clearances
14. 1040 tax returns
15. Registration commitment

Adoption Nutrition

What Every Parent Needs to Know

While foster and adopted children may appear healthy on the outside, they may very well be deficient in key nutrients that could impact future growth and brain development. These deficiencies develop because many vulnerable children do not receive proper nutrition in their early years. The most common culprits include:

• Insufficient prenatal nutrition
• Malnutrition in infancy
• Post-adoption growth spurts

The growth spurts children commonly experience during the initial post-adoption period actually results in additional vulnerability to nutritional deficiencies. These periods of accelerated growth call heavily upon their bodies’ already meager nutritional reserves, resulting in anemia or other conditions.

Unfortunately, foster and adoptive parents can’t go back in time and nourish their children starting from the time they were conceived. But parents can provide optimal nutrition once their children are home to boost their children’s development and overall health.

Learn more about:

• Contributing Factors to Malnutrition
• Common Nutrient Deficiencies
• Lab Tests for an Initial Checkup
• Lab Tests to Repeat at 6 Months
  
  
  
  http://www.spoonfoundation.org/
  
  
  
  

Flowers of Ukraine

Lovely flowers are the smiles of God's goodness.

William Wilberforce (1759 - 1833) English statesman 

This picture of a sweet child, who you may wonder what she is thinking, reminds me of all the parts to an adoption process but when worn together they make a stunning picture of God's beauty.

Ukrainian wreath (Ukrainian: вінок, vinok) is a type of wreath which, in traditional Ukrainian culture, is worn by girls and young unmarried women. The wreath may be part of a tradition dating back to the old East Slavic customs that predate the Christianization of Rus.^[1] The flower wreath remains a part of the Ukrainian national attire, and is worn on festive occasions and on holy days

Like most Ukrainian folk dress, the vinok had significant symbolic value and only specific flowers were used.^[2] It was traditionally worn by girls who were eligible for marriage. The wreath's name, vinok, is related to the Ukrainian word for a wedding ceremony vinchannya.

The flowers used to make the wreath were generally fresh, paper or waxen and were attached onto a band of stiff paper backing covered with a ribbon.

The wreath varied in many of the regions of Ukraine; young women throughout the country wore various headdresses of yarn, ribbon, coins, feathers and grasses, but these all had the same symbolic meaning. In parts of central and eastern Ukrainethe flowers were raised in the center front. Usually multicolored, embroidered ribbons were attached to the back.^[1]

Care

I have been inspired lately by the work of Mister Rogers and read a great book about him titled "The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers" by Amy Hollingsworth. I plan to use his shows and methods of care for our newly adopted children in our home. What an amazing man of Faith and Love for all children!

" I give an expression of care every day to each child, to help him realize that he is unique.  I end the program by saying, 'You've made this day a special day by just your being you.  There's no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are.'  I feel that if we in public television can only make it clear that feelings are mentionable and manageable, we will have done a great service."  Fred Rogers