Now we know...

Well I just spent an hour giving you this really great post and the internet cafe lady kicked me off the computer without any warning and I lost everything. We have been trying to post for several days now and had some difficulties locating an internet cafe. We found one but it does not have USB ports. So we will have to keep looking for another one so we can post pictures. Sorry about that.

So where do I start? We are in an apartment. Cooking isn't quite what it could be. Our long awaited homecooked meal turned out to taste like ketchup spaghetti. It was nasty. So our peaceful boycott of McD's has been temporarily suspended until we return to the States.

Everyone here has been very nice. The orphanage director is a wonderful woman and I really like her. We are grateful.

We played with the children for two & half hours today without our translator. This was so good. The kids really warmed up to us. Kade is having so much fun playing tag with Dima and when we were starting to leave Dima jumped on Scott's back for a piggy back ride. Today Anya warmed up to me pretty quickly. I was bouncing her on my knee and she wanted one wild ride. I think she will be Scott's future roller coaster buddy! :) Good stuff. We love them so much and want to take them home. We are looking forward to being able to communicate and swimming together at the lake this summer. The day before yesterday Dima asked when he could leave with us from the orphanage. We told him soon and that we were trying to get all of the necessary documents in place. He is a kind and tough boy. It will be fun to speak the same language so we can fully experience who God made him to be. Anya is quiet and tough. She tends to be a little more reserved, but knows exactly what she wants.

We now know why are paperwork took so long. According to Ukrainian law, any child available for adoption must be on a registry for in-country adoption for 14 months prior to becoming available for international adoption. We met with the biological grandmother yesterday (lovely woman who really loves the children and wants whats best for them: us!) and she was asking about several different things. In the course of conversation, we told her that we had been working on our paperwork for almost two years. And the next words out of her mouth made my heart burst into tears. She said, "In August, Dima & Anya will have been in the orphanage for two years." In August...in August (almost two years ago) was when Scott & I started the paperwork process to adopt from Ukraine. And then on March 30, the last day of NAC appointments before they transfer to a new ministry, was the first day that A&D came off of the registry and available for international adoption. God has been keeping our paperwork in tandem so that all of this could coordinate in His perfect timing. I say that now like I believed it the whole time, but you know, the last 60 days were probably the toughest for me. Why? Why were we having to wait sooooooo long. Well now we know! Just one more gracious confirmation from the King of Kings that we are in the center of His will. Praise be to the Lord, Most High!!!

Let's see...Ukrainian trivia. If you were a Ukrainian woman, it would be perfectly normal for you to wear capri pants with knee high stiletto heeled black boots all the time (even in the icy snow!)

Things are great and we want to say thanks to you! It is because of your continued prayers lifted for us that we do not feel alone on the other side of this planet. We feel connected to you and for that we are so grateful! I am praying for the prayer requests you sent (Ginny's sister (has the baby come yet, today right?) Angela's court date and Tina's aunt) Please let us know how we can be in prayer for you, too. We have a lot of time in taxis, that is just prayer time waiting to happen! :) Thanks, too, for your kind words to Kade. He loves checking the blog and seeing his friends names on the posts. Thanks!!!

Tomorrow should be pretty uneventful. We should just be playing with the kids and exploring our surroundings. Hopefully we'll find a better internet cafe'

Love you all!
Kayla :)