Reece's Rainbow Dads and Moms at Tequila House in Kiev. These people represent the adoption of 9 children--all with Down syndrome, I believe--saved from ?life? in an institution. Above: Ruben, Kevin (not my Kevin), Bill and Adam. Below: Me (Joy), Amy, Gillian, JoAnn, Lyndi and Paula
No, God did not do things today the way that I thought He might. Yet I still know that He is God and He is in control and He does all things right. He gets to do it HIS way because He is the boss. I like the way the Three Hebrew Children responded when faced with the very real threat of the fiery furnace: "Our God is ABLE to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But IF NOT . . . we still aren't gonna bow to your image."
I got up fairly early this morning anticipating a call from our facilitator: I showered, blogged, hung up laundry, cooked breakfast, worked some puzzles. Finally, I think it was around 11:00 am Nastya called and said she'd been worried about me because she'd been calling and calling and I hadn't picked up the phone. I have no idea what happened. Teresa and I were both right here, the volume was turned all the way up on the phone and yet we had 8 missed calls. Anyway, Alexey had gotten Steven and worker over to the Dr. to get his blood drawn prior to the actual physical exam necessary prior to leaving the country. They'd wanted us to go, too, but seemed to get it done in our unintended absence. A little after noon Nastya asked us to just hang tight because she was to get immediate word when the passport was ready and we needed to be on hand. I think it was around 3:40 when she called asking if we could proceed immediately to the passport office at the University metro stop. There was a chance Alexey would be getting the passport at 4:00 pm and wouldn't have time to then come back to our apt and get us prior to heading for that infamous 'unregistration' office.
So off we headed. The apt where we are now staying is on the green line so we got on there, rode one stop, transferred to the blue line, rode one stop, transferred to the red line and rode 2 stops. Boy, we got our metro coin's worth on that little trip! I've never had such a complicated ride but we did make it to the right spot--just weren't sure exactly WHICH building was the passport office so got further directions by phone and waited outside the passport office and waited and waited and waited and sweated and sweated and sweated but when Alexey came out--it must have been around 5:30 or 5:40--he had bad news: we can't get the passport until the morning. Bless his heart!! he felt so, so, so bad about it. He said something about they have helped with 300 adoptions and have never dealt with one as difficult as ours.
He dropped us off at the Kreschatik Metro stop since it was now 6:05 and we were supposed to meet Lyndi and Bill, JoAnn and Ruben there at 6:30 and head over to the Tequila House again. When this dinner was planned everyone had said-- half-jokingly, half-seriously--they hoped they wouldn't see Teresa and I there because that would mean we had gotten Steven. This particular get-together had been planned as a way for all of us to meet Boston--another Reeces Rainbow friend--who arrived today---unfortunately that didn't work out but the rest of us--also including Gillian and daughter, Amy and Adam, and Paula and Kevin plus 2 facilitators--enjoyed her party anyway.
So I'm hoping that tomorrow will be a really full day with getting the passport, getting Steven's medical exam, possibly even getting the visa applied for (but maybe that can only be done in the mornings)--these are pretty routine things at the very tail of the adoption process. Though a visa CAN be applied for and received on the same day, the usual and embassy-preferred way is to have you pick it up the 2nd day. But I'm guessing the wild card is going to be getting Steven un-registered from the orphanage address AND actually getting him outside of the orphanage gate in our custody. Who can guess how long those 2 little items may take. (Gulp) So I'm planning for a Friday or Saturday flight instead.
Thanks for your prayers. I know God is answering because though I am homesick and honestly tired of being here I am not totally falling apart with all the delays. Please keep praying for my husband as well. He had a serious strep throat infection and then we thought the antibiotics were causing his gout to act up making it very difficult for him to get around. However, when he went to the Dr. he found out it was not gout after all. The strep had not completely gone away but had attached itself to other parts of his body--his ankes, I guess. (Later found out it was strep in one foot and gout in the other) Kevin said the Dr. just about put him in the hospital but opted for a big shot of antibiotics to be followed up by oral medication. And please remember him at the funeral of his grandmother tomorrow. Your prayers are hugely, vitally important and desired for our whole family.
I got up fairly early this morning anticipating a call from our facilitator: I showered, blogged, hung up laundry, cooked breakfast, worked some puzzles. Finally, I think it was around 11:00 am Nastya called and said she'd been worried about me because she'd been calling and calling and I hadn't picked up the phone. I have no idea what happened. Teresa and I were both right here, the volume was turned all the way up on the phone and yet we had 8 missed calls. Anyway, Alexey had gotten Steven and worker over to the Dr. to get his blood drawn prior to the actual physical exam necessary prior to leaving the country. They'd wanted us to go, too, but seemed to get it done in our unintended absence. A little after noon Nastya asked us to just hang tight because she was to get immediate word when the passport was ready and we needed to be on hand. I think it was around 3:40 when she called asking if we could proceed immediately to the passport office at the University metro stop. There was a chance Alexey would be getting the passport at 4:00 pm and wouldn't have time to then come back to our apt and get us prior to heading for that infamous 'unregistration' office.
So off we headed. The apt where we are now staying is on the green line so we got on there, rode one stop, transferred to the blue line, rode one stop, transferred to the red line and rode 2 stops. Boy, we got our metro coin's worth on that little trip! I've never had such a complicated ride but we did make it to the right spot--just weren't sure exactly WHICH building was the passport office so got further directions by phone and waited outside the passport office and waited and waited and waited and sweated and sweated and sweated but when Alexey came out--it must have been around 5:30 or 5:40--he had bad news: we can't get the passport until the morning. Bless his heart!! he felt so, so, so bad about it. He said something about they have helped with 300 adoptions and have never dealt with one as difficult as ours.
He dropped us off at the Kreschatik Metro stop since it was now 6:05 and we were supposed to meet Lyndi and Bill, JoAnn and Ruben there at 6:30 and head over to the Tequila House again. When this dinner was planned everyone had said-- half-jokingly, half-seriously--they hoped they wouldn't see Teresa and I there because that would mean we had gotten Steven. This particular get-together had been planned as a way for all of us to meet Boston--another Reeces Rainbow friend--who arrived today---unfortunately that didn't work out but the rest of us--also including Gillian and daughter, Amy and Adam, and Paula and Kevin plus 2 facilitators--enjoyed her party anyway.
So I'm hoping that tomorrow will be a really full day with getting the passport, getting Steven's medical exam, possibly even getting the visa applied for (but maybe that can only be done in the mornings)--these are pretty routine things at the very tail of the adoption process. Though a visa CAN be applied for and received on the same day, the usual and embassy-preferred way is to have you pick it up the 2nd day. But I'm guessing the wild card is going to be getting Steven un-registered from the orphanage address AND actually getting him outside of the orphanage gate in our custody. Who can guess how long those 2 little items may take. (Gulp) So I'm planning for a Friday or Saturday flight instead.
Thanks for your prayers. I know God is answering because though I am homesick and honestly tired of being here I am not totally falling apart with all the delays. Please keep praying for my husband as well. He had a serious strep throat infection and then we thought the antibiotics were causing his gout to act up making it very difficult for him to get around. However, when he went to the Dr. he found out it was not gout after all. The strep had not completely gone away but had attached itself to other parts of his body--his ankes, I guess. (Later found out it was strep in one foot and gout in the other) Kevin said the Dr. just about put him in the hospital but opted for a big shot of antibiotics to be followed up by oral medication. And please remember him at the funeral of his grandmother tomorrow. Your prayers are hugely, vitally important and desired for our whole family.
4 comments:
Joy, I will be praying for your husband and also for you and Teresa. I'm sure she has been a comfort to have along with you.:) God Bless you and keep your head up, you have alot of us here praying for your whole family.
Amy
Still praying for you and your family, Joy. You have been through so much. I am especially praying for Kevin's health and for the time when you finally leave the orphanage with Steven.
Sometimes it feels like we are clinging onto our Father's little finger,just trying to hold on, but in truth, He is holding us,securely, in the palm of His hand. May you feel His surrounding presence, comfort, and strength in these last few days. Bless you,sister.
Dearest Joy dont forget to read the comments on When God steps in
I left you a message
Love Kevin
(((((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))My motto for Ukraine, "Let go and Let God take the reins". Praying, espcially about the unregistration and hoping police do not have to get involved to get them to release your son to you.
Post a Comment