Bell Family

Relaxing on the weekend

2010-02-21T16:34:00.000-05:00

We arrived in Kiev yesterday morning by train. It was a long day on Friday and a long night. More paperwork to do at the orphanage and the notary, and a lot of time sitting and waiting, but we were able to get both passports and make the train, which was the important part. Also had dinner (at McDonalds - again!) with my friend Oleg and his parents. I had plans to go to a nice cafe somewhere and have a relaxing dinner but we just ran out of time, and McDonalds is close the the train station and it's fast.

Oleg has been very helpful over the last 2-3 years, and it was good to see him again. He runs an awesome ministry in Kharkov that works with the older kids who are ageing out of the orphanages, teaching them life skills and trying to give them some preparation for the future. The girls adore him. He is an incredible guy, and his dedication to helping orphans is all the more remarkable because he is physically handicapped. It's very difficult to get around here in a wheelchair! We had a hard time getting him into the McDonalds for dinner. The economy here is very bad, like everywhere, and he was sharing that he is struggling to find enough funds to continue his work. He makes a living as a translator for businesses and funds the ministry largely himself, but his business is slow right now. He says the up side of that is he has more time for ministry, but less funds to run it. He is looking for Christians to partner financially with him so he can continue helping kids. So if anyone is interested, let me know and I'll give you more information.

The train was ok, it was one of the older slower ones. I mentioned the other day that Vika was not feeling well during the drive back into Kharkov and I thought it was just nerves and stress. Turns our she may have a little trouble with motion sickness. She was sick on the back back and forth to town on Friday and again on the train Friday night. (We were up until midnight with her) It's not a virus as she is fine the rest of the time. So when we go see the doctor tomorrow we will ask him about some medicine for the plane. Could be a very long day!!

So we were all exhausted when we arrived back in Kiev yesterday so we have been taking it easy watching TV and listening to "musica". We have also been having some fun. We are staying with some friends of Halya and they took us ice skating yesterday and today to see a live children's musical called Chipolina - or Onion. Think Veggie Tales Russian style. It was cute and fun. I actually managed to get around the skating rink twice, holding onto the wall the entire way. Really large rink, about twice the size of the roller rink back home. This afternoon it snowed and the girls and I went for a walk to the "magazine" or convenience store, and bought some gum and snacks.

Well, tomorrow we are off to the embassy to submit our paperwork and then to get the medicals for the girls. Another day of walking in Kiev. I'll have to write about walking on the ice again sometime. Suffice it to say that it is very difficult and I wish I had invested in better boots. The ones I have keep my feet warm - as long as I don't step in the water - but they have really bad traction. I have fallen three times but my angels are working overtime and so far not even a bruise.

Thanks for all they prayers and the emails. Things are going so well and it's such a relief to be almost done!!

Love to you all!

Sheri

GOTCHA DAY!!!!

2010-02-19T14:15:00.000-05:00

Good Morning!

They call it "Gotcha Day" the day you actually take your kids out of the orphanage to go home. That's what yesterday was for us!! And what a wild ride it has been!

Wednesday was easy, running a few errands in Kiev and then even time for a nap and working remotely online for a while. A nice day of rest, which I really needed!

We arrived via train in Kharkov at 6:30 am on Thursday, had breakfast at the McDonalds by the train station, and were to the passport office by 9:00. By 10:30 we had applied for Irra's passport and they promised to have it for us today!! It was so fast as to be almost unbelievable. Here we've been working on getting this crazy passport since early December and Halya works in out in less than one ane a half hours! She's wonderful!

Then we picked up the inspector from Child Services and went to the orpahange. The director greated me with a hug bear hug. He wounldn't let me go! He had been expecting us, and was really really happy I was there. The inspector gave him the paperw I needed to sign to take custody of the girls, and he made a big show of kissing them. He said they had been in the middle of a visit by the local authorities and they had to hide the girls, since they were not really supposed to be there. Having me finally take them is a big item off his plate!

The girls however, were not expecting us yesterday and were a little shocked that they were leaving - right then. It took a while to get them packed and all the good byes said. It was really difficult to say good bye to Tonya. I pulled her aside and told her that we loved her and that God loved her and we would keep praying for her. She said that she wanted us to know that she had chosen not to come only because she was afraid and not because she didn't like us. I understand perfectly and told her that. It was a huge step for all of us yestday and a little scary for both the girls and me. Halya asked me on the way home "can you believe it, they are finally yours" and I had to say no, that it was still hard to believe. It still seems unreal. This is the beginning of end of the adoption, and the beginning of a new life for our entire family!

By then it was almost dark and remember that there is snow on the ground and the roads are slippery. We managed go get back to the main roads with only a little trouble. We had 6 people piled into a car that seats 5 and the roads were really bumpy. Vika got a little overwhelmed by the excitement and the motion of the car (and for some reason she never had lunch, never did find out why) so we had to pull over twice for her to get some fresh air. We finally made it back to McDonalds and had dinner. Why is it that I never eat McDonalds in the US but always in Ukraine? :) We then tried three different hotels before finding one in downtown Kharkov and getting settled about 9:00. It was so nice to be able to clean up and get some sleep!!

Vika is rooming with Halya and Irra is with me this morning. She's watching Joyce Meyers on TV while I type this - a good sign!

I was a little startled at what they girls packed. Very few clothes, Irra only brought the boots she was wearing and a pair of flip flops for shoes. They brought a few stuffed animals and other personal things, and a few clothes, but they easliy fit into the suitcase I left for them in September. I'll have room to put some of my stuff in with theirs and condense the amount of carry on luggage we have. It's sad that their entire lives fit into that suitcase with room to spare...

Got to run. We have to go back to the orphanage for a little more paperwork, then to get the passports, and I'm going to try to reach my friend Oleg and maybe we can see him today. Then the train back to Kiev tonight.

Hey, Beth and Mary, where is the Ukrainian Bible Society that you told me about? Irra has a Bible in Ukrainian but I want one for Vika before we go. We visited a bookstore on Wed and I got them a couple of books to help learn English but couldn't find a Bible suitable for teens.

Thanks so much for everyone's prayers and support. I can't wait to get home and introduce you to our daughters!!

God is SOOO Good - All The Time, God is Good!!

Blessings,

Sheri, Irra and Vika

PS - Laurie and Erika, the girls loved the video you sent!!

Arrival in Ukraine - Feb. 17, 2010

2010-02-19T14:13:00.001-05:00

I arrived last night about 5:00 pm after an uneventful day of flights. It's cold here for a Florida girl, about 20 or so. There is about a foot of snow on the ground, which i knew there would be, but still, it's a little startling for someone who hasn't seen snow in over 10 years! The sidewalks are hazadarous in dry weather, but covered with snow they're really a challenge. No one here has the concept of shoveling their sidewalks, to put it mildly!

Halya met me at the airport and I liked her instantly. She told me she was pleasantly suprised that I didn't have much luggage, two large carry on bags, but that made her happy. I really tried to keep the luggage to a minimum as know from experience how hard it is to get around here with too much stuff. We don't think of such things in the US, since we always just shove our stuff in the back of the car, but when you have to haul it on buses and subways and trains it become another matter all together.

She had great news for me - she spoke to another facilitator who is working with a spanish couple in Kharkov and that person said they just obtained two of the old style passports in 3 days for their children! They paid $1,500 for two passports, (ouch!)but I was expecting something along those lines anyway. So we have proof that the passports are available. Halya is hopefull that we can get the passport in a day or two, which is like a dream!

We stayed last night with her friends here in Kiev. Very nice couple with four children, three sons away at school in Poland (they are from there) and an adorable 13 year old daughter. It's the first time I've been in the home of an average Ukrainian family. They live on the 4th floor of a highrise somewhere in Kiev (one bus ride and two metros away from the airport, I couldn't find it again if my life depended on it) and it's very nice. They have been very friendly and served us fried potatoes and pork for dinner last night. And they have hot water! We'll go to Music Mission Kiev this morning and run some other errands, then tonight we take the overnight train to Kharkov to see the girls. I can't wait to see them again!

Off to brave the snow and ice. You guys have a great day!!

Sheri

Didn't realize this marathon was going to be so long!

2010-01-16T08:49:00.002-05:00

Well, we knew this was a marathon, not a sprint, but boy, I never dreamed it would be such a long one with so many hurdles! We were planning for Sheri to be back in Ukraine by now, but here I sit in sunny Florida.

Edward went to the passport agency in Kharkov as planned this week and asked them if he could please apply for Irra's passport on my behalf. He had all the proper documents giving him authorization. The advantage of this would be that I spend the 10 business day waiting period here in sunny Florida. However, the passport agency said no, I have to be there, in person. This does make me very happy, but I guess I'll live. It's a beautiful country, but not in the dead of winter.

Then, and much worse, they told him that the passport agency in Kiev is not even accepting applications for international passports at this time! Evidently they didn't pay the printer who makes the blanks, so they've gone on strike! I found the blog of a family who is currently in Ukraine and this is obviously causing havoc with many families in Ukraine who are trying to come home with their adopted children. And evidently there is at least one creative way to get around this issue, so I'm watching closely to see if it works for them!

So, for now we keep waiting and praying. I'm off to call the girls via Skype next, so that will be fun. At least we are able to keep in touch!

Blessings!

Delay is not denial

2009-12-06T21:53:00.005-05:00

Well, it looks like I won't be able to go get the girls before Christmas after all. I spoke to Edward yesterday and it turns out I mis-understood the time table, and it will take longer to get the passport than I thought. Even if I leave immediately, the passport will not be ready in time for me to make it home before Christmas. Greg and I have discussed it, and we just don't feel like I can be away from the family here for Christmas. It's been a difficult decision because we so badly want the girls home as soon as possible, but I my kids have already sacrificed so much, and it wouldn't be fair to them to be gone.

Edward is going to call the passport office tomorrow and see if there is any way they will process the passport faster, but he says he asked that when I was there before and they told him no. They will "expedite" the process in many places, but evidently not in Kharkov. Kind of figures, Kharkov is known for being hard to work with in general, and I can certainly confirm that!

Edward did say that he will call again tomorrow and double check, but at this point I don't think he will get a different answer. But you never know!

So I will wait until the government offices open in January, around the 10th. At least we have some time to plan this way!

I wish everyone a Blessed Christmas, and if things change, I will let you know!

We Have Irra's Birth Certificate

2009-12-03T09:02:00.002-05:00

Hi Guys! Quick update, I'm on the way out to work. Spoke to Edward today and he HAS THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE FOR IRRA!! Obviously I'm excited!! So now we're checking into plane tickets and timetables and money! We are still short but I know God will provide! I need to leave as early as Sunday if I'm to be home for Christmas - scary! So much to do!!

From my friends Tom Davis and Brandi McElheny

2009-12-02T09:17:00.002-05:00

This is really cool - check it out!

Quick Update

2009-12-01T08:15:00.003-05:00

We received an email from Edward on Sunday that he was going to Kharkov on Monday and maybe (hopefully!) on to Russia. Nothing since, so we are praying that means he is in Russia and getting the birth certificate!

Update 11/30/2009

2009-12-01T08:13:00.001-05:00

Good morning! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We did – went to Blue Ridge Georgia with our extended family for the week and had a great time playing in the mountains. It was really nice to take a break and catch up with our family.

One of the fun things that we did was call the girls while we were there. We’ve been able to talk to Irra almost every week, but have not been able to reach Vika since late September, in spite of trying regularly. The people at the Sanitarium where she is staying are just not very cooperative. However, we did manage to get her on the phone for a very few minutes on Wednesday. She said that she is doing fine, and of course she asked when we are coming for her. I think she regrets her decision to stay. She doesn’t like being at the Sanitarium, and I don’t blame her, it’s not very nice there, and none of her friends from the orphanage are there with her. Still, it could be worse, and it won’t be forever.

We also spoke to Irra and had a great conversation. She loves to talk – sometimes we have trouble getting off the phone with her! She said to tell everyone here a “big hello” and then we took turns passing the microphone around to some of the family and she got to say “big hello” to the boys and my parents and some of her cousins. I had her part on speaker, and everyone stood around and listened to the conversation – it was a blast! The children are fascinated with the Ukrainian/Russian language so it was cool for them to hear her and Anya talk.

Of course, the big question is always “when are you coming”. Not only are the girls asking this, but the teachers too. The phones are obviously answered by adults, who send for the girls, but then the adults talk to us before they will let the girls talk. Evidently the police have been around several times making trouble, so the director and the teachers are anxious for us to come and bring the girls home. We think this is why they sent Vika to the Sanitarium, to hide her from the police, since all her paperwork is technically completed. The director seems calm, but the teachers are almost frantic, and are pushing us very, very hard to come. Which we’d love to do, of course, but we are still waiting!!

The court decision in Russia was final on November 20^th, but Edward had them mail the paperwork to his house and to the office of Vital Records in Russia. As of today, we still don’t know what the decision is. We assume that it is favorable, because no one has told us otherwise, but we don’t know for sure. Edward emailed us today that he was going to Kharkov tomorrow, and maybe then on to Russia. Not sure why he is going to Kharkov, maybe he needed to get some more documents from the court there? Who knows. We are very frustrated that he did not go to Russia on the 20^th to pick up the papers in person and try for the birth certificate. Because of this, we have lost a week’s time waiting for the mail. Part of the problem is the timing of this. Ukraine celebrates Christmas January 6^th, and we have been told by several people that they simply shut down most of the country and the business offices from about December 20^th and on. First they have New Years, then Christmas, and evidently there are a couple of important holidays in January, so they just close up shop for the month! What that means to us is that if I can’t go and get the girls and be home before December 20^th, then I won’t be able to get them until things start moving again in February. There is no point to going after December 20^th because I wouldn’t be able to get the documents needed to travel home. So losing a week at this point to wait for the mail is extremely frustrating!!

So, that’s our update. We are still knocking on all the doors we can knock on to try to speed things up, but right now all we have are bloody knuckles. And we are still praying for patience and for God’s perfect will to be done in His timing. That’s the hardest part, remembering that He is still in control and that things will work out in His timing. I know this in my heart, it’s just hard to remember that “in the moment” when we don’t’ see any movement at all. I can’t wait for the day when this is finished and we can enjoy our girls and this will all be over!

10/23/09 Update

2009-10-23T13:05:00.001-04:00

We received word from Edward that after 5 weeks, the documents have finally arrived at the court in Russia!! I don’t know the details of the delay, but I know he had a terrible time getting the necessary paperwork from the court in Kharkov. They continue to be extremely difficult to deal with!

The paperwork went to the Chief Justice at that court, and Edward has confirmed that the case has been assigned to a judge. What we have not been able to find out is how long the process will take. They originally told us that the court would take around 30 days, but now they are saying that it will be processed “within the time frame allowed by the law”, but no one will tell Edward how long that is. At this point, I just don’t know who to call who might be able to motivate them to speed things up. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know!!

The other new development is that we received an email from the US Embassy in Kiev earlier this week. They said that they had been contacted by the SDA wanting to know why we haven’t “picked up” our children and that the law required us to pick them up as soon as the court decision is final! So we emailed them back (I was nice, I promise!), explained our situation, and asked them if they could help us. They replied that they were sorry we were frustrated and having trouble, but no, they could not help. I wrote back again and asked them if they had ANY advice for us, and they never responded.

Then, the next morning, we received and email from Edward asking us to please contact the girls at the orphanage ASAP, and that the local prosecutor was “going after” the director of the orphanage, saying the girls should not be there. Evidently the SDA or the local child services office had called them and told them we had abandoned the girls. Why can’t these people be this efficient and communicate between agencies this well when we need them to help us get the girls home?

So I just go off the phone with Irra and the assistant director of the orphanage (the director is on vacation – these people seem to go on vacation a lot!) My new friend Anya translated for us – Thank you Anya! It was great to speak with Irra. She seems to be well and was glad to hear from me. She said to tell everyone here hello, especially her friend Erika, but I could tell she was a little worried, too. The assistant director was pretty strong about the situation regarding the prosecutor and said that they were threatening to undo the adoption. Edward has spoken to the prosecutor, the SDA and child services, so hopefully things will settle down now. I tried to call Edward on Skype, but he was on a train and we got cut off.

I was not able to speak to Vika because they said she was at the sanitarium. Everyone assured me she is fine, so I’m not really sure why she is there. We called and they said that the kids were on a walk, and so we are going to try again Monday morning my time. We did leave a message that we had tried to call, and hopefully she will get that message and know that we are thinking about her.

Irra had lots of questions for Anya, and we set it up that our friends’ new Ukranian children, both girls of the same age – will call her tomorrow morning. Maybe they can help answer some of her concerns, and form the basis of a friendship that will continue once they arrive home.

So, that is longer than I thought! Please keep us in your prayers. I really, really don’t want to have to make TWO more trips, but if things with the prosecutor get too difficult, I might have to travel and get Vika and then go back for Irra when her paperwork is ready. It would be nice if the Russian court would hurry!

Blessings,

Sheri

September 21, 2009

2009-09-21T14:54:00.001-04:00

I’m sorry it has been so long since my last post. I’m back home again – hurray!! – but unfortunately, without either girl. When I last wrote, it was a Sunday and we had planned to go to the passport agency on Monday to apply for Vika’s passport. When we got there, they asked us for lots and lots of extra documents that Edward said were very unusual. Most of it was stuff we had already filed at the court for the court case, and so we had to go back to the courthouse and get them to give us copies of their documents. It was almost as if they wanted to re-try the case! Our judge and secretary were on vacation, but they were in and out of the courthouse, so we were able to get what we needed. Then, when we went to the notary to draw up the document to apply for the passport, the notary would not prepare the document because Greg was not there. I had a power of attorney for Greg, but they said that applying for a passport was “too important” for a power of attorney. We went to three notaries and they all said the same thing. Edward was very frustrated because the notaries in other cities all accept a power of attorney in this situation and he had never had this problem before. Finally, someone suggested that we apply for the passport in my name only and see if the passport agency would accept that, and they did.

The passport agency also required that the girls do new consent forms – in front of a notary, this time. So we had to go back to the orphanage and get them and bring them back to town. Of course, this all took place over the course of four days – with waiting for our turn at the notary and passport offices, and trying to reach the judge’s secretary, and just the general amount of time it takes to travel from one place to the other, we started the process and did not officially complete the application for the passport until Thursday morning! It was extremely frustrating!! Here we are on Thursday, and I’m scheduled to fly home on Saturday, and we have just now finished the passport application. It took us two weeks to get Vika’s birth certificate, so some research on Irra’s birth certificate, and apply for one passport! And we worked hard! It was unbelievable!

So anyway, on Thursday when we finally completed Vika’s passport application, they said that it would be another two weeks before the passport came back. Also, we had hoped that I could sign the papers for Irra’s passport while we were there so that I when I return for Irra I would not have to wait, but they said no to that as well. That meant that I would have had to wait another two weeks for Vika’s passport, and two weeks when I return for Irra, and that was too much time away from home. So we decided that I would go ahead and return on Saturday and pick up both girls when Irra’s birth certificate is ready.

About Irra’s birth certificate – Edward spoke to the vital records lady in Russia several times, and then to the chief justice at the court for that region, and the plan is that he will take our documents to the court there. They will “review” them, and then they will give permission for the vital records to issue a new Birth Certificate and a Certificate of Adoption. They said the process would take about 30 days, but we found out last week that one of the documents we needed from our court in Kharkov will not be ready until today (when our judge returns from vacation) so that 30 day clock doesn’t start until Edward goes to Russia (hopefully this week) and officially submits our documents. I really hope this works. The story keeps changing; first the vital records office said there would be no problem, now we have to be “reviewed” by the court. This process makes me very nervous. I don’t understand why the original court decree is not sufficient for all of these people, including the passport agency. It just seems to me that they are messing with things they have no right to mess with. Everyone wants to get into the act - I keep expecting the taxi drivers to ask to see my home study or something! Also, I’m also not sure if that is 30 days in US time, or 30 days in Ukraine time – remember that it took us 4 days to apply for a passport! Time moves very, very slowly there. I have heard stories of people waiting 6 months for their children in this situation, and others who spend thousands of dollars to get birth certificates. Edward assures me that he can take care of it this way, but I’m still nervous. So if we get the girls before Thanksgiving, I’ll be ecstatic, but I’m not holding my breath!

The girls were great about the whole thing. They want to come, but Vika was actually getting pretty nervous about coming without Irra, so she was happy to find out she would wait until Irra’s paperwork was ready. This next trip – can you believe this will be my 4th trip to Ukraine!! – should be about 2-3 weeks, and there should be no reason I won’t come home with both girls this time!!

In the meantime, I did a lot of blogging at the camp that I have never posted. I’ll work on editing it some since Greg has filled you in on the court and stuff, and then post it if anyone would like to read it. The time at the camp was the best part of the whole trip. I had lots of fun getting to know the girls and their friends at the camp, and there was no pressure – we were just waiting and that was all. I’m encouraged by the girls’ attitude towards me at the camp, and the way they treated me, which was not always evident once we left the camp and moved to the orphanage. So enjoy, there are some funny stories!

Also, about my dad. They are still testing, but the news is good – it appears that the cancer has not spread and is contained in the prostrate. Thanks so much for all of your prayers and encouragement. Our friends, both old and new, are very important to us, and some days your comments and support were the only things that kept me going, especially in the last two weeks I was in Ukraine. I came under some heavy spiritual attack, and even began to have suicidal thoughts. It was very intense, but God is faithful and He will see us through to the end!

Blessings,

Sheri & Greg

PS – I’ll try to post comments with my photos soon as well!

Pictures from Ukraine Trip #2

2009-09-14T13:30:00.011-04:00

Checking In

2009-08-30T08:59:00.001-04:00

Things are moving along here, but slowly. We have been working on paperwork here, and have run into a snag with Irra's Russian birth certificate. We had contacted the proper office in Russia by phone before we came back this time, and they told us they would honor the court decision and issue the birth certificate with out any problem, but now they say they need another document we can't get here in Ukraine. So we are working on this from a couple of angles, but it's not looking good so far. I'm scheduled to fly out next weekend, and right now it looks as if Vika and I may have to leave Irra until they get the paperwork settled. We hope to find out for sure tomorrow. It is still possible they might get it worked out, but if that happens I will probably have to stay another week. That's fine with me - it beats having to leave Irra and come back again. This is my 3rd trip to Ukraine for this adoption, and it's getting old.

Other than that, things are going well. The girls have moved from the camp back to the internaut, and I'm staying in a Sanitorium that is within walking distance. The concept of a Sanitorium still escapes me somewhat, but it's clean and quiet and includes all my meals, all for about $12/day. This one is for pregnant women, so I'm sort of out of place here, but it's nice to eat with other women, even if we can't communicate very well. I'm seeing the girls at least once a day; not as much as at camp, but it works for now.

Had a funny experience on the train the other day. This is not the night train, where you sleep, but rather more like a bus. There was a lady who sat next to me who started talking away in Russian, and when she found out that I was American, she had to get up and tell her husband, who was seated several rows away (the train was crowded, which is why Edward wasn't handy) that there was an American on the train. Of course, she said it loud enough for everyone in the next few rows to hear, so they all turned around to stare at this strange creature. I kind of waved "hello" and wanted to crawl under my seat from all of the attention. But everyone is very nice and the few times (like now) that I have ventured out without Edward people have been very helpful.

I need to run. Not sure what time the bus stops running on Sunday, but don't want to get stranded in town. Thanks for everyone's prayers and comments. You guys are great and I can't wait to get home!!

Love,
Sheri

The Home Stretch

2009-08-25T08:08:00.001-04:00

I'm in Kharkov today and we're running around doing all of the paperwork so we can come home. Edward arrived at the camp yesterday - much to my surprise. I was not expecting him until today. So I packed as quickly as I could and we have moved into a hotel here for the next few days. We went to the court first thing this morning to get the final paperwork, and the judge said it won't be ready until noon. Have I mentioned how much I dislike this judge?? So we came back into Kharkov to try to do some other things until the papers are ready.

Edward will go to Russia tonight to try to get Irra's birth certificate, and I will stay at the hotel alone. Not really thrilled about that plan, as there is not much in the way of stores or restaurants within walking distance of the hotel, and I'm not about to try the bus alone. I think we will go to the market tonight and pick up a few things and I'll just stay in the room and read. With luck he will be back tomorrow night, but if not, then Thursday night. Then we will finish the paperwork on Thursday or Friday, and hopefully, hopefully, we will travel to Kiev this weekend.

I had a great time at the camp and I was a little upset that I didn't get to say good bye to any of the other children I have met there. Vika and Irra are still at camp, too, but they will be fine for a few more days. It's the other kids that are tearing me up at this point. I seriously doubt that we will ever do this again, and of course, even if we did, we can't take them all. There are some really good kids there and I'm going to miss them.

I got some bad news yesterday. My dad had cancer a few years ago, and things have been fine ever since his treatment, but evidently the cancer is trying to comeback. He is going in later this week for more testing, but the doctor is not optimistic. I would appreciate your prayers for him and our family.

I think Edward is about finished with his work here to I will say good bye for now. I have been keeping a more detailed log of the camp and I'll try to send it later. Hopefully I will have internet access later this week....

Can't wait to get home!
Sheri

August 22, 2009 Update!

2009-08-22T08:50:00.003-04:00

This is Greg - sorry it has taken so long to update everybody. I got home last Saturday and promptly got sick for the next 3 days and have been trying to play catch up ever since . I can't remember where we left off so I'll just start. The funny of our trip back started at the airport in Orlando when the pilot came on the intercom and said this is CAPTAIN KIRK and I'll be your pilot today. Sheri and I got a big kick out of that, being the Star Trek fans that we are. Anyway, we made it back to Ukraine and had our court date, if you can call it that . It seemed more like an appointment with child trafficking official. Let me explain we had told everybody up front that we would not do bribes. At our first court date our agent told us it should take about 10 minutes - 2 1/2 hours later we finished. Our next appointment was on Thursday @11:00 and before we started the judge told us that we were missing the girls written consents so we had to send the girls back to child services to rewrite the consents and get them stamped officially. This was after he had already signed off on all the paperwork a week earlier. Then once we got the forms to him again, he would not come into the court room. He sent word to us that he would only hear our petition to adopt Vika and not Irras case because we didn’t have proof of her Ukrainian citizenship. Because her father was born in Russia, even though she was living in Ukraine when she was removed from her home, and Ukraine has been supporting her for the last 7 years, and if she were to stay an orphan for two more years she would be granted Ukrainian citizenship anyway. He came straight out and told us that unless we paid him five hundred American dollars that he would not hear her case. So to make a long story short we had to pay. I have to admit this made us very angry! What kind of a low life would take advantage of helpless children just to make a buck? What makes it even sicker is this man is supposed to protect these children.

It was amazing that the issue of her citizenship never came up again. However we had to sit through this joke of a court process for the next six and a half hours, and then after all that, he would not give us his decision until Friday morning. We tried to explain that I had to leave at 5am to be able to go back to Kiev to sign paper work at the embassy and catch my plane home so I could get back to work. His response was that whoever cared could be there in the morning to hear his decision. Needless to say I once again had to practice my anger management . How dare he accuse us of not caring after the over two years of effort we have put into this process. That is why I say he is nothing more than a child trafficker. He treated us and the girls rudely throughout the entire process. I guess his day will come when he will have to answer to God for his actions. I wish that there was something we could do to stop this kind of abuse. However through all this insanity God still saved his girls. To Him be all the glory.

I am extremely pleased to say that the girls held up and behaved very well throughout this whole ordeal. I have to say that we had some serious concerns about Vika, as many of you know. However, I am very pleased to say that she was like a totally different kid this trip. She and Irra have been just as sweet as can be and I can't wait until they all get home. I am sure we will have some rough spots but I know God's grace will get us through those times as well. I feel like a first time dad again. I have never had girls before, just our boys. I have to admit us guys are trying to figure out how to keep the balance of power in our favor, but I think that might be a losing battle. Just kidding, but there will have to be some major adjustments, so please continue to pray for us.

Sheri is still in Ukraine and our 10 day waiting period will be up this Tuesday the 25th. Then we can begin the process of getting them all home. Please continue to pray that we will be able to get Irra's birth certificate from Russia without problems. Our agent has talked with the people in Russia and so far we have been told that all we have to do is go over there and they will issue a new one. We are hopeful that all will go that simply. Please also pray for our finances as we have had many additional expenses that we did not expect. I know that God will be faithful to meet all the needs as He has been all along. Pray also for Sheri. I talk with her daily and she is having a great time with the kids and is staying at the camp with them. They are having nightly Uno games and finger and toe nail painting parties. She is getting to know many of the other kids as well, which is good and difficult at the same time because there are a lot of great kids that just need someone to care. I wish we could bring them all home. I know Sheri will have a hard time leaving them, but at the same time I know she is getting very homesick as well. I wish I could have stayed with her but I couldn't so please support her with your prayers. Please stay tuned as we will update again soon.

Sheri and I both would like to thank everyone for your support and encouragement. Thank you and to GOD be all the glory!

BLESSINGS,
Sheri and Greg

August 13 Update

2009-08-13T13:28:00.001-04:00

HEY! Sorry we haven't been able to get to email. We are staying at the camp and of course there is no email there. We had court on Tuesday but the camp director would not allow us to bring the girls into town and thus no email. Today we didn't ask, so we will probably get chewed out when we return, but who cares at this point.

We are fine, but the judge is giving us fits. The "10 minute" hearing on Tuesday lasted for 2.5 hours, and then he set the next date for Today, not yesterday as we expected. Today was 6 hours-he is driving us nuts. Even the court translator said he is "not right" in the head. He kept us until 6:00 and then said he would announce his decision tomorrow am. So we will find out tomorrow, but we think we are ok. He told Edward flat out that he would not approve our case without a bribe, which we decided to pay. It is cheaper than coming back later for an appeal. The system here is very, very corrupt and we hate to feed it, but feel like we have no choice.

By the way, we are getting both girls. Vika never said anything about not coming and has been a really good sport. Irra is concerned about her boyfriend and not seeing him again but I think she will be ok. They came both days and were really, really great. It was very long and boring for them and also I think difficult to hear over and over that they had no family, no one here wants them, they have "mental delay" etc.

I told them that Greg is leaving in the morning to go back to Kiev and then the US and that they would have to take care of me at the camp and they both said "of course!" They are having fun teaching me Russian. Also, our bags got lost and finally showed up here about 2 hours ago. I am very excited to have fresh clothes and my other things. Greg is excited about having to haul all of his stuff back to the US tomorrow!

Please pass this on to the family. We will try to get through the rest of our email tonight, but we have the driver and the girls waiting on us so not much time. Just mainly wanted to give you an update. Greg will try to email tomorrow from Kiev if he can, but I will be out of touch by email until the 25-27th. My new phone number is 380-99-688-7028. You can try me tomorrow (Friday) around 8:00 your time and I will have the final court decision by then too.

Gotta run. Please make sure to get word to the boys and mom and dad for us. Tell them we are fine and love and miss them. Ask Joshie if he likes practicing in his pads. I can't wait to see them all again!! And Daddy will be home soon.

Thanks again. Love you !!

Sheri & Greg

Back to Ukraine!

2009-08-05T09:11:00.001-04:00

A quick update on our adoption. Edward has been to see the judge and our court date is scheduled for next Tuesday, August 11th! So we’re frantically packing and trying to get things wrapped up here so we can travel on Sunday! It’s rather challenging to try to get ready for a trip of this magnitude in the space of 4 days!

Greg will return as soon as court is finished, so he’s planning to return next weekend, but I will stay until the waiting period is over and all of the paperwork is done. I’m scheduled to return on September 5th. This means that Greg will get to be a “single” dad for about three weeks, so please pray for him and the kids! I am thinking they will really appreciate Mom when she gets back, and I know I will be more than ready to see all of them.

So please keep us in your prayers as we go and hopefully this time, God willing, we will actually come home with the girls! Specifically, please pray for favor with the courts and officials, especially regarding the problem of getting Irra’s birth certificate in Russia, and also for our finances. We are well outside the budget of our original “package” with the adoption agency, so much of this trip will be added expenses we did not anticipate.

Our blog is www.gregandsheribell.blogspot.com and I will update it as much as I can while we are there. We may actually get to stay at the camp where the girls are staying, and there is no internet there, but I will get to town when I can and send updates. The camp is very beautiful and it would be fun to get to spend that much time with the girls.

Thanks again and we’ll see you all soon!!

Blessings,

Sheri & Greg

We're going back!

2009-08-04T10:40:00.001-04:00

This will be short, because I now have a MILLION things to do, but Edward talked to the judge and we are going back! We leave on Saturday or Sunday – this weekend! Greg will be back next weekend, but I’m planning to stay until Sept 5th to finish the wonderful fun paperwork.

We are very excited, but I must say I’m quite overwhelmed with getting things together so quickly, and with the thought of leaving the children again for so long. But it will all be worth it once Irra and Vika are here to stay, and I must stay focused on that and also that God has all the timing, children, finances and other details in His hands.

Blessings,

Sheri & Greg

A Date!

2009-08-02T08:12:00.000-04:00

Things are finally starting to move, and rather quickly - it’s always hurry up and wait with this game!

Edward emailed on Friday and said that we have our first court date scheduled August 11, next Tuesday. He would like us to arrive on Monday, so that means we have to leave a week from tomorrow. This is fast, but good news that things are moving and hopefully the end (of the beginning) is in sight.

However, we have some questions and concerns. There are actually two court dates, and the judge only scheduled the first hearing, which bothers us. The first hearing is to make sure all of the documents are in order, (and they’ve had all this time to review them) and the second hearing is the actual adoption trial, or hearing, or whatever they call it. They are normally scheduled very close together, within days, if I understand things correctly. We know that our judge is getting ready to go on vacation for a month, and we are concerned because he hasn’t scheduled the second court date. We are concerned that he is planning on doing the first date on the 11th, and then the second one after he returns from his vacation – in a month!! This is obviously not going to work for us! Also, assuming we do both court dates very close together, what about the 10 day waiting period? If he is gone, does that mean we have to wait until he returns to get our final court documents?

To complicate matters further, we have been told that many people go on vacation in August, and many companies simply shut down for the entire month. Assuming all goes well with the court and the paperwork, we wonder if the government agencies we need to get the documents for the girls to come home (i.e. birth certificates, passports, etc.) will be closed for vacation. We already experienced this problem to some degree in June, and if more people go away in August, that could cause major delays. Our “package” with the adoption agency only includes 30 weekdays in country, and we spend 16 of them the first time around, so we really can’t afford for too many more delays.

Sooo, we are trying to reach Edward by phone this weekend and get his opinion and advice. As much as we want to go get the girls soon, preferably before school starts, we don’t want to go now if we will run into all of these problems. Better to wait the extra month here and not there! I really hope Edward can provide some clarification on the subject. We tried to call him this morning, but couldn’t get through. We will try again tomorrow and maybe that will work.

On other news, we have worked out the plane tickets – for whenever we need them. Greg has a wonderful customer who flies a lot and needed quite a bit of work done on his new house. So we have worked out a deal where he will pay for Greg’s painting and handyman work in the form of plane tickets. It works out great for both of us!

Greg is planning to return home as soon as the court is finished, and I will stay to finish up and return with the girls. Assuming we leave next weekend, and right now that’s what we’re planning to do until we hear differently, I will miss the first week of school. I’m not really excited about staying over there alone, (I will have Edward and Sasha with me) but we need for Greg to get back to work and to be here for the kids. So he will get to do all the “mom” things I normally do, like go to Meet the Teacher, and run the carpool, etc. It should be quite an experience for both of us!! We’ve never been separated for more than a couple of days since we got married 25 years ago, so I’m not looking forward to it, but all this will all be worth it once we can bring the girls home!!

I’ll keep you posted on what we find out from Edward, hopefully tomorrow!

Sheri

We may be leaving sooner than we thought!

2009-07-29T08:58:00.000-04:00

Well, we finally have some news. Edward emailed today and said he met with the judge – Hooray! – who will hear our case. Evidently this is a district or regional judge who is very busy and has a large jurisdiction, and that has been part of the delay. Anyway, the judge said that he is having trouble finding “public representatives” which are evidently similar jurors. Evidently there is a shortage of them right now because everyone is on vacation for the summer. Also, the judge is leaving in two weeks for a month long vacation of his own! So, if he can find enough public representatives before he goes, then he will hear our case. If not, we will have to wait until he returns from vacation.

So Edward is asking us to pray that there will be enough public representatives to do this quickly. School starts August 24th, and we had really wanted to get the girls into school on time, so we are using that as some leverage to try to encourage the judge to act as fast as possible. We will of course ask him to waive the 10 day waiting period, but I’m told that is unlikely.

I’m starting to think in terms of what I have to do to get ready to go on very short notice and planning to be gone three weeks again. Greg will only have to stay for a few days, lucky guy! It’s a little overwhelming to try to organize when we don’t know what will happen tomorrow, but it will all be worth it in the end!

Thanks so much for your continued prayers and support! We could not do this without our friends and family. We are so blessed!!

July 9 Update

2009-07-10T08:26:00.001-04:00

Just wanted to give a quick update. Edward emailed and said he spoke to the “chief” of the Vital Records in Russia and she said it would not be a problem for us to get Irra’s birth certificate! We’re cautiously optimistic, hopefully she will say the same thing when we arrive!

Still waiting on a court date. We had to re-do some paperwork and send it over with an AWESOME family who is adopting their 12th child. They have adopted 6 from Eastern Europe. If you get a chance, check out their blog, www.smilingallthewayhome.blogspot.com. I have seen some of their YouTube stuff, and it was fun to actually speak to Christine. Their appointment at the SDA is Monday, so keep them in your prayers for that!

My new favorite scripture, this is SOO cool!!

Once our eyes are opened, we can’t pretend we don’t know what to do. God, who weights our hearts and keeps our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act. Proverbs 24:12

Also, please keep us in your prayers. We did not expect to have to come home, and it was definitely not in the budget! I figure this little detour will cost us around $4,000 before we’re done, and we have no earthly idea where that’s coming from. Good thing my Daddy owns the whole earth!

We’ll keep you posted on our court date and travel plans as soon as we know!

Blessings, and to God be the Glory!

Greg and Sheri

Home Again, but not for long!

2009-07-03T20:46:00.000-04:00

Well, we got back home late Monday, or really early Tuesday morning. I have never been so happy to see my children and my BED! That's a really long flight!! And of course, we were so excited about coming home that we didn't sleep very well the night before, in spite of the fact that the hotel that night had A/C - a real treat!

I've been writing in the blog so erratically that I realized I haven't explained very well what happens from here. So here's a re-cap of where we are with the entire process.

Edward is going to submit paperwork to the court on our behalf and he will email with our court date, which we expect to be sometime in late July. Then we go back to Ukraine for court for the actual adoption, and then Greg gets to come home. However, the decision of the court is not final for 10 days. This is a standard thing they do (I understand they do this in the US, too) to allow for any appeals. After the 10 days are up, the decision is final and the girls are legally our daughters. Hooray!!

However, before I can bring the girls back home, we have some paperwork to do. We have to go and get new birth certificates showing Greg and I as the new parents. Then we have to get new passports for the girls in their new names, and get a visa for them from the Embassy in Kiev. This process normally takes just a few days, however, we can't ever do anything the easy way, can we!!? In our case, Irra was born in Russia, and this could make getting her birth certificate very complicated. We have been told this could take anywhere from a few days to 6 months. Obviously we are concerned about this and researching our options. Please pray for us to make all of the right connections and that we can get this taken care of quickly. Most people in this situation end of having to leave their child at the orphanage until the birth certificate issue is cleared up. We do not want to have to do this, but we may have no choice. It's definitely not practical for me to stay in Ukraine for six months!

The bottom line here is this: We're not in charge (surprise!) and never have been. I have no idea how this is all going to work out, and it's definitely not how I would have done things, but we do know that God is in full control. Maybe someday we'll see what the master plan here is, but if not, that's ok too, because we know there IS a master plan.

I'm sorta getting used to the idea of not being in control at this point. I'm a slow learner - God has had to pry my fingers off the (fake) steering wheel one at a time - but I'm trying. Of course, when you're in a foreign country with no car you can drive, you don't speak the language, and you can't even find your way around alone, it's easier to just surrender. :)- We'll see how good I am in the US where the illusion of control still exists!

We want to say how much we appreciate everyone's prayers and support. We LOVED your comments and emails while we were in Ukraine - it made us feel like we were not alone. Some days knowing you guys were out there praying and believing God with us helped to keep us sane! Thank you SOO much!!

There is so much that we just didn't have time to post, but now that the fog is clearing, I'll try to post stuff as it comes to me, and we'll keep you posted as to our return trip and the time line. God Bless you guys!!

Love,

Greg and Sheri

Kharkov

2009-07-03T17:33:00.001-04:00

With a population of roughly 1.4 million inhabitants, it is Ukraine's second largest city and one of the nation's main industrial, cultural and educational centers.

Pictures from Ukraine Trip #1

2009-07-03T17:03:00.007-04:00

Irra and Vika, our soon-to-be daughters!

A teacher, Irra and Vika

Vika and her "gang"

Greg has never felt so tall!

The girls at camp.

More camp photos

Greg by the sandcastle exhibit in downtown Kharkov.

Sheri in Kharkov.

Gotta love Micky D's in any language!

Sheri, Tonia, Vika and Greg. Vika is so tiny!

More even this time!

Vika and her friend.

This little girl was so sweet!!

Vika and her friends. Tonia is in the red.

Sheri, Vika and friends.

Sheri standing between Natasha and Natasha. Evidently standing between two Natashas entitles one to make a special wish. I wished they all had homes and families...

Vika and some friends

All kids love video games!

Kids at the camp. Vika is second from the left.

More camp kids.

And again . . .

Kharkov at night.

Such a sweet girl!

Fun is universal.

They love to have their pictures taken!

This little guy grabbed Greg's hand - and his heart!

Greg, Irra (our soon to be daughter!) and Sheri

Irra and her friend Diana

Coming Home

2009-06-27T11:27:00.000-04:00

Well, we're going to have to come home for a few weeks. We simply can't even get to the judge to get a court date assigned. Evidently they do a mid-year report here, and between that and summer vacations, the court is closed until July 13th. So, we hope to find out by the 15th what date they assign us, probably about two weeks after that. Best guess is we will come back to Ukraine in late July.

We really have mixed feelings about this. I feel terrible that we're not going to get to bring Vika and Irra home this time, but on the other hand, I'm really ready for a break! Can't wait to hug my kids and sleep in my own bed again....

Anyway, we finally got to meet Irra and she's worth the wait! What a sweetie. She's 14, and a friendly, cheerful girl. She told us that it's always been her dream to come to America and to have a family. We asked her what she was looking forward to about America and she said "meeting new people and seeing new places." When we asked her what she wanted from a family, she said "Joy". She went on to say that she thinks being in a family brings joy, and she's really looking forward to having a real family. She was orphaned at the age of 6, and it was not a very good home situation anyway, so that's a pretty amazing answer. The director of the internaut said that she was a "very good girl" and that they would be sorry to see her go. Very high praise!

We took Vika out shopping last weekend (they have a real mall here!!) and to church on Sunday. We had a good time, but I think it will be some time before she trusts us. She's had some pretty traumatic experiences and is not as ready to open up as Irra. I think getting her to a new environment will be good for her, but she'll also be a challenge. Please pray that God will touch her heart and that she will listen to His voice.

I think that's about it for now. We'll probably be out of touch until Tuesday, unless there is Internet at the hotel on Sunday night. Hopefully we will follow our flight itinerary more closely this time!!

Blessings,

Greg and Sheri

2009-06-22T11:07:00.000-04:00

Our appointment at the SDA went splendidly, but they were laughing when we left because it turns out that Irena (Irra) was born in Russia! So that means that after the adoption is complete, Sheri gets to go to Russia to get her birth certificate. I can't tell you how excited I am about that! Anyway, it shouldn't add more than a couple of days to this project, and she's definitely worth it!

So add this to your rather long list of things to pray about for us!

Love you guys! Thanks again!

Sheri & Greg

Greg's top tips for travel to Ukraine

2009-06-22T08:20:00.000-04:00

We're killing time in Kiev waiting for an appointment for our second child, so we thought we'd share our list of Things to Know before traveling here. Just some funny thoughts that keep running through our brains....

1. When making plane reservations, choose a plane that has at least two engines, so that if one goes out over the Atlantic ocean, you have one engine to spare.

2. A laser sight might be helpful when using the "old style" toilets. (anyone who has been here will understand. If you haven't been here, you can email us for an explanation)

3. Nose plugs for public bathrooms would have been a really good idea....

4. If they tell you the bathroom is out behind the building, and it's more than 50 paces away, be prepared to close your eyes and hold your nose.

5. Sidewalks are merely overflow lanes for traffic.

6. Rollerblades may come in handy while trying to avoid traffic on sidewalks.

7. When driving on the sidewalk, always use blinker when making a turn around the side of the building.

8. Sidewalks are sometimes smoother than the roads, but not always.

9. One minute in America is equal to 10-12 minutes in Ukraine. For example, if someone tells you something will take 15 minutes, be prepared to wait 1.5 hours in American time.

10. Allow your body 10 (American) minutes to stop bouncing after any car ride.

11. Do not talk during a car ride - you will bite your tongue.

12. Never order the fish soup.

13. Make sure your driver gets more than 3-4 hours of sleep per night. Otherwise, be prepared to wake him up when he falls asleep driving 60 mph down the road.

14. Bring some sort of ground to air missile system to ward off the flies and mosquitoes. These things are huge!

15. If you make friends with an orphan with a pet lizard, make sure to check your bed before getting into it.

16. If you ride in the elevator in the Hotel Kharkov, bring a folding ladder so you can climb out of it when the elevator gets stuck between floors. It is also helpful to make sure that your elevator mates have all showered that day before getting on the elevator. (Yes, this really did happen!)

This is all in good fun - a sense of humor is critical to our sanity here. For the most part, things are going very well and we've met some very wonderful caring people. The director at the internat (orphanage for school age children) has been very helpful and Edward says this is the best internat he's ever been to. We have gotten to know some of the other kids at the camp and they are really great kids. I wish we could bring them all home with us. Some of them have amazing talents and a tremendous capacity for love. They also know how to have fun. Saturday night they had a "disco" which strongly resembled a 9th grade dance. And yes, Vika insisted that we come out and dance, which we did. I was never a good dancer, and I'm still not, but it was fun. We invented a new dance we are calling "The Mosquito" where you move to the music and swat mosquitoes at the same time.

We are holding up petty well. We do have a very nice apartment in Kharkov now, but we've only slept there twice. We ended up sleeping at the camp again on Saturday night, and last night we slept on the train back to Kiev for another appointment for our second child. So this makes like 7 different places we have slept in 2 weeks. I think we could sleep in the middle of I-4 at this point. Boy, do I miss I-4. The roads here are terrible, and the traffic is unbelievable. Greg says it's like riding the bumper cars at the carnival. Everybody is going a different direction on the same road.

We had a new experience the other day. Our driver found a farmer that sold us fresh cow's milk. He took them an empty water bottle and they filled it up. It was really good! Doesn't get much fresher than that!

I think that's it for now. Please keep praying for the court date, we will hopefully find out tomorrow. Thanks for your prayers and we will try to write again soon!

Blessings,

Sheri & Greg

Prayer Request

2009-06-19T16:35:00.000-04:00

Hey! Things are going well here, but right now we are almost out of internet time. I wanted to ask for special prayer - we are well along into our paperwork for Vika, and go to the SDA again for the other girl, so please pray for that, but we went to the courts today to find out about a date and they said they are closed for some reason until July 13th! However, they said to go see the Chief Magistrate on Tuesday and if he orders them to, they will give us a court date sooner. Evidently the courts here have not been very friendly to adoptions in the past, and so we are concerned. Since we are adopting older children from a special needs orphanage they should be more receptive to us, but please pray that we find favor with the Chief Magistrate and for God' perfect timing on our court date. We know that He turns the hearts of the judges as He wills, and so we are trusting in His perfect plan to be accomplished here.

We love you all and we'll try to post a more complete update on Monday, we will probably be out of touch until then. To God be all the Glory!!

Greg and Sheri

June 15

2009-06-15T12:43:00.001-04:00

We were so exhausted and disappointed last night that we could hardly function. However, we are feeling much better today (sleep helps. I have decided that it's just not a good idea to make decisions after 5:00 in the afternoon, as I'm pretty much fried by then!) We spoke to Vika again this morning and she said YES! So we are very excited about that!! Also, I remembered another girl my friend Laurie met when she was here before that she really bonded with, so we are visiting with her a little bit and so far it looks promising. She is very sweet and seems willing to come. So for now we are going to stay at the camp and file a new petition to adopt Vika and possibly this other girl. We will have to wait for official permission to move forward with her, probably next week, but in the meantime we can spend time with Vika and get to know her some more.

We will definitely not be in town tomorrow, so don't' be concerned. But definitely keep praying that things progress swiftly and for wisdom for us!

Thanks so much and we will write more when we have time!

Love,

Greg and Sheri

Update

2009-06-14T15:19:00.002-04:00

Well, we got bad news today. Tonia has officially said she does not want to be adopted. Vika has not made her final decision yet, but it's not looking very good. She was excited about going with Tonia, but not sure about coming alone. We are not sure that the SDA will allow us to choose a second child, but probably. We are going to re-submit our petion to them on Tuesday (it will take that long to get the proper paperwork in order)and then they have to give us a new appointment date. It is all very complicated and frustrating. This will also add another week or two to our time, and that concerns us too. It's expensive and we don't want to be away from our boys that long. Anyway, we have no choice, and we still believe that this is all part of God's plan. So please pray for Vika and her decision, and for wisdom for us to know how to proceed from here. We are at a real crossroads and are not sure which way to go.

Blessings,

Greg and Sheri

If you don't like the way I drive, get off the sidewalk!!

2009-06-13T07:52:00.002-04:00

First time we've had a chance to write in a couple of days. We did not have internet access yesterday and only about 10 minutes the day before, so we read emails but didn't have time to respond to many.

We spent Wednesday afternoon doing some sightseeing in Kiev, and about 6:00 we stopped in the Ukrainian version of Starbucks for a break. (I'm going to have to buy a belt for these pants sooon, between the WALKING and the erratic meal schedule, I'm going to lose 20 lbs before we're done, I'm sure!!) Anyway, it was rush hour in downtown Kiev and we just couldn't get over how people drive there!! We literally saw one car make a left turn across traffic, onto the sidewalk, drove around the corner of the building, back across traffic and off!! We knew they parked on the sidewalk, but we didn't know they DRIVE on the sidewalks!! We saw this more than once, it was unbelievable! Also, lane lines on the pavement, where there are any, are mere suggestions. The cabbies in New York would shudder to drive here! The cars in Kiev were mostly very much what we see at home, and surprisingly free from dents. After watching the driving for a while, I expected the cars to look like demolition derby rejects, but I guess they are pretty good at what they do! The cars in Kharkov are much older as a rule, more Renos and stuff you don't see in the US now. Greg wants to go into the tire and alignment business, says there is a fortune to be made. Between the streets - very, very bad - and the driving on the sidewalks, they must spend a fortune on tires and alignments.

We have a driver, his name is Alexander, or Sasha for short, who doesn't speak English but is a very, very nice guy. Very attentive to us, especially me, and has a great sense of humor. We are teaching him some English and he is teaching us some Russian. His car is a newer Chevy, and nice. He is always wiping it down and it's obviously it's his baby.

Talk about Tiny!

Well, we (finally!) got to see the girls yesterday! It was my first time to meet Vika and we were both startled at how tiny she is! Tonia is also very small, maybe smaller than my friend Lynne, but Vika is probably Josh's height. She's a fireball, though, and very outgoing. She likes to text on her cell phone, and likes jewelry and makeup. We almost didn't' recognize her at first, because she's put lots of blonde/red highlights in her hair. She plays volleyball and likes math.

Tonya is much as I remember her, maybe a little taller, but she's also more grown up. She is very much into sports and enjoys classical music. She said she has a cell phone, but we didn't' see it and I bet she's not into texting nearly as much as Vika. She was very reserved, but Edward says she is not afraid to speak up when she's unhappy. We spent some time with them and their friends, and he reported some of the conversation to us later, and says she seems to have a healthy sense of respect for herself.

Anyway, to start at the beginning, yesterday we first went to the internat (orphanage for older children) and met with the director and a lady who read us more details out of their history. The director is a key figure in all of this, and the meeting went well. He seems to really care about the kids, and Edward says this is one of the better facilities he has seen. It was old, but clean and very institutionalized. Then we followed him out to the camp, and he brought the girls to meet us. Vika was almost in tears at first, evidently there is a rumor among orphans in general that people adopt them to harvest their organs, so they were afraid. He obviously dispelled that right away, but they were still nervous, as were we! Then we (us, Edward, the camp psychologist, the girls, and the worker from the local DCF) went into a room and talked for over an hour. We showed them photos of our family and talked a little. It was very awkard, but Edward was really good at getting them to open up a little and relax. Vika said she was in, but Tonia said no. However, the psychologist said that is sometimes normal and we should spend time with them both and give them time to get to know us. So we went to lunch and then came back in the afternoon.

It was better in the afternoon, they showed us around camp and we met some of their friends. We are going to go back this afternoon and today we went to a really nice toy store (think FAO Schwartz but bigger!) and bought some balls and a game to play with them. We are hoping they will be more comfortable if we can all play a game together. They were much more relaxed in the afternoon and greeted us with smiles. Edward seems to think Tonia will change her mind, her main problem is she doesn't like change, but of course, no one does. Evidently they also talked to some of their friends while we were gone and they all were encouraging them to go; said they would come in a heartbeat if they had the opportunity. So that helps! They didn't get brave enough to ask us many questions, but Greg told them they should make a loooonngg list and they laughed.

I think that's about it. I know this is long but it's been a long couple of days. I will be happier when we get settled in our apt here. This changing hotels (they are nasty!!) every night is for the birds, and we are still very tired. We are sleeping anywhere and anytime we get the chance, Greg nodded off while I was typing this! So please pray for us to get some rest and for our health.

We love you all!

Blessings,

Sheri & Greg

Day 3

2009-06-10T07:46:00.001-04:00

Well, we hoped to leave for Kharkov today, but we needed a form signed yesterday late and they didn't have it ready for us. So we have to wait for them to sign it today. Evidently they only sign papers once a day in the late afternoon, and so now we are planning on going to Kharkov tomorrow. We slept late this morning - still a little jet lagged - and were woken up by this really loud bird. I was wondering what kind of bird it was that would make such a loud sound when it came again. We finally figured out it was the door bell!! I feel like the Beverly Hillbillies where Jed says to Granny that "everytime I hear that strange music, and I go to find out where it's coming from, someone comes to the front door"! Us stupid Americans. It was our interpretor coming to pick us up. We're off to sightsee in Kiev for lack of any business to do today. In such a rush to get out the door I forgot my camera, oh well, maybe we can buy a disposable.

We ran into our new friends here and they had good news to report on their visit to the SDA. Praise God!

Gotta run - don't want to keep Edward waiting any longer. There's that funny bird again - just kidding.... We feel more sure now than ever that we are walking in God's plan... please pray that we don't have any more delays, its' just killing me that we have wasted a day, but it will be fine in the end!

Day 2

2009-06-09T10:18:00.001-04:00

Well, we finally arrived in Kiev about 11:00 pm last night. Stayed in a very nice apartment that had hot water and air conditioning! Heaven! And a bed - sleep at last!

Off to the SDA this morning. We saw our new friend from the plane there (she was the appointment before ours) and she received a favorable report for her adoption. Then it was our turn and they approved the first step! So we are going to stay the night here tonight again and then we will travel to Kharkov tomorrow morning to meet with the orphanage director and hopefully see the girls.

We learned that Vika's full name is Victoria and Tonya is Antonina. Very pretty! We are excited to go tomorrow and spend some time with them.

Spent the remainder of the day getting our fingerprints done, changing money, etc.

Greetings From London!

2009-06-08T08:16:00.002-04:00

Well, it's been interesting so far. First two flights were fine, in fact it was kind of romantic. We had breakfast in Atlanta, lunch in New York and dinner over the Atlantic ocean. After watching the sunset and moon rise we settled in for the night and expected to wake up in Kiev. Instead we were woken up by the pilot saying we were diverting to London Heathrow because we had an "electrical issue" that needed to be checked out. We landed and they told us it was really oil leaking from the #1 engine. After about 3 hours of waiting on the plane - and sleeping - they finally decided that the problem couldn't be fixed today and said they were going to put us up in a hotel and fly everyone out tomorrow morning. Now normally we'd be delighted to spend a day in London on Delta's tab, but not today! Our appointment with the SDA is tomorrow at 10:30 and their plan wouldn't get us there in time and I doubt the SDA would be very happy. So the short story is Delta is flying us on today via Munich. We arrive in Kiev tonight about 10:30 - looooonnnggg day!!

We met a couple on the plane who adopted a 12 year old girl last year and is returning to adopt her friend. Their appointment is Wed so they have the extra time. We also met a lady who is adopting her FOURTH child from Eastern Europe, and all teens. She's a very nice lady and we are traveling with her to Kiev. Her husband couldn't come - he got sick - so I think it is good that we have each other to help each other out. Both families have adopted older children from Ukraine and it has worked out wonderfully for them. We are exchanging contact information - they are from Texas - and plan to keep in touch. Met the one little girl on the plane and she is a very sweet child. It's encouraging to talk to someone who has not only done this before with older children, but likes it so much they keep coming back for more.

Gotta run - 4 minutes left! Please keep praying for us!!