Smoke grenades, eggs & tomatoes turn Ukraine parliament into battlefield

While not related to our adoption, it seems that a fight broke out in the Ukraine parliament over a treaty with Russia.  I have embedded a youtube video of the fight.

Paperwork Submitted!!!!

Our dossier (along with our friend's the Trumps) was submitted to the Ukraine government today.  This is a huge milestone.  We should hear back in the next 2 to 3 weeks on an appointment date to meet with the Ukraine government.  Our appointment date should also be 2 to 3 weeks from when we hear.  So if everything goes well, we will be there in about 5 weeks.  We are so excited.  We have so much to do in the next few weeks to prepare for our trip.

Paperwork Update #2

We have been watching the situation in Europe to see when air travel would resume, so that our final piece of paperwork could be delivered to Ukraine.  We heard yesterday from Tonya  (our US facilitator) that our paperwork will be going over on Saturday and arrive on Sunday.  The paperwork will be delivered by another family that is going over to adopt.  The good news is that our dossier will be submitted on Tuesday, April 27th.  We should hear back in about 2 weeks after that with an appointment date.

Elena is eagerly waiting for us to come  and bring her back with us to America.  We are so excited that Elena has made it clear she wants to be adopted.  There have been a few recent children that  have changed their minds and did not want to be adopted.  In Ukraine, children over 6 have to publicly say that they want to be adopted in front of several officials including the judge who will make the final decision on the adoption.  We continue to call her each week and send her two letters each week.

We will update you once our paperwork is submitted.   

Paperwork Update

Flights to Germany will not start again to at least Sunday (tomorrow).  Our paperwork is scheduled to go over to Ukraine via Germany with one of several adoptive families that are going to Ukraine this weekend.  If our paperwork can get to Ukraine with one of the adoptive families by Monday, it will be submitted this week.  If not we will have to wait another week.  Please pray that our paperwork can get to Ukraine as soon as possible.  After waiting since January to get our paperwork approval from the USCIS, we are looking forward to our paperwork being submitted to the Ukraine government as soon as possible.

Our Paperwork is All Set to Go to Ukraine

Jay picked up our final piece of paperwork from USCIS this morning and delivered it with our friend's (Rusty and Cheryl Trump) paperwork to Tonya our facilitator.  Tonya is suppose to give it to another family to hand deliver to Ukraine.  This family should be leaving tomorrow, but they may be delayed due to the volcano eruption in Iceland.

If our paperwork is able to get to Ukraine before Wednesday our dossier will be submitted this week.  If not it will have to wait one more week to be submitted.  Once our dossier is submitted, we should hear back from Ukraine in 2 weeks.  Our appointment should be 2 to 3 weeks from the day we hear back (for a total of 4 to 5 weeks).  There could be a slight delay in getting our appointment due to holidays in Ukraine in May.  They have 8 holidays this May.  

Hopefully we will be able to go over to Ukraine at the same time as the Trumps.  We will then be able to spend the first few days with them in Kiev and on the train ride to Lugansk. 

We will keep you posted on the status of our paperwork and our appointment date.

Our Paperwork should be picked up TOMORROW and be hand delivered in Ukraine this weekend!

We are overjoyed and overflowing with  gratefulness over God's abundant mercy and grace!  This week we have experienced a breakthrough due to God's sovereign and divine intervention. We know that many have been praying and it is as a sweet fragrant aroma unto Him and certainly brought forth a move of His Spirit in ways beyond men could accomplish!   We finally heard back from the INS officer that our paperwork has been approved.  Friends of ours, the Trump family, had gotten permission to pick up their paperwork today.  Jay had emailed the INS worker repeatedly and additionally, when Cheryl picked up the paperwork for her family today, she inquired and asked if we could pick up ours today or tomorrow also.   Both of our families have clearly been given divine favor since last night our adoption facilitator says that NEVER happens-picking up the approval paperwork in person- perhaps with one or two emergency exceptions.   Well, Jay needed to leave for a meeting over an hour North and the appointment notice from the INS worker arrived just as Jay was walking out the door (as the administrative assistant ran after him with the appointment notice in hand as it had been faxed just in the second it was needed)!  It is a really big deal that this is all happening right now because on Saturday someone is traveling to Ukraine to adopt and our paperwork will be hand delivered to the Ukrainian adoption facilitator! 

The next step is that once our paperwork gets submitted, we should be traveling in about 5  weeks or so, and we will need to spend a total of 4 weeks in Ukraine until we can come home with Elena.
 
Thank you again for all of your prayers and support!  The prayers of a righteous man avails much! To God be the glory for His provision and blessings upon us and our friends!  Speaking of His provisions, He has encouraged us mightily and not only matched our grant but provided bunk beds as well!   If it is still on your heart to give, it is still very much welcomed and would help a lot.  There are additional expenses we have incurred and will incur (including some hidden expenses necessary for travel) but some that are not so hidden (the $1,500 remaining of the placement fee due to the hosting agency for one).  Most of all, we are just in awe of what the Lord has done and is doing in our midst!   Thank you all for being His hands and feet, the living expression of our Lord!
 
This journey is a step by step process.  The next step which requires prayer is that our paperwork would get submitted this coming Wednesday in Ukraine (they only submit once a week, so if they can't squeeze us in this coming Wed., we'll have to wait another week.)  My prayer has been if it is God's will that we could be at Elena's orphanage before or on her birthday, June 3rd (she turns 11)! 

Thanks to those who expressed concern over the Russian adoption situation.  Please keep praying for Russia and the families far along in the adoption process currently.   There are many precious people this could impact so let's pray for this to calm down quickly.  Praise God, it doesn't seem to be effecting the country of Ukraine (or other countries)!
 
We spoke with Elena this morning very early but she couldn't talk much since they were having lessons later than usual.  Also, we sense she is struggling more the English language and probably lost quite a bit since she has been back in Ukraine.  
Thank you Lord, thank you friends and thank you all!   Blessed be His glorious and mighty Name!  

__._,_.___

I will review it tomorrow

This is the exact email I received from the person at the USCIS who is responsible for approving our I-600a application.  This is the last form we need before submitting our dossier to the Ukraine government.  Hopefully we should receive our approval in the few days and then have it sent over to Ukraine.

Hannah's Missing Tooth