Update

Well, we were suppose to have our second homestudy visit yesterday, however our social worker couldn't make it due to the snow. She is now coming next Monday and then our final visit next Wednesday. I am enjoying the snow days from work and they have been a blessing for me. Adoption requires us to go to many different places that all seem to be open only when I am in school, however since we have had so many snow days I have been able to get all these appointments taken care of without having to use my sick days!! This is a blessing from God, because I need to save all my sick days for when we travel to Ukraine to get the kids. I can take off for 6 weeks of adoption leave...just like maternity leave. However, I will only get paid for the number of sick days I have accumulated. Right now I have enough days for 5 weeks, so every sick day is precious. The Lord has been looking after us and I didn't realize it until today. We have doctor's appointments this afternoon to get our physicals and I was going to have to take a half day. School was canceled today for snow, so no need to use my sick time. Praise the Lord. There is only one more appointment date that I may have to take off for, but I am hoping to get a Saturday appointment for that one. We still have to get our biometric fingerprints for immigration.

On another note, when we started this process our desire has always been to go back to the orphanage my sister came from to adopt. If we can do this, our children will have an extra connection with their aunt. They will know the same teachers and experienced some of the same things in orphanage life. Also, my sister has a biological brother who lives in that area, so if we can go there, we can meet him. We hope my mother and sister can travel with us. It would be so great for Aera to see her brother as I know she misses him alot. He had already aged out of the orphanage when my parents adopted Aera. He was happy for her to come to America and she has seen him one time since being adopted, but has had no communication with him since that time. It would be awesome if we can see him and arrange some way for them to have regular communication. ANYWAY...I say all that to say that our placing agency is checking into that option for us. I had a couple brief conversations with our caseworker today and she is emailing the facilitator in Ukraine about that possibility. I am excited, because the facilitator didn't say no, it wasn't an option. Now he hasn't said it is an option either, but I am always happy when it isn't a definite no.

Please pray that if it is the Lord's will that we adopt our children from the same orphanage that our facilitator will be able to work that out. Ultimately, we want the children God has for us. He knows who they are and he is preparing them and us for that time.