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We finally made it home Saturday night around 6:30 p.m. Bogdan did very well on the trip. KLM has individual computer screens for everyone with kid games and cartoons so he played computer games when he was not eating or sleeping. Sunday was busy with church and picnic and he had the opportunity to meet and play with some of the children in our church.
I will post photos on my flicker account once I get everything unpacked and things settle down a little.
A big thank you to everyone for all the support and prayers. A special thinks to Vickie Sandifer for keeping everyone updated by email.
Lisa
Monday, October 12, 2009
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Wednesday 10/07/2009 Back in Kiev!
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We have him!!! We picked up Bogdan Tuesday(yesterday) after his going away party at the orphanage. We went and bought clothes for him and rushed to the capitol city for the region last night and arrived there around 5:15PM and applied for his passport. We received it today at 2:00PM, and headed back to Kiev. We arrived back in Kiev tonight about 8:00PM. Tomorrow morning we go to the doctor for him to sign off on his paperwork, then to the American Embassy to pick up the travel VISA at 2:00PM, and THAT'S IT!!! All we have left after all this is to get home. We will go check on his ticket tomorrow as soon as the VISA is in our hand.
Thank you all for your payers throughout this process. I can't count how many times God has answered them through out this process.
Pleas pray God will continue to keep us all in his hands through out tomorrow's process and then getting home.
Love you all,
Charles, Lisa, and Bogdan
Monday, October 5, 2009
October 5, 2009
Hello Everyone,
Well, the hearing is over and we offically became parents today. Also, the judge waived the 10 day waiting period. According to our facilitator we are the first couple in their agency to get to take their child home on the first trip. We are thrilled, relieved, and tired. We have to purchase clothes first thing in the morning for him to wear when he leaves the orphanage with us. There will be a farewell party around noon and then we will take Bogdan head to another region to get the new birth certificate and then to back to Kiev. There, we will have to spend a few days getting the passport and final paperwork for the trip home. If all goes well, this time next week we should be on our way home and Bogdan will be with us.
We will post as soon as we can.
Thank you for all the prayers and support.
Charles, Lisa, and Bogdan
Well, the hearing is over and we offically became parents today. Also, the judge waived the 10 day waiting period. According to our facilitator we are the first couple in their agency to get to take their child home on the first trip. We are thrilled, relieved, and tired. We have to purchase clothes first thing in the morning for him to wear when he leaves the orphanage with us. There will be a farewell party around noon and then we will take Bogdan head to another region to get the new birth certificate and then to back to Kiev. There, we will have to spend a few days getting the passport and final paperwork for the trip home. If all goes well, this time next week we should be on our way home and Bogdan will be with us.
We will post as soon as we can.
Thank you for all the prayers and support.
Charles, Lisa, and Bogdan
Sunday, October 4, 2009
October 4, 2009
Hello Everyone,
Tomorrow we will be in court and praying things will go well.
We are in the region of Oleksandriia, Ukraine. This town is the Ukraine version of Eufaula. There are a few restaurants here, two Internet cafes, two grocery stores, and some small specialty shops. Turn off the main street and within a mile you will be in the farming community.
It is very safe here. We have a driver but choose to walk as much as possible. Today the sun is shining and it is typical fall weather.
Hopefully, we will be home in about a week.
Praying and Waiting,
Charles and Lisa
Tomorrow we will be in court and praying things will go well.
We are in the region of Oleksandriia, Ukraine. This town is the Ukraine version of Eufaula. There are a few restaurants here, two Internet cafes, two grocery stores, and some small specialty shops. Turn off the main street and within a mile you will be in the farming community.
It is very safe here. We have a driver but choose to walk as much as possible. Today the sun is shining and it is typical fall weather.
Hopefully, we will be home in about a week.
Praying and Waiting,
Charles and Lisa
Friday, October 2, 2009
October 2, 2009
Hello Everyone,
It is a beautiful day here in this region of the Ukraine. The weather here is very much like our fall weather just not as hot during the day. Of course in the winter it is bitter cold with snow.
Vickie, regarding your comment about Bogdan "out running us, out jumping us, arguing with us in two languages," I do believe God a sense of humor sometimes! LOL ! Also, during the times we are challenged with his behavior, I can picture my mother and father sitting in heaven laughing at us. I was such a handful as a child I am sure I will get a taste of what my mother and father went through. Bogdan was so sweet calm the first few days we were around him. There is a kitten at the orphanage that all the children play with. Bogdan brought it for us to see the first day we were at the orphanage. I was very impressed at how he held it and treated it. The next week we went and bought one of those remote control trucks that makes all kinds of racket. The horn blows, it plays music, lights flash all over it, etc. We gave it to him and his face just lit up. The next thing we knew he had it chasing the kitten making it spit and all it's fur stand up, chasing the little girls making them scream, and we were chasing him trying to get things under control before the orphanage director came in and threw us out. LOL !!
We are trying to find a way to post pictures. The computers here are not set up to use a junk drive so we may have to find another Internet cafe. This little boy looks nothing like the first one we were trying to adopt. He has dark eyes and hair and an olive complextion. He is very small for a second grader but I think he will probably grow a lot the first year we have him.
The kids are lined up behind me waiting for the computer again.
Praying for our church family,
Charles and Lisa
It is a beautiful day here in this region of the Ukraine. The weather here is very much like our fall weather just not as hot during the day. Of course in the winter it is bitter cold with snow.
Vickie, regarding your comment about Bogdan "out running us, out jumping us, arguing with us in two languages," I do believe God a sense of humor sometimes! LOL ! Also, during the times we are challenged with his behavior, I can picture my mother and father sitting in heaven laughing at us. I was such a handful as a child I am sure I will get a taste of what my mother and father went through. Bogdan was so sweet calm the first few days we were around him. There is a kitten at the orphanage that all the children play with. Bogdan brought it for us to see the first day we were at the orphanage. I was very impressed at how he held it and treated it. The next week we went and bought one of those remote control trucks that makes all kinds of racket. The horn blows, it plays music, lights flash all over it, etc. We gave it to him and his face just lit up. The next thing we knew he had it chasing the kitten making it spit and all it's fur stand up, chasing the little girls making them scream, and we were chasing him trying to get things under control before the orphanage director came in and threw us out. LOL !!
We are trying to find a way to post pictures. The computers here are not set up to use a junk drive so we may have to find another Internet cafe. This little boy looks nothing like the first one we were trying to adopt. He has dark eyes and hair and an olive complextion. He is very small for a second grader but I think he will probably grow a lot the first year we have him.
The kids are lined up behind me waiting for the computer again.
Praying for our church family,
Charles and Lisa
Thursday, October 1, 2009
October 1, 2009
Hello everyone,
We finally have a court date. It will be Monday at 2:00 p.m. Most of you will still be sleeping. Our facilitator and translator are also working on getting the 10 day waiting period waived. They would not make any promises in regards to this yet, and they say it does happen, but not very often. This would mean when we come home we would have Bogdan with us and not have to return. This would really be an answered prayer but we will not know until Tuesday after the court hearing.
The children were in a high energy mood today and Bogdan was no exception. We are getting a child that can out run us, out jump us, and argue with us in two different languages.
We are praying for the school as well as the other request we receive through email.
In His Name,
Charles and Lisa
We finally have a court date. It will be Monday at 2:00 p.m. Most of you will still be sleeping. Our facilitator and translator are also working on getting the 10 day waiting period waived. They would not make any promises in regards to this yet, and they say it does happen, but not very often. This would mean when we come home we would have Bogdan with us and not have to return. This would really be an answered prayer but we will not know until Tuesday after the court hearing.
The children were in a high energy mood today and Bogdan was no exception. We are getting a child that can out run us, out jump us, and argue with us in two different languages.
We are praying for the school as well as the other request we receive through email.
In His Name,
Charles and Lisa
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
September 30, 2009 - #2
It rained and turned a little cold here today. We came to the cafe for coffee and there were some computers available.
The girls at the orphanage told me there is a shower they use for bathing. If I understood correctly the boys use it one day and the girls the next. The older children take care of the younger children and babies and make sure they are dressed and fed on time. They share everything and are like one big family.
Bogdan has really gotten comfortable with us and now comes to us for hugs when we first get there. They tell us he has no problem learning and makes all A's. He knows some English but not enough to do well in a class room. We will probably have to hire a tutor to help him with English so we can start him in school ASAP. He is also very energetic and Charles is going to have his hands full.
We still have not heard a court date but our facilitator should call us tonight and let us know something.
Thanks for all the comments and prayers. Thank you Vickie for sending the blog address to everyone.
Lisa
The girls at the orphanage told me there is a shower they use for bathing. If I understood correctly the boys use it one day and the girls the next. The older children take care of the younger children and babies and make sure they are dressed and fed on time. They share everything and are like one big family.
Bogdan has really gotten comfortable with us and now comes to us for hugs when we first get there. They tell us he has no problem learning and makes all A's. He knows some English but not enough to do well in a class room. We will probably have to hire a tutor to help him with English so we can start him in school ASAP. He is also very energetic and Charles is going to have his hands full.
We still have not heard a court date but our facilitator should call us tonight and let us know something.
Thanks for all the comments and prayers. Thank you Vickie for sending the blog address to everyone.
Lisa
September 30, 2009
We beat the kids to the cafe today. They are now lined up behind us waiting on these two computers.
We are still waiting for the court date. !!
I will post as we know more
Lisa
We are still waiting for the court date. !!
I will post as we know more
Lisa
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
September 29, 2009
Hello,
Sorry we have not posted regularly but we do not have internet access except through an internet cafe that is always full of teenagers. Just to bring you up to date, when Bogdan's grandfather left him at the orphanage, he told him he was not to leave with anyone. So, we were taken to meet with the grandfather at his home. The facilitator, our tranlator, and the orphanage director went with us. He agreed to the adoption as long as we would allow Bogdan to call him every week and let him know he was alright. We also told him we would send photos every month or two. This was Friday, so Saturday morning we all met in the directors office at the orphanage and Bogdan's grandfather told him it was alright to come with us to America. Bogdan did not run and greet his grandfather nor did he cry or show any emotion like he would miss him. He has however, acted so much happier like a burden has been lifted. We see him every day as well as the other children. They all want to come to Amerca with us. Unfortunately, it will only be Bogdan that we will be bringing home this time.
Monday, Bogdan told the court official he wanted to come live with us in America. He also had to write a little document in his own handwriting stating this. After this was completed we went to several different offices filling out forms and getting them notorized. Today the local regional paper work was signed and sent to the SDA. They will give us the final court date that will be the end of this week or the first of next week. After that we can come home for ten days.
When we return, we will pick up Bogdan, then go to the Embassey in Kiev to get the copies of the paper work, new birth certificate, and passport, etc. All of this should take about a week and then we can bring him home.
It is going to be hard to leave the children at the orphanage. They are all great kids that need homes. We were told that one 10 year old little boy openly prays for a family every night. I know the others are praying as well. We have been allowed to see their bedrooms, bathrooms, and playrooms. There is only a sink and toilet in the bathrooms with no shower or tub. The facilities are very old and the children keep clean as best they can. We were also told that the first month home, Bogdan will probably eat everything he can get his hands own, as their food is rationed and no seconds are offered. They told us this was normal and to let him eat whatever and as much as he wants. We will have our work cut out for us helping him adjust to such a different environment and getting him prepared to start school. With much prayer and God's guidence I believe he be fine.
Lisa
Sorry we have not posted regularly but we do not have internet access except through an internet cafe that is always full of teenagers. Just to bring you up to date, when Bogdan's grandfather left him at the orphanage, he told him he was not to leave with anyone. So, we were taken to meet with the grandfather at his home. The facilitator, our tranlator, and the orphanage director went with us. He agreed to the adoption as long as we would allow Bogdan to call him every week and let him know he was alright. We also told him we would send photos every month or two. This was Friday, so Saturday morning we all met in the directors office at the orphanage and Bogdan's grandfather told him it was alright to come with us to America. Bogdan did not run and greet his grandfather nor did he cry or show any emotion like he would miss him. He has however, acted so much happier like a burden has been lifted. We see him every day as well as the other children. They all want to come to Amerca with us. Unfortunately, it will only be Bogdan that we will be bringing home this time.
Monday, Bogdan told the court official he wanted to come live with us in America. He also had to write a little document in his own handwriting stating this. After this was completed we went to several different offices filling out forms and getting them notorized. Today the local regional paper work was signed and sent to the SDA. They will give us the final court date that will be the end of this week or the first of next week. After that we can come home for ten days.
When we return, we will pick up Bogdan, then go to the Embassey in Kiev to get the copies of the paper work, new birth certificate, and passport, etc. All of this should take about a week and then we can bring him home.
It is going to be hard to leave the children at the orphanage. They are all great kids that need homes. We were told that one 10 year old little boy openly prays for a family every night. I know the others are praying as well. We have been allowed to see their bedrooms, bathrooms, and playrooms. There is only a sink and toilet in the bathrooms with no shower or tub. The facilities are very old and the children keep clean as best they can. We were also told that the first month home, Bogdan will probably eat everything he can get his hands own, as their food is rationed and no seconds are offered. They told us this was normal and to let him eat whatever and as much as he wants. We will have our work cut out for us helping him adjust to such a different environment and getting him prepared to start school. With much prayer and God's guidence I believe he be fine.
Lisa
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Our facilitator came over to discuss the adoption process and how the children would be presented to us. Later, he took us sightseeing all around the area where we are staying. We did this on foot for three hours. By the way, we have not seen any obese people here. The food in the grocery store is very good and much like the ones in the U.S. The only fast food establishments we have seen were two McDonald's. After our long walk, we went back to the apartment to rest.
September 18, 2009
We made it to Amsterdam with two hours to spare before our flight to Keiv. Finally, at 1:00, we were on our way. It had been a breeze so far, but as soon as we landed at the Keiv Airport, we knew we were out of our comfort zone. People were crammed into about 8 lines trying to get through customs and immigration. A man approached us and told us it would be a two hour ordeal and he was with a VIP service and could get us through in 10 minutes. (for a price) We had been told this was well worth the money so we took a chance. Five minutes later we had our luggage, passports stamped, and standing in the lobby meeting our contact. Then we were taken to our apartment. The building did not look that great but the apartment was very nice and clean. About an hour later our contact took to exchange money and buy some groceries. Finally, we were back at the apartment and could get some sleep.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
We left the house in the pouring rain for Columbus, Ga. to catch the Groome Transportation shuttle to Atlanta. We could not rent a car one way, so this was the next best thing. We made it to Atlanta at 1:30, went to the KLM counter to check our luggage and found out our flight was delayed until 6:30. We were given meal tickets to compensate our wait time. At 7:58 p.m. we boarded the plane and finally headed for Amsterdam. The flight was great, seats were good, and each one had a tv screen with movies, television shows, etc. We both went to sleep since neither one of us had slept much the past three days.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Ok the big day is almost here
Hello everyone! The big day and time is almost here. The Adoption Journey, September 17, 2009, 4:40 PM Atlanta Georgia, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, flight KLM0622. The day we start our trip. Well, as many of you know we started this trip last year in August 2008. There have been a lot of ups and downs since God led us to this journey. Fun times, aggravating times, sad times, but most of all WONDERFUL times thinking about what God has in store for us. Many of you have prayed for and with us, helped us, guided us, and supported us on this journey, and we want to say a great big THANK YOU to everyone that has helped us along the way during this. OK, that's enough for now (it's bed time). We just wanted to get this blog started before we left, so here it is. We will try to update this as time permits during our trip.
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