Our Adoption Timeline

So our timeline went like this:
January 14th 2013: Dropped Artem off at the airport after Winter Hosting
January 15th 2013: Decided officially we wanted to pursue adoption of Artem & began paperwork
April 2013:  Submitted Dossier

August 6th: Received 1st SDA

(We declined the 1st SDA appointment waiting for Artem to become available)

October 14th: 2nd SDA appointment.  Found out Artem was already adopted.  We were handed the giant book full of available boys where we both found Matthew's file.  We weren't sure what to do because we were caught off guard thinking we'd adopt Artem whom we'd hosted 3 weeks the previous winter.  The director of Matthew's orphanage would not give any information out over the phone about Matthew.  Tim and I were still shocked and didn't like feeling like we had been "baited and switched" in this adoption.  Boys that are 11 years old sit waiting for families for years.  They NEVER come available one day and get adopted the next.  The whole situation with Artem getting adopted so quick was fishy to say the least and there was definitely a lot of deception involved.  We felt we needed to come home, pray, talk to the kids about their feelings about adopting "blind." 
 October 15th: Came home.
October 16th-November: God worked separately in both Tim and my hearts, speaking HIS will to us regarding this new boy we'd never met.  He gave us a peace about not having Artem, and He softened our hearts and grew our love for this new boy.

November 13th: Terrified, not entirely supported by on-lookers, yet in faith we obeyed HIS call for our lives and flew back to Ukraine to see about Matthew.  Applied for our 3rd and final SDA appointment.
November 21st:  3rd SDA appointment
 November 22nd: Picked up referral for Matthew

November 22nd: Met Matthew for the first time

November 25th: Said yes to Matthew.

November 27th: Matthew said yes, Director and case worker started paperwork for court

November 28th: Flew home
 December 14th: Preliminary Court

January 14th: Court

January 29th: Carinda flew back to Kiev after 10-day wait  (Our facilitator picked up court decree and new birth certificate before arriving at the airport).

January 30th: GOTCHA DAY!!!Went to the bank to draw out Matthew's money, picked up Matthew and had some paperwork done.

February 3rd: Received new i.d. number. Went to passport office to apply for passport.  Had his physical done at the medical center.  Had 1st Embassy appointment.

February 6th: Received passport 4:30 pm.
 February 7th: Went to pick up Medical results at the medical center.  Had 2nd Embassy appointment.  Picked up Visa at 3pm.
 February 8th.  Flew home!!!  30 hours of travel!!!

Super excited the passport came!!

Killing time waiting for the Visa to be printed at the Embassy

This is a cafeteria-style Ukraine restaurant and Matthew really enjoyed all the food there.  I enjoyed it as well.

The Embassy, thanking the Lord for no protestors standing outside

In Frankfort waiting for our connecting flight.  Matthew was watching the planes land and fly out

After 27 hours of travel, he FINALLY passed out.  He didn't pass out until the Coke-A-Cola fumes that the stewardess fed him wore off. LOL

Finally HOME!!!

Matthew is about an inch and a half taller than Andrew and 5 pounds heavier.  He's 8 months younger than Andrew.