Day 3--Hillsong United Worship

We woke up earlier today and went to the early service at Hillsong United for church today.  I wish I could say that Eddik liked it, but he definitely did not.  He found it very boring.  I’m not sure why because the music was loud and the pastor was interactive.  There was a lot going on and I very much enjoyed myself.  If he thought that church was boring, he’s going to fall asleep in our church because we barely can hear our drums in any of our services.  

The message was very good.  The gist of it was even though there is the Political Revolution happening and many Ukraine citizens are afraid, God is in control.  We who are believers are first and foremost citizens of Heaven, and our job is to pray for our countries, and pray for lost souls and keep living for Him.  Pastor Brian gave the example of Paul in the Bible and how he continued to serve through many trials.  A sweet girl named Zhena sat closely behind me and translated the whole sermon for me.  It was a neat experience and the music was a taste of what I think heaven's music will be like.  It didn't matter the service was in a different language--we were all worshiping together the One, True God. 

After church we got meat dumplings and went to the supermarket for some staples.  This boy is always hungry so I needed to stock the cupboards.  A snack for him is two sandwiches, and oatmeal.  He’s only 11, so I can’t imagine what our food bill will be like as he reaches his teen years.  I look forward to watching him grow!  

I could tell he was getting extra stir crazy this afternoon so we broke into a soccer match inside.  Any other day I would worry about all the noise we were making playing soccer in an apartment complex.  Today I didn’t care.  They have been working on renovations on the 2 apartments below us, so they won’t even notice our commotion.  I have never heard him laugh so hard.  I think he underestimated my speed and futbol abilities!  He called me a babushka, but I was beating his skinny bum at soccer.  It was so much fun.

This whole time the t.v. hasn’t been working, so thankfully today the concierge was able to get our television working.  Eddik needed to settle down and leave me alone for a bit so I could get some work done this afternoon. I’m trying to get our taxes finished.  I also wanted to watch our church service back home on SermonAudio.com.  He is at my side always wanting to see what I’m doing and wanting me to play with him.  I needed a little space so could think clearly and I was SO glad the t.v. was working.

This afternoon I gave him a little test to see where he is academically.  I have my work cut out for me.  He does not know any English at all—no letter or sounds or words.  All this time his teachers and director have said how smart he is.  He is in 5^th grade.  I was surprised to see he doesn’t even know his times tables, and definitely doesn’t know how to divide.  I know they are very strict with schooling in his orphanage and never let the kids miss class, so I’m not sure what they taught him in Ukraine school for 5 years if he doesn't even know how to multiply by 5^th grade.   So I’ll start from scratch with him just like we did our other two boys.  He’s a quick learner, so hopefully it won’t be as toilsome teaching him as it was for our first two boys times tables.  

He asks often how many more days we will be here.  He asks about Tim and the kids and what they are doing and what the weather is like in North Carolina.  He sure does talk a lot.  I only understand about 5% of what he is saying.  I have my iPhone translator to talk with him, but he does not have a way to tell me so he mainly uses charades.  Poor little guy is SO ready to get home. I don’t blame him.  I feel the same way.  We are definitely making the most of our time here.  We are bonding very well.  Last night at bedtime he even said, “I lub you, Mama.  Good night” for the first time.  He’s a sweetie for sure!  We are very much hoping his new "social security number" comes in so we can apply for his passport and head to the Embassy for our first appointment.

 Just having a little snack...some comfort food--gummy bears, King Sized Twix and coke. ;-)

Day 2--Dreamtown Mall

We arranged with our driver to go to the Dreamtown Mall today.   Dreamtown is a mall as well as an activity center.  We were able to go roller blading, play arcades, navigate through a mirror maze, ride some rollercoaster simulations, drive bumper cars and shoot pellet guns.  Little man had an absolute blast today.  He was laughing and smiling the whole time and kept giving me two thumbs up saying in Russian, “This is really fun!  I like this place!”  He had never skated before and he was a little nervous to try, but he put those things on and took off!!  By about an hour he was wanting to race and was winning.  I have no problem skating fast, but these were hockey skates and they have no brakes like I’m used to on my inline skates.  I only wiped out once and he only wiped out once.  We both got a laugh at each other’s expense because it really is hilarious to watch someone wipe out (as long as they don’t get hurt).  I couldn’t believe the tiny little kids that were there today that were “experts” on their skates flying past both of us, swerving in and out.  I swear Russian and Ukrainian kids are natural born skaters.  There were little girls doing figure skate jumps.  They were so elegant!  It was fun to watch. 

It was nice to have our driver walk with us through the mall because he translated for the both of us.  I also felt safer in a strange place having him there.   During lunch I was able to have our driver translate some important things about home life that we wanted him to know before coming to the States.  Eddik is so positive and helpful in everything he says.  He asked genuine questions and wanted to make it clear to me that he intends to be a great help around the house and an awesome son and brother.  We have no expectations on the little guy.  We do want him to feel loved and grow up to love the Lord!

We both came back to the apartment around 4:30 exhausted so we’ve just been lazing around here.  We watched a few movies, played Uno and Go Fish, and now I’m writing this blog while he sits as close as he can beside me playing his Nintendo MarioKart game.  He definitely likes to cuddle and snuggle up close to me.  He’s a sweet boy for sure!  For dinner we made fried eggs together.  We had a big lunch (he ate an entire pizza himself!) at the mall so neither one of us were really very hungry.  It’s funny because any time we are cooking together he always turns on the radio.  He definitely loves his music and he loves to dance along with the beat or sing along if he knows the song.  He’s got some rhythm and he’s fun to watch dance.

Tomorrow we have plans for our driver to pick us up and to attend Hillsong United Church.  I have heard a lot of families who have come to Ukraine to adopt have enjoyed it and a few recommended I attend if we are able.  It looks like it has a great band and a wonderful worship time there.  I brought up YouTube to show him what is was and asked if he wanted to go and he’s said yes, he is excited to go.  

Things continue to go really well.  He’s an easy going boy and he’s very fun to hang out with.  We are hoping that we can get all our passport paperwork going on Monday so we can fly home by next Monday.  We are having a good time, but we are both ready to be with our family!  

Killing Time--Part 2

Just trying to keep everyone posted...

We got bored so I decided to see if Eddik was up for a photo shoot.  I really wanted to have pictures of him around the house before we return to America.  I think it's neat that I can take pictures all the way over here in Ukraine and order prints for Tim to pick up in the US.  Anyway I took a bunch of pictures of him dressed in a collared shirt we bought for him.  He absolutely loves that shirt.  I almost didn't bring it, but now I'm glad I did. Anyway, he was posing & doing "runway music" with his voice and strutting like a male model.  It was soooo funny to see him coming out of his shell and being goofy.  I was laughing at him and he kept in his "role" as a model all serious like a tease!  I seriously love this boy!

We just returned from a loooong walk to the Pizza Chiliantano Restaurant (No idea how to spell that restaurant). It was about 1 mile one-way from where we are staying.  Did I mention the temperature is around 0 today??  My nose, feet and hands are still frozen! There were two Revolution protest displays up that way.  In the area we walked it was just peaceful demonstrations from what I could see.

Eddik is being so good, however playing with him all day long tires my old lady self out. Goodness little boys have a lot of energy (with the exception of our very mellow son, Andrew). I genuinely love this time we are having together. The one-on-one time is so much fun.  He is really, really funny.

At Pizza Chiliantano he chose the chicken & cheese "pancake" and kept saying "This is really good" in Russian over & over while putting two thumbs up.  We bought a few souvenirs at the stand outside the restaurant.  I really wanted a plate clock to put on my plate wall in our kitchen nook.  I asked him which of the 3 plates he liked best and he chose the one with blue flowers.  That makes it special.  I can't wait to get home & hang it up.  I like a little memory of Ukraine for the boys.

I discovered the apartment has a washing machine (actually a friend pointed it out in a picture) and some laundry soap so I did a load of laundry and have it drying on a rack in the living room.  He absolutely LOVES clothing.  He likes to change his clothing a lot which I think is funny because our other two boys would wear the same thing every day if we let them.  Today he has changed his clothing 3 times. 

Oh my goodness I'm SOOO cold!!!  And I can't believe today is only Day ONE of our wait to come home because this boy is seriously stir crazy (Hence the photo of him on top of furniture looking for a Nerf bullet).   Tomorrow we hope to go ice skating.  If I don't lose my fingers and toes to frost bite, it'll be nothing short of a small wonder!

More pictures below....my kids and hubby and friends keep asking for pictures, so as long as the Internet cooperates I will post some...

Killing Time

Eddik and I are killing time for the next few days while we wait for his passport to come.  I figured I’d catch everyone up to date on what is happening.

I left NC on Tuesday, barely missing the snow storm that paralyzed much of the southern east coast.  My first flight was cancelled in anticipation for the weather (it was cancelled before any snow was in sight), but thankfully I was able to catch an earlier flight.  I left at 9:30am to wait the next 8 hours in the Charlotte airport.  I was nervous it would also be cancelled and then I’d have to figure out a way to get back home.  Thankfully Lufthansa rarely cancels flights due to weather.  I had many people praying it would take off and God answered our prayer!  We took off about an hour late as they de-iced the airplane and plowed the runway.  Tears ran down my face as it took off.   Since most of the people making connecting flights missed the  Charlotte/Munich flight, the flight was empty and I was able to lay across two seats the whole way to catch up on my sleep for the 8-hour flight.

When I finally landed in Kiev my 51.5 pound suitcase was the first to come out.  I made it through passport control easily.  When I walked through the sliding glass doors my  translator, Luba, and driver, Roma were waiting for me with wonderful news.  Luba had been able to pick up the court decree and Matthew’s new birth certificate without me being there.  So we were far ahead of schedule.  I was able to come back to the apartment and head straight to bed instead of running around with paperwork.   

Thursday, January 30^th, was the BIG DAY.  We were supposed to meet at 8:30am, which turned into 9:30am due to traffic (we operate on a give or take 20 minute schedule here in Ukraine and sometimes give or take turns into one hour..LOL).  We headed to the bank since Matthew had some money in a savings account that we needed to draw out.   I’m not sure where the money came from, but I think it was his step dad who was paying a type of “child support” so Eddik would have money when he aged out of the orphanage.   In order to draw out the money without Tim there, I had to see a notary to get a copy of the apostile power-of-attorney document to leave with the bank.   

Finally, we were ready to head to the orphanage to sign his discharge paperwork.  His director was pretty emotional.  She told me that she would have loved to adopt him herself, but she was too old.  She said he is a special boy that she loves him very much.  He is well-liked by everyone in the orphanage, both children and teachers/caregivers.  She had a stack of pictures that accumulated over the years he was in the orphanage.  Last time when we were in Ukraine for court I’d asked her if I could have some pictures, but I didn’t think I’d get 20 or so photos.  I was pretty excited. 

The director set up a table for lunch for my driver, translator, Eddik, herself and me.  It was delicious fried pastry with shredded pork and onion inside of it, a mayonnaise/egg/potato salad and fresh red grape juice.  It tasted so good!  Eddik has a hearty appetite.  He ate 3 or 4 helpings of food.  The director said there is no food he does not like.  He will eat anything.  That is going to be wonderful especially since our other 4 kids are picky eaters.  I had the translator ask Eddik what he would like to eat when we are in the apartment.  Eddik said, “Have Mama buy whatever she likes, and I will eat whatever she likes.”  I thought that was sweet.

We took some photos with the director and Eddik said good bye to all of his friends.  They were all sad to see him leave, but Eddik was super happy and excited.  He could not wait to get in the taxi to leave.  I felt bad for the director who we left standing there teary-eyed.  She gave me her address and we gave her ours so we can keep in touch.  I really loved the director.  She truly felt like family to me after all the time we spent together since November.  It meant so much when she told me she was glad that we were his new family and she loved us all.  It was like she gave us her special blessing to be his parents. 

We left the orphanage by 1pm and headed to the medical center to see if we could fit Eddik in for his physical.  We weren’t sure if they would see him before we had his passport.   Thankfully the doctor agreed to see him.  Eddik is completely healthy and the doctor cleared him to leave for America.  It was cute because when we finished Eddik held out his hand and shook the doctor’s hand and said what would be equivalent in English to “Thank you, Sir.”  The doctor looked over at me and chuckled while saying, “He’s a GREAT kid, strong and healthy.” It was such a relief to get the medical clearance.  I know a lot of people who were held up with the TB results of the medical clearance.  Thankfully he didn’t even have the TB test because they are out of the supplies.  Our translator said the country is concerned right now with the Revolution and are not paying attention to “small things” like the TB testing supplies.  That works for us!!

We came back to the apartment, changed our clothes and walked to an Italian restaurant for dinner.  It sure is COLD out there.  The driver told me it was -23 degrees today.  It sure felt it.  Our faces were beat red by the time we got to the restaurant and back to the apartment.  We got changed into pajamas and both of us were ready for bed by 8pm.  He got right into bed and fell right to sleep.  He slept all the way until 7am today.  This boy had a lot of excitement for one day and was tired out!

Today we fixed breakfast together--hard boiled eggs and oatmeal with tea and juice.  He cleaned the entire kitchen including the dishes without being told.  Since then we have been playing with his suitcase full of toys I brought from the US.  We purchased gifts for him for Christmas such as a Nerf gun, Legos, remote control car and matchbox cars.  I also brought Katie’s old Nintendo DSi and he enjoys that as well.  It is 1:35 this afternoon and he is getting antsy and stir crazy.  I am hoping I can keep him busy until at least 4 and then we will head out to eat dinner before it gets too dark. 

Our internet went down in the apartment and I had Edik call the owner of the apartment and he came out to fix it.  I am so glad to be back up and running now.  It’s nice because the owner lives in this building so he is close by if we need anything.  We also have a concierge who lets us in and out of the building.  She asks Eddik where we are going and how long we will be gone.  I feel pretty safe in spite of all that is happening with the Revolution.  After dark it gets pretty loud with popping sounding like firecrackers, people shouting into the megaphones and the crowd chanting.  It’s far enough away from us that it’s not bothering us too much.  We are safe.

We are staying inside most of the time because of unpredictable danger of the Revolution and also because it is so bitterly cold!  Eddik woke up this morning with a cough and stuffy nose, so I don’t want him getting any sicker before we leave for the US.  I suspect we will be here at least another week waiting for the passport. 

Anyway, thank you so much for the prayer. Please pray we get his new Ukrainian social security number on Monday so we can apply for the passport.  If all goes well with that new number and with the passport application, we could travel home next weekend.  We are so anxious to get home, but for now, we are enjoying each other and bonding wonderfully.  He is such a great boy and so full of joy and enthusiasm.  He is going to do great in our family.  We are truly blessed to have him!  God has been good to us!

Tim and the kids have asked that I post pictures, so I’m going to try.  I’m not sure it will work because of the slow internet.....

God and Numbers

Nowadays nearly anything can be debated.  Boys aren’t always boys and girls aren’t always girls.  We are living in a society that says children should decide for themselves if they are male or female.  Good is not always good and evil is not always considered evil.  White is not always white, nor is black even black.  New boundaries can be defined for anything.  Amendments can be made.  To some people God isn’t god, but you can choose any god you wish.  Anyone can explain away and justify just about anything.  What I love most about numbers is they are indisputable.  No one can debate numbers.  Numbers are constant.  1+1 always equals 2.  3 X 10 is always 30.  I love that predictability and I love that absolute!  

As much as I enjoy numbers, clearly God loves them as well.  After all He created the concept of numbers.  God knows the number of hairs on each head.  He measures the waters in the hollow of His hands.  He weighs the mountains on scales (see Is. 40:12).  Numbers are definitely important to God.  In the Bible any time you see numbers, pay attention because God purposely uses numbers to communicate significant things.  I’ve been studying the significance of numbers in the Bible since our pastor (back in Biloxi, MS) preached a message when we were living there in 1999.  Over the years I have jotted down notes about numbers in my Bible.  Here is a condensed list of numbers and what the numbers represent in the Bible.  

1—Unity, One God.  Duet. 6:4

2—Confirmation; double portion; dividing between.  Ex. 3:18, Ex. 16:5, Job 42:10

3—Deity; Divine Perfection. Rev. 4:8, John 2:13

4—Earth; God’s creative works (It is no mistake there are 4 directions North, South, East & West and 4 seasons)

5—Fullness (David’s 5 stones)

6—The number of man

7—Spiritual perfection; spiritual completeness

8—New beginnings; salvation Jn 20:1-10

10—Completeness; ordinal perfection

11—Disorder; lack of perfection; lack of fulfillment. Duet. 1:2, Acts 1:15-26

12—God’s government number (12 tribes, 12 sons of Jacob, etc)

13—Rebellion; hostility; corruption. Josh 6:2-5, Gen. 17:23

14—Double measure of spiritual perfection

30—Marks the right moment in God’s Divine Plan (Joseph was 30 in Egypt, Gen. 4:6; David was 30 when he began to reign Israel, 2 Sam. 5:4, Aaron and Moses’ deaths were mourned 30 days, Numbers 20:29, 34:8; Jesus was 30 when he began His ministry, Man was eligible for military duty at age 30, Levites began their service at age 30, Numbers 4:3, 23, 30, 35 and 39.  Also note that 3 X 10=30 which means a higher degree of perfection in the divine order.

Two years ago was the worst day of my life.  Our healthy, joyful, blond, wonderful son unexpectedly died.  Today goes down in the books as one of the best because I drove away from the orphanage forever with our newest son, Matthew “Eddik.”  

Since Brandon’s death, Job has been a book of the Bible that has been on my mind.  What is interesting to note is the number TWO in Job chapter 42 where it states, “the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.”  In the midst of incredible pain and grief for my firstborn son, Brandon, somehow I feel today like Matthew is God’s double blessing on our family—We now have two boys, though one is in heaven.  Just like in the Bible where “twice as much” signified a confirmation and a double portion to what was lost to Job, likewise this has happened in our family.  I am SO thankful God has given us two sons, Brandon and Matthew.

Now, look at the number 30.  Brandon died on January 30^th.  I do not believe it was a mistake that God ordained that Matthew was adopted on January 30^th. January is month #1 and #1 is the number of God. We began our adoption on 1/14/13 and through a series of ups and downs and great valleys we are still not completed with our adoption. Usually adoption from Ukraine is done in 5-7 months.  People have been saying all these months “God’s timing is best” and I’ve all but rolled my eyes at them.  It’s easy for someone who is not experiencing the emotional highs and lows of International adoption to say “God’s timing is best.”  But I actually got hit in the head with conviction when I read Psalm 18:31 where it reads, “As for God, His way is perfect.”   In the Bible the number 30 marks the right moment in God’s Divine Plan.  We truly are blessed to know 1/30 is God's divine plan. 

I also think it is interesting that Matthew’s birthday is 6/10.  6 is the number of man and 10 is ordinal perfection.  We now have 5 children in our “quiver” and 5 is the number of fullness.  We have 7 members in our family (completeness).  Need I go on?  Numbers are just awesome.  God speaking in His word is double-awesome.   God speaking through numbers in His word is just awesome-perfection to me!

While the pain is always there regarding losing Brandon, sometimes so bad it takes my breath away,  I can’t help but be joyful today.   God has proved faithful to us these last 2 years in bringing joy out of mourning and in turning mourning into dancing.  He who began a good work in our lives will continue until the day He returns or He calls us all home.   I sit beside Matthew who is laughing and playing his Nintendo game while snuggling as close as he can to me as I type this blog.  He does not sit here now because of chance or by coincidence.  He sits here because a very detailed-about-numbers, Sovereign God orchestrated today to work out exactly has it did.  While it’s true that most things can be debated, changed or revoked, I know 2 things that can never, ever change—God and numbers.