Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2008

Today is the day after Christmas and finally all the Government offices are open! Today we may have information on when we can come home. We would told we were going to be real busy today, so we got up early, said good-bye to Jenny who is leaving for home today and walked the girls to the orphanage. We hurry, hurry, hurry and then we wait. That is what we are doing now is waiting.

This is a good time to fill you in on our holidays. The eve before our 2008 Christmas was cold but sunny. We called our driver Sveda and asked her to take us for a ride to the end of the pennisula. The pennisula is a resort area. In the past couple of years some beautiful resorts have been built out there. There is a water park with some slides, and lots of old homes as well. At the end is an old fishing village, with a lighthouse. Sveda kept driving, even when the road ended and there was only a dirt path, through wheat fields. Rick thought Sveda misunderstood him and was trying to tell her to turn around, but she just kept driving until we came to the end of the pennisula and could see Berdyansk. It was a sight to see. The water was frozen, like my hands are right now. If I come back to Berdyansk any time soon, I would like to stay there and have it be a hot summer day. If there is one thing I miss is time outside and not being cold.

Christmas day was also my birthday. My two girls got up early with the assistance of their papa and surprised me while I was still in bed. They brought me little presents and lots of hugs and kisses. They quickly went back to bed for a brief snooze before the day started. Christmas service at the church was a series of plays and skits, fun but alittle long, especially the church was sooo cold. After we had a lunch and went up to our apartment. A group of children and some of the young adults followed us up there. They watched videos all afternoon, except for Marina, who really doesn't like to watch one video after another. In the evening we had dinner and sat around and talked. That was the turning point of the day....

The last part of our day was a blow out. Yana basically told Marina that she hated her and didn't want any part of her. We have had several blow outs but this was bad. We spent the next couple hours dealing with this and got things resolved. There was nothing that led up to this. It crushed Marina. She was once again rejected and then the whole thing with the paper work came up. It was a ugly evenikng, but I am sure that it will show it's face again. I didn't expect this until I got home. Rick and I had to review all that we are doing and pray for discernment. I think we handled it well and by the end of the evening Yana was again friendly to Marina. Fortunately, Enna was there to interpret everything. That was a Christmas/birthday present I could have done without. The papa handled it very well and was very firm.

This morning is another day and everyone is smiling. Marina was quit on the way to the orphanage, she knows that we sign Yana's birth certificate today. Oh Lord, what are you doing, I know your path is the right one. If only our miracle would happen, life would be so much easier. He is on the Throne and we praise Him who is faithful.
Fran