Preparing to Leave

We have had a great weekend together as our 2 daughters have been with us since Friday. Rick is already talking about when the girls grow up and leave home and how aweful it will be to be an empty nester. I have to keep reminding him that for the last 25 (almost) years we have been empty nesters, it will be how we have known it. He has decided to put a fence around the property so the boys won't see his girls.

I must share with you that God has been really good through all this. Our time at the Berdyansk Oraphanage has been sweet. We are there so much that even the teachers are hunging us. The orphanage goes the extra mile to make the children feel special and build self-esteem. Yana and Marina tell me that they have teachers they love. I am so grateful for that. I see my 2 girls and how well behaved they are. They have good manors and are sweet. We went over to Ernie and Anna's house for dinner yesterday. The girls just melted them. They both wanted to help Anna with dinner and with the clean up. Of course, Ernie and Anna are wonderful people that melt hearts too. They had the girls laughing and having so much fun with in minutes of walking in the door. What a great time. When we got home 5 of the kids from the neighborhood came over. They watched movies, played Uno, laughed and sang to the music. Yana was in her glories. She has grown close to these children. In the mean time Marina gets to spend quality time with Mama and Papa. She needs alot of attention and assurance right now. While we were in church sunday ( the sermon is in Russian) our souls were being touched. Rick was all teary eyed from how God was moving in his heart and God gave me a peak at Marina's past life. We sat down with Marina and talked to her about the knowledge I gained in church. God gave me a pretty clear picture of Marina's upbring and what happen to her family. It is very touching. Since we didn't have a translator in church we didn't know what was said. Today, monday, I found out it was a sermon about the woman that Jesus met at the well. Jesus said to her, I know all about you and your past too. The pastor took it to Jesus feeds our soul, He speaks to us. Isn't that just like our God.

That is going to take me to this statement. Rick and I are on a journey that was brought on by God. We were not out to adopt 2 children. The journey has had highs and lows that have brought both of us to the darkest moments of our lives, not exaggerating. I have never in my life been to this horrible dark place. We were able to hang in there because we would force ourselves to review the character of our God, and all of you reading our journey continually remind us of scripture and verses that reveal the character of God. We have not come in with any false hope or thoughts that our God is up there to make us happy. His joy is there in the good and bad times even the unhapppy times. There were days that we couldn't feel His joy, but we knew that He would reveal it to us, we just had to be open to it. Before I left Williamsburg, in writting, I asked God to give me a journey that would draw me closer to Him. He has answered my prayers. Today we are in His joy. Tonight we say good bye to Marina, for now. I packed a bag for her with the pajamas, the night bag with her personal care products, things that she wants to bring her cousin in Florida, Dakota, and the radio that we bought that gave us pleasure of having music. This bag is not to be used until we get back and bring her home. She is to hide it for that moment in time. We will cry, but we are leaving with her knowing that we adore her and love her and that she is our daughter as much as Yana is.

We will be on the train, we hope by Tuesday evening and in Kyiv Wednesday morning. I am not sure when we will be home, it will be soon. This is not the end of our journey, and we can't give the date it will end. We are still believing in a miracle.

Your continued prayers are appreciated. If I could have a big party when this was over and all of you come, that would be day of rejoicing. Many of the bloggers are strangers in the world, but not in Christ. You are all special to us.
Fran