Preparing for Maryna

Yes we are preparing for Maryna and not Marina. For over a year I have written Marina and when I got the list of children coming for the summer, Marina's name was Maryna. That is a very appropriate to make a name change at a time when life is going to change for her. It is biblical too, a change in life, a change in name.

We are busy getting as many as our projects done before Maryna arrives so that our summer is the girls. We are busy painting, fixing, weeding, shoveling gravel, building, etc. We are doing everything with a great deal of excitement. We called Maryna on thursday and she was standing in line at the U.S. Embassy, Kiev, waiting to get her visa. She was scared, we were surprised. I never thought of her getting scared over this exciting adventure. I can't help wish that it were different and we were holding her hand through this. After I hung up the phone I thought about her being scared in Kiev Embassy, wait until she hits New York City Airport. Now that is a cultural shock!

I am not sure that Yana is all that ready to have Maryna. We have been talking about it and praying for her visit, but I think she is fine having her own room. The best indication of it happened by accident. I want to build a second floor on our house. Now we are starting to need one. Before the second floor happens, Rick has to build his workshop so that he can expand. Before Rick builds his workshop we have to get approval from the county. Before the county approves anything we have to get closer on a land swap that our neighbor kind of forced us into doing. This land swap has already taken a 16 months, because there is a creek on it that runs into the Chesapeak Bay which is some 60 miles away. So you see the upstairs of our home is the future. One night I was teasing Rick about the second floor, could we build it this summer, we would have plenty of help. Yana was in full agreement. Rick encouraged her to draw the plans for her bedroom. The next day she gave us her plans, the luxury suite, with 3 windows, a study area, huge closet, double bed. That is what happens after being in America for 5 months! It doesn't take us humans long to want a lot. I said, where is the bathroom? Her eyes got huge and she said, "Oh yeah, I forgot". I will hang on to the plans though, it was pretty good looking for the master bedroom, after all you always have to think about resale value and that bedroom would have a great value. When I asked her about Maryna's room she said, "You won't have to build Maryna a room, she can have mine room that I have now!" Am I in for an exciting life with 2 teenage girls. I have experience though, I was a teenager once and I had 2 sisters, I know what I am in for.

We are getting ready to call Maryna now, that you God for skpe and e-mail. It has kept us connected. Our prayers are that all goes well with the travel and that Marina will like her future home and family. I know that God is in the center of all this, so His will, will be done.
Fran