Saturday, February 21, 2009

Full of Answered Prayers...Singing to the Lord at the top of our lungs  

Today was such a sweet day with Matthew.  Tonight, we visited him, of course, and he just sat with us and let us love on him and touch him.  He couldn't decide who he wanted to sit with so he would sit with me and then sit with Mary and back and forth.  It was sweet and also sad because we realize that he is starving for affection and touch.  


God has done so much for us on this trip.  It seems, honestly, like we've been here a month even though it's only been a week.

Okay...there's someone singing in here at the top of their lungs and I don't think it's because they are full of answered prayer.  :o)

Back to the day...
We've been here in Ukraine for a week now.  It's hard to believe.  We skyped with the kids and nana tonight.  It was such a special time for us to see their faces and hear their voices.  We got to see their new Easter clothes.  We sure LOVE THOSE GUYS!!!

So here's what our days look like...

If we are in Novograd the whole day:
  • We get up and around, then we head to the orphanage.  It's about 2.5 km.  It takes us 20 minutes to walk there.  We spend an hour (from 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.) with Mattie and then we walk to the pizzeria (where we are now).  That's a 25 minute walk from the Orphanage to the pizzeria.  We spend a couple of hours here.  We eat a pizza, drink some coca-cola or fanta.  I have a cappuccino.  We email, post pictures/videos, write the post for the morning time.  Then we head to the apartment.  It's about a 5-6 minute walk from pizzeria to apartment.
  • We rested a bit today (I did the TEN MINUTE week one video while I laid on the bed).  It's posting right now...but still has 30 minutes to upload.  We'll see!  :-)
  • Then, we walk back to the orphanage to spend another hour with Mattie (4:30-5:30 p.m.).  Then we walk to pizzeria, drink something, maybe eat (all though tonight we will eat at apartment).  Post, skype with kids.
  • Then we share a cab with the Loux's and go to apartment.
  • Then we watch a movie (some Charlie Chan movie...I put several on the computer) and then go to sleep.
  • Then we get up and start again.
When we go to Romaniv:
  • We get up, head to Romaniv (1 hour by car). 
  • Spend an hour and half with Micah while George does paperwork.
  • Head back to Novograd by car (1 hour)
  • Go to pizzeria to do a quick blog
  • Then we go to apartment long enough to use the bathroom.
  • Then we walk to orphanage and spend hour with Mattie (4:30-5:30 p.m.)
  • Then we walk to pizzeria
  • Then we do all the same stuff at the pizzeria.
  • Then we share a cab back to apartments.
  • Watch Charlie Chan
  • Go to sleep.
  • Get up and start again.
Have you ever seen the movie "Groundhog Day?"  John & Tracie liken this process to that movie.  I can see it.  They've been here over 2 weeks already.  We've only been here in Novograd less than a week.  Oy!

Pray for our friends the Dickinsons.  They still need a financial miracle before they leave NEXT SATURDAY!

Tomorrow (Sunday), we are going to church here in Novograd.  Then we'll go to pizzeria, to apartment, then to see Mattie, then back to the pizzeria.  :-)
Monday, we are going to see Micah and hopefully get the rest of our paperwork from Romaniv and get our paperwork from Novograd on Monday afternoon.

Here is our video of WEEK ONE in Ukraine.  It's 10 minutes long so don't feel bad if you don't want to watch the whole thing.  It's really for us to remember things better.  :-)

I uploaded this to my mac internet account because our kids can't watch YouTube so they had not been able to see the videos we have posted before...  So just click the link to watch...

Be blessed!  Love you all and will be glad to see you when we get home sometime this summer.  :-)  Just kidding.  (we hope!)  No...really...we hope to be home in 4-5 weeks.  (Ugh...that sounds like forever!).

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1 comments: to “ Full of Answered Prayers...Singing to the Lord at the top of our lungs

  • Malones
    February 21, 2009 at 1:25 PM  

    Dear Chris and Mary,

    There are no words to express what I'm feeling right now. After figuring out what I had typed in wrong to access your blog, I smiled,
    laughed, cried and was so overwhelmed with joy while looking at pics and videos of you with Matthew and Micah! I am overwhelmed still, with how God goes to no lengths to get all of us to fly half way across the world to help save these precious ones whom He considers priceless! You can see hope in these little ones eyes when they are with you. Soon they will be with all of you at home (we're praying hard for a speedy return), safe, secure, loved and learning daily about Jesus' love for them.

    I was so sad to hear that Micah had been moved to a mental institution.
    I'm amazed at how our stories intertwine and how we ended up with one of the sons that each of us had committed to. The Lord knows what he's doing. Can't wait for the day that we're all together for a reunion.

    We are praying for you. Derek is actually just a hop, skip and a jump away from you right now. He's in Poland ministering at a conference there. Wish you all could see each other but hopefully that will happen sometime soon.

    Love, blesings and prayers to all of you. Please kiss your beautiful sons for us!

    Renee', Derek and tribe of 9