Back in the USA!!!!!

Zachary, Blake, and Kathyrn (their cousin)

This is to let everyone know that we are back in Columbia and spent all day Sunday with family for Zach's 6th birthday. We had a scare getting back from Kiev - the Ukraine International Airline decided to change our flight from Kiev to Frankfurt to Kiev to London because the plane coming in for the Frankfurt flight was running late. Unfortunately, they spoke very little English so Blake and I were headed to London not knowing if we were going to make it home Saturday or not. And to make matters worse, Ukraine International had written down that we would take the flight from London to Atlanta, GA but forgot to actually book us on the flight. All I know is that God was watching over us because some how we got on the flight to Atlanta even though everyone was telling me that every seat on all flights heading to the states was booked on Saturday and it would be impossible to get out.

Now that we are back, we are just trying to settle down and remember what it was like to have a 3 year old around. I had forgotten how everything seems to be in reach of a 3 year old.... Blake is adorable and learning new English words by the minute. Although he starts speaking Russian and we don't understand a good bit of what he says (even though we have learned a few Russian words), we are figuring it all out. I will say that we don't need any English or Russian words to hug and kiss!!!

This is our last post and again we appreciate everyone's support and prayers through this unbelievable experience. By the way, we won't be planning any trips to the Ukraine anytime soon and I would not suggest traveling with a 3 year old on a 15 hour plus plane trip.

Take care, Lisa, Rob, Zachary, and Blake

Latest Update!

Got a call from Lisa yesterday from her apartment in Kiev. She and Blake are getting to spend some "quality time" together before the return. Since Zach and I were home because he was out of school sick, he actually got to talk to Blake for the first time. Lisa had gotten Blake some crayons and a coloring book, so Blake was reciting the various crayon colors to Zach and he thought that was pretty cool!

She had an appointment at the Embassy today and was supposed to be picking up the Visa as well. She could have actually left Kiev on Friday, but it was another $400 to change the flights and she thought she could use those extra funds to pay for some of her cost overruns at the new house!!!! So, barring any surprises or plane issues, she and Blake will be back in Atlanta about 5:15 on Saturday. If I hear about any changes to the schedule, I'll let you know. If everything goes well, we'll post again on Sunday (Zach's 6th birthday).

Thanks again to everyone. We could not have done this without the love and support of a lot of people. My parents took on most of the responsibility for watching Zach while we were gone and they're still worn out even though I've been back for two weeks! They can't imagine how much we appreciate their help.

Well, that's it for now. We'll post again on Sunday. Have a very Merry Christmas!!!!

Rob

Lisa Has the Merchandise!!!! (Blake that is)

I sort of feel like I'm writing a fictional novel in the third person (does that even make sense?).

Well, great news - I got an email @ about 5:30 PM today from the translator/facilitator. Lisa has the merchandise (I mean Blake) in her possession and they made the 4:30 train back to Kiev. So far so good as to being on schedule. I think the most difficult task has been accomplished. If an of you ever adopt from the Ukraine, you MUST get our facilitator!!!!! She is absolutely unbelievable. I believe I saw a halo around her head as I was leaving last week!!!!!!!!!!!

So, tomorrow morning they have the medical exam at the hospital, then to the U.S. Embassy in the afternoon with the exam results to fill out the final paperwork. Then she will return to the Embassy on Thursday for the interview and then wait for the Visa late Thursday or Friday. If all that happens, she will be home on Saturday @ 5PM as planned. Zach and I are ready. We purchased, set up, and decorated a Christmas Tree in our cracker box of a condo to prepare for their return. We can't wait to see Blake's face when he sees the tree lit up and decorated!!!!

As Lisa's husband, I must publicly profess how amazed I am with my wife. She is a successful professional, a great wife, an amazing mom, and willing to return to the Ukraine by herself to pick up our new addition to the family!!!!! (Oh, I forgot, she puts up with me, too) She has the patience of Job (which I don't have) and a good back (which I don't have), so she was definitely the one for the return trip in economy class, and it has worked out well. Thank you to everyone for the continued prayers - it appears we're on the home stretch! We would also like to thank Lisa's work family at First Citizens Bank for being so supportive of this process and covering the extra work while she has been out-of-pocket. What a fantastic organization with great people!!!

I will update you all when I hear more. Thanks again and have a Merry Christmas!!!!!!!

Rob

She's Back!!!!!

Rob here,

I guess I will be doing the posting this week with feedback from Lisa (when I get it). She does not have a computer with her and mine is for work, which I will be doing this week. Her week in the Ukraine will be fast and furious, so I certainly don't expect daily reports. However, she did arrive back in Kiev safely this morning.


Here is the process this week: She and the translator will be catching a train out to Kharkiv (Blake's location) late this afternoon. If all goes well, she will have Blake on Tuesday and they will be heading back on the train to Kiev Tuesday evening. There is a required medical exam of Blake at a Kiev hospital on Wednesday morning, then off to the Embassy to finalize paperwork with the medical exam results. She will return to the Embassy on Thursday for the interview and have Blake's Visa either Thursday afternoon or Friday. I trust you all understand that this is if all goes exactly as planned!!!!!! If all this happens, they will be on an 8AM flight Saturday morning and arrive back in Atlanta at 5 PM.

Our facilitator has been wonderful at making sure things kept moving along and we can never thank her enough!!! We also can never thank each of you enough for all your thoughts and prayers, but keep them coming until we let you know they are home safe & sound on the 22nd!!!!

Well, I guess that's it for now. I will post as I have new information this week. Thanks again to everyone!!!!

Rob (and Lisa remotely)

We're Have Made it Home!

The dreaded hallway!

Orphanage playground -view from dreaded hallway!

Valeriy's favorite food!

Sorry, it has taken us so long to post again. We had a great court date, no real tough questions and the judge decided that we can adopt Valeriy after the 10 day waiting period. We were not able to see Valeriy the morning of the court date (12/6, if you don't remember) but were able to see him in the afternoon. He was not in a very good mood - I think he sensed that we were heading home and would not be back for several days but he did give Rob and I a kiss on the lips which was a first during all our visits.

We tried to have our translator explain that Lisa would be back to get him but how do you explain that to a 3 1/2 year old. Even though we were sad to leave Valeriy we were very excited to get home to Zachary and our families.

We are actually writing this from back in Columbia. We flew out of Kiev on Saturday morning and was back in Columbia early Sunday morning (3 am- only a 24 hour ordeal but well worth it). After spending the whole day with Zachary, we were exhausted but on cloud 9.

Lisa is planning to fly back out on Saturday, Dec 15th, and will hopefully be back in Columbia with Blake (will start calling English name once she leaves orphanage) no later than Saturday, Dec 22nd. Not only will we be back for Christmas but also for Zachary's birthday on the 23rd.

The way this journey started we can not believe that we will actually have Blake home with our family by the 22nd - what a true Christmas gift!

Once we get back with Blake, we will post final pictures of the entire family - Rob, Lisa, Zachary and Blake ( we will even see if we can round up Taz).

Take care and again thanks to everyone for all their support!

Back in the Hotel Lobby

Back in the lobby again to have good wireless internet access. Only one problem - Rob forgot the picture card reader at the apartment!!!! So, we have no way to get the new pictures and video onto the computer for uploading (what a dummy!!!).

It has been the same drill today. Back to the orphanage to visit with Valeriy this morning and back this afternoon for our evening visit. Since it is dark over here by 4:00 pm there is not much daylight and over the past several days it has been very overcast and gloomy. Wonder why we are getting depressed....

But to stay positive... We are excited about the court date tomorrow and keep thinking about not only our trip home (at least temporarily for Lisa) but about bringing Valeriy home for good in a few weeks. We are so ready to get our family back together in Columbia and get on with raising this precious little boy as well as having a little brother for Zach.

Valeriy has already learned English for "nose, ears, mouth, and eyes". We keep pointing to them so that he will keep repeating them to us. And the belly laugh just cracks us up - once we get him started Rob and I start laughing as well. Reminds us of Zachary at this age.

This may be our last posting for a few days but as soon as we have access to the Internet, we will post more pictures and video.

Take care. Lisa and Rob

Hooray for the Prayer Team!!!!!

Well, your prayers worked!!!! We will be in court on Thursday and on the flight home on Saturday (hopefully if nothing goes wrong). The only unresolved question is what day Lisa will have to return to finish the process and pick up Valeriy. It could be the 17th, or it could be the 21st, with a return date of approximately the 27th. Unfortunately, either way she will miss Zach's birthday, Christmas, and her birthday is the 27th. Guess bringing Valeriy home will be a great BDay present!

As we posted yesterday, Valeriy has a fascination with cars (also a little like Rob). Rob had the movie Cars on his Ipod that was downloaded for Zach. We really didn't know what he would do, but we put on the movie and played the sound through external speakers. He was mesmerized!!!! It was probably the first time he had ever seen a video, TV, etc. He sat almost completely still for 90 minutes with the occasional outburst of "machina bashoy" (big car) and a belly laugh!!! We take alot of things for granted in the U.S., like TV's, DVD's, and toilets above floor level (ha,ha)!!!!

The last couple of visits have been especially good since Valeriy is feeling more and more comfortable with us - when we point to the mirror and ask who we are, he responds "Mama! Papa!". The feeling is unbelievable when we hear that from him. We can't wait to get him back to all our family and friends.

While we are enjoying our time with Valeriy, we are missing Zach tremendously (Taz not so much)!!!!! We have never been away from him for more than 5 or 6 days once or twice in his almost 6 years. He has been great for the grandparents and we can't wait to see him again.

We will go back to the Hotel Mir lobby tomorrow and post some more pictures and video. Again, thank you so much for your prayers. Any time we can return the favor, please let us know!!!!!

Rob & Lisa

Back to the Hotel Mir

We have not actually moved back to the hotel. We are only visiting for the afternoon in the lobby so that we can get on the Internet. Things are going fairly well except that we are homesick and miserable. Since no one speaks English, we end up going back to the apartment and playing Yahtzee or Gin Rummy all night long. I think Rob has watched every Ukranian music video (MTV Russian style) on TV at least 50 times. He has started recognizing the music before he even looks up at the TV - I am very concerned about him...

Our visits with Valeriy have been going well. We have figured out that he loves cars (or "machina" in Russian). He also loves to look through magazines so we have been bringing a new magazine with of course, pictures of cars, for him to look at. However, half way through our morning visit he decides it is more fun to start tearing out the pages. He is so cute and we are very blessed that everything has worked out. We are just ready to get home with our new addition to the family.

Take care and keep posting to the blog. We love hearing from everyone.

Lisa and Rob

VIsit 11/30

Well, Valeriy likes his cookies as much as his dad!!!! Just a couple pictures from yesterday's visit. Things are looking good for the 12/6 court date, so keep praying! Keep posting comments, it's our only link to a sane world.

Rob & Lisa