Could it be? Is this it? I am almost giddy, preparing for my flight to Donetsk on Saturday. I expect I'll spend about two weeks in Ukraine, and I'll be coming home with a handsome young man named Alexander Powell. If this trip goes as planned, I will have spent about 14 weeks in Ukraine over the course of five trips in less than two years. I won't know what to do with myself without a trip to Ukraine on the horizon. Of course I can't say with certainty that I will never go back to Ukraine; there may come a time when one or all of the kids want to visit for one reason or another. Or, with all of our friends there, Curt and I may want to return to see them. As much as I loved Lviv, I might want to experience it again someday. Down the road if the country is doing really well, I can see myself going back; I would love nothing more than to see a thriving, prospering Ukraine.
A couple of days ago, Clay reluctantly asked me, "Is this the last time I'll get a new brother for a Christmas present?" Good heavens, I hope so! I made a joke about starting on the girls now. He only has ONE sister, you know! It is certainly not in OUR plans to adopt any more children, but it is not our plans that matter. I've had a dream or two about meeting my boys' younger biological siblings. (They don't exist in reality, as far as I know. Egads.) Hopefully this is it. Five is enough? Five kids. ME, with five kids. Whoever would have thought. I always thought that people who had five kids were C.R.A.Z.Y. Gotta love God's sense of humor.
So, my next 48 hours will be spent packing and getting everyone and everything ready for Christmas. I am surprisingly calm about it all. I am SO excited to see Sasha and officially check him out of the orphanage. I cannot explain the unrest I have felt over the past year, having so little control over his environment. He's my child, and just as with my other four children, I want him to feel safety, stability, and love. I have been praying for him daily, and I know that God is watching over him, but what a relief it will be when Sasha is finally with his family. We're almost there.
We are speaking with an agency tomorrow regarding adoption in Ukraine. Could you kindly tell me why you spent 14 weeks there this last year? Was it by choice, to visit, or did you have some difficulties in the process?
ReplyDeleteThis agency is also telling us the adoption could be complete, start to finish, in 5-6 months. And that the country is a blind referral country, but the process will go quickly. Wondering if you find this all to be true, or should we shy away from this particular agency, or do you suggest some other questions I should be asking them?
Any insight you may have for us would be greatly appreciated. I appreciate your time Jocelyn.
Randy & Angie Higdon
Randy and Angie,
DeleteThis is Curt, Jocelyn's husband. She is in Ukraine right now, but if am in the States with the kids. I would be happy to talk with you to share what we have learned over these two adoptions. Probably too much to type. If you are on Facebook, perhaps we could connect to share phone numbers securely. My Facebook email is curt.r.powell@facebook.com. Anything we can do to help make your process go more smoothly would be great.