Evenson Family

WE MADE IT!!

2010-01-09T00:55:00.000-08:00

So glad to be home. It was a long trip this time - 32 hours! Drove through the night from Sumy, caught four planes - one of them barely! Several delays and a late arrival. So grateful to all of our family that was there. All of my children, Ray, and Aunt Lee-Ann and her kids. They are the best! So nice of Zhenya's friends to wait for us too. It meant a lot to him and to us. Looking forward to a wonderful year. Happy 2010!!! I guess Jesse had the camera going as we rounded the corner at the airport.

ON OUR WAY HOME!!!

2010-01-05T06:29:00.000-08:00

We are finally done all of our business. It is 4:30pm. Tues. afternoon. We are back at the hotel warming up and getting ready to go. We went to the bank this morning at 10:00, stayed a couple of hours and were told to come back in half an hour. We walked around ( in -24 degree cold) for about an hour and a half at the market. That was more than we could stand. We were so happy to have the market open after being closed since we got here. We grabbed some lunch at the pancake place. Marina and Zhenya chose it. I had not been there before. It was nice to get in from the cold for a while. We went back to the bank and waited some more, but finally got done. It was a long day. Zhenya is finally relieved and relaxed. We will now pack up and wait for Vlad to come get us. We will drive through the night, straight to the airport - and head for home! We will arrive late Wed. night. as scheduled. We think it would be great if anyone wants to come. People have asked if it's o.k.. YES IT'S OK. Just give the family a few minutes first, please. WE CAN'T WAIT!!!!

Shut down for the Holidays!

2010-01-04T06:48:00.000-08:00

Another day in Sumy. We are waiting for the bank to open tomorow so we can take care of our business there. They have so many holidays around here it is hard to know when things will be open. The market was closed because it is Monday, and it is always closed on Monday. Things will only be open Tues. and Wed. here, and then closed for the rest of the week. This is not the time to come if you want to get anything done. What should have taken 2-3 days is taking 7. That's Ukraine! I went with Marina to finish up some business at the orphanage. We are so bored that we decided to brave the freezing cold and go out for a walk to the city center. We know it's getting colder because everyday we cross the bridge over the river. At first the water was running freely. Each day it started to get more and more ice. Today when we crossed, it was almost completely frozen. And so were we I might add. We brought some bread to feed the pigeons. That was fun, and no we didn't get pooped on! The hotel we are at is nice and the people are great.

Just a few more for the kids from Sumy

2010-01-02T10:52:00.000-08:00

I know everyone likes pictures, so here are a few more.

More Pics from Sumy

2010-01-02T10:46:00.001-08:00

Saying good-bye!

2010-01-02T10:26:00.000-08:00

Today we went back to the orphanage to say good-bye and drop off some treats and packages. A couple of the caretakers weren't there, so Zhenya and Jesse took off to see them. They live nearby. There are some very nice people there who really care about the kids. One of the caretakers told me that Zhenya suffered alot waiting for us. It was very hard on him she said. She asked if we were pleased with him. I told her, of course. He is a good boy with a very kind heart and caring disposition. She was very happy for him. Natasha and Yuri were happy to get their package, although Natasha didn't think she looked good enough for a picture. It was bitter sweet. Those who have been know it is hard to leave the other kids behind. Lucinda, I wasn't able to track down the music teacher either time we were there. Marina said she would try another day for me. Enough said for now. Enjoy the pictures.

WE HAVE A VISA!!

2009-12-31T10:40:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention that little detail here. I posted it on facebook. Sorry for those of you who don't have facebook. The approval came the next day like we had hoped and the Embassy called to say everything was ready to be picked up. We stopped by the Embassy and within a few minutes - no joke, we were on our way with the Visa in hand. Yipeee! They couldn't have been nicer. We had our own little cheering section there I think!

Sumy in Wwwwwinter!

2009-12-31T10:03:00.000-08:00

We arrived in Sumy after 7 1/2 hours on the bus from Kiev. Suffice it to say that the roads were not good. We were tired and cold while waiting for the taxi to come take us to our apt. After arriving at the apt., there was some disagreement with the landlord(yea, you guessed it. Bill and Leslie's old "friend") He wanted a deposit that was more than the rent, and I didn't want to give it to him! He asked us to leave, so we did. I'm sure he thought I wouldn't, but he was wrong. Now we were out in the cold again with all our luggage. I called Tanya, and she saved the day! She got a hold of the owner of another apt. we had stayed in during our last visit. He was willing to come down at 9:00 at night, last minute, and rent us the apt. Boy were we glad. Unfortunately, we could only stay one night because he had the other nights booked. We paid for the night and he said to leave the key on the counter when we left in the morning. No contract, no deposit! Now that's my kind of renting. We are now in a hotel because all the apts. are booked for the holiday. I would have thought the hotel would be booked but it's not. I went with Marina to "officially" sign Zhenya out of the orphanage. We tried to take care of things at the bank, but they weren't very helpful. They said to come back Tues. because they are closed Monday. We are still trying to figure things out and how long we will stay. We will make the best of it. I forgot to mention that the missionaries came and unlocked the church so we could store our luggage until we found somewhere to stay. Jesse, Tanya, and Zhenya went looking for a place to stay while Marina and I took care of business. Divide and conquer! Things are working out. Nothing is open tomorrow, so that won't be much fun. I will return to the orphanage tomorrow with the boys to deliver the gifts and packages.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Hey everyone, it's COLD out there!!!

2009-12-29T11:27:00.000-08:00

Jesse couldn't help with my blog problem either, so I'm doing this through his somehow. He said it would work and I believe him. So let's bring you up to date.

Vlad and Natasha were at the airport to meet us. It was sure good to see them again. They told me that they had sent for Zhenya and he would be there shortly. He was about 15 minutes behind us. What a great surprise! It was so good to see him again. Not the first meeting Jesse was expecting, but it was great none the less. Zhenya has an escort with him. It was the only way they would let him go. He didn't care, he was so happy to come.

They have redone the Frankfurt airport since we were here last. It is beautiful now. Real high end store like Rolex and Versace etc. Security is ridiculously long. We had over two hours there and as we sat down by our gate, they announced that they were ready to board! We had to go through two security check points, each one taking longer. I got pulled over and had a pretty thorough pat-down. They took my money belt and walked off with it. I didn't let it out of my sight and it made for some tense moments. Dawn Soper was telling me tonight that she got pulled aside too - behind a screen and was as close to being stripped search as you could get. Maybe they are singling out American women, I don't know.
Today we woke up to a lot of snow! We had so much to do, how dare it snow so much. Well, we weren't going to let that stop us, so we bundled up and ventured out. It was so bad that even Vlad couldn't make it, so Natasha called a taxi driver she uses sometimes. We walked some of the way as there were too many cars that were stuck and our driver couldn't get around them. We went to get Zhenya's medical done and then to the Embassy. Both went quickly and smoothly. It was so great. The Embassy people were very nice. They took all of our documents, gave us the interview, and will have Zhenya's passport ready with his visa so when the approval comes they will just call me and have me come to pick it up. We are hoping for tomorrow. The Embassy sent off an email with a copy of the tracking document I provided saying that they(NVC)had received the approval from the USCIS on Dec.23rd. The Embassy said the NVC has had plenty of time to send it to the Embassy, so where is it? Hopefully they will go look for it and send it. Sorry this is so lengthy, but it is mostly for the family who have been following our every move with much anticipation. We will head to Sumy tomorrow to take our escort back and "officially" take Zhenya for good. Boy is he happy. He has asked me several times if he has to go back. I told him, "never again".
Tonight we met up with the Soper's and went out to dinner. It was fun for all of us. The airport closed down today, so they are praying it will open tomorrow and they won't have any problem getting out. They are so ready!

More Sights and Sounds of Sumy

2009-04-26T03:58:00.001-07:00

We had such a great trip. Can't wait to go back one more time! O.K., I'm not looking forward to the trip, but can't wait to bring Zhenya home!

We Made It Back!

2009-04-26T03:42:00.000-07:00

We arrived safe and sound Saturday afternoon. It's so good to be back. Our plane arrived a half hour early, so there was no one there to meet us. It was sure great to see them when they did. Here are a few pictures from our last days in Sumy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

2009-04-23T02:58:00.000-07:00

I wanted the greatest family in the world for my birthday, and guess what? I GOT IT!!! I sure do love you guys. Thanks for taking care of each other while we've been gone. You are the best. You are all awesome, truly! Thanks so much for your love and support. We couldn't have done this without you. Not much longer and we will be complete.
Hey everyone this may be my last post until we get home. We had another fun day with Zhenya and Tanya yesterday. We moved apartments as the Straders left for Dnipro. We spent some time at the orphanage and downtown. We went bowling for a couple of hours. It was so much fun. The bowling alley consists of only two lanes and six balls to choose from. I have pictures, but gave the camera to Zhenya last night when we dropped him off so he could take pictures of the orphanage and his friends there. We will see him again this afternoon. Tomorrow we will do a little paperwork here in the morning, then get on the bus for Kiev. We will get there in the early evening and try and sleep before leaving for the airport at 3:00 a.m. We will arrive as scheduled on Saturday. I think the Keller's may be on the same flight. Not sure about that though. Because of the uncertainty of how things will play out in Russia, we felt it best to come home and let Vlad do his thing. Best case, I will return in two or three weeks. That's what we all need to pray for now. Zhenya wants so badly to come with us, but he is very understanding and accepting. You guys will love him! Can't wait to see all of you again. We love you.

"OF COURSE!"

2009-04-21T22:59:00.001-07:00

Jesse and Brady, you can start celebrating now. There is officially another male member of the Evenson family! We did have our day in court after all. Things went really well. Lots of talking on my part and answering some questions. A few questions for Zhenya, but the most important one, "Do you want to be adopted by this family?" His reply, "Of course! This is just inside the court room with us and the judge. Afterwards, we all went to eat out at New York Pizza. Those of you who have been here will recognize some of the faces. I'm going to add a video even though after I viewed it, I realized it was quite shakey. Sorry about that.

VLAD TO THE RESCUE!!!

2009-04-21T22:45:00.000-07:00

We had heard that Vlad was a miracle worker. It's true! After our bad luck of having the judge's mother die, Vlad was able to find another judge that was willing to squeeze us into her schedule and hear our case. It was a judge that had never heard an adoption case before. Not only did she get us, but the Straders as well. After a trip to the ever popular notary office, and some time waiting at the court, we had our cases heard. It couldn't have gone better. Thanks for the prayers.

Early Mother' Day for Missionary Moms!!

2009-04-20T23:41:00.000-07:00

For the Ketchum and Moore families!

No News Is Good News!!!

2009-04-20T23:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry I cut the last entry short. It is Tuesday morning as I sit here writing this. Court was supposed to be at 2:00 this afternoon. I just got a call that it has been postponed. The judge's mother passed away. We don't know yet when she will hear our case. They are saying maybe Friday. We won't be home Saturday for sure now. If we get a hearing Friday, the earliest we will come home would be Tuesday. Obviously, we will keep you posted. The Straders as well will have to wait. They were scheduled to have their hearing today also at 3:00. I feel badly for them. They have been here longer than we have and have a daughter waiting to be picked up in Dnipro. We are glad we have each other. Oh well, more time at the market for Ray-should have brought a bigger suit case! Does any one need me to pick them up something? More later when we find out what is going on.

Getting Ready for Court

2009-04-20T23:22:00.000-07:00

After looking for an hour to find a place open, we were sucessful and Zhenya was able to get a hair cut. Too bad I didn't bring my hair cutting stuff. Natasha arrived late last night and has joined us at our apt. We sat up late playing cards with the Straders waiting for her. We had a blast. They are really fun. I think we are all way over tired, but it sure makes for a fun evening.

Easter Sunday

2009-04-19T23:20:00.001-07:00

It was Easter Sunday here in Ukraine. Everything shut down. We went to the branch here in Sumy. What wonderful people. The Elders were happy to see us too. I miss Sunday dinners so much, we recruited a few extra people. We invited the Elders, our interpreters, strangers off the street-just kidding! It was fun. Today is a holiday too. Not much going on. Pretty much everything is closed down. Zhenya was hoping to go for a hair cut before our court date, but we can't find anything open yet. They have the randomest(I don't think that is a word)holidays around here. We played a bunch of games yesterday. Zhenya is coming out of his shell. We had a lot of fun. He and Tanya thought they would discuss how to beat me, so they were jabbering away in Ukrainian. I just laughed and told them I knew what they had said. I told them,and Tanya said, "You know way too much Ukrainian!"
Love you all. More tomorrow. I may wait until after court, so the post will be later.

Afternoon in Town

2009-04-17T23:41:00.000-07:00

We were allowed to take Zhenya into town this afternoon. He wanted to go to the museum and see a travelling exhibit about the body etc. and some quirky birth defects. It was more like a Ripley's Believe it or Not. It is a travelling exhibit from St. Petersburg. Of course we had to stop at MacDonald's before we took him back. Ray was looking a little thin, so I even let him have some ice cream! Oh, by the way - Court date is Tuesday! We can then go to the Embassy on Wed. and come home on Thursday. We are scheduled to come home on Saturday. We are torn. Zhenya doesn't want us to go without him, but as you know, there is the 10 day waiting period and then we would have to go to Russia for his birth certificate. No one can predict what will happen there, or how long it will take. That is why we were planning on coming home, and making a second trip back. I tell you, it is heart wrenching. All he wants to do is come home. Any input would be appreciated. We will let you know what we decide. Love you ALL!!

Ray's New Diet is Working!!!!

2009-04-17T23:35:00.000-07:00

Ray has been a little more serious about eating healthy and exercising lately. What do you think? I think he looks a lot thinner already. Must be something in the water!

The Mighty Hunter!!

2009-04-17T00:43:00.000-07:00

We had another fun time with Zhenya yesterday. We played games and went on a nice walk. Ray couldn't hold back any longer and had to start looking for beetles. Zhenya and even Tanya joined in. Can't believe how nicely he will fit right in. Even with all our quirks, he still wants to come. He's such a great kid! We are hoping to get permission today to take him out with us around town. That will be a nice change for him. Claire, I'll try and get some video later today or tomorrow for you. Lori - Misha is Margie Jorgensens son whom they adopted from Sumy last year. The boy in the video is his friend who is still here.

For Misha!

2009-04-16T10:42:00.000-07:00

He was sure happy to get the package. Cute boys!

More Pics!!

2009-04-16T10:30:00.001-07:00

I don't know what happened to some of the pictures when I posted them. They got cut off some how. I'll try again. The one of the cops is for you Brady!

We're Having a Great Time!

2009-04-16T02:09:00.000-07:00

This is a beautiful time of year here. Yesterday was our 31st Anniversary and next week is my birthday. Guess we won't forget these ones! Not a bad way to spend it! Things are going well for us. We continue to pray that things will go well with Zhenya's birth certificate. We have to go to Russia for that, but we are not to that point yet. We are having fun visiting the orphanage and getting to know him better. I know you really just want to see the pictures! Claire, the flowers are for you - it's springtime! We have a new translator. A cute little gal, her name is Tanya. Natasha and Vlad are taking care of business in Kiev. Tanya says hi to the Milnes, and Heiners, and I can't remember who else she said. Dave and Lee-Ann, a big hello to you, and big hug for Troy!
P.S. Lori - I will see what I can do for you.

For Soper's

2009-04-16T01:52:00.000-07:00

Hey guys - Enjoy!

Pictures from Sumy!!

2009-04-15T02:41:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from yesterday. We haven't been to visit today, but will go later. I'll post those later. I should have some pictures for some of the other families when I deliver the packages today. Yesterday was our day with Zhenya. Did I tell you he's grown in the last four months. I swear he was shorter than me, now he is taller than I am. More later. Thanks to everyone for remembering us - we love you all.

SUNNY IN SUMY!!

2009-04-14T10:09:00.000-07:00

I'll let you know right up front - Sorry no pictures. Hope you'll follow along anyway. The landlady didn't pay her internet bill in Kiev, so we lost our connection. Not to worry. We are now in Sumy. It has been a long and exhausting day. That's what happens when you start at 2:30 am. Margie and Ari, I wish you could have been here when we met Zhenya. I can't even begin to express how great that moment was. He had been waiting, and even though he believed we were coming, I think a little concern had crept in. He was soooo happy - a totally different demeanor. We got a lot of the paper work done. It couldn't have gone any better. Our one big hurdle will be trying to get his birth certificate from Russia, so please keep praying for us. Our next step is the court date. We will let you know. We haven't even unpacked yet,so I don't know where my flash drive is, or even if I packed it. I will look and then we can send pictures. We had a great time at the orphanage. The director was great. He showed us a room that had lots of memorabilia from an American/Russian colaboration on an american aircraft during the 2nd World War. It was neat and he was very proud of it. He took us to another room filled with lots of old tools, costumes, weavings, etc. mostly from the Sumy region. He apologized for not having enough time to spend with us and invited us back for a more detailed tour. Having my grandmother being from Ukraine was a big plus. He really likes us - a huge bonus for us. Can't wait to share the pictures. We will deliver all the packages, letters, etc. tomorrow. We are sharing an apt. in Sumy with Bill and Leslie Strader who hosted this last year. It was so great to visit with Zhenya. We were able to talk with him for a long time, and he still wants to come home with us!
The best part of the day - When Natasha asked Zhenya if he had anymore questions for us and he said "When do we go home." Love you all. More later.

LUCKY 13th

2009-04-13T03:09:00.000-07:00

Our appointment with the SDA went very well today. They remembered us from last time-that was a good thing. They went over Zhenya's file with us, looked at some pictures, and wished us well. We will pick up the necessary paperwork tonight and head out for Sumy at 3:30am - who needs sleep anyway!! We once again checked out the little shops along "souvenir street" to kill some time.

HERE WE GO AGAIN!!!

2009-04-12T08:47:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone! We made it safe and sound. It was a long trip and sleeping on the plane was not something I was able to do. Ray was better at it than I. I did watch 7 Pounds, twice, and Bedtime Stories. Ray is more of a Bond fan. The weather is very pleasant. I just woke up from a much needed rest, so when I find the camera I'll try and send a picture or two of us. Hope you all had a Happy Easter.

Yea!! I found the camera cord. Here are a couple of pictures from today. Ray finally sleeping. Our apt. - very nice! View outside of the apt.- typical. We are on the ninth floor in an apartment very close to downtown. We will be able to walk to our appointments etc. We are happy about that, and the weather seems to be co-operating. Everything we need is close. Since Ray is sleeping, I took a picture of myself in the mirror! I know it's not the best because of the flash, but it is better than the one I took holding the camera in front of my face. Miss you all already!

Salt Lake Airport

2008-12-08T22:10:00.000-08:00

Here are a few pictures that my son took the night we came home. It is so good to be home. We were so happy to reunite with our family and friends. We would again like to thank all of you that came out to meet us, especially those with children from Poltava. That meant a lot to the girls. Happy holidays everyone!

THANK YOU FAMILY AND FRIENDS!

2008-12-03T22:40:00.000-08:00

What a wonderful feeling to be greeted tonight at the airport by so many family and friends. The girls especially appreciated friends from Poltava. I will post pictures in the next couple of days when I get some from family-my batteries gave out! So good to be home. Can't wait to see Jeff, Ann, and Ruslan again.

Heading Home

2008-12-02T08:39:00.000-08:00

Hi again everyone. I hope you will be able to read this. This internet cafe has old, make that very old equipment to say the least. I am not able to read the screen, but I know I'm typing somethng. We will leave Wednesday morning at 5:34 am. Our expected arrival is Wednesday December 3rd at 6:34pm on United Airlines #6347. I hope we make it. We only have an hour and a half in Denver to get through customs/immigrations etc. We fly Kiev - Frankfurt - Denver -Salt Lake. If I figured the time difference correctly, we will leave here at about 6 pm Tuesday night Salt Lake time. Needless to say, we will be tired. I'm sure the excitement of finally being home will over ride our tiredness. We can't wait. See you soon!

Winding Down

2008-12-01T11:57:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone. We had it good in Poltava with internet in our apartment. I'm not use to this internet cafe thing. Just a quick update. We had a busy 1/2 day today. We started out at 7 am, and headed to get the girls medicals done. We were there about 7:45 but didn't get done until about 10. It wasn't hard, just lots of waiting. The girls had to have two shots each. They were great about it. Then it was off to the Embassy. We arrived by 11:00 and were done by 11:30. They thanked me for being so well prepared. I had spent a long time filling out all the forms ahead of time. Now we go back tomorrow at 2:00 for our interview, which is just a formality I think, and to pick up the girls visa's. I thought I would have the flight info by now, but haven't gotten it yet. Jesse talked to our travel agent this morning and he is working on it and will send it soon. I will post the info for everyone.

Hi, it's Jesse, I have recieved their flight information, and they will be coming home on Wed. the 3rd at 6:34PM on United Flight 6347.

Rounding the Final Turn Down the Backstretch!

2008-11-29T14:34:00.000-08:00

This morning we went to pick up the girls passports. The last thing we needed before we head to Kiev. We will leave in the morning and should be able to do the necessary paperwork at the Embassy on Monday and Tuesday. That means we can fly home on WEDNESDAY!!! Haven't gotten the final word as to what our flights will be, but it will be the same as some of the other families I think. We should arrive around 6:35p.m. We fly Kiev-Frankfurt-Denver-Salt Lake. I will let you know for sure. This afternoon we spent packing up and tonight had fun with some of the hats that Ray couldn't resist at the market. The girls had fun on the computer with Jesse and Claire and Elle. Thanks for the video guys! Natasha says we will have a couple of very busy days. We are so close now. Can't wait. Hopefully we will have internet in Kiev. It is going to take a while adjusting to life without Jeff and Ann. They have been terrific. It is a little bittersweet leaving them behind. We hope they won't be too far behind.

Great Day in Sumy!

2008-11-28T14:11:00.000-08:00

Well, we finally made it to Sumy and were able to deliver the packages that were sent with us. The kids were so happy to get them. Some of them sent letters back with us. Ray decided that we ought to take the bus out there. It wasn't until after we bought the tickets that we found out that it was a 4 1/2 hour ride. The ride back was only 3 1/2 hours. Enough said! For those who are wondering, yes we were able to meet with Zhenia, and it went great. Too much to write here, but it was a happy time for all of us. Margie and Arri, you can stop crying now. Can't wait to go back in May. Special thanks to Jeff and Ann for entertaining our girls so we could make the trip.

The Director, Iryna, etc....

2008-11-27T11:46:00.000-08:00

You guessed it - more!

2008-11-27T11:37:00.001-08:00

More Still

2008-11-27T11:31:00.001-08:00

More from the Orphanage

2008-11-27T11:25:00.001-08:00

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE

2008-11-27T11:05:00.000-08:00

Today was a great day. We were so busy, I didn't even miss Thanksgiving. We went back to the orphanage for the last time. We needed to thank the director and let the girls say goodbye to all their friends and classmates. First we met with the director. She is a wonderful lady who cares deeply about all the children there. She herself was raised in an orphanage. She is a huge help to the families that wish to adopt. She would like all of her children to belong to loving families. I think I will post lots of pictures. I now more fully realize why those who have gone before us have said they wish they could bring all the kids home! If your family isn't at the top of your list of things to be thankful for, it ought to be. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. By the way family - We love you. Your at the top of my list.

Saying Good bye

2008-11-26T13:47:00.001-08:00

Today we met and also said good bye to the girls brother. He has not been a part of their lives since they have been in the orphanage. Even the people at the orphanage didn't know about him. As with many things around here, that's another story.

DIZZY,MY HEAD IS SPINNING!!!

2008-11-26T10:24:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, just a quick update. Some of the kids were asking what was left for us to do. Well, this morning, we went to the third and final passport office. All the information from the other two comes here. Today I signed their passports, and the girls had their pictures taken. Then they put everything together virtually on the computer, and send it to Kiev. Someone there looks at it, stamps it and sends it back to Poltava via armored security truck so they can put their stamp on it here in Poltava. Once we have that, we are ready to go to the Embassy in Kiev. The passport thing is suppose to take ten days, but not to worry. Sometimes they can do things faster. Once in Kiev, the Embassy process is usually two days. The first day you go and fill out all the documents. They send the information to the U.S.. Because of the time difference, you get to come back the next day to the Embassy in the afternoon and pick up all the visas etc. that you need to come home. So, long story - short, it won't be long now. We are hoping to travel to Sumy on Friday or Saturday. That should be a nice diversion.

HERE TO STAY!!!

2008-11-25T10:51:00.000-08:00

I spent from 8:30 this morning until 5:00 tonight running around taking care of new social security numbers, birth certificates, and passports. The girls home village is not too far from Poltava. The ride out there reminded me very much of the drive from Whitby to Lindsay in Canada. There is still much to do. More of the same tomorrow. As far as we can tell, we are still on schedule. We made a quick stop at the City Inspector's office. She was a very helpful and supportive lady and we were very appreciative of all that she did for us. She wished me the best. The best part of the day, I missed because I was with Natasha running from one office to another. We made a quick stop at the orphanage where she arranged for the girls release. She called a taxi to take them home to Ray - for good. When I got home at the end of the day, I was so glad to see everyone at home. You could just feel their joy. It was bittersweet when we had to send Ruslan back alone. His turn will be soon. Oh, while I was gone, Ray couldn't resist running to the market to find me the perfect hat. What do you think?

Slip Sliding Away

2008-11-23T12:32:00.000-08:00

We took the kids to go skating and play at the arcade. Tonia was eager to try and Angelina wanted to until we got there. We tried to convince her to go, but she declined. I told her I would go if she did,but that didn't work either. Frankly I breathed a big sigh of relief since I haven't been on skates for more than 30 years! Jeff did an excellent job and spent most of his time on the ice helping Tonia. I think we'll be able to talk Angelina into it once we're home.

Church in Poltava

2008-11-23T09:48:00.000-08:00

Today everyone was at church, and all the kids arrived on time. The members there are so happy to see us each week. One of the missionaries sits behind us to interpret. Today we had to laugh though because two out of the three speakers gave their talk in Ukrainian instead of Russian. The missionairies are taught Russian. I know it sounds funny, but that is the way it is. So our missionary would say something like, "she said faith, something something something", and then would apologize. It was cute. We decided that three hours was too long for the kids. They don't have YM/YW, just Sunday School and RS/Priesthood. So after sacrament meeting we decided to have our own private class taught by the missionairies. It was great.

HAPPY 3rd BIRTHDAY ELLE!!!!

2008-11-23T03:53:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Elle,

Grandma and grandpa are sorry we missed your birthday. Don't worry, we will have a big hug and kiss for you when we get back. We love you so much.

Another Walk around Town

2008-11-22T10:34:00.000-08:00

The Carr's and us decided to take a walk around while waiting for the kids. It was overcast as usual, and windy, but the temperature was about 50. We stopped in a couple of stores and then went to the market for some fruit and vegetables. We got caught in the rain, but were prepared with our umbrellas. A must here in Ukraine. Natasha arrived back today and said it was snowing in Kiev. I can hardly wait - NOT!. I think the nice weather is over. The girls are good at UNO, and today we taught Natasha how to play. She soon discovered that Angelina cheats. The rest of us just put up with it, but Natasha wasn't letting her get away with anything. It was funny to watch the two of them go at it. Ray was able to sneek a couple of pictures of Tonia and hide the camera well enough that she couldn't find it. We look forward to visiting the Poltava branch again tomorrow. Our 10 day wait will soon be over - Yipeeee!

A Lazy Day

2008-11-21T10:24:00.000-08:00

Ray and I were up and out early to market. These kids go through the fruit like I can't believe. Angelina ate four bananas, 2 oranges, and an apple. Tonia prefers oranges and apples. Ann made the kids some potato soup for dinner and I sliced up some cucumbers and tomatoes. I know you kids at home are going to find this hard to believe, but they actually ate the cucumbers and tomatoes without Ranch dressing! It was raining all day today. We had to buy another umbrella it was getting too hard to share one. Not as many vendors at the market today because of the rain. The kids came over early again. We played a few games of UNO and then got out the workbook that Polly sent along. They really liked it, especially Angelina. She did a lot of the worksheets with my help. I think she will learn quickly. I wouldn't even know where to begin. We have letters in our alphabet that they have never seen or heard. They were so happy and eager to try. I suspect that they will be a little shy at first when we get home, but it won't take them long to open up. That is how it's been here. They feel more and more at home with us each day. They seem as eager to get out of here as we are. It is so great. Ray took a bunch of pictures, but Tonia erased them all but one. She doesn't really like having her picture taken. Angelina on the other hand could pose for hours. Have a great day everyone. We are! Our love to all.

Skip this one if you have a weak stomach!

2008-11-21T02:32:00.000-08:00

O.K. This one's for the guys.

I don't know what it is. Maybe it's a guy thing? Maybe it's a Ray thing? Anne and I don't like it, but Ray and Jeff think it's kind of neat. Ray loves the big market here. I guess it reminds him of Argentina and Mexico. He's fascinated with the "variety" that one can find here at the market. Here are some of his favorites! Don't forget, YOU'VE BEEN WARNED! In case you can't figure it out. On today's menu, we have rabbit(did you notice they still have on their 'lucky' feet), various organs, tongue, and the ever popular pigs head. Mmmmmmm

Coldest Day Yet!

2008-11-20T10:02:00.000-08:00

This morning we hit some tourist spots and points of interest around the town. Unfortunately, we picked the coldest day to do it. We walked a lot,and I was glad to step inside the stores every once in a while. We got to pick the kids up a little early today. We came back to the apartment and played games again. It is fun to watch them play. I've noticed that they use more and more english words during the games now. Ray went to the market and found some of those hand knitted socks that Dave was telling him about. Of course he had to buy a few pair. The ladies didn't want him to take their picture, but when he took the socks out of the bag and put them down in front of them, they were happy to pose. He even got a smile out of them!

Half Way Through!

2008-11-19T11:12:00.000-08:00

A rather fun day today. This morning I had to go to the notary again. We dropped Ray off at the market. He walked all over and had a ball. This afternoon the girls came over early because the Carr's were off to court. We played all afternoon. We especially had fun with hide-and-go-seek. I was surprised at how many places in the apartment they could find to hide. The girls both had a shower and washed their hair which they love to do. They also like me to blow dry it for them. We took a little trip to the market nearby and bought Ann a rose in anticipation of a happy outcome for them at court today. I asked the girls if they wanted to make a video and they were all excited. Their english was very good and they knew exactly what they wanted to say, until I turned on the camera! Oh well, I'll post it any way. Love you all. Thanks for taking care of each other.

Greetings

2008-11-18T09:46:00.000-08:00

Today was another day of some paperwork, walking, shopping at the super market,and the afternoon with the kids. It was the coldest day by far. Probably because there was a pretty good breeze. The super market was fun. It was fun trying to guess what was inside each box, can, or bag. When you buy fruit at the supermarket, you pick out what you want and the girl weighs it and labels it right there in the produce department before you go to the check out. Someone told me the yogurt was really good. I now know why. When I "read" the label even I could understand 5% fat. The lowest percent on the milk is 2.5%. They don't comprehend 1% or skim. That must be why the ice cream is so good too. The cleaning lady came by today to clean and asked if there was anything we needed. We told her that we could use some light bulbs(those of you who have been here will appreciate this)and she also asked if we would like something to dry our clothes on. We told her that would be great. A half hour later she came back with the light bulbs, a ladder(did I tell you that we had 12 foot ceilings?)and a good sized rack to hang our clothes up to dry. The picture outside our apartment is with our "men in black". They are the ones that helped us find our apartment and come to collect the rent. They have been very helpful and friendly. The kids seemed extra happy today. It was fun to be with them again. The one picture of Angelina is with a banana in her mouth. Tonight she ate four bananas and an orange, pizza and chips. Tonia had an apple and an orange along with her pizza and chips. Ray and Jeff braved the cold with Ruslan to go order the pizza and bring it home. We weren't sure what we would get when they opened up the boxes, but it was good and we ate everything. We went over letters and numbers with the girls tonight. Ann brought some papers with pictures of common things and the english word. They did really well with lots of the words and sounding out others they weren't familiar with. They wrote their names on the sign. They will learn quickly.

Rainy Days and Mondays..

2008-11-17T12:48:00.000-08:00

This morning we ventured out with the Carr's to look around for souvenir shops. It was the first rainy day that we've had. I'm grateful Ray really knows his way around. He was our tour guide. In spite of the weather, we walked around a lot. The kids were over later in the day and stayed for dinner. We played games and watched part of Iron Man. It was too cold and wet to take the kids out. We are always so glad to see them and they are excited to see us. As of today, we've moved our date to return home up to the 4th, but things could still change. We are happy to share our experiences with you and appreciate your comments. It makes us feel like we have our own personal cheering section! For those of you who were concerned that we may be eating some of the food from the open market, let me assure you that we are not. Both the Carr's and us brought some things from home like soup mixes, noodles, rice, oatmeal, granola and fruit bars, and pancake mix. There is a lot of fruits and breads readily available and lots of little markets where you can get the other things you might need like eggs, butter, yogurt, ice cream, laundry soap etc. Milk comes in a bag and seems to be creamier than ours. Lots of breads and pastries are also good. There are also a wide variety of fruit juices that are all delicious. We are doing just fine and are grateful to be sharing the ups and downs of our experience here with the Carr's. They are fast becoming good friends. We love you all and miss you tons!

Talking to Polly

2008-11-16T11:23:00.001-08:00

This is the girls talking to Polly on the computer - sort of. Polly could talk to them, but our laptop doesn't have a microphone so they couldn't talk back to her. I was so excited when Jesse suggested I download Messenger. I did it all by myself. But we have no microphone. Hey Jesse, is there anything I can do to remedy that short of buying a microphone? Maybe I'm missing something? It wouldn't surprise me. They enjoyed it though. They tried to type back messages to her. Polly was good at deciphering what they were attempting to write. They were able to spell out their names, I love you, ok, and terin(Taryn), bruk(brooke) and bredi(brady)

More Sunday Pictures

2008-11-16T11:11:00.000-08:00

These are some more pictures from today. The man outside filling water buckets at a pump near the church building. The pictures of the kids are the branch's primary children- yep, that's it. The lady in the market is now Ray's good friend. He visits there often and she is one of the few smiling people here. She is always helpful, he points and she gets him what he needs!

Sunday in Poltava

2008-11-16T10:45:00.000-08:00

Today we went to pick up the kids to take them to church with us. Angelina had a trip with her class, so she couldn't join us. Ruslan and Tonia were able to come with us although we had to wait for them for about an hour. It is a tiny branch, but the people are very friendly. There is a senior couple there from Provo. They were in our ward when we were first married. They remembered Ray's mom and dad, and also us. Small world! And guess what Melia, the picture of us with the Elder(I can't pronounce his name)anyway, he is from Ukraine. I asked him where, and he said a small town close to Poland. I asked if he knew your companion Sister Kuralchuk(sp?), and of course he did. She is from his branch! We attended all the meetings and then went to Brother and Sister Patte's for dinner. They also invited a young college student to come and interpret for Tonia. We were adventurous and took a bus home.

Around our Apartment

2008-11-15T12:34:00.000-08:00

Here's some more photos of the area around our apartment building. All the buildings are owned by the government. They are responsible for the outside upkeep. The apartments are individually owned and many of them have been updated and renovated. As you can tell by the pictures, the government upkeep is a little lacking.

A Walk Around Town

2008-11-15T10:24:00.000-08:00

This afternoon we went to pick up the kids. Ruslan and Angelina were ready but Tonia was nowhere to be found. The kids need a pass to be allowed to leave with us. Tonia was so excited for us to come and couldn't find the person to sign the pass, so she decided to write her own pass -sort of like signing your moms name on a school note. Apparently they didn't like that, so she had to do extra chores while we waited. As we were walking around, we stopped into several small "malls". As we were passing by one of the stores, Ruslan noticed a picture of Angelina in the window. I guess it was from some news article about a chalk art contest. She didn't even know about it. It was fun for her to see. We teased her about being a celebrity. The other picture is of a car parked on the sidewalk, next to a car that is parked on the street. Go figure! We see that a lot here.

To Market, to market....

2008-11-15T10:16:00.000-08:00

Ray got out early this morning and took a walk down to the local market. These pictures are for those of you who wanted to see more pictures of town. You think the FDA would have a problem with this? Enjoy!

Court

2008-11-14T13:55:00.000-08:00

Today was our court hearing in Poltava. We felt pretty calm actually, but a little nervous as we didn't know exactly what to expect. After we arrived, we were told to wait in the hall because the judge said he didn't want to hear our case today. He said there was a mix up on the schedule. Let's just say, Natasha is the best negotiator there is! Things went well in the hearing. It took about an hour. They asked Ray more questions than I thought they would. He was great! The Inspector of the town gave us a glowing recommendation. Iryna from the orphanage was equally complimentary. The prosecutor was also in favor. As the judge pronounced his decision there were many tears shed. There wasn't a dry eye in the room-except the judge, although you could tell he was very happy. The Inspector came up to the girls later and told them how lucky they were. She admonished them to be good for their new parents and told them, "I know everything! I will be watching you all the way from Ukraine". She was a lovely lady, and you could tell that she was really happy for all of us. I didn't know if it was proper or not, but I hugged everyone. As we were riding home in the taxi, Polly called. I asked her if she could keep a secret. She assured me she could. I said, "O.K., let me give the phone to your sister." I handed the phone to Angelina and it was fun to hear them talking. Angelina said,"I love you Polly", and tried to cover her smile with her hand. She gave me back the phone and Polly said, "So what's the secret?" I said,"Polly, I just said I was going to hand the phone to your SISTER." She said, "Yeah". I said, "Polly!" She said, "Yeah,(long pause)Oh! Oh! OHHHHH!" I told her to have a good day and that I loved her. In all fairness to Polly, she sets her alarm clock at 6:00 so she can call me. We sure miss everyone at home, but the time is going quickly here for us. I'm not sure I'll feel the same way as we are now required to wait for the mandatory 10 day waiting period. After that, there is more paperwork to do, so as of yet, we are still not certain about our return date. We will keep you posted though. The picture is of the girls with Iryna outside the court building. The other is the kids eating dinner at our apartment. It was a good day!

HERE COMES THE JUDGE!!!

2008-11-14T07:28:00.000-08:00

Today at 2:00 we were all to appear before the judge. We have been waiting for this day for over a year now. Hope you enjoy the video!

Some Insights!

2008-11-13T14:22:00.000-08:00

Life in general seems to be fast paced. People always seem to be on the go. They are going from here to there, walking, taking the bus, taking a taxi. There are more taxis here than one would believe. They seem to be along every street, waiting patiently. There are usually 2 to 8 taxis all fairly close together. There are also buses everywhere. Most of the buses are smaller. 2 to 5 buses passing each other and moving in and out of traffic is a common occurrence. There is only one rule of the road here- every man for himself! There are only two kinds of pedestrians – fast or dead. Parking meters are nonexistent. ” No parking” signs are not necessary as people park on the side of the street, in the middle of the street, on the sidewalks. Men in black – women in black. Most cars are black. Most accessories such as purses, hats, brief cases etc., all black, with the occasional red one. If you are shopping in the stores or at the street markets, you better be more specific than, “I’ll take the black one”. My white tennis shoes, you guessed it – now black. To my daughter, Melia, who recently returned from the multi-cultural city of Toronto, Canada and observed, “Salt Lake is so white – to her I say, “You have never been to Ukraine”. I have yet to see anyone other than Ray or myself walking along that wears glasses. I pointed that out to Ann Carr and it has now become a game to see who can find someone wearing glasses. To say the skinny black pant is back is no exaggeration. I think the jeans here come in a spray can! There is quite a chill in the air, but most young women don’t care. It’s high heeled boots (black of course) mini skirts and fur coats with puffy wide collars for them. There is also of course the “typical” Ukrainian grandmother with the scarf on her head, a purse in one hand and a bag in the other. Her pace is a little slower, until she needs to cross the street! We rode the bus the other day, and as usual, it was very crowded. As people get on, they find a place to stand, then pass the money for the fare to the person next to them and it makes it way down to the front to be deposited. If change is needed, it too makes it way back down the line. In many places there are underground street crossings with little shops along the corridor under the road. You also can’t walk very far without seeing groups of men just standing around talking, smoking, and very often drinking. For the most part, the only people with smiles on their faces are the children. Seeing stray dogs roaming around is not unusual either. Many of the streets are narrow, and some are still cobblestone which makes for an interesting ride as your taxi winds its way through town. At least the part of town that we’re in has many tree lined streets. Big beautiful trees. Most of the leaves have fallen now. I’m sure it is beautiful in the summer. Other than the trees, there is not much else in the way of landscaping. There are also crows and pigeons everywhere.

Fun at Home

2008-11-13T13:26:00.000-08:00

Most of today was waiting around for Natasha to finalize some paperwork. She is very good at what she does. I did some laundry while I waited. Good thing I know my way around a clothes line! Ray and Jeff ventured out into the great unkown. Lucky for Ann and I, the mighty hunters returned with food and water. Ann made all of us some soup, and we enjoyed a meal in. Late in the afternoon, I was summoned to the notary's office to sign another document. When I was finished there, Natasha and I headed over to the orphanage to pick up the kids. Of course, on the way home we had to stop for pizza. We had a fun time together looking at pictures on the computer and playing "spoons". Angelina is very competitive. What do you know, she fits right in with the rest of us!

A Helping Hand

2008-11-12T13:32:00.000-08:00

I forgot to mention, that on the way to the orphanage, in the afternoon, we met an older woman. For some reason, she asked the girls if they would help her carry her purse and bag from the market. They glady agreed, and each grabbed a bag to carry for her. What great kids!

Plays, Promenades, and PATIENCE

2008-11-12T12:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was more paperwork and moving. At 3:00 in the afternoon we were invited to the orphanage for Tonia's play-she's the bunny. It was quite the production. It was about an hour long and we really enjoyed it even though we didn't understand the words, we could follow the story line. Of course Natasha was there to interpret. I was able to take some videos and pictures. We bought a couple of bouquets of flowers for Tonia's teacher and supervisor. We all went out to dinner and walked around the city taking lots of pictures. The girls really like the time they get to spend with us, and we do too. It was a lovely evening and we walked up to the gazebo on the hill by a church and enjoyed the view, lights etc. The Carr's have finally caught up with us for which we are extremely grateful. They arrived very late and we all slept in. We walked around the market for a while and headed over to the orphanage. It was fun to be there when Jeff and Ann were reunited with Ruslon. Tonia and Angelina had to take a little trip with Natasha so it was nice to have the Carr's for company. Later the Carr's had business to take care of, so we spent some time with the girls at the orphanage. We found a cute little kitty outside. The girls had fun introducing us to some of their friends. We were all reunited late in the afternoon and went out for dinner with the kids. There are so many cute kids there. I love how they all look out for one another. We had to have all the kids back by 8p.m. It is always hard to say good night, but they know we will be back in the morning.

Down for a couple of Days

2008-11-10T10:11:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that we will be moving apartments tomorrow. We have found a new one that will be big enough for us and the Carr's. We have talked to them briefly, but they have yet to join us here in Poltava. The internet will not be hooked up until Thursday, so you will not hear from me until then. It is lovely here. This part of town has tree lined streets and many park like areas. There is a chill in the air and the sun sets about 4:30. It is much colder when the sun isn't shining. The buildings are mostly old, with a few newer ones. The streets are narrow. The drivers are crazier than in Utah. UTA would be so happy to have their buses as full as they are here. On the walk to the orphanage you see many trees with mistletoe. They look like Dr. Suess trees with tuft-like balls of leaves and berries. I had no idea that mistletoe is a parasite. It just somehow starts to grow on trees and sucks the energy from them. I guess I just assumed there were such things as mistletoe trees. Ray had to give me a science lesson. He is fascinated with all the crows here just walking around. He especially likes the grey ones. They are actually very pretty. I will try and get a picture sometime.

More Street Scenes from Poltava

2008-11-10T08:43:00.001-08:00

The Streets of Poltava

2008-11-10T05:26:00.000-08:00

This is for Claire. She requested some pictures of everyday life here. Ray and I took a walk this morning part way to the orphanage. The girls are in school and we will pick them up later. Natasha is hard at work taking care of our endless paperwork. This is what we see when we walk to pick up the girls everyday.

Lots of Laughs

2008-11-09T12:23:00.000-08:00

We had another fun day today. Nothing really exciting,except finally BEING TOGETHER! That's the best part. Just spending time with the girls is it's own reward. They seem happier every day. We took Angelina to church with us here in Poltava. Tonia had to stay behind to rehearse for the school program on Tuesday. Natasha came with us and acted as my interpreter. We were a few minutes late and Ray had to sit by himself. It was fun to talk to the people afterwards. They invited us back on Tuesday for a fireside, but we will be at the school program. The missionaires all had fun talking to us. Ray walked over to pick up Tonia when she was done with her practise.We spent the afternoon working on these wooden puzzles of bugs that Ray brought for the girls and their classmates. I hope you don't get bored with the pictures of us. The girls love posing and taking pictures. This is Tonia and Ray working on her puzzle. Angelina with some of her new clothes. The girls and I looking at the videos the kids made before we left. They like to watch that everyday. They can't wait to see Elle and Cassandra again. Thank you all again for your love and support and prayers. It is comforting to know how many of you care so much about our family. We love you all and miss you too.

Our First Day Out

2008-11-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

Today was another great day. We got to sleep in,which was wonderful since my body and mind don't even know what day it is let alone what time it is. The girls were in school until 1:00 - yes I know it's Saturday. Somehow I don't think that would go over too well in Utah. We walked over to the orphanage to pick them up and have them spend the day with us. We were going to go out to a movie, but had so much fun here playing games, talking, and trying on clothes. Many, many thanks to Linda Macbeth who sized up the girls when she was here in October. Everything fit perfectly,even the shoes. I was so happy, and so were the girls. We went out for pizza and ice cream. That was the girls choice. We had to take them back to the orphanage by 8:00p.m. Just to let you know, Natasha had to fill out some documents for the court and the subject of the girls names came up. I had told them that they could choose. Tonia has chosen to keep her name and will soon be known as Tonia Grace Evenson. Tamila has chosen to change hers. She will soon be known as Angelina Tamille Evenson. She said that it is a name that she really likes, and as soon as Ray heard her ask, he thought it suited her perfectly. It was obvious that she had put a lot of thought into it. It will take some getting used to. I still call her Tamila. Oh, by the way, Angie won't do. It must be Angelina. It was a fun day and we are looking foward to tomorrow. The Carr's should be joining us soon. We are looking forward to that as well.

JOY!!!

2008-11-07T09:58:00.000-08:00

Ray is sleeping and I will now attempt to add photos. If this works, I expect a standing ovation!

That's us on the last plane. We were pretty tired by then. The other is Tamila(on the right) with her friend Ilona. Tonia left before I got out the camera. I'm sure you'll see her tomorrow.

We've Arrived!!!

2008-11-07T08:53:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone - Sorry we took so long. I'm still trying to get used to Brooke's laptop and we are now just able to get internet service. By now it is Friday night. We arrived safe and sound as most of you know. We have been busy since we arrived and didn't really have long enough to spend at the internet cafe. We are now in Poltava near the orphanage in a very nice apartment. Luckily it comes with internet service, although it seems to have a mind of it's own. Our business in Kiev went very well and we found the people at the SDA to be very friendly and helpful. When we arrived in Poltava, we went to the orphanage to take care of some business and visit with the director. While we were waiting in her office, a group of kids came by. I guess if the director's door is open everyone trys to take a little peek inside. I didn't recognize any of the children until Katia(who stayed with Fuhriman's) walked by. She immediately recognized me and ran off calling Tonia, Tonia. Within a minute Tonia arrived and ran right in and gave me the biggest hug for about a minute. Ray got a hug too, but much smaller than mine. Tamila followed shortly after that. There were plenty of hugs to go around. I showed the girls the video clips that the kids at home had made. They were all smiles! I can't tell you how great it is to be with them again. We hope things continue to go well. Thanks again for all of your love and support from home.

Aaaaand they're off!

2008-11-03T19:15:00.000-08:00

Just taking a little break from packing. We're off to Ukraine in the morning. We are so excited. I'll try my best to keep this updated for everyone. If I don't, you will know it wasn't because I didn't try. I'm just a little technically challenged! Thanks especially to our children. We love you all so much. I know you will take care of each other while we are away. We had everyone over for a family dinner tonight. It was so nice to be all together before we leave. Take care everyone. We love you all. Love Mom

P.S. Don't forget to vote! We voted last week. Good luck with the lines tomorrow!

UKRAINE - HERE WE COME!!!!!

2008-10-11T13:11:00.000-07:00

November 6th is the date we've been given. Need I say more???

He's Here!!!

2008-09-18T21:31:00.000-07:00

Sorry for getting a little side-tracked again, but the much anticipated arrival of our grandson finally happened today. His poor mother was 11 days over due. What a trooper! Our new grandson was born today at 1:15p.m. He weighed in at a whopping 9lbs. 11oz. Everyone is doing great!

Melia Returns!!

2008-09-16T06:37:00.000-07:00

Our daughter Melia returned on Friday the 12th from her mission to Toronto, Canada. Needless to say, it's great to have her home.

This Just In - Tamila and Tonia at the orphanage.

2008-09-15T22:59:00.000-07:00

This picture just arrived today from Cindy Miller who is now in Ukraine working on her adoption. Many thanks to her and the other families who are visiting with our children until we get there. No date for us yet, but we expect one soon. Don't worry, we'll let you know!!!!

October 2007

2008-09-03T15:00:00.000-07:00

Some of our creations!

Ray and Tonia laying out the stash.

Louise and Tonia putting on the final touches.

One big happy family! Our family gets together every year for our annual pumpkin carving night. It was especially fun this time, as we watched Tonia and Tamila experience their very first Halloween.

Sisters - Polly, Tamila, Tonia, Brooke

Tamila at the zoo.

First arriving at the airport after a long flight. The girls with Cassandra.

Here's some pictures of the girls when they were here last fall. They loved Halloween. Who wouldn't? - you go around, knocking on doors and people give you candy!!! I hope to have updated pictures soon from one of the families that is over there now.

OH HAPPY DAY!!!

2008-09-03T10:30:00.000-07:00

Just received word that our dossier has now been accepted by the SDA. Now we wait to hear when our travel date will be. The sooner the better! Although at this point we can wait until Melia comes home on Sept. 12th and Claire has this baby. Today is her due date. We'll keep you posted.

WELCOME !!!

2008-08-31T22:44:00.000-07:00

The real purpose of this blog is to keep everyone updated on our adoption journey. Hope you don't mind if I get side-tracked every once in a while. As most of you know, our journey began last October. We are still waiting to hear if our petition has been accepted. After numerous "re-do's" of all the necessary forms, we are now expecting to hear tomorrow!!

Sweethearts

2008-08-31T17:39:00.000-07:00

Here we are! SO CUTE* 30 Years and still going strong.

Our family-the ones still living at home.

2008-08-21T22:31:00.000-07:00

With the love and support from all of our children, our adoption journey began in the fall of 2007. We've created this blog to help our family and friends follow along. Hope you enjoy!

Waiting at the airport.

2008-08-21T21:49:00.000-07:00

And so our journey begins!

October 2007 - Our family joined many others at the airport anxiously awaiting the arrival of the children we were to host from Ukraine.