Marina is decreed a Bachman by the courts!

Yesterday the 9th of November I spent the day in the car with our facilitator Marina as we had a very busy schedule! First we met at the orphanage and then went to the court to pick up our decrees that the court has said they agree we are now little Marina's parents. Then we went to the department of vital statistics and picked up the new birth certificate which also says this. When that was accomplished we took a ride over to the tax code office (similar to the social security office at home, complete with the long line) and let them do some paperwork that I signed my name to as well. The fact that I cannot read one iota of what I am signing is fine because our facilitator is so amazing that she checks and double checks everything and we trust her completely. She is so helpful and a lot of fun to hang out with for a whole day too! It was a great day overall and I am sure the driver of our car went home and took the eastern european version of tylenol after listening to us two yak and giggle all day! I had left the orphanage in the morning at ten thirty and had barely enough time to hug little Marina as we hopped in the car and left. I managed to return just as she came running down the hallway to greet us at almost 5 oclock but she was a little bent out of shape that I would not see saw in my dress and also that I had missed morning visit so she spent most of the time either putting me in time out over by the wall in a pile of leaves, or just fussing at me and making me stand in the street. Sigh, if she only knew that today her name was changed to Marina Hope Bachman! Tully and I were standing at the see saw as Marina and Evan were utilizing it and Marina was pointing to each of us, all four of us one at a time and saying something in Russian...but we knew she knew we are now a team of Bachmans by the way she said the words. When I was standing in one of my various time out spots another little girl from Marina's "groupa" ran to hug me and Marina came and grabbed me by my hand and claimed me from the other child, fussing out the other little girl for honing in on Marina's mama:) Both instances are huge leaps! Marina also signs MORE when it is snack time and she sees our green bag.
The weather here continues to astound everyone with the balmy winds and not cold enough for a coat (unless you are born here or a child- then you are bundled so only your eyeballs show and your arms are at a 45 degree angle out beside you from the extra layers) but I know we are enjoying it tremendously! I was battling a bit of congestion yesterday but slept extra long last night and feel much better today. Tully is climbing out from his bit of Marina's cold as well.
Tomorrow I meet with our facilitator again and we go to apply for little Marina's passport, which is a 4 day wait, and we can get it hopefully of tuesday next week, then we can go to Kiev and our embassy appointment on thursday and friday...maybe to leave saturday? Our flight is tentatively scheduled to leave the monday just after that on the 22nd and I know that the flight on saturday is nearly full already, so we will keep everyone posted and not get too ahead of ourselves in planning. We certainly know better by now! Anyhow we are so excited to have come this far and yesterday was monumental in the events of this journey...Marina is officially a Bachman!

ps-the photo is taken on a jungle gym climber outside and reflects the apartment buildings that circumvent the outer perimeters of the orphanage, which is surrounded by a high cement wall creating a courtyard of several playgrounds. This one is surely for older kids as it has much "higher" equipment to play on and requires Tully to get the kids across the monkey bars.

Circus story and Marina has long hair!

The weather here for the last couple of days has been gorgeous! More like going to the beach too early in the spring than autumn in UA--cool air blended with a warm breeze undertone. Unfortunately when the landlady came to clean yesterday she concurred we were just too nuts with the windows open so she turned off the heat completely. I might add here that the nights are not as climatically wonderful as the days and we were mighty chilly last night! Anyhow windows are closed again but we will have to make some adjustments to our southern attitude and see if we can grovel in sign language and get the heat back on. But back to more fun stuff...Marina has LONG hair! This is sort of a surprise since it is always in a really high pony tail and is never down. Her hat would not stay on outside the other day and so I had to take her ponytail holder out and re-fix her hair so the hat would accommodate. Most eastern european countries have a practice of cutting orphans hair short or shaving it all together for the summer months. Even the hairs on this child's head has been protected and it appears that it has been for several years! I have noticed that in this particular orphanage there are several children with gorgeous hair cuts or very long beautiful braids and I cannot imagine who takes the time to keep them all so outstanding in their grooming. I am hoping to get to braid Marina's pigtails as we rapidly approach Gotcha Day. Her outfit for leaving the orphanage is all picked out right down to the black leather mary jane shoes:) Can't wait for that photo!! And to see her step through that gate she is so intent on escaping will totally be the highlight of the journey!

We did not go to visit Marina last night and it was the first visit we have not attended. We had inquired of our driver Roman if we could take his family to the circus on Sunday afternoon if he would drive. He had other business at that time but instead got tickets for us and took US to the circus and then came back for us! I did get a couple photos before I got the finger wag about cameras in the circus...but if you EVER for some crazy reason get the chance to go to see a circus in this country, you really should. The show is more compact than three rings and less lights, but the heart of performing is at least as big as the tent can hold and these performers really gave their all! My opinion is that the clown was one of the funniest I have seen in all circus performances in ANY country! It was a 2 hour show and we had a blast. No language skills necessary:) Well...speaking of language skills, I did manage to tell Roman that the one thing I did not care for at the circus was the turkish toilets in the ladies room. With the language barrier and the fact that they do not call the holes in the ground turkish toilets (I am assuming), all he caught from the conversation was that I did not like something at the circus. This concerned him until he realized that surely I said "circus toilets" and not turkish toilets. Then we were all killing ourselves laughing in the car as he realized I had not encountered this lovely opportunity up until now. So if the wikipedia definition for turkish toilets ever includes "also known as circus toilets" you will know why. I am almost certain now that this was funnier in the car when we did not have all the necessary language skills--it is something akin to playing pictionary but more like russianary. It will either make you mental or you will be killing yourself laughing at some point. And as for the full mental picture of the bathroom just for a post with waaay too much information, consider a row of outhouses, no roofs, with little doors on them that won't lock, and you have to step up 6 inches to a ceramic platform with a hole in the center of it on the platform floor. Do not ask if there is toilet paper, just always keep kleenexes in your pocket. I know why the ladies' boots are so tall in this country now. It is so their feet will stay dry at the circus. ? Only a guess, only a guess. Oh by the way, that first photo is Evan in heaven over getting to go buy cotton candy! We sent him halfway across the event center to buy that stick of manna, and he LOVED it! (duh...)

We will anxiously head over to the orphanage this morning to see if Marina is upset with us for missing our visit last night. Evan came out of the circus and said, Hey! It's dark so we missed Marina! I was near thrilled that he was despondent over that, except that I felt twinges of it as well. We genuinely missed seeing our girl last night and look forward to only a few more days...we should pick up court papers declaring her a Bachman tomorrow. Perhaps birth certificate the same day!?? Maybe today we will hear something good! Pray for our housemate Mel and her adoption journey too, we just got word that her vital statistics person is out sick and she can't get a birth certificate for her son until that person is well and back at work. Maybe the weekend was good to their health and we have worried for nothing! We would love to continue on in sync with her as we head back to Kiev sometime this weekend or early next week and go to the embassy. We ask that prayers be lifted for our own journey to continue on in the grace that has covered us since we set foot here. Thank you.

Orphan Sunday and Saving each other...

It is Sunday morning here in UA and it is the middle of the night in the US. November 7th has been designated as Orphan Sunday by the church and the purpose is to spot light the plight of the 147 million orphans world wide who do not know the love of a family or the significance of a home. When you look at a number like 147 million it has the impact of say...talking about the deficit or some near infinite government number that creates a numbness just by the sheer vastness of it. It makes you want to question the reality of it all. And it is overwhelming. But when you look at one face and know that she is becoming "one less orphan" and the power of that knowledge is just as infinite as the waiting numbers. I had a lady tell me once "Oh, I could NEVER do that!" Really? Says who? I have others say "What about kids here in the US? and I ask, well, with that level of concern, what are you doing to help? Honestly, adopting feels as right as rain to me now. I can't imagine NOT doing it. And I wonder what stands in the way of others adopting. Is family too perfect or too chaotic or too big or too small at your house to let someone have a chance at a life? I think the blindness to this idea comes from just not considering it at all. That it's for other people to do but the truth is Jesus called all of us to care for widows and orphans. (James 1:27) To not know the need is almost to be exempt from the cause...almost. "Once our eyes are opened we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God who weighs our hearts and knows our souls, knows that we know and holds us responsible to act." There are so many ways to help if you simply cannot adopt. There is giving and volunteering and helping fund raise and awareness raise. And there is praying, the most significant act of obedience there is. I realize with our blog on adopting Marina it has seemed like this has been a walk in the park (if you do not count the paper chase which was a journey through a tornado vortex). We have loved nearly every minute of being here. I should tell you we are the exception to the rule. For another beautiful post on the plight of orphans already transferred to an institution I encourage you to visit my friend Julia Nalle's post on Micah 6:8. It is powerful. I do believe one person can make a difference but I think it is easier when it is a team of people with a heart for making a difference. It becomes a story of fishes and loaves multiplied. And in the grand scheme of things, are children not so very very important to the world while they have a short time before they grow up, or get lost along the way? They teach us beauty and love and innocence and wonder, in a way that we should never give them a chance to be lost at all!



http://www.covenantbuilders.blogspot.com/

I will be available when we get home to come tell our story of adoption to anyone who would like to hear it since I have had several requests to do so. And I want to officially say that I completely mis-named our blog. We are not saving Marina. Truth be told, God is saving each of us from a plight of sadness and sorrow with out each other. We love her just as much as she loves us. I know we belong together as a family. The rainbow was drawn from our house to her orphanage more than 6500 miles apart and shone directly over her head. We couldn't miss her! Where does your rainbow end?

Day 8 of the wait...

I have come to update several times but the mini computer has conflicted with the free wifi here at the mall so today I lugged the big 8 pounder over to the mall so maybe I can get lucky and upload a video. That is my personal challenge at this point, to get a video of how dadgum cute Marina is while she jabbers away in russian. I had originally abandoned the idea of the video but our housemate Mel managed to get one uploaded so I have a renewed competitive interest in doing so now:)

Our ten day wait expires on Sunday but since the ten day wait covers two weekends we may have to manage to wait until tuesday for it to be official. This will seriously throw off the time line of breaking the kid out of the orphanage on wednesday and will update for sure when we know. This is a government requirement to wait ten days to see if anyone steps up and claims the child. Interestingly enough, this information is not posted anywhere for anyone to actually know about to my knowledge. I am grateful for the ten day wait as we have been able to get to know her so much better and for her sake I think it has been good too. She is beginning to really grasp that we belong to her now. Marina did sign MORE yesterday and would sing the pledge of allegiance if she thought it would get her more sweet green grapes! She is heavily addicted to them and has learned they always come in the green ingles shopping bag when we arrive to play with her.

Oh wow. I just got a phone call from our facilitator and we will get to take Marina out of the orphanage on the 16th of November which is a tuesday...we may get her monday the day before but will likely leave this region on that tuesday and head back to Kiev for her medical check up and embassy appointments. I was hoping to have her at least one night before we go to Kiev in case I have any questions I can ask the orphanage before we leave but the recommendation has been to leave little Marina in the orphanage for as long as possible to minimize the possiblity of her getting sick from the change in foods outside the orphanage. At least two families have had this happen here recently and it is extremely difficult to find a doctor who will see a child with down syndrome. (Socialized medicine is not always social). So that puts us in Kiev around the 16th or 17th of November and then home a few days or so after that. I try not to make plans since they do not materialize in the order I dream them up. I revisited our journey to Belize and then before that with Caylyn and realize that the concept of being flexible is critical to survival.

Tully is getting a sinus infection and he and Evan are taking a nap for now. Last evening Evan was still asleep as Tully and I left for the orphanage so Mel agreed to watch him until he woke up. He was still asleep when we got back at 6:30!! Dinner was even already ready!! (Love having Mel at home:) Anyhow Marina was beyond crazed that we had the audacity to leave Evan somewhere she could not see him. We played outside and she called him and called him. I have no idea WHAT she called him but it was soooo sweet to hear the tone in her voice. Occasionally she would holler WOOK! at the gate when someone came through and she would think it was Evan. It was neat that she missed him:).
I am attempting to upload a video of Marina playing in the mirror of the lobby of the orphanage where we play if we are stuck inside. She had also just gotten some new clothes which is guaranteed to send her over the edge with glee, that kid just loves having her own things. She wears the little pink boots we bought her here in Dnip to the point that 1) I can't believe we did not buy black ones, and b) we will have to go back and get another pair! Maybe we will get the black ones:)

So Mel and I just did the math and it is going to be 19 days after court before we get to spring the kids...we are both kind of stunned but it is what it is, and we will have our band of merry US to get us through this. I know all in God's time but that does not make it less complicated to be gone from home for so long. I am very grateful for her friendship and the fact that we are able to have access to all the luxuries we do. And mostly for laughter. And the therapy of getting to be homesick and share it with someone who is really clear on the battle-journey right now. Please pray that we do ok with the wait. We seem to be protected but our hearts are getting weary. Thanks for keeping up with us.

Time falls back here too!

Today was a beautiful day outside and we took full advantage of getting to enjoy being outside. Marina loves sunglasses so we are currently at the mall enjoying a promised happy meal to Evan and watching skaters and children dressed in halloween costumes I do not recognize. My sister Tonja has a little girl Laurel who will be vying for the title of cat lover with both Evan and Marina. The pair spent the day chasing kittens around the playground, and having the very best kind of day. Marina has had a cold but is feeling better and for that we are grateful. Not too much to report but they do roll the clocks back here as well as in South Carolina, which I was suprised to find out. That is one thing that I would change about this world, though it is small, it drives me nuts that you can make the waking hours dark for longer in an already bleak season. How goofy is that??? I thought I would try to upload the video of Marina and Evan running to meet us from getting Marina from her groupa this morning. Evan was chosen to go get Marina and also therefore got to see her room and play room which he candidly reports on here....as always hoping this uploads sometime today!! We tried for the longest time to watch the sermon from first baptist last week and that was to no avail...since it was on adoption I was very interested in this of course. May try to post the link here even though I cannot see it myself as the few seconds that did stream down looked really good. Will take the rest of the day off from posting unless anything earth shattering occurs, otherwise, enjoy Sunday and hope your last day of October.

Ground hog day continues, and every day gets more fun!

This is Mel(adopting Timothy), I decided to guest post on Cathy's blog... ok, the computer is sitting on the table, and her and Tully are cooking dinner, so I just sat down and started typing. They have been so wonderful to let me come stay with them since my husband left to go home to be with our other kids. We are all in the same place in our process, so it's been a God-send having them here at the same time. God has been watching out for us for sure.


Back to me!My turn:) Yes, Mel is right on, God is looking out for us this season for sure. We just finished dinner and laughed and told all sorts of stories, have been talking non-stop since she got here, and have not even begun to run out of material. The next 9 days we wait through the court appointed wait time and then start the process for passports and birth certificates. Those take four more days, so that gives us another 2 1/2 weeks in country give or take a few days. We will get Marina most likely to come live with us next Wednesday the 10th and include a party at the orphanage if they will let us. This is both exciting and scary, since Marina's favorite past time now is to test her special needs parents and see what in the world we have in mind for her testing phases and sticking her tongue out and wagging her back side at us. She has some unique talents for sure! She also does not take no very well, unless it is being directed by an official member of the orphanage delivering it in smooth Russian lingo. I will definitely have to get some of those phrases before we leave! All I know is that someone needs prayed for, and I think it is probably us. Evan and Marina are a bit more bonded these days, they play together fairly well and I can see the teams being divided into an us against them fashion. This is scary. But fun at the same time. And then scary some more...

I am posting the photos from court looking out the window, and Marina's birth parents as well as just more candid shots of us at the orphanage. Oh!! I almost forgot to mention the mall tonight..Evan and Tully went to the mega game room and Mel and I went downstairs to watch some version of Ukraine's Got Talent! It was amazing. First uh, hard to describe but there were three grown men each harnessed with a life size puppet on poles on each side of them. When the men danced they moved the poles and it was like a can can line of dancers. Anyhow you won't be able to mentally grab that one but trust me when I say it was amazing. Next was three girls who were belly dancers with a candelabra on their heads, that was naturally lit (all 14 candles per girl). I won't even begin to tell you how long I think it will take to get the glitter off those gals, but it too, was very impressive. Joe Biden would have needed heart surgery and he has already commented on how beautiful the women are here! Well, enjoy the photos and will update more soon. No, I do not have pictures of the girls in candles...

Successful court day!

Wow, was today stressful! Both the Dellanos and us had court and we went first, taking a full hour and 15 minutes of drilling questions from both the prosecutor and the judge, then we were approved for adopting Marina. Evan was amazing. Of course Evan was also asleep though the entire proceeding...we are grateful for the coma of a nap that Jesus himself bestowed upon that child! What a day, but then we waited for John and Mel Dellanos to also be approved as Timothy's parents as well. We put on a shared mp3 and sat on the group W bench with various other cases still waiting to be heard...

Then the amazing happened. We were walking out of the courthouse and were able to meet Marina's birth parents. I would post the photos but we are at the mall rewarding Evan for behaving like a champ all day and Tully changed jackets walking out the door of the apartment, leaving the camera in jacket number one...so the photos will lag behind.
Anyhow I cannot say enough for VIktoria and her husband. Our greatest day is so bitter sweet for them as they know they let their only child relocate nearly 7 thousand miles away for her own good. It is so similar to letting Caylyn relocate to Heaven for the good of her life, and it hurt more than anything I could breathe into words. So my heart hurts for these beautiful people as they make the hardest decision of their lives. I promised the very best for Marina and I promised to keep her mother and father in the know for all they will miss first hand. I assured her that the mileage was really not as far as it sounded, and several other promises too intense to write but our facilitator was crying by the time she translated so I know she said the right words. My heart is rejoicing in an exhale of hope as I inhale the tears for her mother who went through the trouble to carry her after trying for 7 years only to birth a child in a country of pure unacceptance. And that is our day in this amazing eastern european country where the sun shone like crazy as the wind turned a bit bitter. A direct reflection of our day...
Thanking GOD for Miracles, for here we are, the parents of yet another beautiful ray of sunshine.