Coming Home

The trip home was very bittersweet...on one hand we were excited about sleeping in our own bed with soft sheets and fluffy pillows.  We were looking forward to brushing our teeth using tap water rather then bottled water. We were excited about all of the luxuries we take advantage of every day... but mostly, we were excited to see our little princesses. 

On the other hand - we couldn't believe we were coming home without Marina...without even being able to spend any time in the Ukraine with who we considered to be our oldest daughter (we saw her for a total of 45 minutes during the Orphanage visit.)  Pregnancy was difficult for me when I carried both Marbella and Milana because I had to give myself shots in the stomach every day for the entire 9 months.  And like many other women, my 1st trimester was horrible.  But as difficult as my pregnancies were, it was worth every second.  When we came home from the hospital we had a bundle of joy with us... a gift from God.  We liken this trip to a pregnancy - we knew it was going to be hard to be away from our girls and the comforts of our home for so long... but so worth it when we got to bring Marina home.  We dreamed about the moment we would all be at the airport to welcome Marina home as Marina Grace Green.  But it didn't happen... we didn't get the baby at the end of the road.  And will most likely not completely understand why this side of Heaven.

Coming home also meant sharing the disappointing news with the little ones... and praying that they didn't feel any rejection... that the evil one couldn't even throw a seed of rejection at them.  We arrived home Sunday afternoon while Grammy, Grandpa, and the girls were scheduled to arrive Monday morning.  We decided not to tell the girls over the phone but rather pick them up from the airport and tell them in person.  We believed this was the best way to protect them from feeling rejected.  So, we were waiting for them as they walked out to baggage claim.  They were not excited to see us but rather in shock... and interestingly enough they automatically knew that something must be wrong.  It is amazing how logical and intuitive little ones can be.  In fact, Marbella didn't see us at first, and then when she did she smiled, stopped and asked us what we were doing there and where was Marina.  We took the girls in our arms and walked to some empty seats to let them know that Marina had to make a very difficult decision - one that was so hard for her to make because she loved them (the girls) so much.  That she decided to stay in her country where she knew the language, the culture, and her friends.  We talked about how we have discussed in life to "choose our steps wisely" and this may or may not have been a wise step for Marina but it was her step to take.  That we would pray for our sweet Marina every day and ask God to protect her.  The tears came immediately.  Marbella said she was so sad - I told her I too was sad.  Then she said she was so mad - I told her that I too was mad.  We continued to talk things over and then moved on to talk about their trip to Disney World.  Marbella has brought up Marina and her decision several times since coming home, so we need to continue to pray for peace and understanding that is free from rejection. 

We have since learned that Marina can change her mind... she has until May to do that.  With that being said, we have decided to put the money we have left over that we raised into a specific account and let it sit there until May.  As we have asked God to give us direction for that money, we keep hearing Him say wait so that is what we will do.  If Marina doesn't change her mind, we will ask God where that money should go - possibly to another family who is raising money for their adoption... perhaps it should go to a transitional home in the Ukraine for the lucky ones who have one in their region that helps teach them skills on how to live on their own (skills they did not learn in the orphanage)... perhaps it will go to starting one in Marina's region.  We will listen to what God says and will follow that - and will definitely keep you posted.

Andy and I have started making a list of all the ways we have seen God's hand in what has happened over the past couple weeks.  Our next post will be to share that with you.  We have also gotten a bunch of emails where others have been inspired by what has been happening in our lives.  We would love to hear how God has spoken to you too.  We won't share it with everyone but would like to record it in our journal. 

Thank you all for your continued prayers!
Love you all more than you know!
Karin and Andy

Day 6.1 - What Happened?

I (Karin) am typing this blog post but Andy and I are sitting here at the airport in Kiev putting our thoughts and perspectives down on this post together. 
As we started our journey yesterday there were so many instances where we commented "this will make a good blog post"... from God being in the smallest details to having to use the potty in a hole in the ground.  However, neither of us imagined that we would have to put those things on hold in order to write this post.  

As we posted last night on Facebook, Marina has made the hard and life changing decision to NOT be adopted.  Now that you know the bottom line, we would like to share the story.  In the story, please recognize the many prayer needs along the way... for specific people as well as future events.  We also share these details in hopes that you will have a full understanding of what took place - and so that we don't have to recount and relive the details over and over when we get home.  I am sure that you all can understand that.

Thursday evening (usa time) we spoke with Marbella.  She asked if we had seen Marina yet and when we told her no, she asked if we could Skype with her as soon as we do because she is excited to see her.  It warmed our hearts once again that our little ones have welcomed Marina into their hearts without expecting anything in return.  As can be expected (and had been the situation all week) we didn't sleep very well. Too excited about the big day that was about to happen.  We packed up, got ready, and met our driver at 4:00 AM to start the 6 hour car ride.  The roads in Ukraine are terrible - It feels like you are driving down a dirt road yet they were paved - coupled by the fact that we were driving 160 km/hr (100 MPH).  As we got further and further out of Kiev the reality of the poverty and the huge separation between classes became real.  We learned that there are actually 2 classes of people - rich and poor - there is no middle class. And that became very obvious.

At 8:30 AM we arrived in Kirovohrad to pick up Nina, our local facilitator.  What an absolute gem!!!  We continued our drive to Oleksandriya (passing Pantaivka - Marina's orphanage - and feeling more and more excited that we were so close) to pick up an official from the CPS that would observe and certify Marina's declaration of wanting to be adopted.  That took some time as he was busy and he had absolutely no desire to make this happen.  However, Nina was persistent and he had no hope when God runs the show.  So, the 5 of us packed into the car and drove to the orphanage arriving at 1:00 PM. 

On our way, Nina described this orphanage as one of the worst around.  She also described the people of Ukraine being very sad.  That the harder they work, nothing changes.  As we walked into the orphanage we felt the weight of her comments.  We passed 3 little girls probably close to Marbella's age and felt an overwhelming weight of the hopelessness that awaits them.  At that moment, we could have taken all of them home with us but that of course was unrealistic.  We made it to the Orphanage Director's office and waited for them to get Marina out of class.  We were so anxious... so excited... and didn't really know what to do with ourselves.  Nobody in that small room other then Nina and us spoke English.  After a couple minutes Marina walked into the door.

She smiled at us... almost in disbelief that we were actually there.  To back up for just a moment - we messaged with her on Wednesday via Contact (Russian FB - yes, Andy set up a profile for himself on Russian Facebook so that he could communicate with her, his daughter).  Andy told her that we were in Kiev and that we had our appointment with the SDA and would be going to her Orphanage very soon.  She responded with "ok.  I am so happy now".  Yes, this was 2 days earlier - which makes this all so difficult to understand!!!  So, she walks in and Andy and I get up and go to her to hug her.  We could tell she was still in shock.  At the same time, emotions flooded us.  It was so wonderful to see her... to be with her...to touch her.  Any hesitations - questions - doubts - were gone.  As those of who are a daily part of our lives know, the summer with Marina had some amazingly wonderful moments and some incredibly challenging moments.  But all along the way God continued to make it crystal clear over and over again in His Word that we were to continue this journey, welcome Marina into our home, and help her to see Him and feel His healing.  And once again at that very moment, we knew we were exactly where He wanted us, doing exactly what He called us to do.  However, what we didn't know what how the next 30 minutes would unfold.  After we all hugged each other - one big family hug like we used to do right before bed while Andy prayed over us - I cupped her face in my hands and said "Marina, you are so beautiful... you are so bella."  She smiled shyly as we have seen her do so many times. 

The Director asked us all to sit down - Marina was next to Andy on one side of the table and Nina and I were on the other side of the small table.  She said something to Nina and Nina told us that Marina was in shock that we were actually there.  Immediately Andy pulled out his phone and played her a video message that we recorded the day we left Miami (Marina's actual birthday) - it was a video of Marbella, Milana, and her 2 cousins that she hasn't met yet, Drew and Evan, all singing her Happy Birthday.  As she watched the video her eyes welled up in tears and then she pushed the phone away... and started to turn away from Andy - body language we saw many times over the summer when she started to shut down.  We knew immediately that something was wrong.  Nina started talking to her in Ukraine and Marina kept saying "no".  By Nina's tone and the look on her face we knew exactly what was going on.  Nina told us that Marina was having doubts about being adopted.  She said that Marina was comfortable where she was with her friends, she called it her "comfort-zone." Nina continued to tell Marina that this is her last chance for adoption - her last chance for a life - her last chance to have the love of a family.  Marina said that she has her teachers there who care for her.  Nina told her that she graduates from the Orphanage in May and that her teachers will no longer have anything to do with her.  Marina said she has her friends and that she is comfortable...that she doesn't want the rules in a family or have to attend a Christian school.  The CPS official and the Orphanage Director both tried to explain to her what waits for her if she says no.  They are not legally allowed to push or persuade a child to say yes but rather they were laying out the dismal life should could expect if she said no to this adoption.  We sat in the room for about 30 minutes observing this dialog.

At one point I reached across the table and grabbed her hand and squeezed it 3x. She learned over the summer that this is how we (our family) communicate "I love you" to each other without speaking any words.  As I did that I asked her if she remembered what that meant - she smiled, said yes, and then took her hand back and continued to fidget with her fingernails - another thing we saw her do when she was uncomfortable.  The Director asked her to make her own decision and not let her friends decide for her.  She was being influenced by her friends in the Orphanage.  Nina then told Marina that she speaks English and she needs to be the one to tell us... but she just couldn't say it.  They needed her to take responsibility for this decision so that it was on record.  There is power in the spoken word. When she was with us this summer, we asked her if she wanted to be adopted by us.  She would nod and I would ask her to say it... say you want to be our daughter... say you want to be a part of our family... feel those words and what they mean - take ownership.  And she did... but those words couldn't come out this time. 

We know this decision was hard for her - we could see it through the tears when she watched the video with Milana and Marbella - but she couldn't do it.  She couldn't let her friends down - she couldn't see beyond the difficulties of having rules and learning how to love and be loved.  She could only see the here and now.  She could only see the path she wanted to go down, today. A path that doesn't consider her future but stays constant with the friends she has right now. What she doesn't understand is that path doesn't exist. 

Our heart began to ache - not for simply our loss or even for having to tell the girls, but for what the decision would mean for her life.  I then asked her if she was having a hard time saying the words to us because she wasn't sure or was it because she didn't want to hurt our feelings?  In our minds we were thinking that we could spend the weekend together and then she could make her decision. Based on how hard it was for her to say it to us, she knew that if she spent time with us then she might change her mind.  That wasn't an option for her. 

Nina was getting very upset with her being so short minded and not looking at the future that she asked if we could adopt her instead.  This was an attempt to lighten the mood but I honestly believe if she had been younger and we could legally adopt her that she would have come home with us.  See, Nina lives in the real life and understands how hard it is to not be a part of the rich class.  Couple that with being 16, an orphan with no money, the outcome is very sad. Marina then asked if she would still be able to Skype with us - we haven't Skyped since she left due to no access so I am not sure where she thinks the access will come from - but we responded with "of course honey, we will always be here for you - we love you and we want you."  She looked away and Nina told her once again that she had to tell us.  So, she did... and we were in total shock.  We all got up from the table - once again we had a group hug and we told her that we would pray for her every day and always love her.  And then we walked out... stunned... numb... in shock... confused... while recognizing that God is here with us and knew that things were going to go this way. 

Nina, Andy and I walked out of the Orphanage and sat on a bench while waiting for the CPS official to complete the paperwork regarding Marina's desire to not be adopted.  We got back into the car, drove to Oleksandriya to drop off the gentleman and sit down at a cafe.  We hadn't eaten in many many hours by this time and needed something in our bellies so we wouldn't pass out.  We ate and we talked - stunned by the turn of events.  We kept replaying in our head the last hour and couldn't believe what we were hearing.  Before we left for the Ukraine, Marina asked us to bring one of the teddy bears my mom had gotten her while she was here, along with some face cleaner... and we also bought her a watch for her birthday.  So, we decided to see if anything changed in the last 30 minutes.  We went back to the Orphanage but there was no sign of Marina so Nina left what we brought for her with the Director with a promise that Marina would get the items. 

We keep wondering - does she regret the decision - what if we come back, will she see that she needs to come with us?  No, not yet anyway.  So, we had to make the long drive back - dropping off sweet Nina who was in as much shock as we were.  We hugged Nina - a true gem - full of compassion, empathy, and a heart for her work.  Nina's life is hard... yet she in the power of prayer and works hard to help save children in her region.  She will be blessed for her work.  It was the longest drive of our lives.  It was unexpected and full of confusion.  We plugged in our headphones and listened to praise/worship music (thank you Lauren Chandler and Michael Bleaker) for peace from our Savior.  We thanked our sweet Father for putting us where we were knowing that He will one day reveal to us the purpose of all this.  We finally got home at 10:00 PM - after a very scary drive back because of our drivers driving - and after he got stopped by the police right in front of our apartment with us in the car and then asking us for money to pay the officer off.  At this point, we were done - we just wanted to get into our apartment.  Andy and I found a place to eat at midnight - a time for us to sit across the table from one another and reflect.  What just happened?  Did Marina really just make that decision?  Why did God take us through this journey to come home without her?  Why did we have to travel the 6000 miles?  What is Marina thinking?  Doesn't Marina understand?  What could we have done differently over the summer?  What could we have done differently in the meeting?  Even though we have so many unanswered questions, we know that our sweet Savior is in this... we know that He is in total control... we know that we are in complete submission to His will... we know that we have come to an intimate place with Him and we never want to go back to what we used to be. 

We met with our chief facilitator - Kosta - this morning before we flew out of Kiev (we are now on our flight to London with an overnight stay there and then back to Dallas Sunday early evening - before the girls even get home from Florida).  He was so disappointed - for us - but truly for Marina.  He told us that when this has happened in the past and the child gets out in the real world that they always come back to him on their knees begging for the adoption.  He can do nothing for them at that point. It is heart breaking.  One thing that we can be sure of - for the first time in 10 years Marina got to experience what it felt like to be wanted by a family.  She wasn't the one who was watching someone else get adopted - she actually got to feel what is was like to be wanted.  Even though she made a choice that we may ever understand - she got to feel wanted.

Once again - we share all of these details with you for several reasons.  One, so that we don't have to relive it over and over to everyone individually when we get home (and again, I am sure you can understand why) but even more importantly for the prayers that are so needed right now for so many people over there.  First and foremost - Marina.  That God has a plan for her.  That she will NOT become a statistic but rather the exception to the rule.  That her heart will soften for Him and that she will see Him in her dreams.  That she is protected.  That she finds healing from all her wounds in Him.  And so much more for her.  Pray for Nina - for her faith to grow -for her life to have fulfillment - for her to find happiness in a very unhappy place - for her to feel like her hard work means something.  Pray for Kosta - his work in helping children find forever homes - for his wife who is experiencing some medical issues.  For the government officials - for their hearts to know and love Jesus - for them to make the adoption process easier - for them to see how their processes are affecting their people.  For the country of Ukraine- on so many levels!  And these are just a few... just pray pray pray... but don't forget to quiet yourself and enter in the presence of God before you do.  We have learned many many many things over the past several months and specifically in the past week - and one of the biggies is that when we enter into His presence before we pray that amazing miraculous things happen. 

We love you all so much and thank you for taking this journey with us.  It isn't over yet... we are all on assignment by Him until we meet Him face to face.  Our only purpose for being alive is to glorify Him - obey Him - worship Him - it is a journey that doesn't have an end...

Love love love you all -
Karin and Andy

Romans 8:28-29
English Standard Version (ESV)
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Day 4.2 Eve of Long Day

Well folks, it is nearly 10pm here and Karin and I are off to bed.  We are waking up at 330am to catch our ride to Oleksandriia.  Please pray specifically for safe travels and an efficient process with the local CPS officials.  We will be spending the remainder of our journey in that region of Ukraine.  We won't have the luxury of the in room wifi as we've had so don't be disheartened by less frequent posts to the blog or Facebook as we get situated in our new 'home'.

As I sleep tonight I'll go to bed with the comfort of my protector, Christ Jesus

Andy

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice Always, Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus.

Day 4.1 God is AMAZING

First I (Karin) will update you on what is going on with the adoption then I will update you on what is going on with us... spiritually and what our everyday living has become!

The adoption -
PRAISE the LORD!!!  Our paperwork was redone and resubmitted late last night and in the SDA "inbox" when they arrived to work this morning. The next hurdle was for them to actually slip it in with yesterday's paperwork to be completed today with a 4:00 pm pick up.  After much prayer and total submission to God, it was done and we just got "home" from picking up the completed documents.  What does this mean?  We are right on track... we will leave at 4:30 tomorrow morning (which is when I usually get to sleep) to drive the 4.5 hour trip to pick up our local facilitator in Kirovograd and then on to our new "home" in Oleksandriia.  We will then have an appointment with CPS at 9:00 tomorrow morning then head to the orphanage to officially meet Marina and start the 3 day bonding period.  The government doesn't recognize the time she spent with us over the summer so this is just another formality that has to take place.  The reason why getting this done so quickly so that we can meet her tomorrow is so important is because the weekend will be included in those mandatory 3 days. Next week we will be able to make the official notorized declaration that we want to adopt Marina.  After that - for us, it is all behind the scenes paperwork and waiting.  The local CPS compiles and completes many papers ultimately ending with the signature of a high ranking highly unavailable official.  That needs to happen before the SDA can process the rest of the paperwork prior to obtaining a court date.  We need prayers that all of these steps can be done efficiently and that this hard to reach guy signs off on our paperwork quickly.  He will be even more difficult to track down with the upcoming elections - but he isn't too difficult for God to find!!!  So, tomorrow is a very big day for us... we ask for your prayers for a safe travel and that we will be able to  accomplish the items we need to accomplish before the start of the weekend. 

What is happening spiritually with us - specifically me since Andy will probably share more  about his journey with the Lord
Oh my!  What am I learning about our sweet Savior?  So very much... which is so precious to me! 
1.  He is SOOO big...
2.  He is in ALL of the details... not just the big ones but even the smallest.  And this I am eternally grateful for!   Not only has he provided our little ones with an amazing distraction, he is making signatures happen and paperwork completed when it would not have without Him leading.
3.  He wants our hearts... He wants to commune and be in fellowship with us.  How many times do you pray?  If you are a prayer warrior, how many time do you enter into the presence of God before you pray?  My experience has been that I will pray for you... and for my kids... for their futures... for your sick aunt, etc - but it is not often that I am truly still and in His presence when I do that.  A dear friend and counselor sent something to me that I will share with you - "It is easy to just say prayers without engaging your faith and will, but I'm calling you to pray in spirit and in truth where your prayers create reality. Come and commune with Me from the depth of your soul,not religiously but genuinely with a heart of faith and surrendered will."  WOW!  Last night I did this - prayed after asking for the Holy Spirit to bring me in His presence - minutes later we got the call regarding the fact that they were able to redo the paperwork and fax it to the SDA.  Today, Kosta was supposed to call us at noon to let us know if they were able to slip the documents in for processing today.  At 2:00 I once again prayed after asking to be filled with Holy Spirit's presence and completely submitted to God - within 30 minutes we received the phone call letting us know that they were able to get everything done and we were on track once again!  I am not saying that it will go our way every time we pray for something but what I am saying is that when we walk in submission and in His will, He does want to give us the desires of our hearts.  He is letting us know that He is in control and that spending time walking into the secret place of the Spirit is essential to who we are in Him.  And we wants this constantly... about EVERY decision we make - not just the big ones. 
4.  He will lead us - all we have to do is ask - DAILY!  He gave manna to the Israelites daily.  He didn't give a weeks worth of rations but only a days worth.  He wants to give us our daily bread too.  And if I am totally honest, one of the things that I am learning here is that He doesn't really want to just give it to us daily - He wants to give it to us every second.  We should be asking Him to lead us not only first thing in the morning but all throughout the day.  Once we get a taste of this, we won't want anything less.  Let's all get a taste of this!!!
5.  And much more that I will share along the way... :)

What does our everyday living look like?
It is becoming comical!
I can't fix my hair other then blow dry it. My hair is so fried that Andy asked if I could buy some sort of conditioner to help it not be so brittle where it literally burned off. I thought Afro Sheen might work but haven't tracked any down yet.  If I had only gone through one piece of hair when I recognized it was burning my hair off I would have been in great shape.  But NO - I had to start at the back then one small piece on my right side when I knew something was wrong but couldn't put my finger on it - then tried about 4 big wads of hair on my left side before it hit me... like a ton of bricks... my hair is getting shorter!  Are you serious - this really had to happen on the first day of this long journey?  Oh well - I have always wanted to try a pixie cut and now is my chance.  Just wish I didn't have to wait so long before I actually got it cut.  There are a few salons around here... nah, better not!
We also do not have a functioning washer in our apartment here in Kiev.  So, Andy and I decided we would continue to wear the same clothes over and over again just in case we don't have much luck in our new "home" on Friday.  We wore the same pants that we traveled in on our 2nd day here and then on our 3rd... now we are in a game - how long can we wear one pair of pants before they start standing on their own.  We left on Sunday and we are still wearing the same pair of pants and only 2 different shirts.  For those of you who know me well - you know that I love showers and to wash my hair EVERY DAY.  You know that personal hygiene is important to me.  You know that I won't wear the same clothes over and over in the chance I might smell.  So you know that this is a big deal for me! 
Sleep... ahh sleep... it is ever so elusive!  I have been struggling with sleep - part of it is the time change and part of it is that our bed is horrible.  We don't have a fitted sheet for the 100 year old mattress.  It is just a sheet laying over the top of the mattress that only covers the top of the mattress... not even long enough to tuck under the mattress.  I will not ever complain about not being able to sleep on my comfy cozy bed again!  We don't have any wash clothes and 1 small towel for the entire time here.  I won't ever complain about a wash cloth having a hole in it again - at least I have many!  When I get home I will appreciate my 8 fluffy towels with a whole new heart!  Even without all of the luxuries we have at home, there are many things to be thankful for here... fast internet - hot shower - a small refrigerator - and many many more.  It just makes me realize that at home I have more blessings then I deserve.  You won't hear me complain about my floors at home anytime soon - or my couch - or anything else.  I just pray that the Lord keeps me humble and allows me to recognize all of the blessings I have every day. 

Thank you all - for everything!!!  Keep your prayers coming...
With all our love,
Karin and Andy

Day 3.3 - Paperwork Comes Through

At 6:30 tonight we received a call from Kosta.  He confirmed for us that the paperwork had been signed and completed and faxed to the SDA here in Kiev.  He was unable to confirm of the result of the docs here in Kiev, because staff had already left for the day.  So, what does all this mean? Well, had everything been finalized today, then we would have been on the ground Friday in Marina's district getting a lot of things accomplished.

Now, since it is assumed paperwork was not received today,  we operating with the following schedule in mind
1) 9am n Wednesday SDA Appointment where we received the bad news
2) No paperwork received on Wednesday, which means no invitation letter received on Thursday
3) Pray for expedited papers to be received early on Friday
4) Hire driver to get to Marina's district to hopefully get some appointments complete before the weekend

You might wonder how we're doing with all of this?  I can sum it up like this. He is Good, so Good. He is faithful.  He grants us strength. 

I am encouraged by your continued prayers and financial support.  Hearing your comments provide little nuggets of happiness throughout our day.

Until the next post.

Andy & Karin

Day 3.2 First Bump in the Road

Well, we're back from our brief appointment with the State Department of Adoptions and the result was not as we expected.  Our appointment began at 9am in a small office with the Ukrainian Adoption official, our facilitator (Kosta), Karin and myself. Kosta acted as translator, as the official does not speak English. The process started with us being asked questions about who we want to adopt and how we came to know Marina.  We produced some pictures of our family and Marina from her visit so that the official could see our full family.  The official said Marbella and Milana look like angels - I couldn't agree more.

After answering the brief questions and reviewing the photos the official began to go through Marina's orphan file.  The information they provided was very brief and contained little, if any information, that we hadn't already known about Marina.  The two pages of files they produced each had a photo of Marina from the time when the files were created.  One when she was about 6 years old and the other when she was 11.  It warmed us to see photos of a younger Marina and it further endeared her in our hearts.

As the official begin to review the document, it began clear to Karin and I that something was amiss.  The back and forth dialog between her and Kosta and dialing of phones did not seem right, no matter what language was being spoken.  Basically, the officials were asking about the status of Marina's parents - that seemed like an extremely odd question to me when you (the government) has been custodian of the child for nearly 10 years.  Apparently, there was an important document that was not in her file - a document that should have been completed by CPS and filed with the original papers. This is where the problem solver in us goes, "ok, easy, let's get a copy and get this process going." Well, easier said than done. The orphanage (and her entire Village) does not have phone lines, so they cannot fax the document.  They do have Internet, but the SDA offices do not have external Internet.  The other offices in Kiev that can receive the information do not have vehicles so workers must transfer documents via public transit.  So, basically in this moment, I recognize that I have no control.  The best part of that is the peace that I was overcome with as I recognized that He wants me to trust (Prov 3:5-6) in Him and not to worry or be anxious (Phil 4:6).

As the officials tracked down the document at the local CPS office in Marina's district they discovered that the document had been incorrectly completed and that a new document must be created, signed, and a copy sent to the SDA offices in Kiev. Oh and for us to stay on track - all of this must be completed today.  At 2pm we received a call from Kosta letting us know that they have completed the new form at CPS and are just waiting for the local director of Vital Records to sign the document - and yes, nobody knows where he is. As I write you this it is now 3:30pm in the Ukraine and we have about 90 minutes to get all of this wrapped up. 

So, what can you do?  Pray.  Pray Hard.  Pray Specifically.
*  Prayers that the director will return to the office (for any reason) and that he will sign the document.
*  The documents get transferred to the SDA today
*  Clear guidance and honest intentions of the Ukrainian officials and our facilitator
*  We (Karin and I) stay focused and rest comfortably in whatever timing that God reveals during this process.

Love you more than you'll know,
Andy & Karin

Day 3.1 SDA Appointment

Our SDA Appointment is this morning.  Actually it is in one hour! 

As we head in to the day I continue to sing the praises of our Lord.  In particular Psalm 34 has shown me His goodness and protection.

I will update you with all the details and outcome of the appointment.

Day 2.1 Settling In

Good morning USA! Well we've been in our apartment for 24 hours now and we're ready to get our first task done in Kiev tomorrow. I can't tell you how excited I was to hop in bed last night and get a chance to sleep without a) thinking of all the things that need to get done/packed before we get to Ukraine b) waking up to go work out (sorry Chuck) c) waking up to catch a flight d) the list could go on and on. The sleep was welcome, even if it did come at the expense of sleeping on a mattress where you can visually count the springs. I could go on about the differences in the 'comforts' we are blessed to call home as Americans, but as I start the process I begin to realize much we have that isn't necessary and take for granted.  For example, who thinks about towels and washcloths, I surely don't (we have 1 of the first and none of the second)! Yet this morning I recall that just last month we sent Marina home with a towel because she only has one.  Just a little perspective, eh?   Perhaps some fodder for a future post.

This morning we had breakfast at the apartment.  I had a chance to go to the market last night and get some milk, cereal and bananas.  We are holding off on doing any larger scale grocery shopping until we relocate to Oleksandriia on Friday.  This afternoon we visited a coffee shop next to our apartment.  It was a great time to get out of the room and do some quiet time and talk with my best friend.  Karin had a hot cocoa and I had a large cappuccino, which only cost us about $5USD total.  Overall from the places we've visited we're seeing that the exchange rate is advantageous for an American couple on an adoption travel budget.

Oh, and the wifi - what a blessing.  I know that I've said how thankful we are that we have it. Skyping with the girls is priceless, but on top of that, the Internet is faster than many of the places that I use in the US!

Well, that is all for now. More to update later.  Have a great day back home!

Day 1.2 Welcome to Kiev

Ahh, welcome to Kiev.  After a long day of flying we've arrived in Kiev. The flights were all on time and uneventful. As soon as we stepped out of customs our driver was waiting and whisked us away in a fashion that only Mario Andretti (or any other Ukrainian driver) would appreciate. We are settled in to our small apartment which is located only a block off the city center. The best part of the apartment is the WIFI!!!! We weren't expecting any wifi at our apartment so this
was very welcome. We were able to have a brief conversation via Skype with the girls and it did wonders to be able to hear their voices. 

We'll surely post more tomorrow, but let me give you an idea of how we're praying this week pans out - so that you can pray for the same.
1) Wednesday 9am, appointment with State Department of Adoptions
2) Thursday afternoon, pick up invitation to visit Marina and her orphanage director
3) Friday, early morning - travel by train to Oleksandriia and then taxi to Marina's orphanage for appointment

Those are the big three things that we need to happen this week. 

I am pretty exhausted so I think this is a great place to end the post.

Andy

Day 1.1 - Flights and other Notes

Welcome to Dusseldorf!  This is Andy. I thought I'd try and jot a quick note while we have a few hour layover in rainy and chilly Dusseldorf.  Yesterday, we said goodbye to the girls and my family as we left Orlando for the drive down to Miami to catch our flight. Probably one of the most difficult things that I've ever seen my sweet wife have to go through.  Not easy to say goodbye; however, it is great to see the resiliency of kids - their handling of the situation probably made it a bit easier on us to leave. We know they are in kind and loving hands.  They will create memories this week in Disney World with their cousins and grandparents while Karin and I make some memories of our own half way around the world. 

What's up with the blog title? Well, I figured that we'll (hopefully) be posting many updates on our journey.  With some of those coming multiple times per day, I figured I would number the posts first by the numbered day of our Journey then followed by a period and the post number from that day (X.X). I hope that simplifies things and helps you keep track of where we are in our path to bringing Marina home.

Lastly, yesterday I kept hearing Psalm 46:10 over and over in my head "Be still and know that I am God".  How true that is, when we can actually be still!  What does getting anxious and hassled do to my relationship with the Father? Nothing, but take precious time away from the opportunity to receive his peace.  So, breathe deeply and relax and take a minute to Be Still. When I am still and in His presence on this journey, my faith is strong and I have a warrior spirit - both which are needed to walk in His will.

Keep praying.

Andy

A Great Night Together

After a flurry of activity this past week to get geared up and ready to go, the trip is finally here.  Whew! The journey is just beginning and I can say, I'm ready to take the next step, but today it is about the right here and right now - our family.  This afternoon we flew in to Orlando to meet up with my parents and my sister and her family.  It is great to be with family.  As I sit writing this note, we're all still up in the condo and just chatting and enjoying the company of family.  It reminds me that the entire process of events is about family - showing the love of Christ and living His will as a family of believers.  Our time here will be brief, but the moments are sweet.  A great memory that we will take with us tomorrow as we depart on our trip to the Ukraine.

Tomorrow (Sunday) around noon, my Dad will drive Karin and I down to the airport in Miami.  Pray for protection and safety tomorrow as we journey east.  Our flight departs Miami at 6:05pm Eastern.  We arrive 9 hours later in Dusseldorf, Germany where we will have a 2 hour layover before we depart to Kiev, finally arriving at 3pm local time in Kiev.  As an FYI, the current time difference is +8 hours from Dallas.

More updates to come.

Andy

One Step Closer - Travel Booked

Long overdue for me (Andy) to make an appearance on the blog.  I thought I'd catch you up on some of the travel logistics and details that we are working through as we prepare to head to the Ukraine in just 8 days! 

First, as I said in the title, our travel is arranged! Soon after we discovered the immediacy of our trip to Ukraine I quickly tried to gain control of a situation that is being run by God.   Can you imagine seeing the water boy grabbing the clipboard and headphones and attempting to run the offense of the Unconquered Florida State Seminole football team? How does that work out? You get the point.  It didn't take long for me to realize I was over my head and then I was reminded about what Paul says in Ephesians 6:16, In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. (Full context) So, can you guess what happened next?  Yes, that's right, when I decided to let go an not to control things, the Lord quickly showed his control over circumstances and quickly aligned the ideal solution.  

So, Saturday Karin, Marbella, Milana and I will be heading east to Orlando to meet up with my parents and my sister's and her family as they start a week long vacation at Walt Disney World. How's that for perfect timing and a perfect distraction for our girls as Mommy and Daddy depart for a trip of unknown length (although we're praying for extreme brevity - and you can too!).

On Sunday my dad will drive Karin and I to Miami where we will depart to the Ukraine on Lufthansa.  Our routing is very efficient as we will be in the Ukraine 14 hours after we depart Miami.  We are traveling direct from Miami to Dusseldorf, Germany where we will have a brief 2 hour layover and then fly direct to Kiev and arrive at 3:05PM on Monday, October 15. 

I'll follow up with another post with details and timelines of what happens after we arrive to Kiev.

I could use your specific prayers in the area of time management and clarity as we work to arrange many things during the next week.  I will be out of town in California on Monday - Wednesday next week for business, so my time in Dallas is extremely limited prior to our departure.


Blessings to you all.  Thanks for following and your interest in this journey.  

Andy

We are Ukraine Bound!

So many of you have asked for blog updates... so first I want to apologize for not shedding light on our progress before now.  Once Marina arrived here over the summer all of our "free time" (time after the younger ones are in bed) was either spent with her, in the Bible, or getting council on how to best communicate and bond with Marina.  Once she left in August, school started, we celebrated my birthday, Marbella's birthday, our anniversary, along with trying to catch up from being "out of pocket" for 2 months... and the more time that went by, the harder I knew it would be to effectively catch you up.  So, here is the plan - let you know what is going on right now, give you our specific prayer requests that we need right now, and then catch you up on the past few months.

First - what is going on right now:
We got the email today that our appointment in Kiev is scheduled for October 17th and we are expected to be in country on the 15th.  Yes, you read that right - we are expected to leave Texas and our little ones in 10 days!!!  I guess they are not big on advance notice... But we know that God is in the details so His timing is perfect timing.
Today has been spent on the phone trying to figure out how to make the flights work.  Grammy and Grandpa have given us a huge blessing of taking on the role of caring for Marbella and Milana while we are gone.  They have had a trip planned with Andy's sister and her family to Disney World during the week of the 14th... the day we need to leave.  This is actually a blessing in disguise - so instead of them coming straight here to take care of the girls we are trying to figure out how to get the girls to Orlando to spend it with their grandparents, cousins, and Aunt and Uncle at none other then Disney World.  Talk about an amazing distraction from being without Mommy and Daddy!!!  God is so good!  We are having challenges with flights and how to make that work... taking the girls to Orlando then flying straight to Kiev... having the grandparents fly here to pick the girls up and get to Orlando... we are looking at all options but are having trouble with the dates and award tickets and expense!  In my frustration I went upstairs to do my daily quiet time.  I am in Mark 15:1 right now... one verse... how could that one verse speak to me in my current situation?  At this point, I was going to continue in my quiet time for sheer obedience because I couldn't imagine hearing too much in that 1 verse.  Boy, I was wrong.  You may read that verse and wonder what in the world God could have said too - but He doesn't need much to speak loudly and clearly.  Bottom line - God was telling me He is in the details... in the formalities of the process.  He is in it all and I need to trust.  So that is what we are doing!  That may mean that one of you know someone high up at any airline that could help us... God works in crazy ways like that.  If that is you, please don't hesitate to call!!!  :)
I will also confess that today was spent with me in tears.  Not because of Marina - I am ready to bring Marina home.  I am ready for everything that comes with bringing Marina home.  Let's get this going - let's begin showing her what it is like to have a family love her.  The tears and heavy heart are only because I have to leave our girls for a long period of time.  I am not afraid for God does NOT work in fear.  I am not worried for I know God will take care better care of our girls then we do.  It is just that God gave us those girls as a gift... one in which I adore and love being with.  I love looking at them... smelling them... laughing with them... snuggling with them... talking with them... watching them dance... and on and on.  It is strange to me that we have to leave our 2 gifts from Him to go get our 3rd gift.  But it is part of the plan and He is in control.  My prayer request to you right now - pray for God to be in every single detail... that the enemy will not be allowed to interfere with any part of the process.  Pray for a speedy adoption process and getting home quickly.  I have faith that God can get us home for the 1st part of the process in 3 weeks... not 4; not 5... but 3.  At that time, we will come home without our 3rd daughter for a week and then one of us will have to return for another 1 to 2 weeks.  When we told the girls tonight that we would be leaving soon, they were excited that we would be starting the process of bringing their big sister home.  Marbella says to me "don't worry Mommy, we will be fine.  We will do lots of fun things while you are gone."  Thank you Lord that she doesn't really understand the time frame.  And I wanted to tell her that I know she will be fine - it is me that will be crying every night!  :)  Pray for peace my dear friends!!!

I also want to update you on where we are in terms of raising funds!  God has been so amazing!!!  Through the generous giving of so many people... those that personally know us and those who don't know us at all... we have raised $19,000 to date!  We are only $3,000 away from what we need!!!  Praise God!  We are sending out one last call for help if you feel so led.  There are a few ways you can help -
1.  Marina will be 16 on October 14th (the day we will begin travelling to the Ukraine)!  If everyone we know sends us $16.00 to "celebrate" her birthday then we would make a HUGE dent.  God gave her life 16 years ago... and soon she will get to experience the life God has ordained for her from the beginning of time. What an awesome way to celebrate!
2.  We have set up a link to purchase some pretty awesome t-shirts.  We will get $6.00 to $8.00 per shirt purchased depending on the style you choose.  I will be ordering my Adoption Rocks shirt tonight.  For those of  you who know me... this shirt is right up my alley.  Yes, I will probably wear it as much as I wear my Girlmom shirt!!!  :)  Just click on the link and see if you are interested... http://www.adoptionbug.com/marina
3.  You can simply send a donation if you feel so led.  You can mail it to 1817 Trail Ridge Lane, Flower Mound, TX 75028.
Thank you so much for supporting our adoption and helping us show Marina what it means to have a family!

Now, lets rewind to the summer.  Once we figured out that Marina could speak broken English - once she trusted us enough to share that with us - we were able to start communicating.  That was a huge blessing!!!  And as the days passed, her English would continue to improve until we were able to have full on conversations... slow going with explaining various words... but conversations!  This is when life started happening.  Lots of amazing things happened - I got to watch Marbella reach out to Marina with a Jesus like love.  Marina didn't initially give much back to the girls - she isn't around little ones at the orphanage so it isn't natural for her.  But that didn't stop Marbella from trying.  She didn't get discouraged, she didn't get impatient, she didn't take it personal... she just kept on trying.  God had Marbella teach ME what loving unconditionally looked like.  We also got to watch Marina begin to enjoy new foods.  Thankfully she loves American pizza... whew!  She also loves sushi... she has expensive tastes!  :)  She loves salt... yes, something for us to work on!  And there were challenging things too - her expectations of America were very different then reality - we in America have to work for things and there are many rules and chores when you are in a family.  Marina has also expressed her disinterest in attending a Christian school but has recognized through many hours of conversation that God gave her to us to parent her in a way that is pleasing to Him - and that is one of the things He is asking from us.  By the end of the 7 weeks Marina told me that even though she doesn't want to be a Christian, she wants to marry one.  Wow!  Andy and his love of the Lord, his love of his children, and the love of his wife made a huge impact on her.  The Lord is already working!!!
This is a journey for all of us.  We have discovered that we need Marina as much as she needs us.  Having her here over the summer brought us so much closer to our Lord and Savior.  For that and many more reasons, we are so blessed.  And isn't that really our purpose... to love the Lord with all of our heart... to draw closer to Him daily so that we can actually feel Him leading our lives.  He created us to worship Him... not anything other then Him.  Why is this so hard for us?  Because of our time with Marina, we have been able to hear His sweet voice so much... which makes us that much more excited about getting Marina home.  We can't wait to see Him work in her life.  We can't wait for the day when we can update this blog to share with you that Marina has fallen in love with Jesus Christ.  We pray for that to happen and hope that you can pray it with us.

Prayer requests -
1. FAST adoption process
2. Hedge of protection around us as we travel - around the girls as they live without us
3. For strength and endurance for Grammy and Grandpa as they care for 2 little ones
4. For peace for Andy and I as we deal with the pain of leaving our little ones
5. For Marina - protection and ready to move forward
6. For the Ukraine government and officials - smooth sailing
7. For our family to bond and come together as a new family of 5
8. And for whatever else you can think of!  :)

We so dearly appreciate you all.
With love,
The Greens

I'm so happy I could scream!

"I'm so happy, I could scream!" These are the words Marina spoke to Julianna the first time she told her that our family wanted to adopt her. That was over a month ago... and we hadn't even met! 
Fast forward to today and I feel the exact same way... I am so happy I could scream!


What an amazing 4 days we have had!!!  
Saturday we spent the day at the pool... taking our mind off the fact that we had to wait until 6:10 pm before Marina's flight arrived.  As it so happened, her flight arrived early so we were only there 5 minutes when we saw Marina and Lisa walk through the doors.  Julianna was so happy to see her best friend.  Andy and I watched  and waited... and cried as we watched the girls hug.  Then it was our turn... it was surreal... something you only see in the movies.  Marbella and Milana ran right up to Marina waiting for their hugs.  They were so ready to open their hearts to their new big sister... as if they knew it was always supposed to be this way.  Then we got our big hugs!!!


If I told you that it was a natural transition right from the start then I would not be telling you the truth.  It was awkward for Marina as well as for us... as we all expected it would be.  We went out to dinner and Julianna translated everything.  Her first meal with us... buffalo chicken wings and cheese fries... welcome to America!  :)  We all came back to our house and Marina and Julianna had lots of catching up to do.  It was fun listening to them talk and watching their excitement for each other.  At the same time, I could feel myself longing for that familiarity with her - not expecting it, just longing for it.  God has been with us from the start... I knew in my heart that it would come... but when?  Patience is not my best virtue!  :)  Sunday morning we ate breakfast and headed to Wal-Mart to buy some new clothes and necessities.  Then off to Julianna's house for some pool time.  Up to this point, Marina had Julianna as her security.  She didn't leave her side.  It was comforting that she had someone while at the same time, I was becoming anxious to have some time with her so that we could bond as a family.  It did not take long for me to feel her looking to me for comfort.  I say this from my perspective.  I know that Marina may read this and say "Mom, you had it all wrong from my perspective" but then she can add her own blog post and set us all straight!  :)  We were having a very difficult time communicating... totally depending on Julianna to help us and now she was no longer there.  So, she helped me put the girls to bed... listening as we read the girls their Bible story... praying with us... snuggling up while we listened to a couple songs.  It was nice... once again feeling right.  We went downstairs and opened a 500 piece puzzle.  A great activity allowing us to be together without the feeling that anyone needs to talk... being in each others presence without any pressure to try to talk.  It was great.  In fact, we spent most of Monday doing the exact same thing until we finished it late afternoon.  It was then that Marina and Andy started "talking" via Google Translate.  They talked about how we met... the fact that I am 7 years older then Andy (she giggled)... what are our favorites... stuff like that.  Then we went out to dinner.  As we got in the car Marina started talking... sharing with us that she loves the sound of rain at night.  What?  Are we communicating?  She is smiling and I can start to see the beautiful twinkle in her eyes.  We go to dinner then to Jamba Juice and sit outside.  We have found out that she loves the heat and doesn't like the cold of Ukraine.  We go back to the house put the girls down for bed as a family again and then Marina and I are off to Sprouts and Kroger.  On the way we started talking.  Yes, you read that correctly - we were communicating.  It was then that I realized Marina understands much more English then we thought... then she wanted us to think.  She began letting her guard down.  She began to trust me enough to let me know she can understand me.  We had so much fun.  She tried every candy from the bins at Sprouts and was amazed by all of the choices.  I found out what foods she liked... and didn't!  (She doesn't like pizza...oh no!)  We then went to Kroger and could have spent hours there.  It was so fun.  We were communicating!  We were laughing!  We were bonding.  GOD IS GREAT.  


Now that I knew she could understand me, I could tell her how God spoke to us about adopting her... that He led us to her.  He choose her for our family.  I could tell her that even though she is going back to the Ukraine in August, it won't be for long.  That we will go get her.  It made my heart melt to see it in her eyes and hear it in her voice that she wants us to.  I felt the elation that I felt in the hospital after having my 2 little ones.  I couldn't sleep because I was so happy.  The progress was incredible!  When she asked me if I worked, I responded with a "no" then I quickly said "yes, I work by taking care of Marbella and Milana... and that is a big job."  She then told me that she would help me take care of them when she can back forever.  My heart melted!  No sweet Marina... when you come back forever my job will be to take care of Marbella, Milana, AND Marina.  No sweet Marina... it is time you had a momma take care of you.  God has asked me to do that... and I am so thankful He has!  I intend to obey Him in that!!!  


Right now Daddy is teaching Marina how to play the Wii.  Comedy at its finest... especially since she has already learned how to whip up on him in tennis!  :)


Thank you all for your incredible support and prayers.  Keep them coming!  The enemy has been trying to find his way in but we have been bathed in prayers so he doesn't have a chance right now.  Milana got sick Sunday night and threw up everywhere... sweet Marina kept us company in the bathroom while I was bathing Milana again.  I was gagging but Marina didn't leave. Andy has had a fever for 2 days/nights - keeping him away from his quiet time with God and preventing him from spending too much time with us.  As we are trying to raise money to help us pay for the huge adoption fees our A/C goes out and we needed a new coil then on Sunday our living room TV broke.  The evil one doesn't like adoption. He is trying to create distractions, but thankfully he doesn't have any power.  Your prayers have been heard and are making a huge difference... please don't stop now!  We are so blessed to have your support.  We are so blessed to be called to be Marina's parents.  Andy will post an update with pictures (I don't know how!) 
Love to you all - 
The Green's 

Ready or not, here I come!

First, let me apologize for the delay between posts!  June has been CRAZY for the Green house!  A few things we have had on the calendar... 2 Vacation Bible Schools (one of which I am working), Milana's 4th birthday and party at the Flower Mound Community Activity Center (FUN), my Miche Open House, a CAbi fundraising party, swim lessons for 2 weeks, an appointment in Ft. Worth to get our fingerprints done, an audition for a game show... just to name a few things!  :)

Yes, a game show! You read it correctly - I auditioned along with my two teammates, Natalie Reid and Amelia Dement.  It is a new game show called The American Bible Challenge with a tag line of "If you don't  know your Bible, you haven't got a prayer!"  Oh my!  And guess who the host is... yep, Jeff Foxworthy.  Isn't he the first person that came to your mind???  :-)  The winners are playing for the charity of their choice... we have chosen IGAO (International Guardian Angels Outreach).  They are the incredible folks that helped us with getting our home study processed so quickly.  Their focus however isn't necessarily adoptions like ours but rather helping special needs kids get adopted from Russia.  These kids may have been born with severe disformations or have severe burns... whatever the case may be, they help them obtain medical visas to travel to the US for surgeries with the hopes of finding forever families for these kids while they are here.  They have helped over 200 precious children get adopted and the money would help them get many more special needs orphans connected with loving families.  For them it truly is a labor of love!  It looks like we have an excellent chance of getting on the show!  When I started this journey a couple months ago, I would have NEVER guessed that I would possibly be on a game show in hopes of raising money to help other orphans get adopted.  CRAZY!  I will keep you posted... oh my!  :)

I also want to take this opportunity to send out a big THANK YOU to those of you who helped make my CAbi fundraiser a success!  We were able to raise $450... a HUGE blessing.  We have raised $11,000 so far and need $10,000 more so this was a huge help!  It put us over the half way point... whew - that feels good!  And on that note, I have a sweet friend who along with her awesome Bible Study Group and Home Group are hosting a garage sale for us in Coppell, TX on July 14th to help raise money.  I feel so incredibly blessed that they actually chose us to be their service project this summer.  Can you imagine how that makes me feel?  They chose US... they were so moved by our situation that they chose us.  I get teary eyed just typing that out.  My mom sent me a message the other day when she found out what they were doing that said "you are loved!"  Yes Mom, I feel loved.  We have such a wonderful family of friends that even though we don't have any "blood family" anywhere near us, we still feel like we are home.  What an incredible feeling... thank you!  Back to the details... the garage sale is July 14th and you know what they say - one man's junk is another man's treasure!  If you have anything you would like to get out of your house, we will gladly take it off your hands to put in the garage sale... just let me know!  :)

I suppose you want to know what is going on with Marina!  :)  Well, one of the reasons I haven't taken the time to blog is because there hasn't been much to report.  We haven't had any additional contact with Marina via FB because the teacher at the orphanage who provided Marina access to a computer is on holiday.  We have simply been waiting for June 30th to arrive so that we can meet who will soon become our new daughter.  We cleaned out the guest room this week... we are setting up her net book (donated by Grammy and Grandpa)... we have had a few people from our precious Home Group come pray over our home in preparing for her arrival... we have pondered what she must be thinking right now.  Can you imagine... getting on an airplane and travelling half way across the world with nothing more then a purse and the clothes on your back to meet a family that wants to adopt you sight unseen?  Scary... exciting... anxious... sad... happy... unsure... the emotions are most likely all over the place.  She is actually either about to board her plane or is already on it to begin her journey here.  We will be picking her up from the DFW airport at 6:00 pm Saturday evening.  We have invited Julianna to spend the night with us this weekend too.  Can you imagine 8 months ago saying goodbye to your best friend at the orphanage thinking you would never see her again?  Then boarding a plane to not only meet who will soon be your new family but getting to spend the night with that best friend?  God is so great!  He has worked everything out for His glory.  I can't wait to tell her the story one day of His grace... His goodness... His mercy... His love for her.  Ready or not - here she comes... and we will be eagerly waiting for her at the airport with hearts full of love specifically for her.  Marbella and Milana are beside themselves... so ready to meet their new big sister.

For all my prayer warriors out there... pray for safe travels for Marina... pray for a wonderful bonding time for our family... pray for Andy and I to have peace in every aspect and to not let the enemy try to get between us... pray for Marbella and Milana to have a heart for Marina... pray that the Lord woos Marina to Him and that we follow His lead to show her His mighty and loving character.

I will post an update very soon... with pictures!!!

Where exactly is the Ukraine?

I'm daring to guess that most of you don't have a passport stamp from Ukraine.  In that case, here is a brief geography lesson.


Ukraine is in eastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Poland, Romania, and Moldova in the west and Russia in the east. Ukraine is slightly smaller than Texas.  Specifically, in the Ukraine we'll be headed to Pantaivka, a small town of approximately 2000, located 162 miles southeast of Kiev or 240 miles north-northeast of Odessa.


View Larger Map

For those of you that watch soccer, or futbol, you're probably hearing about Ukraine right now as the country is presently hosting Euro2012. The CIA World Factbook contains a thorough brief on the Ukraine.


Orphans in Ukraine
This map really helps clarify the situation and shows the reality of the situation-- many older kids, kids with disabilities and lots of sibling groups!

How do I feel?

Three weeks from today I will be driving to Atlanta with Lisa and Julianna (Lisa's adopted daughter and Marina's best friend from the orphanage) to pick up Marina for the hosting stay.  Seven weeks we will have together while the adoption process takes its course.

How do I feel?
Much like a mother who is about to give birth... on one hand, beyond excited... on the other hand, wanting to feel every moment with my existing 'family' before everything changes.  I remember feeling this way before giving birth to Milana - taking extra moments to appreciate just being Marbella's mommy before everything changed. God knew how our family would grow long before I was born.  He knew Marbella was going to be a beautiful tender first born child.  He knew Milana was going to be the precious spunky "baby" of the family.  He also knew long before Marina was born that she would be added to our mix and become the big sister to these two precious blonde haired blue eyed little girls.  The fact that He knew all of that and the fact that He ordained all of that makes this all so much easier.  He gave me the gift of Marbella... then the gift of Milana... and now the gift of Marina.  As I write adjectives about Marbella and Milana, I realize that I don't have any to describe Marina.  I can't wait for the opportunity to get to know her so that I can give you some wonderful adjectives to describe her as well!

At the same time, I am not going to lie to you... I feel a bit of fear.  I know - fear doesn't come from God but rather the enemy - but I am sure you can understand why.  Unlike Marbella and Milana, Marina has a choice.  She can choose to be a part of our family... or she can choose to stay at the orphanage until she ages out.  Regardless of why she would do that... she can.

I also feel so blessed to have you all to share in this excitement... to share in this journey... to share in the anticipation.  As I continue to reiterate in every post, your prayers are so important to us. Our specific prayers right now are for a safe journey here for Marina... a safe journey for us as we travel to Atlanta to get her and bring her back to Dallas... and a time of bonding with both us and the girls.      Thank you so much... you are a blessing to us all!  :)

The Count Down Begins!

I leave in 26 DAYS to pick up Marina from the Atlanta airport!!!  And we get to keep her for 7 weeks... WHOO HOO!  Can you tell that we are a little excited here in the Green house.  Marbella and Milana continue to draw pictures for her and make her cards... she will be welcomed with open arms and lots of paper!  :)  The countdown has begun...

On another note... OH MY GOODNESS... 72 tickets have been sold for the Miche raffle so far and the drawing isn't until Saturday, the 16th!!!  Only 28 more tickets to reach my goal of giving away 4 bundles!!!  Seriously, your support is amazing and I can't thank you enough.  It truly blows my mind!!!

While she is here, we are going to teach her to play BUNKO!!!  If you are interested in playing with us, let me know!  I think it will be a blast!!!  We will plan it either mid July or early August and determine the venue once we know how many want to join us.

Thank you all for your prayers.  I can't continue to comment enough on how thankful we are for your support.  There are times when we get so wrapped up in all of the things that need to get done in order to make the adoption happen that we forget to sit down and rest in God's presence... in His provision... in His peace... in His arms.  These are the times we are counting on YOU, and I am so thankful that we have you to count on!  Please don't stop praying!!!  We need your prayers... Marina needs your prayers... and we as a family unit need your prayers!  As I write this, tears come to my eyes because I can feel your prayers.  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

An amazing letter...

If you are new to the blog, start reading at the post "When God Calls, How Do You Respond?"...


My dear friend, Kelly Jarrell, sent me a blog post (link below) that I love and want to share with you.  Once you read it, you will understand why I think it is so perfect... I just wish I had written it myself!  :)  As you read it, think of Andy and myself writing it to Marbella and Milana...


Click here to read the letter (blog post)

Adoption Update 5.31.12

Just a quick note to pass along the amazing progress of our adoption.  Yesterday, I met with our local adoption agency (International Guardian Angels Outreach) and received our completed Home Study.  This was a MAJOR MILESTONE in our path to bringing Marina home.  It is common for most home studies to take 6 weeks to several months to complete. Ours was complete in 9 days! Our social worker along with George and Alexandra Goode from IGAA were amazing in this process. Our study has already been received by USCIS (Citizenship and Immigration Services) and we are now simply awaiting approval on the US side of the adoption.  We have already compiled our full Ukrainian dossier (many, many, many, many, documents) and will send that to Kiev once our US approval is received!  I'll post more information as it is received.  


I leave you with a new (date unknown) photo of Marina.
Love,
The Greens

Miche Fund Raiser

Would you like the opportunity to win a new Miche Bundle? 

Whether you haven’t taken the plunge to get your own Miche or if you have a Miche but have been eyeing another size, here is your chance to win one… while supporting our adoption at the same time!!!

As you know, we are trying to raise money so that we can bring Marina home from the Ukraine. This is a great way to raise that money AND give away MICHE!!!  (For those of you who don't know what Miche is - it is an awesome purse I sell.  Find out more about it at http://karingreen.miche.com)  

You may purchase a ticket for $20.  For every 25 tickets I sell, I will give away one Miche Bundle... a base plus 2 shells (this could be a $110 value depending on what size you choose!!!)  

The more tickets I sell, the more bundles I will give away!

You may purchase as many tickets as you would like!  

• Send me an email letting me know how many tickets you would like to purchase (karingreen@verizon.net).
• I will put them in a numbered spreadsheet.
• Send me a check made out to Karin Green to secure your spots – 1817 Trail Ridge Lane, Flower Mound, TX 75028 
• Drawing will be held on Saturday, June 16th  

Please send this opportunity to friends and family who you think might be interested in a chance to win.

Thank you so much for your support!!!

Good Luck and God Bless!!! 

Karin

Sweet Marina Responds...

When writing a blog and sharing our story, I always have to be aware of what I say.  I don't ever want to step over my bounds and share something that Marina would not want me to.  Her feeling safe is my first priority!  At the same time, I don't think she would mind if I share with you her first contact with me.  I woke up yesterday morning and grabbed my phone secretly hoping she had already received my message on FB... just a simple message letting her know how excited we are to see her this summer.  Nothing intimate... nothing scary... nothing that stepped over a line.  I simply signed the message "Love, Karin."
To my delight I saw the following FB message... her very first words to me...

hi mom i want to see you too this summer i love you too)))))


Can you imagine what I was feeling???  Now just to be clear, the term "mom" is used very loosely over there.  It does not represent the same intimacy that we share with our children when using that term.  But that didn't matter.  Tears weld up in my eyes and my heart was over flowing.  Lord - thank you for that precious gift.  Thank you for filling my heart.  Thank you for allowing me a moment with Marina that I would not have otherwise gotten without FB.  Lord - you always know just exactly what I need at the very moment I need it.  Thank you for leading us on this amazing journey!

Contact!!!

If you are new to the blog, please take a moment to read the post "When God Calls, How do you Respond?"  It will explain how we got here!!!

I can't tell you the emotions that flooded through my body when I found out that Marina accepted my FaceBook friend request!!!  She even "liked" a picture of the girls!!!  I then wrote to her that we are all very excited about her upcoming visit.  Our very first correspondence!!!  I couldn't take my eyes off the message I wrote to her.  I am not sure if I was hoping that she would somehow still be on FB (4 hours later... she rarely even gets access) or if I was just amazed that these were my first words to a young lady who would soon be my daughter.  Why wouldn't I be amazed???  Why wouldn't I be frozen still???  Wasn't I flooded with emotion when I first made contact with Marbella and Milana (outside of the womb!  :o))  It didn't even occur to me that she won't be able to understand my message because I typed it in English.  Thank goodness for Google Translate!!!

We are currently waiting for our Home Study Report to be completed so we can submit it.  Once that occurs, we will be in our first "holding pattern."  We have taken care of everything else we can do up to this point.  That feels good!  I feel like I am in a different "holding pattern" wondering when she will see my message and respond.

Home Study - Interview Complete

Our Home Study was this morning!!!  It was such a wonderful experience.  I honestly believe every husband and wife should have to fill out a questionnaire like we had to fill out to prepare for the study.  Simply put, it made me realize once again how in love I am with my sweet husband... how much we are on the same page in life.  As many of you know, I am 7 years older then Andy... which means I had to wait a long time before God revealed to me that He made me wait because He was preparing an amazing man for me!
I know you are probably wondering what this has to do with adopting Marina - well, nothing really.  Except for the fact that through this process I get to fall more and more in love with my precious husband.  Just another benefit of saying "YES" and not "yes, but"!
Anyway - the Home Study interviews are complete and it looks like the 6 week process of writing it up will be shortened significantly.  Of course it will... it is amazing what happens when God is leading the way.  Our initial application to the USCIS (citizen and immigration services) has also been submitted. We are now in a holding pattern until the Home Study is complete.  Once it is complete, we will send it to the USCIS and pray for a quick approval.

In the meantime, I am going to start looking at different fund raising opportunities.  I will be hosting a CAbi party mid June in which the representative is going to donate all of her commissions... YAY.  I will send out more information as we finalize the details.  If anyone has any additional ideas, please send them to me in the comments section!  Thank you again for all of your prayers... we felt them this morning!  Keep them coming!!!

Excitement

I am so excited!  As Andy indicated, the Home Study is scheduled for Saturday morning.  This is HUGE!  This is one of the steps that takes the longest to complete but God has placed us with some amazing people who have made it happen in record time. George and Alexandra - you are AMAZING!  I have been asked on several occasions if I am nervous or scared.  Honestly, I am not... how could I be when people like you are praying for us?  The amount of prayers that are being lifted up for our family and this process has given us a peace that can only be described as divine.  


I am so excited!  Marina is on Facebook and because Andy and our friend Jon (Julianna's daddy) are friends, Marina came up as a possible friend request.  Oh my goodness!  I got to see a little bit more into who my sweet Marina is!  She is beautiful... she is artistic... she is God's sweet child who deserves so much love!  And we can't wait to lavish it on her.  


I am so excited!  God is so faithful.  We are receiving donations at the same rate as what we are spending.  WOW!  It is like the manna God provided the Israelites while in the desert.  He is teaching me that He will provide what we need when we need it. That is not my nature.  I like to have my ducks in a row and always be ahead of the game.  But that doesn't give me the room to really rely and lean on God to provide.  He is teaching me and even though it isn't my nature, He is making it an amazing lesson for me.


I am so excited!  Marina will be here soon and Marbella and Milana are thrilled.  Thank you God for that small but significant fact.  I am in love with my girls... all 3 of them!  

Home Study is Scheduled!

Fantastic news!  Our home study has been scheduled for this Saturday morning (5/19).  This is a HUGE step forward in the process of getting USCIS approval and finalizing our documents to send to the Ukraine! Keep up the prayers! 

A Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother’s Day!!! It was a wonderful day for me... I woke up to a couple blonde headed girls wishing me a great day! On top of that, I received an email from our Ukraine facilitator letting us know that Marina would in fact be coming to the USA for her hosting period and not Italy. What? I get a message on Mother's Day that my soon to be 3rd daughter will be coming to stay with us for almost 8 weeks (June 30th - August 20th) over the summer... of course I did - isn't that how God works! He makes me smile!!!

When God Calls...How Do You Respond?

In my case, I like to say “yes, but”… yes, but don’t ask me to give too much of my money… yes, but don’t ask me to make my family uncomfortable… yes, but don’t ask me to take anything away from my two gifts that you gave me… yes, but…

Because of this response, I never felt what people talked about in terms of being TOTALLY filled with the Holy Spirit.  Oh, I prayed, I studied, I had quiet time in which I felt His holy presence, I asked for His will for my life to be revealed but I didn’t understand the peace that comes with total submission.  Obedience.  Now I know what that feels like and I don’t think I want to be without it ever again.

This is an amazing story of how God works in the details… of His amazing power to totally change hearts and turn them inside out… of His love for EVERYONE, even those who don’t know or worship Him. 

Spring of 2011, I met Lisa Hendrickson – a new Miche customer for my new business.  She and I hit it off immediately and planned several wine and cheese get togethers to discuss the problems of the world, the problems in politics, the problems with church… you name it, we discussed it.  Then she told me that she is going to adopt a 15 year old from the Ukraine.  What?  Did I hear you right?  Once she got things rolling, it was time to raise some funds to help in the process.  I received a mass email from her asking for money… I was the first to respond with a donation.  That is the way I like to help!  I support you… I love what you are doing… here is some money… call me if you need me.  Oh, I will also pray for you.  That is the Karin Green response and I felt it was filled with the Spirit. 

Spring of 2011, I also joined an existing Girls Night Out group in which they did a variety of different activities once a month.  This particular month we were doing a book club.  The book is “Priceless” by Tom Davis. It is a fiction story about the sex slave trade in Russia but based on true facts.  It was disgusting.  It was terrifying.  And thankfully, it was far away from my home.  Out of sight, out of mind… right?  However, this book did make an impact on me for a time.  It made me wonder if Andy and I should be helping an orphan… isn’t that what we are supposed to do?  But surely God wouldn’t ask me to do something crazy like that.  I love adoption… for other people.  And I will be the first to donate money for the cause!  But it isn’t for me… it isn’t for my family.  But still, I felt the nagging so I decided to call an acquaintance of mine who had adopted a 12 year old girl from Russia a year or so earlier.  Surely she would have some advice on what I am feeling.  So, I called her in tears and asked what I am supposed to make of this… that adoption is not something I have ever considered or had any desire to be a part of.  She gave me the wisdom I was looking for.  She told me it was the most difficult thing she ever did in her life but that it was also the most amazing thing… she has experienced an intimacy with her Savior that she would have never experienced otherwise… something she would NEVER give up.  She also said that I didn’t need to rush into anything… that if God were truly calling our family to do this then He would continue to speak to me.  She said He would not give up on nudging me.  That was exactly what I wanted to hear.  I got off the phone and felt released.  Whew… I was so glad I didn’t have to walk down that crazy road.  About 4 months later when our GNO girls got together one of the ladies asked me if I was still feeling the need to adopt.  I quickly responded “No, thankfully that was just a phase!”  And honestly, if I was ever going to adopt, it would have to be a baby – someone I could raise without the horrible history that comes with adopting older children.  I mean, surely God knows I couldn’t handle that challenge!  I was released from that burden and was relieved!

God is funny.  He has a sense of humor like no other.  I mean, we are made in His image and most of us do have some sort of sense of humor so why in the world would we think God wouldn’t.  He was not only laughing hysterically at me and my behavior… He was planning on making me laugh too.  The most beautiful laughter I could imagine. 

Summer of 2011 some friends got a divorce.  They had a 15 year old girl and a 4 year old girl.  The family did not have a relationship with Jesus.  I asked if I could speak to the 15 year old to see where her head was… to make sure she was okay.  During our discussion I asked if she wanted to start a weekly Bible Study with another one of her friends.  She agreed and we began our study in September 2011.  This was a little out of character for me too.  I enjoy Women’s Bible Study’s… and what in the world do I know about 15 year old girls anyway.  It has been a long time since I was that age.  Was God really preparing me for when my girls turn 15?  Seeing that my oldest is 5, aren’t we getting a little ahead of ourselves God?  Do you really think I am going to be able to remember all the lessons you are teaching me now about how to parent a 15 year old?  He must think that the lesson will stick if we are starting this early… or that I will need lots of lessons along the way since I don’t pick up on things very fast.  Whatever the case may be… I said yes to the Bible Study… a 12 week study meeting weekly that started in September and will finish mid May if we don’t get off topic too much! 

Fast forward to April 20, 2012.  Marbella and I were cuddling in my bed one afternoon playing the “name game” as we sometimes do.  If we had another girl in the family, what would we name her?  It would have to go with Marbella and Milana so it would have to start with an M, end with an A, and be unique.  She liked the name Mariah.  She is too young to know who Mariah Carey is and too young to explain.  So, I said “well, I like it but it isn’t my favorite.  I really like Marina… what do you think?”  She liked it… after all, Marina is on Fresh Beat Band so how could it not be cool!  J  We giggled and went on to something else. 

Two days later, I get a mass email from Lisa trying to raise more money… to host Julianna’s friend (the 15 year old Lisa adopted last summer from the Ukraine) for a visit to the USA with hopes of getting adopted… her 16^th birthday is October 14^th and that is when they are released from the orphanage.  The urgency to make something happen before then is paramount.  Lisa included a picture of this young lady… by the way, her name is Marina!!!  The email from Lisa is below…

Greetings to you all,

Hope this emails finds you all well. This is an email that should basically be short and sweet - unlike the others. Everyone should recall that we were able to host Julianna last summer through a hosting program and that three and half weeks was just fantastic. Well we have a chance to host Marina, one of Julianna'a friends from Pantivika; however, the catch is that it will cost $3200 and we have to tell them 'yes' or 'no' on Mat 1st. The cost covers Marina's flight, visa, transportation and accommodations while traveling to and from Dallas. Our hope is to help Marina find a family while she is here. Marina is 15, turning 16 later this year so time is of the essence. We have been advised by the hosting company that Marina will be able to stay with us for almost 7 weeks - which would be fantastic and of course while she is here with us we will be taking her shopping, and on as many family trips as we can possibly fit into her time here. If you can help please let us know. Until the $3100 is reached all checks/donations will not be deposited because basically if we do not have all the fund necessary Marina cannot come.

As you can imagine, my heart sank.  What?  Who?  Are you serious?  What is more amazing is that we find out later that Lisa had this information for several weeks before sending this email out.  It was as if she were waiting (or should I say God was waiting) for Marbella and I to have the conversation about names.  Well, I immediately went to Andy asking him his thoughts.  Is this a sign we should try to raise the money for Jon and Lisa to host her?  Is this a sign that we should seriously consider adoption?  So, what is Karin Green’s typical first reaction?  I sent Lisa an email letting her know that I can donate some money to help with expenses and will forward the email out to my home group… and that is what I did.  Every other day for almost one week I would send Lisa an email asking how much money she had collected… how close was she to getting Marina here for the summer?  On Saturday, April 28^th she told me that she was still around $2000 shy of what she needed.  Andy and I prayed and we talked.  We prayed some more and we talked some more.  Is God asking us to adopt this young lady?  Is He serious?  Oh, by the way, I have been reading “Kisses From Katy”… about a 22 year old young lady that has given her life to follow Jesus and whatever He asks, she obeys… which included moving to Uganda and as of right now she has adopted 14 little girls.  He kept whispering to me to “Let go… Let God!”  He once again started nudging me ever so gently but clearly.  Andy and I decided that God may be just telling us that He wants us to help Jon and Lisa raise the money to get her here for the summer and He would find a family for her once she got here.  As we talked about the possibility of us being that family, Andy felt neutral… not being led but not against the idea either.  He prayed for emotion one way or another… much like he felt when we decided to have another child.  He was content with Marbella but was open to having another.  This time he wanted some sort of emotion… some sort of confirmation as to what God was calling us to do.  So, we went to home group prepared to ask for $2000 and prayers as to what God wants from us.  We had discussed that we were ready to say YES to God no matter what that meant.  We wanted to be obedient and stop putting stipulations as to what we would do and what we wouldn’t do.  We didn’t want to say “yes, but…” anymore.  We simply decided to say YES.  If that meant selling our house and giving our money away, then that is what we would do.  If that meant, adopting a child from the Ukraine, then that is what we would do.  If that simply meant to help a young lady have an opportunity to come to America with the hopes of finding an adoptive family, then that is what we would do.  So, we went to home group and told them the story… and let them know that we had 2 days to come up with $2000.  We received promises of over $1000 and Andy got a bonus of $800 so I immediately left Lisa a voice message to start the process… we have the money.  As we were telling our sweet home group our story, our leader prayed… he prayed for us… for clarity… for protection… for wisdom… etc.  Then his wife asked to pray specifically for Marina.  She prayed for her by name… asking the Lord to wrap her in His arms and protect her… feel His awesome presence!  It was an answered prayer for Andy.  At that moment Andy was filled with emotion and clarity of what God was asking of the Green family.  We knew we did not need to meet Marina… we did not need to talk to Marina… what we did know was that God wanted us to adopt her into our family just as He adopted us into His family.

Tuesday, May 1^st – Lisa brought Julianna over.  This is the first time I had met her since she came home last October.  It was a blessing to meet her and see how she interacted with Marbella and Milana.  It was amazing.  We got to ask Lisa a million questions about the orphanage, the process, the transition, etc.  It was a blessing.  Julianna left that evening asking her mom if she could call Marina.  She spoke to Marina on Wednesday, May 2^nd.  Marina wasn’t in when Julianna called but walked in while still on the phone.  Of course she did.  God is in the details… let us not ever forget that!  Julianna told Marina about us, about the girls, about our house and Marina told Julianna she was so happy she could scream!  She asked what our last names were… so cute!  And that is the last we have heard or spoken to Marina.  We have contacted our facilitator and he is staying on top of everything.  First step is getting our Home Study. We can’t move forward on anything until that is done.  This is where we wait.  This is where we lean on our Savior.  This is where we trust that Jesus is in control of everything including the timing of it all.  But doesn’t He realize that I am anxious… that I just want to know if she is as excited as we are?  Is she thinking about us?  Does she have a new found hope?  Does she want a family or just out of the orphanage?  The answers to any of these questions don’t really matter.  We are obeying God and His call for us to adopt this precious child of His… regardless of the answers.  And if He can change this old heart as radically as He did regarding adoption, then He can certainly take on any adoption process!!!  The silence is deafening.  The waiting is stale.  But our powerful Savior is in control and He has instructed us to be anxious for nothing… to trust in Him completely.  And that is where we are… trusting in Him to bring Marina into our family.  We already have 2 little girls eager to welcome her in…