Ukraine and the SDA

FINALLY, an update!

We arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine on Monday, August 5 at 11:40am. Our flights were very smoothe (with the exception of the first flight whose pilot was clearly an ex-F-18 pilot). Customs was way too easy. Our luggage popped right out in the front of the line and our translator was waiting right outside the airport for us. It was seamless. It was GOD. God knows that I am a little uncomfortable out of my surroundings. Having babies and making a home has created in me an inner circle. When I'm away from my people and my home I am easily overwhelmed. That's why God gave me Jake :). He adapts easily and blends in and makes jokes the whole time. I cannot imagine travel without my best friend.

A few fun Ukraine things. So far, we've learned how to quickly convert Celsius to Fahrenheit. We've learned that Jake is the largest, most muscular man in all of Kyiv. He could fit these guys in his pocket! We've learned that women wear dresses and sandals. And if you wear shorts and tennis shoes you get stared at. We've learned that Ukrainians love American music. Ghostbusters, Depeche Mode, Justin Bieber, and yes, Freebird. Everybody smokes. We've second hand smoked at least two packs a day since we've been here. We love that Americans love deodorant and all of its chemically by-products ;). Ukrainians are much less concerned with time and schedule than Americans. Everyone is super laid back. Beer at 1pm? Sure! At any given moment there are throngs of people having a cold one in Independence Square. 84 degrees is hot. The weather has been amazing. Its been in the 80s with almost no humidity and a nice breeze. Everyone keeps saying "its so hot!!!" and us Southern folk are skipping down the street like its the first week of Spring. The architecture is beautiful. The cathedrals are breathtaking. The cobblestone streets and gold plated monuments look just like they do on the Pinterest travel page ;).  Seriously, Kyiv is a beautiful city. We are staying in an apartment that is very close to Independence Square and the SDA. Everything we need is within walking distance. The language barrier has proven....ummm.....funny. Yesterday we bought mystery frozen ravioli at the market. We had no idea what was in it. We still aren't exactly sure but it smelled porkishy and Jake refers to it as 'suspect" and "needing some Sriracha". There are Ford dealerships and Honda Civics and Range Rovers a plenty. We are kind of in shock. If it weren't for the language barrier, its almost like we're in NYC. We really like it here.....but there are a few things missing. And they are small and blue eyed and they give really great bear hugs. We miss our babies. Horribly. Deeper than deep.

Things have been good so far. The down time has been hard on this mama's heart. I can't lie. I feel completely incomplete without them. We have Skyped twice and saying goodbye is so so hard. Talking to them and holding it together is even harder. I know they are well taken care of and loved and prayed for.....we miss them. It hurts.

Today we went to the SDA. The door to the office is off on a side street and made me feel like I was doing something illegal. Considering the HUGENESS of what happens in that office, the entrance lacks its deserving grandeur. Our appointment was at 12 and we arrived 20 minutes early. Then the appointment before us ran 20 minutes over. 40 minutes of waiting and staring at this tiny door worked wonders on mine and Jakes nerves. We were pacing and praying and pacing and praying. They finally called us in and asked us to introduce ourselves and tell why we decided to adopt from Ukraine. I love Jake's boldness. He immediately said, "we want to expand our family and we believe that God has called us to expand it through adoption. God led us to Ukraine." I also loved that the lady in the office didn't seem at all surprised by his answer. She has clearly heard that before (praise God!). We were given 4 files of siblings first and we did not have peace about any of them for various reasons. After the sibling files were presented the office worker got on the phone and we thought those were all the files we would receive. But we kept praying, both of us, nervously praying for that perfect file. And she hung up the phone and gave us 3 more. A 7 year old girl, a 6 year old boy and lastly, a 5 year old boy. She laid that last file down and Jake and I looked at each other with tears in our eyes. That was him. Total peace. Holy Spirit kind of peace. His file arrived at the SDA this morning. Gods perfect, divine, timing. I have chills just writing this. SO, we accepted the referral for a 5 year old boy! We will hopefully travel to see him on Monday.

Jake and I have been overwhelmed through this entire process with the number of people pouring themselves out to God in prayer on our behalf. We know that so many of you, this morning before the sun woke up, were on your knees praying for us. Please know that we felt your prayers for peace. We felt your prayers the whole way with us. And we are humbled and beyond grateful to have each and every one of you walking this journey with us. The journey is not over. We have a lot of travel in our future as our sweet boy is a very very long train ride away from Kyiv. His orphanage has never completed an international adoption so we are swimming in uncharted waters. Our facilitator is wonderful and has done this before (with an orphanage having never done an international adoption). Our prayers, right now, go like this:

For Jakes back. Having a plate and screws in your spine isn't exactly conducive for international travel. So far, he has done very well. The train ride we are looking at to get to our boy is about 18 hours. That's 18 hours to the orphanage. Then 18 hours back to the airport. Then a lot of flying. Please pray for him as he pushes his back to the limit in the next few weeks.

For our paperwork in our little guys region to be completed expeditiously so that BOTH Jake and myself can get home to our kiddos for a few weeks while we wait for a court date. And if not both of us, at least Jake. We are praying to have at least one of us home by Cole's first day of school on August 19th. It means the world to us to make him feel so special on his big day of 2nd grade.

For all of the financial stuff to fall into place. We have a lot of expediting fees and big travel costs coming up. We know that God raised this specific amount of money for us for a reason.

For Cole and Zella to continue being awesomely strong as we are gone. We are SO proud of them!

For endurance for myself and Jake. We could REALLY use a hot shower and a starbucks right now, but that's not what God wants from us. He wants us uncomfortable. Please pray that we remember that without less of us there cannot be more of God.

Please pray for our sweet boy. I can't share his details here yet, but please pray that he knows we are coming and that when we get there, we will bond immediately.

And now this......because some have asked. Yes, we thought that we were bringing two children home. We've thought that through this whole process. But......."many are the plans in a mans heart, but its the Lords purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21. We can't question the peace that washed over us when we saw him today. We can't say to God "but wait, there should be two!". Maybe not right now. Maybe this isn't the end of the adoption road for us. Maybe God has greater plans. Maybe, just maybe, His plan, for just one child, is the PERFECT plan. We are grateful for a God that has plans greater than we can imagine for our family. One child, two children, 37 children....God's purpose prevails!

Thank you all for your love and support and words of encouragement and for your PRAYER! There is never too much or enough. Thank you and we love you all! We cannot wait to post again....with more news of God showing off!

With love from Ukraine,
McKenzee