I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas. Our Christmas was pretty good. We did miss Nicholas, but we tried not to let it affect our mood too much. We did get a small update from the couple from Kentucky. In fact, they even saw Nicholas and said he looked happy and was playing well with the other children. It was just a small detail, but it was something. However, yesterday we were excited to see that Luba had e-mailed us and it included two new pictures. Our little boy is definitely growing!
Luba let us know that the Baby Home was gathering all the documents for Nicholas’s citizenship. Also, Uzbekistan acknowledged that they received some sort of inquiry letter. Now they are just waiting on the answer to the letter. But, Luba hopes to see us in Tomsk soon. We’re just not sure what “soon” means. The Russian government shuts down until the 12th. Therefore, we will probably not hear anything new until that week or later.
Apparently, our government wants to keep me busy during our wait though. I’ve been called for jury duty in two weeks for Federal Court. This means I have to go to downtown Cleveland. When it comes to being called for jury duty, I have been very “lucky” since I turned 18. This is my fifth time being called. In fact, I was even called a couple of years ago under my maiden name! I never had to serve though. I’m not really thrilled with the timing of this jury duty, but Russia usually likes to invite us over when we’re busy.
We don’t know what 2009 will bring. 2008 and was definitely an interesting year though. It was filled with pleasant surprises, joys, heartache, and trials. 2008 has ended in a way that I had not planned. But, we have been blessed. We got to meet Nicholas and spend time with him. Our adoption expenses have been provided. I lost my job, but God has taken care of us through it. God took us all the way to Russia - twice. I guess I’m excited to see what He brings us this year. I tend to be a worrier and often worry about situations that may not even happen. I don’t like the unknown. But, one thing I am trying to learn is that nothing takes God by surprise. There is nothing that He cannot handle.
Happy New Year!
Kristin
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Our Christmas Card
For those of you who usually receive a Christmas card from us each year, you will not find one this year. It is not that I am feeling like a scrooge, it’s just something we decided not to do. We had plans of sending out cards with Nicholas on them. Now we are just going to wait and send out adoption announcements when he comes home.
Our agency is officially closed for the next two weeks. I do have to commend Leslie for at least trying to get us some information before she left. Unfortunately, her efforts were unsuccessful at this point in time. We still have hope that we will hear something this week. We have been keeping in contact with a family from Kentucky and they have court in Tomsk tomorrow. So, if you think about it before you go to bed, please lift them up in prayer. I’m sure their hearing will go smoothly, but you never know.
This couple made their first trip about two or three weeks before we went back on our second. They actually told us about our court date before our agency did. They are going to ask Luba about our case while they are there and we are so grateful that they care enough to do that for us. We don’t know if Luba will have anything new to tell them, but at least maybe they’ll be able to tell us something.
I know the days ahead will not be easy for Evan and me. But, hopefully, we’ll be back in Russia very soon. Unless I receive news from Tomsk, this will probably be my only post this week, so I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.
Kristin
Our agency is officially closed for the next two weeks. I do have to commend Leslie for at least trying to get us some information before she left. Unfortunately, her efforts were unsuccessful at this point in time. We still have hope that we will hear something this week. We have been keeping in contact with a family from Kentucky and they have court in Tomsk tomorrow. So, if you think about it before you go to bed, please lift them up in prayer. I’m sure their hearing will go smoothly, but you never know.
This couple made their first trip about two or three weeks before we went back on our second. They actually told us about our court date before our agency did. They are going to ask Luba about our case while they are there and we are so grateful that they care enough to do that for us. We don’t know if Luba will have anything new to tell them, but at least maybe they’ll be able to tell us something.
I know the days ahead will not be easy for Evan and me. But, hopefully, we’ll be back in Russia very soon. Unless I receive news from Tomsk, this will probably be my only post this week, so I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.
Kristin
Monday, December 15, 2008
I Would Love to Be Able to Post an Update, But . . .
You have to be told something in order to tell others! I feel like this adoption has been turned into a "need-to-know" basis and apparently, we don’t need to know. I find that this wait would be a lot easier if we knew exactly what was going on. Yes, we know they are getting his citizenship, but what does this entail? We don’t know! We can’t get anyone to tell us. We get promises of this information, but yet, the information never comes. It is almost like your child is sick and the doctors just say, “Don’t worry he’ll be okay”, but then they never tell you what they are doing to make him better.
But, I’ll stop there . . . It’s been a hard couple of months. We’re pressing on though. I want so much to be in control of this situation and it is hard to remember that I am not. I remember when we first started this adoption I was praying that we would be referred a child as close to 9 -10 months as possible (this is the youngest age of referrals), so our son would come home close to a year old. I did not want to miss too much of his life. We were referred a 13 month old. And right now, I will be happy to have him home at any age!
I don’t understand why God has allowed us to wait 5 months until our second trip and 2 months (and counting) for our third, but I came to a comforting revelation the other day. For 8 months now, this little boy has been covered in prayers by so many people. If the various delays that we have experienced would have happened before we were given his referral, he may not be up for adoption right now. He might not have anyone praying for him. He may not have any parents waiting for him right now. So, while we don’t like our circumstances, we know that our child is uplifted to God daily.
We do ask that you pray for an update this week. It is kind of imperative because we just found out that come the end of the week, our agency is closed until January 5th! So, pray that they can get their lines of communication open, so we can have even a small piece of information to last us through the holidays.
Kristin
But, I’ll stop there . . . It’s been a hard couple of months. We’re pressing on though. I want so much to be in control of this situation and it is hard to remember that I am not. I remember when we first started this adoption I was praying that we would be referred a child as close to 9 -10 months as possible (this is the youngest age of referrals), so our son would come home close to a year old. I did not want to miss too much of his life. We were referred a 13 month old. And right now, I will be happy to have him home at any age!
I don’t understand why God has allowed us to wait 5 months until our second trip and 2 months (and counting) for our third, but I came to a comforting revelation the other day. For 8 months now, this little boy has been covered in prayers by so many people. If the various delays that we have experienced would have happened before we were given his referral, he may not be up for adoption right now. He might not have anyone praying for him. He may not have any parents waiting for him right now. So, while we don’t like our circumstances, we know that our child is uplifted to God daily.
We do ask that you pray for an update this week. It is kind of imperative because we just found out that come the end of the week, our agency is closed until January 5th! So, pray that they can get their lines of communication open, so we can have even a small piece of information to last us through the holidays.
Kristin
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Not in a Blogging Mood
I know it has been about a week and a half since my last post, but nothing new has happened. I am trying to get an update, but we all know how that goes . . . So, I haven’t felt like writing. I will try to do better.
I have been having trouble this week with feeling like this is real. I know I felt this way this summer while waiting for our second trip. That feeling has definitely come back stronger than ever. I guess nothing feels “real” right now. I am unemployed and looking for a job. It is hard though because there isn’t a lot out there and I also would have to leave for Russia soon after being hired. It is weird not having to go to work every day. I’m out of my old routine and have an entirely new one. It just feels strange after working at the same place for over four and a half years.
Sometimes it makes me mad that my company chose to lay me off, especially now, but it has also been a blessing. I am learning a lot while I am home. I am trying to stretch and grow outside of my comfort zone. Sometimes I fail – hard, but other times I can see God really working in my life. I just want to be the best wife and mom that I can be. It is hard though because I really feel that Satan is doing his best to cause me to stumble. He doesn’t want us to bring a young boy into our family; he doesn’t want us to teach him to love God. He doesn’t want me to face my fears, but instead he wants me to live in them.
Every day I have to face lies from the enemy. I hear: “Maybe this is happening because you wouldn’t be a very good mom” or “Nicholas will never come home.” These lies sound stupid as I am writing them, but when you are feeling down, it is easy to believe them. As we are home longer and longer and without any news, my emotions are more up and down than ever. I am trying to hold onto hope. I need to pray every day for God’s manna to deal with my ever–changing emotions.
I am thankful that now I get to attend a Bible study every Wednesday morning. I have learned so much in just the five or six weeks that I have attended. It has uplifted me so much and has contributed to much of my growth. It has also caused me to address areas of my life where I am holding onto too much control and not letting God take over. This has been the biggest blessing to being unemployed.
I look forward to continued growth as I wait for Nicholas. It has not been easy, but it is worth it. At the same time, I hope to hear an update about Nicholas’s citizenship soon. It has been at least a month since court, so some progress should have been made. If Evan and I had our way, we would like to know something by Christmas. It would just make it easier on us if we knew when we were going back. In the meantime, I will try and blog in a more timely manner.
Kristin
I have been having trouble this week with feeling like this is real. I know I felt this way this summer while waiting for our second trip. That feeling has definitely come back stronger than ever. I guess nothing feels “real” right now. I am unemployed and looking for a job. It is hard though because there isn’t a lot out there and I also would have to leave for Russia soon after being hired. It is weird not having to go to work every day. I’m out of my old routine and have an entirely new one. It just feels strange after working at the same place for over four and a half years.
Sometimes it makes me mad that my company chose to lay me off, especially now, but it has also been a blessing. I am learning a lot while I am home. I am trying to stretch and grow outside of my comfort zone. Sometimes I fail – hard, but other times I can see God really working in my life. I just want to be the best wife and mom that I can be. It is hard though because I really feel that Satan is doing his best to cause me to stumble. He doesn’t want us to bring a young boy into our family; he doesn’t want us to teach him to love God. He doesn’t want me to face my fears, but instead he wants me to live in them.
Every day I have to face lies from the enemy. I hear: “Maybe this is happening because you wouldn’t be a very good mom” or “Nicholas will never come home.” These lies sound stupid as I am writing them, but when you are feeling down, it is easy to believe them. As we are home longer and longer and without any news, my emotions are more up and down than ever. I am trying to hold onto hope. I need to pray every day for God’s manna to deal with my ever–changing emotions.
I am thankful that now I get to attend a Bible study every Wednesday morning. I have learned so much in just the five or six weeks that I have attended. It has uplifted me so much and has contributed to much of my growth. It has also caused me to address areas of my life where I am holding onto too much control and not letting God take over. This has been the biggest blessing to being unemployed.
I look forward to continued growth as I wait for Nicholas. It has not been easy, but it is worth it. At the same time, I hope to hear an update about Nicholas’s citizenship soon. It has been at least a month since court, so some progress should have been made. If Evan and I had our way, we would like to know something by Christmas. It would just make it easier on us if we knew when we were going back. In the meantime, I will try and blog in a more timely manner.
Kristin
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