Journal

Our Adoption Journey

Life at Home

2006

October 1 - Gotcha Day...Again!!!

No, we didn't celebrate our "Gotcha Day" again...we celebrated God's "Gotcha Day" with Stephen. Yes, tonight after church Stephen said that he wanted to ask Jesus into his heart, and wanted to know how to do that. Stephen has been very sensitive to the Lord for a couple of months now. He has asked several times what it means to be saved, but tonight he said that he wanted "to do that" for the first time. After some time talking about what it meant, Stephen decided that he wanted to ask Jesus to come into his heart. We let him pray and tell God what he wanted to tell him. Stephen said, "God, thank you for today, thank you for my mommy and daddy, and thank you for my life. Jesus I want you to come into my heart and live in my life.." Needless to say, we were thrilled. Melissa started crying, and Stephen asked why she was sad. Melissa said, "I'm not sad, I'm happy because of what you did"...and Stephen started crying too. It was special. He has such a tender heart, and such a heart for God. Please pray with us that God will continue to shape Stephen's heart and life to fall in love with Him more everyday...and that God will use him in awesome ways!!!

It's amazing to think that one year ago yesterday, Stephen was given a new name, a new home, and a new life by his mom and dad...and today he was given a new name, a new home, and a new life by his Father. To think that one year and one day ago, Stephen was an abandoned orphan...and today he's a son of Almighty God. What an awesome God we serve!!!

September 30 - Gotcha Day!!!

Today marks the one-year anniversary of when Stephen & Thomas officially became ours...and we became "mom and dad". What a year it has been. God has been so good and so faithful during this first year of major adjustment. The boys continue to grow and amaze us.

We started the morning by taking them to McDonald's for breakfast. It was the first place in Sumy (Ukraine) that we took Stephen after our court date, so we thought it was fitting to go back and start our celebration there (not in Ukraine, of course). For lunch, Melissa created a Ukrainian feast (with a little American food thrown in...just in case). We had borsch, chicken Kiev, and a Ukrainian flag cake. Everything turned out great, even though we had intense flashbacks of being Ukraine. The food and smells took us back to being in Ukraine for almost 2 months. The boys wore their Ukraine football (soccer) jerseys, and we decorated the house with the posters that decorated our house when we returned home with the boys a year ago.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support. What a year it has been!

Back To School

Stephen has officially started kindergarten and is loving it! Actually, we think he loves the girls in his class more than anything. The first day when we asked him who he sat next to he said, “Oh I sit next to Jessie, she is so pretty I want her to be my girlfriend.” Of course we got a big kick out of this, but promptly told him he was way too young for a girlfriend. Stephen has such a great teacher and we are so excited about all the neat things he will get to do this year.

Thomas did great going back to preschool. He has the same teacher as last year, and I think this has been great for him. All we hear about when we pick him up is “Jamie.” Thomas is apparently smitten with a much older woman of three years old. If the boys are already this girl crazy, then we are dreading the teenage years!

Be sure to check out our new pictures from the summer!

Summer

What a summer this has been! It was neat to experience so many “firsts” with the boys in the last two months. Although we missed so many of the typical first moments many parents experience, such as sitting up or walking, we cherish all the new things we have been able to do with our boys. This summer they have been bowling, went to the zoo, played in the ocean, took swimming lessons, went to an amusement park, rode a horse, rode a long-horn steer (yes, as in a really big cow), rode in the car for 16 hours to Texas, and on and on. The summer is almost gone, but we have made so many memories that we will never forget.

Stephen begins kindergarten in just 5 days. I think mommy and daddy are more nervous than he is. Right now there are only 8 kids in his class, so he will really benefit from a lot of individual attention (which is just perfect for Stephen). His big accomplishment this summer was learning how to swim. Just a few short months ago this was the same kid who screamed in terror at having to go in a swimming pool. He can now swim all the way across the short side of the pool and even jump or dive off the diving board and swim to the side – all on his own – and he loves it. This is such a big accomplishment for him to be able to overcome his fears and become such a good little swimmer.

We took the boys to visit Melissa’s extended family in Texas this summer. Stephen adored Melissa’s 89 year old grandmother, Memaw. This was not a surprise to us because he loved the babushkas (grandmothers) in Ukraine. Stephen always wanted to sit by Memaw and was able to do so at church one Sunday morning. As the service was getting started, Stephen turned to Memaw and said, “you look really old Memaw.” He then lifted up the skin on her neck and asked, “why is your neck falling off?” Needless to say, no one got much out of the sermon that day because we were all so tickled. The next day, the boys got to ride on an 1,800 pound long-horn steer. When Stephen walked up to the steer he grabbed the extra folds of skin on its neck and stated, “look he must be really old like Memaw.” Kids say the most embarrassing things!

Thomas is no longer the baby we brought home from Ukraine. He has grown so tall this summer and is talking up a storm. He is even saying 5 and 6 word sentences. We have to put the boys to bed just so we can hear ourselves think these days. Thomas has even outgrown his baby bed and has moved into his “big boy bed”. The first time he saw his new bed put together he was so excited and just kept saying “thank you mommy and daddy.” Thomas loved the beach so much this summer he even tried to eat the sand. He also loved riding horses and still talks about it every time we pass a horse.

We can’t believe that one year ago this month we left for Ukraine! In some ways it feels like it was just yesterday, and at other times it seems like we have aged ten years since then. Please keep us in your prayers as Stephen starts school, we tackle potty training with Thomas, Melissa starts back to work, and Gabe continues on in his ministry.

In closing, we have a very special prayer request. One of the families from our agency that adopted a little boy about a month after us needs your prayers. The family is Jeff and Rachel Norris and their precious little boy is Samuel. Samuel has a hole in his heart that has caused quite a bit of damage to his lungs and will probably require major surgery. You can read all about their journey at www.norrisfamily.ministryhome.org. The news from their last doctor visit was not very good (click on "Latest Updates"), and they need your prayers for little Samuel.

May 14 (Mother's Day)

This morning I reflected on the children that have been adopted from Ukraine this past year. I thought about not only how their lives have changed, but how much the lives of their mothers have changed. The children may not realize it yet, but they are a dream come true and a blessing from God to their mothers. I prayed for each of the sweet children and their families that we have been able to meet through Lifeline’s Ukraine program. As I prayed, I realized how full my own heart is with love for my boys. I know that I loved them even before I met them, but that love has deepened into so much more. I think it is impossible to put into words a mother’s love for her children. I praise God today that I get to celebrate being a mother. I have endured many difficult Mother’s Days in the past, but I am learning that God makes all things beautiful in His own time.

May 9

Easter and Stephen’s 5^th birthday

This Easter was such a special time - first because we celebrated Christ’s resurrection, but Easter Sunday was also Stephen’s 5^th birthday. The boys loved hunting Easter eggs. Thomas would just drop his basket and run to find an egg. Stephen was fascinated by the little plastic eggs with a prize inside, although his favorite eggs were the ones that did not make any noise. He quickly figured out that those eggs had a dollar bill in them.

Stephen was so excited about his birthday. He was so amazed that the birthday cake had his name on it. Of course, he also loved all the presents that were just for him. Stephen is continuing to grow physically, and has finally made it onto the growth chart in height (at 5%). Although he is small for his age, his big personality definitely makes up for his lack in size.

As usual, Thomas is up to no good. This week he decided to take a bath with his hair brush and the toilet water! Last week he tried eating cat throw-up, and the week before daddy was trying to teach him to take off his clothes, including his diaper, which has turned out to be a big mistake (we’ll spare you the details). Thomas has also become so much more verbal. He talks all the time now and is starting to put a few words together. He is finally doing a little better about throwing temper tantrums when he doesn’t get his way. He is at least down to only one fit an hour now! We are choosing to focus on the positives and not how far we still have to go.

Parenting is definitely a work in progress. As soon as we overcome one struggle, another one takes its place. As tired and worn out as we are, we are so thankful the boys are in our lives. When we take time to reflect on how far they have come, we feel truly blessed and it gives us the strength we need for tomorrow (or, at least until their bedtime).

April 15

We have been a family for 6 months! It is hard to imagine how much our lives have changed in just 6 short months. We cannot begin to express our gratitude to God for bringing our boys into our hearts and lives. We wanted to show you how much our boys have changed since the time we met them until now...

Thomas has made the most drastic changes. The day we met Thomas he had such a hollow look in his eyes. There was no spark or joy or laughter…just emptiness. Today Thomas’s eyes sparkle with love, joy, and happiness. He is completely stubborn and mischievous, but his smile and laughter light up our days.

Stephen’s changes have been more subtle. He amazes us everyday with something new he has learned. He is so loving and shows mercy to everyone. One example of this is with a cafeteria worker at school…Stephen calls her “my sweetie.” He just has a special place in his heart for people who are often overlooked. Stephen is so sensitive to spiritual things and we are praying that he will have a desire to ask Jesus in his heart soon.

Both of the boys are doing great. We went to the eye doctor, and they both have good vision. The boys’ favorite thing to do these days is catch bugs. They take their bugs nets and bug jar and catch anything that moves (including a wasp when mom wasn’t looking). We also took them swimming in an indoor pool for the first time. As soon as we got Thomas’s floaties on he jumped right in and never looked back. Stephen saw his brother jump right in and decided to do the same thing before Daddy was ready to catch him, only he didn’t realize the water would be over his head. It took Stephen a little while to relax and enjoy it, but by the end they were both dog paddling from one end of the pool to the other. We have discovered that while Thomas is a natural at swimming, Stephen is a natural on roller skates. Before too long, Stephen will be the star of pre-school mornings at the roller rink. Thomas’s favorite new antic is to make fake vomiting sounds, and of course he does it at the most embarrassing moments…like in restaurants. We used to say there was never a dull moment at our house except when the boys are sleeping, but we can’t even say that any more because Thomas has learned to throw himself out of his crib. So now we can honestly say our life is NEVER dull…and we can’t imagine it any other way!

February 28

The highlight of this month was celebrating Thomas's second birthday. He loved getting all the attention and of course the presents. We took Thomas to the doctor for his two year check up and he has gone from the 10th percentile in height to the 50th. The doctor was amazed at how much he has grown. Thomas has also gained ten pounds since we have been home. He now loves daycare and pushes daddy out the door in the mornings when he gets dropped off. Thomas has become so much more verbal. There are times when it seems like he is telling us an entire story, although we can only understand a few of the words. His favorite words are "stop it" and "no." I guess he hears those words a lot. Recently, when he tries to make a "k" sound he makes a clicking sound with his tongue. So instead of saying book, he says "boo(click)." It is so funny, because it sounds like he is talking in an African dialect that uses tongue clicks. He is also becoming Mr. Independent, and throws a fit when he doesn't get his way. Each day is a roller coaster with Thomas, if we are not laughing at something he is doing, we are about to pull our hair out.

Stephen is doing great. He can now write his first and last name, and knows lots of letters and sounds. Stephen is one of the most inquisitive children we have even known. He asks questions non-stop. We love that he is so curious, but after a while mom and dad have to put a time-out on questions. He has stolen the hearts of everyone at his school. Stephen has an amazing ability to make others feel so special. Everyone from the 6th grade teachers, to the high school principal, to the cafeteria workers are in love with him. We are afraid that he gets away with anything he wants to at school. We have also found out that Stephen is a perfectionist. He has to make sure everything is in just the right place. The funny thing is that Gabe is just like that, but it drives Gabe crazy when Stephen is organizing. Stephen loves to read books, watch movies, play with his Hot Wheel cars, and play outside with our dog.

Check back soon for more pictures from December-February.

January 20

This month is absolutely flying by. Melissa and the boys started back to work and school this month. Stephen is really enjoying his class and seems to be doing great. He has had no trouble making the transition. He loves his teacher and is making some new friends. He is very curious about letters and letter sounds, and is recognizing new ones every day. His English is amazing. We can’t believe that up until three and a half months ago he spoke a different language. Today he said (quoted exactly), “Mommy, I really, really like it my teacher Mrs. Hendricks.” He has a cute little accent to go along with all of his new words.

Thomas has had a more difficult transition. Until two days ago, he bawled when we took him. He would cry when mommy left the house in the morning to go to work, and then cry again when papa took him to his class. These last two days he has turned a new leaf. He is actually pushing us out the door and saying bye-bye. This makes us feel so much better. We knew that it was good for him to cry when we left because it meant he was attached to us, but it was so hard to leave him when he was that upset. We are so glad that he is now making a smoother transition.

Christmas was a lot of fun. It was so special to be able to spend time together as a family. The boys were fascinated by the Christmas tree. We couldn’t put the presents under the tree until it was time to open them, because Thomas would jump on them and try to tear the paper off. Stephen and Thomas had a very different approach to opening presents. The highlight for Stephen was actually unwrapping the presents. He couldn’t believe there were so many presents under the tree with his name on them. Thomas could care less about unwrapping the presents. After the first present was open, he just wanted to play with his toy. He threw a huge fit when we made him put his toy to the side to open more presents.

We have all been sick the last three weeks. It has been really difficult trying to take care of two sick boys when we have been sick ourselves. The laundry is piled up to the ceiling and we have eaten more take-out than we care to count. We are just now starting to feel a little better. The last few weeks have been a rude awakening to one of the more difficult aspects of parenthood.

Overall, the boys are doing great. Stephen went to the dentist and had no cavities. He does have a brown stain on his teeth, but they think it is from the water in Ukraine. He did terrific at the dentist when we told him the dentist chair was like a ride at Chucky Cheese. Whatever works, we’ll use it!

2005

December 19

Okay, so parenting two very active little boys leaves us so tired at night that we have not updated in forever. The boys are doing terrific and are continuing to bond very well with us. It is so amazing that God has given us two little boys to light up our days. This will be the most miraculous Christmas we have ever had. The miracle of Jesus' birth has become so special as we teach our little boys the Christmas story. It fills our hearts with joy as Stephen points out baby Jesus in all of the nativity scenes we see around town. The most precious sound I have ever heard is Stephen singing "Jesus Loves Me." We took the boys to church for the first time two weeks ago. As we were pulling into the parking lot Stephen looked around and asked, "Where is God?" Immediately after this he spotted a man going in the doors to church and asked, "Is that Jesus?" We had a lot of explaining to do to a four year old who has a limited English vocabulary.

We'll start with an update on Stephen. He is going to start pre-Kindergarten in January at Melissa’s school. Stephen has been visiting his classroom and seems to love it. It is amazing how fast he has picked up English. He is speaking in short sentences now. His favorite question is, "What's that?" He talks and asks questions all the time. He has received a clean bill of health from all of the doctors we have visited so far. He is very small for his age, but he has grown a little and gained some weight since we have been home. He is a very sensitive child and is so gentle with Thomas and our dog Cooper (his new best friend). He absolutely loves the movie "Finding Nemo." His favorite outfit is his Nemo underwear. Stephen is a much more fragile child than we realized. He easily gets his feelings hurt, but he is also very sensitive to other’s feelings. Stephen loves to cuddle up with mommy and daddy and watch a movie on TV. His favorite things to do are ride his bike and play Baboika, which is a Ukrainian fictional scary creature. Gabe runs around acting like a monster and Stephen runs and hides. Daddy is absolutely worn out by the time the boys go to bed.

Thomas….we’re not even sure where to start with Thomas. He is so much fun, and at the same time he makes us want to pull our hair out. Thomas is not even the same child that we first saw at the orphanage. He has already grown out of two sizes of shoes and is moving into 18 month clothes. He has this adorable fat little belly and cute round cheeks. A few weeks ago he discovered how to truly laugh. He has giggled and smiled this whole time, but it took him awhile to really learn how to laugh. He is such a happy, friendly child. He is saying 20-25 words now and understands most of what we are saying. Medically speaking, Thomas’s blood work and tests have all come back fine. His tuberculosis skin test did come back positive, but his chest x-rays were negative. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell if the positive reaction is from the TB vaccine he was given or from a true exposure, so he has to take precautionary medicine for 9 months. Thomas has hit the terrible two’s all at once. He has moved from head-butting to biting to hitting and now to pushing. He also loves to scream as loud as he can in the store or at a restaurant. His favorite things to do are make messes and then make a bigger mess while Mom & Dad are cleaning up the first one. Thomas keeps us on our toes every second of every day. He is still fascinated with the toilet, and Mom has dug more things out of it than imaginable. Thomas also loves music and loves to dance and sing.

He loves to give hugs and kisses. Thomas is absolutely adorable and funny, and at the same time the most stubborn child ever! He is fascinated with our cats, although he never gets to pet them because they run and hide when they see him coming. Thomas looks up to his big brother and does everything Stephen does (both good and bad). It has been amazing to see how Thomas has changed since being home. A little love and attention (okay, a lot of love and attention) have done wonders for him.

Mommy and Daddy are adjusting pretty well to all the changes in our lives. We still have some days that are tough, but overall we feel so blessed. It has been difficult for Gabe to balance his ministry with the youth and our family. He feels pulled in a million directions, but God is giving him the strength to get through each new day. It has been an interesting experience for Melissa to stay home with the boys. Some days are great and others are not so great. As wonderful as the boys are, they are also very needy and demanding. You realize how selfish you used to be with your time after you have children. We have to often stop and look at the big picture and what a gift from God our little boys are. Melissa is going back to work in January part-time, and Thomas will go to the day care on campus and Stephen to pre-K. Please pray for this adjustment for the boys. Please continue to pray that God will give us the strength and wisdom to parent our boys. They have made incredible strides, but it just takes time. They have never had a mommy and daddy who love them so much that they actually set boundaries and discipline. Stephen is starting to realize that we are his “forever parents.” The highlight of our day is hearing Stephen say, “I love you Mommy and Daddy.” He then will reach up and touch our cheek and say, “Mommy and Daddy are good.” It is amazing how all the frustrations and difficulties of the day melt away during those precious moments.

November 2

It is hard to believe that we have already been home over two weeks. The last few weeks have been a blur. We knew that parenting was not easy, but we did not expect it to be this difficult. We are tired and frustrated, but are falling completely in love with our boys.

Stephen is sleeping much better and is even trying new foods more often now, but we have had to get very proactive in our bonding with him. Many kids adopted internationally bond with their new parents without an effort, but we have really had to work on this with Stephen. He still will go up to absolute strangers and want them to pick him up. We know most people say he is so cute and they think he is just comfortable with new people, but for an adopted child this is a sign that he has not completely bonded with his mom and dad yet. He still has a little ways to go to learn appropriate boundaries. He also acts like a little wind up toy that is wound a little too tight. This is caused by the fact that he is a four year old boy and everything is new to him, but this is also his way of coping with stress. So, he bounces around constantly and gets into everything. It is non-stop. We have actually had to lock our office and our bedroom doors just to keep him from damaging things and hurting himself. On a more positive note, he is learning English so quickly and can actually sing the entire ABC song. He discovered the TV show Extreme Home Makeover and loved all the "big trucks." It is the only time he has sat still for more than five or ten minutes. He loves to cuddle and give kisses, and is a great partner in crime with Thomas.

Thomas is eating everything he can get his hands on. He is saying about 8 words in English and we are teaching him a few words with sign language. He loves the dog, but really loves to pull the dog's hair out. We constantly have to watch him around Cooper. He is such a tough little guy and we are really working on being gentle. He has been very desensitized to pain and so he does not realize when he is hurting others. His absolute favorite thing to do is make really big messes with anything he can find. He loves to be rocked and to look at books. He has changed so much since our very first visit with him, and is a totally different child.

We have tried to keep life low key, but we did take them to a pumpkin patch to pick out pumpkins. They loved the hay-ride and petting the goats. Stephen did a great job helping us carve the pumpkins. His favorite part was scooping out the goo inside. We also let them dress up for Halloween and go to a church festival. The funny thing is they don't like the candy - which is fine with Mom and Dad. We will be sure and put up some new pictures of their latest adventures very soon.

The Trip

2005

October 20

Yes, we are finally home. Thankfully, all of our flights went well. The boys did a great job, except for Thomas not wanting to sleep - at all. They both slept only about 4 hours during our 24 hour journey. Unfortunately, they still have not slept much. On Tuesday night, they slept from about midnight to 5am. Yesterday, they only took short naps and didn't go to sleep until late. This morning, Stephen woke up at 3am and Thomas woke up at 6am. Everyone is so exhausted, but no one can seem to sleep. The boys are doing well, but it is going to take some time for them to adjust - they have been over stimulated and are in shock. But, the transition will just take some time. Thank you to everyone who has been so patient. We want everyone to meet the boys, but it will take a few weeks (or months) for them to fully adjust, so we are going to try to live as calm a life as possible. Again, thank you to all of you who are continuing to be so patient.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to our church family. You have been so kind and gracious to us. Not only have you prayed for us and shown us great love, but you have provided so much financial support and gifts. When we got home and saw the awesome playground in the backyard we were so overwhelmed and blessed by your graciousness. You have also provided so many clothes, toys, and food. We are very grateful for your Christ-like love toward our family. We love you so much!!!

October 17

We are coming home!!!!!! It still has not hit us that tomorrow we will be able to sleep in our own bed. Stephen is ready to go to America and meet "his" suh-bah-ch-ka (dog) Cooper. By the time we get back to Decatur we will have been traveling for 24 hours straight. Keep us in your prayers tomorrow - for traveling safety, and that we don't pull our hair out trying to entertain two very active little boys for that long. We are packed and ready to go, although every time we finished with one suitcase or bag the boys were taking something back out of one of the other suitcases. It took awhile, but we are done.

Sweet home Alabama...here we come!

October 16

Taking two boys to eat out has been quite an adventure. Most places do not have high chairs, so we put Thomas in our lap and feed him with one hand (although we can't really see his mouth), and try to get a few bites into our own mouth with the other hand. At the same time, we are trying to help Stephen with his food. By the end of the meal, the boys are squirmy and ready to go, and Mom and Dad are still hungry. Plus, the ground and table look like a tornado hit.

Thomas and Stephen are still getting along great with each other. Little brother wants to do everything big brother does. When we go out, if Stephen is walking, Thomas wants to walk - but, as soon as Stephen gets picked up, Thomas refuses to walk until he is picked up also. They absolutely love taking a bath together. We both have to stay near the bathtub to make sure they don't drown each other. We think it is the highlight of their day - Stephen asks a couple times a day to take a bath.

Many have asked when we are coming home. We should arrive in Birmingham on October 18 at 8pm. We are on Continental flight 670 from Atlanta. Everyone is welcome to come to the airport and see the new Ross family.

October 15

Today Thomas had a case of the "terrible twos." He is not sleeping very well at night, and did not get a morning nap, so he was cranky most of the day. The last two nights we have let the boys stay up a little later, thinking they would sleep in just a little. They have "slept in" until 6:30 and 7:00. We tried to tell Stephen to go back to sleep, but he threw back the curtains and then pointed out that the sun was already up and we should be too. Melissa is not a morning person at all, so the energy and exuberance of two wide awake little boys is a little shocking. Plus, we are getting up with Thomas several times during the night, so we are just a little tired right now.

We took the boys to Andrevsky Market to do a little souvenir shopping. Shopping with two kids who can reach everything that is being sold is a little difficult. We had to quickly learn how to keep one eye on the boys, and one eye on whatever we were trying to purchase. The boys had a great time, and they loved all the booths and items that were being sold. It is amazing to think of all that the boys are seeing and doing for the first time.

October 14

This morning we woke up to find one of Thomas's shoes floating in the toilet...so began another wonderful, crazy day with the boys. We took the boys to an indoor playground today. Stephen absolutely loved playing in the ball pit and climbing up the rope ladders. Thomas was content to collect the balls that had fallen outside of the pit. It was great for Mom and Dad to let the boys run off some energy. Later tonight we were trying to get the boys ready for dinner, and we could not find the key to lock the apartment. We were frantically looking everywhere for the key. Come to find out, it was exactly where we had left it - still in the key hole on the outside of the door. Two days of being parents and we have already lost our minds.

We are still having some trouble getting both boys to sleep at night. It is almost impossible to get a fussy baby, and an over stimulated four year old to sleep at the same time in our one room apartment. Plus, Ukrainians do not turn on the heat until October 15, so it is a little chilly at night in our apartment.

The great news is that we have the boys' visas and have finalized our flights home. So, we are ready to go. We will fly out on Tuesday morning at 9am, and will arrive in Birmingham at 8pm. That doesn't sound so bad, until you consider the time changes. By the time we get home, we will have been traveling for 24 hours straight. But it will be worth it to be home.

October 13

What a long morning. We "entertained" our boys in the hallways of two different buildings - just sitting there waiting for 5 hours. The medical exams took over 2 hours (but the actual exams only took about 5 minutes). We waited at the Embassy for another 2+ hours. The boys did really well for awhile, but got restless after the first couple of hours. We felt like we were in a rabbit-chasing contest. As soon as we caught one, the other one was off doing something else (that he shouldn't have been doing). The good news, however, is that it's all done. We go back to the Embassy in the morning to pick up the visas, and then go to the airport tomorrow to pick up our Ukrainian airline tickets. Once all of that is in hand we are done!!!

After our long morning and lunch, we brought the boys back to the apartment for their afternoon naps - neither of which wanted to go to sleep. They finally did go to sleep, and once they both woke up, we put them in the bathtub together. They had a blast. Stephen was so sweet with Thomas - sharing all of the bath toys with him. They were actually sad to have to get out.

Tonight, we went to Ben's (one of our facilitators) apartment to eat with his family. The boys played with his kids, then we all had pizza. Thomas ate like a champ. The boy can put away the food for a little fella. Stephen, on the other hand, is a little more picky. Plus, he would rather play than eat. As we are typing this, the boys are in their beds. Thomas is fast asleep, while Stephen is still tossing and turning. He is trying to figure out what Mom and Dad are doing (on the computer). He is just so excited about everything that is going on and everything around him...over-stimulation.

October 12

WE HAVE THE BOYS!!!!!!!!!!!!! We picked up both boys from their orphanages today and then headed off to Kiev. We were able to hire a driver with a 17 passenger seat mini bus to take us to Kiev. At first, we thought it was rather large for just us and Max, but after 6 hours on the road with two very active boys, we were grateful for the space. Thomas did great today. He didn't cry about riding in the car at all. He absolutely loves being around Stephen. When we left Stephen's orphanage we asked him if he wanted to take a picture with his best friend from the orphanage. Stephen replied, "Thomas is my best friend." It was so sweet!

Reality has set in regarding parenthood. As we got ready to leave the hotel, Melissa was changing Thomas's diaper - at the same time Stephen decided to crawl behind the T.V. to unplug it. As Melissa was throwing away the diaper, and Gabe was trying to get Stephen out from behind the T.V., Thomas grabbed the remote, dropped it on the floor, picked up the batteries and headed for the toliet (which he just discovered today). Luckily, Mom caught him just before he dropped the batteries in. That is pretty much how the rest of our day went. It is midnight, Mom and Dad are exhausted and it is only the first day! But, the boys are tucked safely in bed and we could not be more happy to be Mom and Dad.

Tomorrow, we head off to get their physicals and then to the embassy to get their visas. If all goes well tomorrow, the only thing left to do will be to board the plane to come home.

October 11
90 miles an hour!!! That sums up our day. We left early this morning, and haven't stopped yet. We have gone to the notary (attorney), birth certificate legalization office (twice), to a town an hour away (to get the boys new birth certificates), to the passport agencies, plus a million stops in-between (to get things from one place to take to the next place). We had to get one paper from one place, to take to a different place, so that they can see the first paper, and then give us another paper, which we finally take back to the place we started at...it's almost too difficult to explain.

However, we are almost finished. We go in the morning to pick up their Ukrainian passports, and then go to each orphanage to sign an application to take the boys forever. We are hoping to leave for Kiev sometime on Wednesday, but we do not have transportation as of yet. Our plan is to take the boys early Thursday morning to have their medical exams done, and then to our appointment with the American Embassy at 10am to get their Visas. If all goes well, we should have all of the documentation to bring them home (to America) sometime on Thursday afternoon. We are hoping that this works out, because the U.S. Embassy does not make appointments on Friday. If that happens, then we will have to wait until Monday to go to the Embassy - which should be fine, but at this point we are not wanting to take any chances. We would love to have everything done by the end of Thursday, so that we don't have to stress or worry about anything over the weekend.

October 10

Tomorrow we begin the final paperwork! We have to pick up the court decree (that says we are the parents), get the boys new birth certificates, and their passports. This sounds easy, but we have to go to a town near their birth place to pick up the birth certificates (about an hour away). We then go through 3 different offices to get passports for the boys. Please pray that all of the paperwork goes through quickly and smoothly.

We lost our minds today and bought the boys little kid, fake cell phones. We have no idea what possessed us to do that, but they loved them! The phones speak in Ukrainian when you push certain buttons, and it was so funny to hear Stephen answer back. He had a whole conversation going with the phone voice (we wish we knew what he was telling her). We had to carry Thomas around the whole visit because he couldn't walk and push the buttons at the same time. We are going to have to "loose" the batteries before the plane ride home!

One of the main places to go shopping in Sumy is at an open air market (kind of like Ukraine's version of Wal-Mart). They sell everything from bath soap to live fish, and clothes to live kittens. You name it, they probably have it. Gabe and I went to pick up a few things for the boys and ran into five different people we have met around town (at restaurants, our hotel, the internet cafe, etc). You know we have been here way too long, when we know 5 people, who we can't really talk to, at a strange market on the other side of the world. It is time to go home!

October 9

We had very sweet visits with both boys today. We are just so ready to take them with us forever! Stephen is already picking up many words in English. He will repeat everything we say. He talks about America every day. The last time we took him out, we ran by our hotel to pick something up, and when we arrived Stephen asked, "Is this America?" We can't even imagine what must be going through his mind. He has no idea how his life is about to change!

Thomas continues to do well. We thought he wanted to go back to his group toward the end of our visit, but instead of going to his room, he wanted to explore the rest of the orphanage. The rest of the orphanage is pretty much unknown to him because the kids stay in their section at all times. He is getting a little more brave each day.

October 8

The countdown is on...10 days until we get home (hopefully). Our waiting period will be up on Tuesday, so we will probably get the boys either on Wednesday or Thursday. We will be running around getting paperwork done on those two days, so we won't take them from the orphanage until after that is done. We are getting very excited!

We had a good visit with Stephen today. We have discovered over the last few days, that he has no fear of heights. He will be on the top of the playground equipment before we know it. It makes Mama very nervous, but he loves it.

We had another great visit with Thomas. He actually seemed genuinely happy today. All of our previous visits he would laugh and play, but today he laughed, smiled, babbled, bounced, and sang throughout the entire visit. It was wonderful to see him so happy.

October 7

We had a major breakthrough with Thomas today...he actually cried when we left. It only took 23 consecutive visits for him to decide mom and dad aren't so bad after all. We had a great visit with him. We read a baby Bible today where all of the little pictures are attached with Velcro. He had a great time pulling them off and putting them back on. At the end we sang "Jesus Loves Me" and Thomas starting singing along - or, we should say crooned! He was swaying his head and making this terrible singing noise. It was so funny we couldn't even finish the song.

Every Friday we bring Stephen ice cream. Today, he wanted to play before he finished it all and so we just threw it away...big mistake! He bawled because we trashed his ice cream. Luckily, he got over it and we still had a good visit. So, today we went 2 for 2 on making our boys cry. Although, we are sure it won't be the last time.

October 6

The weather has turned cold today and we are not prepared. We had no idea we would be here for so long, so today we went in search of warmer clothing. We had a good visit with Stephen, even though we had to go inside to warm up about half way through. We played in the "gym" at the orphanage. Obviously he is not used to playing in it by himself, so he was very excited about having the "gym" all to himself. He went a little nuts pulling everything out and playing with it. Fortunately, he is very good about putting everything back.

Thomas was in a different mood today than we had ever seen him in. He was stubborn! He is obviously getting a little more comfortable with mom and dad, and decided to break all the rules today. We had to play inside today, so he tried to stand on the tables, climb on the beds, and get away with not putting up his toys. We still had a great time playing with our little boy.

October 5

The wedding is on...for October 22, we think. Gabe's sister and her soon-to-be husband have decided to postpone the wedding for one week, so that we could all be there. They are in the process of changing all of the reservations, contacting family & the wedding party, and moving the honeymoon. So far, everything has been able to be changed...except for one reservation (the tent for outside), but they should be able to find another tent. We are thankful that they are willing to move everything so that we can be a part of the ceremony. We have moved our plane tickets to October 18. So, please continue to pray that all of the remaining paperwork and logistics will go as planned.

Our visits with the boys were both great again today. Melissa taught Stephen to wink, which is his new favorite thing to do. When we arrived, he came running up to us with his McDonald's toy (from the day before) in hand. We know that he is probably driving his caretakers crazy, since it makes noise. Thomas is still growing. His face and his belly are continuing to fill out. He is starting to get a Papaw belly (like Gabe's Grandfather). It's really kind of cute. Both of our boys are already such a joy to our lives.

In the midst of all of the chaos in Ukraine, and all that comes along with international adoption, God has remained constant. We have felt His hand leading us through the good times and difficult times. Although nothing has really gone as planned, we know that it has always been His will for us to adopt our little boys. He has taught us that, while the journey may not be easy, He will always be there to guide us through and give us strength to finish strong.

October 4

Today we found out a little of what living with a 4 year old will be like. We were able to take Stephen out of the orphanage for the majority of the day. Our first stop was to a children's park. Stephen rode on a little boat with Papa, drove his first car (a miniature child's car), and jumped on an inflatable. He had a terrific time. We then took him to McDonald's for lunch. He hated the food! Stephen actually gagged over the taste of a chicken nugget. He did enjoy the playground though. After that, we tried to take him back to the hotel for nap. That was a joke. He was into everything! He had to touch, try out, and open everything in the room. We spent an hour and a half trying to keep him from putting his fingers in the electrical sockets, locking himself in the bathroom, and turning the lights on and off at least 100 times. We decided his energy would be better spent at the playground. Next, we took him to see Thomas at his orphanage. Stephen was so sweet. He took Thomas's hand and talked to him about our dog Cooper. The boys played together a little, but then mom and dad had to tag team because one boy went one direction, and the other in the complete opposite. Stephen was exhausted by the time we took him back to the orphanage - so were we! It was a terrific day though.

At dinner tonight, we decided to eat at our internet cafe. We have eaten there several times before with our translator Max. Tonight we decided to try out our Ukrainian and order on our own. It was a big mistake, because we ordered four plates of french fries! We were trying to order four pieces of bread. When we realized the mistake we all had a good laugh. We can't wait to get home and order our food in English.

October 3

We found out today at 4:00 pm that we have been given the 10 day waiting period instead of the 30 day waiting period. We are both very relieved. From what we could determine the judge was planning on giving us the 30 day waiting period, but Max had both orphanages and the inspector (like a social worker) write letters on our behalf to encourage the judge to give us 10 days. We have already started to make flight arrangements home. After getting the boys birth certificates, passports, visas, and physicals the absolute earliest we could fly out would be October 14. This is the day before Gabe's sister's wedding. Unfortunately, there are absolutely no flights available that day. We are extremely disappointed. It looks like we may be coming home around October 18, but that is still not for sure. We should know more in the coming days.

On a more positive note, we had the best visit we've ever had with Thomas. We took him just outside the orphanage to the park again. We found out that the park is actually part of one of the Universities in Sumy. It is very beautiful with flowers gardens and walking paths throughout. Thomas did not even fuss and was a brave, little explorer today. Mama and Papa were so happy and excited!

Stephen was so much fun (as always). He loves to laugh and play. He tried to teach us a song in Ukrainian today. He thought it was hilarious when we tried to sing along. Stephen says, "Mama y Papa silly." What a blessing both of our boys are going to be in our lives!

October 2

Today has been a beautiful, warm fall day. We have had amazing weather since we have been here. We are so thankful for the weather because we have been able to spend almost all of our time outside with the boys.

This morning we went to visit Thomas and one of his caregivers suggested we take him to the park right outside of the orphanage. Of course, Thomas did not care for that idea too much because he prefers to stay close to his group. Mama and Papa decided to let him cry it out in our arms instead of taking him back. After a few minutes, Thomas fell asleep in Mama's arms and took a nice long nap. He woke up much more content. We are hoping we made a small stride today in order to prepare him for the day he leaves the orphanage for good (hopefully that will be sooner than later).

We had a great visit with Stephen. We discovered he loves cats, which is good because we have two at home. He is definitely ready to go and explore the world with Mama and Papa at his side.

October 1

Wow...that was weird typing in "October." We never dreamed that we would still be in Ukraine in October. We found out, today, that the judge has decided to meet with the court of appeals on Monday, to decide on our waiting period. Please continue to remember that in your prayers. We appreciate all of you who have been keeping up with our journey, and for continuing to lift us up in prayer.

This morning we went to see Stephen. He was very happy to see us (what kid wouldn't be happy to see the people who took him to McDonald's the day before). While he was eating his snack, we showed Stephen pictures of our family. He is slowly starting to learn all of his "grandmas, grandpas, aunt, uncle, and animals." The first name he learned was his puppy - Cooper. At the end of our visit, we told him - "Doe Zaftra" (til tomorrow). Usually, he says it back and then goes off to play with the rest of his group, but today he kept saying - "Niet Doe Zaftra" (no til tomorrow). When Gabe tried to put him down, Stephen clung to him and kept saying "no til tomorrow." When we finally put him down, he started crying and didn't want us to leave. It was very sad, but it was also a good sign. It was the first time that he really didn't want us to leave. Stephen is definitely starting to bond with his forever Mom and Dad.

We went to visit with Thomas this afternoon. We have mentioned before that the boys are like night and day, and the same is true when it comes to bonding. Thomas is still moving slowly towards completely bonding with us. He loves seeing us walk in the door, and going out to eat his snack and play with us. But, when it's time for him to go back to his group, Thomas is ready and happy to do so. It is a little bit difficult for us to experience that, but we know that he will bond with us over time.

September 30

Well, it's official...sort-of. The boys are ours...kind-of. We are coming home...someday. Confused???...so are we!!!

We found out at 8:35 this morning that the city council had elected jurors and we were going to have court (which was supposed to start at 9:00). After getting representatives from both orphanages, other adoption officials, Max, Gabe, Melissa, and Stephen all to the court house, we finally had court. The judge said that Stephen would have to come to court to give his "say" in the process, but after the judge saw Stephen he said he was too young. Luckily, court did not last too long, because the only thing Mama had to entertain Stephen was her purse. So, during the court proceeding he pulled everything out of Melissa's purse, and even tried to put on her lipstick. We were all a little distracted by his antics, but he behaved very well for a four year old. Stephen even tried to "pay off" the judge at the end by giving him items from Melissa's purse. The judge did rule in our favor, so for all legal purposes the boys are officially ours. Even though the boys are ours, we cannot take them from the orphanage. The judge told Max to come back at 1:00 to get the court decree, which would tell us about our waiting period. Then, when Max went at 1:00 the judge told him to come back at 3:00. When Max went back at 3:00, the judge told Max that he had to meet with the court of appeals tonight before he could rule on any waiting periods. The reason the judge has not made a decision is because he is unsure about how to interpret the new laws that have recently gone into effect. So, that leaves us waiting until Monday to see how long we are going to have to wait to come home. We are of course excited that the boys are ours, but we are also very frustrated with how slowly things are moving. Please pray for us, that we will have patience and understanding during this time.

Stephen did such a great job in court that we took him on his first ever trip to McDonalds for an ice cream cone. Of course, he loved it! The play ground is similar to the ones in the United States, and he had so much fun climbing in all the tunnels and sliding down the curvy slide. It was neat for Mom and Dad to be able to experience that with him.

We also had a terrific visit with Thomas today. He looks so much healthier than when we first saw him. He is even getting a little pot-belly...must be all those "nanas" we are feeding him.

September 29

We had good visits with both of the boys today. After yesterday, we were all relieved to have a normal visit!

The city council was supposed to nominate jurors for our court case yesterday, but no one (including the judge) seems to know the outcome of their meeting. So, we are not sure if we have court tomorrow or not. Max has tried to get in contact with different individuals to find out more information, but at this point has been unsuccessful. We are going to start calling again in the morning. Everything is up in the air (again). Please keep us in your prayers and we will let you know as soon as we can.

September 28

Wow - what a day! First, we took Thomas to get his passport picture made. Although that sounds easy, it was quite an ordeal. He has not been in a car since he has been at the orphanage, so he did not understand what was happening. He was terrified and wailed for about 5 minutes. After he finally settled down, we went into the photo shop and the wailing started again. Melissa had to hold him during his picture, because he would not let us put him down. Of course, Melissa could not be in the background of the picture, so they had to drape a blanket over her head during the photo session. Melissa didn't know whether to laugh at the awkwardness of the situation, or cry because Thomas was so upset. It was a very long morning. By the time we returned to the orphanage Thomas had settled down, and he was very glad to be back.

This afternoon, we picked up Stephen and took him to get his picture taken. He was a little scared of the car at first also, but after that he began to assail Max with questions about...how does he drive in the dark?, why does he have a light in his car?, what is that huge thing? (it was a bus), and on and on. He did great getting his picture taken - he loves the attention. We then took him to meet his brother. It was a touching moment. Gabe and I both had tears in our eyes. Stephen leaned over to give Thomas a hug, and Thomas gave him a kiss. They were very sweet to each other for about 30 seconds, and then they wanted down to go and play (typical boys). Basically, the rest of the visit was spent with Gabe chasing Stephen and Melissa chasing Thomas around.

September 27

Today marks our one month anniversary (in Ukraine). We are considering applying for citizenship. No, seriously, we are ready to get the boys and get home.

Melissa is feeling much better, and was able to go visit both of the boys. We had good visits with each of the boys. However, Thomas did throw his first temper-tantrum today. His shoe came off while we were playing, and when Melissa tried to put it back on, he let us know that he wasn't happy about having to put his shoe back on. It was kind of funny to watch. At least we know that he's a typical kid. Our visit with Stephen was a normal visit. We ate, played, swung, and laughed.

Part of the adoption expense is to make a donation to each orphanage that you adopt a child from. As part of their donation, Thomas's orphanage wanted us to buy them 800 kilos of onions for the winter months. Can you imagine feeding children that many onions? We thought it was a strange request, but if it is what they need, then we are happy to help.

Note: The new video is on the website. The first video has been downloaded over 1,200 times. Thank you so much to all of you who have been following our journey. When you go to watch the video, simply right-click on the link, then click "Save Target As". This will allow you to save the video to your computer, so you can access it again without having to re-download it.

September 26

Good day...bad day. Today was a bad day, because Melissa is still sick and did not get to go see the boys. We have decided to wait to get the boys together when she is feeling better (hopefully on Wednesday). Please continue to pray for Melissa...we think that she has a stomach virus. We have medication that we brought with us. Also, our facilitator's wife fixed Melissa some soup and tea that is supposed to help.

Today was a good day, because Gabe and Thomas had a great visit (just the two of us). Thomas came straight to Gabe, and didn't fuss or get scared the entire visit. Actually, Thomas had a great time. They ate, tickled, laughed, played hide 'n' seek, and took a walk. Near the end of the visit, Thomas even put his arms up for Papa to hold him.

Stephen and Papa had a good visit, too. Stephen's usual snack (from Mama and Papa) is a banana, yogurt, and juice...which he devoured in about 2 minutes. Stephen found a pen and some markers in Papa's bag, and drew on some blank paper. They spent the last 30 minutes sitting and talking to a Babushka (name for "older lady" or "grandmother")...well, Stephen and the Babushka talked. Gabe just sat, smiled, and nodded every now and then. Stephen is so verbal. He loves to communicate with anyone that he meets.

Note: Another video should be up on the site very soon.

September 25

Melissa was feeling under the weather this morning, so Gabe went to see Stephen by himself. Papa & Stephen had a great visit just being "boys." They played with sticks, and acted like they were chopping down a tree. Papa also taught him how to use a stapler that he found in Papa's bag (when Mama's away, the boys will play).

This afternoon, Melissa was feeling a little better, so we both went to visit Thomas. He is continuing to warm up to Gabe. When we first arrived, Gabe went in to get him. Thomas came straight to him. Gabe even got to carry him around for a long time today. He, also, loved playing with the chestnuts - especially the ones that haven't come out of their shells yet. He wanted Mama and Papa to open them, so that he could get the nuts out.

Tomorrow, we are going to try to get the boys together. We hope that they will enjoy each other. Please pray for this visit, because this will start the bonding process for the boys, and for us as a whole family. Also, pray that Melissa will be feeling better. It's always difficult being sick when you are away from home.

September 24

When we arrived at Stephen's orphanage today, all the kids were outside playing. They all recognize who we are, and as soon as they saw us they all started yelling for Stephen. If was so funny because the whole playground was yelling about our arrival. Stephen was so excited and ran all the way across the yard and into Papa's arms. Stephen's new favorite past time (besides swinging) is being tossed into the air by Papa and then getting zerberts (blowing air on his belly) from both of us.

Thomas has discovered the fun of a sand box since we brought him some sand toys. We are sure that when the orphanage workers take his clothes off at night, they think that we let him roll around in it (which is partially true). He gets more sand on him and in his clothes, than in his bucket and dump truck. He has already changed so much since those first few days. It has been so amazing to see him "come alive."

September 23

We decided to take the buses around Sumy again today. On our way to see Thomas this afternoon, we got onto a bus that was packed full of people. We ended up having to stand up, which is not as easy as it sounds, because the space inside (from floor to ceiling) is only about 4 feet. So, you end up having to put your head right next to the person sitting in a seat right next to where you are standing. We both thought, "there's no way that anybody else could fit", but were we wrong. As we came to the next stop, a lady wedged her way just inside the door - squished between Gabe and the sliding door. We tried to keep from laughing out loud (there is no such thing as "personal space" to Ukrainians). There were a total of 18 of us smashed inside a bus that should hold 11. We laughed the whole way to the orphanage.

Both of the boys were great again today. We had promised Stephen that we would bring him ice cream today. He absolutely loves ice cream. It's one of the few English words that he already knows. It looks like ice cream is becoming a "Friday tradition."

Thomas's eye was a little better today. It wasn't quite as swollen, so he could see just a little bit out of it. We think that they gave him something like baby Benadryl, because he was so funny. He just jabbered away at times, and his balance seemed a little off. He seems to be feeling just fine, though.

September 22

Today, we learned how to navigate the public transportation service in Sumy. Our taxi did not show up this morning, so we took the buses to the orphanage and back home again. Max rode with us to practice a few days ago, but this was the first time by ourselves. We practiced saying, "Hasta navetia, puh-zsyalsta," several times before we got on the buses. Although we don't know the exact translation, that is what you say when you want the bus to stop. We are proud to say we made it to the orphanage this morning!

We have also received our court date - September 30th. We are pleased because we had heard that couples in other regions have had to wait 30 days before even going to court. Please, please pray that both the 10 day and the 30 day waiting periods will be waived (we would not receive both, but there is a possibility we will receive one or the other). We really want the whole family to make it home for Ami's wedding (Gabe's sister) on October 15th.

When we went to visit Thomas this morning, we found out that he has either a mosquito bite or a bee sting on his eyelid. His poor eye was completely swollen shut. It looks terrible. He does not seem to be in any pain, but he can only see out of one eye. Despite his swollen eye, we still had a good visit.

Stephen was very loving today and wanted lots of hugs and kisses. Max asked him if he wanted us to be his forever mommy and daddy and he said, "yes." He then promptly said, "Hey Max, did you know that when trees get dried out, they cut them down?" Only in the mind of a four year old are those two issues connected.

September 21

Our facilitator, Max, ended up going to Kiev at the last minute and so we were unable to get the boys together today. We will try and get them together next week. We look forward to it.

We have learned a lot about Stephen since we have been taking him to the little park right outside the orphanage. Mostly, we have learned that he has no boundaries when it comes to strangers. The older women in Ukraine are called Babushkas (for grandmother). Stephen loves the Babushkas - he even went up to one and sat in her lap yesterday. All of the other young women at the park he calls "Mama." This is so confusing to them, since I am right there chasing him around. Unfortunately, due to the language barrier I can not explain to them that all of the orphanage workers are called "Mama." So, basically every young woman that Stephen meets is "Mama." We are praying he will quickly learn that we are his true and forever Mama and Papa. This is just one step on our road to bonding.

Thomas continues to come out of his shell a little each day. We treasure each little laugh and smile. He loves dogs, bananas, and books. We are so blessed with both of our sons. Thank you Lord Jesus for these precious gifts!

September 20

Okay, so we are getting antsy waiting around for our court date. We are a little frustrated that everything is taking so long. We know that all of this is in God's hands, but our human minds and hearts are longing for home. We are thankful that we are having this time to bond with the boys, but it is still a little difficult. Hopefully we will hear something soon regarding the appointing of jurors for our court case.

Our visits with the boys were wonderful. Thomas is continuing to bond with Gabe. We have started calling him, "our little monkey" because he loves bananas so much and looks like a monkey when he eats them. Stephen asked his care-taker today if we could take him to a little park, just outside the gates of the orphanage. He had a blast playing on what little playground equipment there was. He let us swing him for over 20 minutes. We wondered if he had ever been on a swing before.

Tomorrow we are taking Stephen over to Thomas's orphanage so they can play together. Stephen does not remember Thomas, so it will be interesting to see how the visit goes. We will really get to see, for the first time, what we have gotten ourselves into with two children. We are so excited about having the "soon-to-be" Ross boys together for the first time. Please pray that the boys will bond with each other, and for mom and dad as we play "man-to-man defense".

September 19

Thank you for your prayers - God has heard and answered. Papa (Gabe) and Thomas had a much better day today!!! He actually sat in Gabe's lap, let him carry him around, and even laughed when Gabe played peek-a-boo. Thomas is such a delight to his Mama and Papa! We did get in a little trouble with the orphanage workers for feeding him too much yesterday. They said he did not eat his dinner last night. Whoops - the first of many mistakes we are sure to make. It is so hard to tell how much to give him, because he devours everything we put in his mouth. I think it will be easier to monitor once we get him home.

Stephen was feeling very independent today and kept leaving us behind to go explore on his own. Obviously due to the language barrier, it can be difficult to tell what he is thinking. His favorite new words are, "Again please, Papa." He uses this phrase over and over to get Gabe to throw him in the air.

September 18
Today was another good day with Stephen. We started our visit inside - eating some raisins and coloring in his coloring book. He is such a neat boy. Every time he gets something out to play with, he puts it all back up. Later, we went outside. It was nice because the three of us were the only ones outside at the orphanage. We were able to go all over the place - to walk and play. Stephen is continuing to pick up some English. When he is through eating or drinking whatever we bring him, he will say "all gone." He also does well counting 1-2-3. Gabe threw him up in the air about 20 times in a row, and Melissa gave him a horseback ride (on her back). We also started to teach him "Jesus Loves Me" (the song). Today was the first time that we sang it to him. He sat there quietly while we sang it. When it was time to go, Stephen was sad to leave us.

Today was a great day for Mom and Thomas. Thomas would run around the room, and Melissa would chase him. When Melissa would catch him, Thomas would just fall to the ground and start laughing. He has already bonded well with Melissa. He is still very unsure of Gabe. Thomas will take food from Gabe, and allow Gabe to feed him - but he will not get in Gabe's lap to be fed. He will let Gabe read a book with him, but he will not get in Gabe's lap to read it. Thomas and Gabe did play with dinosaurs, a dump truck, and chestnuts (that have fallen from the trees) for awhile.

Please be in prayer for me (Gabe). It is very difficult for me to sit there and so desperately want to hold Thomas, and to love on him - only to have him not want to be in my arms or lap. He is just not ready for that yet. He is taking baby steps toward bonding, but is still very unsure. It makes me realize a little of how God must feel. Sometimes we come to God and take things from Him (like Thomas does with me when he eats the food I give him), but we will not get in His lap and rest in His arms. We run to God and take what we need (or want), and then run away to do our own thing - only to come back later for what we need (or want), and then run away again. God so desperately wants for us to come to Him and rest in Him - not for us to come to Him for only what we need. As much as I want to wrap my arms around Thomas and love on him, God wants even more to do the same to us. But, for some reason, a lot of times we don't allow Him to do that. Thomas is missing out on "all" of my love, because he won't let me give it to Him. How much of God's love are we missing out on - because we're either too selfish, too unsure, or too scared. Wow, it's hard having all of this love inside - desiring to give it away - only to have it partially rejected. How much more love our God desires to give to us!!! Don't miss out of His love. Spend some time just resting in His arms. He so much desires that. Give it to Him, and see how much love He has for you!

September 17

Once again we had great visits with our boys. We are so ready to take them home. It is getting more difficult everyday to leave them there. Thomas really opened up today. We played on the playground, ate puffed cereal (which he inhales), and read books.

We are attempting to teach Stephen manners. It is a little difficult considering he has no idea what we are saying. The orphanage mentality is that if it is on the ground, it is yours. We are trying to get him to ask before taking, and saying please and thank you. He is doing really well with thank you - we will keep working on the others.