WE HAVE INTERNET!!! :)

Ok..  Where do I even start?  The service person just left our apartment… so internet is up and running.. she explained to us (through the interpreter over the phone) that we could experience problems though.. it (like everything else that should be simple) was a WILD ride.. hence the serviceman doesn't speak English…  and our computer is in English!   Proves for FUN TIMES all around.. and me with a HUGE lump in my throat (about to burst into tears) at the prospect of actually being able to communicate with my girls…   have I mentioned yet that it's been 7 days since we left them??     And we've yet to SKYPE.. I think I've done REALLY well with being patient… 

We miss them SO SO SO much!

This has been an adventure..   I don't even really know where to start in an update…

We arrived in Pavlodar @ 8:25 am on Saturday..  we then had Sat. and Sun. to relax, sleep and get adjusted…  Monday morning @ about 11 am.. we went to the lawyers office (Svetlana is her name.)   We had been told that we would then go to the MOE (ministry of education) office.  Svetlana talked with us about our paperwork and discussed various ?'s we would be asked at the MOE office.   She was/is VERY kind and easy to talk to … she made us both feel SO much better.    She informed us that she was VERY sorry, but last Friday (while we were traveling) she found out the the lady at the MOE office that we need to see had an emergency and was in another town until Wed.   We would not be able to meet with her until Wed…   We left her office… and came back to apartment.  (Phil threw- up after coming back.. that's how NERVOUS he was!)     We spent the rest of Monday and Tues. exploring and figuring things our here.   Wed. at noon we received a call that they would pick us up to go to Svetlana's office @ 1 pm..  We dressed up again and headed to her office.  We picked her up and headed to the MOE office.  The office was/is very small.   NOTHING like we expected or dreamed up in our minds for years.  Ha ha..  (btw, nothing has been as we imagined!) 

The lady said she had looked over our info. For MONTHS.. since she's had it on her desk so long.. (I wanted to say…  NO JOKE!).. but, we smiled and she proceeded to say we were a very lucky couple.. and that we had a nice life.. and a very nice family.   We said thank you.. and she then turned to pictures of the girls in the files she had and started looking at the girls.  She asked LOTS of ?'s about the girls..  and was so complimentary of them.   I admitted how much I missed them and we both thanked her so much for being so complimentary of them… and of course Daddy LOVES to brag about his girls!   Our lawyer then told the woman (jokingly) that Phil wanted a "sure deal" for a son.. so we'd decided to adopt!  Everyone LAUGHED.. and I quickly added that we realized how many children there are without homes/families.. and we felt we could provide a loving home/family to a child who otherwise might not have one.   She smiled and was very kind.   That was the only ?'s she asked us.. even Svetlana and the translator (Lena) were saying after how surprised they were that we weren't asked more ?'s.. we all laughed and they said our girls are our such an asset!   WE AGREED!  (Did I mention how much we miss them already?!  J)

She then told us about 4 different boys who were/are available at Kiecheary (sp).  Kiecheary is a village/orphanage about 1 hour and 10 min. away from Pavlodar.  (Trumans and Pampells.. we immediately thought of you and your sweet babies! J )    3 of the children were above the age we are approved for.. but, they asked us to see those children as well.   We agreed to visited Kiecheary to meet these children.    They said there is a man who has to sign off on our paper (the permission to visit orphanage).   If this man signs it by the end of the day on Wed.. we'll leave for orph. The next morning at 8:30.. if not.. we'll leave around 1.. or go to Kiecheary on Friday.   Paper was signed around noon on Thursday and we left for Kiecheary @ 1:30 pm.   The drive to the orphanage was interesting.  We'd been warned by Truman's of the BUMPY drive, but had NO idea what we were in for.   It was the roughest road I've ever seen..   it was AMAZING!   We saw LOTS of countryside (which I really wanted to see) and a village…   Life is def. different there even than here in the city (Pavlodar).     When arriving at the orphanage we went into the director's office.  He as a nice man (LOTS younger than we expected).   We waited on Svetlana, the lady from the local MOE office, and the orphanage Dr.  They all joined us and they also looked at our pics of the girls and our family.   Cody, Rylan, and Tristan… you were a HIT as well..  they said that it looks like our new 'boy' has some cousins 'waiting' for fun play times!! J 

We agreed…  about made me cry…  you know how much I love my nephews! J

(but, keep in mind that almost anything at that point made me cry… WE WERE AT AN ORPHANGE IN KAZ ABOUT TO MEET KIDS!!!!!!)

We were honest with the staff of our nervousness.. and they were all SO SO SO kind.   They shared DETAILS from 2 boys files.   One was older (age 6), and one age 4 ½.    We visited with the 6 year old for about 2 min.  He was sick and in the Dr.'s room.. so we met him there.    We then went outside to meet the 4 ½ year old.  His groupa was outside at playtime.   As we walked out the doors of the orphanage.. the kids all stopped playing and started pointing and smiling… some even started saying.. Mama, Papa and pointing at us.    (Oh.. I forgot to tell you that the Dr. told us that the 4 ½ year old told her that morning that he just KNEW the next Mama and Papa that came to see them… would be his new family!... YEAH… jerk your heart RIGHT OUT!) 

The translator (Lena) said that the kids know that when she comes…  she brings Mamas and Papas to get kids… and they will ask her.. "Lena, when you bring my Mama and Papa?  When Lena when? "   She said it's awful.. and so sad.  The kids were so excited to show off for us.. they were SO SO SO small.   They looked about 2-3 years old..  (they were 4 and 5).. they quickly pointed out N (the little boy we were meeting)… he quickly RAN to us and threw his arms around my knees… he was a doll.   He had a little girl who is his best buddy… she along with about 5 other kids.. came for hugs too!  It was so so so precious and heartbreaking… these kids were just BEGGING to be loved… choking back tears.. I just moved to the end of a green slide and asked if that was ok.. I motioned for the kids to slide… as they came down the slide.. I hugged EVERYONE who wanted a hug… J    I wish I could have stayed there hugging and loving those kids for days….  N was right in the hugging line.. he was STARVED for attention.   I asked if we could see him without his hat and all bundled up.. they said sure.  We went back inside and waited until they came in.. we then got to go to their room upstairs.   The rooms were so small and old, but VERY clean.  They were in one large room where they were washing hands and then playing… they quickly started showing off for us again…  LOTS more hugs from all them…   N was right in the middle of it all.  He is VERY active.   The lawyer then informed us that we needed to go… so we start telling all the kids Paka.. and are turning to leave….  One little girl comes FLYING across the room to Phil… He bends down to hug her and she KISSES him on the cheek and hangs on SO tightly!   Tears… tears… tears…

Dear Lord…  we wish we could take everyone of those babies home.   There was also a little boy who gave me extra hugs as well…  HEARTBREAKING!

We then headed outside to bump back to Pavlodar.  It was beginning to get dark at this point.   Phil and I sat in the back seat of the van and just stared out the window…  We quietly discussed things regarding the boys we'd met and N in particular and neither felt he was our son.  Saying No is by far the hardest thing we've ever done….  We know he could be medical care in the states and change his life forever.  He was so sweet… but, we didn't feel a connection.. not the connection that we knew we'd feel when meeting our son.  We told Svetlana how we were feeling on the drive back..  She was/is VERY supportive and continues to encourage us to be patient and that selecting the child is BY FAR the toughest part.   She says to not 'settle' and to be patient.. and that we will find "our son"…  She said she would go back to MOE lady first thing Friday morn (thur. night for OK folks)… and we'd receive a phone call around 1 pm on Friday..  telling us more info.

We received phone call.. and they are still looking for available children/child here at babyhouse in Pavlodar for us to meet.     They said to not go out.. and stay by phone in apartment, because we could go to babyhouse quickly.    It's 3:40 in the afternoon.. and we're still waiting.  

We called the translator and had her to have a pizza delivered.   She misunderstood our order and ordered pizza with white sauce (mayo type stuff)…  for those who know Phil.. you'll understand his disappointment… however, he's so hungry he ate some of it.. LOL!  

The internet got fixed around noon… so this has proven to be a nice distraction for me..   However, it's hard not to think that it's Friday here… and the weekend is looming ahead…. And that there's a chance we won't be able to go to babyhouse until next week….  L  oh my…   we've been here a week.. and still not met our son.   We are staying upbeat and positive… but, it's hard to not be disappointed.   We had hoped that we'd experienced all the delays already.. but, 'knew' it wasn't true.      We do know that God has a plan… and we know that we now have N and an entire group of kids who we will be covering in prayers forever.  

OH… and if we feel differently and change our mind.. we can always start the bonding process with N at any point…  

Yesterday morning while reading early.. as the sun was coming up… I read Psalms 10:17.. I know now it was the Lord preparing me for yesterday's events.. and reminding me that he does hear the cry of those children… he hears their hearts..

"You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed…" 

Thanks Lord for reminding me….  PLEASE keep praying for us.  Check back… I'll be posting LOTS know that we are online in the apartment.  

Paka for now from Kazakhstan ~

Lanetta

I am going to go ahead to email this to the blog… and then I will send some pics later.. J   so check back…

Oh.. and if you feel so inclined.. PLEASE comment… we are thriving on the comments and responses from all of you! J    All our love… Phil and Lanetta J

 oh.. and someone PLEASE comment and tell me if the color of this font it better... :)  thanks so so much!