We Finally Have A Passport!

The way the day was going, I thought I would be reporting tonight that we were unable to get a passport. It was not until 6:00pm that we finally received it. It was another long and frustrating day. You are not dealing with laws, as much as you are dealing with personalities and attitudes. We needed to resort to begging and pleading our case, and today it was Helen’s turn to cry. She was at the point where I don’t think she could take another day. Thankfully, the Lord heard our calls for help and we have finished the last obstacle! We stopped at the orphanage to see Daniel and told him that tomorrow we can finally pick him up. There are a few minor papers that we have to sign tomorrow at the orphanage and then we are free to leave Kherson. We will not be able to make any appt. over the weekend in Kiev, so we will be going to Crimia, where Helen is from (check map) for the weekend. She is so excited to go home, her husband’s birthday is on Sunday and she wanted so much to be there. We will be staying in an apartment near hers. She would like us to see a few sights as well as the Black Sea. Nate, I will hopefully be able to get you some sand! Our plans are to travel to Kiev on Sunday night; it is usually a 12 hour train ride and then we can make our appointments for the medical exam and the Embassy. I can not express in words how relieved we all feel. I know that some of my friends that have adopted said that you feel like a criminal. The one man we had to deal with today was convinced that we would be paid a monthly fee to adopt Daniel, like we were doing it to make profit. It has truly been an emotionally exhausting week. Most people do not have such problems after the court, but we were fought until the end. I did not doubt that we would finish, it was just a matter of when!

Tonight was our last night at the orphanage. We will have another chance tomorrow afternoon to see the kids. We have seen them every day for two weeks and have really come to love them. I feel bad that we can’t take them all, because I know that we would have room! We are looking forward to buying some new clothes for Daniel. He has one outfit that we’ve seen him wear every day since we’ve been here.

I can’t thank you all enough for your support during this whole process. For our dear family and friends who have graciously taken care of Nate and Rachel and gave them the love they needed while we were gone. For each and everyone who had commented on this Blog and sent personal emails, you have no idea how we looked forward to seeing the comments every morning when we awoke (because of the time difference). It really added to our trip to be able to communicate with you all at home. I cannot believe that 3 weeks have passed since we left. There were times when I thought that the calendar actually stopped. God has truly supplied our needs, as so much was beyond our control. We live by faith and not by sight. From that very first appointment at the NAC to our first meeting with Daniel Valera to our incredible blessing we have received by visiting all the children. We could never have imagined all that he had in store for us.

Love, Doug and Glenda

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9