Well, I wasn't Going to Post, But
I found in one of our comments another family is pursuing adoption from the orphanage Anya and Artium are at, and the fact that their timeline is so similar to ours it is, well pretty interesting. I just read on their blog of another family that hosted two children that found out another family in Ukraine adopted the children. We can relate. Nellie and I and ECAS (they are wonderful) pushed every sane boundary known to man, and the USCIS, via prayer from many, got us a very quick turnaround. We then got our dossier in by breakneck speed....why? Because Anya and Artium have been open for adoption in Ukraine all this time.
I do think Anya and Artium are coming home, though, regardless. The photo's I've posted are but a sample of the kind of fun Anya had here. She meshed with us...she also drove us nuts, but the odd thing was, even in that, I found her endearing. She has moments I was totally unprepared for. Well, good books I've read since have taught me not to have supreme confidence in my biological parenting skills. To think raising 5 kids makes me "good" at it really is pretty arrogant. I think prayer and our all powerful Lord had much more to do with it all.
I recommend two books. Adopting the Hurt Child and Parenting the Hurt Child. Nellie read one, I read the other, and our cliff notes taught us both books cover much of the same ground. The books have set my expectations appropriately. I expect to provide love to two children who have been terribly hurt, and encounter hurdles I've never faced before. But what an honor!!! Thank you God.
I'm so very grateful for other adoptive families who have already provided great advice, like the Haak's and the Meyers. I know I'll need other adoptive families to help with discouragement, and provide insight into what I can do better.
I'm worried about burdening our adoptive family friends who go before us with requests...they have so much to do in such a little time. But I will ask them, when they see Anya and Artium, to pull them aside quietly, and assure them Papa and Mama are surely coming to get them. We tell Anya this every Saturday when we call her.
We truly rejoice for the Ritzmans, who go this weekend. Praise God. What a miracle this all is.
I do think Anya and Artium are coming home, though, regardless. The photo's I've posted are but a sample of the kind of fun Anya had here. She meshed with us...she also drove us nuts, but the odd thing was, even in that, I found her endearing. She has moments I was totally unprepared for. Well, good books I've read since have taught me not to have supreme confidence in my biological parenting skills. To think raising 5 kids makes me "good" at it really is pretty arrogant. I think prayer and our all powerful Lord had much more to do with it all.
I recommend two books. Adopting the Hurt Child and Parenting the Hurt Child. Nellie read one, I read the other, and our cliff notes taught us both books cover much of the same ground. The books have set my expectations appropriately. I expect to provide love to two children who have been terribly hurt, and encounter hurdles I've never faced before. But what an honor!!! Thank you God.
I'm so very grateful for other adoptive families who have already provided great advice, like the Haak's and the Meyers. I know I'll need other adoptive families to help with discouragement, and provide insight into what I can do better.
I'm worried about burdening our adoptive family friends who go before us with requests...they have so much to do in such a little time. But I will ask them, when they see Anya and Artium, to pull them aside quietly, and assure them Papa and Mama are surely coming to get them. We tell Anya this every Saturday when we call her.
We truly rejoice for the Ritzmans, who go this weekend. Praise God. What a miracle this all is.
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