Only 3 More Days!

Yesterday we didn't see boys because our driver had a wedding. We did laundry, played games and took a walk to the square and also a sroll through the park. Andrew found a playground and also met some new friends. One of the boys could speak english and invited Drew to play with them. It started to rain so we headed back, but not before we stopped to pick up items for dinner. At a little store on the main street we bought fresh veggies and fruits. Four zucchini, 8 cucumbers, 5 bananas, 1 liter of 100% nectarine juice, 6 tomatoes and 1 packet of seasoning all for under three dollars! We cooked up some penne pasta, fresh basil, fresh tomato, salami, olive oil and some seasoning and voila! this along with a cucumber salad and it was a delicious northwest dinner!! It tasted so delicious as you cannot buy anything in restaurants like this. Europeans go to the market everyday to buy fresh bread and a few items they need for dinner. I can understand as they don't bake like we do and so many here in Kharkiv live in apartment buildings up several floors without elevators. Couldn't really go to Costco and back up your car to the building and take 10 trips up and down. The boys seem more like mine everyday. Drew played hide and seek for hours with them outside. On Tuesday, September 8 after we get their new birth certificates and passport applications done, we will take them with us forever!!!!!! Viktor has been so happy as he plays and spends time with us. Peter seems to be bonding a bit more. I know that it is the prayers of so many people for us here in Ukraine that is making the difference in this amazing journey of adoption. I never would of thought 5 years ago that we would be doing this....amazing! Thank you, thank you everyone for your support and love. Can't wait to bring these precious boys home.

Blessings,

Lsna

Countdown to September 8!

We are just counting down the days until Tuesday Sept 8 when we'll get birth certificates, apply for passports and pick up the boys at the orphanage!!! They will stay with us for the first time on Tuesday evening and we'll stay for another week waiting for the passports to be processed. Please pray for an easy transition for all of us! Tonight we spent the evening at Lucy and Mike's(one of the missionary families) house for a small group time. How wonderful to sing God's word and be around all their cute kids! They also sang songs in Russian while we just observed. The windows were open so hopefully neighbors could hear the singing in their language! Peter is better. Some of the othere kids in the orphanage are sick now. I'm praying we all stay well. More trips to the snack shack for Drew as Viktor cheered him on! Tonight we borrowed Dominoes from Lucy and we will take that for us to play with the boys. Thanks for your comments! Especially hearing from Darla was exciting!! Can't wait to talk to you!!

Blessings love you all!!

Lana

Cold and Rainy....Again!

It sure doesn't feel like Wenatchee with the weather- it is cold and rainy still here in Ukraine. Just another day in the orphanage visiting with Viktor. Peter is still sick with fever and sore throat. No more texting for us. AT&T didn't put us on the international plan like I set up before we left, so our bill is way too much and Derek is working with them to get it all figured out!!

Tatiana told us today she is working like crazy to get us to Kiev by Sept 15 and we'll have to be there for 3 days before flying home. Tuesday Sept 8 we'll obtain the birth certificates and apply for passports and pick up the boys at the orphanage!!!!!! They will spend the night with us for the first time! Derek and I thought about sending Savannah and Drew home on Sept 10, our original return date, but Derek really didn't feel comfortable doing it. So, they will remain here with me and continue to be my support.(Plus I love being with my kids) I have 2 full sets of clothes for the boys and one pair of shoes for each of them. The clothes in small shops and markets are of low quality so I didn't want to spend too much money on them but I will have to buy more as we will be here in Kharkiv for one week and a few days in Kiev. They won't be taking anything with them from orphanage, they don't own anything. We will have to bring clothes with us on Tuesday to pick them up. Some orphanages have going away parties for children, but I'm not sure if that will happen here. When we come to visit we stay out of the way and under the radar. Drew went on his cookie buying adventure across the street and Viktor now expects it! That is okay as we like to bring the boys a little something everyday. Peter asked for a tablet and pen so we brought those for the boys today. Viktor immediately started drawing. The boys are very close, which I'm very thankful. Viktor was in and out of the sick room where Peter was today. Viktor talked to Derek and he was so happy-he wasn't shy at all he took the phone and said, "Derrrek, Derrrek!(with his Russian accent-rolling of the R's)I told Viktor what to say in english and he copied me! He is getting to know more english words but it is still very hard to communicate without a translator. Yea for George our driver/translator! For any families waiting to adopt from Ukraine I would love to communicate via email or telephone! Leave your email on our blog and I will get back to you.
This is such an amazing journey that we have been on and I am humbled by God's grace to us while here in Ukraine. We have been overwhelmed by the wonderful people who have made this experience unforgettable. I pray that many would submit to the calling of adoption as there are so many precious children that need mommies and daddies here is Ukraine. Please pray for Peter to get well and the processing of our passports goes very fast!!!

Blessings,

Lana

Cold and Rainy!!

Our visit with the boys was very good today. They are getting more comfortable around us all the time. UNO and I Spy books continue to be the games of choice! Viktor talked like crazy today using some english but mostly in Russian. When George isn't around we can still communicate a little. Across the street from the orphanage is a little shack, and I mean a shack. Two days ago we found out it was a little shop that sells cookies, ice cream, chips etc. Drew got ice cream for everyone yesterday and today Viktor said, "Andrew cookies please", so of course Drew went down to the snack shack and bought .25 cents worth of cookies which was enough for 5 people to have several cookies each. Food is very inexepensive here. When we came back after lunch Peter had spiked a fever of 102! We stayed outside (that is what we do everyday)unless it starts to rain, which today it did-it poured! Viktor said he wanted to talk to Derek, I had promised to call Derek today, so we tried and only got voicemail. Viktor left a message. It was so cute to hear him talk in english. Actually, we tried Derek at home first and Viktor talked to Luke for a minute. My mom helped Luke move from his room into the guest room! Luke's old room has bunkbeds so it will work perfect for the boys! Apparently Luke loves his new room! Thanks Mom!! Peter's fever came down with some medicine and he seemed to be doing fine, but I decided to get us out of there-I want to stay well!!

We picked up some beautiful lilies for the Director today as it was my, "Please forgive my boys." They boys took apart the squishy, stretchy spiders we brought them and proceeded to throw them on the ceiling. It is really fun because the stuff sticks to walls. They made a mess so we are banned from giving them anything. She was very happy about the floweres and gave me a hug and kiss. She personally decorated and designed this orphanage and it is very nice. I wasn't too happy with this behavior but I already have 2 other boys and just like Drew said one time, "It just looked like so much fun", after the question, "What were you thinking?" Viktor and Peter have only one more week there.

This is the timeframe for our departure:
September 5th- 10 day waiting period is over, but can't get boys until we get new birth certificates which won't happen until office is open Tuesday, Sept. 8 and apply for passports hopefully on that day. It will take at least one week for passports. Leave for Kiev after get passports and have medical exams and visit to American Embassy- all fly home!!! So please pray for passports to be ready soon as possible.

I really look forward to comments from everyone!!! They keep me uplifted and going!!

Thanks Annette,Lori, Mom and Natalie! Also, Lori thanks for having Derek and Luke over and Mom for taking care of Derek and Luke too. Love you all so much!

Lana

Only Savannah,Andrew and I

Derek and Luke flew out of Kiev this morning and should be arriving into Seattle in about an hour!! We miss them already and so do the boys. Peter said "Why did Derek have to leave?" This morning we went to the open air market, it is the largest in Europe. You can find everything from meats,nuts,veggies, fruits, honey, milk, cheeses,clothes,shoes, books etc. So we loaded up on fresh veggies and fruits and got the boys some shoes and more clothes. Yesterday we were able to get the boys some clothes at an exclusive toy store. I have never even seen a store like this in the states. It is located right across from our flat. We are conveniently located close to the square where you can find most things. Just down the street is a great bakery and a few restaurants. Anyway, this toy store is 5 stories and it has animatronics on every level, babies moving around in cribs when you enter, life size bears playing instruments on a stage on the second level! The top level is a huge playground and kid-themed restaurant. There are guards on every level and endless employees just standing there!! That seems to be the norm here in Ukraine, employees just standing around and not working!! What about payroll taxes-that is what I'm thinking!! The clothing is expensive, but I did buy the boys some shorts and pants there because the level of quality anywhere else is not good. Drew had a fun time jumping around on the toys and said, "Mom we have to bring the boys here."

Today we worked on flashcards with the boys after they had apples we brought for them and some fun,squishy,toy spiders!! The boys have a clan of friends who like to come out and play when we arrive, although lately we have arrived during the "silent time", so our boys have hours with just us. Their friends are very sweet kids and I pray that people would come and adopt these precious little ones. If I could, I would take more of these boys home with us. They tell us there are 43 children here but I have not seen 43. Maybe we have seen 20. Today I asked them what is the first thing they would like to get when we leave the orphanage. Viktor said clothes and Peter said toys and also Peter said he wanted to give toys to his friends. He is quite the social bug! We might have a going away party at the orphanage, but it all depends if the Director will allow it.

So the 10 day appeal process will be over on September 5! That is a Saturday and it's not clear if we can pick them up on that day or we have to wait until Monday. Some trust in chariots and some in horses but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Please pray for Savannah, Andrew and I as we finish out this process and bring home our newest family members. Homesickness is starting to set in but I'm ignoring it. We have been here for 3 weeks, tomorrow. We miss everyone terrible and can't wait to see everyone's wonderful faces!!! May the Lord bless you and carry you,

Lana

Hello Everyone!

Scroll down to see bigger pictures of the boys!!

The Judge ruled today that it would be in the best interest of the children to be added to our famuly!! Now there is a mandatory 10 day waiting period and the orphanage still has legal custody of the boys, until September 5th. So after court we had to say goodbye to them as the lawyer from the orphanage took them back for lunch. No visiting today. Our facilitor Tatiana told us we had to hurry to the Notary in Kharkiv(court was in Zolachev)so we could apply for passports for the boys. Then we headed to the train station to buy tickets for Derek and Luke to leave for Kiev on the overnight train. They will fly home on Saturday August 29! We have gotten into a routine here in Ukraine. The only bummer is our DVD drive wont work so we cannot watch movies we brought. We can rent from itunes but it takes hours to download and our internet service goes in and out. Our flat is small, 2 rooms and it gets a little squishy with 5 people!! The Lord has seriously blessed us with great people to work with like, George our driver, who speaks good english. We really enjoy his company and he is so helpful as an interpreter. We are taking him to dinner before Derek and Luke leave tomorrow. Also, having the connection with the missionary families will be very consoling as Derek and Luke leave, the unity in Christ we share is truly, truly comforting half-way around the world. They are such a wonderful people!! Well please continue to pray for the growing Carlson family as we wait it out and also to get to know these little boys more and more. Bonding is really what we need prayer for and for safety in Derek and Lukes travel back home. Miss everyone and love you all!!