Reliving the Experience!

Chris and I are enjoying some wonderful conversations as we relive our experience in Ukraine one year ago. For me, one of the most remarkable things about our experience last year is how often we experienced what I call "God moments!" Times when we just knew God had prepared the way and prepared us for that moment. Of course there were bumps along the way and as I re-read our journals from last year ... those discouraging or confusing times were the very things that got us right back on our knees ... pouring our hearts out to God and waiting on what He would do for us.

So, here begins the reliving of the experience.

One year ago today (November 8) ... Chris and I had our appointment at the Ukrainian SDA (State Department of Adoptions). This was the appointment we had been waiting over 3 years for!!! We were told we had one hour to make our decision about the children we would request a referral for. During our appointment we were shown five (5) different sibling groups to choose from. After our selection ... we then waited another 30 hours or so to receive the official paperwork ... allowing us to go meet the children we had chosen.

What happened one year ago today is one of the most obvious signs of God's hand in creating our family. A year before we traveled to Ukraine ... I had been praying for our child(ren). As I journaled my prayers ... writing "little one(s)" ... I told the Lord it would be really nice to have a "real" name to pray for. In my heart I felt His response was to pray for Nataliya (my spelling). A few months later I felt in my heart that Nataliya was our youngest child. Not knowing if she would have older brothers or sisters ... I just had a sense that Nataliya was the youngest. I thought at the time we would probably call her Natalie for a nickname.

In July of 2006 (about 9-10 months after the Lord had given me the name Nataliya to pray for) my friend's little boy ... who was about 7 at the time told me that he thought we should adopt a little girl and name her Natalie. You can imagine my surprise when he said that. I had not shared the name Nataliya with anyone ... but God knew. And He used little Zach to build my faith once again ... that just maybe this adoption was going to happen!!

So fast forward to our time in Ukraine one year ago. Our facilitator Kostya had another family there at the same time. Their appointment was one day before ours. When they came back from their appointment ... they told us the translator provided by the SDA (for American families) was named Julia. To myself I thought "oh, I love that name ... I had no idea it had Ukrainian roots. If we are referred two girls ... I will suggest Julia for her name." Before this point ... no other name had really clicked with me ... except for Nataliya.

Ok ... now to the appointment. We were shown 5 sibling groups.

1. 3 brothers (6, 4, 2)

2. sister/brother (5, 2)

3. 2 brothers (5, 2 ½)

4. 2 sisters :o) (4, 2 ½)

5. 2 brothers (3 ½, 2)

The two sisters names ... Julia and Natalia (their original spellings). Of course Chris and I could have fallen off of our chairs. We knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that these sisters were our daughters. We were told very negative things about both girls ... especially Julia. But God in His goodness had prepared us ... and we knew they were the ones ... even if we would be dealing with some "issues" both now and in the years to come.

I remember posting on our blog that we were "seeing pink" and had accept a referral for two sisters. Even when I wrote that blog entry ... there was sadness in my heart about what we were doing ... because Julia's condition sounded pretty bad ... and I wasn't as excited as I had hoped I would be following our appointment.

After our appointment we went for a long walk in a park with Kostya. When we told him what they had told us about the girls ... I know he had reservations about our choice also ... who wouldn't! But still he supported us in our decision.

Within hours and especially days ... those fears were all removed. We knew we had made the right choice and that God in His goodness had prepared us a year before ... by giving us Nataliya's name!! What a good God!

These are the photos we were shown of the girls during our referral appointment. They were passport size pictures ... and I cherish these as the only baby photos we have of our girls.





Big blue eyes and mile-long eyelashes: Juliya Grace.

Contagious smile and sparkling eyes: Nataliya Joy!!

As I write this ... those beautiful girls are upstairs taking a nap. God knew exactly what He was doing ... and I'm so glad we knew to trust Him!!

The story continues tomorrow!