The boys FINALLY had their orthopedic consult this afternoon. I have been anticipating this day for quite awhile since both of the boys have orthopedic special needs. While we have learned a lot from their x-rays, lab work and various other doctor's appointments and consults, we have always known that this appointment would be the most telling.
I actually found Joshua's portion of the appointment quite fascinating. His defect is very rare and we have all been waiting with bated breath (doctors, nurses and specialists included) to see what his treatment options might be. For those of you less familiar with Joshua's condition, he has been diagnosed with sacral dysgenesis, caudal regression and phocomelia. Both of his femur's are absent and he is missing the tibia of his left leg. His little feet (which are not so little) are perfect. Today we discussed several options for Joshua. The first is to do nothing at all. Now, by nothing at all, we simply mean that we would not pursue surgery or prosthetics. This may not seem like a great option, BUT, Joshua has already proven to us that he can and will do whatever he puts his mind to. He is already crawling (his own version of crawling of course) and can sit completely unsupported. . .when we brought him home almost 3 months ago, he was barely rolling over. While conventional thinking tends to suggest that all people should be up on two legs if at all possible, the truth is, there ARE other methods of mobility and those methods are often preferred over prosthetics for many individuals. The second option, which I don't think we would ever consider, is to amputate his feet and fit him for prosthetics. Before we met Joshua, we had considered this option, but now that we have him home, I simply could not imagine taking his feet. He uses his feet. He LOVES his feet. . . .some babies suck on pacifiers or carry blankies, Joshua plays with his feet (and who could blame him. . they are within arms reach!). The third option, which I found to be bizarre, yet fascinating, is to use his ankle joints as knee joints. This would be achieved by essentially turning the ankle joint around (basically, putting his feet on backwards), straightening the feet to act as his lower legs, and fit him with prosthetics. While we did find this option interesting to say the least, like amputating his feet, it would leave him without the use of his feet and I just don't think we could go that route. Finally, the last (and most probable) option is to fit him with "unconventional" prosthetics (fitted over his feet). There is also an option within this option of lengthening his left leg (which presently barely extends past his hip) to help even out his legs making the use of the prosthetic easier and also giving him the option of walking without prosthetics. At present, this is the option that we are most strongly considering.
Thankfully, our orthopedist feels strongly that, because Joshua is still young and still learning how to use his body, the best thing that we can do for him right now is to allow him more time to develop so that we can get a good picture of what his abilities will be. The entire orthopedic team will see Joshua again in 6 months and will reevaluate our options based on his development at that time. All-in-all, I was very pleased with his orthopedist and our visit.
Evan's appointment was very straightforward. While most of Evan's treatment will come in the form of physical and occupational therapies, there are several surgeries that he will need to undergo in order to achieve mobility. The first surgery will be for his feet which are clubbed. The doctor hopes to be able to straighten his feet by correcting only the soft tissues rather than the "bony structure." This surgery will be followed by several months of casting. Once his feet have healed, the doctor will then try to loosen the contractures in his knees. There is a high recurrence of knee contractures in arthrogryposis, so there is a chance that this surgery may have to be repeated later in life, but, these surgeries will hopefully allow Evan to get up on his feet! We will wait a few months before scheduling the surgery for his feet as we feel that Evan needs a little more time to acclimate to his new life before beginning the next whirlwind of events in his life, but we are glad to have a game plan.
Overall, I was very pleased with the visit and am happy to finally have a glimpse of what our options are!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Ukrainian Snow Angels. . .
Lukas, Jacob and Maren modeling their Ukrainian snow suits/boots
My TRUE Ukrainian snow bunny!
And my sweet little Uzbek snow monkeyBecause Ukrainians spend so much time out in the cold weather, they have an abundance of "winter wear" to choose from. After watching the Ukrainian children walk around in their snow suits, we just could not pass up the opportunity to bring this part of Ukrainian culture home with us! I have to say, it was money very well spent. . .don't you think!?
Could you take me out of this monkey suit please!?
How they managed to get onto this teeter totter I am not sure. . .they could barely walk in those things (although they did get the hang of it pretty quickly)Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The Dust is Settling. . .
No, we haven't fallen off the face of the earth just in case anyone has been wondering! The past few weeks have been incredibly busy with doctors appointments, therapies, birthdays and visits from family, but I am very happy to report that we are settling into a nice routine after the chaos of the past few months!
When we aren't running to and from doctors appointments and therapies or running various errands, we can usually be found at home. While I am typically the kind of person who likes to get out, I have tried to keep these past few weeks as low key as possible for my kids. Joshua and Evan have obviously had huge adjustments to make, but Maren, Lukas and Jacob, who have always had a good routine and structure prior to our adoption adventures, have also had to make some adjustments and settle back into a routine. Things are going well on the home front and it seems as though the dust is finally beginning to settle (for now at least. . .once Josh and Evan are BOTH in therapy and we have various surgeries on the schedule as well, things are likely to get a bit chaotic again).
For your viewing pleasure I had added several more pictures of life over the past few weeks. I hope you enjoy them. . . .
Lukas and Joshua snuggled up watching Curious George
Storytime with Grandma DD
Evan and Josh doing some bonding
Grandma DD and Maren playing dress up
Grandma DD and Evan getting to know each other
When we aren't running to and from doctors appointments and therapies or running various errands, we can usually be found at home. While I am typically the kind of person who likes to get out, I have tried to keep these past few weeks as low key as possible for my kids. Joshua and Evan have obviously had huge adjustments to make, but Maren, Lukas and Jacob, who have always had a good routine and structure prior to our adoption adventures, have also had to make some adjustments and settle back into a routine. Things are going well on the home front and it seems as though the dust is finally beginning to settle (for now at least. . .once Josh and Evan are BOTH in therapy and we have various surgeries on the schedule as well, things are likely to get a bit chaotic again).
For your viewing pleasure I had added several more pictures of life over the past few weeks. I hope you enjoy them. . . .
Lukas and Joshua snuggled up watching Curious George
Storytime with Grandma DD
Evan and Josh doing some bonding
Grandma DD and Maren playing dress up
Grandma DD and Evan getting to know each otherYet Another Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday!
Today we celebrated the life and birth of our triplets Maren, Lukas and Jacob. While this post should probably be made to our family website, I can't help but think that the events of this blessed day three years ago was where our adoption journey really began.
While we had briefly looked into adopting prior to conceiving our triplets our minds at that time were really focused on conceiving a child (although I do feel like having to consider this option as a way to bring children into our family prepared us for what the Lord would have planned for us later down the road). It was not until January 22, 2005 that we knew with surety that our other children would come to us through the miracle of adoption.
On this day, three years ago, I was laying in a hospital bed and was the size of a small house. I was absolutely miserable, but was determined to keep my babies in for as long as I possibly could. This was my fifth and final admission to the hospital during my pregnancy. I was 33 weeks, 6 days into my pregnancy and had already been in the hospital for 3 days, fighting off my impending labor. Prior to my admission to the hospital I had been on bedrest for 8 weeks and hooked up to a terbutaline pump and doing home uterine monitoring since 23 weeks gestation. My body was ready to evict the three little people swimming around inside, but I was fighting hard to keep them in. On the morning of January 22, 2005 I was 3 cm dilated and my contractions were still coming at regular intervals, although they had slowed a bit. With the help of my mother and my husband, I was able to get a shower that morning (an interesting experience to say the least) and several of my friends stopped by to check in on me. Some time early that afternoon I began to have difficulty breathing. My oxygen saturation was low and a respiratory therapist was called in to give me a breathing treatment. When I failed to respond to the treatments, several tests were run and it was concluded that I had pulmonary edema (fluid in my lungs). In addition to the pulmonary edema I was running a high fever. My doctor was called in and it was decided that I would deliver immediately.
I won't bore you with all of the details of the c-section preparation, but within an hour of making the decision to deliver, my beautiful babies were born. At 6:28, 6:28 and 6:29 pm on January 22, 2005, Maren, Lukas and Jacob came into this world kicking and screaming. I wish I could tell you more about the blessed event, but shortly after they were delivered, I began to lose blood rapidly and lost consciousness. For the next hour the doctors tried to stop the bleeding in hopes of saving my uterus, but they were unsuccessful. After giving me 5 units of blood and every drug on the market to help my uterus contract, the decision was made to perform an emergency hysterectomy in order to save my life. I was in and out of consciousness during this time, so it was not like I woke up to this news. Although I cannot remember many details, I was aware of what was going on. I do remember experiencing a brief moment of sadness as I knew that our family was not complete, but in the same moment I felt peace.
Eighteen hours after my babies had been delivered, I was able to visit them in the NICU. What an amazing moment that was. . .seeing my three, big (well, according to triplet standards. . 5.2 lbs., 4.15 lbs., 4.10 lbs.), beautiful, healthy babies for the very first time! What an incredible blessing.
It was that day that Richard and I made the decision that we would add to our family through adoption. We felt incredibly blessed to have our three, beautiful and healthy children, but despite the fact that I could no longer bear children, we still knew that our family was not complete. Our adoption journey would not truly begin for another two years, but this was the day is truly took root! So, as you can see, I have so much to celebrate today. . . the lives of my three, incredible children, my own life and the seeds of adoption being planted in our hearts!
It is hard to believe that, just three year ago, we were becoming parents for the very first time. . .and to three, such amazing little people. My life has been so blessed and enriched for knowing them and I truly thank my Heavenly Father everyday for allowing me the opportunity to be their mother!
HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Maren, Lukas and Jacob! You are my angels and I love you more deeply than words can express! Thank you for an amazing 3 years!
Maren, Lukas and Jacob (5 days old)
Jacob, Maren and Lukas celebrating their 3rd birthday!
While we had briefly looked into adopting prior to conceiving our triplets our minds at that time were really focused on conceiving a child (although I do feel like having to consider this option as a way to bring children into our family prepared us for what the Lord would have planned for us later down the road). It was not until January 22, 2005 that we knew with surety that our other children would come to us through the miracle of adoption.
On this day, three years ago, I was laying in a hospital bed and was the size of a small house. I was absolutely miserable, but was determined to keep my babies in for as long as I possibly could. This was my fifth and final admission to the hospital during my pregnancy. I was 33 weeks, 6 days into my pregnancy and had already been in the hospital for 3 days, fighting off my impending labor. Prior to my admission to the hospital I had been on bedrest for 8 weeks and hooked up to a terbutaline pump and doing home uterine monitoring since 23 weeks gestation. My body was ready to evict the three little people swimming around inside, but I was fighting hard to keep them in. On the morning of January 22, 2005 I was 3 cm dilated and my contractions were still coming at regular intervals, although they had slowed a bit. With the help of my mother and my husband, I was able to get a shower that morning (an interesting experience to say the least) and several of my friends stopped by to check in on me. Some time early that afternoon I began to have difficulty breathing. My oxygen saturation was low and a respiratory therapist was called in to give me a breathing treatment. When I failed to respond to the treatments, several tests were run and it was concluded that I had pulmonary edema (fluid in my lungs). In addition to the pulmonary edema I was running a high fever. My doctor was called in and it was decided that I would deliver immediately.
I won't bore you with all of the details of the c-section preparation, but within an hour of making the decision to deliver, my beautiful babies were born. At 6:28, 6:28 and 6:29 pm on January 22, 2005, Maren, Lukas and Jacob came into this world kicking and screaming. I wish I could tell you more about the blessed event, but shortly after they were delivered, I began to lose blood rapidly and lost consciousness. For the next hour the doctors tried to stop the bleeding in hopes of saving my uterus, but they were unsuccessful. After giving me 5 units of blood and every drug on the market to help my uterus contract, the decision was made to perform an emergency hysterectomy in order to save my life. I was in and out of consciousness during this time, so it was not like I woke up to this news. Although I cannot remember many details, I was aware of what was going on. I do remember experiencing a brief moment of sadness as I knew that our family was not complete, but in the same moment I felt peace.
Eighteen hours after my babies had been delivered, I was able to visit them in the NICU. What an amazing moment that was. . .seeing my three, big (well, according to triplet standards. . 5.2 lbs., 4.15 lbs., 4.10 lbs.), beautiful, healthy babies for the very first time! What an incredible blessing.
It was that day that Richard and I made the decision that we would add to our family through adoption. We felt incredibly blessed to have our three, beautiful and healthy children, but despite the fact that I could no longer bear children, we still knew that our family was not complete. Our adoption journey would not truly begin for another two years, but this was the day is truly took root! So, as you can see, I have so much to celebrate today. . . the lives of my three, incredible children, my own life and the seeds of adoption being planted in our hearts!
It is hard to believe that, just three year ago, we were becoming parents for the very first time. . .and to three, such amazing little people. My life has been so blessed and enriched for knowing them and I truly thank my Heavenly Father everyday for allowing me the opportunity to be their mother!
HAPPY, HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY Maren, Lukas and Jacob! You are my angels and I love you more deeply than words can express! Thank you for an amazing 3 years!
Maren, Lukas and Jacob (5 days old)
Jacob, Maren and Lukas celebrating their 3rd birthday!Tuesday, January 8, 2008
HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Today we celebrated the birthday's of two of the greatest men in my life. . .my amazing husband, Richard, and my littlest man, Joshua! For me, celebrating a birthday has always been more than cake, ice cream and presents, rather, it is truly the celebration of a person's life. I am especially grateful for the lives of my husband and son and for the people that they are. Their lives bless mine each and every day and that is truly worth celebrating!
Although I did not have the privilege of spending the first 9 months of my son's life with him, it did not take me long to realize what a great mission and purpose the Lord must have for him. There is no doubt in my mind that he will touch many, many lives as he goes through the course of his own. He has already touched mine more deeply than words can express.
Happy Birthday my boys! I cherish you both!
Although I did not have the privilege of spending the first 9 months of my son's life with him, it did not take me long to realize what a great mission and purpose the Lord must have for him. There is no doubt in my mind that he will touch many, many lives as he goes through the course of his own. He has already touched mine more deeply than words can express.
Happy Birthday my boys! I cherish you both!
Monday, December 31, 2007
Best buds. . .
I have to admit, when we decided to adopt, I was a bit worried about how well Maren, Lukas and Jacob would adjust to having two new siblings. I shouldn't have worried. I have actually been amazed at how quickly they have all taken to each other. It is as if Josh and Evan have always been a part of the family.
I have really enjoyed being a spectator and watching them all interact with each other. I always assumed that Maren would be the most likely to "take the boys under her wing," but I have been pleasantly surprised to see Jacob taking on that role. All three of the kids love their new brothers, but Jacob has really attached to his new siblings, especially Evan. Jacob and Evan are sharing a room during nap times (I have to separate Jacob and Lukas or it is just one big party. . .and unfortunately they are generally not slumber parties) and I have walked past their room many times to hear them laughing and singing together.
Jacob, Lukas and Evan love playing "games" with each other. Head bonking and disgusting mouth noises are among their favorites. I just love seeing them laughing and playing together.
The following are some of the pictures I have snapped over the past week that capture some of their sweet moments together (ps- don't forget to click on the pictures to see larger versions). . .
Evan and Jacob having a brotherly chat
Going for a walk in the "choo choo." I did get a shot of this with everyone looking at the camera but I loved Jacob and Evan in this picture!
Maren and Josh enjoying Maren's new doll house! This picture cracks me up!
Jacob and Evan watching Sesame Street together. Jacob is my snuggle bug and he is very happy to have another brother to snuggle with.
Jacob, Lukas and Evan having some male bonding time!
I have really enjoyed being a spectator and watching them all interact with each other. I always assumed that Maren would be the most likely to "take the boys under her wing," but I have been pleasantly surprised to see Jacob taking on that role. All three of the kids love their new brothers, but Jacob has really attached to his new siblings, especially Evan. Jacob and Evan are sharing a room during nap times (I have to separate Jacob and Lukas or it is just one big party. . .and unfortunately they are generally not slumber parties) and I have walked past their room many times to hear them laughing and singing together.
Jacob, Lukas and Evan love playing "games" with each other. Head bonking and disgusting mouth noises are among their favorites. I just love seeing them laughing and playing together.
The following are some of the pictures I have snapped over the past week that capture some of their sweet moments together (ps- don't forget to click on the pictures to see larger versions). . .
Evan and Jacob having a brotherly chat
Going for a walk in the "choo choo." I did get a shot of this with everyone looking at the camera but I loved Jacob and Evan in this picture!
Maren and Josh enjoying Maren's new doll house! This picture cracks me up!
Jacob and Evan watching Sesame Street together. Jacob is my snuggle bug and he is very happy to have another brother to snuggle with.
Jacob, Lukas and Evan having some male bonding time!I have a thousand more pictures just like these (my kids are probably sick of having the camera in their faces), but unfortunately I have reached my picture limit for the day!!!
I have done a series of posts this evening, so be sure to keep scrolling so you don't miss any of the action! I apologize for not updating sooner. After the abuse that my poor body has taken over the past few months, it finally decided to retaliate and I was hit with a nasty stomach virus the day after Christmas. Fortunately I was the only one to get sick, but it stuck around for quite awhile! Thankfully I am well again and finally starting to recover from all of the traveling and the stress of the past few months. I think knowing that I won't be flying half-way across the world again any time soon has definitely helped with the recovery process!
Wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year!!!
I have done a series of posts this evening, so be sure to keep scrolling so you don't miss any of the action! I apologize for not updating sooner. After the abuse that my poor body has taken over the past few months, it finally decided to retaliate and I was hit with a nasty stomach virus the day after Christmas. Fortunately I was the only one to get sick, but it stuck around for quite awhile! Thankfully I am well again and finally starting to recover from all of the traveling and the stress of the past few months. I think knowing that I won't be flying half-way across the world again any time soon has definitely helped with the recovery process!
Wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year!!!
I could not ask for more . . .
There have been many times over the past few weeks and months when I have stood in awe of the two newest members of our family. While going through the adoption process I dreamed of my boys, I looked at their pictures on the refrigerator many, many times each day and I longed to hold them, kiss them and love them, but it almost seemed like a dream. Now that dream is a reality. They are no longer just pictures on my refrigerator. . . .they are living, breathing, beautiful children sitting in my living room, eating at my table, sleeping in their beds and I am in awe of them. They are growing, they are thriving, they are simply amazing little people and I am truly humbled to be their mother and to be able to watch them learn, grow and achieve. I honestly could not ask for more. . . .
Joshua on Christmas morning
Santa's Little Helper
Happy to be home!
Mmmmm. . .Pizza!
Evan's first trip to the park! He loved it!
Joshua on Christmas morning
Santa's Little Helper
Happy to be home!
Mmmmm. . .Pizza!
Evan's first trip to the park! He loved it!2007. . .An incredible year for the Rieben Family!
As 2007 draws to a close I can't help but think about what an incredible year it has been for our family. It is hard to believe that, this time last year, we had not even started our international adoption journey. That adventure began in February when our hearts were turned from the domestic adoption of an infant to international adoption. We signed with our agency, About A Child, in early March and found our sweet Joshua a few weeks later. We spent the next few months in a flurry of paperwork and finally submitted our dossier for Uzbekistan at the beginning of June. Just a few short weeks later, we found Evan at Reece's Rainbow and knew that he was meant to be a Rieben too! We completed our dossier for Ukraine at the end of August and it was submitted to the SDA in mid September. At the beginning of October, we received word that we would be traveling to Uzbekistan to finalize Josh's adoption and on October 23, 2007, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Joshua Steve Ortyk Rieben became the newest member of our family.
While in Uzbekistan, I received word that we had gotten an appointment date for Ukraine. . .November 9th. Thankfully we were able to swap dates with another family and that appointment date was changed to November 21st. I spent 2 weeks at home before Richard and I left for Ukraine. On December 6, 2007, Evan Valera Rieben joined our family. After spending a week at home, I headed back to Ukraine to finalize Evan's adoption and we arrived back home just 2 days before Christmas!
Although we have only been home for a week, it has been amazing to have everyone together! Obviously I have oversimplified the events of the past year in the above summary. . .in between the lines have been many ups and downs, many joys, many heartaches and many, many, miracles. I have learned a lot of things this year and I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for allowing me these experiences. When it comes right down to it, there just are not words to express my gratitude for all of the blessings that we have experienced and received. My cup runneth over! My joy is full!
I can only imagine what the Lord has in store for us in 2008. . . .
While in Uzbekistan, I received word that we had gotten an appointment date for Ukraine. . .November 9th. Thankfully we were able to swap dates with another family and that appointment date was changed to November 21st. I spent 2 weeks at home before Richard and I left for Ukraine. On December 6, 2007, Evan Valera Rieben joined our family. After spending a week at home, I headed back to Ukraine to finalize Evan's adoption and we arrived back home just 2 days before Christmas!
Although we have only been home for a week, it has been amazing to have everyone together! Obviously I have oversimplified the events of the past year in the above summary. . .in between the lines have been many ups and downs, many joys, many heartaches and many, many, miracles. I have learned a lot of things this year and I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for allowing me these experiences. When it comes right down to it, there just are not words to express my gratitude for all of the blessings that we have experienced and received. My cup runneth over! My joy is full!
I can only imagine what the Lord has in store for us in 2008. . . .
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Need I Say More. . .
After about 57 shots, I finally got everyone to at least look at the camera! Success! It is so good to have all of my children together (From left to right: Jacob, Lukas, Joshua, Maren and Evan)!
And here are the outtakes of our Christmas Eve photo shoot. . . . .
Obviously there is much more to say, but my head is dangerously close to the keyboard and I am afraid that I may start drooling any minute, so I will save all of the juicy details of our homecoming for a time when my brain can muster coherent thought. We had an amazing Christmas as a family of seven and I can't wait to tell you all about it!
And here are the outtakes of our Christmas Eve photo shoot. . . . .
Obviously there is much more to say, but my head is dangerously close to the keyboard and I am afraid that I may start drooling any minute, so I will save all of the juicy details of our homecoming for a time when my brain can muster coherent thought. We had an amazing Christmas as a family of seven and I can't wait to tell you all about it!
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Ohio Is For Those Not Stuck In Virginia
OK, false start. Aeroflot sucks. They missed their flight to Dayton because Aeroflot was 30 minutes late and forgot to call for a shuttle to pick up the passengers from their holding area. If it wasn't for those two glaring failures on Aeroflot's part, they would be home right now. Stupid Aeroflot.
Good news is that they're staying at my dad's home near the airport in Virginia and they have confirmed seats on an 830 flight tomorrow. They are also fortunate to at least have their luggage, so a shower and fresh clothing is available to them.
So.... again, Aeroflot sucks.
In other news, the kids are worn out and everyone had a rough day. I'm tired and sick, but I cannot complain because I'm sleeping in my own bed tonight.
Perhaps tomorrow this will be over.
Oh, I finally sold the range that has been sitting in my garage since we moved into our new house. Victory.
Here's some Christmas cheer for everyone...
Christmas time
On a cold December morning
All is calm
And the world is still asleep
Christmas lights
That have been caught without warning
Gently glitter on
Stars to wish upon
All the world is at peace
Good news is that they're staying at my dad's home near the airport in Virginia and they have confirmed seats on an 830 flight tomorrow. They are also fortunate to at least have their luggage, so a shower and fresh clothing is available to them.
So.... again, Aeroflot sucks.
In other news, the kids are worn out and everyone had a rough day. I'm tired and sick, but I cannot complain because I'm sleeping in my own bed tonight.
Perhaps tomorrow this will be over.
Oh, I finally sold the range that has been sitting in my garage since we moved into our new house. Victory.
Here's some Christmas cheer for everyone...
Christmas time
On a cold December morning
All is calm
And the world is still asleep
Christmas lights
That have been caught without warning
Gently glitter on
Stars to wish upon
All the world is at peace
Christmas time and the year will soon be leaving
Cloaked in time till it's just a memory
Christmas stays if we don't forget its meaning
Days go quickly by
Years they multiply
And we go searching for thee
And the dream is still alive
From that first December morning
And it always will survive
As long as we can see
That the dreams we find in life
Are the dreams we tend to seek
And Christmas has its promises to keep
Christmas time
And the moments just beginning
From last night
When we'd wished upon a star
If our kindness
This day is just pretending
If we pretend long enough
Never giving up
It just might be who we are
And so it's good that we remember
Just as soon as we've discovered
That the things we do in life
Will always end up touching others
So from a fading neon star
Somewhere shining in the night
We find a father far away
Now reflecting in its light
Standing By...
No news is good news at this point. Joshua and I are hanging out in the office working stations on my amateur radio. Val is due in at 6:30 PM, so let's hope for the best in terms of flights and baggage!
Thursday, December 20, 2007
No Cash? Use Your VISA!!!
Evan's got his VISA, we couldn't change their flight to come home earlier, they'll be leaving Saturday morning and getting to Dayton late Saturday (Hopefully.)
The rest of the kids are alive and there are no less than 15 boxes of presents that came from the UPS fairy stacked up in the garage. Speaking of which, I need to clean the garage.
Oh, Rob and I are still alive too. Barely. I'm tired.
R-
The rest of the kids are alive and there are no less than 15 boxes of presents that came from the UPS fairy stacked up in the garage. Speaking of which, I need to clean the garage.
Oh, Rob and I are still alive too. Barely. I'm tired.
R-
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Ho Ho Hope They Come Home Soon!
*Richard Here*
I talked to Val again this morning and everything is on-time and going well. They finally have their baggage, and they have their interview at the US Embassy tomorrow at 2pm. That being said, they're going to try to change their flight to arrive home late Friday instead of Saturday, hoping to beat the weekend flight traffic.
Val said Evan's doing well and he's happy, but she's having a tough time feeding him because he won't eat anything but cookies and bread. He's scared of utensils, which Val thinks is because they never used them at the orphanage. Who knows - but I'm sure I'll having him scarfing down IBC Root Beer and Krispey Kreme Doughnuts in no time.
Josh and I went Christmas shopping yesterday. He helped me pick out some cute gifts by grunting in approval. The kids are still alive, and Rob and I are tired - Rob's tired because he's been on the road for three weeks, and me because I'm still not sleeping well.
R-
I talked to Val again this morning and everything is on-time and going well. They finally have their baggage, and they have their interview at the US Embassy tomorrow at 2pm. That being said, they're going to try to change their flight to arrive home late Friday instead of Saturday, hoping to beat the weekend flight traffic.
Val said Evan's doing well and he's happy, but she's having a tough time feeding him because he won't eat anything but cookies and bread. He's scared of utensils, which Val thinks is because they never used them at the orphanage. Who knows - but I'm sure I'll having him scarfing down IBC Root Beer and Krispey Kreme Doughnuts in no time.
Josh and I went Christmas shopping yesterday. He helped me pick out some cute gifts by grunting in approval. The kids are still alive, and Rob and I are tired - Rob's tired because he's been on the road for three weeks, and me because I'm still not sleeping well.
R-
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Back to Kiev!
*Yet again, another post by Richard*
I talked with Val's mom this morning at 5:30 AM our time since I couldn't sleep... here's the latest! They picked up Evan yesterday afternoon, after getting his passport, court decree and birth certificate completed in Donetsk. Since their baggage (which I'll discuss later) was not in Artemovsk, they had to buy Evan's outfit off of the orphanage, and they ended up getting a pink snow suit and pink hat.... poor little guy. They also had to buy diapers and miecellaneous other items that Val had packed for Evan but obviously did not have. They went and got some food and then rushed over to the train station where they literally ran to the train, and ran to their car (since the train stops for only two minutes.) I don't think they slept much on the train ride, but apparently it went OK, because they are now happily in a large apartment in Kiev, with hot water, showers, and all the other conveniences of a home away from home. They have already done the medical review and when I talked to Liz they were in the process of translating the paperwork for submission to the embassy. This being said, if all goes well they will be done with the embassy tomorrow morning... and that means that if everything goes well they *may* be able to change their flights and come home earlier, or they'll be able to enjoy two days of downtime resting up for the flight back Saturday morning. If the flight plans *can* be changed I'll let everyone know.
So about the baggage... Of the three checked bags, only two have made it to Kiev, and the other one should arrive late today. I don't know how the bags got so "lost" - maybe "the others" took them... har har... Lost joke.
Back home on the farm things are going well. The kids are handling things OK, but I can tell they're yearning for a return to normalcy in their lives. Sometimes I just have to chuckle at how they'll have these outbursts of irrational thought... I'm sure some of it is from being a toddler, but some is probably from the stress of things being so crazy around here. But the laundry is done, the dishes are clean, and the kids are well fed, so I would say we're doing just fine.
Christmas preparations are wrapping up (har, har... it's a pun, get it?) and my "family gifts" have been purchased. I also got some stuff for Val, and she's all mad because she says I'm too hard to buy things for. I told her to just get me a roll of toilet paper. The kids gifts continue to pour in, which I find funny considering the fact that Val said she wasn't going to get many gifts for the kids this year. I think the UPS guy is getting sick of hauling boxes to our house everyday. There are gifts for the kids in our bedroom, the garage and in various closets throughout the house - I think I have some wrapping to do.
Well, time for me to go make some money. Work is going well, by the way.
If you have specific questions or anything, give me a call or an email. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers, and keep the comments pouring in.
Желаю тебе счастливого Рождества!
Richard-
I talked with Val's mom this morning at 5:30 AM our time since I couldn't sleep... here's the latest! They picked up Evan yesterday afternoon, after getting his passport, court decree and birth certificate completed in Donetsk. Since their baggage (which I'll discuss later) was not in Artemovsk, they had to buy Evan's outfit off of the orphanage, and they ended up getting a pink snow suit and pink hat.... poor little guy. They also had to buy diapers and miecellaneous other items that Val had packed for Evan but obviously did not have. They went and got some food and then rushed over to the train station where they literally ran to the train, and ran to their car (since the train stops for only two minutes.) I don't think they slept much on the train ride, but apparently it went OK, because they are now happily in a large apartment in Kiev, with hot water, showers, and all the other conveniences of a home away from home. They have already done the medical review and when I talked to Liz they were in the process of translating the paperwork for submission to the embassy. This being said, if all goes well they will be done with the embassy tomorrow morning... and that means that if everything goes well they *may* be able to change their flights and come home earlier, or they'll be able to enjoy two days of downtime resting up for the flight back Saturday morning. If the flight plans *can* be changed I'll let everyone know.
So about the baggage... Of the three checked bags, only two have made it to Kiev, and the other one should arrive late today. I don't know how the bags got so "lost" - maybe "the others" took them... har har... Lost joke.
Back home on the farm things are going well. The kids are handling things OK, but I can tell they're yearning for a return to normalcy in their lives. Sometimes I just have to chuckle at how they'll have these outbursts of irrational thought... I'm sure some of it is from being a toddler, but some is probably from the stress of things being so crazy around here. But the laundry is done, the dishes are clean, and the kids are well fed, so I would say we're doing just fine.
Christmas preparations are wrapping up (har, har... it's a pun, get it?) and my "family gifts" have been purchased. I also got some stuff for Val, and she's all mad because she says I'm too hard to buy things for. I told her to just get me a roll of toilet paper. The kids gifts continue to pour in, which I find funny considering the fact that Val said she wasn't going to get many gifts for the kids this year. I think the UPS guy is getting sick of hauling boxes to our house everyday. There are gifts for the kids in our bedroom, the garage and in various closets throughout the house - I think I have some wrapping to do.
Well, time for me to go make some money. Work is going well, by the way.
If you have specific questions or anything, give me a call or an email. Thanks for the thoughts and prayers, and keep the comments pouring in.
Желаю тебе счастливого Рождества!
Richard-
Monday, December 17, 2007
Alive & Well in Donetsk!!! (Post By Richard)
*Richard Here*
Sorry to disappoint everyone, no post from Val today, so you're stuck reading my continual blubbering.
I talked to Val early this morning (our time.) The "Luxury Bus" ride went ok, despite a relative lack of luxury. The ended up in Donetsk at 6am, and waited at a McDonalds while their translator did paperwork in Artemovsk and then drove to Donetsk to do the passport. So far they're tired and I'm sure sick of traveling, but all has gone well. Apparently their baggage has been located and should be secured for them by this evening.
If all goes according to plan, they're going to pick up Evan this afternoon and then head back to Kiev by plane, train, automobile, camel, moped, scooter, or whatever method of transportation seems to be in style at this time.
Regarding Evan - when they went to take his passport picture he started crying and asked for his "Papa," so I can rest assured that A) he still remembers me and B) I'd better have some cookies ready for him when he gets home.
In other news, Captain Awesome and I are holding down the fort pretty well. I spent the day yesterday catching up on laundry and cleaning the house. The kids miss mommy and keep asking when she's going to get home. Josh as usual is a great baby and rarely fusses. He watched the entire Browns/Bills game with me yesterday, so he's on his way to becoming a manly-man.
The kids are getting trunky from being in the house, so we'll have to get them out soon to do something fun.
Val does not have reliable access to the internet at this time, so if you want updates, email me or call me on my cell. I'll post here as I learn more as well.
Ho ho ho.
R-
Sorry to disappoint everyone, no post from Val today, so you're stuck reading my continual blubbering.
I talked to Val early this morning (our time.) The "Luxury Bus" ride went ok, despite a relative lack of luxury. The ended up in Donetsk at 6am, and waited at a McDonalds while their translator did paperwork in Artemovsk and then drove to Donetsk to do the passport. So far they're tired and I'm sure sick of traveling, but all has gone well. Apparently their baggage has been located and should be secured for them by this evening.
If all goes according to plan, they're going to pick up Evan this afternoon and then head back to Kiev by plane, train, automobile, camel, moped, scooter, or whatever method of transportation seems to be in style at this time.
Regarding Evan - when they went to take his passport picture he started crying and asked for his "Papa," so I can rest assured that A) he still remembers me and B) I'd better have some cookies ready for him when he gets home.
In other news, Captain Awesome and I are holding down the fort pretty well. I spent the day yesterday catching up on laundry and cleaning the house. The kids miss mommy and keep asking when she's going to get home. Josh as usual is a great baby and rarely fusses. He watched the entire Browns/Bills game with me yesterday, so he's on his way to becoming a manly-man.
The kids are getting trunky from being in the house, so we'll have to get them out soon to do something fun.
Val does not have reliable access to the internet at this time, so if you want updates, email me or call me on my cell. I'll post here as I learn more as well.
Ho ho ho.
R-
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Alive and well in Kiev!
Well, I've got to say, I still cannot believe that we made it. Our flight out of Dayton took off a few minutes late because the plane needed to be de-iced, but it did take off and almost on time. We got to Dulles about 30 minutes before our flight to Moscow was scheduled to take off. We were unable to get our boarding passes for our flight to Moscow in Dayton, so we had absolutely no idea where we needed to go. Luckily we found the gate quickly and were able to get there just in time for boarding. The flight ended up taking off an hour late which put us in Moscow an hour late. By the time we got off the plane we had 10 minutes before our flight to Kiev was scheduled to take off. Talk about a rush! Unfortunately, when we arrived in Kiev, we learned that our checked luggage had not followed us there, so we are without most of our belongings. Thankfully, both my mom and I packed enough stuff to get by for a few days in our carryon bags, so we should be okay until we get back to Kiev to claim our bags on Tuesday or Wednesday. I am a bit bummed that the bag full of orphanage donations, gifts to the orphanage workers and various things I was carrying for people will not be going with me to Artemovsk, but (for those of your who I am carrying things for) I have been promised that it will make it to Masha so that she can distribute the various items. I am sad that I will not be there to give things out myself, but as long as everything makes it to where it needs to go, I will be happy.
We will be traveling by "luxury bus" (aka a tour bus) to Donetsk this evening and are scheduled to arrive early tomorrow morning. The bus was definitely not my first choice, but all of the train and plane tickets were booked and it came down to a bus or a car and the bus won out! I have been reassured by my facilitator that it will be a "comfortable ride" and that "we should be able to sleep," and I am really hoping that is the case because I am exhausted. Masha will pick us up at the bus station in the morning and then we will get to work on the decree, birth certificate and passport and hopefully pick Evan up tomorrow afternoon.
Thank you all for your prayers and support. It was definitely on the wings of prayer that we made it here as scheduled today, of that there is no doubt!
We will be traveling by "luxury bus" (aka a tour bus) to Donetsk this evening and are scheduled to arrive early tomorrow morning. The bus was definitely not my first choice, but all of the train and plane tickets were booked and it came down to a bus or a car and the bus won out! I have been reassured by my facilitator that it will be a "comfortable ride" and that "we should be able to sleep," and I am really hoping that is the case because I am exhausted. Masha will pick us up at the bus station in the morning and then we will get to work on the decree, birth certificate and passport and hopefully pick Evan up tomorrow afternoon.
Thank you all for your prayers and support. It was definitely on the wings of prayer that we made it here as scheduled today, of that there is no doubt!
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Oh, the weather outside is frightful!
Four hours until our flight takes off and it is snowing like crazy outside! I think the chance of our flight leaving on schedule is probably slim, but I am trying my best to make snow cones out of this snow storm. My first snow cone. . .at least I am still at home and not sitting in the airport. Second snow cone. . .If our flight is delayed/canceled and we miss our connection in Dulles (there is only 1.5 hours between our flights), maybe we will get lucky and won't have to fly through Moscow. Not that I have anything against Moscow, but if we get delayed there. . say, overnight maybe, we cannot leave the airport because we do not have transit visas! So, flying through another country that does not require a visa would definitely make me feel a bit better about any delays. Why did I choose a flight that flies through Moscow in the first place? Well, the price difference was significant and, after spending a lot of money on flights between Uzbekistan and Ukraine, I needed to economize as much as possible, so Moscow it is!
Everything has worked according to the Lord's plan up to this point so I have no reason to doubt that it will change. If we get delayed because of the storm then there is a reason for it and we will simply roll with the punches. It is actually much less stressful knowing that someone else is pulling the strings and that I just need to trust (not to say that trusting is easy, but the Lord always provides). So, if any of you could spare a few prayers, please pray that the Lord's will be done and that, eventually, we will make it back to Ukraine so that I can cover my sweet boy in hugs and kisses and bring him home to his family forever!
Stay tuned. . .the best is yet to come!
Everything has worked according to the Lord's plan up to this point so I have no reason to doubt that it will change. If we get delayed because of the storm then there is a reason for it and we will simply roll with the punches. It is actually much less stressful knowing that someone else is pulling the strings and that I just need to trust (not to say that trusting is easy, but the Lord always provides). So, if any of you could spare a few prayers, please pray that the Lord's will be done and that, eventually, we will make it back to Ukraine so that I can cover my sweet boy in hugs and kisses and bring him home to his family forever!
Stay tuned. . .the best is yet to come!
Friday, December 14, 2007
One more time. . . .
I am leaving again for Ukraine tomorrow afternoon. While I am very, very excited to be bringing Evan home, I have to admit, the thought of traveling half-way across the world again makes me a bit nauseous! It has been a great week, but a long one.
After we arrived home, we enjoyed a very laid back day with the kids, but since then, we have been running at full speed ahead! Jacob came down with a nasty little stomach virus on Monday night. Thankfully it was just a 24-hour bug and everyone else in the house was spared! We put up our Christmas tree and had cookies and hot cocoa on Monday night and went to see the lights at a local park on Wednesday evening. Every other night this week I have spent my evenings running all over town trying to get my Christmas shopping done and get ready for Evan to come home. It has been quite a whirlwind, but I am so glad that I have had this week to prepare as there just was not much time to do everything between Uzbekistan and Ukraine. My body hates me for all that I have put it through and I have spent most of the week sick, but knowing that there is an end in sight has definitely kept me going.
We are right in the path of a nasty winter storm that is supposed to hit us tomorrow morning/afternoon, so I am a bit nervous that our flight out of Dayton may be delayed or canceled (causing us to miss our connecting flight at Dulles. . . hmmm, that sounds eerily familiar). Even if we get set back a bit, the way things are looking, we will likely still be able to make it home by next weekend, but any extra prayers for an uneventful flight over would be greatly appreciated!
If all goes smoothly with our flights, we are scheduled to arrive in Kiev on Sunday afternoon. From Kiev, we will take the overnight train to Kramators'k. Masha will pick us up at the train station early Monday morning and we will go to Artemovsk and Donetsk to pick up the decree, birth certificate and passport and, if all goes as Masha expects, we will pick Evan up late Monday afternoon and either take the overnight train back to Kiev on Monday or take an early morning flight on Tuesday. If we get back to Kiev early enough, we may be able to take Evan to his medical exam and submit all of our paperwork to the Embassy by Tuesday afternoon which could mean that we will be able to head home as early as Thursday evening or Friday morning. Our flights are booked for next Saturday morning, so even if we aren't able to leave until then, we should still make it home in time for Christmas!
I am hoping to update the blog as we go, so stay tuned!
After we arrived home, we enjoyed a very laid back day with the kids, but since then, we have been running at full speed ahead! Jacob came down with a nasty little stomach virus on Monday night. Thankfully it was just a 24-hour bug and everyone else in the house was spared! We put up our Christmas tree and had cookies and hot cocoa on Monday night and went to see the lights at a local park on Wednesday evening. Every other night this week I have spent my evenings running all over town trying to get my Christmas shopping done and get ready for Evan to come home. It has been quite a whirlwind, but I am so glad that I have had this week to prepare as there just was not much time to do everything between Uzbekistan and Ukraine. My body hates me for all that I have put it through and I have spent most of the week sick, but knowing that there is an end in sight has definitely kept me going.
We are right in the path of a nasty winter storm that is supposed to hit us tomorrow morning/afternoon, so I am a bit nervous that our flight out of Dayton may be delayed or canceled (causing us to miss our connecting flight at Dulles. . . hmmm, that sounds eerily familiar). Even if we get set back a bit, the way things are looking, we will likely still be able to make it home by next weekend, but any extra prayers for an uneventful flight over would be greatly appreciated!
If all goes smoothly with our flights, we are scheduled to arrive in Kiev on Sunday afternoon. From Kiev, we will take the overnight train to Kramators'k. Masha will pick us up at the train station early Monday morning and we will go to Artemovsk and Donetsk to pick up the decree, birth certificate and passport and, if all goes as Masha expects, we will pick Evan up late Monday afternoon and either take the overnight train back to Kiev on Monday or take an early morning flight on Tuesday. If we get back to Kiev early enough, we may be able to take Evan to his medical exam and submit all of our paperwork to the Embassy by Tuesday afternoon which could mean that we will be able to head home as early as Thursday evening or Friday morning. Our flights are booked for next Saturday morning, so even if we aren't able to leave until then, we should still make it home in time for Christmas!
I am hoping to update the blog as we go, so stay tuned!
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Touchdown.
The Eagle Has Landed. After three weeks of travel we are back home, anticipating the end of the 10-day waiting period. Val leaves next Saturday to bring Evan home, and if all goes well she'll be able to be home on December 22nd. Stay tuned for more, just wanted to let everyone know we made it home safe.
R-
R-
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)