First Visit to the Doctor.

Today Andrew had his first visit to the doctor and they loved him and thought he was so cute.  The doctor said he heard no heart murmurs, he was up to date on all his shots so he doesn't get any shots until he is 4.  He wants to see him in 2 months to keep check on his growth since he is small for his age.  They are making him an appointment with an eye doctor that specializes in children.
I received a call from our school district, they offer different classes and therapy for children with special needs and they can start at the age of 3.  We have an appointment with them this coming Tuesday. I am so glad we live in such a wonderful school district.
Andrew has adjusted so well in our family it is like he has been here his whole life and I am so proud of my two children they love him so much. They give him anything he wants they spoil him just as much as I do. Here are some pictures of my three monkeys together.

                                        Aaron decided to feed him chocolate pudding when I wasn't looking!
                                        Believe me he does not need chocolate :)

                                       Look at this precious Angel, how could anyone not love this precious child!
                                       I thank the Lord everyday for my beautiful children, he has blessed
                                       me more than I deserve.   

Pictures

                        Last night in Kiev at TGI Friday's

                                        Packing to go home !!!!! YEEEAAAAAAAAAAA   

Here are pictures from the airport, Thanks Leeann for taking them otherwise I wouldn't have any. You are a wonderful friend.

                                             My Mom, so glad to see her !    

                                             Meeting his granny for the first time.

                                             Big sissy is so glad to finally meet her little brother.

Loving my little man!

                                                Meeting my new little friend Emma.

                                                                                                

Home Sweet Home

Sorry I am just now posting I have been so busy.  We got our Visa on Wednesday and everything went smooth so Thursday morning at 3:30am Nicko picked us up and took us to the airport.  We got on our flight to Munich with no problems then from Munich to Washington DC which is a long flight.  Andrew slept all the way with some help of Benadryl.  When we got to Washington they had lost our luggage, we finally found one and waited for the other for almost 45 mins and no one could find it they kept telling us to wait I finally told them no I didn't care what they did with it I was not missing my flight home.  So we had to run to catch our plane to Greenville Spartanburg and we made it.  We arrived in Greenville Spartanburg airport at 6:30 and what a relief it was.  We had our family and friends waiting on us and I just couldn't hold back the tears any longer it was so wonderful see everyone I love so much.  I think Andrew was a little overwhelmed, but recovered in no time at all.  He loves his big sister and brother I will post some pictures later.
Anyone going to Lugansk to adopt I just want you to know that Violette is a wonderful person she is so sweet and really cares about these children.  I really loved her and will miss her, I am so glad I had the opportunity to meet such a wonderful person.

Answered Prayers

Monday the boilogical father signed the paperwork we needed to get Andrew's passport, we had his passport at 3:00pm and then we had airline tickets to Kiev! This morning we arrived in Kiev about 8:20 am we went straight to the US Embassy to get his Visa we have to go back tomorrow with all the paperwork and have our interview at 2, they said we should have the Visa tomorrow. After we went to the Embassy we went to the Medical appt. which was really quick we ran into no problems there.  But at the US Embassy we didn't have some of the papers we needed so that caused some extra stress.  Wondering how we would get the papers which were at home.  My mother went to our house and found our W2 forms for 2009 ( that is one thing we were missing) she then  took them  to my office where Leeann scanned them and emailed them to me. Thanks to both of you ! . Hopefully if everything goes ok tomorrow we will be on an airplane Thursday morning headed straight to South Carolina! I think when I get there I will never leave again!!!!

Still here and waiting

Haven't posted in a while just haven't  felt up to it, We are still hoping and praying that Monday everything comes through and we get Andrew's passport. Please pray that everything works out we need to get home.  I don't know what we will do if we don't we are almost out of money and patience, we have to get home.  Our children start school Monday and we won't be there but they have their school supplies thanks to Nana and Aunt Vicky.  If it weren't from them and Granny we don' t know what we would have done.  I miss my two babies so much, which they are not babies anymore Alaina is going in the 5th grade and Aaron in the 3rd I can't believe how time flies.
Andrew is wonderful he feels like he has been ours forever, he has no difficulties at all since he left the orphanage.  We stay in most of the time only going to the market to get food which makes the day so long.  We eat the same food over and over because we aren't really sure what foods are what.  But we are not going hungry.  Andrew loves to eat he doesn't care what it is, if we eat it he wants it.  Last night I ate a tomato sandwich for supper and guess who came along and wanted some, and yes he ate it and loved it.  I guess he will make a great Southerner !!!
Well here are a few pictures I took over the last few days of our new little man.

Pictures

                                                                  

HELPLESS AND STRANDED !

Right now I am feeling so helpless I don't know how to describe what I am going through, sorry but this will be a negative post, I just can't help it and I need to express my feelings.  We were waiting today to find out about Andrew's passport, which ended up with bad news.  We will not even be able to start the process until next Monday.  I have done nothing but cry, because I am doing a single parent adoption with support of spouse the Judge would not take the father's name off the birth certificate, so.....now we have to have his permission to get the passport to take him back to the USA.

Please tell me this is not crazy, we have a court document saying I am the mother that he is legally my son through adoption, we have the letter signed by both parents saying they give up their rights and that they don't want the child. But this is not good enough they have to have a notarized letter from the father giving permission to get his passport, I just don't understand. They have notified his biological father he agrees to do this but he is not here and won't be back until Sunday.  Yes that is good that he agrees to do this but why should it even be to begin with.  Now we will not be leaving as planned on Friday who knows when we will get to leave, I am just so upset and depressed about the whole situation. My children start school next week and I won't even be there, I feel guilty because they are having such a hard time with us being gone to begin with.  I know that the Lord has his plan and no I don't have to understand it all but right now I am having a real hard time.
I also worry about if the father has to give his permission what keeps him from coming to the US in the future and trying to take Andrew away, I asked that question and they said no, he has no rights !
Whew tell me do you understand any of this ? He has no rights but I have to get his permission to get a passport!
This is also a big financial burden on us we had not planned to stay here this long again, but here we are I just hope and pray everything works out.  Again sorry but I just have to express my true feelings and right now they are not good.
On the brighter side, Andrew is a joy and a precious child he feels like we have had him since birth, he is getting to where he really loves to snuggle and loves to be held and I love every minute of that.

Rocking my baby !

Andrew's first night with us was amazing he ate good, he loved a bath and I finally got to rock him to sleep something I have been waiting on for a long time....it felt wonderful.

He is a sweet little man and we love him so much, I can't wait to get him home to meet his sister and brother.  Tomorrow we find out about his passport, please pray we get it quickly.

Gotcha Day

Sorry I haven't posted lost internet service and last night I was just plain wiped out and stressed not to mention very excited about bringing my Andrew out of the orphanage where he will never have to return. 
Yesterday morning started out very busy, we went and picked up his new birth certificate, tax id number and then started on the paperwork for his passport.  When all was said and done we could not get his passport because his real father's name is on his birth certificate.  I don't understand it either but I am doing a single parent adoption with support of spouse which the Judge said the father's name shall remain on his birth certificate but with me being the mother.  I have all the necessary paperwork, I have the adoption decree saying that he is my son, I have a letter signed by both his parents saying they don't want him and that he can be adopted by a Ukrainian Citizen or a foreigner so HEY WHAT MORE CAN THEY WANT!  I was so upset and stressed yesterday I didn't know what to do.  Violette is going Monday to talk to the Judge to see if she can straighten it out.  Let me just say she is wonderful and worked very hard to try to resolve this on Friday but it was not in her control she ran from one office to another trying to get papers that would resolve the situation but nothing would satisfy them.  So please pray that Monday the Judge will have the answer we need. 
They day ended with the most wonderful thing of all I got to go and pick my baby up from the orphanage where he will never have to return.  He is so content here with us he has not cried or anything he slept all night and has even taken his nap today.  He is wonderful, and a typical 2 year old he is into everything and I am wore out from chasing him around this 3 room apartment so that should be really intersting when we get back home.
We forgot our camara so the pictures we took are from my husband's cell phone.

                                                    
                                                          We are on our way out now!

Gates of Freedom !

New Birth Certificate

We went this morning to fill out paperwork for Andrew's new birth certificate, Violette is suppose to call tomorrow at 1 to see when it will be ready.  The lady said it may be ready tomorrow afternoon but as you all know over here you are at their mercy, it could be or it could not be.   I am hoping and praying that everything is ready tomorrow afternoon so we can start on the next task. 
We went to see Andrew in the afternoon and he was inside he saw me and he came running with his little arms up he is so cute when he does that.  I dressed him and we went outside and of course he had to eat. We tried on the shoes that I had bought him and he could wear both pair, he loved trying on the new shoes and hat I have bought him.

He talked on the phone to his granny for the first time he didn't know what to think!

He is such a sweetheart I love him so much and am so ready to bring him home.  When I left him today he didn't want to go back to the care taker he just kept shaking his little head no it really hurts to know I have to leave him there, but it won't be long now and we will be together as a family.

Our Return

After 12 hours of three different flights not counting the lay overs and one 15 hour train ride we are HERE!  When we left the train stration we went straight to the orphanage and I couldn't wait to see my baby. I kept wondering if he had forgotten me well guess what NO Way!  When he saw us he was in one of those wooden play pens he put his arms up and no one helps him out so he just decieded he was coming over by himself and he was off to see mama and papa.

He let me snuggle him up even though it was about 100 degrees outside.  All the children were dressed in nothing but their little undies, it was so hot.

Our order won't be signed until Wednesday afternoon, so I am not sure when we will be able to break him out but I am so looking foward to it. I can't wait for him to meet Alaina and Aaron they are so excited about getting a little brother, he is going to spoiled rotten by all of us !  And he deserves it and I am so glad that he will be home for his 3rd birthday what a party we are going to have for him.
This visit and the last he was very tired and sluggish acting not sure if it is the heat or what? Kinda got me a little worried but I think he is OK at first he wouldn't even let us hold him he wanted to be walking and doing his own thing but now he likes it, maybe he just likes it so much and he feels safe that he is just relaxing and enjoying all the kissing and snuggling.

Of course I didn't forget to bring food Allen had to go dig in the suitcase in the trunk to find it, and Andrew was glad he was ready to eat and drink some juice.

Thanks Aunt Leeann he loves all the sippy cups you gave him!

Daddy got Love and a chance to play!

He is inside of you can't see him. LOL