ruby slippers

Someone asked if I wished I could find a pair of ruby slippers about now…..the answer is yes.  That would be nice.  But also, Oz isn’t all that bad.  I mean, aren’t you thinking the whole time that Dorothy wants to go home, “Hey Dorothy! Look around!  You’re in a land of talking trees where magical things are happening and where two of your best friends might not even have circulatory systems!  Maybe you could just explore Oz and know that you’ll go home when it is time.  Maybe you could ride that color-changing horse or something.”

So, yes, of course I would love to be home.  More than that, I would love for our whole family to be together – anywhere.   I think the kids could have a grand adventure in Ukraine and we’ve made so many wonderful friends here that I hope the opportunity of a return trip will arise.

Is she really this cute????? YES!!!!!

Zoe is doing just GREAT.  She earns 5 stars for behavior, sleep and all around cuteness!  She takes a nap – no problem.  Goes to bed at night and sleeps all night – no problem.  Bops around town with me meeting new people – no problem.  Even on buses? – no problem.  Sits on my lap when needed for an hour or more – no problem.  Uses the big potty…no problem!

Seriously...do eyes get more blue?

With the help of my awesome roommate here, Helen, we have figured out the Russian words that Zoe knows.  For hello (privyet) she says, “ee-eh”.  For good-bye (paka), she says “ee-ah”.  For may I (mozhna), she says “mo”.   Yes is “da”, no is “nyet” (the Russian words).  She has a lot of babble – even more so since we’ve been together and I’m talking to her all the time.

Helen, the Ferdon family and some other friends have been so kind in helping me learn the Russian phrases for things like, “What do you want?,”  “Do you want to eat?,”  “Do you want to go potty?,” “Do you want a drink?,” “Do you want juice?,” “Does it taste good?,” “Good job!,” “Great!,” “C’mon,” “Beautiful!,” “I’ll be right back,” “I’m right here,” etc.  I keep my list of phrases with me everywhere – they come in SO handy since Zoe can understand everything spoken to her in Russian.   With three siblings at home though, I’m sure she will catch on to English quickly.

We shared a Thanksgiving meal with the missionaries here on Friday, and on Saturday we went with the Ferdon’s to visit an older kids’ orphanage outside the city.  Forrest, Darcy and their kids visit every Saturday.  They take games, crafts, snacks and spend time with the kids.  They also do a Bible study with them.  I was so moved by the beautiful teenage girls who were there that badly need female role models.  They were so kind and sweet – all of the kids treated Zoe extremely well, like a little cousin or something.  Not all of the children there are true orphans, I was told.  Some of them have parents, but have bad situations at home, so they stay at the orphanage.  One boy whose mom dropped him off a few days before was seven.  I had to choke back the tears as I thought of my precious Nash.  Just like in America with the welfare system, you know some people really are in dire straits and some people abuse the system.  I wonder what each of the cases is for these kids – and I’m thankful that Forrest and Darcy accepted the call to come serve here and let these kids know that they ARE loved.

A super-blessed Thanksgiving. Zoe's first American Thanksgiving....in Ukraine. This is the apartment where I'm so blessed to be staying!

Today was Sunday, and we went to church – in a Chinese restaurant called Seventh Heaven on the seventh floor of a hotel here.  Zoe sat on my lap and played with her magna doodle and I again had to choke back tears when I thought of how thankful I am for this journey – how thankful I am for God’s immeasurable hand of provision – how thankful I am for redemption and God’s amazing ways.

Some friends invited me over for lunch and Zoe and I had a great time!  Tomorrow, we will meet another adoptive couple that we met for coffee and do some shopping.   Tuesday is all paperwork and we have to be up at 5am Wednesday to make our flight to Kiev.  Wednesday and Thursday are for US Embassy paperwork and I’m praying to be on a flight home Thursday evening!  Bing, bang, bam!

Our journey in many ways is just now beginning.  The hard part is over as far as I’m concerned.  The good thing about adoption being so trying, is that trying things are strengthening.   If you only knew what we have been through to get this far – to Emerald City, you wouldn’t spend a minute worrying on how we’ll be from here on out.    After all, after you’ve defeated a wicked witch and lived through an opium overdose, Kansas is like falling downhill.