Home Alone

Well, we arrived home safely on Saturday Night, grateful for two weeks of safe travel and good health. Bill's brother, Doug, and Nephew & Niece, Geoff & Andrea, graciously picked us up at LAX. What a gift to see our family at the airport!! We had been awake for more than 48 hours with only some intermittent napping on the 12 hour plane ride. We were exhausted and we all went to bed. Sunday was also a blurr as we did some laundry and slept most of the day.

Monday Bill actually went back to work and the rest of us tried to put the house in order along with more napping. We all anxiously waited for Tuesday to get here. Also we had another unexpected loss today. One of our cats, Rocky, became critically ill, and after a 17 hour battle with no improvement, we had to have him euthanized. He was only 2 years old and he was Rachel's favorite. It was a sad time for us on top of all the other emotions from our trip.

Tuesday is the day of the final vote, at the regional council in Chernivtsi, on our request to legally separate the siblings. We waited all day, and in the afternoon we got the word that they voted 7 to 4 not to approve our request to legally separate our little guy and his sister. We were told that the 16 year old sister's opinion regarding what is best is carrying more weight than our guy's orphanage director (his legal guardian). What is wrong with all these adults? We don't understand why his legal guardian would not be consulted regarding her opinion as to what is best for him? We are not completely surprised, but we are extremely disappointed. We are now looking into getting a medical visa for him. Our facilitators in the Ukraine will continue to try to establish a trust relationship with the sister in an effort to educate her about adoption, life in the United States and our family's hope for her brother. We are not sure why this is happening, but we know there is a reason. We know we do not see all that is happening here and we rely on our faith during this difficult time. We covet your prayers for peace and comfort. We are not defeated, but we acknowledge this as a set-back.

'Though He slay me I will hope in Him.' -Job 13:15

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,

But trust Him for His grace;

Behind a frowning providence

He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,

Unfolding every hour;

The bud may have a bitter taste,

But sweet will be the flower;

Blind unbelief is sure to err,

And scan His work in vain;

God is His own interpreter,

And He will make it plain.