tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26051337783161053672024-03-05T10:08:20.176-06:00Building our family through loveOur family has grown and grown very quickly by the blessing of adoption!!!Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.comBlogger151125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-14312869793149147412015-02-16T20:44:00.001-06:002015-02-16T23:44:11.907-06:00Extending our USCIS......Well as those of you who have been around awhile know we hosted a girl the summer of 2012 who set our hearts on fire for adopting from Ukraine. We thought that on that first trip to Ukraine we were bringing home her and Pasha. <div>The day before we flew from Houston to Ukraine we heard from a local friend there that our girl hadn't told her grandparents who she was still in contact with that we were coming for her yet. Long story short they found out and caused a huge scene at the orphanage because they thought she didn't really want to go with us. A lot of people there are wary of Americans, they think we adopt children to sell their organs or use them as house servants. We tried to bring her home that trip but were unable to. We did bring home Callen and Pasha and went home thinking of her and dreaming of someday trying again.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Mk3UUcU5DUkGh5DUGfZLDuRqKsijRI1TvJESiVq6SfAAgS_VQDo4H85Hr6CtuT0VYd_lSre1z2o5s3LQrSrfoZMPR41ExA_sWn9PVKZ3EqRwC8ZFW6P1T_YCwK1LOkt9LVPeX60BI-4/s640/blogger-image--1969403382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Mk3UUcU5DUkGh5DUGfZLDuRqKsijRI1TvJESiVq6SfAAgS_VQDo4H85Hr6CtuT0VYd_lSre1z2o5s3LQrSrfoZMPR41ExA_sWn9PVKZ3EqRwC8ZFW6P1T_YCwK1LOkt9LVPeX60BI-4/s640/blogger-image--1969403382.jpg"></a></div>Here's me with Pasha at the orphanage in March 2013</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSpVhda1RJ6GIdEWJTAHMhKg8XQEbOlydQ1BwOiorpCoi-LniyKjeIKLxQu1dyUXJLpwMeYDMsKXW7IaJAvx4XdALUDvLDuT937tQj959MSzEOjL6SMYvp3J5KUZ6xzCh3NDIUmPujec/s640/blogger-image-1360282714.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSpVhda1RJ6GIdEWJTAHMhKg8XQEbOlydQ1BwOiorpCoi-LniyKjeIKLxQu1dyUXJLpwMeYDMsKXW7IaJAvx4XdALUDvLDuT937tQj959MSzEOjL6SMYvp3J5KUZ6xzCh3NDIUmPujec/s640/blogger-image-1360282714.jpg"></a></div>Here's me with Callen at the orphanage May 2013</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>During that trip we decided to start the process to adopt Katya and spent the next several months fundraising and doing paperwork to adopt her. We still heard from our other girl every couple of months and she still wanted to be with us. Over the months she told her family what her wishes were. We made plans to adopt her too. Sadly just a couple of months before we got travel dates to adopt the girls Russia invaded Crimea and took them over. Russia banned Americans from adopting from there in 2012......so this again ended our dreams of her being our daughter. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-E5r3SiJVmKzd-qgJJM5-wG5pwAk8eUroD3FTJ7uS7meXzoxrExrQZrnjAZdPRBURgvEcccPDCnRnFKBIwG2eB-h9aO6Wwk8W5dDV5hEKDIroemngqpIqy8rHK9580PuPMe8lf3pVn0/s640/blogger-image-1118810814.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF-E5r3SiJVmKzd-qgJJM5-wG5pwAk8eUroD3FTJ7uS7meXzoxrExrQZrnjAZdPRBURgvEcccPDCnRnFKBIwG2eB-h9aO6Wwk8W5dDV5hEKDIroemngqpIqy8rHK9580PuPMe8lf3pVn0/s640/blogger-image-1118810814.jpg"></a></div>This is Independence square in Kiev June 2014</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We have kept in touch with her but it's always been through other people passing messages and it was only every few months. Amazingly before Christmas we found out a team of Americans were going to her city on a mission trip. They agreed to take some money over for us to give to a local friend there who visits the orphanage. Our girl requested a phone that she could use to keep in contact with us. She was finally able to get it activated and set up a facebook account this month. Since then we have heard from her everyday and everyday she expresses that if given the opportunity she wants to be apart of our family. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujOL9DxYwMI4ZCUep2qvIg3_UBtyga606YQNf88kvdFYLBCWkawyDoatdFjWZUsyl7_VuZRQE8qMI7j6bTNbPuuhWEhN9hr9v1JvsC45__10DmU2trHVT3VFu2NbRHo6eWfIdT6FAF1s/s640/blogger-image-192941080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgujOL9DxYwMI4ZCUep2qvIg3_UBtyga606YQNf88kvdFYLBCWkawyDoatdFjWZUsyl7_VuZRQE8qMI7j6bTNbPuuhWEhN9hr9v1JvsC45__10DmU2trHVT3VFu2NbRHo6eWfIdT6FAF1s/s640/blogger-image-192941080.jpg"></a></div>This is our sweet girl.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>We only have a very short time to get the paperwork filed so if the opportunity ever presents itself we could adopt her. You see the US has a law that children cannot be adopted after the age of 16 unless you file certain papers and meet certain time criterias. Even if we get the papers done in time it's still a huge mountain we have to face of unknowns and challenges but all I know is that we fell in love with this girl and think of her as our daughter, no matter what. </div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-1925365140513284652015-02-16T12:47:00.001-06:002015-02-16T12:47:24.222-06:00Catching up!Wow it has been crazy around here since Pashas surgery in December. He's doing awesome!!! These were right after surgery I'll try to add updated ones soon.<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1Rlq3akekkhgnxoITA_VSXppVFPKtYlQL8F30ywv3QETOvNewMYLXnf8xFppNw-63-TYO1YPkazU39nMht53MnFZ_sCxHmuHHjl_2927s1KrPAU1VVzEcNley7_FCid4LIAT6VtigDc/s640/blogger-image--1285447211.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn1Rlq3akekkhgnxoITA_VSXppVFPKtYlQL8F30ywv3QETOvNewMYLXnf8xFppNw-63-TYO1YPkazU39nMht53MnFZ_sCxHmuHHjl_2927s1KrPAU1VVzEcNley7_FCid4LIAT6VtigDc/s640/blogger-image--1285447211.jpg"></a></div> <div><br></div><div>Christmas was great we had already booked a place in Bandera thinking Pasha would still be in the hospital in San Antonio. We took the kids to Sea World and enjoyed family time there at the guest ranch we stayed at. It was a nice break from our routines at home and all the kids enjoyed it. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>The beginning of January Katya started complaining of a headache but was still eating good and playing so we gave it a few days hoping it was allergies or the remnants of sinus pressure from the cold she had the week of Christmas. Well after 5 days I took her to the ER and they decided it was shunt related so they replaced her shunt and put in an adjustable one. Well these things aren't an exact science so it took 2 weeks and 2 hospital admissions to find the right setting for her but since then she's doing great and is back to normal. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Ashlyn turned 12 in January and Lesia turned 17 that month then a week later at the beginning of this month Savannah turned 3! So we have been pretty busy, also Super Bowl weekend we brought home a 6 week old Great Dane puppy we named Sassafras aka Sassy. </div><div><br></div><div>Ok I think that's the short version of everything:) hopefully my next update won't take so long:) </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GrftVxTXS4Fssj0J3MW6OxfqLikWZWd48VuMqobMnIM61litupQENflstauBARgRpvkJ2yG2YNF4Z4qoJVBvw4ocMh7-DlHFU_BqlXoywk2WrJcg_VHuazOEc0UgVsiPrbhFaYzRvos/s640/blogger-image-1945856006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7GrftVxTXS4Fssj0J3MW6OxfqLikWZWd48VuMqobMnIM61litupQENflstauBARgRpvkJ2yG2YNF4Z4qoJVBvw4ocMh7-DlHFU_BqlXoywk2WrJcg_VHuazOEc0UgVsiPrbhFaYzRvos/s640/blogger-image-1945856006.jpg"></a></div>Here's the puppy</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAM8FEWifgCGr_Ek9wosBau7ScAbx-z4g5amepMUKK1B0SY-hLEKsOWQ99SxT0bvkpzMl5eYZ_ETJvCrvOKjK0d0ImUJ3xSW-ZFE7qZak-e2AWCfbhw2YBfkSZsSOY9f76cVQM3HrYpKU/s640/blogger-image-809460561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAM8FEWifgCGr_Ek9wosBau7ScAbx-z4g5amepMUKK1B0SY-hLEKsOWQ99SxT0bvkpzMl5eYZ_ETJvCrvOKjK0d0ImUJ3xSW-ZFE7qZak-e2AWCfbhw2YBfkSZsSOY9f76cVQM3HrYpKU/s640/blogger-image-809460561.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Katya at Savannah's birthday party</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji6Uy0YpUXJ__GkDOWB3yz2iqy8OQoebmJzPgWrI-A9ps-xjSpk3Xi9yLXK-hvQbSAbhZwTLR6mbiuVr_EE2sc3NkebOem0xGdwqPo9tTQeUjVhfR-xm7gFYOn4d_qIAMT7-NedNAaves/s640/blogger-image--588539532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji6Uy0YpUXJ__GkDOWB3yz2iqy8OQoebmJzPgWrI-A9ps-xjSpk3Xi9yLXK-hvQbSAbhZwTLR6mbiuVr_EE2sc3NkebOem0xGdwqPo9tTQeUjVhfR-xm7gFYOn4d_qIAMT7-NedNAaves/s640/blogger-image--588539532.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Savannah and my grandma </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLNlCHkT6EA9QIha-YqRuK-ZuLenFMVpkb3lmLJKazybv0NYANDH1yZdUgLogIAdHnj88ALj1OstI7weysmTTRjkr9R4g95YvcldLb9_Vq84ej1-drPmpG7Uot6JI5umq6GTSK-h4PDU/s640/blogger-image-122842045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidLNlCHkT6EA9QIha-YqRuK-ZuLenFMVpkb3lmLJKazybv0NYANDH1yZdUgLogIAdHnj88ALj1OstI7weysmTTRjkr9R4g95YvcldLb9_Vq84ej1-drPmpG7Uot6JI5umq6GTSK-h4PDU/s640/blogger-image-122842045.jpg"></a></div>Pasha in his stander</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-31474740034294493122014-12-08T08:47:00.001-06:002014-12-08T08:47:54.675-06:00Home after surgery!!!Pasha aka Grayson had the VEPTR surgery on Wednesday and was released Saturday to come home! He blew the medical team away with how well he's doing after surgery! We bought a used bed to put downstairs for him because carrying him upstairs is very challenging now because we have to hold him very carefully now. He's eating good for him anyway and bossing his siblings around so I guess he's doing pretty good! <div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQxaq2aF2jKda0PfQDx86X-qm5nlgvRlddLiBEoi45gcr_DHIRStOwfJYjrM0Gwei6tG_uz1Y5hmyHUyILtXhJ_rM8MW-M3_VKuQYqs_Dr_8-4gzM2Ollf0kRenUjk_lCr03YOSwfNL4/s640/blogger-image--3469088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQxaq2aF2jKda0PfQDx86X-qm5nlgvRlddLiBEoi45gcr_DHIRStOwfJYjrM0Gwei6tG_uz1Y5hmyHUyILtXhJ_rM8MW-M3_VKuQYqs_Dr_8-4gzM2Ollf0kRenUjk_lCr03YOSwfNL4/s640/blogger-image--3469088.jpg"></a></div>Sitting up in his chair for the first time after surgery<br><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Katya's doing well too she's picking up more english everyday and learning more and more things she can do herself everyday too. She's really taken to Zeus and likes being "in charge" of him doing things like letting him outside and getting him water. </div><div><br></div><div>Callen has been getting good notes from his teacher almost everyday from school! At home he's doing pretty well too, he still is adjusting to a new sibling but overall he's making good progress. His FAS makes any changes to his life difficult to accept. It just takes awhile for him to accept new routines, like next year he'll be in school all day instead of half a day. I'm expecting lots of tantruming and defiance for a few months until he's adjusted. </div><div><br></div><div>The other kids are doing good too they're all excited for Christmas and have written/drawn their letters to Santa! My 2 biggest girls (Lesia and Ashlyn) are looking forward to no school so they can sleep in! </div></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-84539987317537439272014-12-02T22:54:00.001-06:002014-12-03T14:06:48.184-06:00Pasha updateSorry it's been very busy in our lives lately. I'm in San Antonio right now with Grayson and Jared and in the morning Graysons having the VEPTR surgery. They are titanium rods that will be placed into his spine to help him grow. It's a major surgery and carries lots of risks but he needs this done to improve his quality and quantity of life. So please pray for his health.......<br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEejfNM7iJKn1oznvqIw8u3mm83cJ0TFAus2MNcbHPjSHWZ-ryx04K3_h28pzboH1GrUti4i6q5VsOjiOiXtG52HHFUzNuW1Rm_-32Y7Q52t0bPv2c-IeIjDjAiZNqEWj3pbZE4PNWIA/s640/blogger-image-985952832.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEejfNM7iJKn1oznvqIw8u3mm83cJ0TFAus2MNcbHPjSHWZ-ryx04K3_h28pzboH1GrUti4i6q5VsOjiOiXtG52HHFUzNuW1Rm_-32Y7Q52t0bPv2c-IeIjDjAiZNqEWj3pbZE4PNWIA/s640/blogger-image-985952832.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">In the hotel </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7budh88hisQw0kd6Vg1aCqt7U1s7YTEWfBDdoZbu2IBSQncFEud_6TjvZ6DV7rpIkKHzspTaKEIkyWJXev58NJxpAx_mzTSKFMU9-IK_k_31KwYUl6jpkBG_UM8I62gVPyTPbSQPqaM/s640/blogger-image-1919566819.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7budh88hisQw0kd6Vg1aCqt7U1s7YTEWfBDdoZbu2IBSQncFEud_6TjvZ6DV7rpIkKHzspTaKEIkyWJXev58NJxpAx_mzTSKFMU9-IK_k_31KwYUl6jpkBG_UM8I62gVPyTPbSQPqaM/s640/blogger-image-1919566819.jpg"></a></div>Dinner at the hotel </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Y7LL8r8LtIDBNcYThKVjpYub0ayu9VTmjXLTA9TuL7nV3HYMqcNwlqcUHdAshMwIAgvXTgDwgy1R5-xo8F3ufvfKSPas454e9X9oK5wdOYE22-D9ioAAzoy0CxnFmPxiPATDsk4IsAQ/s640/blogger-image-1918621190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Y7LL8r8LtIDBNcYThKVjpYub0ayu9VTmjXLTA9TuL7nV3HYMqcNwlqcUHdAshMwIAgvXTgDwgy1R5-xo8F3ufvfKSPas454e9X9oK5wdOYE22-D9ioAAzoy0CxnFmPxiPATDsk4IsAQ/s640/blogger-image-1918621190.jpg"></a></div>Morning of surgery</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgbfRhUJSphdfDjS4IcaHlIjZd0GYDhImV2im16e4lY7cwyOHoGlCimd6n1Ee70aYlmrVUkujTBymOcvE5UqUGegk7b5HPqi2N3Uj0OPLENaX3Qc8PGhi_IkidJy2AwYNNMBW-zOfuT8/s640/blogger-image-173057299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJgbfRhUJSphdfDjS4IcaHlIjZd0GYDhImV2im16e4lY7cwyOHoGlCimd6n1Ee70aYlmrVUkujTBymOcvE5UqUGegk7b5HPqi2N3Uj0OPLENaX3Qc8PGhi_IkidJy2AwYNNMBW-zOfuT8/s640/blogger-image-173057299.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">After surgery: doing great in the PICU </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-32550385116862973942014-11-19T13:39:00.001-06:002014-11-19T13:39:46.231-06:00Pasha is 6!!!Today Today Today Pasha aka Grayson is 6 years old! I can't believe my oldest son is now 6....he's still my baby :) <div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWiD83fObVR87RlsedO2Qm4NpMviFCBvs89hof4H3AGvCY5o6nLMIaqA5OKjU1gQdOn0-yHvcqa8_HiQLqd82dj99Izrr7u-Qx-h4ZSnUZ5fMPWYQbkwnFBE1138-b6246WeOPpQ-Ocg/s640/blogger-image--1524064439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjWiD83fObVR87RlsedO2Qm4NpMviFCBvs89hof4H3AGvCY5o6nLMIaqA5OKjU1gQdOn0-yHvcqa8_HiQLqd82dj99Izrr7u-Qx-h4ZSnUZ5fMPWYQbkwnFBE1138-b6246WeOPpQ-Ocg/s640/blogger-image--1524064439.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Today at the park holding my coffee for me so I could take a pic:) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxomh4paqkF6tOrwaI3PfS3MojSPbLWI_v3-CoP1BvrK6Iqjr6dsNIAyxzuL13ZWZRjmxPOFfGAhglg5V3tPKNpCgqeJlnBGtiJO5LkFDjZK9BK25yG4ZpFegU4AlygQRRHwzbr-6lPJ4/s640/blogger-image--34493467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxomh4paqkF6tOrwaI3PfS3MojSPbLWI_v3-CoP1BvrK6Iqjr6dsNIAyxzuL13ZWZRjmxPOFfGAhglg5V3tPKNpCgqeJlnBGtiJO5LkFDjZK9BK25yG4ZpFegU4AlygQRRHwzbr-6lPJ4/s640/blogger-image--34493467.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Katya about to slide</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIH8pu-mThx8pug2HdPOkmUz4x6-RStn5P2A4f0r84MYgP5CvSqf2GxLZWF4rUf3eutS5yprBbaFH5ECxkMuRo0iTXUdFitUAQ-F4qc4asdMvSkosHs7gI_D2znIzlGSYfrRDc4oVESw/s640/blogger-image--725209992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRIH8pu-mThx8pug2HdPOkmUz4x6-RStn5P2A4f0r84MYgP5CvSqf2GxLZWF4rUf3eutS5yprBbaFH5ECxkMuRo0iTXUdFitUAQ-F4qc4asdMvSkosHs7gI_D2znIzlGSYfrRDc4oVESw/s640/blogger-image--725209992.jpg"></a></div>Kaeden on the rocker thingy</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuV0YsQK1xZZx0NU0nRmbHXFrp8AcAnbZVrzjDYaxpvEjFdX77YFVRFr0he7WEuFjc4f8uK7S6rduh__DkqKEZBGLSmUn9qSupV5dRrfW2907IarRTWti_MaXBZR0kLhZqgiWfKtHR3w/s640/blogger-image-1171874458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuV0YsQK1xZZx0NU0nRmbHXFrp8AcAnbZVrzjDYaxpvEjFdX77YFVRFr0he7WEuFjc4f8uK7S6rduh__DkqKEZBGLSmUn9qSupV5dRrfW2907IarRTWti_MaXBZR0kLhZqgiWfKtHR3w/s640/blogger-image-1171874458.jpg"></a></div>Here's the 4 I had with me today. Callen, Ashlyn and Lesia were at school.</div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-34439379574880788092014-10-28T09:04:00.001-05:002014-10-28T09:04:32.708-05:00Messages of hopeEvery few months I get a short letter via email or facebook from our sweet girl we hosted in the summer of 2012 who's in Crimea. <div>They remind me she hasn't forgotten us and still thinks of us:) not a day goes by that Jared and I don't think of her and miss her. We keep holding on to the hope that someday we will see her again.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSLaKP7NMUyLHt81c4pcgRzC6nf7DthS-57i4xEoa1pj18B3p6eODfGAi1pykqacPT8Lkhyphenhyphen3jHtvXrCeHw6YVYJT2LSBDuD8AkYc5Yy3TWRoBY-4v717Z14aYPC8aGNqwXRUz_2qj7R4c/s640/blogger-image-605653114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSLaKP7NMUyLHt81c4pcgRzC6nf7DthS-57i4xEoa1pj18B3p6eODfGAi1pykqacPT8Lkhyphenhyphen3jHtvXrCeHw6YVYJT2LSBDuD8AkYc5Yy3TWRoBY-4v717Z14aYPC8aGNqwXRUz_2qj7R4c/s640/blogger-image-605653114.jpg"></a></div><br></div> </div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-10991829634230131832014-10-27T08:30:00.001-05:002014-10-27T08:32:22.610-05:00Katya is 11!!!!Katya turned 11 last week! We had a small family party for her here at home. She was a bit confused as to why we were singing to her and giving her gifts! Lol Lesia kept telling her in ukrainian that it was her birthday and these gifts were because of that but she just has no reference to know what we were taking about. Imagine being 11 and never have had a birthday party before:( <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2s6UEh7URwSJ2JuFnKZCxrqP7io7Yp0n8SNgS2aey3QKWgcGFoisjyByoQSaNP_rSIX24S5yHX3d3xROBQE3omRYnZGMJa2Q7dQndvFY-kOYvAPzt7GPI_ayPuJ2SCLni8EQYSZ3eeA/s640/blogger-image-1874053607.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir2s6UEh7URwSJ2JuFnKZCxrqP7io7Yp0n8SNgS2aey3QKWgcGFoisjyByoQSaNP_rSIX24S5yHX3d3xROBQE3omRYnZGMJa2Q7dQndvFY-kOYvAPzt7GPI_ayPuJ2SCLni8EQYSZ3eeA/s640/blogger-image-1874053607.jpg"></a></div>We had a small store bought cake for her that night and pizza (her favorite) but my friend Anastasia who happens to be Ukrainian had her mom make Katya a napoloen cake for her birthday. It's amazing even Jared liked it and he rarely likes any desserts. </div><div><br></div><div>Katya is doing really well, she's picking up more english words every week. It's going to be awhile though before she really picks up enough to get by on. She enjoys her siblings most of the time! They of course pester her and make her mad sometimes as all younger siblings do. She and Ashlyn are doing good sharing a bedroom still but Katya likes to keep thinks neat and Ashlyns a slob.....it's been very crazy around here lately and I just don't have the energy to write so that's all for now. </div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-31545702002213644352014-10-15T07:25:00.001-05:002014-10-27T08:20:49.467-05:00Wednesday pondering<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Went to the Russian general store and an international market on Monday. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I miss Ukraine everyday, mostly the food though :) and juice oh my gosh I miss the juice!!!! Yummy yummy yummy!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiArtiog-8cBVOsWAPDM6mcJ-XyJDbiMhuy50cNLtSvoa5dk2X4O2So9ydAyEf8T312t1YQ-sBr_sKLRueY_PDY1wUFl6AYV2LRaSJmoONrZyaePWLR-rseg_hfW80gXtFEKDRpxpLeeTQ/s640/blogger-image--51158119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiArtiog-8cBVOsWAPDM6mcJ-XyJDbiMhuy50cNLtSvoa5dk2X4O2So9ydAyEf8T312t1YQ-sBr_sKLRueY_PDY1wUFl6AYV2LRaSJmoONrZyaePWLR-rseg_hfW80gXtFEKDRpxpLeeTQ/s640/blogger-image--51158119.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I hope I get to go back soon to visit and just sightsee without the stress of being there to adopt. Maybe I'll get lucky and another family will invite me to go along as a travel companion:) </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-52422205727555018022014-09-28T12:17:00.001-05:002014-09-28T13:53:40.435-05:00I'm tired......I am tired.....I'm physically, emotionally, mentally and whatever other way there is to be tired that's what I am! Having 7 kids in our home ranging from 16-2 plus the normal daily things going on in life on top of having 2 kids with Spina Bifida and 3 kids from orphanages is just flat out exhausting. The housework is never done, the laundry alone is ridiculous! Both our SB kids generate a ton of laundry alone due to medical issues that came with their diagnosis'. My husband is also remodeling our kitchen and dining room so we have an area big enough for all of us to eat together. Our home had a very small formal dining room and miniature breakfast nook and a cramped kitchen. Soooo on top of the messes that come along with 7 kids I also have construction mess to deal with. <div>To say I'm stressed is an understatement :) we are still adjusting to life as a family of 9 for the year. Katya is still adjusting to being a part of our family and family life in general. She's doing great but of course there are bumps and pot holes in our paths. Navigating them sometimes overwhelms me and I have to cry and whine and just vent all my frustrations out. I'm not going to lie adopting from an orphanage is HARD. Our children have not had "normal" lives before they were ours. They didn't have a family to rock them as babies, no toys to play with, pretty much everything we as Americans grow up experiencing they didn't. Even the things we consider normal and routine are new and strange to them like washing their hands, brushing their teeth, changing clothes everyday, actually playing with toys! </div><div>Finding our new normal this time has been rough on me, I'm tired and get overwhelmed easily. It's a good thing Jared is the opposite of me and is super laid back. A lot of times I feel inadequate and like a failure because I feel guilty that the house is a mess or guilty I can't spend all my extra time (pretty much non existent) just doing fun things with my kids because we have dr appts, therapy stuff to do, home school for Katya and Pasha, grocery shopping, laundry, dusting, cooking, changing diapers, researching medical things, reading about attachment and trauma, school things for the others and just life in general. Not to mention trying to squeeze in time for Jared and I to be alone and just relax. I feel pulled in 5 million directions and bad that I'm not doing a better job at all this multitasking. </div><div>I try to remind myself this season is just that a season. Someday it will feel "normal" again here.....someday. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Utt-nX0k_CwXj_7YO4Nl7HCDzNrkyBwDBUeBKW9EQhOUTFMjYgQszMR04TosIDV5d83E1a__Jztlt88_xnd0bB-rqV-ep34donYmDOc2SVqrqtvEwn2bE9lFqpRdYE5eLndJICuRSXU/s640/blogger-image-2105470504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Utt-nX0k_CwXj_7YO4Nl7HCDzNrkyBwDBUeBKW9EQhOUTFMjYgQszMR04TosIDV5d83E1a__Jztlt88_xnd0bB-rqV-ep34donYmDOc2SVqrqtvEwn2bE9lFqpRdYE5eLndJICuRSXU/s640/blogger-image-2105470504.jpg"></a></div>Lesia and Ashlyn got a hold of my phone last night. Now you see what I'm dealing with :) </div><div><br></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-33477177976066169162014-09-19T10:19:00.001-05:002014-09-19T10:19:02.898-05:00One month home.....Things are still pretty crazy here. Getting into a routine with 7 kids here has been rough:) especially since I'm super unorganized and a huge procrastinator!<div><br></div><div>All the kids are doing good and getting along most of the time. They all argue just like siblings, even our 16 year old exchange student argues with Callen and Kaeden! They both are huge pests and like aggravating her. </div><div><br></div><div>Katya is doing great, she's learned a few English words and is getting better at self care. Amazingly she and Pasha have become pretty close. While I was still in Ukraine she expressed several times when she'd she his pictures that she didn't like him. I think his wheelchair scared her but after me making her use one on the trip home because of her mobility and then me showing her all of her Pashas similarities she's realized they are a lot alike. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_WaAlr2NJ0qceYXWWBMKbT4mhtdg63_BudEIoIjUzyfzLds9Mdt9jkoKn7fKmxMo_S2h5J2UH38GGZ1I1CNh-uKL2D6iFYuHm16HjgrVdnDUb45-5WNqL3BLLmhpmzQw1fYIpaWWBc4M/s640/blogger-image--117648545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_WaAlr2NJ0qceYXWWBMKbT4mhtdg63_BudEIoIjUzyfzLds9Mdt9jkoKn7fKmxMo_S2h5J2UH38GGZ1I1CNh-uKL2D6iFYuHm16HjgrVdnDUb45-5WNqL3BLLmhpmzQw1fYIpaWWBc4M/s640/blogger-image--117648545.jpg"></a></div>Coloring hearts I drew then she cut them out. </div><div><br></div><div>So far she's been evaluated at the Spina Bifida clinic to start getting referrals for other specialists and been to the dentist. </div><div>I knew her teeth were in bad shape but she started complaining of pain so we had to take her sooner than we had planned. We had hoped to wait until her English was better so she could communicate easier but the pain was too much. She ended up having one tooth extracted on Monday and one filled, we still have at least 2 visits left to get the really bad stuff taken care of. She'll need at least one more tooth extracted:( </div><div>Next week we go have some testing done at the hospital for urology so we will know more after then about our next steps medically. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEElhP_WCawKtc0W1jQ8-iVRl0aa53hnpDW2T0hc7hNnJ9EZ4_bX-tP0Q03EoyAoKGP7_99XpHF-72l82qscvgGJ-ZQ8a9C7wb0GMaCo0e-cOyxM5SmFp6YRQLr34nGVFzXzm8aTIQ95s/s640/blogger-image--1037581309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEElhP_WCawKtc0W1jQ8-iVRl0aa53hnpDW2T0hc7hNnJ9EZ4_bX-tP0Q03EoyAoKGP7_99XpHF-72l82qscvgGJ-ZQ8a9C7wb0GMaCo0e-cOyxM5SmFp6YRQLr34nGVFzXzm8aTIQ95s/s640/blogger-image--1037581309.jpg"></a></div>Here's me, Katya and Savannah. Pasha was in the seat behind them so you can't see him.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>I'll update more on everyone else next time :) </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fp3gAvOR9wsouNhyphenhyphenqWMmmayOwlr_xEiOC2wxs6h4ObChvn6kGyqdAafdAUY67mOz1-UH9IwIP81zNpa9H-ej_YPwVqW-d-QRXU6Ml4hjlMQzo1jPjQ9ghPaUN13nnqCp2bUOUxqX_kA/s640/blogger-image-1968818240.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0fp3gAvOR9wsouNhyphenhyphenqWMmmayOwlr_xEiOC2wxs6h4ObChvn6kGyqdAafdAUY67mOz1-UH9IwIP81zNpa9H-ej_YPwVqW-d-QRXU6Ml4hjlMQzo1jPjQ9ghPaUN13nnqCp2bUOUxqX_kA/s640/blogger-image-1968818240.jpg"></a></div>Here's Katya and Savannah under their blanket fort.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIU4WHp-HiVVfKJisx_B0jSwT1SVSHo2nLS-4f4oU2yh9-2Wcuhy0qtpcLOSSa7CNgmZOY1-j8jZwznOkOksGn18JhZekvXvh_w65wag-RAEA8LGrjf3-uPJjqAjFSUHFZ3AUDsj78TK4/s640/blogger-image-1821706727.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIU4WHp-HiVVfKJisx_B0jSwT1SVSHo2nLS-4f4oU2yh9-2Wcuhy0qtpcLOSSa7CNgmZOY1-j8jZwznOkOksGn18JhZekvXvh_w65wag-RAEA8LGrjf3-uPJjqAjFSUHFZ3AUDsj78TK4/s640/blogger-image-1821706727.jpg"></a></div>Katya, Kaeden and Pasha </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXkk-JwZNgMW6TILuZOu-cG7uXXtbiL1ERv0-4rb5fIaagj9gEZvAoBVYpJO1PyzbTG8WaD4Y6-kdyQamxi6A02AKVfVhyNKE5WDHFJO0J9KBzuE36rMRzIK1W_ZkuLnHHCutp94au9Sk/s640/blogger-image--213769747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXkk-JwZNgMW6TILuZOu-cG7uXXtbiL1ERv0-4rb5fIaagj9gEZvAoBVYpJO1PyzbTG8WaD4Y6-kdyQamxi6A02AKVfVhyNKE5WDHFJO0J9KBzuE36rMRzIK1W_ZkuLnHHCutp94au9Sk/s640/blogger-image--213769747.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>At the dentist </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGseNYzq-nPcZD0QkEShNZfr4XI3r8QnPk5wMNY44_Pc437lHu2j6tMpqlbyRRSNLxDhywF3sxCkgi9D-_RhCar2FrEvDtDUhfQ8u1UGY9mQYdTTz2Nchn1eJmgbWIUniLsotw62e2ggg/s640/blogger-image--207241580.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGseNYzq-nPcZD0QkEShNZfr4XI3r8QnPk5wMNY44_Pc437lHu2j6tMpqlbyRRSNLxDhywF3sxCkgi9D-_RhCar2FrEvDtDUhfQ8u1UGY9mQYdTTz2Nchn1eJmgbWIUniLsotw62e2ggg/s640/blogger-image--207241580.jpg"></a></div>Working on tracing and writing the alphabet </div><div><br></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-72039617428486886572014-09-03T21:53:00.001-05:002014-09-03T21:56:26.372-05:00I suck at bloggingYes yes I know I'm a terrible blogger, I will sit down and write one out but I'm sooo tired now I just can't really form many coherent thoughts :)<div><br></div><div>We are all doing good, of course there's growing pains but overall the transition is going very well. I'll try to write this weekend about everything going on.</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mB2UZrMKBC8xxJiB6LDKI5BH0TGN8d1QOJJStl6vpvL11vcjJygdEPj3bZGhbNw8PwRjSOc1kGpF3900ZICurxAQbBuqxM9Tu2ApA74QiF6O_AotiaUXbJAqKoCAcYYmGX26MTZrBJA/s640/blogger-image-1385680258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4mB2UZrMKBC8xxJiB6LDKI5BH0TGN8d1QOJJStl6vpvL11vcjJygdEPj3bZGhbNw8PwRjSOc1kGpF3900ZICurxAQbBuqxM9Tu2ApA74QiF6O_AotiaUXbJAqKoCAcYYmGX26MTZrBJA/s640/blogger-image-1385680258.jpg"></a></div>One of her first nights home, eating popcorn with Ashlyn</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjsu8Lq7BLB1a_p4vTwttf1NtHQJd_5d_EEJAZhMlrvWSvGykF5B9TUxuhU7M-fD04mLrbVLkk5B0ZGkduA3ws2sJ2qur1Gphxzj1oOi5YrT4WyrWNbo7jtt0OwP-7ePoDs-P-q8ij58/s640/blogger-image--1987588700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjsu8Lq7BLB1a_p4vTwttf1NtHQJd_5d_EEJAZhMlrvWSvGykF5B9TUxuhU7M-fD04mLrbVLkk5B0ZGkduA3ws2sJ2qur1Gphxzj1oOi5YrT4WyrWNbo7jtt0OwP-7ePoDs-P-q8ij58/s640/blogger-image--1987588700.jpg"></a></div>Playing with Kaeden </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvFwcsc6lAP_34RbzsNOmdOfnsqJByU1MibRv2Xz0J9TShVwnWws7xdIThU-axuuw-dM1JJb_Pge_nVvxs540oyQRBvVJ_i1hp96Qjc_D_YwjZYVluPpyqW8Xv0FwzElXH21iBBDFOnA/s640/blogger-image-1549281107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhvFwcsc6lAP_34RbzsNOmdOfnsqJByU1MibRv2Xz0J9TShVwnWws7xdIThU-axuuw-dM1JJb_Pge_nVvxs540oyQRBvVJ_i1hp96Qjc_D_YwjZYVluPpyqW8Xv0FwzElXH21iBBDFOnA/s640/blogger-image-1549281107.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>At the airport greeting Lesia our foreign exchange student from Ukraine. </div><div><br></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-40838425910550131232014-08-22T08:15:00.001-05:002014-08-22T08:15:01.207-05:00HomeWe arrived home about midnight on wed/Thursday last week. Katya did amazing with all the flights and travel. We had a crazy busy day that day starting early at the embassy to get her visa and we almost didn't make our 2pm flight because of a paperwork issue they had on their end. We barely got to the airport in Kyiv in time to make our flight to Frankfurt. <div><br></div><div>Our flight into Frankfurt was late by about 10 min because of turbulence and we only had a one hour and 12 min layover there, we had requested mobility assistance but they were not waiting on us as we arrived so I had to track someone down and wait on them to get us. We got to our gate just as they were about to close the doors. Kyiv didn't print our boarding passes so we had to do that at the gate in Germany and they put us in seats nowhere near each other. In fact one of us in comfort economy class and one in economy. No one wanted to move so after a few min the flight attendant finally found us 2 seats together in the very back of the plane so we trekked back there and started getting seated when he came back and said he had 2 seats for us in comfort class by the handicap bathroom so we had to trek back up there. No big deal when you can walk without issues but for Katya it's very hard walking in spaces like that. </div><div><br></div><div>She was quite disappointed to realize that the movies on the flights were not in Ukrainian/Russian! She's refused so far to learn English or even try. She's actually told us she doesn't want to learn we of course know this will change so for now aren't pushing that to hard. </div><div><br></div><div>We finally got into Houston about midnight and home about 2am, in bed around 3am on Thursday. I'm happy to be home and back with my family. I missed my kids a lot and my hubby even more. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitV7HfSoZHhFUEbF9iALOjyuD4haQPwvfpYXoNgpxx8M4EySY57lAI-jwrZjadedmTaJ2VTuropnte2nlmsnFFd9H1S2GY7OOjJ2nZH8BDnJkMik1GPC38SEiMaW-ScAxxnt9HOwDo80U/s640/blogger-image-1857489467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitV7HfSoZHhFUEbF9iALOjyuD4haQPwvfpYXoNgpxx8M4EySY57lAI-jwrZjadedmTaJ2VTuropnte2nlmsnFFd9H1S2GY7OOjJ2nZH8BDnJkMik1GPC38SEiMaW-ScAxxnt9HOwDo80U/s640/blogger-image-1857489467.jpg"></a></div>This was us in Wasghington DC </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nhTyp-GBy1zW5QG7yDzZKB_Vh2thQxl6SjDyxpE-6Q0kPBRpDPsB1D50KAl1xCiyxepUTkncdpI5k0c5UoKnoCQ6vxooYGC08FhNY4sVmT6-m9Jb2KiRMBJZfrJOT9wWOd-ZeAUdx50/s640/blogger-image-1801506401.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1nhTyp-GBy1zW5QG7yDzZKB_Vh2thQxl6SjDyxpE-6Q0kPBRpDPsB1D50KAl1xCiyxepUTkncdpI5k0c5UoKnoCQ6vxooYGC08FhNY4sVmT6-m9Jb2KiRMBJZfrJOT9wWOd-ZeAUdx50/s640/blogger-image-1801506401.jpg"></a></div>On the plane headed to Houston </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FfM5fJdsnGLFQcqfIgljyvWfXsj1fvgzmf7ExuggL4btVS1kzj_NeTx4ynDuWJt4pw4AerETEk8wtC1EA6OA_LsxsI5h14XgDLMFt6XzvIaGd9MMtkxlQe-r7mjgufZ1EVZUW-XL034/s640/blogger-image--635933978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FfM5fJdsnGLFQcqfIgljyvWfXsj1fvgzmf7ExuggL4btVS1kzj_NeTx4ynDuWJt4pw4AerETEk8wtC1EA6OA_LsxsI5h14XgDLMFt6XzvIaGd9MMtkxlQe-r7mjgufZ1EVZUW-XL034/s640/blogger-image--635933978.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Exhausted kiddo </div><div><br></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-1800974328183917702014-08-12T07:04:00.001-05:002014-08-12T07:04:14.107-05:00Pictures of Katya in Kyiv<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSC882lnVb6FUUKxuWN1-uOW7w6gWEjnlVmVuel9FHojGGv5kzqWueIzvTK6-kf6NoYgf4Q_p-OVS8GT0fw93rE8fq-Ntd5tWrRBWNmxmBGw0Zq-WqEdJPiOuuHknArfPT12moSvAUrc/s640/blogger-image--662470496.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSC882lnVb6FUUKxuWN1-uOW7w6gWEjnlVmVuel9FHojGGv5kzqWueIzvTK6-kf6NoYgf4Q_p-OVS8GT0fw93rE8fq-Ntd5tWrRBWNmxmBGw0Zq-WqEdJPiOuuHknArfPT12moSvAUrc/s640/blogger-image--662470496.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Swinging outside our apartment here</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWp6i_Pkmrgo0nDnc2ZR-noSiR21j0OhTaJXqqXJB-8xQ-6bq14UwOxZXWTppiv9z-Cx9xBSfD7Lo0W2LQTMyMNkr5RIyuWn5dFvUrwglbcLy0aJEwlTOQoX-bD3smC4ClFl6wlxSqoI/s640/blogger-image-595735403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmWp6i_Pkmrgo0nDnc2ZR-noSiR21j0OhTaJXqqXJB-8xQ-6bq14UwOxZXWTppiv9z-Cx9xBSfD7Lo0W2LQTMyMNkr5RIyuWn5dFvUrwglbcLy0aJEwlTOQoX-bD3smC4ClFl6wlxSqoI/s640/blogger-image-595735403.jpg"></a></div>First trip to McDonalds....ever!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEM0D7d0ewB1c3DUUmuTNdZob9eCnaguRDeT2M0AbZBSYUkCkmyiVktOCJ-_LH1o8gVHOw6bOHZf8ES4HFUL6t7nKBMzus4J59MGgI0Ia4eIq021U8FFa71nb9R_taXfVaHKRctRaB-X8/s640/blogger-image--61395650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEM0D7d0ewB1c3DUUmuTNdZob9eCnaguRDeT2M0AbZBSYUkCkmyiVktOCJ-_LH1o8gVHOw6bOHZf8ES4HFUL6t7nKBMzus4J59MGgI0Ia4eIq021U8FFa71nb9R_taXfVaHKRctRaB-X8/s640/blogger-image--61395650.jpg"></a></div>At an aquarium here</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMs7JbZYzZ0WcgW3Yc2-1zizKY2WC5BUAhnp22yilYEACfMdZ0kXIF8jXZy7prHXXBbTTh0rWjdp3GRh6liRYxkkwNTVQmmXvb2DWXk5-t79ZdhK3v0RIjQelAHbRP80VzkAD-R6ib2aA/s640/blogger-image--1324635466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMs7JbZYzZ0WcgW3Yc2-1zizKY2WC5BUAhnp22yilYEACfMdZ0kXIF8jXZy7prHXXBbTTh0rWjdp3GRh6liRYxkkwNTVQmmXvb2DWXk5-t79ZdhK3v0RIjQelAHbRP80VzkAD-R6ib2aA/s640/blogger-image--1324635466.jpg"></a></div>Walking through the tunnel of fish</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpt8gwOfisNlhtF4p7PhT5Ff2u5WtsUYjVUsN53IVFjCmzMBkL3KBb3tXtI43xBB4UfRl3wJKYNb5aENdyAOMNx2i18-BjSAOcRrt3s0fpiaCKk1th1qykm0naJxI24HFjofWY0AsuoE/s640/blogger-image--656973934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYpt8gwOfisNlhtF4p7PhT5Ff2u5WtsUYjVUsN53IVFjCmzMBkL3KBb3tXtI43xBB4UfRl3wJKYNb5aENdyAOMNx2i18-BjSAOcRrt3s0fpiaCKk1th1qykm0naJxI24HFjofWY0AsuoE/s640/blogger-image--656973934.jpg"></a></div>She liked the sharks </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCr1z02NGcwO1paiLhHR9JfGUK55xcSEo5MaKPQ4ImDlh-YdY25r1XTZOdaOVzsbV4fkEteHmmiC9F998BDEtCwJjDDumJ_NNByc6YWSvNtcrqz5HoCenR_RGR8XFLAXUrtio0HF4h4cA/s640/blogger-image--380619497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCr1z02NGcwO1paiLhHR9JfGUK55xcSEo5MaKPQ4ImDlh-YdY25r1XTZOdaOVzsbV4fkEteHmmiC9F998BDEtCwJjDDumJ_NNByc6YWSvNtcrqz5HoCenR_RGR8XFLAXUrtio0HF4h4cA/s640/blogger-image--380619497.jpg"></a></div>Then we went to Bazaar or market </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4iUZC_lQ8Qi3uc_TqrdoFRkIYhvNkp2Yj34xisn6GRbF6Ms9L7ZUHe10RmFlPY8ZaaZvOwDj4XKm39OnmzVNW0UtrBPZMlU4MxPsduOMeeWh-A0ROXfOi1Bo8tL1QTyicbDiI72K4Lw/s640/blogger-image-1094289513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV4iUZC_lQ8Qi3uc_TqrdoFRkIYhvNkp2Yj34xisn6GRbF6Ms9L7ZUHe10RmFlPY8ZaaZvOwDj4XKm39OnmzVNW0UtrBPZMlU4MxPsduOMeeWh-A0ROXfOi1Bo8tL1QTyicbDiI72K4Lw/s640/blogger-image-1094289513.jpg"></a></div>Yum shaslik cooking </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPd_LuioCBEDosO58bBi3KOgDppzDucHjjySxHlcIgPaApBpVX4M_D1lKNJEnrZ5yfOiwvP5pdvaqyH9hWe3zMXYo9gaZFsZBnoXIOykIn3L7Kd9PKaMPCTqdcYNqh_5eSAaHe5TqUIQ/s640/blogger-image--667860773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPd_LuioCBEDosO58bBi3KOgDppzDucHjjySxHlcIgPaApBpVX4M_D1lKNJEnrZ5yfOiwvP5pdvaqyH9hWe3zMXYo9gaZFsZBnoXIOykIn3L7Kd9PKaMPCTqdcYNqh_5eSAaHe5TqUIQ/s640/blogger-image--667860773.jpg"></a></div>An outfit I bought her at the Mall in Bila Tservka </div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0Pechers'kyi district Pechers'kyi district50.422252 30.535948tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-614819311215126772014-08-07T03:06:00.001-05:002014-08-07T03:06:12.598-05:00Gotcha dayYesterday was Katya's gotcha day. We arrived early in the morning to get her from the orphanage. The orphanage is closing next month to become a regular kindergarten and daycare for the community so only 3 other children remain there now. I brought juice and snack cakes for them and gave them each their own gift bag with a pen that also has bubbles and an assortment of small plastic animals. <div><br></div><div>Katya was excited to go but when it was time to walk out she started crying, she's been in an orphanage her whole life and one of the nannies has been with her since she was a toddler. It broke my heart seeing her cry, I know she's terrified of what's ahead but she's doing AMAZING! In fact today she wanted to get on the plane to come to America. </div><div>We still have several days here so we can go to the embassy for paperwork and there's a medical exam she has to do before she can leave the country. </div><div><br></div><div>I did give my email address to 2 of her nannies so I hope they keep in touch so they can see her bloom in a family. </div><div><br></div><div>Here are a few pictures of her. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjf3nrkMjuZO7SACE8VDjzrr7Pf8sFhIHoeIOQRsm0wBX1R3HJ-8js4poJtUenga4U_qTNSwbV2ht5m41fm9Ic7Izj2fRYvc_xA7mZop6kvIgij6E5ACypR29Pr7CIytzwdVVGrL-MwEk/s640/blogger-image-1270917409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjf3nrkMjuZO7SACE8VDjzrr7Pf8sFhIHoeIOQRsm0wBX1R3HJ-8js4poJtUenga4U_qTNSwbV2ht5m41fm9Ic7Izj2fRYvc_xA7mZop6kvIgij6E5ACypR29Pr7CIytzwdVVGrL-MwEk/s640/blogger-image-1270917409.jpg"></a></div>This was walking out the gates to the orphanage. This boy was just adopted by an American family so he knows how she feels and was so sweet to comfort her.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3G7RZ0pXBYV2100m6DbFJlFGhZxMrkMvxlhUCXPyO0yAEKqPujvnR6jFNzB2z30eM2j-NWM12iTrk_1I0fhzVvkKrdBnxHVeNJLEoqmzZ9cefVGxEXyG94wLr1ob_i25pvJrFh6ZCDM/s640/blogger-image-353568974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg3G7RZ0pXBYV2100m6DbFJlFGhZxMrkMvxlhUCXPyO0yAEKqPujvnR6jFNzB2z30eM2j-NWM12iTrk_1I0fhzVvkKrdBnxHVeNJLEoqmzZ9cefVGxEXyG94wLr1ob_i25pvJrFh6ZCDM/s640/blogger-image-353568974.jpg"></a></div>Our first meal in a restaurant together!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAtdlTg_J6GBDpP9Yi9u0J0Gob4ZJDRKZyJSHO39P4uVApea8NeTiRzsfthYm3htLHp3EL0jwjfuE-WMe2JdMqibprcAcuAbSEgY8TezeKyP1IX9cEZPsRUL3DALgXvXyu7ozoEdQ5-Y/s640/blogger-image--1770425624.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOAtdlTg_J6GBDpP9Yi9u0J0Gob4ZJDRKZyJSHO39P4uVApea8NeTiRzsfthYm3htLHp3EL0jwjfuE-WMe2JdMqibprcAcuAbSEgY8TezeKyP1IX9cEZPsRUL3DALgXvXyu7ozoEdQ5-Y/s640/blogger-image--1770425624.jpg"></a></div>Last nights dinner, she's a good eater!!! </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwbqjxzSMKsmFCcj_gd7ZxV-b-U2zErkZD4-tA3nzwAc7cAQB4NDAmcz0g1MuWPx0aGpcO0SbrZfywrpn-_TlstOE702BFXNrOtOmgaCEuPknfT-D1OVs377l56UpXRZPLq5JF2jzNZE/s640/blogger-image--1246000670.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwbqjxzSMKsmFCcj_gd7ZxV-b-U2zErkZD4-tA3nzwAc7cAQB4NDAmcz0g1MuWPx0aGpcO0SbrZfywrpn-_TlstOE702BFXNrOtOmgaCEuPknfT-D1OVs377l56UpXRZPLq5JF2jzNZE/s640/blogger-image--1246000670.jpg"></a></div>Having some gelato </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZSoTvXl6afAQTtxkW_Xg5Ntec45nFSVi1WSOhzWR0kDOlEa4NL59tCjBaV8Oa26JaZcTtU1mHBtsAEIk0hv-L8MWXNUncdvKhVvQZoRO00O9Z6weyO09Iirppfm0LhdIwP3OqcHF2Ac/s640/blogger-image--42000349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAZSoTvXl6afAQTtxkW_Xg5Ntec45nFSVi1WSOhzWR0kDOlEa4NL59tCjBaV8Oa26JaZcTtU1mHBtsAEIk0hv-L8MWXNUncdvKhVvQZoRO00O9Z6weyO09Iirppfm0LhdIwP3OqcHF2Ac/s640/blogger-image--42000349.jpg"></a></div>My chocolate cappuccino </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0axZGRz3LBbAXdApir282Nm-MOt8n6L7odcOcH9F3lsXEuu0Z7y8B7DlRUGAAxvKMdhT9xassgohq-SbVYEg_iG8g3vzqnFTxnfDVQ0Q-aWo3dz_ucRI5xjNztq6aZbVVG5YPdgWxtEU/s640/blogger-image-1223947587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0axZGRz3LBbAXdApir282Nm-MOt8n6L7odcOcH9F3lsXEuu0Z7y8B7DlRUGAAxvKMdhT9xassgohq-SbVYEg_iG8g3vzqnFTxnfDVQ0Q-aWo3dz_ucRI5xjNztq6aZbVVG5YPdgWxtEU/s640/blogger-image-1223947587.jpg"></a></div>The apartment complex we are staying in this week</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAa2QJqqPm_AhyphenhyphenlHyNMq2kKl1f4UqreEZnhs9T0I_T5k-ZQfZmQglgsr5zk1uM4UTbADCQQ9AF3e4DdHHroDaNXVdQtrN1PWrqbxjutl3zCUBVfjj1FyMwGcAUCK9qy4iUbmQXPemE5Wg/s640/blogger-image-994872879.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAa2QJqqPm_AhyphenhyphenlHyNMq2kKl1f4UqreEZnhs9T0I_T5k-ZQfZmQglgsr5zk1uM4UTbADCQQ9AF3e4DdHHroDaNXVdQtrN1PWrqbxjutl3zCUBVfjj1FyMwGcAUCK9qy4iUbmQXPemE5Wg/s640/blogger-image-994872879.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-49186104492273346952014-07-28T05:40:00.001-05:002014-07-28T05:40:04.287-05:00Katie and I: The first 2 weeksThese are from the first part of the trip before I could publicly post where I was. My best friend Katie aka my sister since we've been BFF's since we were 15 came for the first 2 weeks. <div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUC3P-z_ww2IbGC26-spKp8WRj2x-ZIvDLHdVt1ZNTYBO-aj2OnrVqK6CrB2L3ayzKrW3qQ5B0tiCSXFN07mq8p6qRsX3y_FZbmIuBwz_UKz2rCVlAnsWfNcoAx7QCdIhNvl0E0_k549s/s640/blogger-image--1458666272.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUC3P-z_ww2IbGC26-spKp8WRj2x-ZIvDLHdVt1ZNTYBO-aj2OnrVqK6CrB2L3ayzKrW3qQ5B0tiCSXFN07mq8p6qRsX3y_FZbmIuBwz_UKz2rCVlAnsWfNcoAx7QCdIhNvl0E0_k549s/s640/blogger-image--1458666272.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><br><div>She was such a great help to me, we had some good times trying to fit in here and just enjoying getting to talk without the interruption of our kids yelling in the background! Lol this process is very stressful especially coming here after everything that happened in Crimea and coming without my husband. Katie helped to keep me focused and calm, there are moments when you are here and something stressful happens that makes you want to just curl into a ball and cry but she didn't let me:) she encouraged me to keep going and fighting for Katya. </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj73E6K_6zjCGclB-Rx9vixiBVQA4GLd0EJZ1PpApbSw-OLVBsgE4nOltDWzqypKMfBKaUitUPf-760WZU6HzJkOOQmw2eD_KhjDgpB5enPLv8EuALAQjy8f8Jz-TvHSYLyAeJgFlFH08/s640/blogger-image-199261171.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj73E6K_6zjCGclB-Rx9vixiBVQA4GLd0EJZ1PpApbSw-OLVBsgE4nOltDWzqypKMfBKaUitUPf-760WZU6HzJkOOQmw2eD_KhjDgpB5enPLv8EuALAQjy8f8Jz-TvHSYLyAeJgFlFH08/s640/blogger-image-199261171.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDTZCagnMUC4HspBhEILsTKIFwoWC7iOIhsSCngFb5ToCLGSf_tRT1qls0fsnoIJ8CdVxcAixCr3GGrPqxl3_8VTn-1UrxBgW7KGaophdJG-UnuREHwwizyD2HgZrgWtSjRmQql7gybY/s640/blogger-image--2120708890.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDTZCagnMUC4HspBhEILsTKIFwoWC7iOIhsSCngFb5ToCLGSf_tRT1qls0fsnoIJ8CdVxcAixCr3GGrPqxl3_8VTn-1UrxBgW7KGaophdJG-UnuREHwwizyD2HgZrgWtSjRmQql7gybY/s640/blogger-image--2120708890.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfApmomP4vwgoACETFv7PBOEaKCeL8x_p2BnWXtZkDBVeF3NnOp9Z_wxboKPtT6vHHG_csqF0Mx0y2CoxCtiPdx4Us1MV-h3EtqpoEwMKz8s6OqBY4k_oS5ldXVxV_Jkkb255O1EtytM/s640/blogger-image--1629494251.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgfApmomP4vwgoACETFv7PBOEaKCeL8x_p2BnWXtZkDBVeF3NnOp9Z_wxboKPtT6vHHG_csqF0Mx0y2CoxCtiPdx4Us1MV-h3EtqpoEwMKz8s6OqBY4k_oS5ldXVxV_Jkkb255O1EtytM/s640/blogger-image--1629494251.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFzkMYy7G-d0x7WI-kI3nK7Gy2Zd9mFpfv3BD5ys6-fMCTC580poOAmgdCdweEYjthxxhtPJQPG98skHg-yOYRPmkJJR2tB2uqnlKZX_Ik-dePPnr8oLC8Hp03837X3RbVH64DaIjrAk/s640/blogger-image--987195978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFzkMYy7G-d0x7WI-kI3nK7Gy2Zd9mFpfv3BD5ys6-fMCTC580poOAmgdCdweEYjthxxhtPJQPG98skHg-yOYRPmkJJR2tB2uqnlKZX_Ik-dePPnr8oLC8Hp03837X3RbVH64DaIjrAk/s640/blogger-image--987195978.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnod589nEOI08xQFy4Sx3lpMbUeo9FGqwMJdtG4k4XvLXKsz-LdLLAi8pUt8C_EcGBwHqZioCCEdJLdxZy8SduBu94tEsjqTZg7bCYK-SUJs6X2U7KMGtg_RnpdJvPJ-mcOImdxns5QUo/s640/blogger-image--2014631750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnod589nEOI08xQFy4Sx3lpMbUeo9FGqwMJdtG4k4XvLXKsz-LdLLAi8pUt8C_EcGBwHqZioCCEdJLdxZy8SduBu94tEsjqTZg7bCYK-SUJs6X2U7KMGtg_RnpdJvPJ-mcOImdxns5QUo/s640/blogger-image--2014631750.jpg"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYN3odsc9XF7BHyapJOfqzUA9_K8E9khvXIe3R1BFCLQ28n8XPkuL0f7Zb4nOaQSZ82he7iBXBkLUPy2tROFAa29-La1vynkvqKQp4cFPtEiNilCfIp5VrJ3YRI9dWySRNTHTyF9wBQh8/s640/blogger-image--1523584071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYN3odsc9XF7BHyapJOfqzUA9_K8E9khvXIe3R1BFCLQ28n8XPkuL0f7Zb4nOaQSZ82he7iBXBkLUPy2tROFAa29-La1vynkvqKQp4cFPtEiNilCfIp5VrJ3YRI9dWySRNTHTyF9wBQh8/s640/blogger-image--1523584071.jpg"></a></div>Miss you Katie can't wait to be home again we'll need to schedule some coffee and shopping dates :) </div></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-22770547942296708762014-07-24T14:24:00.001-05:002014-07-24T14:24:37.277-05:00Another daughter....kinda sortaSo you all know we had wanted to adopt 2 girls this trip, Katya and Masha who we hosted 2 years ago. Unfortunately Crimea was invaded by Russia and is now a part of them so Americans cannot adopt from there:( we will never give up hope that someday somehow we will be reunited with Masha again. That summer she spent with us seems so far away now but we have kept in contact with her. I waffled back and forth on if we wanted to try to adopt another girl in addition to Katya but Jared was firm in his decision for our family that unless it was Masha we were only bringing home one. <div><br></div><div>Right before I got travel dates for this trip I learned of a foreign exchange student program that was still looking for families for 2 girls from Ukraine for this school year. These kids have families in their home countries they just come to America for the school year. Anyway I asked Jared about it not really thinking he'd agree but surprise surprise he said "sure why not?!" </div><div>There were 2 girls available and I thought either could fit in with our family so I left it up to the organizations coordinator to choose which student we would host, she chose Lesia a 16 year old who lives in Kyiv. It has worked out great because I'm only about an hour from Kyiv so I have visited her and her family while I'm here. So while she's not technically our kid we will have 7 children living with us this year soooo should be interesting having kids from the ages of 16 down to 2! </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk06MTae8hUKXKvMdGe6tu-3FuSs0Kh5n8WylOyDGtKE_Zt207hu9jWWs2E4YOXkeQMJc9PO45Ho7pBdM7QaKk0qZZ7eGzcouUBXcmqP4uhN5V54by9E8mqjyPwAD9pqya_LxftE6lhWM/s640/blogger-image-95595334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk06MTae8hUKXKvMdGe6tu-3FuSs0Kh5n8WylOyDGtKE_Zt207hu9jWWs2E4YOXkeQMJc9PO45Ho7pBdM7QaKk0qZZ7eGzcouUBXcmqP4uhN5V54by9E8mqjyPwAD9pqya_LxftE6lhWM/s640/blogger-image-95595334.jpg"></a></div>This is Lesia and I in Kyiv at a festival </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVUFmWDbKKeGp8E8zUsdnJY2DzmtVgvJ3kTwiBB_InUX7L57SPdVJ1iVMO5CvpVbuelCq6_-BmyvRUfPDFVrqhYpAGehcCu9mVeB0hmaF9UrV0dD1iFjABvorub3sEaxWZEFfLetMejE/s640/blogger-image--972022093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVUFmWDbKKeGp8E8zUsdnJY2DzmtVgvJ3kTwiBB_InUX7L57SPdVJ1iVMO5CvpVbuelCq6_-BmyvRUfPDFVrqhYpAGehcCu9mVeB0hmaF9UrV0dD1iFjABvorub3sEaxWZEFfLetMejE/s640/blogger-image--972022093.jpg"></a></div>And here we are in Bila Tservka when she came to visit Katya and I </div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-70853921388270802602014-07-23T15:01:00.001-05:002014-07-23T15:01:12.134-05:00A new daughter :)I had court yesterday and the judge found in favor of our petition to adopt "Berkeley", she had to attend court and testify that this was her choice and she did great! <div><br></div><div>So without further ado.....this is our newest daughter Katya Suzanne! </div><div>We have about 2.5-3 weeks left here to do more paperwork then we'll be headed home to the USA!!! </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH1EO5tTUVYO2YXKSs814zIyrGcKnJVkePD2xWYfQ69hq-AVPAzOd__SO1wVNKLG7s6u-5siSbMuxRN9jF2B3Aw6Ip0u08b5aYHQAbg-0rtFjRuFWgwF87oFJAmUXNtsVhnRptVlIPxY0/s640/blogger-image-602489298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH1EO5tTUVYO2YXKSs814zIyrGcKnJVkePD2xWYfQ69hq-AVPAzOd__SO1wVNKLG7s6u-5siSbMuxRN9jF2B3Aw6Ip0u08b5aYHQAbg-0rtFjRuFWgwF87oFJAmUXNtsVhnRptVlIPxY0/s640/blogger-image-602489298.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>This was during the court recess yesterday </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_tTKqu4yUZvTQnAitkn6UsVPOFxKqe6is3u-cm64Wtxno6yowaZ5h3YTjyW7z1SgaxecOW5jBdybP8m_yxfvDo5pK3O6cT_UqUYuqzK4_m-w57FmfN3yK_fxmaZU9vkX2CPfN66ZBSc/s640/blogger-image-66854992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_tTKqu4yUZvTQnAitkn6UsVPOFxKqe6is3u-cm64Wtxno6yowaZ5h3YTjyW7z1SgaxecOW5jBdybP8m_yxfvDo5pK3O6cT_UqUYuqzK4_m-w57FmfN3yK_fxmaZU9vkX2CPfN66ZBSc/s640/blogger-image-66854992.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>And this was last night at the orphanage </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQ9iSKjVpHdjWo6Ljf2TJElCaS1_pWxAJV-imaCA6rEuZznjl3bBpFplDp059engz4qnqOSs-lBFN_XYspiM2BmS6LRiw7OsKz2yY3_kf1H9IEXbPV63nRLShot9uuUUAJX2yxg3LfdQ/s640/blogger-image-2069157979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQ9iSKjVpHdjWo6Ljf2TJElCaS1_pWxAJV-imaCA6rEuZznjl3bBpFplDp059engz4qnqOSs-lBFN_XYspiM2BmS6LRiw7OsKz2yY3_kf1H9IEXbPV63nRLShot9uuUUAJX2yxg3LfdQ/s640/blogger-image-2069157979.jpg"></a></div>Thank you to everyone who prayed and supported us and a HUGE thank you to whoever donated that money to us anonymously.....I'd love to know who you are so I can thank you in person someday!</div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-82289742546790973542014-07-21T12:56:00.001-05:002014-07-21T12:56:12.265-05:00Court tomorrow:)I have court tomorrow at noon here for Berkeley's adoption! Please pray everything goes well, she does have to consent to be adopted by me:) <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRO6l8pyycrSyNr5bIyczoiqf0roPOtjkAfMR2R3q3LwsYZ9Vggk7J9wSZo-qNROMPv-v88fvt62NxlV9GwmTWl_3oWVhUjsJgZS3G7PQ5fTBz1kVOMB2Uy0ZAABr43auNZaCbclCuVO0/s640/blogger-image-187486045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRO6l8pyycrSyNr5bIyczoiqf0roPOtjkAfMR2R3q3LwsYZ9Vggk7J9wSZo-qNROMPv-v88fvt62NxlV9GwmTWl_3oWVhUjsJgZS3G7PQ5fTBz1kVOMB2Uy0ZAABr43auNZaCbclCuVO0/s640/blogger-image-187486045.jpg"></a></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-66212632663267229482014-07-19T07:30:00.001-05:002014-07-19T07:30:35.031-05:00Another hospital stayWhen I last posted I was telling you about Berkeley being in the hospital well this past Wednesday morning I woke up with horrible pain in my back that just kept getting worse, so bad it was making me throw up from the pain. After suffering several hours and nothing relieving it I had to call for help. I was taken by ambulance to the local hospital here for kidney stones. Luckily I was only there one night and 2 days before they released me. It was a very scary and eye opening experience to say the least. <div>I am trying to catch up on lost rest and drink lots and lots of water so hopefully I won't have anymore problems while I'm here.</div><div><br></div><div>Court was supposed to have been Friday for the adoption but they did not have enough jurors so it has been rescheduled for Tuesday at noon. Please pray it happens that day and everything goes smoothly and fast from here on out. I'm ready to get this girl outta here and get home to the rest of my family. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE65zAmOAEDTrrBhxPhsdcfOaNYvDEr3jb4r0K0W8UWBfYT6Yp2kNLdXcphVQksAhXTuK2d0EaUaFwg3sZRJpo9a55FhTebPhdzYYmU4mX1fBHOflKHsFqXCmOHdgcwqZaf7kVoBhA4r4/s640/blogger-image--420360514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE65zAmOAEDTrrBhxPhsdcfOaNYvDEr3jb4r0K0W8UWBfYT6Yp2kNLdXcphVQksAhXTuK2d0EaUaFwg3sZRJpo9a55FhTebPhdzYYmU4mX1fBHOflKHsFqXCmOHdgcwqZaf7kVoBhA4r4/s640/blogger-image--420360514.jpg"></a></div>This is the gurney I was brought in on</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5C_bJrxuVeL8O7hTPB7OB_SGK2IumDcm5KrY5INw50mJX6hMJKZu_bv4JRIaprrdxHtLKlYU5rra_MMcADhG_TXLlM6VklAqDOAhnB0rxnWhKCcDx1mblylUMRgulDwyKtfCg653mBn4/s640/blogger-image--808558617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5C_bJrxuVeL8O7hTPB7OB_SGK2IumDcm5KrY5INw50mJX6hMJKZu_bv4JRIaprrdxHtLKlYU5rra_MMcADhG_TXLlM6VklAqDOAhnB0rxnWhKCcDx1mblylUMRgulDwyKtfCg653mBn4/s640/blogger-image--808558617.jpg"></a></div>My bed next to the wall in the hospital here</div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-17692496899677114382014-07-14T04:45:00.001-05:002014-07-14T04:45:02.204-05:00Still here :)<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDK0af-nTvAhibHAArCezn9BbQKzjeZlAqVHvdR6PWhSUGusDjyExVuhltRewi05KdAsY_ytBp10wOmwAWy152iQzCWty21880gdB__GhbMajwGfFMxeL6dROGi_DGBWXGdstHdgZsCP0/s640/blogger-image-2104622698.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDK0af-nTvAhibHAArCezn9BbQKzjeZlAqVHvdR6PWhSUGusDjyExVuhltRewi05KdAsY_ytBp10wOmwAWy152iQzCWty21880gdB__GhbMajwGfFMxeL6dROGi_DGBWXGdstHdgZsCP0/s640/blogger-image-2104622698.jpg"></a></div>I'm still here and visiting Berkeley everyday while waiting on a court date, she has been in the hospital for a week with a kidney infection though. Please pray for her health and for a fast court date and smooth paper process. I miss my family at home terribly and can't wait to be back with them. <div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGDFtpEdeKLZ2Buyj-X-XxIvHHwX5t9xo1zJtfR8PKQrg5NEpqaKM-whRGyEyFYxTfM76GTUxqgr59iMGgOiGeWUyFTmtZOQIw57kOLV7I74rIMqpz83EPlrlJfks4gBB-O2nZJb4zyk/s640/blogger-image-145634405.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGDFtpEdeKLZ2Buyj-X-XxIvHHwX5t9xo1zJtfR8PKQrg5NEpqaKM-whRGyEyFYxTfM76GTUxqgr59iMGgOiGeWUyFTmtZOQIw57kOLV7I74rIMqpz83EPlrlJfks4gBB-O2nZJb4zyk/s640/blogger-image-145634405.jpg"></a></div>The elevators in the hospital </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17m_4BfaTeVBTMMtyijEv3S8Dlq9fEqdkmfpRUhBXDVXDxiDTN4h3SS5aWuIF8Yj8sfKeK7Kd-wdlKbPu9XNPt_TdtVrCeQjl4m9cHpPLUT0S9o67tM54USZZ8Bu_bcUpYxrENfbdWHg/s640/blogger-image--86217729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17m_4BfaTeVBTMMtyijEv3S8Dlq9fEqdkmfpRUhBXDVXDxiDTN4h3SS5aWuIF8Yj8sfKeK7Kd-wdlKbPu9XNPt_TdtVrCeQjl4m9cHpPLUT0S9o67tM54USZZ8Bu_bcUpYxrENfbdWHg/s640/blogger-image--86217729.jpg"></a></div>Stairwell </div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-30805437521509568142014-07-05T10:51:00.001-05:002014-07-05T10:51:49.598-05:00BerkeleyI'm here in the town where Berkeley is and have been visiting her since Thursday morning! She's absolutely gorgeous, photos did not do her justice. <div>I'm enjoying visiting her everyday and learning her personality and likes and dislikes. I can't post photos of her until after I have court in a few weeks and the adoption is legal though:) </div><div><br></div><div>I'll write more later, I'm exhausted now:) </div><div>I did buy her new shoes today and she loves them, hers were FUNKY:( </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHNxWOeWn2K5R46GDh9st_Xu4P4kyoTNfU8M3I-b9F8sJeV46AePmtNAYLxOQGVfO9-pJsYjxbMSTb0P7YPK9zQqaE3sezAgaWuoN2bhf8pAqfbbFUnwPWDkTzAWbDbTx28KIXt3mqQ3o/s640/blogger-image--2009433254.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHNxWOeWn2K5R46GDh9st_Xu4P4kyoTNfU8M3I-b9F8sJeV46AePmtNAYLxOQGVfO9-pJsYjxbMSTb0P7YPK9zQqaE3sezAgaWuoN2bhf8pAqfbbFUnwPWDkTzAWbDbTx28KIXt3mqQ3o/s640/blogger-image--2009433254.jpg"></a></div><br></div><div>Before</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh36tag7T0S7Qfi4XcZ0VpjQ9ixnMrKqhn5k3PNGGT3KW29TR-hI9FzO29r3U6wtRfqcS_I1LxAwMIt3Ck5HUsukrYB7jFULLCTHnm7N9bAmtf0XzIVQkI_PQD9qnr_xTbqfvRK1r7aWvo/s640/blogger-image--1034937777.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh36tag7T0S7Qfi4XcZ0VpjQ9ixnMrKqhn5k3PNGGT3KW29TR-hI9FzO29r3U6wtRfqcS_I1LxAwMIt3Ck5HUsukrYB7jFULLCTHnm7N9bAmtf0XzIVQkI_PQD9qnr_xTbqfvRK1r7aWvo/s640/blogger-image--1034937777.jpg"></a></div>After</div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-32450682711389883702014-07-01T04:26:00.001-05:002014-07-01T04:26:42.820-05:00I'm here!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div>I arrived in Berkeley's country on Sunday and had my appt today with the adoption authority here. I will pick up her official referral tomorrow afternoon and get to meet her Thursday morning!!! Mt facilitator told me that everytime Berkeley sees her she looks up hopefully and longingly because a year ago she told her that mama was on the way. I can't wait until I can post photos of her after court in a few weeks!!!<div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifK2JEyOMo-9UILYWLTzG3zlvsYd8zCtyXTJuxkARsBRTyoM9KjJg-JWJXM7plpJsuHn6ByARXziil7C_YFLntjHf9a-MvZewMbtHxk_5eEYYMe_Zb6BmhWONWjHvFDkqe5gyFGR6xZ4/s640/blogger-image-1794984490.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhifK2JEyOMo-9UILYWLTzG3zlvsYd8zCtyXTJuxkARsBRTyoM9KjJg-JWJXM7plpJsuHn6ByARXziil7C_YFLntjHf9a-MvZewMbtHxk_5eEYYMe_Zb6BmhWONWjHvFDkqe5gyFGR6xZ4/s640/blogger-image-1794984490.jpg"></a></div>The plane in Houston </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44FzhWtNModRo4zHVtryUCJTf2JsA_TW6eA7WNivr5PYSsY0RuIpiXasN0bcLwlwmpyY_1LFEjtw_1QFA0pLkpbAfdet43zY9y_L5L_dlMK8Skold5QqD1vZctCEP56zdGR-8axEaZuY/s640/blogger-image--1496983193.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg44FzhWtNModRo4zHVtryUCJTf2JsA_TW6eA7WNivr5PYSsY0RuIpiXasN0bcLwlwmpyY_1LFEjtw_1QFA0pLkpbAfdet43zY9y_L5L_dlMK8Skold5QqD1vZctCEP56zdGR-8axEaZuY/s640/blogger-image--1496983193.jpg"></a></div>Yummy juice </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi21YZ56lq02AKiZYxM0OMvMs7QaQuc0Qc0VT0EhacP_-HzER7TUAxYdUIuvDSQ_gcN3Ye61h-DA5U89LVYCoQD5kwQD0MUYtyfqm0zKAK395sFHhMS_iy4AMExX0WKcahDoLyKVsa3-bY/s640/blogger-image--1356441608.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi21YZ56lq02AKiZYxM0OMvMs7QaQuc0Qc0VT0EhacP_-HzER7TUAxYdUIuvDSQ_gcN3Ye61h-DA5U89LVYCoQD5kwQD0MUYtyfqm0zKAK395sFHhMS_iy4AMExX0WKcahDoLyKVsa3-bY/s640/blogger-image--1356441608.jpg"></a>Lunch yesterday </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsWKVfUjGKNY_T9fWifc0lDXL5x8e_QvxIHOMZqnQrXdYTnmsblApcFcmJ0vST65tWgvzvTdFQJY4SfkGMG1mPkufs4ZVEq93Uro8Ies3JgUT3fgumsHm8ifdgH_DNh7x1pGQbRGN_2o/s640/blogger-image--507544981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXsWKVfUjGKNY_T9fWifc0lDXL5x8e_QvxIHOMZqnQrXdYTnmsblApcFcmJ0vST65tWgvzvTdFQJY4SfkGMG1mPkufs4ZVEq93Uro8Ies3JgUT3fgumsHm8ifdgH_DNh7x1pGQbRGN_2o/s640/blogger-image--507544981.jpg"></a></div>Breakfast this morning</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSc0VLK19htUMXCKNnN1fZrUA1Y8PeMaDN6Yd6eZ3ysDFnbMPbCSLfzuZI1jBCTxfvGm1CGF1tedb11WEX3BO5PuaD1LrhEz0jsGDLGG4CZ8hBSeoi8H4cdPnGCjJQePwFZVi28uRbDT8/s640/blogger-image-1193783778.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSc0VLK19htUMXCKNnN1fZrUA1Y8PeMaDN6Yd6eZ3ysDFnbMPbCSLfzuZI1jBCTxfvGm1CGF1tedb11WEX3BO5PuaD1LrhEz0jsGDLGG4CZ8hBSeoi8H4cdPnGCjJQePwFZVi28uRbDT8/s640/blogger-image-1193783778.jpg"></a></div>Water at lunch today </div><div><br></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-51086400024762805862014-06-27T18:04:00.001-05:002014-06-27T18:04:32.190-05:00Leaving on a jet plane....Tomorrow afternoon my best friend Katie and I will be boarding a plane to start our journey to bring Berkeley home. Jared will be staying home and working and we hired a girl we have known for years to come be their nanny during the day while he's at work. Not only does Jared not have any paid days off work right now but we felt the kids especially Pasha and Callen needed at least one of us here. So Katie is going to with me for 2 weeks to help keep me calm:)<div><br></div><div>I am having such mixed emotions about this trip, I feel as if I'm losing my mind at times. I am excited to meet Berkeley, I am excited to be adopting her, I'm excited to be back in a country I love. </div><div>However I'm worried about leaving the kids, I wish Jared was going with me and I'm sad I won't be going to Crimea this year. That last reason is the hardest part of all of this.....I miss the girl that's stuck there so much and I ache for the wonderful city of Simferopol I love. </div><div><br></div><div>I'll try to be a better blogger this year than I was last year, so much I will not be able to share publicly until after I have court and legally adopt Berkeley. </div><div>Thank you so much to everyone who has donated, prayed and helped us. It's been a crazy process to get here but the best part is coming soon. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbd6N7X5-1jl5fI5O6n2fkEoUtoGNIVpTJ7L7RUnYI-jM3TwBq0dqFK335sDa8Yrx2MRg8SJZrhWt2Cozl7XH9jH8ia24Epn2FXhDSk5RdpWf_A6QWOYvCpakVRAKWqxXP2x9YJpQis0/s640/blogger-image--1359962274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmbd6N7X5-1jl5fI5O6n2fkEoUtoGNIVpTJ7L7RUnYI-jM3TwBq0dqFK335sDa8Yrx2MRg8SJZrhWt2Cozl7XH9jH8ia24Epn2FXhDSk5RdpWf_A6QWOYvCpakVRAKWqxXP2x9YJpQis0/s640/blogger-image--1359962274.jpg"></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUy_d0dTl13uP1JZCMUro_hYnhR3IGRV1KiqCAYUvXIXneriGoK8B25dl_udoAitmONvcR5y1bZ_TogPz94qRmAGmmp-1f3gNhypEiJlno75OqiM-ouWEahC25oKLvMhdITEZF8R8xKc/s640/blogger-image--1681952861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLUy_d0dTl13uP1JZCMUro_hYnhR3IGRV1KiqCAYUvXIXneriGoK8B25dl_udoAitmONvcR5y1bZ_TogPz94qRmAGmmp-1f3gNhypEiJlno75OqiM-ouWEahC25oKLvMhdITEZF8R8xKc/s640/blogger-image--1681952861.jpg"></a></div>Here's my fellow traveler!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div><br></div><br></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-53036169434734491732014-06-20T14:59:00.001-05:002014-06-20T14:59:26.453-05:00Travel dates!!!We finally got travel dates this morning!!! I've been "patiently" awaiting them!!! I'm leaving Saturday and I'll be in Berkeleys town by Thursday to meet her!!! Exciting huh?!?? <div>I'm so anxious it's making my lack of an attention span even worse! I'm trying to get a list together of everything I need to do in the next week but I'm having issues with concentration :) </div><div>This has been a very long journey and it's not over yet, so hang on it's about to get exciting!!!</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQ48RmqBY9iIv2oZh9Bl_1tX15bnPCdAE7TE16o7rvtJrgR-C4vLEg_QMFydkMkvfz0JDSR54GlcP25Ip8O0Dr55vMEpIuU7KWDNouiSPuyq70ipoW_3vdbzZUIiFZbkbjymL3sGqwak/s640/blogger-image--1569245049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQ48RmqBY9iIv2oZh9Bl_1tX15bnPCdAE7TE16o7rvtJrgR-C4vLEg_QMFydkMkvfz0JDSR54GlcP25Ip8O0Dr55vMEpIuU7KWDNouiSPuyq70ipoW_3vdbzZUIiFZbkbjymL3sGqwak/s640/blogger-image--1569245049.jpg"></a></div><br></div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2605133778316105367.post-30569242942978767032014-05-22T13:33:00.001-05:002014-05-22T13:34:12.241-05:00One year home!One year ago today I landed back in the US after spending 8.5 weeks in Ukraine to adopt the boys. So much has happened since then and the boys have both changed so much. That trip and this process has changed our lives in so many ways. We went from a family of 5 to a family of 7 and there have been bumps but I'm happy to say it's been worth it. <div><br></div><div>There is so much I want to say about this past year and my time in Ukraine but today I'm to tired to put my thoughts into words:) so enjoy a few pics of the boys instead! </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbldK5zfZTotewV9rig-rgSSYmsDfTp0r3roEio4ignQu8ueKoWbaqPssD5NHSAz7IQT9rRknazIFpbofW_jWMF91D3kErLnOG2Alpc5fbEnCJo4CjnVPKYQxSpz0qsb9u1F2WV0JsJE/s640/blogger-image--269748864.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHbldK5zfZTotewV9rig-rgSSYmsDfTp0r3roEio4ignQu8ueKoWbaqPssD5NHSAz7IQT9rRknazIFpbofW_jWMF91D3kErLnOG2Alpc5fbEnCJo4CjnVPKYQxSpz0qsb9u1F2WV0JsJE/s640/blogger-image--269748864.jpg"></a></div>Here's the boys today </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgysxQv7IU8PORm-yE4uJi3lnMXGNBjHjcDlvr63i6S54GssU61e0EbTNHDUsHltSn5KKpnOBPPtdoQsFcxa914ciwzIohAtkgJiZMUse97OpDToip-jxabk8KnRcPp8F-zilHJMsechok/s640/blogger-image--815748500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgysxQv7IU8PORm-yE4uJi3lnMXGNBjHjcDlvr63i6S54GssU61e0EbTNHDUsHltSn5KKpnOBPPtdoQsFcxa914ciwzIohAtkgJiZMUse97OpDToip-jxabk8KnRcPp8F-zilHJMsechok/s640/blogger-image--815748500.jpg"></a></div>Callen eating watermelon</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpw5JAFIGfXaRbOeRBPtELSEf4pwj7u5EVkp4KjHz63bGpXc1T5wI-Jg48clCQTjUuKbc9wePvnjHps54MGMBzlkncozt3HJX60JJRROB_ekZl2UJtxo7u3y73TzGAnszWXwPOdfIWYE/s640/blogger-image-657126451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglpw5JAFIGfXaRbOeRBPtELSEf4pwj7u5EVkp4KjHz63bGpXc1T5wI-Jg48clCQTjUuKbc9wePvnjHps54MGMBzlkncozt3HJX60JJRROB_ekZl2UJtxo7u3y73TzGAnszWXwPOdfIWYE/s640/blogger-image-657126451.jpg"></a></div>Grayson (he had an accident in his chair)</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAO-jQrRQZCTZ5AN8JHbzxtZHhsjFZ_DPukZ93WAT1JSEi_qIB4Rwd_lTL4hbvJO6sv2JGxwPXNx4qeFgxDHulnFolRca0T1YZBUy5nUHVYA8Hh_RNC2oJ7kDNMSGFgOeDCJRc2SuZ1PQ/s640/blogger-image-1104788541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAO-jQrRQZCTZ5AN8JHbzxtZHhsjFZ_DPukZ93WAT1JSEi_qIB4Rwd_lTL4hbvJO6sv2JGxwPXNx4qeFgxDHulnFolRca0T1YZBUy5nUHVYA8Hh_RNC2oJ7kDNMSGFgOeDCJRc2SuZ1PQ/s640/blogger-image-1104788541.jpg"></a></div>My 3 sons:) </div>Crissileahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12618161480534449712noreply@blogger.com0