Three Week Countdown

The reality that we will be leaving in less than three weeks to embark on a life altering trip is exciting and anxiety producing to say the least. Of course the purpose is to give two young ladies an opportunity to alter their lives for the better, and that helps put our worries in check.

We first heard about Galyna and year old Anastasia Abramovich shortly after moving to the Richmond area a year and a half ago. We had left our life in Northern Virginia behind because we wanted to adopt more children and reduce the stress of big city living.

Bringing Christian Peter into our lives four years ago has brought us more joy than we ever dreamed of. But we didn't want him to be an only child. The "girls" as we call them, first visited us in Christmas 2005, as part of the Frontier Horizon hosting program. It took us awhile to get to know each other, but we felt confident enough at the end of that visit to ask them if they wanted to be adopted.

In classic Ukrainian style, they shrugged and said, "Da" (yes). Our hopes of brining them back home in a few short months proved naive, and they returned last summer for a much longer "hosting" visit. Somehow, the folks at Frontier Horizon made arrangements for them to stay almost the entire summer.

We actually experienced what it is like to be a family of five. We got to know them and appreciate them as individuals, and got a glimpse of what our lives will be like when we all return this summer as a family.

Through numerous disappointing delays and heartbreaking false alarms for the girls, we have our long awaited appointment in Kyiv on May 30th, and will leave for Odessa shortly after.

This posting will be the first that many of you have heard about this. We are so grateful for all the love and support we've had ever since our journey began way back when. Your prayers are coveted as we prepare to head east!