One Less Orphan In the World

     After 2 hours of court the Judge said, "and Diana will have a new birth certificate.  Her mother will be named Lisa Rene Scharosch and her father will be named John David Scharosch and she will be called Macy Diana Scharosch".  Please listen to our new song...it's all we hoped and prayed for.

Finally Got a Court Date!

Macy will legally be ours on June 15 when we go to court in Kharkiv.  In the Ukraine there is a law that we must wait 10 days before we are allowed to take her out of the orphanage.  So we will be able to pick her up on July 26th.  After that, we will take a train to Kiev for her physical and then the last step of our appointment with the American Embassy.  THEN we will be allowed to come home! 

Latest Ukraine Information

Today we met Macy's mother, sister (who looks just like her) and grandmother.  It was the first time Macy's mother has been to the orphanage.  We understand their desire to receive information as Macy grows up and have promised to do so.  They are happy that she will have a family, be cared for and have an education.  After they left, we enjoyed taking Macy to a park.  She is starting to like car rides and we are getting to know each other.  She likes to copy the actions of songs I'm teaching her like 'The wheels on the Bus' and 'Itsy Bitsy Spider'.  It's been a few years since I've used that part of my brain, but it seems to be coming back:)  

 

We are hoping to go to court to finish the legal paperwork tomorrow and then hear how many days we need to wait until we can bring Macy home.  She got her picture taken for her passport on Friday.  The Nanny at the orphanage had her all dressed up.  She was singing and smiling, but not really holding still so below is the picture that we had to go with. She looks like a little doll.

  We are hoping to have some good news to share on Monday.  Thank you all for your prayers...we can feel them.

Mixed Blessings...

     We went to the orphanage to visit Macy today and were taken to another building.  When we arrived Macy's grandmother was there to meet us.  She was sad and surprised, as she had just learned of our adopting Macy and never thought that anyone would choose to adopt her, because of the Down Syndrome.  She is happy for Macy to have a family, but wishes that she could have raised her.  Macy's father and paternal grandparents were the ones who insisted on placing Macy in the orphanage.  Macy was confused and not wanting to show her grandma the photo album and didn't calm down until after her grandmother left.  We were glad to get to meet her and tell her that Macy would be loved by many and have all she needed to live a full life.  This helped the grandmother to say goodbye.  It was an emotional day.
     Also, Yulia called from Kiev and when she tried to turn in the paperwork they told her that there was yet another "new form" that must be turned in also.  We went back to the notary and sent the form on a bus going to Kiev where Yulia will pick it up in the morning and try again.  Meanwhile, we are finishing up more papers and speaking with people who can get our court date set.  Yulia is hoping for Friday now with the paperwork delay.
     We are so ready to come home and keep praying that God has this mess worked out, as it seems like there is no end in sight!  We continue to see ways He is blessing our trip and will continue to rely on the fact that God knows the best path for us to take.  

We Found Our Little Ukrainian Princess!!!

John and I are here in the Ukraine working through the adoption paperwork.  We started in Kiev and took a train to Kharkiv (east of Kiev), where the child we chose to visit, as a result of our appointment with the SDA, lives.  Diana is in an orphanage in a wooded area and is blessed with many trees and flowers at the orphanage.  Also, she is loved by all the staff, as she is their delight.  Diana just turned 4 years old, has Down Syndrome and is very healthy.  She sings and speaks, although we can't understand her of course.  On our second visit with her I used the sign for "more" when she wanted me to push her again on the swing.  When she wanted another push, she looked at me and signed "more"!  She is so smart!  We are working through the paperwork as fast as possible and are hoping to return home in 1 to 2 weeks.  Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers!