Six Week Update

Just when we think we know what's going on, we find out something new. Sometimes it's something simple like that your driver will be 2 hours late, or that when you order "pepperoni" pizza in Ukraine, you get peppers.  Then other times it's something big....like that your new son has been left an apartment in his name.

That's right.  Just when you think things are "wrapping up", you get news like this. 

So today Den and Anya drove us to Valera's birth city, which is where the apartment is.  Ted and I had been there, then I was there on Tuesday, but we needed to go back to do research about the apartment.  Once we arrived in the city (about 2 hours away), Valera started recognizing things. See, Valera was sent to a school when he was six, but went home on the weekends. At the age of nine, his mom lost her rights to care for him at all. That's when he entered the orphanage (his father passed away when he was one- the apartment was owned by his dad).

I share this because it was so special to watch him tell us about the town. He said things like "there's a field over there, that's the hospital, I think I went to school somewhere near here". He even told Den when to turn, to get us to the apartment.  Then when we entered the building, and climbed the stairs to the fifth floor, he had a smile on his face the whole time. We couldn't get into the apartment but we got to see Valera SEE his home. And that was a gift. I wish you could have been here Ted.

As far as the apartment, just to give you an idea about the economy here, is worth about 2,000 dollars.  I am sure it would be worth more if it hadn't been destroyed in a fire, if it had electricity, gas or water....but it was worth everything  to get to picture where he lived.  As we climbed the stairs, I pictured him as a little boy going up all those stairs.  Another gift was that we passed a woman on another floor who recognized Valera.  It was just a blessing to see little tiny glimpses into his past.

Tomorrow we are meeting with Valera's "aunt"....who is actually Valera's biological fathers' cousin.  We hope to learn a lot from her. Valera remembers her. Her name sounds like "Georgia".

We found out today that there is a 99% chance that we can fly home on Friday the 28th. I am waiting on confirmation from Ted that we were able to book three seats.  Please pray that God's will be done. If we can't get seats Friday then we have to wait until Monday, Oct 1st.  I would love to have the weekend to be together.

Our big prayer requests/praises are:
1. My dad's cough is better-yeah!
2. That we can get seats for the 28th
3. That all goes well with Valera's aunt tomorrow
4. That my eye would get better
5. For continued bonding - tonight we watched a movie on the couch. My feet were by his head, and visa versa.  I loved every minute of it.