Kicking and screaming all the way to the...........

Yes, that is correct! You read it right! I have been so ready to throw a good old time hissy fit! For those of you who have not been subjected to this....let me set the stage for you amateurs....

First it begins with the clearing of the throat and repeating the same sentence for the sixth time in less than 2 minutes.

Then, you will detect and slight strain in the voice and pressure when pressing their words

After the pressed words, you will see a slight pulsation in the right temple vein followed by the clinching of the mandible muscles.

In effort to prevent the losing of the temper, you witness a deep rag git breath along with a shifting of the eyes from right to the left side. Following this, you witness another effort to repeat the same subject line again as previously noted.

WITHOUT success, yet again..........then the ears begin to turn red and the clinching and relaxing of the mandible increases....along with the distended neck veins! Eyes bulging and red ears.

When we have reached this point, all we can hear is ringing in the ears and then.........the gasket blows! The red head has a case of the red a%%!

This is what the entire re finger printing process has been like. Being the 100% honest people we are, we contacted our home study agency for another update about my job change and our oldest son turning 18...This was done in February.

 I followed the directions given to me by the USCIS and all the papers were returned after a month. This was almost the lost part of March. I then did as they instructed and it was not correct AGAIN! They told me exactly what I needed to do again and now we wait.......this time for outside factors. Our fingerprints will be expired at the end of this month.

We are trying to hold on but often times it gets a bit heavy to try to carry...Please remember to keep our gils in your prayers.

here we go.....again.....

Recently, I sent all the papers off to the Ukraine for our repetition to the court almost 3 weeks ago. I sent papers to re finger printed by the USCIS almost 1 month ago. Friday, the USCIS papers were returned and rejected. Now, this morning, the papers I sent to the Ukraine are missing in action! I could just SCREAM!

Meanwhile, Adam is getting ready for college, Luke is getting ready for his first year in high school and Emi and  Abby are working on learning to perfect their English. Roger and I are just watching and laughing. God bless them all.

All in Gods time.....not mine

wait, wait and STRESS!  This is the craziest ride I ever have taken! Yeah, that"s right.....ADOPTION!

The ups and downs and twist and turns.....hang on tight. Then, its over. A few seconds after you realize your not dead, all appendages are intact, your heart is still beating and their is feeling back in your lips.....Your ready for the next ride. Yeah, that pretty well explains it. The emotional roller coaster of the greatest sacrifice any family can give. You, the parent are going through all these feeling and guess what.....so is everyone else around you.

When we started this journey, we had no idea where this road would take us. We have been on the smooth roads of the interstate, the gravel roads of the country and the goat trails of the mountain's on our journey and we stop and refill our gas tank for more.

We completed our papers to resubmit to the Ukrainian Ministry and mailed them on 03/29/2012 through USPS Express Mail (2-3 business days) and I have been told that they have not arrived. Now, I worry because they were all original documents and those we have to have to be submitted for a new court date.

I continue to pray daily for all my children. What will be, will be. Adam graduates next month and will be off to college in August. Luke will be a freshman at the Academy and everyone else will be at the elementary school for now. I have to take that leap of faith and know......its all in God's time, not mine. 

Well, round two....here we go!

Well, yesterday we finally submitted our re-petition for a court date to travel to the Ukraine. We had to update our fingerprints, redo our homestudy and resubmit our repetition to the SDA. That totally put us way behind.

Our May is so full.....Adam (our oldest) will be graduating this month. The first weekend in May is prom, the second weekend is Baccularte and the third weekend is graduation. Then, the very last weekend, he will be traveling to Haiti for a mission trip. WOW! Thats a lot!

I SOOOOOO wanted Ania to see Adam graduate. The pride and honor of such an accomplished task! I want her to understand why she has worked so hard. Also, maybe Kristina will see why it is so important to do well in school.

Now, we wait for the papers to reach Dima and continue to pray for finanial support.

Missing my music....

I have to share this picture. I look at it and think about our journey, crossroads, obstacles and hopes for the future.

Ania is now 15 and Kristina will be having her birthday in 2 weeks. We send letters, emails and sometimes packages to the girls. I have no idea if they get them, I choose to believe they do. I feel like my family is scattered and its not yet complete.

Emi and Abbi are home, they ask about their sisters and watch the video of Kristina playing her piano. They understand the true concept of family. Blood is only that, blood. What makes a family is love and caring for one another. These children all have lived with and loved individuals that were not blood and they support one another, that was the one constant in their lives....they know the true concept of family.

These children have raised themselves, protected one another and no one heard their cries of pain. Hard fact is, no one listened, so they stopped crying.

I am not sure about what the future holds for us but we continue to walk hand in hand. Every step taken one by one, together.

Today was the day....

We were suppose to be traveling today to the Ukraine. We were unable to do so for several reasons. I began a new job on the 1st, no money to travel and we had just returned from Ethiopia at the present time, only 3 days before we would have to travel again.

We will resubmit our petition again and be at the mercy of the SDF (Ministry of Ukraine). We had a fund raiser  on Sunday night for the girls adoption. We made 1,100.00 dollars from our church family. No, we are waiting again to have more this spring. Please pray for our journey!

Sadness followed with Happiness!

We received notice from our Facilitator that we have been cleared to travel to the Ukraine for February 5th. The only issue is, we will not be able to go then. Now, we have to try to rearrange the trip and be at the mercy of the government for another date. We had planned on traveling before now and have Emili and Abigale home and settled. God had different plans though. We leave Saturday for a 2 day flight trip to Ethiopia.


I had a interview today for a new job today. I discussed the issue about being off to travel to get Ania and Kristina in the spring. They were ok with it and it didnt pose any issues. I was impressed with it. I can only hope that all is well and goes well.


I got a letter from the girls today. They have decided that they want to have new names.......See the letter below.


Hello, my dear mommy and daddy!
I am ok. Mommy, I'm very pity that you've lost a job. But you don't worry. Everything will be very good.
I've got your gift. I am very pleasant. Thank you!
Mommy, if you have an opportunity to find a family which wants to adopt a boy. Please, help me to do it.
I would like that you'll send me chewing gums.
Luke, I was very glad to read your letter. You are the best brother for me! I love you very much.
Adam, we are all right. I do well at school but Kristi doesn't want to do it. We love you too and miss you very much. I hope to see you again and wait for this moment with great impatience.
I pray devoutly for each of you and I think that God will hear me and help you.
Mommy, I am very glad for Adam and his girlfriend Shai. I hope that it's going to be all right with them. If you have her photo, please, send it to me. I want to see her.
I am very glad for Luke. And, by the way, I want to have such a profession as Luke.
I think that you'll write me when you go here. We need to prepare for your coming.
Mommy, Kristina wants to have the name "AAron Kristen Steel" and I want - "Aaron Taylor Steel".
I'll pray for you and ask God to help you.
Lovingly, Ania

I will have to further discuss with them about the Aaron name, that is their brothers name, That will not work but, it was a great thought. One day at a time.......