So I prayed last night before bed. Not for a positive court outcome. Not for speedy resolution. In fact, I didn't have one petition for God. I just told Him (after being spurred on by my devotional yesterday!) that I humbly put myself in His hands. That I would accept whatever timeline He put before me, and stop trying to make it suit my needs. And I thanked Him for the amazing blessings he has given us. It was good to just lay it all at His feet because I have been pretty impatient awaiting news of when we would finally get to court.
We haven't done much sightseeing here because for one, we wanted to keep the budget costs low and extra trips with the driver mean extra money. Additionally, we respected the fact that the facilitator (and even the driver!) were busy running papers all around Ukraine for us trying to get things done. We finally got stir crazy enough to want to go see the water we could vaguely make out when looking at the horizon from the orphanage, so we did go see the harbor the other day.
But, ever since we first stopped in Odessa and the driver pointed out the Odessa Opera House, I have been mini-dreaming of being able to go to a performance there. I love all things theater, drama and performance and it is supposed to be a breathtakingly beautiful building. But I didn't dare ask. First, I thought the cost would be astronomical and then of course all the reasons we mentioned above were on my mind as well.
Out of curiosity I looked online, and noticed that there was a ballet showing tonight at the Opera House AND that the tickets were dirt cheap!!! (Even the good seats!) So I mustered up the courage to ask if we could go. Okay...not true...I mustered up the courage to e-mail our Advocate for Orphans contact in California and ask HIM if it would be okay if we asked to go. HE gave me the courage to ask.
So, I called our facilitator and said, "Bill and I were wondering if we could go into Odessa tomorrow night." In a deadpan serious voice he said, "Why?".....to which I explained we would like to go to the Opera House to see the ballet. I told him we felt like it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and it is supposed to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world (to which he kind of chuckled....it is probably how we feel when people are amazed at some sight that we have access to every day and is just second nature for us!) We even offered to include the driver (so he wouldn't have to sit there bored, and since tickets are dirt cheap!) To this he said, "I assure you he is not interested!" And then the thought of our burly driver sitting in the ballet gave us a good giggle. But he said he would think about it and let us know. As a precaution, we told Ruslan that we wouldn't be visiting today (better to say that and end up coming after all, than to leave him thinking we are coming and then not show up!), but that we would be back on Thursday, which he understood. The first thing he asked us is if we were going to Odessa to go swimming!!! (Cracks us up...this kid loves the ocean and I think it just might have broken his heart to hear we were going swimming without him!) We explained that no, we were going with our driver and facilitator. Then he gestured filling out paperwork, asking if we were going to get paperwork done. (He knows our facilitator has been away in Kiev, busy getting things done so that is what he associates him with.) Well, neither Bill nor I knew the word for "ballet" in Russian, and after the elephant escapade, neither one of us was too keen on acting out some ballet moves. So we just said yes, as it was something he could easily understand. And, it was in part true because our facilitator is bringing the permission from the SDA to have court. So we left it at that, and he was okay with it. He kept his lego firetruck to work on while we're away, and we told him we would see him on Thursday...just in case!
So we were kind of excited, but we have learned not to get our hopes up around here because that way when things do pan out, we can be pleasantly surprised! So we went on about our day, and then Sasha called later that night and said he thought it would "not be a bad idea" if we went in to Odessa, but that we would need to wait and see how things went this morning in Kiev with the permission for court. He said if we DID go we'd probably need to be ready around 2 or 3pm.
So we watched some movies, Skyped a little, checked our e-mail, had a snack, and eventually went to bed. When we got up this morning (which was really afternoon since we've kept ourselves on American time!) We both showered and started getting ready. And then it occurred to us, we didn't really know what we were getting ready for! We weren't sure if we'd be going to the ballet or not...so we kind of chuckled about that and said, well....we might just look REALLY nice for our orphanage visit today! Then my husband, ever the romantic, says, "If we don't go to the ballet, I'm taking you out to a NICE dinner at the Wal-Mart"...and we both got a laugh out of that.
We are sitting in the living room, dressed up with maybe no place to go, and we are watching the time go by. And 2:00 comes, and 3:00 comes, and Bill looks at me and says, "So...what are you going to pick for dinner at the store?" No word from our facilitator at this point so we both think it's a safe bet we're going on our regular orphanage visit at 4:15p. Then, at 3:24, our facilitator calls. He tells us that the driver will be picking us up at 4:30p to go to Odessa for the ballet. And he says he got the permission for court. And he says court is tomorrow! And I am screaming in the background, "You rock Sasha!" as Bill is thanking him on the phone. And the he hangs up. And he is crying. And I am jumping around and screaming and jumping some more. And then we both thank God. And then I am crying, realizing Ruslan will (Lord willing!) be our son tomorrow. And then we are both hugging and crying. And then we think it is the perfect night to celebrate by going on a date night to the ballet. And it works out perfectly because our facilitator needs to come through Odessa anyway to get here for court so he'll be meeting us there. And we are reminded, yet again, that God's timing is always perfect.
And tomorrow we will be going to court to ask them to grant us the privilege of bringing Ruslan home to our family. And Friday I am flying home to my other little boy, who has been anxiously awaiting my return. And we'll have the weekend together to reconnect, and go to church, and get back to normal. And in a few weeks, that plane will land in RDU with Bill and Ruslan on it. And the minute it touches down, Ruslan will be a United States citizen. And our family will be home together. Under one roof. Growing and learning together, and ready to face a whole new adventure. We are just two broken people, nowhere near worthy of these amazing blessings, and so humbled at the feet of an awesome God who made this all possible, will the help of some unforgettable people who were willing to be His hands and feet. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
We haven't done much sightseeing here because for one, we wanted to keep the budget costs low and extra trips with the driver mean extra money. Additionally, we respected the fact that the facilitator (and even the driver!) were busy running papers all around Ukraine for us trying to get things done. We finally got stir crazy enough to want to go see the water we could vaguely make out when looking at the horizon from the orphanage, so we did go see the harbor the other day.
But, ever since we first stopped in Odessa and the driver pointed out the Odessa Opera House, I have been mini-dreaming of being able to go to a performance there. I love all things theater, drama and performance and it is supposed to be a breathtakingly beautiful building. But I didn't dare ask. First, I thought the cost would be astronomical and then of course all the reasons we mentioned above were on my mind as well.
Out of curiosity I looked online, and noticed that there was a ballet showing tonight at the Opera House AND that the tickets were dirt cheap!!! (Even the good seats!) So I mustered up the courage to ask if we could go. Okay...not true...I mustered up the courage to e-mail our Advocate for Orphans contact in California and ask HIM if it would be okay if we asked to go. HE gave me the courage to ask.
So, I called our facilitator and said, "Bill and I were wondering if we could go into Odessa tomorrow night." In a deadpan serious voice he said, "Why?".....to which I explained we would like to go to the Opera House to see the ballet. I told him we felt like it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and it is supposed to be one of the most beautiful buildings in the world (to which he kind of chuckled....it is probably how we feel when people are amazed at some sight that we have access to every day and is just second nature for us!) We even offered to include the driver (so he wouldn't have to sit there bored, and since tickets are dirt cheap!) To this he said, "I assure you he is not interested!" And then the thought of our burly driver sitting in the ballet gave us a good giggle. But he said he would think about it and let us know. As a precaution, we told Ruslan that we wouldn't be visiting today (better to say that and end up coming after all, than to leave him thinking we are coming and then not show up!), but that we would be back on Thursday, which he understood. The first thing he asked us is if we were going to Odessa to go swimming!!! (Cracks us up...this kid loves the ocean and I think it just might have broken his heart to hear we were going swimming without him!) We explained that no, we were going with our driver and facilitator. Then he gestured filling out paperwork, asking if we were going to get paperwork done. (He knows our facilitator has been away in Kiev, busy getting things done so that is what he associates him with.) Well, neither Bill nor I knew the word for "ballet" in Russian, and after the elephant escapade, neither one of us was too keen on acting out some ballet moves. So we just said yes, as it was something he could easily understand. And, it was in part true because our facilitator is bringing the permission from the SDA to have court. So we left it at that, and he was okay with it. He kept his lego firetruck to work on while we're away, and we told him we would see him on Thursday...just in case!
So we were kind of excited, but we have learned not to get our hopes up around here because that way when things do pan out, we can be pleasantly surprised! So we went on about our day, and then Sasha called later that night and said he thought it would "not be a bad idea" if we went in to Odessa, but that we would need to wait and see how things went this morning in Kiev with the permission for court. He said if we DID go we'd probably need to be ready around 2 or 3pm.
So we watched some movies, Skyped a little, checked our e-mail, had a snack, and eventually went to bed. When we got up this morning (which was really afternoon since we've kept ourselves on American time!) We both showered and started getting ready. And then it occurred to us, we didn't really know what we were getting ready for! We weren't sure if we'd be going to the ballet or not...so we kind of chuckled about that and said, well....we might just look REALLY nice for our orphanage visit today! Then my husband, ever the romantic, says, "If we don't go to the ballet, I'm taking you out to a NICE dinner at the Wal-Mart"...and we both got a laugh out of that.
We are sitting in the living room, dressed up with maybe no place to go, and we are watching the time go by. And 2:00 comes, and 3:00 comes, and Bill looks at me and says, "So...what are you going to pick for dinner at the store?" No word from our facilitator at this point so we both think it's a safe bet we're going on our regular orphanage visit at 4:15p. Then, at 3:24, our facilitator calls. He tells us that the driver will be picking us up at 4:30p to go to Odessa for the ballet. And he says he got the permission for court. And he says court is tomorrow! And I am screaming in the background, "You rock Sasha!" as Bill is thanking him on the phone. And the he hangs up. And he is crying. And I am jumping around and screaming and jumping some more. And then we both thank God. And then I am crying, realizing Ruslan will (Lord willing!) be our son tomorrow. And then we are both hugging and crying. And then we think it is the perfect night to celebrate by going on a date night to the ballet. And it works out perfectly because our facilitator needs to come through Odessa anyway to get here for court so he'll be meeting us there. And we are reminded, yet again, that God's timing is always perfect.
And tomorrow we will be going to court to ask them to grant us the privilege of bringing Ruslan home to our family. And Friday I am flying home to my other little boy, who has been anxiously awaiting my return. And we'll have the weekend together to reconnect, and go to church, and get back to normal. And in a few weeks, that plane will land in RDU with Bill and Ruslan on it. And the minute it touches down, Ruslan will be a United States citizen. And our family will be home together. Under one roof. Growing and learning together, and ready to face a whole new adventure. We are just two broken people, nowhere near worthy of these amazing blessings, and so humbled at the feet of an awesome God who made this all possible, will the help of some unforgettable people who were willing to be His hands and feet. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.
Goosebumps and tears of happiness!
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