It will take an absolute Miracle

I am not saying this to be cliché or anything but it will take an absolute miracle for us to bring these children home. But then again, if it happens, we truly can and will give all the Glory to God. However, if it doesn't, then we will understand that it was not His will.

The reason it will take a miracle is that we really have everything going against us...we really one have one thing in our favor right now. One. More about that in a minute. Here are the things we have going against us and the things that our prayer warriors can pray about:

• All three kids have to say "yes" to being adopted.  This is a huge obstacle because this summer when we asked Lidiya about coming to America to go to school, her response was, "No way.  I couldn't leave my brothers and I have way too much family to leave".  Hopefully "adoption with her brothers and the chance at a permanent family" is different than leaving everyone to just come to school.  
• Then, Ukraine in itself is a challenging country to adopt from.  It is corrupt, there is bribery, the politics are just awful and so much more.  
• To top that off, the Kherson Region in Ukraine is very against adoptions right now because there have been too many American adoptions coming out of hosting programs.  So, they are investigating child trafficking.  This one just makes me sick because it is child trafficking that we are saving these children from!
• And to put icing on the cake, the orphanage director at their orphanage is in hot water because he has allowed international adoptions but not adoptions from Ukrainian families.  See....he gets more money for international adoptions, so now he is being investigated.

So, please pray that we will be able to discern the Lord's will for us and for these children.  Ultimately, they are His children, not ours and we just want what is best for them.  

Back to the one thing that we do have going for us....2 out of the 3 children were asked about adoption and Vlad (the oldest) said yes, he is ready to go!!  But they all have to say yes and Lidiya said she would have to think about it.  Andre has not been asked yet.

We are in the waiting mode right now....we are waiting on the Lord.  Waiting is the hardest part but He knows that and I believe through all of this He is trying to build my faith.  Hopefully it's working!  :)

Be still, and know that I am God.  Psalm 46:10

Here is a picture of Vlad and Andre playing Uno.  

You can sort of see their personalities in this picture.  

Vlad is very reserved and keeps to himself, while Andre is very giggly and goofy.