Why, you ask? Well, after much prayer and consideration (not to mention an expensive expedited passport), Elizabeth is going to come along with Kevin and me when we return to Kiev this coming Sunday.
She will be missing one week with her Texas cousins and her national youth group convention in Colorado. However, this will be a once-in-lifetime opportunity to learn about Bella's country and heritage.
We have had some serious discussions with her about how this is not a vacation, but a missions trip of sorts. Most days will be spent going to the orphanage in the morning, returning to the HOT apartment, and then going back to the orphanage in the afternoon. Even with all that, she is adamant that this is what she wants to do.
I am thankful that she is able to accompany me...She will be a BIG help to me both during the visits with Bella and for bringing her home. It will also be a great time to bond with her new little sister Bella. I think they are going to love each other....I know I do!
Love, Paula
Monday, July 20, 2009
Sissy's So Excited....
Why, you ask? Well, after much prayer and consideration (not to mention an expensive expedited passport), Elizabeth is going to come along with Kevin and me when we return to Kiev this coming Sunday.
She will be missing one week with her Texas cousins and her national youth group convention in Colorado. However, this will be a once-in-lifetime opportunity to learn about Bella's country and heritage.
We have had some serious discussions with her about how this is not a vacation, but a missions trip of sorts. Most days will be spent going to the orphanage in the morning, returning to the HOT apartment, and then going back to the orphanage in the afternoon. Even with all that, she is adamant that this is what she wants to do.
I am thankful that she is able to accompany me...She will be a BIG help to me both during the visits with Bella and for bringing her home. It will also be a great time to bond with her new little sister Bella. I think they are going to love each other....I know I do!
Love, Paula
She will be missing one week with her Texas cousins and her national youth group convention in Colorado. However, this will be a once-in-lifetime opportunity to learn about Bella's country and heritage.
We have had some serious discussions with her about how this is not a vacation, but a missions trip of sorts. Most days will be spent going to the orphanage in the morning, returning to the HOT apartment, and then going back to the orphanage in the afternoon. Even with all that, she is adamant that this is what she wants to do.
I am thankful that she is able to accompany me...She will be a BIG help to me both during the visits with Bella and for bringing her home. It will also be a great time to bond with her new little sister Bella. I think they are going to love each other....I know I do!
Love, Paula
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Meeting Bella for the First Time...
This video is from our very first meeting with Bella in the Orphanage Director's office. Also, there were our facilitator, translator, her teacher, the orphanage lawyer, and the Regional Inspector (the pretty young lady in white on the other side of the table.)
We were all sitting around the Director's conference table, and we heard this little shuffling feet behind us. Kevin and I turned around, and there she was...our little Bella...she was real! Both of us just sat there staring at her. It took a few moments for me to come to life and kneel down beside her. I reached in my purse and pulled out the little doll she is clutching in her hand.
Previously, the Director said that Bella is very smart and is quite the actress. You can tell he really cares about the children; note how he buttons the back of her dress while she is giving out candy! He seemed so proud of her, especially when she handed out candy to everyone in the room before taking some for herself! This video encapsulates Bella to a "T", even down to the very end where she backs up in fear of Kevin! This is a moment in time we will never forget! So, we wanted to share it with you--our dear friends....
After the meeting, the lawyer and director went over Bella's history and medical records with us. We were told that she has a patent oval window heart defect that may have closed on her own. Also, she has had hernia surgery (they performed surgery through her belly button so now she doesn't have one--it's just a line that looks like her silly "old man" grin.) Other than that, she is very healthy.
Her biological mother was born in the same year as me and is from Kiev. She has a degree in engineering and is a geologist. Her biological father is from Chernobyl and is a driver. We were told that they are a good family with no drug or alcohol history. Sadly, they did not visit Bella once in the hospital after her birth, but left her there. She was then transferred to her current orphanage and has been there her whole life. The parental rights were later revoked. Oh, and Bella has an older brother and sister. We will have access to any and all information we desire, so that will be good.
Wow, what an emotional day! Can't believe it was only just a few weeks ago! Now, we are counting the days to be reunited with our little Bella, never to leave her again!
Love in Him, Paula
We were all sitting around the Director's conference table, and we heard this little shuffling feet behind us. Kevin and I turned around, and there she was...our little Bella...she was real! Both of us just sat there staring at her. It took a few moments for me to come to life and kneel down beside her. I reached in my purse and pulled out the little doll she is clutching in her hand.
Previously, the Director said that Bella is very smart and is quite the actress. You can tell he really cares about the children; note how he buttons the back of her dress while she is giving out candy! He seemed so proud of her, especially when she handed out candy to everyone in the room before taking some for herself! This video encapsulates Bella to a "T", even down to the very end where she backs up in fear of Kevin! This is a moment in time we will never forget! So, we wanted to share it with you--our dear friends....
After the meeting, the lawyer and director went over Bella's history and medical records with us. We were told that she has a patent oval window heart defect that may have closed on her own. Also, she has had hernia surgery (they performed surgery through her belly button so now she doesn't have one--it's just a line that looks like her silly "old man" grin.) Other than that, she is very healthy.
Her biological mother was born in the same year as me and is from Kiev. She has a degree in engineering and is a geologist. Her biological father is from Chernobyl and is a driver. We were told that they are a good family with no drug or alcohol history. Sadly, they did not visit Bella once in the hospital after her birth, but left her there. She was then transferred to her current orphanage and has been there her whole life. The parental rights were later revoked. Oh, and Bella has an older brother and sister. We will have access to any and all information we desire, so that will be good.
Wow, what an emotional day! Can't believe it was only just a few weeks ago! Now, we are counting the days to be reunited with our little Bella, never to leave her again!
Love in Him, Paula
Meeting Bella for the First Time...
This video is from our very first meeting with Bella in the Orphanage Director's office. Also, there were our facilitator, translator, her teacher, the orphanage lawyer, and the Regional Inspector (the pretty young lady in white on the other side of the table.)
We were all sitting around the Director's conference table, and we heard this little shuffling feet behind us. Kevin and I turned around, and there she was...our little Bella...she was real! Both of us just sat there staring at her. It took a few moments for me to come to life and kneel down beside her. I reached in my purse and pulled out the little doll she is clutching in her hand.
Previously, the Director said that Bella is very smart and is quite the actress. You can tell he really cares about the children; note how he buttons the back of her dress while she is giving out candy! He seemed so proud of her, especially when she handed out candy to everyone in the room before taking some for herself! This video encapsulates Bella to a "T", even down to the very end where she backs up in fear of Kevin! This is a moment in time we will never forget! So, we wanted to share it with you--our dear friends....
After the meeting, the lawyer and director went over Bella's history and medical records with us. We were told that she has a patent oval window heart defect that may have closed on her own. Also, she has had hernia surgery (they performed surgery through her belly button so now she doesn't have one--it's just a line that looks like her silly "old man" grin.) Other than that, she is very healthy.
Her biological mother was born in the same year as me and is from Kiev. She has a degree in engineering and is a geologist. Her biological father is from Chernobyl and is a driver. We were told that they are a good family with no drug or alcohol history. Sadly, they did not visit Bella once in the hospital after her birth, but left her there. She was then transferred to her current orphanage and has been there her whole life. The parental rights were later revoked. Oh, and Bella has an older brother and sister. We will have access to any and all information we desire, so that will be good.
Wow, what an emotional day! Can't believe it was only just a few weeks ago! Now, we are counting the days to be reunited with our little Bella, never to leave her again!
Love in Him, Paula
We were all sitting around the Director's conference table, and we heard this little shuffling feet behind us. Kevin and I turned around, and there she was...our little Bella...she was real! Both of us just sat there staring at her. It took a few moments for me to come to life and kneel down beside her. I reached in my purse and pulled out the little doll she is clutching in her hand.
Previously, the Director said that Bella is very smart and is quite the actress. You can tell he really cares about the children; note how he buttons the back of her dress while she is giving out candy! He seemed so proud of her, especially when she handed out candy to everyone in the room before taking some for herself! This video encapsulates Bella to a "T", even down to the very end where she backs up in fear of Kevin! This is a moment in time we will never forget! So, we wanted to share it with you--our dear friends....
After the meeting, the lawyer and director went over Bella's history and medical records with us. We were told that she has a patent oval window heart defect that may have closed on her own. Also, she has had hernia surgery (they performed surgery through her belly button so now she doesn't have one--it's just a line that looks like her silly "old man" grin.) Other than that, she is very healthy.
Her biological mother was born in the same year as me and is from Kiev. She has a degree in engineering and is a geologist. Her biological father is from Chernobyl and is a driver. We were told that they are a good family with no drug or alcohol history. Sadly, they did not visit Bella once in the hospital after her birth, but left her there. She was then transferred to her current orphanage and has been there her whole life. The parental rights were later revoked. Oh, and Bella has an older brother and sister. We will have access to any and all information we desire, so that will be good.
Wow, what an emotional day! Can't believe it was only just a few weeks ago! Now, we are counting the days to be reunited with our little Bella, never to leave her again!
Love in Him, Paula
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Max, Charlie, Zhora, & Lilya....Help us Find Their Forever Families...
During our visits with Bella at the Berizka orphanage, we got to meet four other Reece's Rainbow "at risk" children with Down syndrome.
We were given permission to take their photos to help them find families. Here are their precious photos:
MAX
CHARLIE
ZHORA
LILYA
Please pray that their forever families find them soon! If not, they will soon be transferred to a mental institution--where a large percentage of children die within the first year :(
If you are interested in one of these precious children or know someone who might be, please follow this link: http://www.reecesrainbow.org/atrisk.htm
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18
We were given permission to take their photos to help them find families. Here are their precious photos:
MAX
CHARLIE
ZHORA
LILYA
Please pray that their forever families find them soon! If not, they will soon be transferred to a mental institution--where a large percentage of children die within the first year :(
If you are interested in one of these precious children or know someone who might be, please follow this link: http://www.reecesrainbow.org/atrisk.htm
I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18
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