little update

Jack and Juno have come a long way since coming home to us. They are both full members of the family. They laugh cry fight with siblings and have lots of hugs and kisses with mama and papa. Jack has always been pretty easy going but he has settled and is just the sweetest kid ever. Juno had a rough start. she never had anyone invest in her. She took a lot of convincing that we were worth her effort to invest in us. We brought home an angry young girl who was mean and cruel and sulky and whiny and wanted everything her way or she was going to make us pay. She didn't listen. she didn't care. That girl is gone. She is happy, appropriate, listens as well as any of the others, helps out, invests in our family, and enjoys all the things we do. She is not cruel and mean anymore even when someone is mean to her. She fought hugs and kisses at first but can't get enough of them now.  She and Jack are headed into 6th grade tomorrow! She loves the piano and music. She is planning to learn to play flute this year. Jack will play sax. They are really doing well. There were some rough days in the beginning I wondered if we had made a mistake bringing them home.  That no longer crosses my mind. They are mine and I am theirs. forever. They understand that now. Kids who have been given up on take a bit longer to trust. some never do. but these two have learned to trust. They love being in a family. and we love them.

I am here

The court has been completed. the mandatory ten day wait for it to be official is nearly over. The children will soon be ours forever. Jack and Juno. Beautiful children they are. very loving.

I have been here about two weeks. In that time I have come to have a heartache. My heart aches for my children back home. Also for the many children here who may never know the love of a family. And for a country at war. For a people in danger. For the many young men who go to war to defend their beloved Ukraine and do not return, or return in a pine box. It is nearly more than my heart can bear some moments. That this beautiful country should be overrun by soldiers from Russia trying to take it over is just more than I can comprehend. No one here has hot water unless they have their own water heater. Russia controls the gas. so no hot water for you. I want to stay and I want to DO something but there is nothing I can do. I am one person. I want to go and run to safety in my home far away. But somehow that doesn't seem right either. I am in fear here that the soldiers will reach this city where I reside. and yet I can not leave. I must finish what I came here to do. I have so many thoughts all jumbled up in my head. there is no way to get them all to paper in a sensecal fashion.  I miss my home. But I know that when I leave this home I may never see it again. I may never set foot in Ukraine again in all my life. and should I be allowed the opportunity to return it may not be the same Ukraine I live in now.  I wonder how Ukraine's people must feel as no one comes to their aide to fight the agressor who just waltzed in one day and said MINE! They are ill equipped to fight this war.  Their former president sold all their military equipment as well as the companies that make them. Those all belong to russians now. There is little money to build munitions as their former president squandered that as well.  Now the Ukrainian citizens suffer.  Not only does the war go on here in Ukraine, it goes on in my home. Between the Russian and the Ukrainians. It is not their war and yet they feel it acutely. Every day I read a new article of war, of the horrors of war, the atrocities. I fear for my neighbors here in Ukraine, For my friends here. For myself I know I will be gone soon and only hope that shelling does not reach this location before I go. But the people who live here always have no where to go. no one to help them. The world watches as they go down in flames. A mother and child killed on a bus in a nearby region. How can that be right? Entire towns obliterated. A history lost. so much sadness and unfairness. so much heartbreak.  I do not know how to help. I am helpless.  I am helpless and heartsick.

Court was successful and Jack Brenden and Juno Alexandra are now Enbergs. We must wait ten days before beginning paperwork and exit papers. Eric has gone home and I will remain here. THe children must remain in orphanage but I will visit them there daily. It is lonely here and I may forget how to speak english! I am hoping I will pick up some more local language while I am here. it will make things easier when I take the children from the orphanage. Jack is a super cuddly boy who is ten years old. Juno is not as cuddly but tolerates my/our affections and is warming up nicely. She has had her little heart broken and I can understand her reticence to jump right in, but she did agree to be adopted so she is willing to give life with us a chance. Jack is a finger sucker which has made his teeth terribly out of place. still he is about the cutest boy on earth.  that will be tough to break. Hoping it will lessen over time without a lot of input from us as he begins to feel more secure. I am off to go visit them shortly and they want me to bring treats. I think they are tired of the raisins I bring. Maybe I will bring them some peanuts. they really want junk food and I just wont buy it.

We met the kids.they are wonderful. We had to wait for court so we came home. We had Christmas at home with the kids. We will have court January 16. Then i will stay there with the kids and visit them until i can start paper chasing and finally bring them home.

BIG! REALLY BIG!

monday morning I was not even out of bed and I got the call. we have to be in the country in one week. one week from monday. that means only a few days from now we will be flying to the kids country and hopefully meeting them by the end of next week. We have an appointment to receive the official referral and permission to visit on weds the 10th of dec. We are working hard to get everything organised at home for our absence as well as prepare ourselves and for our needs as we travel. big exciting stuff. busy busy time! I cant wait to tell you all that we met our kids! I feel like I already know them because I know a family who adopted their friend and spent time with them. they were kind enough to share a lot of info with me about the kids. It is not the same area we went to for our other kids so this is a whole new adventure!

big news!

Our dossier has been submitted to the country the kids are in! Now we wait for invitation to travel. Very exciting! Now if we could agree on names!!

Almost ready to submit our Dossier

We are waiting for one more elusive document and we will be sending the rest of our dossier(papers) to the country where the children reside. I say Children because, in case you havent been following, we also decided to adopt a boy close in age to Damaris. We have decided on a name for Damaris but have not come to agree on a name for the boy. I am very much wanting one name, Eric is very much wanting another. Unfortunately neither of us cares much for the name the other has chosen. I am about to put the names in a hat and whatever comes out is his name. haha.  Our giveaway just added some new items. Please check them out and help us raise funds to bring home our children!!  They are beautiful loving children(we have heard from those who have met them) They deserve a family of their own.