It has been a great day! We are still greeted with reticence, but Emma has continually warmed up more and more to our visits and allows the nurse to leave and has played with us well. Today she was with us in our late afternoon visit for well over a hour unattended by her nurse.
We had a great chance to talk to her nurse (Babushka) with our interpreter today. She is very happy about our willingness to adopt Anastasia. She says that most people want a perfectly healthy child, and she is so glad that she will have a chance for a much better life. I believe that her heart is being genuinely touched by our pursuit of Emma. This nurse has been with Emma since she arrived at the orphanage as a newborn. We were able to thank her and tell her that we would always share with Emma one day about her care and affection for her.
We had much laughter today as Pappa tossed Emma in the air and spun her around. She loves to be tickled too. She is letting us in. She loves puzzles, the flash cards I brought, the etch-a-sketch, and anything that is interactive.
Aiden continues to be a joy and is making the adjustment into our hearts very very easy.
Thank you for your continued prayers! We are so blessed.
We leave tomorrow at 12:30PM on a short trip to Kiev to pick up Anastasia’s referral. Sadly when our facilitator went on Friday to pick it up, they changed their minds and said that they would not give it to him on our behalf, but that we would have to pick it in person. So off we go (in a shuttle van, not the train) to Kiev. We will meet with our new adoption friends, Mary and Chris Malone after our appointment. (They just arrived on Saturday to begin their process). We will take the van home the same day.
Please pray that our time at SDA goes smoothly. The bumps in the road with the adoption laws here regarding Anastasia’s referral have delayed our time here about 10 days. We are hoping for a court day by Feb 26th. PLEASE PRAY for things to be expedited.
From the Heart 
I’m thrilled about the progress! We’ve been praying for Emma’s nurse. Praying that God will bless her, abundantly, for the love that she has invested in Emma. We are , also, praying that God will speed up all that you must still go through.
Lots of Love, Mom
P.S. How about the carnation blessing your eldest son received?! It’s been fun communicating with him on Skype.
He’s such a neat kid!!
What a great report! I’m so glad Emma is coming around. And what a blessing to get to talk to the nurse! I wish it were possible to see what the fruit will be in her heart as she is witnessing the love of God pouring through you to this little one. Now I need to go drink some water… Each report you post makes me cry, and I’m beginning to worry I might be dehydrated by the time this is all done!
I so love reading your blog. I remember that feeling of being in a foreign country, everything is sooo different. I love hearing about all the little things in the Ukraine, like the toilet paper, etc. I wish you had a more comfortable bed, though. Just know you have so many people praying for you. May God do miracles to expedite the process!
Much Love,
Kim Phillips
How good it is to hear the ‘sigh’ in your voice, as you speak of Emma’s ‘opening and trust’ with you.
I will be praying for quick transactions to occur and that God would send you on your way (home) quickly.
What a wonderful journey it has been. How wonderful that you will have two more sweet little faces added to your table at home.
sending a big hug and loads of prayers;
Kimmie
mama to 7
one homemade and 6 adopted
How precious to find out more about your little ones and see pics too! It is a gift from the Lord to have that info to share one day with them! And I agree they are seeing the love of Christ in action as you pursue Emma! Between you all (J&T, D&R, the Malones and others that have travelled through RR) God is making himself obvious to these folks! It shows He cares about all, even in a little orphange in Novograd! And it’s not just the children, it’s the workers, taxi drivers, folks at the market…oh if we could only just wrap our head & hearts around the vastness of His love for all!