Habakkuk 2:3
For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.
A snapshot into what her future held...
Zhukovka, Russia
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Road blocks and blessings
I must be quite honest friends... I know it has been awhile since I last posted. There is a reason... I simply have not known what to write. I have been trying, very hard, to wrap my mind around the "latest" and I've needed to do that and "process" before I could inform.
So... we knew getting into this adoption that things would not be easy. We knew and continue to know it is a journey of faith. And now, we are learning, God is working on us and our individual strength... our faith and our strength. I can quite candidly admit, there is room for improvement in both areas.
Typically, with all of the paperwork we have submitted, we would be registered in the region, in Russia, by now. However, we have run into yet another road block involving one of Sveta's parents. There aren't any concerns of either parent wanting to gain rights again, but we now have extra paperwork to do, which of course, takes more time to process, therefore; pushing our visit with her back, yet again!
This is very difficult for us. We have been let down twice now... first, thinking we'd be meeting Sveta in August, then October. It has made us question God- WHY? WHY? WHY? We are trying to do what God asks us to, in the Bible... care for orphans. (James 1:27) So... WHY??? As we keep trying, it seems as though there is one obstacle after another. However, in spite of the obstacles, we keep getting confirmation from God that we are on the right track! It's a really odd place to be!
Pursuing an adoption takes such an insane amount of time and energy. It can truly be both physically and emotionally draining. And now that I know this, I never for a second want to forget or seem ungrateful for the two little blessings we already have! God has given us, already, two of the most precious little souls who have big purposes in this life! Already, we are blessed!
A friend of ours recently made a comment that really made me think. He, too, is an adoptive parent and understands what the process and emotions entail. He said that he's so glad we can't see into the future, because if God would have told him 5 years ago that he and his wife would be adopting down the road, he wouldn't have believed it and would have resisted and been upset about the idea. However, that's not how God works... we don't know the plan ahead of time (thankfully), and He doesn't just throw us into things... He uses time to grow us and prepare us for what He has for us. That outlook has helped me understand our waiting a lot better. Also, right after we got word, our church message was centered around "Waiting!" I'd have to say that's the Holy Spirit giving confirmation we are supposed to adopt... we just need to wait. It's all God's timing, and His is very different than ours. It's amazing that God already knows the timing. He knows the day we will bring Sveta home. He knew the day she was born that she was going to someday enter into a new family... a family in southwestern Ohio... USA!
There's so much I could get into, but for now, I just wanted to update you on what has been going on. Something we ask for prayers about is... a friend of mine, who is a former airline stewardess, has offered her buddy passes to our family. If our adoption agency gives the "ok" I could be traveling with a friend, to Russia, in December. I wouldn't be able to acknowledge that we are pursuing the adoption of Sveta; however, I could meet Sveta, observe her, and take her something. I am hoping this will work out, if it's God's desire. I am so blessed that my friend thought of me, to use the buddy passes which are an amazing deal!
Tomorrow, I leave for a show in Toledo, so I don't know if I'll have time to post. For now, I just want to say... I am so thankful for the family I have, the quaint home we share, the amazing friends I have, the freelance work that comes my way, the wonderful school our children attend, and our health... which I'm reminded of when I see our strong, little boy take to the football field! Waiting is hard, but life in the meantime is good... and I thank God for that!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Russian Fest, Loveland
It was a beautiful day to attend the Russian Festival, in historic Loveland's Nisbet Park. More thoughts to come on the festival itself... for now, some photos from the day.
Friday, September 3, 2010
(Russian) Food for Thought
A friend of mine recently informed me of a Russian festival going on this weekend, in the Cincinnati-area. I've attended Greek, German, and Italian festivals but never Russian, so it should be interesting and enlightening. The festival promises delicious Russian food such as piroshki, stuffed cabbage, and borscht. In case you've never heard of piroshki, it's a stuffed bun of many different ingredients, depending on the region, in Russia. According to the above photo, I think it looks quite delish. As for stuffed cabbage - no surprises there... I even make it myself. (Photo taken this summer, and yes, I make it with purple cabbage... a big hit with Karrigan!) As for the borscht... I've seen Ina Garten make it on Barefoot Contessa, one of my favorite Food Network shows. It's basically a cold beet soup. Hmmm... don't know about that one, but I'll give anything a try once.
I'm sure the festival will deliver more than just Russian food. I did read something about live music, activities for children, and imported crafts such as the traditional wooden nesting dolls. All of this sounds ok, but I think we'll definitely be stopping in around lunch-time... to try the food!
Food definitely equals comfort while shared around the dinner table, with family. Food brings about traditions and warm memories of togetherness and days past. Families bond over recipes handed down from generation to generation. And tomorrow, it will be food that will make us feel... just a little bit closer, to our sweet daughter, a continent away.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Bryansk Home
My two favorite colors together seem to be common in Bryansk homes.