The New Year Brings New Hope!

Happy New Year to All!

With so many uncertainties surrounding this adoption, I sat up late on New Year's day wondering how to proceed. Questions such as: How will we ever afford this adoption?, and: Would a Ukraine judge approve this adoption? ran through my head.

I asked GOD how we should proceed, knowing it is going to be an incredible financial challenge...among other things. I know it is going to take a miracle to bring the girls home, and it is going to be challenging once they finally get here, but I am confident they are worth all the effort! But how can we possibly even get the initial funding to do this? How can we even get the ball rolling? How can we get this done, especially in these difficult economic times? And at what point should we consider stopping....or could we ever stop?

I asked GOD for some guidance... for some sort of "sign."

"Give me a sign, Lord. What do we do? Guide us in the right direction," I asked outloud.

Nothing. I waited.

Nothing. I went to sleep.

The next morning I awoke and went to work. A few hours later, Jen called me and told me we got a phone message from last night. I recall, while I was asleep in "my chair" in front of the TV last night, the phone did ring and the answering machine pick up, but no one was there. I went to sleep for the night, but the next day Jen told me there was a message on the answering machine....and it was from the girls in Ukraine!!!!

When I got home from work, I immediately played the message. It was from either T or V (it was hard to tell). The cutest little voice on the other end said, "Hello Mama e Poppy, eta I..., V...., e T...." There was more greeting, a short message, and a cute "Bye" (in English).

The girls had called us!

We are so thrilled that they actually called us! How on earth they were able to manage an international call "home" I don't know, but getting that phone call and hearing that message was enough of a sign for me to never give up!

That evening we also went out for Chinese food...and as if we needed any more incentive, Jen's fortune cookie said something like "You Will Help Children In Need" and mine said something about soon taking "A Long Journey To A Distant Land."

New Year, New Hope, Same Dream.