Let's Go to The Movies

"I want the fairy tale." ~ Julia Roberts as Vivian in Pretty Woman.

At two this morning we were up. Sleep was just not happening. The wind was really pretty loud outside and the snow was coming down at a good clip. Mark gave up and watched a movie at 5. We got up and got ready and went with Lori just as the sun really started coming out to go to Kiev International Baptist Church. (KIBC from here on out)

The service was awesome. Just a great reminder of how much we need to reach the world. We listened to the testimony of an Iranian man who was put into an asylum as a youth by his family for choosing Christ. His is a story of with all the makings of a spy movie� He is doing amazing things here in UA and is serving God with a vision to see every Iranian in UA come to have a bible and know Christ. The man has been harassed for his faith, threatened, and basically told that the government of Iran would like him dead. He is flying in the face of the teachings of the Muslims and therefore he is not welcome in his country any longer. Ukraine is now home. He spends time going to wherever other Iranians are so that he can serve God by sharing Christ with them. A fellow brother of his and more to the point of OURS was beaten by skinheads on the metro here just yesterday. God is working through this awesome guy. I am not blogging his name for obvious reasons but would you pray for him? Thank you! It is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, and there are so many lives in need of your prayers to protect them; the innocent, the oppressed, the broken and the poor, the voiceless� Your prayers and your efforts do make a change and make a difference.

We left church, got some money exchanged, and then went to Pazhta Hatah (which is Jenn phonetic for�) The Fat House. I make no bones about why they call it that and it is our favorite place to eat in Ukraine out side of Mama Olya�s kitchen. La Hacienda it is not, but when in Rome� or Kiev in this case you go to Pazhta Hatah! Outside on the street since the weather was warm and the sky even hinted at blue there were tons of people. This is like a Ukrainian Time Square. They were doing a concert on the street and a mob of people had gathered like some huge star might be there singing. Turns out it was a karaoke competition� well alrighty then� and no we did not participate!

We met Paula and Chris Underwood and Katia, and Lena their friends and listened to Paula share some of her journey and also tell about what some of her thoughts were on life in general about Ukraine. She had offered to take us to 21 and asked G to meet us there too. She showed us how to get there and make sure we could navigate the trip which was really awesome of her. She and Chris have been a huge blessing to us. I have to tell you guys one of the things

I have been nervous about, and I confess even have been so jealous of is that so many of you have bio-kids to help you make this transition with your Adoptive kids. To have them there to alter the dynamic and add fun and someone on a peer level is awesome. God took care of that for us in Chris Underwood. He was totally off the hook tonight. He was Mr. Personality and we just had a ball with him. I am lovin me some Chris ya�ll� It will not be the same come Thursday when they leave for the states, and I must say I know you folks in Bham are in for a mega treat as he arrives home and melts your hearts! He was not all about pretense, which we were trying really hard to keep things calm and on the qt since this a pre SDA no meeting with the Director yet trip, oh no, Chris blew that slam out of the water announcing our arrival and intent. He still contends it was Katia that �must have told� the boys previously that we were coming in the first place, �she have big mouth�. Chris was our God send kid to help break the ice and be the funny man. He chased down O.#1 and found out that O#2 was out side some place playing. We waited in the hallway of the orphanage for a few minutes, other children from past summer programs came and visited for a while among them Dima, Sasha, & Vova� I got to hear more of Vova�s story which was really intense. Vova came from a family of 10. His parents were destitute and so they lived year round in tents on �the island� according to G. They lost several children due to weather, and nutrition issues, and one baby to a cat who �sat on him.� He said they would eat what ever they could find including the fungus off of trees. Doesn�t sound real does it? Can you picture your family eating the yellow fungus that grows on trees? Hi honey what�s for dinner tonight? Oh I foraged for your favorite �fungus soup.� No� I didn�t think so. The boy is sweet and funny and is taking in all that goes on around him. His brother was not back yet but I very briefly met his lovely sister who is about as big as a minute. And shines like a star. It seems that there are some folks in Italy that are interested in her but not in the boys. The Italian process takes 2 years. As I understand it, what ever is in the best interest of the children is what is generally done. Just in case someone is holding their breath nothing is final until it is final here.

Then up the steps came O.#1. His smile was so beautiful and when he came and hugged me we both just stood there with tears in our eyes. Ya�ll it was the most perfect moment. Any doubt that he might not have wanted to go with us was erased, any question about if he knew for sure it was us that was coming for him was gone. Just a huge long hug and a big kiss on my check, and the quarter back was toast. I have been waiting for so long for this day and it was so perfect. Another huge hug for his Papa and all was right with the world. Mark looked so happy it was so awesome to see him meet one of his boys and the whole world was starting to move right for us. Lori was there to help translate and tell him that we love him and we have missed him. He told us he had waited a long time. He was so thankful to see us, and someone asked him if he was going to America? We didn�t want to say �yes� ya�ll b/c we have not had our SDA appt. that is still on Tues. But his face was begging for that Yes. So Chris Underwood, our new translator, LOL, explained we have a meeting first and then he gets to go! ROFL oh so simple right?

Then came our O#2. he had a deer in the headlights moment as he never had a clue that when the Underwood�s said they would look for a family to adopt him they meant that in less than a month we would be here! He was like looking at A. when M. told her that we were their new Mama and Papa� oh boy� this might not be good� then all the sudden he was like just really good with it. Happy to meet us, and Paula commented really talkative, more than she had ever seen him. We took them aside and explained that we don�t have answers till after the appt. on Tues. We also knew that now that that was out of the bag we needed to tell them they were not 2, but 5. They have to weigh that information in their choice to come with us. All of this excitement is going to change their lives forever and the dynamic of our family is not just 4 but 7 people immediately. It was only fair for them to know that info and be able to think it through. O#2 was cool with it� O#1 was not as sure. He was really deeply taking in all this information. He is very serious. Very thoughtful, and when that child gives an answer it is his answer. You know he has considered it carefully. This is not a fly by the seat of your pants kid. He is deliberate in his thinking.

Then G. showed up he started getting information from them about likes and dislikes and then all of the sudden he is like, �so we need to pick their names, this is very important. We need to give them some choices and guide their choice.� Um can you say totally unprepared for that? Lori who was laughing to herself had confessed later she was thinking of how funny it would be to see us get out of that one. So, that is when it got really interesting. The name we picked for O#1 was not one that he really liked the ring of, so G. was like �give me more choices� and low and behold John Benjamin is the name our eldest son has chosen for himself. So Dad� There is your boy! Then with NO hesitation as we started to talk to O#2 he busted out with �My name is Kevin from Home Alone.� Mark and I both kind of cracked up that he wanted to be named for a Movie character, and while we were both in our own �on the spot moment� G. announces, �Kevin needs second name.� so we proudly introduce Kevin Michael. I can now stop the O#1 & O#2 deal and just from here on out call our sons by their given (or oh so carefully chosen LOL) names! The awesome thing is this, when praying about names for him, the FIRST name that had come to my mind in the states was in fact KEVIN! We debated back and forth and we left really not to sure about how that was going to work, we thought we might call him Seth, but this was such a funny confirmation of how God moves and that this child is our son too! Mr. Kev. in my heart he is named after you! He is a really great boy and you & Ms. Bets will love him I am sure.

So after the great name conundrum was over we heard that John Benjamin really wants to see dolphins, and would love to pet one some day, and is not really looking forward to the heat in Florida, but does like to �cycle� and is an addict to movies and likes comedy and even the chick flicks. His Mama was so excited about that! Kevin Michael likes soccer, and drawing (and showed us his Christmas picture from his groupa) movies (comedy obviously...) and it would seem all things sports. He told us he had been to Italy too, and that no one had wanted to adopt him. He said he was bitten by a dog so he is a wee bit shy about the idea of Rolly Pohlee but I think some slobber from Rolly will take care of that. He said he was stung by bees so he is very fearful of those and that Ligustrum tree which is a bee magnet and was never my favorite anyway in our back yard is oh so getting cut down� John was really excited that his Papa is a Youth Minister and LOVES the idea of our Monday Night bible study, so Power House will be back on line at the Smiths after a few weeks of adjustment guys� I know some of you were sweating that, do not worry, John is all about getting to hang out with you, and he is very ready to make new friends! John took good care of Kevin and they were really good when they walked us out, they did not try to press the guard, Valera who is a Mormon and was very interested to hear that Mark is a �priest� to go past where they should be as some of the boys did. They followed his directions and never pushed their luck. I was proud of them. When it was time to go, John Benjamin came over and gave me another huge hug, he kissed my cheek and you guys it was like the fairy tale story of The Sleeping Mama who had gotten a wake up kiss by her Prince Charming Sons.

Love,
An Excited Mama!