The day started quite early today. We were to leave Kiev at 4:15 am this morning, so it meant having to wake up at 3:30 in the morning to finish packing up our stuff from our apartment in Kiev. We had an approximately 8 hour car ride to Bilgorod, about an hour or so ride from Odessa. See the map for details:
http://maps.yahoo.com/#q=Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi+Raion%2C+Ukraine&conf=1&start=1&lat=47.709761542666385&lon=30.69580078125&zoom=7&mvt=m&trf=0
It was a long ride, but full of anticipation and a little trepidation in not know what to expect, but also excitement in being able to see our children for the first time since last summer. We met them last summer, but it was only for a brief time and neither we nor the children knew we would eventually reunite.
We arrive at the orphanage around 12:30 pm, but we had to take a detour into Moldova to actually get to Bilgorod. (There is a large lake separating Bilgorod from Odessa.). We first had to meet with the inspector for the region and Sasha had to present our referral to her. We came in and spoke to her briefly and she asked us about our jobs, where we lived, if we had room for two children, whether we lived in apartment or house, etc... She asked us whether we were ready to divide our love with two more children to which I said that it will be multiplied, not divided.
We had to sign our names in a notebook signifying our approval and she came in our van with us to the orphanage. When we arrived, the inspector went in with the orphanage director, doctor and a couple of other workers in the main office while we waited about 20-30 minutes. We were eventually ushered in and the director went over Ilya's and Snizhana's backgrounds. Their father died around May or June of last year around age of 43 or 44, and the mother's rights were terminated last year as well. The mother (age 35-36) was contacted numerous times and never made an effort to see the children or claim them. She found another man to live with and these children were no longer her priority. We were told that although the house was in pretty good order, that appeared to be all there was - not enough food, medicine, etc... Neither the mother nor the father were employed. In the year plus that they have been in the orphanage, not one relative has come to see them.
After about 10 minutes, they showed up behind us and our hearts just skipped a few beats. It was love at first sight to see these beautiful children. Snizhana seemed to immediately take to Jennifer and continually held her, while Ilya seemed to take well with Diana, holding her hand.
It is sad that this mother didn't care at all for these precious children. We are blessed with the opportunity to adopt these children and fill our lives with their love. We praise God for them!
http://maps.yahoo.com/#q=Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi+Raion%2C+Ukraine&conf=1&start=1&lat=47.709761542666385&lon=30.69580078125&zoom=7&mvt=m&trf=0
It was a long ride, but full of anticipation and a little trepidation in not know what to expect, but also excitement in being able to see our children for the first time since last summer. We met them last summer, but it was only for a brief time and neither we nor the children knew we would eventually reunite.
We arrive at the orphanage around 12:30 pm, but we had to take a detour into Moldova to actually get to Bilgorod. (There is a large lake separating Bilgorod from Odessa.). We first had to meet with the inspector for the region and Sasha had to present our referral to her. We came in and spoke to her briefly and she asked us about our jobs, where we lived, if we had room for two children, whether we lived in apartment or house, etc... She asked us whether we were ready to divide our love with two more children to which I said that it will be multiplied, not divided.
We had to sign our names in a notebook signifying our approval and she came in our van with us to the orphanage. When we arrived, the inspector went in with the orphanage director, doctor and a couple of other workers in the main office while we waited about 20-30 minutes. We were eventually ushered in and the director went over Ilya's and Snizhana's backgrounds. Their father died around May or June of last year around age of 43 or 44, and the mother's rights were terminated last year as well. The mother (age 35-36) was contacted numerous times and never made an effort to see the children or claim them. She found another man to live with and these children were no longer her priority. We were told that although the house was in pretty good order, that appeared to be all there was - not enough food, medicine, etc... Neither the mother nor the father were employed. In the year plus that they have been in the orphanage, not one relative has come to see them.
After about 10 minutes, they showed up behind us and our hearts just skipped a few beats. It was love at first sight to see these beautiful children. Snizhana seemed to immediately take to Jennifer and continually held her, while Ilya seemed to take well with Diana, holding her hand.
It is sad that this mother didn't care at all for these precious children. We are blessed with the opportunity to adopt these children and fill our lives with their love. We praise God for them!
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