We are back in Ukraine after a few great days home! We have been running around from office to office doing paperwork regarding the adoption since we arrived. We found out today that the new tax ID number for Wes is going to take quite a bit longer than we thought!! Apparently you used to be able to get it in a day, but it looks like it is going to be at least another week based on what other families are experiencing!! The process now has to go through Kiev, then back to Kharkov. After receiving the tax ID, we have to wait for the passport, then head to the US Consulate. It looks like we will be here for another two and a half weeks. I don't want to change our return tickets yet because I don't have any idea when we'll be in the US.
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We are both just frustrated!! Bet you couldn't tell :) The longer we have to spend over here, the less time we have off work when we get home. Wesley needs surgery as soon as possible, and it just feels to me like no one around here cares much about that at all!! When we get home and after surgery, Wesley will need to be in the hospital for an extended period of time (at least three weeks). This whole trip is costing a ton of money (about twice as much as we originally planned), and it looks like we will spend at least 8-9 weeks total here!! Please just pray for us because we are just feeling so discouraged (especially me - Staci). Not only all this mess about the adoption, but our apartment is crawling with bugs and we've seen evidence of mice. To me, bugs are one thing, but mice (or rats) are something entirely different!!!!
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Good news - We were able to visit Wesley yesterday for about an hour. He was so happy to see us!! He was just laughing and he wanted to be passed back and forth between me and Damon. (Can you tell that he likes to imitate the faces we make? Can you also tell how much he likes his Dad??)
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We thought we were going to pick up Wes today, but we were running all over the place and by the time we made it to the orphanage, the director was gone. Apparently we will pick him up tomorrow at noon (I will believe it when it actually happens).
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So our plan for tomorrow is to go to the bank to withdraw Wesley's disability money, pick up necessary feeding and care supplies at the pharmacy and grocery, pick up gifts for the orphanage director, lawyer, caregivers, children, and then we will be able to pick him up. We'll see how all this goes without a translator. Neither of us has had the chance to feed him through his g-tube, so we are supposed to do that tomorrow. I don't know how that will work when we don't understand a word they say and they don't understand us either! I'll update tomorrow.
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Thank you so much for your prayers (we need them)!!
Love - Staci and Damon
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17 comments:
I'm praying for you guys to have a speedy time there so that your little guy can get the surgery he needs. You make a great looking family. I've been following your blog for awhile but never commented. I hope you don't mind that I added a link on mine.
Annette
I wish you the best with little Wesley. He is precious and I pray that his surgery goes extremely well. Best of Luck!!!
Sorry to hear about the delays. I would love to know how he responded when you guys returned to see him again. He is precious. Keep us posted on the surgery and events.
Don't worry about the g tube - you'll get the hang of it. I'm sure it's frustrating to be gone longer than expected and spending more money, but I'm sure when you look at little Wesley's face, you'll know it was ALL worthwhile!
Keep the faith. It will be over soon. With us being in the midst, I can understand. We would love to be going home too. But God has a reason for the extended time. We don't understand now, but one day we will. He is adorable. I know you will just be so happy to have him home and love him and care for him. We will pray for you in your time here and in your time with his surgery. Maybe we will see you soon. We will be in Kirovograd until September 12, I think.
Tammy
I know you guys must be so frustrated, but know that are lots of prayers going up for you. Just take things one day at a time, and know that God will give you exactly what you need to get through each day. I pray that each morning you awake refreshed and renewed, ready for whatever Ukraine throws your way :)
And I'm sure the time will go by a lot faster once you have Wesley with you full-time!!
I'm also praying for you guys as you learn how to feed your little guy, and as you prepare for surgery once home.
Staci and Damon,
Please know that many of us are praying for you!
I've been following the posts about the new tax ID process and feel so bad for those of you traveling now. I know how badly you want to be home with your little boy, and to find out now about this new delay has got to be frustrating.
Keep reminding yourself that in the long run, these delays won't matter...you'll have your son.
Loved the picture a Wesley with Damon! How cute!
Oh, goodness...I am feeling so sad for you! I know exactly how you feel. You will get through it, you will get through, YOU will get through it!! Until you do just know you have a huge network prayers and good thoughts at your beck and call! Karissa
We are praying, too - how frustrating!! gosh...
A question about this tax id issue for those of us planning to travel (whenever that happens)... is that something you have to physically be there for or could your facilitator not have done that for you, and you waited to come back after? I'm just trying to understand.
Many prayers and while I'm sure this is "easy for me to say", you will look back on this time as not being much compared to the joy of your son, I'm quite sure!!! :)
Staci and Damon-
My thoughts are with you with this pain in the rear delay you and everyone else is having to deal with. Try to enjoy what you can and remember that in the end, this wonderful little boy will have his life saved by you - his mama and papa, who will love him forever!
On the part of getting info on the g-tube, did you use Dr. Yuriy? You might be able to call him and have him help translate the process of feeding and cleaning... just a thought!
Amy
Hey guys! You were really on my heart today as I was making an extended drive for work, so I prayed for you in the car while traveling. Thanks for sharing what's going on. It helps us know how to pray.
Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again-my Savior and my God!
--Psalm 42:11, NLT
God will provide......enjoy your time with your new son.
I am praying for your family.
cheryl from NC
Good heavens! Sorry I had to delete my last two comments! My brain is not handling the lack of caffeine (in preparation for our trip) in the morning. I even tried to "preview" before posting and failed. So I will try again....slowly :)
I had problems getting to your blog yesterday but I am here now ( that was NOT like a superwoman kind of "I'm here now, have no fear!") :)
Anyway, I am going to be sending up prayers for you guys. My facilitator said he was not aware of this delay and has a family that JUST got their passports and did not have this problem. So perhaps it will be quicker for you too. We'll be praying!
You can do it!
And while it's frustrating to be stuck, it will give you some good time to get adjusted to the feeding routine before you hop on a plane (or two or three) and some quiet time to bond as a family before work and the rest of life comes back in!
Hi Staci and Damon and Wesley
Did you check into qualifying for BCMH (Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps)> They help to cover deductibles etc... for children with certain medical conditions and help ease the medical burden. We receive it for Oksana. Let me know if you want more info.
Wesley is adorable. I love the one of him sleeping on you. Sweet!
Sorry to hear how frustrating the process is for you, but at least he is now with you forever!
Hugs to all
Leanna
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