Tuesday, November 18, 2008

We can't stay away

We're heading back to Ukraine! :) :)

Yep, you read it right. We are going back to Ukraine to pursue two little girls with special needs. And yes, we are very well aware that these little girls are NOT being held for us--Ukraine does not allow for preselection which means they do not give hold children for families or give referrals until your SDA appointment. However, since they are a sibling set and they BOTH have medical needs, it is highly unlikely that they will be adopted. We are choosing to trust that God is leading us in this direction and we will follow Him. :)

Here they are:


Dana (blonde) is 4 years old. Eve (brunette) is 3 years old.

These girls are being advocated for by Reece's Rainbow, a 501(c)3 organization that advocates for the adoption of children with special needs, particularly Down Syndrome. I've been a follower of RR for quite a while and they do amazing work. If you are interested in helping to support our adoption financially, you can make a tax-deductible donation towards Dana and Eve's adoption. We will never see the money--it will go directly towards our adoption expenses. I'm hoping to have a button up on our blog linking to them sometime today, so stay tuned! :)

18 comments:

Diana said...

Wow! Congratulations and Good Luck!! They're adorable!!

There is also something strikingly familiar about them. Have they been available for adoption for very long? I can't shake the feeling that we may actually have been shown their profile. How odd is that?

You're also WAY braver than I am. While I love Ukraine and it will always be a part of my heart, I have no intention of ever returning there - unless my boys someday need to for closure. Then I'll go with them.

Tami said...

YEA!!!!!! That is SO awesome!! They're beautiful! :) BTW - If you're interested I have an awesome place to stay in Kiev that is SO much cheaper than the downtown apartments. Its easy to get everywhere from there AND has all the ammenities. Let me know if you're interested and I'll put you in touch with Bogdan.

Zack, Jenn and William said...

I am so excited that you guys are pursuing these two sweet girls. They've been on my mind and heart ever since their pictures first went up on RR, but we just aren't at a place where we can start another adoption right now. I noticed their picture under your name on RR's waiting families a couple of days ago and I was thrilled. I will definitely be praying for you guys, and for these precious girls.

orphans4me said...

I just wanted to congratulate you here, too
Joy,RR

The Flying Eagle said...

How sweet!!! Congratulations - we are so happy for you!!! I can not wait to talk to you more ... where are the girls? where are you in the process? Are you taking the boys with you? Do the boys know yet? YEA!!! So fun!

Valerie said...

Congratulations again Courtney!! We are so excited for you and your family and can't wait to follow you on your journey back to Ukraine!!!

Debora Hoffmann said...

I am so excited for you all and for Dana and Eve. I had seen them on Reece's Rainbow and knew they needed a special family to care for them--little did I know that God would be calling to you to be that family! Congratulations, and may the Lord bless you all on your journey.

ArtworkByRuth said...

Congratulations! Can't wait to see you bring them home! They are precious! Praying for your process to go smoothly and quickly!

Tonya said...

OH MY WORD!!! They are SO adorable!!!!:). How exciting!:):):).

his wife, their mama said...

What wonderful and exciting news. I checked out Reece's Rainbow after your last post mentioning the organization and when I saw Dana's and Eve's picture, there was just something about them that touched my heart. I am a firm believer God puts others in our thoughts for a reason, even those we don't know or haven't spoken to in some time, and I now know how to pray for these little girls.

I am so excited for your family and will stand by you with prayers and thoughts as you continue the journey of bringing your children home.

Anonymous said...

Do you ever feel like Ukraine does a bait and switch type tactic? They know you are interested in a specific child or children, they do not "hold" and then when you get to Ukraine they tell you the child/children are not available and get you to choose another knowing that you don't want to go home empty?

Amy

Anonymous said...

How do you think your sons will respond to you returning to Ukraine and have you thought about how you will discuss it with them? Interesting to hear how they react.

Thuy said...

This is too cool. I'm excited to see where God is leading you guys!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations! I'll be praying for you all on this journey.

adoptedthree said...

Congratulations
Those little girls really pulled at my heart as well but we cannot do two at once. The littlest one reminds me of my O. If you have questions on cleft feel free to contact me at boomerseyler@yahoo.com
I have lots of great resources!

Leanna

Audrey said...

Congrats! I had seen these cuties on RR and I'm so excited for them and for you guys!!

Julie said...

I thought I commented on this post... guess not. How could I have missed it! That organization is amazing! I browsed their site and I liked what they're doing.

Flush said...

Well, you already know how excited I am about this! We are the ones who took these photos of the girls LOL!

I can't wait until you get to bring them home.