We're Back!!!

After 30 hours of travel, Matt and I are finally back in Kremenchuk, Ukraine. It's almost midnight here, but I wanted to let you all know we made it here safely.

We had some crazy turbulence on one of our flights that made Matt and I both nauseated for the rest of our trip, and we usually don't get plane sick. But that same flight (Washington Dulles to Munich) was such an empty flight that almost every passenger was able to stretch out across 2-3 seats, which made the 8 hour flight more comfortable (minus the turbulence).

We had a 4 hour layover in Munich, so we decided to rent this really cool nap cab! It had a bed inside with relaxing music. We only rented it for an hour, but it was so worth it (although I still felt like I was bouncing around on a turbulent plane!). :-)

The 4-hour car ride from Kiev to Kremenchuk always feels risky. We are far too familiar with brief escapes from head-on collisions with 18-wheelers while our tiny car tries to pass other 18-wheelers in the ice and snow. We bottom out a lot hitting pot holes at 60mph, and we often slide on the ice, sometimes swerving off the road. It's alway a relief to arrive safely and step out of the Ukrainian NASCAR race!

Tomorrow will be a day of paperwork as we begin the final steps to bringing our boys home. We don't think we'll be able to visit the boys because we'll be completing required tasks all day, but if we get done in time, we'll definitely head over to the orphanage to hug on our lil men whom we miss dearly!

Please keep all of us in your prayers. Sawyer (our 11yo) developed 102F fever shortly after we left Sunday, and Selah decided to party all night Sunday night (which means Mattie and Meribeth are exhausted). Ella melts down regularly when we're away, and Asher really needs the consistency of our normal routine. Oh, and I strained a muscle in my shoulder. No doubt Satan continues to throw fiery darts the closer we get to rescuing our boys, but we cling to our Hero, as this battle is His, and He is mighty to save, our Protector and Provider. Praise Him!!!

Counting the Days

Just two more days until we head to Ukraine to begin the last part of the process to get these two cuties home!  We’ll be leaving Sunday, Feb. 19, for Ukraine, and we can hardly wait to wrap our arms around Cooper and Conner.

 

Please pray that our judge really does return to Kremenchuk Feb. 20, and that he corrects the error on the adoption decree the same day.  This must happen Feb. 20 in order for us to begin the necessary steps Feb. 21 toward bringing these boys home.  There are a number of things that must be done in Kremenchuk, and the very first step can only be done on Tuesdays, so that’s why it’s vital that the adoption decree get corrected and completed Monday, Feb. 20.

 

Based upon the timelines of the last two American families who adopted from Kremenchuk, we will be in Ukraine a total of 14 days for this final trip.  Of course, we’re praying it will go faster, but both of the two prior families spent two weeks there on the final trip, so we’re expecting the same timeline.  Praying that it’s not any longer than two weeks, that’s for sure!!!

 

I need to do a post about refeeding syndrome and the risks for our boys, but I don’t have time right now.  If you’re interested in learning about this, just google it.    Our boys are at high risk of refeeding syndrome, particularly Conner (the smaller boy), so please keep them in prayer that they’ll be just fine without any refeeding issues.  I’ll share more about it when I have more time.

 

Thank you all for praying and supporting us.  We’re so blessed by you!

147 Million ANSWERS

God woke me up yesterday morning very early, way before my eyes were ready to open.  Even though I really wanted to, I just couldn’t go back to sleep.  The words, “147 million answers” kept scrolling through my mind, as I tried to drift back off to sleep.

I wondered why that phrase was in my head.  Then I realized what God was trying to tell me.

There’s a current ministry, 147 Million Orphans, that helps raise orphan awareness.  Suddenly the words, “147 Million Answers” meant something to me.

There should not be 147 million orphans, there should be 147 million ANSWERS.  With 147 million answers, there would BE NO ORPHAN CRISIS.

A friend asked me the other day what we can do to help the orphan crisis.  The answer is SO EASY, yet not enough families are willing to make this choice…ADOPT.

If every Christian family adopted just ONE orphan, we would not have an orphan crisis.  Do you understand that?  The answer to the orphan crisis is right before us.  147 MILLION ANSWERS.  ADOPT.  We should become a part of the solution.  Answers to the question of how to solve the orphan crisis.  Our answer should be YES, I will adopt.

Many people say not everyone is called to adopt.  You know, I’d like to beg to differ on that one.  Sure, there are people who are simply not eligible to adopt, but how many people hide behind the excuse that they’re just not called to adopt?  What about James 1:27?  What about all the verses about caring for  orphans?  What about all the injustice scriptures?

How many wonderful, ELIGIBLE Christian families are out there making excuses when they could actually become a part of the solution by answering with a YES, I will adopt?!?!  I believe there are AT LEAST 147 million answers out there…147 million ELIGIBLE Christian families who could simply say yes to adoption, yet they’re choosing to take the easy way out by ignoring the orphan crisis, believing that adopting just one child won’t make a difference. 

YES IT CAN!!!  If every eligible Christian family adopted just ONE child, we truly wouldn’t have an orphan crisis.  Yes, there would still be orphans in countries that are closed to adoption, but even then, if the Christian families within those countries would step up and adopt, even those closed countries would have fewer orphans.

The answer to the orphan crisis seems so easy.  It’s right before our eyes.  147 million orphans ANSWERS.

Won’t you join the movement?  Become an ANSWER to the problem by saying YES to adoption!!!

And if you don’t know why I’m begging you to become a part of the 147 million ANSWERS, just click HERE to read my friend, Adeye’s, post.  A massive awakening is what is needed to open the world’s eyes to the way orphans are living day in and day out.  Help spread the word.  Open our eyes, Lord.

Let’s start a revolution.  147 million ANSWERS.  Join us.  Adopt a child.  Step out of your comfortable life, open your heart, your home, your family.  Your heart will never be the same, and that’s a good thing.  Click HERE if you don’t know where to start. 

An orphan is waiting for you to say YES today.  147 million answers.  Join the movement.  Be the solution.  Yes, adopting just ONE child really can make a difference.  Imagine 147 million Christian families saying YES.  147 million orphans ANSWERS.  Amen!!!

EDIT (2/16/12 at 9:35AM):  This post has been up only a few hours and I'm already hearing complaints about how expensive adoption is, how people can't afford it, etc.  First, let me say, aren't you glad Jesus didn't make excuses when God commanded Him to hang on the cross for us?  Aren't you glad He didn't say it would cost Him too much?  He was willing to give His very life for you and for me, no excuses. 

Second, let me say, yes, I know first-hand how expensive adoption is.  No one likes the expense.  All of us wish it were more affordable.  There's nothing we can do to change the expense related to adoption, BUT there are solutions to this excuse, and that's literally all that is...an excuse to not pursue adoption.  If you really want to live out what Jesus has called all of us to do (in James 1:27, along with a host of other scriptures), you will commit to being a part of the solution without any excuses.  Adoption via the US foster system is usually free or very low-cost, so there goes the excuse that adoption is too expensive.  Also, if God steers you in the direction of international adoption or private domestic adoption (via an agency, not via foster system), yes, there will be expenses that seem impossible to meet on our own, and, on our own, we won't be able to come up with the required ransom.  BUT GOD!!!  He WILL meet the need.  He is our Jehovah Jireh, our provider.  Even when the task seems impossible, we have to remember that everything is possible with our Father.  He has no problem raising the ransom.  Most of the time, it doesn't come in one simple gift, but through prayer and perserverance, commitment and hard work, you will see God provide in unfathomable ways.  I've experienced it first-hand, and most adoptive families will share the same thing.  Jehovah Jireh always provides.  That's just who He is.

So, please don't make excuses.  Just say YES, the same as Jesus said YES to us.  Be one of the 147 million ANSWERS, not excuses.  YES!  YES!  YES!!!

Unfailing Love

Praise Jesus for being our One and Only True Valentine!  Praise Him for His unfailing love!

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world,that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8:37-39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

1 John 3:1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

Another Travel Change!

We were just notified that we will NOT be going to Ukraine this Sunday, February 12, as originally planned. 

 

Our facilitator found an error in our court adoption decree that must be corrected before we are able to proceed.  Unfortunately, our judge is the only authority who is able to correct the error, and our judge is currently traveling abroad.  (Our amazing facilitator even consulted with the Supreme Court of Ukraine to try to get this issue corrected, but nothing can/will be done until our judge returns to Kremenchuk and corrects the mistake he made in the decree.)

 

Our facilitator is working to find out exactly when our judge is expected to return to Ukraine.  She said it will not be prior to February 20.

 

We know God is sovereign over this change.  As hard as it is for our human flesh to fathom this delay, we fully trust in God’s sovereignty.  God has HUGE things in store for Cooper and Conner, and Satan is relentless.  Our Abba Father loves these boys even more than we do, and there is not one day that passes that is not within the sovereignty of God, which gives us great peace in the absence of understanding.

 

Please continue to pray for protection of Cooper and Conner, for them to remember us and our love for them, for them to know in their spirits that we ARE coming for them.  We will not leave them as orphans, just as our Father has not left us as orphans (John 14:18).  Pray that our judge returns to Kremenchuk quickly, and that he corrects the problem quickly.

More Than Enough

The Patterson Family, 2012

Many thanks to Anastasia for making this video of our family and ministry. 

Matt and I have been home just over a week now, and it’s felt so good to be with our Texas children.  Gosh, how we missed them during our 25-day Ukrainian stay.  But our family doesn’t quite feel complete since our newest sons remain in Ukraine, waiting for the mandatory 10-day post-court wait to pass so we can complete the adoption process and bring our boys HOME!!!

I think our bodies/brains have finally adjusted to the 8-hour time difference, but it’ll all change again in a matter of days since Matt and I will be heading back to Ukraine this Sunday, Feb. 12.   Our bodies/brains will once again need to adjust to being 8 hours ahead of Texas time.   We’ll have to once again walk away from 9 lovies in our home in Texas.  We’ll have to once again travel 30+ hours to get to our newest lovies.  When compared to what Christ has done for us, our little sacrifices seem so miniscule, yet so overwhelming at the same time.  While we wrestle with the many requirements of international adoption, we rest in the peace that He is more than enough. 

Thank you, Jesus, for always being more than enough.  Thank you for providing abundantly for our family.  Thank You for all those You have raised up to support us in this journey, for those who have prayed (and continue to pray) for us, for those who have donated, for those who have provided meals, for those who have faithfully loved us and encouraged us (and continue to do so) on this path.  Thank you, Jesus, for your many reminders that indeed, You are more than enough.

We made it!

It's 3:30am Texas time, and after 30+ hours of travel, I'm crawling into my oh-so-comfy bed. Hallelujah, we're home!!!

5 of our kiddos stayed up to greet us and visit into the wee morning hours, I got to rock Selah to sleep in her middle-of-the-night wakefulness (who, BTW, was not happy about her mommy leaving her and she showed her feelings to me clearly!), and now my mommy heart is overflowing with joy and gratefulness. I'm so thankful for each of my precious lovies. They are such blessings.

Many thanks to Stephanie for picking us up at the airport at such a late hour (as well as filling in as Mom, Dad, teacher, ranch foreman, and chauffeur in our absence), and many thanks to everyone who abundantly fed our kiddos while we were away! The meals were a great blessing to our kiddos; they've talked and talked about all of the fabulous food!

We will be in Texas for 10 days, then we'll head back to Ukraine for another ~10 days of paperwork and then Conner and Cooper will come HOME!!!

Please continue to pray for God's protection of Cooper and Conner in our absence. Matt and I could also use prayers for our adjustment to the 8 hour time difference. That's one of he hardest things about international travel for me. My brain and body just don't seem to want to give up and/or gain 8 hours!!!

Thank you all for your support and prayers. We are grateful!