Ukrainian History & dinner

Dear friends and family,

Today John and I wait for an expected appointment we will have this afternoon sometime. We have enjoyed receiving encouraging e-mails from some of you and certainly felt the power of your prayers extended our way over the last 24 hours. Yesterday was a very difficult day for both of us. Several times we had breakdowns, not exactly of despair, but of exhaustion and frustration. There is much we are dealing with that we can not disclose in this format right now. Soon we will have conclusions to questions and decisions and will be able to share more with you. Please know that when we asked that you join us in prayer, we know and see God's answers all around us. His will has been made evident and we are so thankful for His presence and guidance.

To pass some time, I have gone back to the blog I have attached to ours - "Step of Faith: Ukraine Adoption." This is some very good reading and we have enjoyed sharing this trip with them. The husband is a Pastor and the wife is a Teacher. She spent some of their "down time" writing about Ukraine's history and I highly recommend you reading it. Her two blog entries can be found in June called 1) Ukrainian History and 2) More Ukrainian History. She is very thorough and does such a good job, I wouldn't think of trying to put it any differently. It is some very insightful reading into understanding our new daughters and their history. It is important to understand their background and the kind of people they were made of. Thanks so much Dawn for sharing with us!

Last night we had dinner with Sergiy. It gave us a chance to sit down and discuss our options, the game plan before and after today's meeting, and above all, we splurged by eating American hamburgers! Yum! In the capitol of Kiev there is an American TGIFridays. It is just like the ones back in the States (including the high prices). John and I were longing for a juicy hamburger and fries. We eat at McDonanlds from time to time, but it's just not the same. Sergiy's wife and children were left back in Donetsk with his in-laws, so he welcomed the opportunity to share a meal with someone.

As we went to order, we found out Sergiy had never had an American style hamburger. He is willing to try new things, but had not ventured farther than the "chicken fingers" he had eaten once before. We ordered a big juicy bacon cheeseburger for each of us, along with a sample appetizer tray to share. We washed it down with Cokes, no ice (still made from the local water supply). It wasn't quite the same without the ice, but still so refreshing. Ukrainians drink juice or carbonated water (called water with gas) instead of sodas.

Sergiy tried all the items on the sampler, we explained each one. Potato skins, mozzarella sticks, wings and celery. He had never had any of them. It was very funny to watch him bite into the celery stalk and see how he was unsure how to bite the "strings" of celery politely off. He smiled and said he thinks he likes the mozzarella sticks instead. :o)

The burgers were huge with lettuce (something they rarely eat here), tomato and onion slices, pickles and of course the big juicy hamburger, bacon (slightly undercooked, yuk!) and processed cheese. We told him when they are this big (the buns here are larger and puffed up), it's best to cut it in half, smoosh it down and just take a bite. He loved it! He was so full by the end of the meal, but wanted so much to finish his entire burger and fries. I'm sure he must have had a bellyache before he got home! It was an expensive treat, but such a nice break from Ukrainian food.

I should be getting ready for our meeting. We have no idea what time it will be, but we could be called any time to walk down to the SDA offices. Thank you again for all who have been in contact. Jeremy W. - it was fun to talk to you. Thanks for downloading Skype. It's a very easy way for us to "talk".

Until next time, be encouraged, He is in control.
Jenn