NEWS!!!!

Well, we got a call that will change our life...we travel to Ukraine on Saturday, April 9th for our appointment date in Kiev on April 12th!!!!!   EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE:)  Here we go!

Many of you have asked how the process works...here it is:
1.  Meet with our coordinator/lawyer in Kiev and look through files that match our paperwork and criteria.  Our paperwork includes correctable special needs children under the age of six.
2.  If we agree to meet a child presented to us that day, we will get an appointment with the orphange and may travel that day to meet the child via train, car, or sometimes a small plane.
3.  If we do not feel a child will fit into our family, we have the option to decline meeting any children and wait up to two days to view different files.
4.  Once we meet the child, we are told we can spend several days before making a decision to adopt.  Our prayer is that we will recognize our child as soon as we meet him or her!
5.  Then, paper-pushing begins...it takes 14-15 days before we can get a court date. 
6.  During this time we can visit the orphanage two times a day...once in the morning and once in the afternoon. 
7.  After the court date, there is a 10 day waiting period before we can apply for the Visa.
8.  On rare occassions, the 10 day waiting period is waved.
9.  We apply for the Visa and it takes 1-4 days.
10.  We come home!

Thank you for all your support and prayers...we are so grateful for everyone's interest in this process and we look forward to sending you pictures and videos of this process!!!:) 

Love,
Todd and Alicia

bowling for little Bo

Click here to view these pictures larger

Thank you so much to everyone who was able to come out or who donated to this event to help us bring our little guy or girl home!  We hope to be able to announce a travel date very soon!

Bowling for Little Bo!

We expect to be authorized for travel to Ukraine this spring or early summer!  We are holding a bowling event to help raise funds to bring "Little Bottorff" home!



WHEN:  March 12 

WHERE:  Mission Bowl Olathe

TIME: Noon

TICKETS: $27 per adult


You will get three games and shoes are included.  There will be music, cosmic bowling, colored pins, food specials and PRIZES throughout the day including a $100 debit card!  Whether you are a once a year or once a day bowler you will have a chance at winning a prize.  Bumpers are available for kiddos too!  All bowlers will be given a ticket for a chance to win a prize and will have opportunities to earn more tickets during the event for an increased chance to win prizes!



Please use the "Donate" button above to secure your spot on a bowling lane.  Each lane can hold 4-6 bowlers.  Please make note if you want to bowl with a particular couple/person in the comment section.  


If you would like to make a donation, but not participate in the bowling event you can still use the donate button and just mention in the comments that you do not want to participate.

If you do not want to do PayPal, please email me at tb5174@netscape.net for our address and you can mail a check for your reservation.

News...

We got word last week that we can proceed with our adoption as scheduled and it shouldn't be delayed!!!!!  Of course, things can change by the minute, so please continue praying that we can travel this spring to adopt our little guy!  As of now, it seems likely for us to travel in March or April of this year.  Soooooo, here we go! 

Also, we continue to pray for a place to stay as we are in country during those 4-6 weeks.  We are so thankful to some friends in our Sunday school class who have put us in contact with a woman who used to live in Ukraine.  We hope it will lead us to a place to stay...they are Christians AND they speak English!  We have another possible lead from our mission trip in Romania last summer as well with someone in Kiev who also is a Christian and speaks English!  Please help us pray for these opportunities as we continue through our adoption.

Thank you for your support and prayers...they are much appreciated and we are so grateful to be surrounded by our loving friends and family.

 

All I Really Want For Christmas Music Video

I heard this song and it touched my heart.  Still waiting to hear about Ukrainian law...until then, we keep praying for our little one and orphans throughout the world.  Merry Christmas everyone!

Grasping God's Hope

The past three years have been some of the most difficult times of my life because I have felt so far away from God.  I've often cried out to Him, "Why have You left me?"  "What have I done/not done to have the gift of a child withheld from me?"  "Don't you love me?"  "Why don't You think I will be a good mother?"

I've gone through the grieving process many times as the loss of a dream and a child slipped away with each passing month.  I've felt the guilt of not being able to give Todd a child...denial, trying to convince myself that I really don't want children...anger of not conceiving and knowing that God has the power to reverse this sadness...depression and isolating myself to reflect on my pain...and HOPE, knowing and believing in God's promises:  "For I know the plans that I have for you, plans for welfare and not calamity to give you a future and a hope".  Jeremiah 29:11

Since we have begun the adoption process, I've been full of hope and excitement.  I've been excited to give a child a home who doesn't have anyone to love him/her.  Others have approached me about starting the adoption process, which would give more children homes.  Maybe God is using me in this way.  I've pictured a child in our home, teaching him/her how to say, "puppy", of all things.  I sit in the "baby room" in the rocking chair, and pray for our child.  This chair is special because Todd's mom rocked him in it when he was a baby.  I'm getting attached to this adoptive child, whoever he/she may be.  

Now we've hit another bump in the road.  Until recently, I haven't much worried about it because I've been bound and determined NOT to fall into the temptation of worry!  However, the hour is upon us.  This week Ukraine votes on a bill that could potentially stop adoptions to the U.S. until an agreement is made.  It's kind of like I'm waiting to take another pregnancy test...will it be negative or positive?  I'm living each day holding my breath, wanting to know the result, but not really.  It's already in my mind that adoptions will be put on hold, but I still cling to the hope that nothing will be delayed and we'll adopt as scheduled.  God already knows the outcome and how it will affect our lives.  I continue to replay one of my favorite songs in my head, "You are God alone, from before time began, You are on Your throne, You are God alone..."  I know God is still in control, even if it doesn't feel like it or look like it from my perspective.  I'm so thankful that God has a different perspective than me!  In the midst of our impossible circumstances, God extends His hope to us, and to His orphaned children.  

I'm reading a book my friend, Julia, gave me written by Ruth Graham.  It's called Fear Not Tomorrow, God is Already There.  (yes Julia, I'm STILL reading it:)  I wanted to pass along a passage that has been helpful to me during this uncertain time in my life, yet a time where I'm grasping tightly to God's hope. 

"God has not left you or forgotten about you.  He has planted His hope within you.  You can hope again....Every morning, you wake up to a new day with new potential, new possibilities, new ways to experience God's character, and new opportunities to enjoy this gift God has given you called life!  Yesterday's challenges may change into today's promises fulfilled.  There is still hope!"

Please pray for this bill in Ukraine...that it will not stop adoptions as lawmakers rewrite laws to improve the adoption process.  Children need homes and there are many like me who are waiting to be someone's forever family.  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY BOTTORFF

Today "Little Bottorff" turned 2 years old!  We bought a small cake and blew out two candles for him and sang Happy Birthday...too bad it wasn't in Ukrainian:) 
We received some encouraging news regarding his status today too...a fabulous birthday present for him:):)  Tomorrow is our 4 year anniversary...we are excited to find out what year four has in store for us!