Baptism Miracle

Allison, my beautiful daughter, was baptized yesterday and confirmed a member of Christ's church today.

A month ago she hated everything about Mormons--with the possible exception of the cute Elders in our Stake. Fortunately the Elders have never given up on our son, Eli, and they continue to pester him.

Allison loves to cook Ukrainian food and decided to cook dinner for these elders--including a new Russian speaking Elder.  Of course they jumped at the chance to have good dinner with a beautiful 17 year old girl.  During the discussion that followed something magical happened.  Allison felt the spirit for the first time and recognized she felt something new.

She went for a walk with a good LDS friend and told her what had happened.  They arranged to have the missionaries teach her secretly at this friend's house.  An amazing conversion began to take place during the past 3 weeks.

I'm so proud of Allison for listening to her heart and having the courage to follow the spirit to do something that sounded completely crazy to her a month ago.  Way to go Allison!  You've taken another huge step in your journey to a new and better life.

Although she didn't wear high heels into the font, she wasn't about to wear a the standard jumpsuit!

Sweet Experience

I had a sweet experience last night.  Exactly one year ago this week, we arrived home with two wonderful teenage boys---but not the two we had originally fallen in love during our hosting experience.  A last minute technicality with the difference in our ages prevented that.

I was able to visit Tanya and Viktor twice during our visit last year, and it was very hard to say good by and stop hugging Viktor that final time.  I told him we believe in a god of miracles and not to give up hope.

Last October, the same day I received my US approval to adopt Allison, I received word that the Ukrainian age law had been changed, so I could now adopt Tanya and Viktor.  I had to make a choice.  My boys already knew and liked Allison, and I only had room for one more, so I chose Allison, but my heart ached for Tanya and Viktor.

In January, Tanya went on a hosting program to Alabama.  Viktor had left the orphanage to attend Technical school because he's now 17 and a half.  When the Lawrys heard Tanya's story of coming within two or three weeks of being adopted, and then having it fall through, their hearts broke, and they fell in love with her.  We met over the phone last January, and I told her how much I loved Viktor as well.

They arrived here yesterday to make Tanya and Viktor part of their family, and it was a wonderful, tender mercy to be able to finally meet them in person, and find some closure for the hole left in my heart left by two kids who want a family so desperately.  Scott and Rachel are wonderful, good people with a darling young family.  He's the pastor of the Grace at Bell Road Church, and she's a physical therapist.  Their cute children pray for Tanya and Viktor every day.  Here's their adoption story.     http://www.thelawrys.com/ 

The story of their church is beautifully unique.  Seven years ago two congregations merged---one methodist and the other Presbyterian-----because one had lost its pastor and the other had lost its building.  Today they are a strong, united group of loving people who've dedicated their lives to following Christ.   http://www.discovergrace.org

Scott, Anna and Rachel Lawry with me.

Fun in Kiev

We've had two days of fun in Kiev and lots of "firsts" for Allison.  She had never ridden in the Metro subways here in Kiev or taken the breath taking ride down the giant escalators to get to them.  She had never seen Kreschatik street with its festive lights and street performers.

Because my kids aren't big on old cathedrals and historic landmark statues, we went to the Blockbuster Entertainment center on Friday.  (Except for Eli, who stayed home to watch soccer games on tv all day---and that's not a first.)  Allison, Alex, Vera, her daughter, Polli and I drove race cars around the speedway---another first for Allison and Vera.  They both loved it and have obviously been on too many crazy taxi rides.  Knowing Allison's turning 16 in a few weeks makes me especially nervous now.  Hopefully she won't learn English and get a drivers license too quickly. :)

Then Alex and Allison went ice skating for the first time.  I've missed out on so many firsts in their lives, it's especially fun to watch and enjoy these.  We wanted to watch a 3D movie, but there weren't any good ones, so we played ping pong in the same complex.  It was a great day.

On Saturday, Polli was dancing in the ballet at the National Opera House---for her first time.  Vera was so excited to be here in Kiev and able to watch her, and I was excited just to see inside the beautiful Opera house----and grateful I was watching a ballet instead of an opera.  Allison joined us for another of her firsts.  After the ballet we all came back to our apartment, made dinner and watched Twilight together--not a first.  OK, first time in Ukrainian for me.  I get so frustrated listening to movies with terrible Ukrainian voice-overs knowing the English is right there, but too soft to hear.  Allison shared with us one of the reasons she chose the name Allison was because of Alice in Twilight.

The weather is cooler --- in the 60's, but it's gorgeous.  Kreschatik is in serious preparations for Euro 2012.  Every 50 feet or so, large, portable rooms filled with toilets are lining the street.

Does she look like a ballet dancer?

The biggest Loser.  It's true I came in last place--and I was battling with that darned hairnet the whole race.  But I was the best driver.

The National Opera House

Final Good By and Visa

Yesterday afternoon we decided to call an 8 person van to take us and all of our luggage from the orphanage to the bus station.  Eli decided he wanted instead to walk (a few miles) with a few of his friends--especially with his new girl friend.  Malvina wanted to take the buses with a few of her friends---especially her new boyfriend.  So Alex and 7 of his closest friends got in the van and we all went to the bus station.  Of course they were all hot and hungry, so we got treats for everyone, gave our final hugs, said our last good by's and shed quite a few tears.  Eli's eyes were especially red for several hours.

Eli met his friend, Igor, at the train station in Simferopol and Alex met his brother Costia for a final good by.  We ate burgers from McDonalds and then boarded the train, but not until we stocked up on cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese, kalbasa and bread for the train ride.  Thanks to Vera, we had fun together in the train playing Uno, catch, and making sandwiches.  It wasn't nearly as awkward as I had imagined.

After arriving in Kiev, we went immediately to get the first half of the medical exam.  Then off to the US embassy, back for part two of the exam and then back to the Embassy with the final paper work.  They must have assumed since it was our second visit to the Embassy that we'd been there the day before, and they said the visa would be ready in just a minute.  Crazy!  We did the whole visa in just one day---but a very long day for poor Malvina.   So now we have 4 free days in Kiev, and I think we're starting to want to come home.

If anyone wants to come, we arrive on Delta DL88 next Tuesday, May 29th at 2:05 from Paris.

Thank heavens we miss being here for the Euro 2012 games.  They tell us there will be absolutely no apartments available and the roads in downtown Kiev will all be closed.

Luba gave me a box of photos of Crimea.

Some of my little friends at the orphanage.

Orphanage Party

We're packing up this morning, and going to say our final good byes at the orphanage after the kids get home from school at 1:30.  I'm sure it will be a tear-filled 30 minutes before we head to the bus station to catch the train to Kiev.

Last night we had the Good Bye party---which was just eating fancy cake and fizzy drinks at the kids' seats following dinner.  Pretty uneventful----until the fireworks guy came and put on a SPECTACULAR 3 minute show.  It was the best $37 I've spent this whole trip.  Everyone loved it, and it made Allison feel so special.   She gave me a huge hug and thank you.

They loved the fireworks, but the evening was surprisingly unemotional because everyone knew it wasn't the final good bye.   No one cried.  No one gave gifts or notes---except me.  I gave away the heavy hand creams I've been lugging around for 6 weeks, and I'm so glad to be rid of them.

Each of my kids seems to have fallen madly in love during the past month.  That makes it even harder for us to leave.   (Just in case your worried, Dear, I'm madly in love with Crimea, and it will be very hard to leave today, but no one will ever take YOUR place.)

Tonight will be our first night with Allison.  We'll be cramped in a tiny cabin on the train with 4 suitcases and two new teenage brothers.  YIKES!  What a scary way to begin her new life.

Shuba and McDonalds

It's hard to imagine a nearly 16-year-old girl who's never been to McDonalds, but it's true.  Malvina tasted her first Big Mac yesterday.  After she opened the box, she couldn't see how see how she could possibly open her mouth wide enough to take a bite and started disassembling it.  We told her that was cheating.  She had to get her mouth around it.  After she finished, I asked her how she liked it.  "Too big!"  Not very healthy either.  McDonalds was the last place I wanted to eat during our final days here in Ukraine, but it was right there at the bus station, so I gave in.  I'm so glad McDonalds is a two hour drive from Feodosiya, and I wish we could replace all McDonalds in Salt Lake with farmers' markets full of home grown vegetables and fruits.

We were on our way to church in Simferopol.  Vera, Alex, Malvina and I along with her two friends.  It was our first attempt at going to church----which is a 2 hour bus ride away.  Opposition set in right from the beginning.  Vera suggested we go to the Circus after church since that would be our last chance, and the girls really wanted to see the circus.  Although I wouldn't normally do that, I didn't want our Sunday to be a negative experience.  Then everyone was starving at the bus station because they hadn't had time to eat breakfast.  Then Malvina's Aunt called and wanted to meet her at the bus station to tell her good bye.  We finally got there in time for the last 20 minutes of Sacrament meeting---and everyone looked really bored, so maybe it was a blessing we were late.

The highlight was meeting Malvina's Aunt.  I had low expectations after meeting her dad--and this was his sister.  She is 25, beautiful, very close to God, and doing very well in her life.  I asked if I could make a video of her giving some advice to Malvina.  She told her not to forget her homeland and family still there, and that she will be successful if she stays close to God through prayer.  That's why she's been successful, and she believes it saved her father's life.  During the very difficult period in the 1990's following the re-structuring of the economy and government, groups of bandits and mafia took control of everything.  Many people were put in jails, had family members kidnapped or were killed.  Bandits would come into restaurants and murder everyone there if the owner hadn't paid for protection.  Her father was in a restaurant when this very thing happened, but he had gone out to his car to get something.  She believes God saved his life.  Meeting and talking with her was far more powerful and meaningful than anything that could have been said at church.

The Circus was about like the one in Zaporozshia, and the girls enjoyed it.  We had fun walking around Simferopol and ate dinner at Celentano's before riding the bus back home.  It rained for about 5 minutes---the first rain I've seen during the day.  I think it rains at night, but it's usually perfect during the day.

Saturday, the girls and I made Shuba, or "Herring in a Fur Coat," at Vera's apartment.  This is something my boys just love, and it's always part of the New Year's celebration here.  It consists of a layer of chopped up herring on the bottom covered with onions, mayo and vinegar---then a layer of potatoes covered with hard boiled eggs, onions and mayo, then a layer of cooked carrots covered with onions and mayo, then a layer of cooked beets covered with mayo and a final coating of parsley and green onions---the fur coat.  It's all patted together and formed into a dome.  It was really very tasty--except for the herring.  I'm not a fish lover, but Malvina is.   Nevertheless, I was shocked when Malvina, in all seriousness, asked if she could eat the fish head---raw.

Here's a short movie of our Victory Day on Youtube.

First trip to McDonalds.  First Big Mac.

Katia, Malvina's aunt.

Katia is her dad's sister.

Vera holding the herring she just filleted for our Shuba.

Layer of beets on the Shuba.

The onion and parsley fur coat on the finished Shuba.

Vera's cat was especially excited to try it.

Raining in Simferopol.

Malvina holding a paper doll book we found named "Malvina."

I'm Ukrainian

Life is never dull when Vera's around.  She thinks I need to spruce up for Kiev next week, so yesterday she took me to visit her hair dresser for some "painting" and vitamins to revitalize my hair----and maybe a new shape.  Seeing some of the orange and burgundy hair that's so popular here in Feodosiya, I was a bit reluctant---but my hair desperately needed some help.

First we walked to the Beauty products store to choose some "paint" for Vera's hair.  Fortunately, Alla called to say she wasn't comfortable painting my hair because she didn't know which chemicals had been used on it in the US.  Whew!  I would only need vitamins.  How much damage could that do?

Next we walked down a little alley to Alla's home where she has a mirror and chair set up in a room with some beds.  We met Vera's friend, Inna, (the lady who never smiles so she won't get any wrinkles) along the way and Vera invited her to come with us.  We picked up some chocolate treats to enjoy with their tea.  Inna went first and had a trim, then Vera got painted, and I got vitaminized.  We sat with bags on our heads, laughed and enjoyed the treats.  Inna never smiled once, but Vera said she was having a good time.

I got brave when it was my turn for shaping.  I said something I've never said to a hairdresser. "I trust you, just make me look good---maybe Ukrainian."  She broke out in a huge smile and excitedly, almost triumphantly, said YES, and started snipping away.

So here's my new Ukrainian look.

Inna's the one not smiling.

Alla's home where she does hair.

Earlier this week, we presented gifts to Valentina, the City Inspector, and Tamara, the orphanage director. Malvina came with us and helped choose the flowers and chocolates.  Valentina insisted we come back and enjoy tea with her the morning we leave Feodosiya.

Malvina has a cute, mischievous side to her.  She told Tamara she wanted to borrow a vase to fill with water for the flowers.  When she came back, she apologized and said she had broken the vase.  Then, with a big smile, she pulled out from behind her back a beautiful new vase she had bought as a gift for Tamara.  We all laughed.

Enjoying tea together is such a delightful, important part of this culture.  I haven't started drinking tea yet, but I sure like the idea of just taking time to eat a treat together and enjoy the people you interact with in everything from haircuts to getting documents stamped.  I felt like a close friend of Alla's after having my hair washed in her bath tub, wearing her slippers and sharing a tea party in her bedroom.

Alex's best friend, Oleg, finally returned from the sanatorium.  He loves this boy so much and brought money from home to give to him.  He said Oleg has helped him many times.

My new favorite picture from the Market.  At first I thought they were witches fingers, but they're chicken feet.  All my Ukrainian kids said they've had good soup made from chicken feet.  We're getting together to cook today----but not Chicken Feet soup.  Today it's Shuba, or Herring under a fur coat.  Not being a fish lover, I think I might prefer Chicken Feet soup.

Things are going well with Malvina.  We've had some fun badminton matches this week.  Yesterday was her last day at school, but she'll go Monday to pick up her report card--a few weeks earlier than the other kids.  It was also her last day at the ping pong club.  It couldn't have helped but be a really emotional day for her, but she seemed fine.