They are coming HOME!

The men of Team Huss are coming HOME!! 

The only thing pending is picking up the boys' passports and going to their final Embassy appointment, which is all scheduled to happen tomorrow (Thursday)!  Their flights are booked for a Friday morning departure from Kiev!

Scratch that.  God had other plans.  They DID get their passports and finish their final Embassy appointment on Thursday (today).  However, they can't pick up their Visas until Friday (tomorrow) morning.  SO, we had to change their flights.  They are now arriving on Saturday afternoon.  The remaining info below has been updated to reflect their new flight.

We want to invite everyone to the airport (Houston Intercontinental) on Saturday afternoon (April 26th) to welcome them home.  They will be arriving at 2:20pm on United Airlines Flight 105 from Munich.  We're guessing it will take them about an hour to deplane, go through customs and immigration, and get luggage; so, they should be walking through the arrival gates at the international terminal by 3:30pm! (that's just my estimate...)

Keep in mind that our boys speak very little English, so don't expect any conversation to happen.  But I'm sure they will appreciate smiles and "welcome" signs.

After the greetings and pictures (Valik is going to hate all of the pictures I plan to take!), we'll head to our house to begin settling in as a family of 7.  So, even though it will only be a bit of time that you'll get to see them at the airport, I know they would love a warm welcome.  And once we're settled and they have adjusted to the 8-hour time difference, we're happy to have visitors so y'all can get to know our boys a bit more.

Thanks for ALL of your love, prayers, and support.  When they land on US soil, our real journey begins...so please keep 'em coming! ;)

Some Cool Dates

Everyone loves a cool "coincidence" story, right?  Well, I actually call these type of things "winks from God."  Things that aren't necessary for Him to do, but He does them because He's in the details and loves us.  These are just dates on the calendar, but they mean so much more to us!     

September 17th
2009 - the day we felt called to adopt --read more about that here (NOTE: it was actually the 16th for us, but with Ethiopia and Ukraine being 8 hours ahead, it was the 17th in both of those countries)
2009 - a very significant time in our boys' story (my vagueness is on purpose...it's none-ya business)
2010 - the day Eden was born in Ethiopia
2014 - the day our dossier for our boys' adoption was sent to Ukraine

April 1st
2013 - the day we began the journey to our boys--when Ben shared with me about his recurring dream (read more about that here)
2014 - the day we stood before a court in Ukraine to officially make the boys part of Team Huss

Back-to-Back "Forever Family" Days (April 15th, 16th, 17th)
April 15, 2014 - the date on our court decree for Valik, Vlad, and Slavik--when the appeal term was over and the boys became forever ours!
April 16, 2012 - the date of birth of Callie Jeanne--she entered the world and became forever ours!
April 17, 2011 - the date we picked Eden up for the final time from her transition home in Ethiopia--forever in our arms!

NOTE: Those in the adoption community will realize that these back-to-back dates also mean that our adopted kiddos experience their "trauma-versaries" at the same time.  This is going to make for some interesting Springs from here on out...please pray for us to be able to give them the support they need.  For those not familiar with that term, it's such an interesting and sad thing that children from hard places deal with.  Their internal clocks just know when something traumatic happened in their life (for international adoption, that can be when they were separated from birthparents, when they leave their birth country, etc.).  Their behaviors get really cray-cray during this time (my scientific explanation), and they often don't know why.  Even kiddos adopted at birth will deal with this.  Eden was home with us when she was 7 months old and she still has major trauma-versary behaviors (we're going through it right now, so please be patient with me as I parent her during this time). 

When are they coming home??

Hi friends!  Sorry for taking so long to update all of you on our timeline.  I'm home now and (mostly) adjusted back to Central Time.  Here is the latest on bringing our boys home...

Short version:  If everything goes smoothly, Ben and the boys will be home on April 30th!  So please PRAY for PERFECTION in the PROCESS. ;)

Longer version:  These are details (as we understand them) about the remaining process to bring them home...

{We're currently in the mandatory waiting period after we passed court on April 1st.}

1) Court Decree - Ben and Yana (our translator/adoption process guru) will pick up the court decree in Volodarka on April 15th. 

2) Birth Certificates - Ben and Yana will travel to pick up the boys' new birth certificates.  Our boys were born in 2 different towns, but luckily they are only approximately 3 hours from each other.  In total, this step of getting birth certificates will take approximately 2 days. 

3) ID Codes - Yana will change the boys' ID codes in Kiev.  It takes 1 day to do this.

{If these steps go according to plan, they should be completed by April 18th.}

4) Passports - Ben, Yana, and the boys will all go to Kiev to submit some documents, take their passport pictures, etc.  If the other steps are done by the 18th, then the passports can be done on April 21st.

{The passports take 4 work days to be completed. This timeframe will also be when the boys start their goodbyes at the orphanage.  After those 4 days (so, hopefully April 25th), Ben and the boys will move to Kiev.}

6) Visas - Ben will schedule his appointments at the US Embassy (they require 2 appointment days--one to review the document and the next day for the interview appointment). If all is going as planned, these would happen April 28th-29th.

7) Fly Home - It looks like we're shooting for April 30th as their departure date! 


Thank you SO much for all of your excitement, prayers, support, and love!

Prayer Requests

Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. Matthew 18:19-20

Overall Prayer Requests as We Expand our Team:

Our marriage
Travel mercies
Weather
Health
Jet lag
Language barrier
Spiritual warfare
Political safety
Culture shock

Prayers over the process:
Acceptance from our boys
Bonding for all 7 of us
Favor over our timelines (pray they are home by Easter)
A kind judge
Acceptance of our paperwork as-is

Prayers over the trip (note: Kiev is 8 hours ahead of Houston):
The way over: depart Houston Feb 21 at 6:55pm; 6-hour layover in Frankfurt; land in Kiev 9:45pm Feb 22
The way back (for all but Ben): depart Kiev 5:55am Mar 20; 6-hour layover in Frankfurt; land in Houston 7:20pm Mar 20
(pray for luggage, passports, traveling with young kiddos, etc.)

Prayers over our boys:
Come to know Jesus personally—soon
Feel safe, secure, and loved in their new family
Bond quickly with sisters and mom and dad
Smooth transition as cross-cultural kids
Learn English, while still retaining Ukrainian

Prayers over our girls:
Continue to feel safe, secure, and loved in their growing family
Bond quickly with brothers
Patience and grace with brothers and mom and dad

Prayers once we're home:
Our marriage
Transition to a family of 7
Family bonding time—true connection
Language barrier
Establishing rules/boundaries
Culture shock 
Decisions about schooling
Finances

Thank you for your prayers!

Ukraine Needs Our Help

In the wake of us celebrating MLK and his fight for justice, I now come to you asking you to join me in taking ACTION to help the people of Ukraine.  Whether you have personal ties to Ukraine or not, JUSTICE matters to EVERYONE.  And obviously for Team Huss, this is personal. 

What is happening in Ukraine right now is NOT RIGHT.  They were peacefully disagreeing with wrongful actions of their leaders and the unimaginable happened.  A dictatorship is on the rise, lives are being lost, freedom is being taken away.  This injustice cannot be ignored.  They deserve freedom!  Will you help?

Proverbs 31:8 "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves..."

What YOU Can Do This Week
I've compiled everything into one place, so this should only take you 10-15 minutes out of your day.  Your voice DOES MATTER!  The Ukrainian people are pleading for the US to get involved.  They are NOT asking for troops or money--they are asking for our government to impose sanctions on those who are standing in the way of their freedom.  THANK YOU in advance for standing up for the people of Ukraine during their struggle to build a free and democratic nation.

1) SIGN THIS PETITION - simply click here and enter your basic info to sign.  This is just a basic petition to John Kerry that will hopefully get the president's attention for America to help Ukraine.

It says:  Please immediately speak out against the Ukrainian Government! They are silencing free assembly and speech with draconian measures. They are choosing dictatorship over democracy. This must be stopped before more lives are lost. President Bush spoke out in 2004 during the Orange Revolution and his words helped to effect great change. The same should happen now. 

2) EMAIL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES - below you will find a script that you can copy and paste to write your representatives.  Send it to your US Senators and your US Representatives (Congressman/woman).  Simply click here to find your representatives, then follow those individual links to get their contact info, then paste the script below into their email contact form.

Dear Senator __ or Representative __

 

Ukraine’s President Victor Yanukovych recently signed a series of laws that curb freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, the right to legal due process and freedom of association; severely curtailing civil liberties and political rights in Ukraine. 

 

The laws implemented are intended to shut down the Euromaidan protests, which have underscored the determination of the Ukrainian people to live in a free, just and democratic society. Rather than engaging in constructive dialogue with its citizens, the government is silencing these protests through repression, censorship, and intimidation.

 

The signing of the so-called "Dictatorship Laws" have transformed the country overnight into a police state that many experts have compared to Russia, Belarus and North Korea.  Equally concern is the fact that on the same day the "dictatorship laws" were signed by the President, he fired the Commander of the Armed Forces, the Head of the Presidential Administration, and appointed over 70 new judges throughout Ukraine in an effort to consolidate control over the military and judiciary in addition to the legislative branch and the executive. 

 

I call on the government of the United States and its allies to impose SEVERE and IMMEDIATE sanctions against those who seek to strip the Ukrainian people of their freedom.   I ask you to freeze the financial assets of those responsible for perpetuating the violations of human rights and freedoms in Ukraine.  I ask that you warn Russia and its agents against any acts of interference in the events occurring in Ukraine. 

 

Please stand with me in complete solidarity with the people of Ukraine in their peaceful struggle to build a free and democratic nation.

 

Sincerely,

___

 

A Brief Background if You are Completely LostOn November 21, 2013, peaceful demonstrations and protests began in Kiev after the Ukrainian government suspended preparations for signing an agreement with the European Union.  The wave of demonstrations is called "Euromaidan," and have underscored the determination of the Ukrainian people to live in a free, just and democratic society.  It has been characterized as an event of major political symbolism for the EU itself and has been called the largest ever pro-European rally in history. 

Thousands of Ukrainians continued to protest despite the sub-zero temperatures and a heavy police presence.  On November 30, 2013, the government forces escalated the violence, which caused the number of protesters to rise up to the 800,000 mark.  Even through New Year and Christmas celebrations, thousands of protesters stood strong.

On January 16, 2014, Ukraine's President Victor Yanukovych signed a series of laws that curb freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, the right to legal due process and freedom of association; severely curtailing civil liberties and political rights in Ukraine.  The laws implemented are intended to shut down the Euromaidan protests.  Rather than engaging in constructive dialogue with its citizens, the government is silencing these protests through repression, censorship, and intimidation. 

The signing of these so-called "Dictatorship Laws" have transformed the country overnight into a war zone.  At the time of me posting this blog, at least 2 protesters have been killed. 

Will this Impact our Adoption
We have no idea...but it is certainly a possibility with all of the violence and chaos happening in Kiev (the capital) right now.  We just ask for your prayers.  For Ukraine.  For our boys.  For the process.  And for us.

Thank YOU for standing with us for JUSTICE for Ukraine!

Her Brothers

Eden loves her brothers.

We went to get her passport photo yesterday and had the most precious (and heart-wrenching) conversation...

Me:  We're getting your picture taken today so that we can get your passport and go get your brothers.
Eden:  OK, Mom.  That's a good idea.
Me:  You need to smile and look at the camera so we can get a good photo (NOTE: our last picture got sent back because she wasn't looking at the camera.)
Eden:  OK, Mom.

{she took the cutest picture with no problems at all}

{when we got back in the car}

Eden:  OK, Mom--let's go get my brothers!
Me: (almost in tears) Oh, honey--we can't get them today, but it will be soon.  We first have to get our Letter of Invitation and then we'll get on an airplane and fly to go get them.
Eden:  OK, Mom. (with her head down)

{when we pulled in the driveway after some errands}

Eden: (frantic) No, Mom!  We don't have my brothers yet!  We can't go home yet!
Me: (almost in tears again) Oh, honey--I know--we have to pray and trust that God will send us over there to get them soon.
Eden:  OK, Mom.  That's a good idea.

Lord, please hear our cries.  We pray boldly that we will receive our Letter of Invitation by the end of this month! 

Kind of Freaking Out

It's all becoming real.  I'm about to be a mom to 3 grown boys!  Don't get me wrong--I'm still extremely excited and can't wait to have them home--but it's starting to kind of freak me out! 

When I let my guard down, the Enemy definitely starts to get to me.  He speaks lies to try to destroy me.  Things like...
"you're totally unprepared for this" 
"this is going to rock your world" 
"they are going to mess up the good thing you have going with your little family" 
"you won't be able to afford the groceries, clothing, and activities they will require" 
"you won't even be able to communicate with them" 
"you don't know anything about raising boys" 
"you don't even know anything about them!"

Thankfully I can replace those lies with TRUTH!

"If you want to find peace, then you need to return to the truth of God's Word that will last forever, not meditate on circumstances that will change and fade.  It is this truth that enables us to go into the future undaunted." - Christine Caine in Undaunted

Here is just a handful of TRUTH to cover my fears...
Matthew 19:26 - with God, all things are possible
Deuteronomy 31:6 - He will never leave me or forsake me
Philippians 4:19 - God will meet all of my needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus
Revelation 21:5 - He makes all things new
1 Peter 5:7 - cast all of your cares upon Him because He cares for you

So, here you go Satan...

Yes, I'm totally unprepared.  But I'll lean on God and He will equip me.

Yes, it is definitely going to rock my world.  But that is a GREAT thing!

Yes, things are going to change around here.  But change is GOOD--I hate monotony!

Yes, our budget will look very different.  But God is my ultimate provider!

Yes, I speak a different language than my boys.  But LOVE can transcend that (and google translate)!

Yes, I'm a rookie in all things boy.  But I'm a fast learner!

Matthew 6:33-34 - Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Whew!  That's plenty of TRUTH to keep me from freaking out.  Thank you, Jesus!