God's Creation of the Conrad Family

New Blog

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 03:47:50 GMT

Hello,
Thanks for checking in on us. We have moved our blog to http://conradfamily.blogspot.com
Please come check it out!!
C, M, j & n

Here's the Deal :)

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 02:51:05 GMT

Ok, here's the deal. I'm apparently computer challenged ... or at least blog challenged!
I would update our blog so much more often if it were more "user friendly" for me.

So, enough complaining ... if you have any great wisdom to share along these lines ... please do!

As for life ... it is good and busy! We just spent a really delightful weekend with our girls. It was so much fun!! We didn't have any obligations (except church this morning) ... so we had lots of space to just play and enjoy the little ladies!

We are doing lots of reminiscing these days as it was one year ago (last Friday) when we learned we had an appointment date in Ukraine. It really is hard to believe we are coming up on the one year anniversary of adopting our precious little girls.

My mom was here visiting from San Diego for almost 3 weeks. It was great for her to have an opportunity to get to know the girls a little more. Of course having her here without my Dad made me miss him even more. (He passed away in January for those who don't know that.)

We are also enjoying having Chris' parents nearby. They moved down from Wisconsin this summer and live just a few minutes away from us. I've posted pictures of the girls with their grandparents.

More later!

Mary :o)

Summer Fun!

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 22:39:06 GMT

The month of August was busy! We returned from California ... where we had a wonderful time having fun and making memories with friends and family for two weeks!! Of course, San Diego is "home" ... so we could have stayed there. Except for that minor detail that we don't have a home or a job there! :o)

The girls both love the ocean ... which of course is more proof that they were destined to be ours!! Juliya is not crazy about the sand but that is actually ok ... because she is happy to enjoy the ocean from our favorite grassy park area in La Jolla. We had a few wonderful evenings taking in the sunset over the Pacific Ocean ... with our baby girls ... which was just so awesome!!

After we returned home ... Daddy was busy with another class and then he headed to Costa Rica to teach/encourage pastors for several days. The girls and I have stayed busy with friends, gymnastics, swimming, going to the children's museum, just hanging out, etc.

After Chris returned home from Costa Rica ... we took the girls to the State Fair. It was such a fun day! They loved seeing the pigs, cows, baa baas, goats and lots of other fun sites at the fair! Oh, and they love snow cones!!

The girls have started running with Daddy ... which is so cute! We are borrowing a jogging stroller from our neighbor ... so they get to go with Daddy when he goes jogging. He is again training for the Chicago Marathon ... so they have lots of opportunities to go running!!

Well, that's a wrap for today. There are Play-do creations being made a few feet away from me and I want to get in on the fun!

Where Does The Time Go?!?!?!

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 00:58:26 GMT

It really is hard to believe today is the last day of July. Chris and I have been the very blessed parents of Juliya and Nataliya for almost 8 months. We consider our official "Gotcha Day" as December 8th because that is the day we actually took them both from their orphanages and had our arms wrapped tightly around them, literally (no car seats in Ukraine!!) and figuratively (to love, nurture and care for them as our own).

A year ago in July we were rushing all over Madison, Wisconsin trying to produce the needed letters and forms, complete with translations, etc. that we needed to have one last-ditch effort at adopting from Ukraine. The future of our Ukrainian adoption was so up in the air ... we really had no idea what to expect. All we could do was provide the paperwork requested and then sit back, wait and pray. We are of course so very glad we kept waiting it out with the Ukrainian government's changes ... because Juliya and Nataliya are more than worth every bit of headache we endured to adopt them.

As I write this ... Chris is mowing the front yard with Nataliya in one arm and Juliya is playing on the front porch that she is driving a van with her babies in the back seat. She actually has them in a seat behind her and she tells me they are sleeping. So sweet! They are both have amazing imaginations, especially Juliya and they have so much fun with each other in their pretend worlds ... they are a hoot to watch!

I have posted a few more pictures of the girls and I really am going to try and update this more often ... even if I just write a little bit at a time (ok, I have a hard time being brief!).

Ouchies!!

Fri, 25 May 2007 13:26:02 GMT

Yesterday (5/24) the girls had another Drs. appointment. This time they each needed four (4) vaccination shots each. Poor little things ... lots of tears and screaming. Mommy even cried!

I took them out for pizza afterwards ... at Juliya's request! She work up at 5:10 a.m. with her ouchies hurting ... telling me "no walk!" "Ouchie" was also Nataliya's first word when she woke up this morning. Mommy will give lots of TLC today!

Earlier this week our dear friends Onnie (Poppy) & Paula (Grammy) from South Carolina came to visit. They spoiled the little ones ... just like they should have! The girls keep asking where they went and acting out things they did ... so sweet!

Well, we're off for the day! I'll write more soon. :o)

So Much Fun!!!

Wed, 09 May 2007 02:05:48 GMT

Well ... they say "time flies when you're having fun" ... and we are doing just that!

Juliya and Nataliya are a blast!!! They are both speaking English really well ... along with some Russian thrown in there and a few of our own created words!!

They both LOVE to laugh. Nataliya is actually quite comical and likes to makes others laugh also. Juliya often says "Taliya funny!"

The girls have discovered the great outdoors ... and hoses!!! Juliya wakes up telling me she is hot ... because I've told her it has to be hot out to play with the hose. It is so much fun to watch them playing, giggling, discovering, etc.

They are also addicted to a children's worship DVD/CD. We play the DVD at least 8 times a day and the CD is the only music they will listen to in the car!! It is the sweetest thing to hear them singing softly in the backseat "one way, Jesus ... You're the only One that I could live for!" or "I'm not scared ... I'm gonna let my light shine!!" and on and on they go! They also love to jump, dance, sing and worship to the DVD ... of course this is one of my favorite times of the day!!

A week ago (April 30) we had the girls dedicated. That was a really special evening for all of us.

Since Chris is a pastor ... we had chosen several years ago to ask our friend Isaac to dedicate our children some day. Isaac is from Wyoming but happened to be in town last week and agreed to officiate our dedication service. The whole evening was wonderful. My only regret is that I don't own a private jet ... so I couldn't provide a way for so many of our friends and loved ones to be here. Of course we are grateful for everyone who shared the evening with us ... it was a defining moment for our family!!

While the girls remain such a source of joy for us ... life isn't without challenges as we continue to bond as a family. We would certainly appreciate your prayers as we come to mind!!

The girls do and say such funny things ... I'm hoping to keep up with sharing their stories here so you can share in the joy of these little lives!

Bye for now!

Wow ... I'm Terrible at This!!

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 03:43:28 GMT

Wow ... who knew I would be so terrible at keeping up with the blog. But as you know if you've read prior to now ... we've had just a little bit going on in our lives!

We are having a WONDERFUL time with our girls. It is so good to be back from California and have the girls on a routine and in their own beds again. They were such little troopers ... we're so proud of them!

I'm compliling a list of the ABC's of my girls ... it is currently in my head ... but I hope to write about it here soon.

We have had the girls with us for 10 weeks now ... and to be honest ... it feels like they've always been with us. They just fit! It is wonderful.

Here is a sneak peak at the ABC's of my Precious girls:

A - ABCs ... the most heard song in our house!! It plays on several toys and they love to push buttons!

B - Blahkie. This is Juliya's word for anything she doesn't want or doesn't want to do. Going to the bathroom "blahkie" ... finishing her dinner "blahkie" ... going to bed "blahkie". It is usually proceeded by "no ... blahkie!"

C - Cute and Clever. Yes, little Miss Nataliya is a stinker! She is very 2 and loves to look you square in the eye while she's doing exactly what you just asked her not to do. Bummer for her ... now that we're home ... she isn't getting away with these things anymore! :o)

D - DeeDee. This would be Juliya's imaginary self. Well it is actually named after a friend of ours here named Danielle Freed and Juliya just thinks she is the coolest ... so she is often "DD". When she is DD, Nataliya is automatically DD's dog - Zoe!!

E - English. They are saying more and more words and phrases everyday ... it is so fun to see and hear them learning! We are careful about what we say ... because it will get repeated!!

Well, that's all for now. My girls like to rise bright and early ... before the sun ... so I'd better get some sleep!!

Love and hugs,

Mary :o)

Celebration of Life

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:12:27 GMT

Information about Dad's Memorial Service

Celebration of Life for Norman Lawson Hickey

Saturday, February 3, 2007

10:00 a.m.

New Heights Community Church (formerly Magnolia Wesleyan Church)

10701 N Magnolia Ave
Santee, CA 92071

(619) 448-1622

Directions:

I-8 to CA 67 North

Take Prospect Avenue exit

LEFT onto Prospect Avenue

RIGHT onto Magnolia Avenue

Church is about 3 miles down on Magnolia Avenue

Donations:

In lieu of flowers, donations can be given through Bonita Wesleyan Church (5305 Sweetwater Rd, Bonita, CA 91902) The monies will then be given to various entities, including Sharp Hospice Care.

Saying Good-bye to Daddy

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 10:38:50 GMT

This seems so strange to even be writing about.

Yesterday (Monday, January 29) my Daddy passed away. It is such a mixed bag of emotions ...

We know Daddy is in heaven and was ready to go
We know he is free of the pain he has been in for years
We had so many more things we wanted to do with him ... more memories to make. Especially with Juliya and Nataliya.
We will miss him.

I am very grateful for the many great memories I have of my Daddy. Being his only daughter was a wonderful thing!! I'm glad he touched so many lives with friendship and his friendly ways.

Bitter/Sweet Time

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:24:00 GMT

I'm usually one to make a short story long ... but I'll try the reverse.

In our last entry I mentioned my Dad was back in the hospital and not doing well.

Since writing that we now know my Daddy has just a number of days left with us ... maybe only hours. He has cancer in his spine and several other places throughout his body including his lungs.

I flew "home" (San Diego) with Juliya, Nataliya and my dear friend Vicki (or Icki as the girls call her) last Thursday. Chris arrived here last night and Vicki flew back to Florida this morning. She was a huge help with the girls ... especially since I injured my back about 10 days ago and I have strict orders not to pick up the girls! :o)

In Daddy's final days we are choosing to have someone with him 24 hours a day. I'm taking the 11:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m. shift because the girls are sleeping during that time. I've also been able to visit during other hours when the girls are happy doing something else.

My family would certainly appreciate your prayers ...

I'm going to bed now!

Mary :o)

P.S. The girls continue to be absolutely adorable and HUGE troopers with all of this change!

My Daddy was absolutely thrilled to meet his two beautiful grand-daughters.

Hello Again!!!

Fri, 12 Jan 2007 11:48:18 GMT

I just opened our site this morning for the first time since Christmas Day! Oops! I'll try to be better at sneaking in at least a short entry here and there!

My biggest excuse is that we were out of town for 8 days. Chris had a conference and ran another marathon and a half (yes, he ran a 1/2 marathon on Saturday and a full marathon on Sunday!). I'm glad to report he is still alive and well. :o)

The conference was a gathering of pastors from our denomination (Wesleyan) and the best part for me was seeing so many friends we've known over the years who live all over the states. The girls were such troopers as they kept meeting new people everytime we turned around!!

Also, my life-long friend Vicki (she's the one who got married while we were in Ukraine) lives there ... and it was wonderful to introduce the girls to Auntie Icki as she is now known! Vicki's daughter Katie was also wonderful with the girls ... so it was a fun bonus to the conference trip!!

So, now we are back home and we're getting back into a routine of sorts!

Juliya and Nataliya continue to be such fun. They both have a great sense of humor, love to smile and laugh and enjoy giving their Mama a run for her money!

I know this blog entry doesn't say much! But I'm up early before the girls and I'm going to go spend some TAWG (time alone with God) reading my Bible and journaling my prayers. That's certainly the best way I can prepare for the day ahead!

On a not so chipper note ... I would ask you to pray for my Dad. He is back in the hospital again (has been since Christmas Day). They began another round of tests last night to try and determine what is going on. I'm talking to my Mom a few times a day just to keep in the loop and Chris and I are working on plans for me to fly out there (San Diego) with the girls. Certainly our prayer is that Dad would improve and I wouldn't need to fly out right now ... but rather later on when we can plan for the trip and he can enjoy the girls. Thanks for praying for wisdom for the doctors and healing for Dad.

This entry is GREEN because that was the last color Juliya and I were working on. We cut green pictures out of magazines and she gets to glue them on to paper. So much fun!

I'll be back again sooner next time! Have a great day!

Mary :o)

Merry Christmas!!!!

Tue, 26 Dec 2006 03:08:04 GMT

Yes ... of course! That's the answer to those of you questioning if this was my best Christmas yet!!! I do remember getting Baby Alive from Santa one year ... that was off the charts for me too! :o) Having our home filled with the sounds of children on Christmas morning was music to my ears!! :o)

Today we had a relaxing day with the girls. They opened some gifts (thanks to friends who had sent some ... we never braved the shopping centers!!) ... played with the gifts ... started a gymnastics class with Daddy ... and played with a fabric manger and talked about Lala Jesus (that's Baby Jesus).

After naps we went to Phil & Joni's for a yummy Christmas dinner! I'm grateful for brave friends who invite us to dinner even though we have two lively toddlers!!!

Thanks again for your thoughts and prayers. We continue to work on posting pictures ... because believe me ... there have been MANY more taken since we go home!!

Blessings to all on this beautiful night!

Mary :o) (for all of us!)

Finally!!!!!

Thu, 21 Dec 2006 20:09:46 GMT

Hello again!

Well, since my last entry when I was falling asleep at the keyboard ... I've had strep throat. :o( Which meant that each time the girls slept ... I was sleeping! I'm also having way too much fun playing with them to be on my computer when they're awake!

So, a quick update ...

Juliya Grace: WOW! Talk about a different child ... we are AMAZED! To think that just 2 weeks ago today we took her from the orphanage, faced several really tough days with her and we've only been in our home for less than a week ... words cannot express the change in this little one. She is so cute and funny ... her imagination is blossoming. She mostly pretends to be a cat (or meow, meow as she calls it), puppy and baby! She also mimics just about everything I do ... which is so precious! She is also very domestic! She cleans the table off, puts the placemats away (in a cupboard she picked out), wipes off everything she can reach with a washcloth and she vacuums! Yes, I introduced her to the dustbuster and now she runs it all over the hardwood floor until the battery runs out! I like this! :o) Juliya is a good eater ... loves fruits and vegis and carbs! We're still trying to find some meat/protein that she will like.

Nataliya Joy: What a joy she is! She really does light up a room with her smile and laughter. She is also a tease! She is very much acting two :o) ... which means I have to hog tie her to get her dressed, or give her repeated time-outs on the couch because she doesn't mind ... but hey, I'm glad she's acting her age! She is a Mama's girl ... and won't let anyone else hold her for more than a few seconds ... including Papa. This is surprising to us because of how "equal" she was with both of us when she was in the orphanage. She does talk about Papa all the time though. All day long while Chris is at work she says "Papa, Papa?" Everytime we get in the car she thinks we're going to see Papa! :o) That's because the first few times we went in the car we did go see him! She does love to play with Papa ... but otherwise she wants Mama!

We took the girls to our family doctor on Wednesday morning and she thought they both looked great! They are both small ... not even on the chart with their height and weight. Nataliya is close in weight. Here are their stats: Juliya weighs 23lbs. Nataliya weighs 25lbs. Juliya is 2 ft. 10 inches tall and Nataliya is 2 ft. 8 inches tall. Right now they are fitting best into 18-24 months clothing ... but some 2T things fit. The Dr. thinks they will both grow well this first year ... so we'll see what happens.

Mommy aka Mama: Well, I'm loving this Mommy thing even more than I thought I would. I just love nurturing my own baby girls ... that is such a joy! Probably the funniest part of my day is trying to communicate with the girls. They still speak to me in Russian and I don't usually know what they're saying ... so I do a lot of guessing. They are actually able to answer my questions ... which is great. I can ask if they want more or want down or if they need to go potty ... and they answer me. So that's a good thing!

Daddy aka Papa: Chris is back at work full-time ... with lots of things to catch up on. He was able to work while we were in Ukraine ... but of course there is always more to do!! He is also continuing with his master's degree ... so he goes to school on Tuesday evenings and has some books to read and paper to write throughout the week. He is also a tremendous help around the house ... doing dishes and laundry. He is also great with the girls. This doesn't come as naturally to him ... but I'm continually telling him what a great job he's doing with the girls.

We do hope you have a wonderful Christmas celebration! We certainly have the two best presents we could ever want! We're so grateful.

Much love,

Mary :o) (for all of us)

Ni-night

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 04:21:08 GMT

Hello!

Just wanted to say hi and tell you we had a WONDRFUL day wiht the girls!!

I am literally falling asleep while I'm reading e-mails ... whoa! So, wiht that ... I'm not going to write any more ... I'm going to do snuggle up with my pillow (and hubby)!

I'll write more when I can!

Love,

Mary :o)

Good Morning Sunday!

Sun, 17 Dec 2006 13:38:16 GMT

This is the day the Lord has made and we are rejoicing and exceedingly glad!!!

You might be thinking that we're tired of writing this blog. After so many of you have said so many nice things about the blog, it's actually a joy to write it.

Yesterday was filled with friends coming by and introducing themselves to the girls. The girls are a bit reluctant at first, but within minutes, they warm up and have so much fun with each family. It's fun to watch the girls play with other children and warm up to adults.

This morning has really been a "God morning." The girls BOTH slept through the night... a first!! This meant that mommy and daddy actually got to sleep for more than a few hours... something we haven't done for 10 days... needless to say... there is joy. But even more than the joy that comes from refreshment is the joy of our girls and how they continue to adjust. This morning they really seem to be coming into a place of comfort. We remember someone who had adopted in the past who we had met in Ukraine saying to us, "When we took our daughter out of the orphanage, it was like shackles came off her." We're beginning to see that. There is more laughter, more comfort... more of a sense of relaxing... like they know this is home. Don't worry... we are not assuming that there are not many tough days ahead for us in this transition period... but the Lord is certainly helping us go in the right direction... something we're so grateful for... and something we know is happening as a result of Him answering your prayers.

This morning the plan is to get the girls ready and to go to church. We're probably not going to take them to Sunday School yet...we need to give them some more time to learn the language (months) and feel comfortable in that kind of environment. But both girls really enjoy music, so we're going to go for the first part of the main service and let them enjoy the music.

After church we are planning to run some errends, pick up some things at the store and such. This will be our first venture out...
so we'll see how it goes.

That was Daddy writing ... Mommy here now!

I cannot even find the words to describe the joy in my heart during these first days of being a Mommy! I love these little girls sooooooooooo much and I am just so delighted to be doing for my own children the many things I've done for my friend's children over the years! I'm glad I "practiced" on all of those little ones out there ... but wow ... the joy of having my own! And how we found the two most adorable little sisters in Ukraine ... I'm not sure (except for God's goodness) ... but I'm so grateful!!

Well, I'm off to dress my little darlings ... it is so fun picking out cute little outfits for them to wear!!!

Bye for now!

Finally ... Bedtime at Home!!!

Fri, 15 Dec 2006 03:58:46 GMT

We are FINALLY home!!!!

I know you would love to hear all of the details of our journey home …

We really did have a good trip back.

The girls were very good at sharing … as they took turns having their breakdowns on the flights!

First flight, from Kyiv to Amsterdam … Juliya made her presence known as she faced the reality of wearing a seatbelt for the first time.

Second flight, from Amsterdam to Chicago … well they both shared the stage on this one … but their stage time was brief … for which we (and the surrounding passengers) were grateful!

When we boarded the second plane … which was a huge 747 we were seated in a smaller side section of the plane and Chris made an announcement to everyone “I’d like you all to know that we just left Ukraine this morning with our two little girls we have adopted from there. We will do everything imaginable to keep them happy on this flight … but there are no guarantees … we do not speak their language and they do not speak ours … so we wanted you to know that up front.” That was such a brilliant idea on his part … it changed everyone’s attitude towards the girls when they did get fussy!

Also on this flight God blessed us with a few angels! Two of them worked for the airline and another was an architect from Chicago. His name was Chuck and he sat next to Juliya for the entire (9 hour) flight. He colored with her, talked to her, let her kick him (not mean kicking just swinging her legs) and was overall just so amazingly kind to us. He got her to wear her seatbelt and even helped Daddy teach Juliya how to blow her nose!!

We arrived into Chicago and after going through baggage claim, customs and immigration (with the two newest American citizens!!) … we headed out to the waiting area. We were greeted by Grandma (Babushka) and Grandpapa Conrad and two of my brothers Don and Jon. I was very surprised to see my brother Jon there … since he lives in San Diego, California! But he changed his itinerary on his return flight home from a business/work trip and he spent the afternoon with us!

Juliya and Nataliya were both really cute with everyone. At this point Nataliya is pretty much stuck to Mommy … so people can talk to her and such … but no one else can hold her.

After meeting up with family we headed over to a nearby hotel. The girls were showered with gifts of toys (lots of good educational ones that make noise … Chris’ mom said something about payback!) and adorable clothing from Babushka (or “bushka” as Nataliya says) and Grandpapa. For those of you who know Chris’ mom … you know she dresses nicely … and she is starting our little ones off on the right foot!!

We spent time visiting before Chris’ parents had to go … then we ordered in ***** for dinner! I know, unbelievable!! But it was good pizza … after all … we were in Chicago!! My brother Jon had never had “Chicago-style pizza” and we didn’t want to take the girls out … so all around it was a good reason to order pizza!

In early evening we were joined by some very precious friends. The girls played had tons of fun. They actually both just about stopped in their tracks at one point … because they were so tired.

So … thanks bring you up to date … getting out of Ukraine and into the US.

Our baby girls are sleeping right now … so the best thing for us is to be sleeping now also!

Much love to you!

Mary :o) (for all of us)

Conrad family on the way to the good ole USA

Wed, 13 Dec 2006 02:49:45 GMT

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

This will probably be my last entry for Chris and Mary. We just got a phone call from Mary as the family is on the way to the airport in Kyiv. As she promised in her last entry... the blog about Saturday - Monday in Kyiv was written but is suspended in cyberspace right now. She tried to send it but the internet service was down. She will send it as soon as possible.

As I write, Chris, Mary and two beautiful sleepyheads in pj's are on their way to the airport. What a blessing that God has provided the way for them to finally be a family. I can't wait to hear all the details and I know that you feel the same way.

Please continue to pray for their safe journey home and for wisdom as they face the daily challenges with their wonderful girls.

God bless you!
Paula (Grammy)

Finally ... a little something

Mon, 11 Dec 2006 13:17:45 GMT

I keep writing this update in Word ... and I decided I just need to publish it and then I'll keep writing where I left off and post again! :o)

This entry is in blue ... in honor of the San Diego Chargers who beat the Broncos ... again!!! :o) No, we haven't seen a football game since the end of October (and yes I miss it!!!) but there is ESPN.com to keep us informed!! I am wondering though ... what is wrong with the Colts ... ouch!

Ok ... here are the details from Thursday - Saturday morning!

Thursday morning Kostya arrived on a bus at 7:00 a.m. Yes, he had been on a bus all night and then hit the ground running to cover several issues that still needed to be taken care of. I don’t even remember exactly when and where we went … it felt a bit like we were running in circles … I think because most of the time we were!! :o)

We received the final court decree and then started working on getting new birth certificates and then passports for the girls. Again, because the girls are in two different orphanages, in two different districts … we had double the trouble! :o)

Oh, and added to that was the situation we still can’t tell you about but that took up precious amounts of our time and mental energy! UGH!

Well, I’ll get right to the interesting part … which was Friday afternoon. We (Kostya, Chris & Mary) started discussing our options about getting to Kyiv. We still didn’t know if we would be able to leave or not because we were waiting on the passports. So we decide to go to the train station around 1:00 p.m. to see if there was a compartment available (rather than 4 separate spots). We found out there were no compartments (just various top bunks throughout the train) until Sunday night. Bummer … since our appointment at the US Embassy is at 9:00 a.m. on Monday … the Sunday night train wasn’t an option. Another option was to drive to Kyiv (that is a 7 hour drive on a 2 lane road … with no car seats or seat belts!!). Max our driver did offer to drive us to Kyiv … for a fairly reasonable price … but it was still 5x more than taking the train … and believe me, by this point in the journey … the money belt … well, we really just need a paper clip! So we started checking other cities near by … thinking maybe if we drove an hour we could catch a train to Kyiv. Nope. No compartments.

So, we decided to buy one ticket for Kostya for Friday night … because his family was coming to Kyiv by train to meet him Saturday morning. We bought the ticket … hoping he would be able to use it (IF we got the passports) and we would figure out some way for the rest of us to get to Kyiv this weekend.

One option was to check back at the train station at 6:30 p.m. and see if anyone had made a reservation but didn’t purchase their tickets … ok, that will be option #1 … IF we get the passports!

So after checking on the train tickets, we had an hour before needing to be back at the passport office. Since we hadn’t eaten … we decided to stop for some *****. After leaving there … Kostya headed to the passport office, I went to the open market (which closes around this time) because I still didn’t have shoes for Grace and Chris headed to the apartment to finish up packing … just in case we would be catching the train … IF we got the passports!

Kostya spend about an hour at the passport office … then he came back to the apartment and told us it looks like a go. He is to come back to the passport office at 5:30 p.m. So now we really kick things into high gear!

One major detail … the children!! :o) Oh that’s right … we need to go get the children! :o) So we decide at this point to go for Grace first. We catch a taxi and head over there (b/c Max isn’t available for ½ hour … we don’t have time to wait). It is now after 4:30 p.m. We still hadn’t had a chance to meet with any caregivers there to get the info we really wanted on Grace … so we asked to speak to someone before taking her. One of her caregivers came down and answered several of our questions. We are SO glad we took the time to do this … even though it was rushed … it was necessary!

Then she took the clothes we had brought for Grace and she went to change her and bring her down to us. She looked absolutely adorable in the pink and lavender sweater we had bought for her. What a honey. But … she wasn’t happy. :o( The caregiver came outside with us (we thought Max would be there waiting) … but she couldn’t stay because she had to get back to the other children.

The caregiver said good-bye to Grace and we start walking out to the main road to meet Max. Grace was crying a little … so I picked her up and carried her … singing, praying, holding her tight. She stopped crying before we were to the end of the driveway. So that was good.

It was now about 5:20 p.m. and the passport office is not close to Grace’s orphanage … but Kostya is supposed to be there at 5:30 p.m. (oh, side note: my favorite person at Grace’s orphanage was out shopping with her husband and we saw her there! We were soooo pleased. We were able to say thank you, take her picture and give her a hug!) A few minutes later Max showed up and we went for a RIDE!! Yes, Max can drive fast!

We got there and Kostya jumped out. So we waited in the car … Max (with the KISS FM ie: Disco Tech music blaring) and we are in the back seat with Grace. She was delightful! We were so pleased! We waited a long time … and Max got out to have a smoke … so we asked if he could turn the music down! He actually turned it off! :o) So we sat in the back with Grace and sang fun songs … mostly Christmas songs!

At about 6:25 p.m. Kostya called Max and told him he still wasn’t done … but asked Max to take us to the train station to see if there were any tickets. So we went to the train station and YES … there was a compartment available. So Chris bought the tickets and now the pressure was really on! We headed back towards the apartment and dropped Chris off a block away … he went to finish the packing. Then we went to pick up Kostya at the passport office and head over to Joy’s orphanage.

Max pulled us up to the door and we went in to get Joy. I was concerned about taking Grace back there … but she didn’t seem to mind. Kostya stopped to talk with a staff person about us taking Joy and I headed to her groupa to get her clothes changed. Grace came with me … and all of the workers remembered her and were really sweet to her. I got Joy all changed, gave the gifts to the caregivers (and a whole bag for them to give to those who weren’t working that night) and we were off and running. It is now close to 7:30 p.m. (oh, I didn’t mention no one there had the authority to let her go … and they wouldn’t call the head doctor … but Kostya talked them into calling the doctor’s secretary at home … she then called the doctor at home and she gave the ok … we had already done everything official earlier in the day).

So now I had two adorable girls in my possession! I was LOVING this moment … cuddling one on each side as we drove along!! You may be wondering what the girls thought when they saw each other. They really didn’t acknowledge each other as sisters. Actually they really haven’t yet. They just play beside each other but they don’t really interact … I think that is fairly typical of the kids in the orphanage.

Now with the girls in hand we race back to the apartment to get Chris and the luggage. Because of our baggage … we hired a taxi to take Kostya and all the bags to the train station while the “Chris Conrad Family” rode with Max.

As we’re driving there I’m telling Chris “we need to feed the girls … they both missed having dinner at their orphanages!” But we also know there is no time to stop … at this point we are really hoping for a little store near by. If not, they will be on a diet of goldfish crackers, animal crackers and cheerios until the morning. After Chris and Kostya got the luggage up near the tracks Chris and I took our girls and ran over to a little shop. We bought yogurt, a loaf of bread, water, Coca-Cola light (for Daddy) and ran back to the train.

We boarded the train with the girls and we were off to Kyiv! The girls were both in awe of the train. They never acted like it was a weird place or anything! We were so glad! We fed them yogurt and cheerios for dinner and then played for awhile. Meanwhile Chris made up the beds for all of us. Around 10:00 p.m. we dressed them for bed and put them on one bed with their heads at opposite ends.

Oh, did I mention that I had to take my little darlings to the scary train bathroom ... yes, I was in there a total of 7 times during the trip and I only used it one of those times!!!! Most children I know would have freaked out at this bathroom ... but my girls were troopers!! Even though I was gagging most of the time! :o)

Ok, back to our compartment ... Joy slept all night … until 7:00 a.m. Grace slept until 3:00 a.m. and then was off and on after that. As I think I mentioned before … she woke up each time the train stopped … which is A LOT!

We arrived safely in Kyiv on Saturday morning (as you already know) and that’s where I’ll end this part of the story! I know I need to post something (you’ve all been waiting so patiently!) … so I’ll give you this much for now!! I’m hoping to post again later today … because I need to tell you all about the past two days!

Our daughters (I love saying that) are both wonderful. We have had lots of laughs and tears with both of them! The craziest thing continues to be the language barrier … but today I taught Joy to say “car, bus and truck” … so she is already speaking English!! :o)

Love you so much! Please continue to pray for us … I’ll give you more specifics later!

Mary :o) (for all of us!)

I Spy A Family!!!

Sat, 09 Dec 2006 15:42:08 GMT

Hello from a VERY excited, happy, exhausted, amazed, blessed and very thankful new Mommy and Daddy!! Yes, that's us! :o)

Wow ... have we ever had a whirlwind of events in the past 24 hours! Friday was the biggest "hurry up and wait" day of this whole journey!! I'm going to write off-line later and tell you all about it ... but we wanted you to know we are the very happy (did I mention extatic) parents of two precious little girls.

We spent last night on the train ... the girls were WONDERFUL. Ok ... until 3:00 a.m. - that's when Grace started waking up everytime the train stopped and then barely falling asleep before it would stop again. It stops A LOT. Then little Miss Joy woke up at 7:00 a.m. and we played more train games (sort of like reindeer games!) until 9:45 a.m. when we arrived in Kyiv.

After getting into our apartment (thank you Lord we were able to get into it when we arrived today) we put the girls in the stroller and took them for a walk in downtown Kyiv to go find some groceries.

As we were walking along ... I said to Chris "I spy a family ... and it's US!!!!!" I simply cannot express the joy that is in our hearts.

Both girls just woke up from their nap, so we need to go spend time with them. Isn't that great? Don't worry... after they go to bed, we'll write a longer e-mail. Thanks AGAIN and AGAIN for your prayers... without them, we wouldn't have been successful.

We love you!

Chris and Mary

Message from Chris and Mary

Fri, 08 Dec 2006 14:26:35 GMT

I just received a phone call from Chris and it is 9:15 am EST. They don't have access to their phone, so they used a friends, or internet right now but wanted all of us to know that they are on the way to pick up both girls right now. I'm so excited I can hardly write and it's difficult to see through the tears :o). Chris spoke very briefly about already having birth certificates, etc and they aren't sure of the exact time that they will be going back to Kyiy. But they are on the way! His prayer request for us was that the transition with the girls will go well. God bless you as you continue to pray for Chris, Mary, Grace and Joy!

Paula (Grammy)

Photo Album: Summer Fun!

Mon, 27 Aug 2007 23:48:59 GMT

Summer Fun!

Nataliya ready to flip!

Juliya flipping with her coach!

Mommy and her little farmers!

Milk that cow baby!!

More snow cone please!!

Juliya's ready for the airplane port!

Me too!

Photo Album: San Diego Trip

Sat, 25 Aug 2007 20:50:17 GMT

San Diego Trip

Sisters!!

First step into the Pacific!

Hold me Papa!!

"Ocean!!"

"Ocean Big!"

Slumber party with the cousins!

So cute!!

Photo Album: Dedication

Sat, 12 May 2007 01:40:25 GMT

Dedication

Our family with Pastor (Uncle) Isaac

Nataliya enjoying some cake!!

Juliya reading her new Bible to baby Miah

Photo Album: A few pictures at home

Wed, 27 Dec 2006 03:15:06 GMT

A few pictures at home

Nataliya and her puppy pals

Juliya playing ball with Papa in the backyard

Sisters going for a walk with Mama

Photo Album: October 21

Wed, 13 Dec 2006 03:28:58 GMT

October 21

The Earl Girls ... having fun at Auntie Mary's house! - June 2006

Mary, Kaysha and Chris - July 2006

Mary with 5 of her best friends in San Diego - August 2006 Donna, Juli, Vicki, Flavia, Mary, Charlene