Monday, April 12, 2010

We are headed to Ukraine!

We finally got the call today that we have been invited to Ukraine. We will leave next Tuesday (April 20th). Here are some specific prayer requests for our family...

Xan
-He will adjust to Sasha and eventually enjoy Sasha's presence in our family.
-Sensory Processing Disorder - Xan REALLY needs routine, security, and familiarity and there will be none of that on this trip. He also has issues with smells. Things that most people can ignore, Xan simply can not. For example, the smell of Pine Sol makes him gag, therefore, he is not able to eat his food. So, please pray that his little nose won't be so sensitive to new and different smells in a foreign country (like a yucky public potty, body odor, cigarettes, etc). He is also a picky eater, please pray that we can find something he likes to eat.
-He will be able to adjust to our apartment in Ukraine and be able to sleep well at night.

Brennan
-If you know Brennan, you know he is WILD and on the go unless he is asleep! Please pray that we can keep him entertained during long flights and layovers.
-He will be able to get a good night's sleep on the plane ride.
-He will adjust to his new sleeping arrangements while in Ukraine and get his needed "beauty" rest.
-He will remain calm during court hearings and other vital appointments.
-That we will not experience any racial hatred while out of the USA. (You can pray this for Xan as well)

Sasha
-That he will mesh with our family and come to love all of us deeply.
-His transition to the English language would start immediately.
-His heart as he mourns the loss of the orphanage he has called home for the last 3 years, the older brother he will leave behind (he was too old for the orphanage when their mother died and no one knows where he is now), and of the place that holds all the memories he has of his birth mother.
-His salvation. Bucky and I, above anything else, want to see him come to know Christ. To become a man after God's own heart. To become a man of integrity, wisdom, and honor.

Our family in general
-Safe and peaceful flights
-Safety in public transportation
-That our court date will be scheduled within a reasonable amount of time, therefore, making our trip shorter.
-That we would remain healthy.
-Patience and long suffering with each other.

Let me thank you in advance for praying for us. We love you all!

5 comments:

Stacy said...

We will be praying for you and can't wait for you to get back!!

liszt79 said...

We'll definitely be praying. I can't imagine travelling and being somewhere far away with my boys. Please let me know if there is anything we can do for you and your family before you go or while you're gone!!

snookmama said...

Yes, the Snooks are definitely praying for and rejoicing with you. I was so excited when I got your message yesterday. Yay! Have you downloaded skype yet? I am going to miss all 4 of you while you are gone. I will also be praying for your preparations for making this trip. Remember to call or email when you get there with an address so we can send you a care pacakage.

Summer said...

We will be praying for all of you. I know you all are so excited and can't wait to have your family back together :)

Scott Payne said...

Bucky, Julie, Xan and Brennan
We are praying for you. We love you all so much and cannot wait to have you all home with your wonderful new son. Excited about meeting him and watching God work out everything in the prayer requests.
Love, Scott, Allison, Nick, Austin, Emily and Andrew