Our dossier is mostly complete and is in Ukraine.  We are just waiting on USCIS (Immigration) to approve our file with them.  We finally were assigned a case officer to look at our file last Friday.  She will approve it once she receives a small revision to our home study.  Hopefully that happens before Christmas break!  I am amazed to be this far into the adoption already.  And am so thankful at how smoothly things have gone.

We had another little miracle on Sunday.  I love witnessing these small miracles.  They keep reminding me that God is watching over the girls.  We had called the Saturday before last and told the girls that we would call them on Sunday, a week and a day later.  We told them we'd call at 6 pm  their time (9 am our time.)  Sunday morning we received a text from our translators telling us that our translators were sick and couldn't come.  We were disappointed and worried for the girls.  We didn't want them to think that we didn't want to call them.  We thought about calling them ourselves, but we only know enough to say their names and "I love you" in Russian.  It wouldn't work out too well.  About 9:30 am our time I received a call from friends of ours who got to know the girls over the summer.  They live in the Netherlands and speak Russian.  He had just gotten off the phone with Lyuba and was calling me to let me know what she had said.  I couldn't believe it!  We've had him call before, but hadn't asked him to this time.  He called at exactly the time we told the girls they'd receive a call!  The girls got their call and we were so grateful for this little miracle.

Weeks ago we had sent the girls a disposable camera to take some pictures of themselves with.  They were supposed to send it back with their friend who was coming out for winter hosting.  Her host mom would mail it to us.  Last time we talked to the girls they still hadn't received the camera.  When our friend called on Sunday, Lyuba told him that they had received the camera and had sent it back with their friend.  We should be receiving it by this Friday!  Hopefully the pictures turn out and we finally get to see a picture of Diana.  Since Jay and I aren't giving presents to each other, I said to Jay that we should wait to look at the pictures until Christmas morning!  I don't think we really could wait that long! 

Our friend also told us that Lyuba had said that they hadn't seen their two younger sisters for five years and that they were in an institution.  There are 7 siblings all together in their family.  The oldest two are too old to be adopted.  I thought the girls told us, through translators and gestures, that their two other sisters had died.  Now I'm not so sure.  Our facilitator in Ukraine will be checking into the situation to see if they are attached.  If they are, we will be adopting five!!!  I'm not thinking too hard about that right now.  Lyuba had told us the names of all of her siblings except for one.  I tried to ask her for the name, but Lyuba didn't understand me.  She did tell our friend on Sunday so now I know it! 

We are so grateful for the support and donations that we have received.  Thank you so much.  We are getting closer to our goal.  If you have the means, please donate to help our three girls.  If they were to end up in the orphanage, they would have a terrible life ahead of them.  It makes me sad for the other, just as deserving children who will never be adopted.  We can only do what we are capable of doing.  And at this time we can change three lives for the better.