Monday, May 5, 2014

Yesterday, we arrived in Moldova around 1:30 in the afternoon. We made a quick stop at the apartment before heading to go see Lena. We had a short but good visit with Lena before heading back to the apartment. We walked to Andy's Pizza (the only restaurant that the Birchfields have eaten at a thousand times in Moldova). We came home and the lights were out. Traveling is exhausting.

Monday morning, the three of us were picked up and taken to the passport office. There, we met Lena again and were reunited with Will. We were preparing ourselves to wait in this extremely long line when Albina just took us all to the very front. Lines just aren't our thing. Dow and I entertained Will and Lena while my dad worked on getting the passports. It was a fun time spent coloring, trying out different snacks, and getting accustomed to iPads. Will knew exactly who Lena was and was very excited to see her. Will was also excited to see his "ta-ta" (Daddy), Dow, and myself (bee-ef). Will and Lena had fun together and with us. Afterwards, we headed to the medical clinic and we got to play a little bit outside with Will and Lena. When you spend over a year praying and anticipating two children to become a part of your family, it seems they are already a part of your family. Today validated those feelings and all I want is to get my brother and sister on that plane to Atlanta as soon as possible.

Written by:  Beth

Headed to Chisinau!

Andy, Dow, and Beth headed to Chisinau, Moldova on Saturday, May 3.  They arrived Sunday, May 4 around noon.  Chisinau is eight hours ahead of Alabama.  They were able to see Lena.  Will's orphanage asked that they not visit since it was Sunday.  I am so thankful for their safe arrival and that both planes were on time.  They are staying in the same apt. complex as we have on previous trips.

I hope to post details and lots of pictures soon.  The one below is at the International Terminal at the Atlanta Airport.

Waiting Patiently!

People ask us if we are ready for Will Marin and Lena to come home, and my answer is "as ready as we can be."  The room is ready, clothes are washed and in the closet/drawers, doctors appts have been made, and they are registered for kindergarten/preschool for the fall.  We have hired someone to help full time when they arrive, I have a speech therapists set up and a wonderful kindergarten teacher to work with them this summer.  It sounds like we are ready, right!  However, no matter how many plans are made or details  considered, you still can't anticipate the changes and challenges that will come.

While we have spent time with both children, we really don't know them well nor how they will react once they leave the only home they have ever known and enter into a completely new "world."  Lena and Will will experience new voices, smells, sights, routines, germs, food, people, places, movements (like being carried on someone's shoulders), and so many other changes from small details to life altering.   It is hard to imagine what they are about to experience from their perspective but it is very important that we try in order to understand their emotions and behavior.

Please be praying for their adjustment and ours too especially Hope's.  She is excited but yet too young to grasp all the changes that adding Will Marin and Lena to our family will mean.  Actually, I don't know what all it will mean either but know God will be faithful and help us through the rough times and appreciate the good ones.

Andy, Dow and Beth will be leaving on Saturday, May 3 and will arrive in Moldova on Sunday, May 4.  They will arrive back home with both children on Saturday, May 10.  Hope and I will stay home.  As a family, we decided that I needed to be rested and at my best for when they arrive home.

I can't remember if I ever posted the referral pictures we received when we first started the process, so I am including them below.

Time in Between!

Over the past years, I have learned so much more about adoption and all that entails.  For the past week I have been thinking about the time in between meeting your child and actually bringing him/her home. In international adoption, many countries require two trips: the first is to spend time with your child and have a formal meeting of some kind with officials and the second is bringing the child home.  With Hope, we waited about 4 weeks in between trips but she was young that she did not comprehend the wait.  I don't Lena understands her adoption situation either but Will certainly does.  So….. I am wondering does he wake up every morning thinking this might be the day.  Is someone at his orphanage reminding him that we are coming back?  And when?  Does he wonder if it really is going to happen?  Does he think about what his life will be like?  Does this scare him or excite him?  Does he realize he will not see his "group" or caregivers probably ever again?

This "time in between" doesn't make a lot of sense to me but it is what it is!  It is hard on us but for a child old enough to understand, I think it might be even a more difficult time.  I sent an email to our facilitator today asking her to make sure someone at Will's orphanage knows the date of our return and can remind him daily or as needed.  I pray this will be done, because it breaks my heart to think of him wondering "are they really coming back?"

It is Official!

We knew when we woke up this morning that we should have news regarding the adoptions.  The continued hearings would have been held about 3 a.m. our time.  Andy immediately started emailing, calling and texting.  He finally got Albina and thought she said we got favorable rulings with a 30 day appeal period but her English is difficult to understand and she was in a hurry.  She said she would call back once she got the paperwork at the Court completed.  Finally, after more texting, calling and emailing Andy finally received the orders in Romanian!  We will be traveling back to Moldova around May 4 to bring the children home!

Hearings!

The weeks that Andy was in Moldova prior to my coming were spent negotiating a court hearing, strategizing, attempting to understand the Moldovan legal/court system, and making daily visits with Lena and Will.  He was also stayed on top of work matters and some very hard issues regarding Children's Hope.  The original plan was to have the court hearing on Will scheduled for either March 6 or 7.  We also hoped that he could persuade the court to allow me to me absent from the hearing to avoid my return to Moldova alone.  Andy was scheduled to return home on Saturday, March 8.

However, despite his very hard work, our plans did not come to fruition.  I traveled to Moldova on March 8 and arrived Sunday, March 9.  The hearing for Will was to be held at 11:30 on Monday.  We were told there was a small possibility that the hearing on Lena might take place later in the day or on Tuesday but come prepared to WAIT!

Will's hearing surprisingly began roughly on time with the judge dismissing our facilitator (Albina), and two translators we had hired.  The judge called in a different translator who was familiar with translating Romanian and Russian but not English.  Fortunately, our attorney spoke excellent English and was able to translate with the designated translator got stuck.

With the new adoption law in Moldova, a prosecutor is required to attend.  One of our translators went by her office this morning to make sure she was coming.  She argued that she was not required.  However, our translator persuaded her that she was indeed required to be there and that the hearing would be rescheduled without her.

Will's hearing seemed to have gone well.  Once it was over, the judge went immediately to Lena's hearing.  We were really pleasantly surprised!  While our time ran out before the judge could address the prosecutor and representative from Children's SErvices, Andy and I were addressed and answered questions from the judge.  Since the prosecutor and Children's Services had no questions for us, the judge continued both hearings until March 21 but our presence will not be required.  At that time, we hope to get rulings on both children and learn how long the appeal period will be.  The appeal period can be up to 60 days.  At the end of the appeal period, we can return to Moldova and bring the children home.

One funny concern of Wills about the trip home is riding in the airplane.  At first he was excited about it but someone mentioned to him that you had to be tied down in the seat.  Andy tried to explain it was a buckle that went across your lap.  Andy said he was still concerned about it the next day but he reminded Will that Hope had done it and this seemed to convince him that he could too.

Meet Angelena Grace!

I have not posted any pics of Lena because the situation with her adoption has been questionable.  However, following the hearing yesterday I feel that I can.  Meet Lena!  We had both hearings yesterday and the judge will follow up with another hearing on both cases on March 21.  We do not have to be present for it.  Whenever the judges makes her ruling, there will be up to a 60 day appeal period until we can return and bring the children home.

Pics of Will Marin and Hope!

I am posting some pics of my trip to Moldova in January.  Hope and Will Marin got along well at "his house" as Hope calls his orphanage.  I hope they do as well when we bring him home.  I was very impressed with all that Will knows.  The director at his orphanage has done a very good job in making sure the children are educated.  He knows letters, numbers, shapes, animals/sounds, etc. in Romanian.  He also can draw all of his shapes, color, cut and then glue them on paper.  He knew exactly what I was asking him to do.  We also met his music teacher who uses an old accordion that is duct taped in places.  She was delightful and even played some songs for us so that Will could show off his singing and dancing.  She did not want to be photographed however!

When we were coloring and he got a teensy bit out of the lines, he would look at me and point.  I would say "its okay" and he would smile and shake his head.  This became a joke as the days went on and he would do it on purpose and say "its okay."  He is very orderly in that he wants to sort everything by color, etc. and he wants everything picked up before he moves onto something else.  I bet that doesn't last long when he comes home!  On the other hand, maybe Hope will pick up this trait!

Hope clapping for Will as he plays on the iPad

Outside of Wills house (as Hope calls it)

Front gate of orphanage

Hope and Will at the playground at Will's orphanage.

Cool swing!

Will and Hope enjoying bananas

Will Marin painting.

February Update!

Andy left last Thursday for Moldova planning to arrive in Chisinau on Friday.  When he arrived at the Frankfort Airport, he quickly discovered utter chaos.  The security personnel were on strike and the airport was basically shut down.  He quickly made reservations online at a hotel close to the airport.  This was quick thinking on his part, because by the time he got there the hotel lobby was slammed with people trying to get reservations.  Of course, he had no luggage with no promises of seeing it anytime soon!

He was finally able to fly out of Germany on Sunday and arrived in Chisinau but still without luggage. It finally arrived on Monday which was much sooner than expected.

He has been making visits with both children.  Our adoption coordinator is in Kiev of all places checking on her son.  We hope she returns to Chisinau on Wednesday.  I will join him as soon as we get a court date which we hope will be towards the end of next week.

Update!

After a very challenging trip to Moldova, Hope and I are back home.  The trip brought unexpected challenges and revealed just how difficult adoption is in Moldova. I was overwhelmed!  There are a lot of personalities, unknowns, discrepancies, and new requirements involved.  We got to spend a lot of time with Will Marin and he is so ready to be part of a family.  He is a delightful little boy with a big personality and smile!  We look forward to having him be part of our family.  We did not spend much time with Lena and when we did, our visits were short.  She is a very busy three year old with a sweet little smile.

Overall, we feel that the adoption of Will will happen but there are still many challenges for Lena.  We hope to have a court hearing date soon for Will.  

I was extremely homesick!  This added to the pressure of being in a foreign country along with the many changes and unexpected events in the adoption process, our daily schedule and the language barrier caused me to have a hard time coping. I relied on all of you who were praying for me!  I knew that many, many people were lifting me up in prayer.  That is what sustained me, so thanks to everyone who prayed for me.  I really did feel that you all were holding the rope on my behalf.

Even during this difficult time, God took such good care of me and Hope in many ways.  A mission team from Montgomery (Heritage BC) was in Chisinau while we were there and Jeanne Tuley was able to spend a day with us.  There was also a Baptist Missionary couple in Chisinau (Chris and Nancy Russell) that helped out so much!  I continue to be so appreciative of people who sacrifice so much to be on the mission field.  We went expecting frigid temps and a lot of snow but fortunately, Moldova was experiencing very warm temps for this time of year and no snow (it turned much colder when we left and looks like they had snow)!  We also had the privilege of being blessed by a translator, Angela, who was so kind and gracious.  Finally, a huge, huge help to me was Ann Amster who flew over and spent six days with us.  I will be forever grateful to her!

Many people have asked if Hope remembered anything and the answer is No.  Lena is at the same orphanage as Hope but Hope never recognized anyone or anything and nothing triggered any kind of memory.  Some of the same workers were still there and they remembered her and were so glad to see her.  Hope was a trooper through the entire trip including the long plane rides.

This trip reminded me that apart from God, I am nothing and can do nothing. I was also deeply struck of how wonderful it is to be loved by God, my husband, my children, family and friends.  May I never take this for granted!

Sunday in Chisinau!

Not much happening in Chisinau!  We are certainly not enjoying the sunshine, because there has been no hint of the sun shining.  The weather report says there is a chance of sunshine on Tuesday.   We will see.

Hope and I have made it three days without Andy and Beth.  They have not been easy.  I am very homesick!  Hope and I continue to visit Will everyday.  We have to make 30 visits before the court date .We have only seen Lena for two short visits.  I am not sure how things will work out with her or if they will work out.  It is a very trying situation.

Everyone is going to love Will Marin.  He has a great personality and full of life.  I explained through a translator that we wanted to add Will to his name and he was fine with it.  Now, he calls himself Will Marin.  We will eventually drop the Marin.

About 3:30 this afternoon, I tried plugging up a portable dvd player and something blew and all of our lights, internet, and heat went out.  Not getting an answer from the apt. manager, and not knowing how to explain to the security guard, I called a translator.  He left work to come by the apt. and got it all back on.  I had blown an outside breaker.  God is providing.

More Pictures!

We have visited with Will Marin four times this week but we've only had one short visit with Lena.  There are issues with the director of her orphanage plus the minimal staffing during the New Year Holiday.  Hope and I are hoping to see her on Friday.

Will is such a pleasant boy and seems to be very bright.  He is a lot of fun and has a good sense of humor.  He and Hope could pass for twins almost.  Below are some more pictures.  Andy and Beth leave at 4:30 Friday morning, so please pray for safe travel and that I will let them leave!!!

Arrival in Chisinau!

We arrived in Chisinau on Monday, Dec. 30th.  We traveled through the night and got just a couple of hours of sleep!  Hope was great on the plane.  Both planes were on time and everything went smoothly - just long and tiring!  We've had one meeting with Lena and it was very quick.  She was quite the handful but was probably overwhelmed with all of us plus the translator and Albina (our facilitator).  She probably weighs more than Hope and is almost as tall.

We also visited with Will Marin and he and Hope hit it off well.  I've included pics of he, Hope and Andy playing ball.  I think he loves everything and can really put away some fruit.  He was very kind though and gave each one of us a piece of the fruit we brought him.

We also visited the director of social services in Chisinau (similar to the director of a county DHR).  She was there when we adopted Hope and gave her a special bell made in Moldova.  Today, she gave Hope a horse made by some children at one of the orphanages.  We told her about Hope taking gymnastics and she told us how she was at one time the top gymnast in Moldova.

New Year's Eve is a much bigger holiday here than in the States.  In fact, it is probably the most celebrated.  We walked to the downtown square area tonight and there was lots of celebrating going on from a concert to an iceskating rink to all kinds of vendors.

We are staying in the same apartments that we did during our first trip for Hope's adoption.  It is very nice and clean, close to the square and shopping and restaurants and very safe.

Will Marin, Andy and Hope playing catch

Hope receiving the little handmade horse from the director