We received word Wednesday afternoon that Vladimir had successfully completed the business of obtaining new birth certificates for Dasha and Toli in Russia and was on his way back to Sumy, which is about a 17-hour drive. We now know that the children are ours, they all have new names that end in Peckham, and we will soon be traveling home together. Exactly when that will be is yet unknown. We are so relieved and grateful. Prayers have been answered all along the way. We are grateful for the tremendous support from family and friends.

On Wednesday the children shopped for cards for their group parents and the music teacher who all meant a great deal to them. We visited the school in the early evening hoping to catch the children’s friends who were to return from the 5-day holiday. Some were there; others had not yet returned. The children delivered the cards and gifts to their group parents. With Natalie’s help Susan and I visited with Valentina, Dasha’s and Stan’s group Mom, about the children’s strengths and weaknesses.

We have felt that our children here have been watched over by Heavenly Father and that part of that was their being placed in the group led by Valentina and Alexander, her husband. This couple has been through two cycles, each of which consists of taking a group of children from 6th through 9th grades. Stan and Dasha had been assigned to their group four years ago when they arrived at the school. We learned that Dasha had naturally been assigned to a higher grade at that time, but Stan cried and cried over being separated from Dasha. So Dasha consented to stay back with him in the lower grade. Had Dasha stayed in the older group she would have moved on from the school a year ago.

Valentina and Alexander had truly cared for the children in their group. They had taught them right from wrong, helped them through personal challenges, advised them on relationships, and taught them by precept and example of the need to abstain from alcohol and tobacco. Not all group parents do all of these things.

Valentina gave us insight into the children’s character, attitudes and behavior, many of which we had already observed and some which clarified or explained other things we had not fully understood. She talked of the type of strong bond among these three children, which is uncommon among sibling groups at boarding schools. When the children stayed with Grandma Nina in the village during the summer, their friends there were surprised that these children from a boarding school were so uncharacteristically well-mannered and that they did not smoke or swear.

Dasha had told Natalie earlier in the day of how in her second year at the school she had
noticed other children being adopted. She had then begun praying that she and her siblings would be adopted. Of course, it didn’t happen until the fourth year, but she had continued to pray for it all that time.

We bid farewell to the Dodges as they were leaving for Kiev at 4 am Thursday. We have enjoyed getting to know them and their new daughters. We are happy for them that they are on their way home. We are anxious to see what Vladimir has to say later today about the plans and possibilities for us.

Thursday, Part A:

Things are moving fast and furiously and we are not certain when we will have our next opportunity to post a blog. Vladimir returned from Russia late last night and wanted us to be to the notary at 10:30 this morning to start the passport process for the children. There is a real possiblity that we will be traveling to Kiev early Friday. There is a very best case scenario that has our Kiev business (medical center, interview, visas) completed tomorrow and we fly home as scheduled on Saturday, IF we can get the children scheduled on the same flight. The probability seems remote to me, but stranger things have happened here. We'll keep all informed.