Amazing Architecture

Here are two incredible structures that we passed in the city today-

SDA Appointment

The appointment got a shaky start because our Facilitator was 15 minutes late. The psychologist who conducted the meeting stayed around but the Director left for the day. We were approved but not officially until the Director gets in tomorrow and signs our paperwork. After that we hope to go to the orphanage(tomorrow). The meeting lasted 20 minutes. There was really no information on Tate's history other than the fact that he has lived in the orphanage since he left the maternity house at birth. There has been no parental contact. :( We showed the psychologist our family album as well as a few pictures that we have of Tate. She allowed us to swap one of our pictures for the picture she had of him!!!



Everything is going well but I am really missing my babies at home. Thank you for your continued prayers.

BTW, For those of you traveling to Ukraine- Try to find out as much information regarding your travel(in Country- taxis,trains) costs as possible. We were told to budget $1,000 and it looks like we will be closer to $2,000...kind of frustrating.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

TO THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!

Apartment

Here are two videos showing the outside and inside of the apartment that we are staying in. We are fortunate to be located in the Capital city, Kiev. We are about 10 minutes from the Department of Adoptions and about 45 minutes (without traffic) from the orphanage that Tate is living in. Our biggest complaint right now is that the apartment does not have heat! Someone is coming to check the heater in a few minutes. We hope it will be working soon. It was hard to sleep last night.






This morning we ventured out of the the apartment and across the street to a grocery store. We purchased bottled water, eggs, butter, milk, bread, mushrooms, bell peppers, apples, cheese, rice and pasta. The meat looks INTERESTING (its the only word I could come up with right now)!!!! Rotisserie chickens are sitting out on the counters-uncovered and not heated or refrigerated! I wish I had brought with me a tea leaf strainer and a small assortment of condiments. Other than that we have what we need.

We were also able to change our money at the store. BRAND NEW U.S. dollars (which we ordered from the bank before we left) are the only thing accepted. Anything but perfect will not work- CRAZY!

After we unpacked our groceries we went downstairs to the coffee shop/restaurant that is beneath the apartment. We ordered pancakes, coffee and hot chocolate. The pancakes were Crepes with powdered sugar- YUMMY! The Hot Chocolate could be described as warm brownie batter. I had to use a spoon to get any of it. Although it was tasty, a spoonful was plenty!

We just received a phone call from our Facilitator. Our referral appointment for tomorrow has been scheduled for 3pm. We were hoping it was going to be early in the morning. It is now unlikely that we will be able to go to the orphanage. We will probably get to meet Tate for the first time on Friday. The anxious feeling that I have is almost unbearable at times.

We miss the kids terribly! I am so thankful that we have our computer so that we can look at their pictures and watch videos of them. We will get to talk to the girls on SKYPE tomorrow afternoon. I don't think it would be a good idea to talk to the boys but my dad will let them play in the room with the webcam so that we will be able to see them occasionally. A small hug from each of them would be perfect right about now!

Traveling

Our travel plans took us from Los Angeles through Munich, Germany and then to Kiev, Ukraine. The first flight was comfortable. We were blessed to even have an empty seat next to us. Each seat had its own small video screen for watching movies or television shows. Mike and I decide to watch the movie 'Made of Honor'. The flight went rather quickly.

The airport in Munich is very modern and sophisticated looking. It was also EXTREMELY quiet. We had breakfast at very cute cafe. It was an extra bonus that the waitress spoke English well.





One very different thing about the airport was located in the bathroom. The bathroom stalls each had a dispenser filled with toilet seat sanitizer right next to the toilet paper. A picture on top the shows someone cleaning the toilet seat with a piece of toilet paper and sanitizer. I wasn't so brave!

Turtle and Kitty

We had a wonderful morning yesterday that included a trip to Build-a-Bear. We first stuffed a kitty for Mike and I to leave with the kids. It had the option of recording a personal message. It was pretty hilarious trying to record the message with Mike on the cellphone. I could hear his business partner, Justin, laughing at him in the background as he repeated the sentence over and over until we got it right. The kids also picked out a turtle for us to take to Tate. They recorded a sweet little message that can be played when you squeeze his hand- we love you brother, hurry home...


The last few hours before heading to the airport got a little hairy. I had planned to make the most of my time with the kids and therefore left a lot to the last minute. Thankfully my Aunt Karen came to the rescue! She was dropping off cookie bars and was able to stay to help me pack- Thanks Aunt Karen!!!

Mom and Dad dropped us off at LAX a few hours early so that we did not have to sit in traffic. Dad nearly lost his balance as he pulled our largest suitcase out of the car (I had it stocked with food). At check in we discovered just how heavy it was- $150 over the limit!!! OOPS! Thankfully the man at the counter was gracious and let it slide :)!

I was SUPER excited to pull out my passport the first time it was requested. Krissy gave me the CUTEST travel clutch you have ever seen!



The trip itself was very uneventful. I will post detail about our arrival in Ukraine tomorrow. It is 2:15am off to bed. Thank you for your prayers!

We have ARRIVED!

We arrived safely in Ukraine...more to come!

MONEY

The kids have been saving up for our adoption for nearly 7 months. On Sunday evening we took their jug to the Coinstar machine. Total amount saved- $442 dollars. Great job little ones!

*Congratulations Grandma*

Grandma Teresa, Mike's mom, was married this weekend to her friend, Hal. After Bailey's CC meet we drove down to Palm Desert to be a part of their wedding day. I would post pictures but due to a 'NO NAP BABY M' I had my hands full. We will have to wait for Aunt Susan to send them to us (hint hint). The quote for the evening came from Brooklyn. She turned to Grandma at a table full of Hal's friends and LOUDLY asked "Are you going to have babies now, Grandma?" PRICELESS!

CROSS COUNTRY

Bailey's final meet for Cross Country was on Saturday. I think it was her best race yet. She came in 3rd place out of 42 runners but more importantly she ran the race WELL. Bailey has learned to encourage her teammates, is gracious to the other runners and her attitude on the course is exemplary. We love you, Bailey, and are so proud of your accomplishments!

Substitute Mommy

SUBSTITUTE MOMMY IS HERE!!! Team McKay has expanded this week and now includes my Aunt Jo. She flew in from Idaho on Thursday evening and will be taking care of the kids while we are away. We are so blessed to have my Aunt and Uncle to look to for encouragement, counsel and assistance. The kids have enjoyed the past few days with Aunt Jo. She is over-qualified for the job having raised 8 children over the past 26 years (her youngest, Noel, is ten).



I received the following in a handwritten letter from my Aunt and Uncle a few months ago... We want you to know that we absolutely will make your trip happen. You are God's instrument in giving "one of the least of these" "a future and a hope" and we are honored and at the same time humbled that you offer us the opportunity to participate in such a miracle. We know that God is ordering your steps in this endeavor and will enable us to serve His will. If you want me to come, I will come and we will trust the Lord together.

I still get teary eyed when I read her words. We are BLESSED beyond measure!

PRAYER

My heart is really heavy tonight. The things on my mind are almost too many to name...at the top are MY KIDS, FINANCES and TRAVELING. I know it seems vague to write just three words but each is very complex. Please pray for us!

PACKING

Can you think of anything that I am missing?

BUSY

Mike and I are busy packing and finalizing details for our trip. The kids have a few jobs to do as well. Here they are working on a picture for Tate. The countdown has begun. We leave on Monday evening the 20th.

Interior Design

Brooklyn loves to redecorate my bathroom counter top with pictures and notes from she and Bailey. Maybe she will be interested in Interior Design as a profession some day!

True Love

If Baby M could speak (more than dada and mama) we are pretty sure one of his first sentences would be, "I Love Aunt Karen."

Stop and smell the roses

This is what I woke up to-



My days are speeding by right now...too quickly most of the time. I have to remind myself to slow down. Thank you, Lord, for beautiful weather!

CANCELLED

Due to unforeseen but INCREDIBLE circumstances (leaving for Ukraine) I will not be able to keep up my commitment to blog for Down syndrome awareness 31 days this month. I will however continue to update as our trip unfolds. Enjoy the journey as we bring home our SPECIAL boy.

Future Graffiti Artist?

In my attempt to keep this blog as true to life as possible I figured I must include everything- the good, the sad and the naughty. A few days ago Baby M made up a game to play with me. I was in my bathroom getting ready at the time. He would run into the the bathroom (SCREAMING) and grab my legs and then run back out (SCREAMING). I thought it was pretty cute so I played along for a few minutes. Little did I know that he was being VERY NAUGHTY when he ran out each time.


Yes, he had to do 'time' for this offense!

From the Roof Top

For those of you who don't live within a one hundred mile radius of our home I thought I should share what my neighbors are listening to...YAHOO, PRAISE the LORD, (crying, crying, crying- happy tears), YIPPEE!!!!!

We received our court date this afternoon. We will be in Ukraine to meet our boy on October 23!!!

GOD is so GOOD!

Staggering Statistics

Recent US studies have indicated that when Down syndrome is diagnosed prenatally, 84-91 percent of those babies will be killed by abortion. This trend is not isolated to the United States. In England, a 2004 study showed that 94 percent of babies who were diagnosed prenatally with Down syndrome were subsequently aborted.

Jewish Interpretation

In Judaism, people with Down syndrome are referred to as "tzadikim" in Hebrew. A "tzadik" is described as someone who has nothing to improve upon, and is very special.

Sunday Morning Ministry

For the past five years Mike has led an outreach at our church know simply as 'The Donut Ministry'. It started out with a desire to serve in the church with Bailey (then 2 1/2 years old). Fast forward a few years and he now has three great helpers. Mike and the crew leave the house around 6:45am to pick up 8 dozen donuts (Baby M and I are still asleep at home). Once at church they cut up the donuts, set the table, make the coffee and prepare the orange juice. Sunday mornings with Daddy are a highlight of their week!

Extra Chromosome

The extra chromosome affects each child in a different way. A good number of children born with Down syndrome have minor heart defects, which are usually surgically corrected at about the 6 month age. Sometimes it will cause significant health issues, like respiratory problems, major heart defects, and gastrointestinal perforations. That is the outside 1%. Every child with Down syndrome has a different learning capacity, a different personality, a different soul, just as every typical child has!

Trisomy 21

In a typical child, you have 23 PAIRS of chromosomes. In Down syndrome, you have 3 copies of the 21st chromosome instead of just 2. Down syndrome is also called Trisomy 21. There is also something called MOSAIC Down syndrome, where only some of the cells in a child's body carry that 3rd copy. These children are generally higher functioning with fewer medical complications.

Dr. DOWN

Down syndrome was named after the doctor who first documented it, a British physician named Dr. Langdon DOWN. It is NOT a reflection of the condition itself.

Raising Money

Bailey is constantly coming up with ideas for raising money to cover our adoption expenses. Her latest endeavor consisted of homemade goods. All of her products were sold to someone in the family (which defeated the purpose). Brooklyn bought a mail holder. Mike bought a rocket. Of course I had to get in on the action too; I bought a game.



Did you know that International Adoptions can cost anywhere from $20,000 to over $40,000? You could help offset the costs by sponsoring a family who is adopting or a child who is still waiting.

When I Grow Up...

Today I asked the kids what they would like to be when they grow up. Here are the answers:

Bailey- a Runner

Brooklyn- a Baker, a Mommy
and a Gymnastics Girl

Buddy- a Firefighter

Baby M- He didn't have an answer so Bailey said,
"Baby M is so good at giving kisses maybe he should be a KISSING TEACHER".

I quickly changed the subject!

October-Down syndrome Awareness Month

Several bloggers will join me as we BLOG during Down syndrome awareness month. We have committed to one post everyday for the month of October. The first post of mine includes a video. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Through the years...

20 years ago...I was 10 years old and in the Fifth Grade. I remember sitting at my desk listening to my teacher read Where the Red Fern Grows; oh how I loved that book. I loved it so much that it put me to sleep. One afternoon I woke up to my classmates getting their books into their backpacks to leave for the day. I was VERY embarrassed. I still take my afternoon nap however!

15 years ago...I was 15 and a sophomore at Saint Bonaventure. I was very involved in my church youth group and had just spent part of my summer working on an Indian reservation in Arizona. I was responsible for the children's program. I LOVED hanging out with the little ones although the language barrier made most of our communication challenging.

10 years ago... we were newly married (3 months prior). I was working as the Housing Coordinator for the English Language Center of Santa Barbara. Mike and I were enjoying life in our 500 square foot guest house in Montecito. We were teaching Sunday School for the 4 and 5 year old kids at Oceanhills Church. We thought the kids were so cute and funny. I couldn't wait to have our own.

5 years ago...I was staying in the hospital with Brooklyn- my newborn baby girl. We spent a week there fighting off an infection. The first two years of her life were filled with several medical complications. Today she a VERY spunky girl that always keeps us on our toes. She is a miracle!

1 year ago...I was out in Oklahoma with Baby M and Brooklyn. We were visiting the Craig's at their new home. Bailey was spending the week in Oregon with Gracie. Buddy was home shuffling from friend to family member and back. I was missing my kids terribly.

Yesterday...we went to church in the morning. After church we picked up burritos and went swimming at my Aunt's house. After naps Papa and Nonnie took the kids to dinner and then back to their house for a movie party. Mike and I went to dinner with the Hill's at Enoteca Toscana. Good food, great wine and perfect company.

Today...the kids and I bought groceries and delivered them to a family who recently lost their husband/father in the train crash. We spent the bulk of the morning finding treasures at the Library. Monday's we generally meet up with Papa for lunch. Since he is on a diet we went to The Habit for a salad. I made a yummy spicy bean and tri-tip soup for dinner. Before bed the girls and I gave Maddie a bath- she smells like a clean dog now. Mike is downstairs talking politics with friends. And now I sit at my computer writing on my blog.

Tomorrow...we will have a mellow stay at home day. I will check my email as soon as I can pry my eyes open to see if our Facilitator has sent us a message. We will either have a PARTY or have a normal read, eat and play kind of day. Bailey has Cross Country practice in the afternoon so we will be at the park for two hours. I will probably pack a picnic dinner and have Mike meet us there with a bat and Buddy's new wiffle balls. We will get the kids really tired out! Mike and I will end the day watching a new episode of HOUSE and probably eating microwaved M&M's...and hopefully planning our trip to TATE.

What about you???

Baby M

A few weeks ago my dad made a comment about the fact that we call Emmett 'Baby M'. "You know there will come a day when Baby M grows out of his name. You can't call him a baby FOREVER". We quickly came up with a solution that we feel is very fitting- or at least will be when the time is right.

BIG BOY BABY M



(Note: This video was taken during school. Baby M was sitting next to Bailey "helping" her with her work. He just couldn't keep from hugging her. Buddy is in the background climbing on the counter to change the music playing on the ipod. His current favorite tunes are from the movie Enchanted :) .)

The Tooth Fairy

Brooklyn received her very first visit on Monday evening! However, after hearing Brooklyn's skepticism about her existence the tooth fairy was a little hesitant on what to do. The clever little tooth fairy decided that since she would probably be under strict scrutiny from an older sibling she would keep things on an even playing field. Therefore, Brooklyn received a small toy. She was delighted!

Brooklyn with all of her baby teeth


Brooklyn and her missing tooth with Nonnie (our family extractor). And yes, she does look exhausted! :)

Has it been one year already?

It was just over a year ago that we said goodbye to our dear friends, the Craig's. They moved back to Kourtney's hometown of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. We were spoiled last week by a visit from them. All of the kids played so well together. It felt as if they had never been away. Kourtney and I got in a few 'mom only' times as well (thanks Mike).

Saying goodbye was hard on everyone. They are now safely home in Oklahoma- we'll meet them in our dreams!

Facebook

I caved in last night and joined FACEBOOK. You'll have to pick my cousins up off the floor when they find out. To be completely honest I only did it see pictures that a friend of mine had posted of her daughter's wedding. Now I'm hooked :) If you are out there too, let me hear from you!

Noah's Ark

We took the kids to the Skirball Jewish Museum in Los Angeles on Sunday afternoon. We have been wanting to see the Noah's Ark exhibit for several months now, and it did NOT disappoint! It was just as interesting and fun for the kids as it was for us. The girls enjoyed the climbing room. It didn't take but a second for them to shimmy up the rope ladder to the top of the ark. Brooklyn's favorite part was making the elephant's trunk move. Bailey enjoyed talking into a large snake as I listened on the other end.

The boys were enamored by something that I think only boys could truly appreciate- ANIMAL POOP. Buddy took it upon himself to become the resident 'poop picker-upper'. And let me tell you he did his job WELL! If you live in the area and have not been yet, it is a MUST see.

Babysitters for Hire

The girls and I had the PRIVILEGE of taking care of baby Micah last week. Alyssa, in her always professional (aka 40 yr.old mom) voice dropped him off with complete instructions. The girls took her words very seriously. They immediately wanted the timer on to make sure every bit of Micah time was evenly dispersed. Even his bottle time was shared between the girls.



After 20 AGONIZING minutes I couldn't take it any longer. I snatched that baby up- mind you, there was a lot of fussing and it wasn't coming from Micah! I put on the Moby wrap and was in heaven.


The time passed too quickly and Alyssa was back to pick up her boy. After prying my fingers off of him we said our tearful goodbyes :). Alyssa paid the girls each $1 for their hard work. "If only we could adopt him" was Bailey's response as they drove away. Until next time.

Twins- 8 years apart

Bailey is about to become a TWIN and she couldn't be more excited. Krissy and Jason announced a few weeks ago that they are expecting baby #4. The baby is due on May 12, Bailey's eighth birthday.

Here is a picture from a little over two years ago on the day that Krissy gave birth to Aubrey.

K- ready to do it again???

No News

Nothing new on the adoption front....still waiting for a travel date. We'll keep you posted.

Letter of Love

I flew out of the house tonight on my way to meet up with my friend, Amy, for coffee. I left behind Mike doing the dishes, Brooklyn and Buddy playing dress-up and Bailey giving baby M a bottle on the couch. Minutes early the kids were sprawled out in the family room listening to me read the last few chapters of a book that we started yesterday. I finished the book with less then 5 minutes to spare. Somewhere between getting up from the couch and grabbing my keys baby M got hurt. Brooklyn yelled, "It's bad" as she pulled him up off the ground. His bottom lip was busted open and
bright red blood was running down his nose. Just like clock-work the kids jumped into action. Bailey ran to the freezer for ice and Mike handed her a wet paper towel. Brooklyn shot upstairs to retrieve baby M's 'night-night' (blanket). It didn't take more than a minute or two for the chaos to subside. Bailey made a bottle for baby M and took over my job of snuggling him before bed.

I arrived home at 8:30 to a quiet house. The kids were sleeping peacefully and Mike and Maddie were watching Sports Center. A quick check on the girls and here is what I found.

Two sweet friends.


I got down on the bed and snuggled them for a few minutes. They are growing up too quickly. Where have my baby girls gone?

After a hot bath I got ready to hop into bed. Mike said to check my pillow- Bailey had left a note for me.
click on picture to enlarge

Bailey is entirely too precious. She is becoming such an amazing little lady. She far surpasses what I have hoped and dreamed that she would be. With her note came a understanding that until now I only thought I knew. My dad has saved every piece of paper that Carolyn and I have ever given him. From scribbles and pictures to notes of forgiveness and coupons for free back rubs. My dad has saved them (I know now) because they are his GOLD. They are memories of genuine, completely heartfelt emotion. They are raw and unscripted. They are words unspoken yet they pound heavy on your heart. They are letters only a child could write.

This letter of Bailey's is forever etched in my soul.
And it too will be placed with MY gold.

As seen on TV

Have you ever wondered about a product seen on a infomercial? How about the FLOWBEE?
Well, wonder no more! My parents have one and use it regularly- on Emmett. :)
Check out the results.

9-11-01

WE WILL NEVER FORGET!

Brother / Sister Love

These two sweeties of mine have become inseparable lately! They both wake up in the morning anxious to find their partner. Playing firefighters is very popular with them right now. They start off in the girls room making breakfast and something always starts a fire! They rush off into Buddy's room and grab their jackets and hats. Once the jackets are on things quiet down and they go back to cooking (not sure how they put the fire out!). One of Brooklyn's babies is usually having a birthday so they sing the birthday song-more than once. They can play this way for hours.
TOO CUTE.
How long will it last?

Does it get any better than this?

I received a call at 8:30am on Saturday morning from Alyssa. She had a plan and was wondering if I wanted in on the action. After explaining the details and getting the 'go-ahead' from my main man, we were off! Her idea was this- The Mommies would go to the grand opening of Nordstroms (with baby Micah) and the Daddies would take the other kids swimming. How could I possibly resist??? The Daddies decided it would be fun to take all of the kids to the pool and order pizza for lunch...the mommies DID NOT complain!

The Crew-
Mike and Dave
with Brooklyn, Annie, Buddy, JD and Emmett

Still Laughing...SEVERAL months later

Why is it that I can watch this video over and over again and still think it is just as funny as the first time I saw it? Maybe because I can imagine my kids doing the exact same thing.

A Bump in the Road

Does the post title look familiar to you???? It should! Yes, we have hit another 'bump in the road'. We resubmitted a new obligation paper on Wednesday which was once again denied. This time it turns out that they weren't happy that our notary had crossed out 2007 and printed 2008 on our form. Talk about being nit-picky! Everything has been redone and the friendly guy at Fed Ex sent our papers to Ukraine once again. Hopefully for the last time.

What did this mistake cost?
-$60.00 Notary signing fee (including $20 travel fee)
-$24.00 Authentication fee
-$48.00 Apostille Fee
-$128.00 Fed Ex to Ukraine
-$8.00 Parking Fee
-$60.00 babysitting
-$40.00 Gas
-$3.50 Grande Iced Decaf Zebra from Starbucks

Grand Total $371.50
OUCH

* the paper prices above account for two documents

Translation please!

I often wonder what I would do without my girls. Just today Brooklyn saved us from a excruciating car ride. When we hopped into the car Buddy was so excited to share something with me.

This is what I heard: "Mama, I found a ball like your ring."

A ball like my ring? HMMM, did he find a sparkling ball? I have a ring with a coral colored flower on it...maybe that is what he is referring to. I really had no idea what he was talking about. He was starting to drive me crazy.

Buddy will continue to say his words over and over and over and over until you repeat them correctly.

Five minutes down the road Brooklyn shouts from the backseat:
He said, "Mama, I found Buzz Lightyear's Wing."

WHEW! She does not get paid enough I tell ya!

Sleepover

Buddy had his very first sleepover this weekend. Our friends, Kenny and Kelley with Kellen and Kaysen, came up from Orange County to spend the weekend with us. Buddy could hardly wait to have Kellen sleeping in his bus. Kellen on the other hand was not so crazy about spending the night. We figured that if we put the boys to bed with a movie on it might make things a little easier. Buddy picked Toy Story. The night started out okay. Kellen was enthralled with the movie for close to 5 minutes. He even relaxed enough to prop himself back with his arms folded behind his neck and his legs crossed :). Kelley and I were in the kitchen starting our Fondue dinner when over the baby monitor we heard Kellen crying. Buddy's voice could be heard faintly in the background saying "Hey, stop being so loud. You are going to wake everyone up". In Brooklyn's terms- Suck it up!

The boys finally settled down and I was able to get this picture of them sound asleep:



Around 1:30am I woke up to Buddy yelling something. When I went into his room he was standing up in his bus. With his eyes still shut he said,"Where is my friend go? I sink he is playing." With that he laid back down and went to sleep. Buddy was right however, Kellen was walking up the stairs as I rounded the corner. He had been up playing with the train set. None the less the sleepover was a success in our minds. We can't wait to see how things go when Tate and Buddy are sleeping together in the bus!

How to Save Gas

My dad has a new hobby. I'm not sure what got him into it but he is very excited to share it with anyone who will listen. When he turned 60 this year he decided to take up biking. To be fair he has always loved the sport. I practically grew up on a bike. We did family rides nearly every weekend. When I was in High School my parents even purchased a tandem. I'm not sure why but I always thought it was pretty cool. Somehow I convinced most of my friends to ride on it. Even Mike, being the good sport that he is, has gone on a tandem ride with me.

My dad's new biking hobby is not the old family riding that I remember. His bike has POWER. Yep, my dad now rides all over town on a motorized bicycle. The benefits: saving gas and fresh air. Way to go Dad!