Just up the road

Want to hear some great news?

Vera has a family committed to bringing her home and adding her to the family!! I found out last week, but it's now official (i.e. they're now listed on the RR website - see HERE).

And I have to admit, I'm extra-excited because this family lives just a couple of towns over from us!

I can't help but smile when I picture our Daniel and their daughter playing together.

And I can't help but think that God is smiling down, having one of those "I told you so" moments.

The family is pretty close to being paperwork ready, just some minor things to do in order to get their dossier together. Please pray as they prepare their documents and their hearts for this little treasure.

Slava Bogu - this little angel will soon be with her family!

Considering your child's loss

Have you ever considered what your adopted child had to give up? I'd like to think I've considered it. But often, I think about language, and that's about it.

I read a blog entry the other day that made me realize the magnitiude of sacrifice that is forced on internationally-adopted children, and how I need to be aware of that as my children grieve.

Their grief might not be tears. It might be refusal to eat the delicious meal I just made. Reluctance to learn a new word. Unbelievable fear of going to school, or church, or playgroup. Dislike of the great new clothes we purchased for them. Apprehension of certain sounds. Repulsion by certain smells.

In addition to the fact that there may be emotional and psychological scars from a less-than-ideal past, there is likely a sense of mourning for what has been lost.

I encourage you to read THIS BLOG ENTRY and consider the sacrifice. And I pray it will make a difference in how we deal with our children.

Daniel on the worship team

Last Sunday, the preschoolers got to help lead worship at our church. That means Daniel got to sing in "big church"! I think he did great, but I guess I'm a bit biased.

The video is about 10 minutes long. He is right in the middle, wearing a dark green sweater. He appears throughout, but there are some really good shots at 7:40 and 8:25.

A Quick Note from Zack

I know some people are thinking, why don't the Dove's adopt Vera if they are so worried about her.  Fair question.  I just wanted to do a quick post and let everyone know a little bit about why we cannot pursue Vera at this time.  I cannot share all the details publicly, but our family will be going through some pretty radical changes in the next year which prohibit us from adopting again until after these changes have been in effect for some time.  When the time is right, we will share with everyone what is/has been going on.  Were it not for this, I can assure you that we would be committing to Vera right now. 
Please keep our family and the boys in your prayers.
Thanks

Pray, Share, Act: Vera

For reasons we do not know, Vera is once again on the waiting children list. Vera will be 6 at the beginnig of April. Thankfully, she is still in the baby house and has not yet been transferred to an institution. But regretfully, this transfer will likely happen very soon. And for so many children, this transfer is ultimately a death sentence.

Please don't make any negative comments about the family that intended to adopt her - we don't know what happened. That's between them and God.

Please don't ask any questions about what happened.

Instead, please PRAY:

• Pray for Vera, that the orphanage staff will have a soft place in their hearts for her and find some way to keep her from being transferred until a family can come and rescue here.
• Pray that a family will step up NOW and commit to her.
• Pray about the possibility that her forever family might be YOUR family.

Do you have room in your home & family for a precious little girl?

• Yes, she is a "special needs" child. But the right therapy could do wonders.
• Yes, she might be developmentally delayed. But then again, our boys were. And they are a picture of what love and attention can do - they are THRIVING.
• Yes, adoption is expensive. But she already has a $3,050 grant. And there is the adoption tax credit - it's $13k for adoptions completed this year, and is fully refundable. And people WILL help if you ask. (and don't get me started on other things we'll spend thousands of dollars on without blinking an eye)
• Yes, international travel is hard. But it's also exciting! And what a great opportunity to share the love of Jesus with those you wouldn't normally get to meet.
• Yes, there can be post-adoption challenges. But there are books, websites, support groups, and GOD.

She needs a family. She needs a bright future. She deserves better than what she's facing now. Please consider Vera. If you're not able to consider her for your family, please share about her via your blog, Twitter, and/or Facebook.

Click HERE to see her Reece's Rainbow profile. There is a facebook share button on her page.

The word Vera means faith in Russian. And I have faith that God is watching over this precious little one.

UPDATE: A blog has been set up to advocate for Vera. It has more photos, as well as opinions & feedback from 2 families that met her while they were at the orphanage. Visit HERE.

Daniel's birthday Recap

Birthday morning

If I had to sum up Daniel in one word, it would be joyful. He is a happy child, and honestly, I suspect he always has been.

But the level of joy I've seen in him in recent weeks is amazing, and is surely a gift from God. He seems to be getting more comfortable and settled, and is meshing well in so many areas.

It is obvious that Daniel loves Daddy, Mommy, and big brother. He enjoys school and church. He's making friends. He thrives on routine and family time. He wants to help with everything we do (cleaning, cooking, you name it) and strives to please us most of the time.

He's stubborn and determined, traits that can cause trouble but can also work to his benefit. He eats up even the smallest praise we give him for a job well done. It's rare that he isn't smiling or laughing. He's full of quirky remarks and funny expressions. He is just plain fun.

So the opportunity to celebrate our little man was a big source of joy for him, and also for us. Daniel's birthday was a chance for us to have a lot of fun and show him that he is a precious gift from God.

Last Friday was his birthday - and he got to have the dinner of his choice. He chose hot dogs. I think the kid would eat them every day if we'd let him.

He got a few gifts on Friday, and we enjoyed a yummy cookie cake.


His train cookie cake

 




He was super excited about GeoTrax!



Saturday was his party, at the indoor playground at our church. Not only did the kids get to play, but we also hired a guy to entertain them. He's called "The Inflatable Zoo" and does songs, magic tricks, kid-friendly jokes and balloon animals. He performed at William's first American birthday, and we decided to bring him back for Daniel's. He was a hit with the kids - especially Daniel, as you'll see in one of the pictures below!



Brothers on the playground

LOVE this pic of him laughing at the music/comedy/balloon guy



He enjoyed everyone singing to him

Aren't the monkey cupcakes adorable?!

Classic Danichka






We had his party at the indoor playground at our church

 



Welcome, ACC Alumni!

We were happy to learn that we were going to be featured in the Alumni Spotlight in Atlanta Christian College's alumni newsletter. And we were even more excited that our boys were the reason we were highlighted!

So we'd like to extend a special welcome to all of our ACC Alumni friends who are visiting via The Cross & Crown newsletter. Thanks for stopping by. We pray that God will speak to you through the stories found here.

It is nothing short of miraculous to see how God worked to lead us to Ukraine, and to the two precious boys that are now our sons. We know it was all His plan, and all glory goes to Him alone.

If you have any questions about our adoptions, feel free to post a comment here, or email us at zjdove522@gmail.com. We love answering questions and sharing our story. All Christians are called to orphan care, and we are so thankful that our call included adding these two boys to our family.

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you. ~ James 1:27

Daniel's birthday - sneak peak

To say the weekend was busy would be an understatement. It was a great weekend, mainly because of the joy we saw just oozing from our little man... he had an amazing time and can't stop talking about it.

I'll write more later when I have access to my cameras and can upload some of our pictures.

In the meantime, check out my soon to be Sister-in-law's blog - she did a sweet post about Daniel's birthday celebrations. Savannah's blog can be found HERE.