I'm sorry there was no post yesterday and thank Pat for her phone call and comment update -- we just couldn't say the words again . . . .
We knew when we came that this wasn't going to be easy and there were many more variables in it this time -- it seems we have hit most of the obstacles that we hoped to bypass.
Yesterday was the saddest day . . . . the young girl we were visiting had all of our hearts and I believe that she knew that -- and in a way we had hers too. It was very emotional and we all shed many tears when she told us that she just couldn't come home with us. In her heart she feels that she cannot leave the family she has in Uralsk even though they do not visit with her or contact her. We are trying to understand -- we know what life could/would be like for her and she does not, yet we know that she would not be happy with us if her heart is not with us. Her hug goodbye said a lot -- it was not a hug done quickly -- it was a hard, long hug . . . . she will always have a piece of us with her and we wish her the best of lives.
Now for the decision. After talking a lot yesterday we decided that we cannot leave here without a child, it was the reason we came and arriving at the decision to adopt was not easy. So, here we are ..... and we will try one more time. Hailee said it best yesterday when she said that if the next child does not work than we should go home.
Yulia and Nastya said that there are more children available in the 10-11 year range . . . . it is the plan to meet some of these children tomorrow. The social worker here does not normally work on Sunday, but under the circumstances she will. She would have worked on Friday and Saturday but it is a holiday (Labor Days) here and the administration in the orphanages are off.
We are doing better today --- we plan to walk over to the Open Market (kind of like 7-mile fair) after this and do some looking around. Hoping to find some souveniers.
Everyone --- we are really in need of word from home -- what are doing? What is happening around you? Jack wants to know if opening day of fishing was good? Hailee wants to know what she is missing at school? Please, please tell us -- we're missing everyone and everything very much!
Hoping to have good news tomorrow --- love to all!
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Our first portrait - taken by Dan Komoll.
16 years old
Our New Teenager
The Four of Us - October 2009
Our first portrait - taken by Dan Komoll.
The Four of Us -- 2011
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Jonathan, Amanda, Hayden and Jackson
Hailee
16 years old
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Our New Teenager
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2008
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May
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- EVERYONE Had a Secret
- Picking up the Pieces
- Heading Home
- Wednesday
- Trying .......
- Hailee thanks everyone for the birthday wishes -- ...
- Happy 12th Birthday Hailee!!!
- Sunday - Jack's Birthday!
- Devastation
- UPDATE
- What Else Could Possibly Happen
- Worries Never End
- Happy Birthday MIcah!!!
- Officially in Uralsk for a Month
- Visit # 11
- Terrific Tuesday
- Marvelous Monday
- Happy Mother's Day
- The Park
- Some Things Are Worth Waiting For
- Observations in Uralsk
- Thursday - Post #2
- What It Looks Like in Uralsk
- Wednesday - May 7
- Our Miracle
- Monday's Visit
- From Hailee to Meadowview & Everyone Else
- The Visits Begin
- Starting Again
- Roller Coaster Ride Number TWO
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12 comments:
Hi all, better days tomorrow. Yesterday it rained and its still cooler here than what you have. Mom has no new roomie and today I will enjoy the Kentucky derby with her. Rudy saw the lawn people yesterday for the first time, went nuts going side to side at the patio door trying to 'help'. My house is nearly complete, with lots of help from Bob. I keep on trying to get birds and only attract the racoons, maybe tomorrow will be squirrels. Next week I will be starting some work on cleaning up the boxed in basement. Boring stuff to do.
Miss you all, XOXOXO
Hi,
I'm very sad for all of you that things did not work out. I'm sure you hearts are breaking. It must be very hard for these children to have to make such a difficult decision, to leave all that they are familiar with, at such a young age. I will keep praying for you.
As far as news from home goes . . . School is pretty good - only thirty more days to go. Pete has given us casual days for all of the remaining Fridays. I made the collage of pictures for John's retirement party from the old yearbook photos. Cynthia helped me and she had the idea to get some German pictures off the Internet like pictures of Polka bands and guys in lederhosen and then we cut the faces out and put John's face on the people instead. We got some really funny pictures that way. I also found a picture of Jesus tending some sheep and put John's face on it. Can you guess what the picture was ??? A German Shepherd! I've been busy at home with my beagle boys. They've really been enjoying all of the bunnies that have been around. Casey always goes the craziest. Murphy doesn't really care about the bunnies. A rabbit could come up and tap him on the shoulder and he'd just be like, "Huh?" Ernie, even though he's thirteen, still can get pretty worked up when he sees a bunny but his eye sight is not what it used to be. I've been busy getting ready for my Costa Rica trip. Even though it's over a month away, I've been trying to get things gathered together. It was on the news yesterday that not only is my airline going to charge me an extra $50 each way for having two bags but they're also going to charge me an extra $25 each way for having a window or aisle seat. I'm not sure what the justification is for that charge but the trip keeps getting more and more expensive. My parents are leaving for Africa soon though and they just spent close to a thousand dollars on the innoculations they need and their malaria pills so I suppose I don't have it so bad. Well, I'm going to go now. I have to get ready for my dog classes today. I have a Puppy class and a Basic class. Take good care of yourselves and I hope you find that special child soon.
Ann Duquaine
Hi Cheryl, Jack and Hailee,
Just wanted you to know that Dominick and I read your blog every morning when we wake up. As we open the blog, we always hope that we will be reading good news. Unfortunately, we have been sad the last few posts. We want you to know that we think of you and pray for you often. Try to stay positive and know that you have a lot of support back here at home. Take care of each other.
Jon, Lori and Dominick Walters
Words can't express how very, very sad we are for you. If only the children there knew what they will be missing. Our prayers are with you as you begin the process yet again. Remember that God always has a plan.
Life here is hectic, as usual. Kylie and I went to the Home Depot kid activity this morning with a bunch of girls from her brownie troop. They made flower pencil holders. Now, I've got a house full of 7 year old girls, as all the girls came over to play. Trevor is out at Action Territory at a birthday party all day and Steve and Jake just left for little league. Jake's pretty bummed, as it looks like his game is going to get rained out. He's not liking the idea of a rain out, especially on opening day!
Tonight mom and dad are taking the kids so we can head out to Red Lobster for dinner. I got a gift certificate from a student last year and still haven't used it. Then we're going to head over there to play games and hang out. Steve's hitting the golf course tomorrow AM and I've got a baby shower to go to. The kids have Sunday School and then Jake's got a soccer game at 3:00. As you can see, not much new here...trying to catch up on laundry and cleaning between activities. :)
We really miss you guys and can't wait for you to be home. I know how trying and devastating the past few weeks have been for you, but I truly hope you do come home with a new daughter. It will definitely be worth the wait.
Hope you had a fun time at the market and were able to find some souvenirs. Tell Hailee she's not missing too much here...school work, homework, rain, and cool weather. :( Looks like you guys are having way better weather there than we are here.
I gotta go make lunch for all the girls. Take care. May tomorrow and the days to come bring some positive news!!!
Hi Bro and Sis,
It was so good to hear your voices, I feel much better since I spoke to you both. You are both champs, handling all this uncertain territory with such positive attitudes. And I know it isn't easy. Your hearts are heavy with the last two tries, tell Hailee to use her gut instinct to guide you on this next one. Maybe that will help. Today is yucky out, cool, rain, and lots of disappointed fishermen and little leaguers. Bob-o just called and said that they didn't even go out today. Just too nasty.
Tonight we are having the Klein kids over so mom and dad can go out to dinner and have a conversation and relax. Steve had been on "business trips" to Vegas, two weeks in a row. I wonder if he found any casino's there?? What do you guys think?? Tomorrow is dinner with the family for Lindsay's confirmation. We will miss you all. Soon you will be home, and these long weeks will fade from memory. It only seems so long because of your setbacks. Try to pretend that you just got there, and are now going forward on your quest for the newest member joining our family. Please Dear Lord, let this one work out quickly.
I was at the nursing home this am, took mom to a special Bingo, saw your dad. They are both looking good. The Boy Scouts came and did this as a service project, did a great job and brought snacks for all. A really nice time. Mom has a new partner, a long term like herself, haven't met her yet. Hope it works out though. (mom thinks she is a man because of her short hair, no changing her mind yet) Just think of what you aren't missing here. Just kidding.,,, have to do some work now. I will talk with you again sometime soon. Take care and know that He is with you, I will have prayers said again tomorrow. Love and Hugs to all..
Third time a charm? I was so sad to read your latest post--especially since this last girl sounded like such a keeper. Know that we're all praying (and rooting) for you.
Karen
P.S. Hope you don't mind but I put your story on my blog. I've always believed in the power of prayer.
Hey Guys,
Well your house is still standing and no strange lights on as of yet. Your grass got cut yesterday, yes it was long enough. Now Steve is feeling the pressure. He said ours has to get cut now that everyone else has done it. But I don't know. We sure do have some pretty yellow dandilions that no one else has. It looks very spring like. Well, Evan is now driving. Yeh, so what does he do last weekend? He was out past curfew, I called and told him to get home....he did. A little too fast. Got a speeding ticket 10 days into his license. No tkt for curfew though. Thank goodness. Hope a lesson learned early. Anyway, I have been keeping up with your news. Not really knowing what to say, hoping things will change the next day. There is a song by Josh Groban NOEL CD that I love to listen to. The song is called Thankful. In it he says. Tonight we pray for what we know can be and on this day we hope for what we still can't see. It's up to us to make a change.....I hope that somehow you can hear that song. If not, I will share it with you when you get home. You are in my prayers.
Let the Lord walk beside you.
Love Steve, Mary and the boys.
Hi Hailee
School is going good. The cadets just got back from their DC trip and we all had a blast. We are making a powerpoint presentation and hope you get to see it when you get back. Our chair for the Chair-ity auction is looking cool. We all miss you and hope that you come home with a new sister soon!
Kyle M
Hello,
First let me say that I could feel the hurt in your hearts. I'm sure you've heard the saying, "God never gives you more than you can handle" so he must think you are a very strong family. Hang in there and know prayers are being offered up.
Hailee, you are very much missed!First let me tell you how thrilled and proud of you that you are journaling everyday! Keep it up! Here's all the stuff going on in school. Shortly after you left we finished reading Mr. Popper's Penguins. Now we are all reading Sarah, Plain and Tall. While we read we're filling out a graphic organizer so we remember important facts about Caleb, Anna, Jacob, and Sarah (the main characters). We're also keeping track of the important events. After each chapter everyone writes a summary except they write it as if they are one of the characters from the book. When we're all done, we're going to watch the movie. In math we just finished taking a test on fractions (the second one). Wow...that was a hard unit! On Monday we're starting measurement! In Science you became a "mom" because your fish had 19 babies!! The baby fish is called a "fry". The class started a terrarium too. They planted seeds and have been watching them grow which is really cool - I'm enjoying it just as much! :) We're learning about photosynthesis right now. It's tricky to understand but eventually I think your classmates will get it. Next week is a Social Studies test on the Westward Movement. Pretty soon we'll have the Chair-ity Auction. I painted purple coneflowers on a chair. It was my first time trying to paint and I like it so much I may end up bidding on it! :) If this was too long of an entry, let me know and I'll email updates next time. With many thoughts and prayers...Mrs. Hochschild
Hi,
It's nearly 9:00p.m. Saturday evening here and Steve, Norah and Benjamin just left. They were waiting for us at home when we got out of work yesterday. We had a fun evening last night and watched a movie. Monica was in Vegas the last few days for her girlfriends wedding and came home earlier today. Norah and I went to the Mother - Daughter dinner at our church. We both had a great time. she's turned into such a little lady! She was a little upset that daddy forgot to pack her "bow shoes" and she had to wear her Dora tennis shoes.
It rained most of the day here and the pond has officially taken over the shed. With this much water I think we are looking at months before it goes down and there's more rain in the forecast.
Well, my heart's with you tomorrow. She is out there!
Miss you guys a bunch...
Hi Guys -
Today was Pancake Day - we missed eating breakfast with you guys!! Owen ate 6-sausage links, while Avery ate 5-pancakes. The art fair was a cold a wet one....didn't get much. We had a birthday party to go to after....a friend of Owen's. They had inflatables in their front yard...lots of fun!! Avery made it up the obstacle course...about 8-feet up....a little boy knocked her back down.....finally again....the same little stinker pushed her down....with no tears finally again made it to the top and she BIT HIM....I pretended not to see, walked away....one of those "mom" moments I would have called you on my cell phone asking you frantically "what do I do?" In a sick kind of way, I was very proud of her! :)
We bought Owen a bike yesterday....he is thrilled!! Avery just wears her bike helmet around our house....like a normal piece of clothing!
We planned our summer vacation for July...we are flying to Pennsylvania....sesame place and site seeing. FUN!!
Avery is going potty on the toilet...I gave her a gift bag today of "undies." She was very upset with us last night....she wanted a snack before going potty...as she was sitting and tinkeling...she told us she was going to "eat her leg." ...with her big pouty face.....:)
Hope you are doing OK.....think about you lots.
Love,
Maria, Brian, Owen, and Avery Sell
XOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Hi Cheryl--
I have been following your blog daily and really am amazed at how strong you, Jack, and Hailey have been throughout this whole ordeal. I'm sure you know that all of us back at EMS miss you and think of you daily and hope that your luck changes and you find the child that will be the perfect fit for your family. You all have a great deal of determination and perseverence so I know it will happen--the sooner the better! Hang in there and keep thinking positive thoughts-all of us back here will do the same.
Take care,
Pete
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