May 31st!

Praise God!

Kostya just sent word. We've got an appointment for May 31st (in case you haven't figured it out yet :-) Looks like we'll need to leave on the 29th - I'll update you on that.

Colleen got the email. Kostya usually emails both of us. Needless to say I was surprised by the teary phone call I got from Colleen.

All she said was "May 31st". I immediately know what she meant but I wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or not - I still have no idea about Colleen's schedule at work. Looks like it's ok though.

The NAC director looked up Larisa's name and said she's available for adoption. My understanding is "available" is a loose term - no one is available until a Unkrainian judge says so and by that time the child is instantly unavailable (joining a family wanting to adopt).

Please continue to keep this in prayer.

Okay, I promised a briefing on "The Russian Connection" so here goes.

Ethan and Ryan wrestled this past winter. At one practice, I heard one man speaking to one of the wrestlers in what sounded like Russian to me. So I asked him. He was speaking Russian to his son Nikita (hopefully the spelling is correct).

Turns out Nikita was in the chess club I ran (I had no clue he was Russian). Pete, Nikita's father, and I talked quite a bit during practices. He and his wife Oxana have a daughter Larisa's age (Marsha). When we got a letter from Larisa, Nikita interpreted some of it. He gave up because he was out of practice. We later found out he did much better than he gave himself credit for.

We lost contact with them because things got sporadic for both of us near the end of the season.

About a month ago Colleen and I went to Easton to a friend's promotion party. We took the Dover Road back (this does connect) as it must lead to Dover and we needed to do some shopping. The Dover Road does not lead to Dover.

We eventually got there. But not before finding the Super Walmart just south in Canton. We were looking for luggage and some things for Larisa. Checking out who was standing there but Pete and Oxana! They said they'd been thinking about us and would like to help anyway they can.

We've had dinner at each other's house since. Wonderful people. Marsha is a lovely, levelheaded girl who should be a terrific influence on Larisa.

Everytime I think about this I can't help being awed by God's complete care and provision for us.