Precious Day!

After waiting for two hours at the City Administration Office for several documents to be signed and dropping off these documents for notarization, we picked up an "Inspector" and headed to #5. There, photo albums in hand, we walked into Nina, the Orphanage Director's, office. She was kind - asked questions, was interested in the photos, our family (6 biological children?!?), Katya's visit to the U.S., and our visit to Odessa this summer. Then, Alyona, our amazing facilitator, translated for Nina, "We have invited Katya in."

Here was the moment that I had been both longing for, and fearing. Would motherly affection rise up in me? Would she be quiet? Would she be mad that the other children weren't with us? How would she respond to seeing us actually there for the purpose of bringing her into our family.

The instant she walked in the room hair in a ponytail, wearing denim overalls up to her knees, a pajama shirt on underneath, striped socks, and black ankle boots, I knew she was our daughter - really our daughter. I had proclaimed this, believed it, walked out in faith on this declaration and experienced it to a certain extent, but something changed at that instant. I would fight for her. I would die for her, as I would any of my children. I held her, and she wiped a tear from her eye...

Bill pulled her up in his lap, just held her, and we began to look at the photo albums. Excitedly she narrated the pages telling Nina, Alyona, the Inspector, Papa, and Mama about everything she had done with US - in America AND in Odessa. We showed her a picture of our house to make SURE that she knew that she was coming home with us, that we were not moving to Odessa. We showed her pictures of her room - her bed, Piper's bed, Pooh Bear, pink comforters, butterflies, and flowers. One by one she pointed out her brothers and sisters telling everyone in the room their names. We told her what they have each told us - they love her and want her to be their sister.

Then, she wrote her declaration. She wrote out in beautiful Cyrillic longhand, "I, Kateryna Grabchenko, desire to be adopted and become the daughter of Cynthia and William Finley ... and much more." Every child who is SIX YEARS OLD or older has to write such a declaration. The weightiness of the moment was nearly palpable for me and Bill too as he held this little lamb in his arms as she gave up her old name, her old identity, her old life in favor of the new.

Much has been accomplished today - in paperwork, in our hearts, and in the Kingdom.