The Passport Has Landed

This morning at about 9:20, Helen picked up Maxim's passport at Kiev's main railway station. She has it in safe keeping for Monday morning's appointment. I was writing to my parents earlier this evening that being able to feel truly confident about the timing of anything has been a long lost treasure for the last couple of months. Ukraine is a beautiful country in many ways, with an amazing and complicated history, yet we were so caught up in the adoption, we never saw it through the eyes of tourists. I don't regret focusing as we needed to on adopting Maxim, but it does feel strange to be heading home in just a few days without feeling like I have experienced in Ukraine what I would have under other circumstances. I suppose people will here in the future that we have been to this land, and they will ask questions we are not prepared to answer. I am thankful for the resources available so that after we're all home, we can continue to learn about Maxim's home land. It will be important to share with him.

Yesterday, I received several documents that I can finally read in English and the details are necessary to be aware of but it will be a long time before Maxim's ready to see any of it. That his mother walked away four days after his birth and never came back. Signed him away the day he was born. That he has a brother and does not get to know him for the time being; maybe never. A myriad of details that should not be part of any child's history. How I wish none of this were part of Maxim's story.

May his days from now on be filled with peace, love, security, confidence in those around him, a blossoming relationship with his Creator, and all the things a child is meant to experience. What a wonderful thing it will be to see him grow, learn, experience lasting friendships, and find out what it is to be in a family that stays along side him for the long haul. Finally, someone in his life that is not going to give up on him; instead he has friends and family who have praying for his well- being, healing, peace of mind and so many other things for a year now. Before we were ever face to face. May this be a tiny picture to him of how our Heavenly Father knew all of us and loved all of us before we ever took a breath. If he grows in wisdom from God as we pray he will, Maxim will understand that concept better than most of us maybe.

Adoption is the process of being hand-picked to enter a family (let me clarify that we did not hand pick Maxim; it appears that way to an outsider but he was chosen by God for us). God has hand picked each of His children. There is no way to fully take that in. I posted before about how I understand this a little better after meeting so many here who have not been exposed to the idea of a real God and the possibility of being in a two way relationship with Him. But for the grace of God, any of us who call ourselves believers could just as easily be completely unaware of Him or unconvinced that He is anything unique from the gods of the world. To have Him reveal Himself and work in our hearts and minds everyday, both encouraging and correcting, is a miracle. A miracle. A miracle. If I really get that, I ought to be dancing in the streets like David (danced with joyful abandon in praise to the Heavenly Father). If I really get that, how can I be quiet and not proclaim the existence and power and love of the Almighty?

Homecoming will have its own interesting twists and unexpected nuances, but I am really looking forward to seeing what God has in store. To be His is to be in the perfect hands of the King of the Universe. How exciting is that?!

Just a note to warn all people who will be in or near the Kent County International Airport on Tuesday January 13 at around 9 p.m., there will be an unashamed blubbering idiot reuniting with her hubby and children and introducing a little boy to his family. You might want to wear waders.