Vitaliy is doing well! He is learning all that he can about being in a family. What does it mean? I can see this question roll across his face several times a day. What does a momma do? What does a papa do? What is my role as a son? These are questions that we, who have never been orphaned, just don't think about.
The first few days Vitaliy wouldn't let me do anything for him, then he wanted me to do everything. First I didn't exist then I was his slave. He is searching the boundaries to the question, what does a momma do? Probably the hardest quest for him, is what is he supposed to do. Without Grace and Hanna near to model a child in a family this question is simply impossible to figure out. We are getting him to learn to ask when he wants to do something, i.e. eat a fifth banana in 30 minutes! Last night we were Skyping with Grace and Hanna and Hanna asked me over Skype if she could have some ice cream. Vitaliy's eyes got wide and he looked at her and me for a response. I asked her if she ate her dinner and if she had some fruit. After I was satisfied with her answer I told her she could have some. Hanna then did a triumphant "YES!". Vitaliy laughed and I saw a flash of understanding in his eyes. Praising God for these moments!
We arrived in Kiev yesterday after a very early morning. Vitaliy was packed and ready to leave Simferopol! After getting off the plane, we went to the hospital for a physical for his US Visa. The doctor asked him what my name was and he looked confused and said, "Momma". lol Then he asked what he would tell the police if he got lost and couldn't find me. He said, "Momma Thompson". This kid cracks me up. (yes, he does know my name) After the hospital, we were off to the US Embassy. It was the closest I have been to home in 2 1/2 years! The red, white, and blue and English speakers was a beautiful site to behold! I almost cried. The Embassy was new looking, clean, big, and welcoming. Ah bliss! No pictures though, because our cameras and phones were not allowed inside. After filling out many documents we were off to the Italian Embassy. Unfortunatly, things weren't as wonderful there. The people were very kind but English was a problem. After speaking and learning Russian for so long, I had almost completely forgotten Italian. It was very confusing! The poor woman was trying in English and then forgot a word I told her to try in Italian and then she forgot her Italian because she was trying to speak in English. LOL We had a good laugh. Vitaliy was looking at us like we had lost our minds. In the end we were told that they were unable to issue a Visa to enter Italy without first entering the USA. Brandon and I are going to work on the details of this new, complicated, information today.
We are off to the US Embassy today at 1400 to find out all that we can so we can get this boy home were he belongs, with his family. He may not know what family really means yet, but God is showing him a better way. Being part of a family has been God's master plan for all of eternity, after all, God first adopted us.
Ephesians 1:5
The first few days Vitaliy wouldn't let me do anything for him, then he wanted me to do everything. First I didn't exist then I was his slave. He is searching the boundaries to the question, what does a momma do? Probably the hardest quest for him, is what is he supposed to do. Without Grace and Hanna near to model a child in a family this question is simply impossible to figure out. We are getting him to learn to ask when he wants to do something, i.e. eat a fifth banana in 30 minutes! Last night we were Skyping with Grace and Hanna and Hanna asked me over Skype if she could have some ice cream. Vitaliy's eyes got wide and he looked at her and me for a response. I asked her if she ate her dinner and if she had some fruit. After I was satisfied with her answer I told her she could have some. Hanna then did a triumphant "YES!". Vitaliy laughed and I saw a flash of understanding in his eyes. Praising God for these moments!
We arrived in Kiev yesterday after a very early morning. Vitaliy was packed and ready to leave Simferopol! After getting off the plane, we went to the hospital for a physical for his US Visa. The doctor asked him what my name was and he looked confused and said, "Momma". lol Then he asked what he would tell the police if he got lost and couldn't find me. He said, "Momma Thompson". This kid cracks me up. (yes, he does know my name) After the hospital, we were off to the US Embassy. It was the closest I have been to home in 2 1/2 years! The red, white, and blue and English speakers was a beautiful site to behold! I almost cried. The Embassy was new looking, clean, big, and welcoming. Ah bliss! No pictures though, because our cameras and phones were not allowed inside. After filling out many documents we were off to the Italian Embassy. Unfortunatly, things weren't as wonderful there. The people were very kind but English was a problem. After speaking and learning Russian for so long, I had almost completely forgotten Italian. It was very confusing! The poor woman was trying in English and then forgot a word I told her to try in Italian and then she forgot her Italian because she was trying to speak in English. LOL We had a good laugh. Vitaliy was looking at us like we had lost our minds. In the end we were told that they were unable to issue a Visa to enter Italy without first entering the USA. Brandon and I are going to work on the details of this new, complicated, information today.
We are off to the US Embassy today at 1400 to find out all that we can so we can get this boy home were he belongs, with his family. He may not know what family really means yet, but God is showing him a better way. Being part of a family has been God's master plan for all of eternity, after all, God first adopted us.
God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. (NLT)
Ephesians 2:19
So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. (NLT)
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