Praise God We Are Home!!!

We arrived home on Wednesday evening after a long, tiring and exhausting plane ride. To say the least the plane ride was not fun and enjoyable-it was HORRIBLE!!! Mason and Micah both had a very hard time traveling in an airplane and being restrained. The seatbelts were a nightmare!!! On one plane Micah had difficulty and on the other plane Mason had difficulty and on the last plane they both finally fell asleep about the last 30 minutes of the trip. It was then that I finally was able to go to the restroom. At last peace and quite came over both Mason and Micah.

I never imagined that the boys would fight me, kick, scream, bite and try to even punch the other passengers on the plane. I was so embarresed but I also realized that this was normal for the boys to behave this way. I kept apolozing for the boys behavior.

It just amazes me how God placed wonderful people on each plane that were understanding, kind and willing to help me with the boys. I just give God all the glory for how He worked everything out on our plane rides. I wish I could say that all the flight connections went Great-but I can't. But....God got us home right on time to be greeted by a Wonderful crowd of family and friends. The airport was packed. The boys were so excited to be home and loved playing with all the children that showed up at the airport. Everyone has been so gracious and kind to us

since we have been home. I was a little concerned that the boys wouldn't have anything to wear but everyone once again has provided for their needs.

I can't even begin to say Thank You to everyone that has loved our family and taken care of us these last 60 plus days. Thank You so much for all you have done for our family!!!

Keep posted to our blog as I will be updating about our family of "6"

LOVE TO YOU ALL!!!!

We're Coming to America (tomorrow morning)!!!

Well, Everyone the day finally has come that we are coming HOME!!! I have all documents in my hands to get the boys to AMERICA! We can't wait so please pray that the trip goes well for all of us.

This journey has been long, tiring, at times confusing, expensive, there have been wheepy days, sad days, lonely times, rejoicing time, times of Praise, and most of all an Awesome journey that God has had His hand in every step of it. We serve an Awesome and Mighty God that can and will do the most unbelievable and amazing things. Kirk and I never imagined how God was going to use us when we began this journey over two years ago. He has showed us His amazing love and power though our entire adoption journey or should I say His adoption journey for our family. I am also grateful for the time that God gave Kirk and I as husband and wife to have a time to bond our marriage even more. What a wonderful time we had just hanging together for all those many weeks of just waiting on the paperwork and the process of this adoption.

It's hard to imgaine now what it would be like not to have Mason and Micah in our family. I am so Thankful that God has used us to help make their life a better place. What a joy it will be when they accept Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour!!! We can't wait for the day that they understand how many loved them even before they knew they. WOW!!!

Words can not express how grateful we are to everyone that has loved us, prayed for us and has financially supported our family through this journey of Faith. Thank You to Morgan and Mitchell that have been very patient and willing to share their mom and dad with their new little brothers.

As I sign off from Ukraine-all I can think is WOW-We SERVE AN AWESOME AND MIGHTY GOD!!! Thank You Lord for everything that You have taught our family and will continue to do!!!

NEXT POST FROM AMERICA!!!!

Just waiting....

SORRY FOR ANY Mistakes-Spell check is not working:

Today has been very uneventful for us. We went to McDonalds for breakfast because we are out of food again in the apartment. I plan to go to the market in a litttle while. We just have tonight and tomorrow and we are headed home!!! We can't wait!!! I am praying that we get home in time to eat supper at church and visit with everyone. I know we will be tired but it will be ok. After being gone for 2 months I am ready to see everyone at the church and all the kiddos. Right now if the internet works the tv does not so someone is suppose to be here to fix both so I might without internet for a little while.

You might be wondering how I am doing.....well I'm not crazy yet but getting really close. HA! HA! You can only walk so much and set in an apartment for so long. This journey has been long, interesting, completely relying on God all the way, lonely at times and AWESOME!!!! Even though it's been tough at times we would not have changed it for the world. Great things come in small packages and when you follow God's direction and not your own. There are now two less orphans in Ukraine due to stepping out in Faith and following God's direction for our lives.
Thanks to so many of you that have prayed for us, taken care of Morgan and Mitchell, supported us financially, facebooked us, skyped us and just loved us during this time.

We know that a new journey will be beginning in our lives as we continue to raise Morgan, Mitchell, Mason and Micah so pray for our family as new challenges will begin!!!!

I can't wait to see everyone and you meet our two new sons!

Prayer Request:
Pray that the boys will travel well
The Pilot of the planes
We stay on schedules with no delays
That I am able to handle the boys in the airports with no problems

What a day...

This morning as my status on facebook I posted, "God is in control and this day is His". Little did I know what today was going to hold. Yesterday I was trying get to an early flight home and today I was having to schedule a later flight home. The passports that came by train, only one was sent-not sure how in the world that happened but it did. So, the other one was put on a plane and that flight was canceled so it came on a later flight which meant no visas for the boys and the Embassy is closed on Monday for MLK Day-or you kidding me. So, our appointment to pick up their visas is on Tuesday morning. Please pray that we can get an afternoon flight out of here on Tuesday if not first thing Wednesday morning, which means we can be at church on Wednesday night-I can't wait!!!!
I was able to read a little about the boys background today-my I can't even imagine what they went through. Maybe I will post some about that later but right now the boys are asleep and I need to be. Keep Praying for us! I should say Thank's for praying because I know you all are.

3 more days....

Monday is coming and we can't wait!!! Today I was able to get the boys medicals and VISA appointments done, which means tomorrow at 10:00a.m. we have another appointment to pick up their VISAS and we will be done in Ukriane. I can't believe tomorrow will 2 months that I have been here. I am so ready to get back to my family, church family and friends. We will be arriving at the Monroe airport on Monday at 4:51p.m. WOOHOO!!! WHOOT! WHOOT! Yeepee!!!!! Ok-I think ya'll understand the excitement. Please pray for Mason, I think he has realized that he might never see his friends from the orphanage again. He had a rough day today. He was sad and cried alot. They call the orphanages-Internat and he keep talking about the Internat today. I understood him enough to know that reality is sinking in. I was worried about this because he didn't even get to tell his friends there bye. Keep him in your prayers.

Lord, You are all I need...

"Lord, You are I need when I am empty or by myself"...this is what I heard God speaking to me today as I (we) listened to 88.7 (via internet)

Just a little update:

Today has been a day of just hanging around the apartment and spending some quality time together. The boys had a Great day today. They played well together and I didn't hear a whole out of them. We also communicated better with one another today. I think they have been quite overwhelmed with everything going on around them.

When we to market this evening they both were picking out some soups and all I could hear was mama, mama, mama and they both were so excited about helping buy groceries. If I had to guess what they were saying after mama it probably was something like buy this one, no buy this one, I like this one......I allowed them to pick out their own juice and you would have thought I gave them the world. It is amazing how I have learned that we (I) sometimes take alot of things for grant it.

Tonight at bedtime Mason was asking me for bedtime kisses instead of me begging for them from him. Micah welling gives me kisses. I love how he just giggles when he kisses me. How fun!!!! I also wonder what is going through both of their little heads. I pray that they fill LOVE in their hearts.

Well, it's 11:37p.m. here and I really need to get to bed. We have a BIG busy day tomorrow that includes, paper signing at the notary, doctor appointments for the boys medicals and paperwork at the Embassy for VISAS. All of this must be done before we can exit Ukraine prayerfully on Monday.

Silly Boys in PJ's

Micah Mason

CHECK THE POST AFTER

THIS ONE-I FORGOT TO

ADD THESE PICTURES

7 Days and counting!!!!

Today so far has been a fun day with the boys. We got up at 7:00a.m.-did you hear that? 7:00a.m. and not 4:30a.m. I was some kind of excited about that! I cooked breakfast (ok-toast and wienners) we got ready and set off to walk off some energy. I figured out that when the boys put on their jacket they must have been ready to walk, so we did.

Well....on our way walking we found a Toy Store-yes I had to buy something. We can only color so much a day and I thought-well the boys have nothing to play with in the apartment. They were so excited to each get 3 toys a piece. I let them pick out whay they wanted and they were able to get it if it would fit in their backpack for the plane ride because we have no extra suitcase space. We ate some lunch and headed back to the apartment.

We have been back at the apartment for a little while now and the boys have been playing the whole time. I have been able to blog with no interuptions. I do beleive they are enjoying their new toys. That was a well worth almost $40.00 I spent. I wonder have they ever been to toy store to get a new toy?

Did you notice that we have 7 days and we will be HOME-I can't wait!!!

FAITH is living out the plan that God has for your life if even when you can't see or understand it.

GiG Day!

Sorry-but I have tried everything to fix this one. The boys were telling Ira bye. She was our facilitator the whole time in Berdyansk. It was very sad leaving her-she loves what she does.

Outside of Orphanage leaving for GOOD!!!

Where Ira and I sat for 4 1/2 hours for birth certificates

Village where boys were born

God Is Good Day!

YES! I have the boys but I have been without internet since we returned to Kyiv to finish waiting for all the remaining stuff with adoptions. I picked the boys up on Thursday morning at around 9:00a.m. Everything went pretty smooth as I checked them out with I think everyone in the region. The Preschool Director watched me as I dressed the boys and questioned me about everything along the way. Like I didn't know how to dress them or I was going to take the orphanages clothes. I am sure she was making sure that I was going to take good care of them. The boys were brought to us and we weren't able to tell everyone bye except for the office people. The director did give me the orpahnages website and asked me to keep in touch. She also gave the boys and myself lots of goodbye hugs and kisses and Thanked me for adopting them and Papa to in America. There is alot to post but I am a little tired and I need to sleep when the boys sleep so I will try to remember to post more. I will say that we finished our day in the boys region with snow, ice and frozen roads. I had never seen a frozen lake but I did that day.

The boys are doing fine and only had a few meltdowns. I keep getting asked about America-I do believe they are ready to get home.

We are calling the day that we got the boys from the orphanage "GiG Day"(God is good) because God has been way beyond good to us everyday of this journey!!! January 6th will always be a day that our family celebrates Mason and Micah becoming an Albritton.

I have posted pictures of the day. Please continue to keep us in your prayers and Thank You again for doing so!!!

One More Day.....

This morning began at 6:00a.m. and ended at 8:00p.m. After 4 1/2 hours the boys are legally Albritton's. Because we did not finish until 8:00p.m. with todays paperwork I was unable to pick them up today. But...in the morning at 8:00a.m. I will be picking up Mason and Micah Albritton!!!! We will finish some more paperwork and then travel on an over night train to Kyiv where we will wait for their passports, have medical exams done and clear up everything at the US Embassy. After all of this is complete we will be heading home!!!! Praise God! Please pray as we board a train that the boys and I will have a smooth ride to Kyiv. This should be an interesting time for us all. Thank you so much for all your comments and prayers during this time. I can't wait to get all of our family under one roof. My next post will be from Kyiv most likely on Friday.
LEANING ON THE EVERLASTING ARMS!

Time is drawing near...Wonderful!

I thought I would post now because tomorrow is going to be a very busy day. I will be leaving Berdyansk in the morning and heading out to Versele village where the boys were born. I will be very busy getting all paperwork ready for us to leave. I will be able to get the boys sometime tomorrow afternoon. I guess this plan is better since they want have to travel all over the place tomorrow in the car with us. Even though, I would much rather have them NOW!!! Our time is coming to an end in Berdyansk and I am so Happy and so are the boys. The internet has been acting up since yesterday so I will post when able. Please pray that all paperwork is correct, pray for the boys New Beginning and travel safety. I love you all and can't wait to get home!!!

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year to all! Who would have thought that I would have been spending two years in Ukraine? Kinda funny huh! Well, not really full years but 2010 and 2011. I was unable to post yesterday because the internet was acting crazy throughout the day so I just decided to save it for today. My morning of the the New Year began skyping with dear friends from home. It was a wonderful time of just talking and sharing about everything going on with the boys here and things going on back home. I can't wait to get back home to see my family, friends and worship with my church family. Our church family has been Wonderful to us during this time. It is always Great to hear from them daily through facebook, emails and skyping. I also appreciate the children that sent cards with Kirk and I on this journey. It won't be long before the boys and I began our journey home. WOOHOO!!!! They can't wait and neither can I!!!!

It was so exciting to play with the boys yesterday because we were allowed to play outside. Up until this point we have only been able to play inside in a not so wonderful child playing room. They had a blast outside and I posted some of the pictures for you to see.

The post today might be lengthy but I would like to share what God laid on my heart yesterday morning so just bare with me and please forgive my mispelling:

How sad I was as I looked out my window this morning and saw a couple that appeared to be drunk from I guess a New Year's eve party. They couldn't even stand up and actually were on the ground in just minutes. I wander what are they thinking? They are NUTS! How can they act so dumb? My heart also breaks thinking -Do they even know who Jesus is? How can they not know? He is everywhere!!! Just look around! Sometimes do I miss what God is saying to me? Do I ignore what He wants me to do? No-I don't drink, never been drunk and have no desire to begin but do I act drunk about what God would have me to do. Lord, I pray that I never miss and opportunity to serve You!!! God-You are Awesome-way beyond our comprehension! I sit in a country today that I see no evidence of Christ in the lives of people-Do they see Christ in me? Oh, Lord-I pray they do. I know that Christ is with me because He has carried me with His loving arms daily. Are you allowing God to work through you this new year? Are you making a difference in the life of a non-Christian? Does the world see Christ in you? Are you listening to God? Do you care about the dying and lost world around you? Allow God to work through you and in you this new year!

The one thing that kept ringing in my heart yesterday was "God's Still Working on Me".

Well, I pray that God can use this post to touch soemone's heart. Have A Great Sunday!