“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

     That last couple of weeks in the Atchley house have been quite busy, but first I would like to start out with a thank you. A thank you to a very special person that I am not sure I can ever pay back the kindness she has bestowed upon our family, Aunt Marie.  She has been there for our family along with her daughter in some of our families toughest times in the past, and now she has done it again out of no where.  I have not discussed the financial aspect of the international adoption process due to the fact our family can shoulder that burden currently.   However, out of the blue we receive a small letter from our aunt.  As I opened it I really did not think that there would be check inside, but there it was falling out on my kitchen table.  The amount was not important, even though it was significant, but the thought behind it made me speechless.  In fact Liz had to call her first because I had no idea how to really receive the gift or say thank you appropriately.  I at first instantly felt guilty as Marie always seems to be the person to think of us, and I can not think of a time when I have thought to do something for her personally.  I figure Aunt Marie you must be reading this for you to know about what is going on around here, so I want you to know how much it means to us and Thank You.
     Second on the Atchley's week of excitement list and the reason it took awhile for me to publish this blog is Aunt Marie's granddaughter Jordyn came to interview here for a job in a transplant ICU.(She thinks she wants to be like me, hopefully nicer though)  Even though they offered her the job almost immediately it was a tough decision for her to make.   I finally got word today that she will be moving to OKC from Las Vegas to accept the job.  Our family can not be more excited as we really enjoy Jordyn and her families company, and look forward to seeing them for the holidays again.  We also hope it will entice her little sister to maybe think about attending University here.  It is really going to be a blessing to us to have such a wonderful part of our family come to stay with us.  So, Jordyn if you don't mind staying with your geriatric cousin, your room is ready.

     Last on our blessing list is some news about Masha.  Our paper work has officially been submitted as of today.  Now we sit and wait on a travel date to go get her.  We have heard it can be 2-3 weeks for the date to be given, and they usually give you 2-3 weeks to make arrangements to come.  So we are looking to travel the end of October to the first of November.   Please keep us in your thoughts as we are still conflicted on how to make the trip, and the decision does not seem to be getting any easier as we get closer to actually having to do it.

The Paperwork Has Been Delivered

     All of our paperwork has hit the ground in the Ukraine and has been delivered for translation thanks to another family adopting from the same orphanage.  Everything is out of our hands for awhile now, and the waiting game begins.  The estimated date for us to travel to go get Masha will more than likely be the end of October or first of November.  This is only an estimate and completely contingent on our paperwork being approved.   It is just good to know we are done running all over the state getting notaries and notaries for notaries. 
     Masha did receive her cell phone from us, and the girls have talked to her just about everyday since.   I have even gotten to talk to her several times now.   Unfortunately my Russian is severely lacking so if my conversations make it past 30 seconds I would be surprised.  It is good to hear her voice though, and she does always respond to me in English.
     Now for our biggest concerns as we move forward.  Number one on our list is our girls when we travel.  Liz's sister Allyson has offered to come stay at our house while we are gone, but that does not make it easy to leave them.   Carley(7) did not do to well the last time we left for just a week, and she is already worried about this trip.  We have discussed taking them with us, but we both believe they are too young to go on this trip.  It will be heart breaking to leave without them.   I plan to come back as soon as I can, but it looks as if that could take 2-3 weeks before I could return.    This will weigh the heaviest on our hearts while we are gone.    Right now we just have to pray that support from our friends and family will be enough to keep our girls comforted while we are gone.  Second on the list really just involves myself.  I usually have to schedule vacation 4-6 months in advance do to my profession.   Being that the dates are unknown it will be last minute.   I am very thankful to have a great group of partners that have been very understanding of the situation.  It will still be very hard to cover that much call if it lasts over two weeks.  Hopefully the right thing to do will present itself to us before we actually get a travel date that will help to put our mind at ease.
     Please keep our family in your thoughts as we move forward to bring Masha home.

This Is It!!!

     I am just going to cut to the chase here and come right out with it,  Masha is available to be adopted as of July, 2011!  We just got the official news late this afternoon.   We have not even gotten to tell the girls yet since they are at gymnastics right now, but I am sure there will be some screaming as soon as they know.  Liz and I both feel like 100lbs has been lifted off our shoulders.  This is the news we have been waiting on since the day Masha left, and now we almost have all the puzzle pieces in place to go and get her. If everything goes perfect we could be traveling to go get her Mid October, and have her home by Thanksgiving.  What a gift for the Holiday.
    It would not be life though if everything went perfect today.  I am pretty sure that is only reserved for heaven.  Today was also a frustrating day at the same time. We, Liz mostly, has been all over our paper work from the start.  Almost everything is done and turned in with only two things left to be sent.  Believe it or not a letter that took 3 weeks to get got lost by Virginia(the State) that was sent to get Notarized, and the FBI lost our finger prints.   We were hoping to send everything to the Ukraine on Thursday with another family, which would not only saved us some money but also sped the process up a couple of weeks.  I personally did not expect everything in the paperwork arena to go smoothly so it was not such a big deal to me.  I have been just waiting for a hiccup at some point, and here is our first one.  Hopefully this will be the only one for awhile.
  On a much brighter note we have gotten a significant amount of contact with Masha.   We have received 3 letters from her to date, Liz has talked with her on the phone about every third day, and she has received two packages we sent her with another on the way.  Masha's letters are very sweet. She mostly talks about how much she misses both the little girls, and how much she loves our family.  I never thought she would really send letters, but we have gotten one every 2 weeks.  I hope she keeps this up until we get her home.  It makes going to the mailbox exciting every afternoon. 

First Day of School is a Big Holiday in Ukraine.

We sent Flowers and a Bear.

Keira Abigail Atchley

  Just when all is right in the world and you are cruising along just fine you are bound to be thrown a change-up or curve ball.   Lets just say that was exactly what it was like when we both found out Liz was pregnant with our Keira Abigail.  At the time Liz and I both felt we had this perfect little house, and had even discussed not having anymore kids as Carley was just about perfect and we were perfectly content ourselves.  Then BAMM, Liz is pregnant even on birth control.  Lets just say Liz was not immediately happy about gaining weight again.   I tried hard to reassure her she was beautiful, but and I quote "You have no idea what it is like to have your butt fat touch your back fat!"  I can pretty much say I was mud in the house during the entire pregnancy and everything wrong in the world was my fault for 9 months.  My sister in-law Leah that lived with us at the time can back this up if Liz tries to say I am exaggerating. In fact, half way through the pregnancy with Keira I was really worried if I was ever going to get my sweet kind loving wife back.

    Then the miracle happened and Keira Abigail was born.  As soon as she came out I had the wife back that I have always known, and we had another little girl.   I will be the first to say before Keira we were almost boring. Everything was too textbook easy and planned.  After Keira our lives have been on fire, which we both agree now is exactly what we needed.  Keira Abigail added a dimension to our family we had no idea we were missing until we got her.  She brought a different type of energy and love to the house that I am not sure we have ever experienced.  I make many references to my mother, and for those that knew her know how charismatic and loving she was.  Well, Keira Abigail could be a mini Carla in her own way in more ways than just looks.  People are just drawn to her regardless of their age. She puts off an energy that is almost impossible to ignore, and gives hugs that make you feel like you are the most special person to her in the entire world.   Where my Carley Elisabeth is calculated and reserved, my Keira is spur of the moment and free spirited.  I want to be careful not to sound like she is handful, because her manors and behavior are impeccable.  She just has a much higher energy level than anyone else in the house, which keeps us on our toes.  Keira was definitely what our family needed. She took a bland boring house, added some much needed spice, and I love her more than ever for it.

Я тебя люблю Keira,

Daddy.