Good Bye New Hampshire:(

Today is the last day in New Hampshire. We had to say good bye to our cousins on Monday, which was really sad. We have been at my grandmas and Toby has fallen in love with this singing Santa the shakes his hips. He starts snapping and shaking his hips. Its hilarious to watch him. For my auntie it was hard to say good bye to Toby, because she grew attached to him. Tommorrow mornig we head off to Nebraska. Please pray for us to have safe travels and that Toby will do as well as he had done. Good bye mountains. good bye trees, here we come cornfields.

Christmas!!

 

Today is Christmas as you all may know. Toby was smiley all day. I think he liked ripping the paper instead of getting the presents. He got Patriot, Celtic, Red Sox, etc. But as you may know since we have to drive back to Nebraska, we only had 1/2 of our Christmas. We have had so much fun at auntie and mammys house. We have made sugar cookies and auntie just adores little T.J.  More pics to come:)

Trip to NH

On Friday night at about 8:00 we set out on the road to go to NH. Toby did REALLY well every rest stop we would let him walk around, but he mostly slept the whole way(which was good). We made it here in 28 hours!! God is AMAZING!!! We didn't see a flake of snow or even a hint of traffic. We arrived here safely on Sunday at 1:00am. We surprised our auntie and she hasn't even met T.J yet. She was in tears when she saw us it was AWESOME!!! Well I'll keep you updated on T.J's 1st Christmas and New Year. Also don't forget to order Mia Bella candles.
                                

Fundraiser



Here is little Gracie. Isn't she sweet?

 My family is selling Mia Bella candles to help a friend bring her little girl, Gracie, home from an orphanage in Russia! They are 16 oz. double wick canldes in MANY scents for $20. They would make GREAT Christmas presents!!! Let me know if you are interested!
     

 Scroll down to see T.J.s first time with Santa
                    

T.J.'s 1st time seeing Santa!!!

Last Saturday T.J. got to see Santa for the 1st time!! We didn't know how he was going to react, but all he did was stare at him thinking who is this weird guy. Also I forgot to mention T.J. LOVES music!!! He also learned some new dancing moves:) He now barely crawls and he is able to do karate kicks, spin, reach down and grab stuff off the floor. Boy, has he grown!!!

Update





T.J. and his big sissies!!





T.J. and his Papa



GOO!! Patriots



What can I say? I LOVE American food!!



Hi everyone you are probably wondering what happend or how is T.J.. Well once my dad got home we got to busy that he just for got about blogging. So I'm here to give you the update. We were so happy once my dad and T.J. got home. We were waiting for that day for months and it had finally come!! Now, I couldm't imagine myself without T.J. He has earned alot, and gained alot! He learned sign language he can even talk a little. He can also walk!  He is a mimicker. He copies EVERYTHING!!! Whenever he hears music he'll bob his head and tap his hand, snap his fingers, roll his arms, or someother dance moves that we have never seen. He LOVES cars especially papa's truck. Every day after my dad comes home from work my dad will play with T.J., then after awhile T.J will start making a car sound and dad give T.J. a little ride in his truck. He just loves his papa!! Right now he is in to hitting or punching himself when he is notty. He also has gained over 5 pounds!!! He just loves American food. He also got 16 teeth pulled!!! So he has only five teeth and on those teeth are silver crowns. So right now T.J. can only eat mushy stuff and some times meat. His favorite thing to eat is either French Fries, ice cream, and mashed or sweet potatos. Other than that T.J. the cutiest most cuddliest thing I have ever seen!! What a wonderful gift God has blssed us with!! Oh, and in case your wodering this is EmmaLee T.J.'s biggest sister.





Pete the Purple Pumpkin

Pete the Purple Pumpkin

Written By EmmaLee McDonald

Dedicated to my little pumpkin Toby. There once was this purple pumpkin named Pete. Unlike any other pumpkin, Pete was purple. Every fall he hoped he would get picked. But every fall he didn’t get picked, he wondered why. He thought, “Sure I might be purple, but you can still carve me and eat my seeds.” The only thing different was his outside. People would look at him and then laugh. Every pumpkin thought that Pete was the kindest, sweetest pumpkin ever! They also wondered why Pete wasn’t getting picked. Now, Pete was getting older and the farmers said that if Pete didn’t get picked this fall, he would have to be thrown away. Pete didn’t want this to happen, so he hoped this fall would be different. Two days went passed and people only looked at him and laughed. Then, the next day, a little girl with a pink tutu and a tiara looked at Pete and said “I want this one.” Pete was so overjoyed. This girl loved Pete the most. Once this girl carved him, she placed him on her porch.  That evening, she saw all of the neighbors on her lawn.  Hoping they weren’t making fun of Pete, she ran out.  Then, she realized what they were all staring at.  It was a light brighter than any she had ever seen, shining from within Pete, without even one candle.  It was a light that shown from within.  Then, people came from far and wide to see this bright, little pumpkin.  Just imagine what the world would have missed if Pete were simply thrown away.  Even though people may look different on the outside, true beauty comes from within.

To God be the glory, great things He has done!

Good Morning Everyone,

We are on Friday while your still on Thursday! Our Friday will last 32 hours! WOW!

We are getting ready to leave our apartment for home, the great U.S. of A! Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. He is, was and will be Lord of this trip and our lives! I have seen Him go before and make this "experience" a magnificent one! When I stop and think about how many times, so many things could have gone differently, I stop and thank God for answering my prayer of going before us on this journey! I have seen His hand everywhere. Psalm 5 says:
"Give ear to my words, O LORD,

consider my sighing.
Listen to my cry for help,
my King and my God,
for to you I pray.
In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before you
and wait in expectation.
 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil;
with you the wicked cannot dwell.
The arrogant cannot stand in your presence;
you hate all who do wrong.
You destroy those who tell lies;
bloodthirsty and deceitful men
hthe LORD abhors.
But I, by your great mercy,
will come into your house;
in reverence will I bow down
toward your holy temple.
Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies—
make straight your way before me.
Not a word from their mouth can be trusted;
their heart is filled with destruction.
Their throat is an open grave;
with their tongue they speak deceit.
Declare them guilty, O God!
Let their intrigues be their downfall.
Banish them for their many sins,
for they have rebelled against you.
But let all who take refuge in you be glad;
let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous;
you surround them with your favor as with a shield."

He has done just that! I have at times been under sever spritual attacks, but have cried out to our God who saves, and He has protected me! I am so proud to be a man of God. He is the Rock on whom we can trust.

Well, I wanted to remind you as scripture says to. To remember the things the Lord has done, this is nothing short of a miracle, this whole trip, month, adoption, etc. If you don't know Jesus Christ as your Savior, it's time you do. For those that know Him, and are on shaky ground, CRY OUT TO THE LORD, He loves you and wants to be there for you to see you through anything. He is ALIVE, ACTIVE, and most of LOVING!

Just as 1 Corinthians 16:13 says "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong." That applies to all who believe!  Come on now, fight the good fight with me, and as my favorite new saying says " Be Holy like Jesus, by the power of the Spirit, for the glory of God!"

I love you all with a Christ like love, we will see you soon Lord willing!

Toby and Toby Jr.

3 more days!

Hey Everyone,

I have to be quick because I have a flight to kiev that I have be up about 4:30am for.
We got our passports, too late for Ken, poor guy nothing has gone right for him. He did take a flight to Kiev this afternoon with Dennis. I will miss those guys!
We spent the rest of the day trying to see people and say goodbye. Like my pastry ladies, and I got my haircut from that great barber shop! Just crazy to think they only charge $3 US for the great job they do cutting hair! I will miss that!
I grabbed my kids one little gift, and then we went back and forth to the passport place.
Finally at 3pm they gave them to us.
I spent the day riding with Aleem. Anyone coming to Simferopole please let me know. I will put you in contact with him. He is a great kid, and he speaks great English. He has invited me back for his wedding next year! I get to meet his fiance in the morning!

So weird to think this is my last night here. I will be lost again in Kiev, but I will be bringing Dave with me so I will be fine. I will have to stop by the market of my favorite people up there. It will be nice to have Dave to translate.
Ok, I have packed everything, and it looks like I should be good to go. I have to bathe my son in the morning and feed that belly! Nadia is so cool she will come with food for him in the morning! Thank you Lord for a great sister in Christ!

Now I need to go to bed, and hope my wife or kids saw my message to Skype me before 5 am tomorrow. Also I hope I get up real fast and get moving!

I will try to communicate tomorrow night! I might be staying with another couple! That will be great!
Dobre Noche
Toby

Answers to comments:

The Fritzes are in Kiev now. They hope to leave tomorrow. Try to contact them.
Yes sir James, can't wait to meet you guys!

Today we are brought you by the number 4...

Hello again everyone!

One big prayer request is that I get the passport tomorrow, Tuesday, and I get the Visa done before Friday so we can be on a plane home on then.
We are only 4 days away from home, Lord willing.
TodayI was reading in Chronicles about how the Lord wiped away the Philistines because He went before David and his army. After the Lord did this, David declared just that! It was an encouragement to me, because lately I have been in more contact with the world, and have held back my zeal for the Lord, so as not to offend. The Spirit has been working on my heart ever since, and todays reading was the icing on the cake. No more "worrying" about offending the world, now I am going to start worrying about defending those people from hell with the Good News! Always speaking the Truth in Love.
Our God, and Savior Jesus Christ has brought me half way across the world to blow His people's socks off with the amazing power He has shown in giving us Toby Jr. NO WAY will I back down to tell of His goodness! Be praying for me and my son. May people see our good deeds and glorify our Father in Heaven!

Ok, if you have ever wonder what he looks like while sleeping in the middle of the night here you go:

 Today was a day where I mopped the floors here, cleaned all the dishes, and got the place half way ready for my new roommates, Ken and Dennis Fritz.

We had a good bath before they came. Do you like how I styled his hair today?I thought he looked cool!

This morning I tried making him oat, oat meal and he liked the first 2 bites then started spitting it out. I did not realize it had no flavor, so I grabbed my strawberry jelly and mixed it in. He still refused it. So we should not buy oatmeal for him. Then after I failed, we went to see Nadia. She made him so food of course and he ate it.

With a full belly and a new diaper it was time to head to the market and see what was happening there. He also just wanted to ride the bus! We ended up at Cafe Anepto where the good pizza is.

 Poor Ken has not eaten since yesterday. We got him a large "pepperoni" salami pizza. He did eat the whole thing without even sharing with this kitten:

(these are for you EmmaLee)

They literally crawl out of the woodwork here. Bob Barker would be having a canary (and then spay it of course!) :0)

Well we walked around town, and then we came back on the bus. Did I tell you he loves riding in automobiles? Then we got some wipes, milk, and yogurt. We walked home, and hung out with the Fritzes.

My son has finally stopped fighting the sleep calling him and is snoaring over here. What a good day, and we can't wait for tomorrow!

Have a great night everyone, and please pray for us!

Toby @ Toby Jr.

5 days to home!

Good Evening Everyone,

What a rough night, I got sick, and then all day until about 4pm my boy kept throwing up. I think we ate some bad rice at the bizarre yesterday. How nerve racking? I gave it up to God, and after his 3 1/2 minute nap, he was a ok!  (I praise you, Lord!) So he wanted to get out and take a stroll in the stroller and do his favorite, ride the bus! Without him throwing up I felt comfortable doing so.

 We went to my favorite restaurant here. It is called Creedo, I got my usual and my son some mashed potatoes. I got approached by a Ukrainian who lives in Sacramento, who wanted to know what was wrong with my son. For the first time in my life, I did not know what to say.The waiter took our picture sideways sorry! Actually we have figured out how to defy gravity! :0)

Well, we had a good dinner and we both kept it down! Yeah! So we walked about 2-3 miles to our old apartment to see that old lady we talked about before. On the way I stopped and bought him a balloon. He loves balloons.

What a great reception for Misha-TobyNotice she is holding him! She did a whole lot more like kiss, play, walk and dance with him! She also gave him presents!

Hey there's that beautiful american boy! :0)

This one is for you pastor Mike, this was him after he grabbed and yanked the cats tail!Dog LOVER!

Well we wore this great lady out, and we went to see Ken Fritz. He was doing great, and people please pray that the rest of the process goes smoothly for them!

Well my son fell asleep for about 2 minutes on our way to the McDonald's here. We just got the picture.

Then off to home on the machinka's (busses).  I know you can't tell but he loves this!

Then we stopped by that shooting range.

Are you as scared as I am by this picture? :0) Ladies shoot here, it is amazing. They pick up the weapons and use them like they are best friends. 

Well we came home and listened to My Bridge Radio online, while we waited for Mama, and sisters on Skype. They called but he was sleeping!

Shhh... don't wake him!

Well have a great night everyone!

We miss you!

6 days left

Good Evening Everyone,

Well today my son and I got up showered, and ventured off to the biggest bizarre here. I thought my wife and I walked through it before, but my goodness is it a lot bigger than we had seen. I did not even see it all today, but I was able to find a little present for my brother in law's wedding that we missed while here. I hope he will like it, because I have been searching for something unique for them while I have been here.
No pictures today everyone, I kind of had my hands full with a diaper bag, Misha-Toby and a stroller. I feel for all you single moms and dads out there! Now especially trying to take the public bus transportation with all that! Two Ukrainians were nice. Most of them are freaked out/prejudice about his down syndrome. It was really hard last night, we went to the chicken restaurant and the kind waitress was kind from a distance this time. Misha-Toby reached out to be held by her and she held her arms out straight and pushed him back to me. Same with the other waitress. Oh well, I am sure there will be plenty of real nice American ladies that can't wait to hold him! I got the same treatment through out the whole bizarre trip today. I was just really sad for these people. They have no idea what they are missing out on. He is a bundle of joy and laughter! He absolutely LOVES automobiles, especially riding in them. It was awesome to see, he actually fell asleep in my arms on the bus ride home. Only for a few minutes because when I went to get off, he awoke.
We made it home, and then Skyped Momma, and his big sisters. After that I went to the market to meet Nadia so I could buy some spaghetti, and have her show me what butter is, and good cheese. She is just great, she told me she has it all, and wants to make it! We followed her home then and of course she spoils my son with food. Imagine the biggest cereal bowl that you have in your kitchen she literally filled this thing to the brim with a rice and milk mixture for him. I tried only feeding him about 1/4 of it, but Nadia would not stop. What a great lady, she just loves my son! He did end up eating it all! Get ready Hon, he can eat more than me! (not that we will allow him too!) Then we came home after she stuffed me with spaghetti, sausage, salad, and bread. Then she was offering me more spaghetti! I was like NO WAY! I don't know what we are going to do once we leave Simferopole on Wednesday and stay in Kiev. My son is going to think I am starving him! Well tonight, Mini-me has fallen asleep right next to me so quickly! What a gift, thank you my Papa in heaven!
Well, I will hope to get some more pictures tomorrow. Until then please keep the rest of this trip and its details in your prayers, and thanks for commenting everyone!

Toby, and Toby Jr.

Thank you Jesus!

Hello everyone,

I am a day behind on the blog. Please forgive me as being a single father here is quite unusual.
Well, last time we spoke Misha-Toby as I am calling him now was fast asleep as a free boy. What an interesting night of sleep that was for me. Remember the bed is about 2 ft short for me? Well now with my son rolling like a rolling pin all night it has now shrunk by two feet the other direction. Then on top of me being nervous about him rolling off, waking up and not knowing where he is, suffocation, anything and I would say I slept about 2 hours total! What can I say? I felt like I was sleeping with one of my babie girls when they were infants. I was always so scared I would roll on top of them or something while I was sleeping. Thank the Lord for cribs, pack n plays etc! I probably would not of survived without them. But here, when he woke up and just started playing by himself, and then looking at me with his great BIG smile, I woke up easily! That's why I titled this Thank you Jesus, because by His grace we have laid down our lives to save Mini-me's and I cannot tell you what it is like to see him smile at you! You will have to experience it first hand! You just wanna squeeze him!

Well the first day of freedom brought many things, like a shower with Johnson's baby soap! Boy did he smell good! We also were treated to  home cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner by our land lady and son. They are Nadia, and Vitalic

Nadia is such a tremendous help!

Then we went to the ZOO with David, Davey, Nate, Breanna, and Timothy!

This Zoo is approximately the size of one our normal size public baseball/softball fields. It has lions, tigers, and bears oh my! It also has about 30 other animals in it. Just imagine how small this is for all these animals. These pictures you see of me are not shot while zooiming at all! Yes, I am that close. Scary, but cool at the same time!Then we went home. We were done with the Zoo in about a half hour. Mini-Me got to hang out with the kids. He loved it!

We went back for a lunch and an afternoon nap! Nadia watched him for me while I got to go the Metro with Ken Fritz. First, I had to help their oldest daughter Rox, get a translator to get her hair cut!This girl is so great she is keeping her hair to donate it back in America! I am very proud to know you ROXANNE! :0)I left before the hair do was done. Her parents say she loves it though. Guess what ladies, this cost 40 grievna to have her hair professionally cut and styled. That is $5 (US)

That is one thing I will miss about this place, what an awesome barber I have!

The day ended by lighting off some fireworks to celebrate the 4th late, and the adoption. Also, just to blow something up! YEE HAW! On the way back in from doing so this lady was running down the stairs franticly and she started rambling in Russian, I looked at her like "yo no comprendo". She started talking with Nadia and Vitalic, then she spoke perfect English. She was so frantic about the fireworks(which is totally legal and free to blow off at anytime here) She just moved here from Kiev with her husband and baby. I guess we were lighting them close to her sleeping babies window. I quickly apologized and next thing I know, I am invited to their home for a couple hours. Finally at 1:30 a.m. little Toby was falling asleep. I left and we went to bed. Today, was kind of a boring day, we just hung out all day. Then at dinner time we went to see the Fritzes at the good chicken restaurant. Ken and I went to the BB shooting range here. It is cool. I think I should make one of these for Kearney! I think it would be a big hit!

Ok, well I caught you up. One last thing, please be praying for my sons sleep and health. He threw up/spit up a lot today, and I am concerned. Only one week left till we are home! Can't wait! We will be in Kiev on the 14th, and leave of Friday for the USA. Please pray for this as well. My son would type but he is busy: What a great miracle! Everyone thank our Father in heaven!

Thank you, thank you, thank you Jesus!

Toby