Update

We went with Sasha yesterday to visit with the SDA. He wanted them to see us and explain what was going on, with us there. They told us that they have no influence over the directors decisions and were just waiting for our paperwork to be sent back to them from his office. We were then told that they were hoping for it to arrive any day, and as soon as it does, they will call us and invite us in to meet with them.
The problem is, we still don't know when that will be. We are hoping it will be before Wednesday. If it doesn't arrive by then, we will have to wait again till next Monday. I am not sure how I will handle that!!! I am trying to stay positive, but with each passing day it gets harder.

I know that the Lord knows whats going on. I know he sees us and understands. I am sure that there is a reason for the waiting that we don't fully understand. And maybe for most people it wouldn't seem so bad to be stuck on vacation!! And that is how we are trying to view it. We get this wonderful opportunity to visit a place that most people never get a chance to see. We get to learn about a culture that most people never learn about. I am trying so hard to not be ungrateful for this experience.
Mike and I talked the other day about how lucky we are to be here. To have the opportunity we have to to this wonderful thing. I know that Satan works the hardest to stop the things that are most important. He is trying to do that with us. He is trying to make it so hard that we will want to give up. I was asked the other day, "How long are you going to wait until you decide that it's enough, and come home?" My response was, "We can not walk away from this. We know that Olena is our daughter. We have felt it! We would never walk away and leave our other children, why would we do that to her. Just because things are hard, doesn't make them not right. We will stick it out till the end!"

I think part of the lesson I am supposed to learn is that I am not always meant to be in control of my situation. I can't control what my kids are doing. I can't control what the SDA is doing. I can't control how long I am going to be here. Each one of those things is stressing me out. I think I truly have to turn it over to the Lord. Allow him to take control and just be ok with the outcome. That is REALLY hard.

President Thomas S. Monson said

"Throughout our lives, we must deal with change. Some changes are welcome; some are not. There are changes in our lives which are sudden, such as the unexpected passing of a loved one, an unforeseen illness, the loss of a possession we treasure. But most of the changes take place subtly and slowly....

"My brothers and sisters, there is no tomorrow to remember if we don’t do something today....

"Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances. We must deal with them the best we can. But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important—and what is most important almost always involves the people around us. Often we assume that they must know how much we love them. But we should never assume; we should let them know.... We will never regret the kind words spoken or the affection shown. Rather, our regrets will come if such things are omitted from our relationships with those who mean the most to us"

I am so grateful to know that even though I am thousands of miles away, my children (which is what causes me the most anxiety) are safe and happy. They may not be doing everything I want them to. But, they are safe and being taken care of. I am grateful to my wonderful neighbors and friends that have so willingly stepped up to help out. I am thankful to my mother in law who is there when we need her to be, and will willingly take over when Shaun leaves. I am MOST grateful to my baby brother, who decided to come and visit me before his mission but stayed to help out with taking care of my kids. He is amazing and such a blessing. Thank you Shaun for all of your help. I will always be so grateful to you.

 THANK YOU

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf said

Patience is "far more than simply waiting for something to happen--patience require[s] actively working toward worthwhile goals and not getting discouraged when results [don't] appear instantly or without effort.

"There is an important concept here: patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears. Patience means active waiting and enduring. It means staying with something and doing all that we can--working, hoping, and exercising faith; bearing hardship with fortitude, even when the desires of our hearts are delayed. Patience is not simply enduring; it is enduring well!"

During the next few days and weeks, I will continue to try to learn patience. I will try to endure this process well!!  Lets see how well I do :)