Geniya Goes Back to Ukraine

It's officially 12/17 and Geniya will be leaving in just a few hours. It seemed like forever when we were in the process of arranging for her to return to the USA. Right now the last two years seem like a fast blur...

I have a 'WHY' list for God a mile long, but that can wait. There are even more questions that we now have the answers to. If it weren't for Geniya, we wouldn't have Sophia, Tatiana, and Oksana. If it weren't for Geniya our world could very well be a lot smaller and self absorbed. If it weren't for having Geniya in our lives we couldn't understand really how much in our lives we can't control. If Geniya had never come, we wouldn't have witnessed unbelievable miracles unfold in how her medical care came about. We've seen a giving, caring; loving side of people that otherwise would have gone unnoticed. We've fought through medical issues, some that could be corrected, some that had to be accepted, and some that only gave us hope of better health for Geniya.

We've learned that the absence of conflict is not necessarily peace. We've learned that time alone does not heal all wounds; sometimes it takes wisdom and understanding. We've learned a lot about ourselves walking through the challenges that Geniya faces everyday. We've been challenged to empathize with things we can't always understand. We've learned to love despite impending loss. We've learned that love has many faces. It comes in many forms of emotions from care, concern, exasperation, celebration, confusion, determination, remorse, forgiveness… We've learned that the heart won't be comforted by what the head knows is true. Letting someone go, hurts. It hurts like you can't imagin.

I dread the next few weeks. I dread finding something of her's lying around the house, I dread forgetting and setting that extra place setting at the table, I dread thinking of the right thing to say too late, I dread coming home and no one being there, I dread not having someone ask me a million questions…..

But no matter what I dread about missing you, loving you, Geniya, is worth the pain of being separated. Don't forget that!!!

Of all the millions of people in the world, God knitted our family together, across oceans and continents. I am so thankful that this is not our home, and we will all be together someday.