Happy Days

Our petition came one week ago today. What a wonderful day that will always be in my mind. The circumstances around it were quite funny, it is a wonderful memory that I was happy to be able to share with Ryan's mom as she was here visiting us for a few days.

We had the document notarized and the next day drove to have it apostilled at the Secretary of States office in Olympia and then overnighted it to our agency. Our coordinator received it the next day and then sent it on to Russia via DHL. We are praying it arrives this week and that the documents will quickly be translated so they can submit them and receive our actual court date.

We have been scurrying around finishing up things that have been on our list which we procrastinated on for 3 months. The feelings going on inside me have changed this past week. I still have the ache in my heart for my baby, but now it is ache mixed in with excitement. To know we are this close, to know we will see her within weeks, to know soon I will be able to care for her as I have longed to do every day since December. I can hardly stand the anticipation!

The boys also seem to understand that the days for her to be home are drawing closer. They talk about her all the time, pray for her daily and LOVE to go into her room and touch the pretty things:-) Sometimes we find Brooks in there just looking around and he will tell us how pretty it all is and how excited he is to teach her how to wrestle. Oh they are going to be such wonderful big brothers.

We will post our travel itinerary as soon as we receive it. Thanks for checking on us!

Petition to Court!!!!!

We got the news today that we have been waiting for for a long, long time. PTL! The call came this afternoon from our Coordinator and she conferenced Amy and I in. We received the last piece of paperwork that puts ours and Anna's information together for court.

Now, we will rush to get the document signed, notarized, apostilled and overnighted to our agency to be sent to Russia. This last document will score us the coveted court appearance which triggers our trip to bring Anna home. At this point we are probably about 4-6 weeks from travel!!!

Our world is spinning pretty quickly at the moment as we start to plan through all the details that need tending before we leave. However, we don't want to miss the opportunity to thank the Lord for answering our prayers. It has never been more clear who is in control and we give Him all the praise!

Blessings

This week we received two completely unexpected blessings from the Lord. I just have to say they were so completely unexpected and so completely amazing that they could have only come by God's grace and mercy pouring onto us. I know it is His gift to us reaffirming our hearts that He is working in our situation and moving "mountains" to bring Anna home. I feel ashamed for ever doubting that He was hearing our prayers and our cries. He blesses above and beyond what we could ever ask or imagine.

I wanted to post about this to encourage any families that might be feeling God leading them to adopt. We have seen with so many adoptive families and experienced it so profoundly ourselves, that He will make a way for it to happen. Take your first step of faith and watch Him move, wow it is exhilarating!

We are hoping to receive our petition to court this month which is our last document needed to get us our court date in Russia. Please pray with us that it will happen!