Court Date!!!

We can't believe it! Something actually happened in this process quicker than we were expecting. We received our phone call this morning from our agency that our court date has been set in Russia for April 21!!! That means we leave here in exactly 2 weeks from today! We had expected our court date to be at the end of the month so this was a wonderful surprise.

I am praising the Lord that I will be with my baby girl on Mothers Day and she will officially be ours. I remember feeling a little sad last Mothers Day, knowing my baby was somewhere out there and not knowing when I would be able to get to her, now this Mothers Day I will be holding her in my arms:-)

Here is our itinerary so you can keep track of us!

April 15 - Leave US for Moscow
April 16 - Arrive in Moscow
April 17 - Medicals in Moscow
April 18 - Leave Moscow for Krasnoyarsk
April 19 – Arrive in Krasnoyarsk
April 20 – We will see Anna again for the first time in 4 1/2 months!
April 21 - Court Appointment!
*10 day waiting period* Visit with Anna everyday at the orphanage
May 7 - Leave Krasnoyarsk for Moscow with Anna
May 8 – Anna's Medical Appointment, Submit documents to the Embassy
May 9 – 11 – Embassy is closed for Victory Day
May 12 - Receive visa
May 13 - Apply to the Russian Consulate
May 14 - Receive Consulate Registration
May 15 - Leave Moscow for the US with Anna!!
May 15 - HOME FOREVER AS A FAMILY OF FIVE!!!

Praising God from whom all blessings flow...
Ryan and Amy

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!

Thoughts in the waiting zone

Exactly 2 months ago today we met our daughter for the first time. 2 whole months since we have seen her. I wonder if she is walking now? Has her hair grown? Does she remember our faces? It is such a strange thing to not know these details about your child, yet we knew this was the way it would have to be. We watched our video tonight again with the boys. Not the condensed version set to music, but the whole video we have of our time with her. I love hearing her giggle and seeing her respond to us. I love how the boys talk about her all the time and want to watch her video with us. We are really praying we are half-way through our waiting time, the trend seems to be more like 5 months in-between trips but we are praying and claiming that it will be less!

A song that has comforted me so much during this time is the song we have playing right now on our blog (be sure and turn on your volume). It reminds me how big our God is. He is above all things, over all things and created all things, so I can rest in the assurance He is with our Anna and comforting her as only He can do. "I AM" by Mark Schultz

I Couldn't Resist...

Oh how sweet is this dress?!! It probably won't fit for another year, but I was passing through a store today and could not pass it up. I can just picture our sweet Anna in it some day :-)

Remembering

We have been home from our trip to meet Anna for one month. It seems so long ago, and I find myself replaying all the details in my mind of her and the day we met. The emotions and the memories are just as vivid as the day we had Bradey and Brooks. I will never forget how I felt driving out to her orphanage; scared, excited, nervous. Luckily Ryan was my rock and was holding it together for the both of us. I remember our translator talking to us during the drive, but not really hearing what she was saying, all I could think of was "is this really happening, is she really here in this town!" I remember getting choked up as we pulled up to the orphanage, so sad to know there are babies living here who need mommies and daddies. I remember the smell of food in the orphanage, the steps that led the way to the directors office. I will always remember my first glimpse of her, being walked up the stairs by her caregiver, her beautiful dark hair perfectly combed, pink tights, pink shirt, pink vest. When I finally had her in my arms, I couldn't stop saying "I love you" and kissing her. Had she ever been told that before? I wanted her to hear it over and over. I remember her giggle and how she loved to play with balls and sit in my lap. After a while she drifted off to sleep in my arms...what a moment. This has always been my favorite memories with our babies and I got to experience it on my first day with her. We prayed over her, cried over her and then had to give her back to the caregiver. The next day was just as memorable. She seemed more relaxed, crawled all over and even took a few steps for us. Ryan discovered she loves being tickled just like the boys, I remember her laughter and how she wanted him to keep doing it.

All of these memories I will hold onto and replay over and over. If you want to hear them firsthand you can call me, I love to tell them!