November

"For you did not recieve a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you recieved the spirit of adoption. And by Him we cry, 'Abba, Father.' The spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." Romans 8:15-16

November is National Adoption Awareness month and if you are a family effected by adoption or you are thinking about adoption, here is a list of ideas to celebrate being a forever family...one for every day!

Ways to get involved everyday of November: National Adoption Awareness Month:
1 Talk to your local library and bookstores about featuring adoption related books in November.

2 Advocate!Lobby for an Adoption Friendly Workplace. Talk to your HR Director.
3 Plan a crafting or scrapbooking party with local triad members.
4 Light a candle in honor of your child's birth parents.
5 Help organize a service in your place of worship that delivers a message on adoption and children.
6 Organize an adoption event for later in the month, to celebrate adoption.

7 Attend a support group in your area. If you don't have one, find out how to create one.
8 Plan a discussion at your local school which promotes positive adoption language.
9 Ask your local TV and Radio programs to feature children waiting for a home in your state.
10 Create a new family tradition that celebrates your family and how you came together each year.
11 Have a picnic in the park with adoption triad members in your area.
12 Advocate!Share your adoption story with the local media and give a voice to adoption in your area.
13 Print out and drop off information about waiting children in public places in your area.
14 Plan a special meal that incorporates your child's heritage.
15 Ask your company to sponsor local foster children for the holidays, by providing gifts for children in need.
16 Take a social worker to lunch to thank him or her for all the work they do to help children.
17 National Adoption Day!Courts all over the U.S. will finalize thousands of adoptions today.
18 Send an e-mail to all of your friends and family about National Adoption day.
19 Celebrate multicultural families by visiting a local multicultural center.
20 Volunteer to mentor teens close to 'aging out' of foster care.
21 Write your senators/governor and urge them to feature waiting children from your state on the Adoption.com Photolisting.
22 ThanksgivingGive thanks to those who helped you build your family by sending Thank You Cards.
23 Sign up to sponsor a less fortunate child for a year.
24 Advocate!Write to your local and state representatives about adoption and issues that concern you.
25 Bake cookies to take to your local foster care office.
26 Collect donations for local foster families and waiting children, for the holiday season. 27 Volunteer to work at your state's next recruitment fair.
28 Determine how you will pray on a regular basis for children and families that are seeking adoption placements.
29 Create a scrapbook of the memories you have of National Adoption Awareness Month
30 Nominate someone you know for the Angels in Adoption Award.

Priceless

Gas..........$ 140

Meals......$ 200

Hotel.......$ 240

Tickets...$ 180

Rusty's first Auburn football game...PRICELESS!

We left right after school on Friday with Rusty's friend, Brannon in tow and we headed to Alabama for an AU football game against Ole Miss. He had asked for this back in April and so, for his birthday, he gave up having a big party for a small one with just a few family and friends so that he could go see Shug-Jordan Stadium and THE Tigers play!

On the way up, the boys were really good...alternating between their game boys and the DVD player. There was some time in between for giggles. We stopped in Tifton to eat at Wendy's and then we were back on the road. We arrived at our hotel around 10:30 pm eastern time (except we are now on central) and the boys had crashed out. It was freezing compared to the temperature we left in Florida...so here we are each carrying a boy up to the second floor and then returning to the car to haul our bags up. Once in the bed, they both curled up and went right back to sleep and of course, were up at the crack of dawn, ready to go!

So, jerseys on and tennis shoes in place we set out for a day of shopping at the campus bookstores. Since we only get to go up once every other year or so, we stocked up on new t-shirts, shorts, fleeces and more... The boys hung in like troopers as we dragged them all over Auburn looking at everything new since the last time we were there.

We stopped for lunch at The Mellow Mushroom which was one of our favorites when we were in school and, I must say, still is. The boys had a pizza and Adam and I put away a calzone:0) By the time we were done there, it was time to get to the stadium. We didn't have the best seats and when I tell you we could see Heaven you will understand how truly high we were but it was good because the boys were so excited and they had a little more room to wiggle around up there. But, it was also a little cooler up this high. They made it through the whole game without any complaining (from them). If you know, Adam, you know how he loves college football and Auburn in particular. To be back in the town and in that atmosphere is not to be taken for granted.

Auburn won the game and we began the race to Toomer's Corner with our toilet paper in hand. If you don't already know, following all home victories and anything of significance: ie a swimming national championship or this past year, Auburn won one in Equestrian...the students and alumni toilet paper the center intersection of town. The streets are shut down and all around you rolls are flying and Alumni are teaching their children how to hold one end and throw the other. Children are waiting for a roll to come flying from the other side of the tree and they all race and dive so they can be the next to throw it. Parents are busy trying to get the perfect shot of their little ones "rolling Toomer's" for the first time. Words can't describe the pride you feel in seeing your children participate in a tradition that was so much fun and so special while we were there. So, we rolled Toomer's and Rusty got frustrated because "I can't do it right." But, by the end, he was rolling around in the grass, covered in toilet paper and laughing his little laugh.

Priceless.

Max, Max, He's our Man

God's Mission: Adoption by Max Lucado

When we come to Christ, God not only forgives us, he also adopts us. Through a dramatic series of events, we go from condemned orphans with no hope to adopted children with no fear. Here is how it happens. You come before the judgment seat of God full of rebellion and mistakes. Because of his justice he cannot dismiss your sin, but because of his love he cannot dismiss you. So, in an act which stunned the heavens, he punished himself on the cross for your sins. God’s justice and love are equally honored. And you, God’s creation, are forgiven. But the story doesn’t end with God’s forgiveness.

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our Spirit that we are children of God (Rom. 8:15–16 NASB).

But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons (Gal. 4:4–5 NASB).

It would be enough if God just cleansed your name, but he does more. He gives you his name. It would be enough if God just set you free, but he does more. He takes you home. He takes you home to the Great House of God.

Adoptive parents understand this more than anyone. I certainly don’t mean to offend any biological parents—I’m one myself. We biological parents know well the earnest longing to have a child. But in many cases our cribs were filled easily. We decided to have a child and a child came. In fact, sometimes the child came with no decision. I’ve heard of unplanned pregnancies, but I’ve never heard of an unplanned adoption.

That’s why adoptive parents understand God’s passion to adopt us. They know what it means to feel an empty space inside. They know what it means to hunt, to set out on a mission, and take responsibility for a child with a spotted past and a dubious future. If anybody understands God’s ardor for his children, it’s someone who has rescued an orphan from despair, for that is what God has done for us.

God has adopted you. God sought you, found you, signed the papers and took you home.

Sugar and Spice

And EVERYTHING NICE...that's what little girls are made of! Today, I got to go with my daughter on a field trip to the dump, which, is my second time this school year since Rusty's class went two weeks ago...But, it is interesting every time. However, before that, I got to go to TARGET and buy three little outfits for my little girl. Christi said yesterday that it was time to start thinking about my packing (I've been packing in my head since July) and one of the things we need to pack is different size clothing to try on our little girl so we will know what size to bring on trip two when we bring her home. Everything she is wearing when we pick her up will be stripped from her as it is not considered hers but the property of the orphanage.

So, Flip and I wandered through the baby clothes and I got giddy just walking into the section because I have restrained myself from buying ANYTHING for her until now. But, Christi said I could...So, I bought three little outfits in different sizes and then, I bought a little wrist rattle one musical toy and a small character blanket (2 of those). They say to buy duplicate of anything you take over because when you leave it, you are unlikely to get it back...especially toys. So, I bought two of the little blankets. I was glad I had to be back at the school because I could see myself driving all over town today just looking at little girl's clothes.

So, she has her first outfits which we will likely donate to the baby home on trip one. They will be donated in her name along with everything else we bring for the children she has shared the only home she has ever known. They are her brothers and her sisters and they share a commonality like nothing I have ever known and my heart belongs to every child there. Last night, I talked with a woman who adopted twins 7 years ago and she says still, she dreams of the children there and she can bring forth their faces as clear as if she were back in the room with them. So, if you are praying for me, please pray that God will give me peace and that I will always know that they are part of His plan. That we helped one because we could and that there are others out there longing to bring these children home to their forever families. They deserve it!

Crumbs

Ok, So I woke up this morning and as I lay there I just told God that I was committing this day to Him. I have been somewhat down the last few days just wanting so badly to hear that we are registered, that's all! Just one thing at a time. I called Christi and left her a voicemail. I always try to think of something silly to ask her so that I can really ask her, "anything yet?" So I'm rambling about what I think I will bring for gifts for the workers and do you think this is good and what about and, and, and..."So, do you think all that action in Kras is all we will see in October?" and she answers, "well, there are only a few days left in October but since I just found out that you are registered, no." And I reply, "You ARE NOT funny!" She says, "I was just going to let you talk." And she is so wonderful...I don't know how many times I have called her for no reason what so ever except to feel connected to someone who is connected to my child and she has just listened. Thank you, Christi!

So, God knew that I needed a crumb today and He gave me a whole slice...Praise Him, Praise Him for He is MY God!

Next stop referral...stay tuned.


* Great news! I praise God with you for your mini-milestone in the journey toward adoption :)Tamara
*We are so happy for you guys. I pray the referral comes soon and you will be able to travel before the end of the year. Keep us posted. Our God is an Awesome God! Love, Heather L.
*Great news!!!!! Looking forward to more good news…SOON !Tammie A
*Congrats!! Here's praying that you will be referred!! Nikki
*Yeah!!! Congratulations! !Sherri
*Lori, that's wonderful!! Kara
*Very exciting!! Marie
*Congrats girl...every little step is one step closer to your baby! Cristy Skolfield
*Awesome!!!!!!!!! Dana
*WooHoo!! I'm so happy for you guys! :0) Tricia
*WooHoo!!! What great news. Congratz. You are so much closer. Debbie
*Congratulations!! Though I am a bit concerned about you letting Rusty grow up to be an Auburn fan. Feel free to send him up here for a few days so I can set him straight. Joe S.
*Yea! That is such wonderful news! Progress is a good thing. Sarah P.
*Thanks for sharing Lori. Love to read your blog... Good luck to you and your family with the referral. Cori
*Congratulations! I am so happy for you guys. This is truly a blessing. Keep us posted on everything. We look forward to meeting the newest little member of the family. Do you know how old she is? Did you get a picture of her yet? We'll look forward to hearing from you after your first trip. Take lots of pictures. We love you guys and we will add Ellie to our prayers. Talk to you soon. Michele
*I don't know what to say - I have been praying for you this entire journey and can't believe the time is almost here! It just brings back so many awesome memories of Grace (in every way)! Luv, Dinah
*Praise God! We are so happy for you. We are praying that His timing is quick with your referral and that you will meet Ellie before Christmas. Jen Masterton and family
*What a great day! Ellie's Great-Grandma "Evie" turns 87 and Ellie gets one step closer. Fantastic news!!! We Love You!!

I'm Adopted

"When the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption." Galations 4:4-5

I heard this verse the other morning while driving the kids to school and I loved it immediately. I'm not sure which version of the Bible it comes from because mine does not use the word adoption. Regardless, I have never thought of myself as adopted and yet, I am. That's pretty cool.

There was quite a bit of movement in Kras this past week. Three families got referrals, one of which is a woman I have gotten to be pretty good friends with online and over the phone in the last month or so. We had hoped to possibly travel together but it seems it will not be so on this trip. Her name is Debbie and her husband is Tim...so, if you are praying for me and my family, please lift them up as they leave this Saturday to meet their son for the first time.

Where are we? We are still waiting for official registration into Krasnoyarsk...which for those of you who have been following along, know that is the 3rd region we have been told we would end up in. However, this one seems to be the one now. Our paperwork is there, just waiting for submission. Our prayer now is that we might receive word that we have been registered and referred at the same time. We are still praying that we will travel on trip one before the end of the year. All the movement gives us hope that our time is coming. There haven't been any referrals for little girls in our age request and we know that we are first in line so, it could be any day now. Keep praying!

We are moving into our busy season here at the Jerger home. This last weekend, Adam and I went up to Tally to watch the FSU V Miami game...good game, lousy outcome. Then we returned to Adam's parent's house to watch our Tigers blow a big game against LSU. This weekend we take our son, Rusty to Auburn with a friend of his to see AU play Ole Miss. This was our birthday gift to him and he has been looking forward to it for a LOOOOng time! So, then we have a weekend free and the following weekend I have Women of Faith and Ruthie has her first ever gymnastics exhibition, which I will miss...boo hoo. And the week after that, we leave for Disney which I cannot wait for! We do this once every other year and it is such a good time. Each time we go it is a new experience because they are just a little older and now we have one that will still be into the "kiddie rides" and the other two will be riding in the big time.

So, lots to keep me busy and keep my mind off this...to focus on what is right here, in front of me. I have been doing that lately. Just focusing on HOME. Sometimes you just have to stop and put things in perspective. I am blessed each day with my husband and children.

Thank you God.

Home Harvest

What makes a house a home? Don't worry, I am not going to start every blog with a question....but what is it? For me it is of course, my family...but also the things around me that I love, my things...my crystal, quilts made by women in my family I never knew, the smell of my family, you know when you have been gone a long time, you could walk in blindfolded and you would know you are home just from the smells surrounding you. In our case, when we come home from a short trip, that smell is the litter box but never the less...pets.

Our House has a house and he is wonderful! He is "Houser." He just turned two years old and it was a good birthday for him. That first year of being a "puppy" if you can call a 165lb Great Dane a puppy was rough on our family...we were crate training him, which I recommend but he was so hyper and his size was a factor. We did end up in the ER at one point with staples for my youngest child after being plowed over on the front step. But the second year saw improvements in this wonderful four legged friend and he is now a part of our home. He guards us well and he loves us all so unconditionally. He longs for our touch to the point of annoyance at times and is truly (wo)man's best friend.

So, what makes my house a home? Everything we are, everything we have, everything we think and everything we do...piles of mail and papers from the backpacks, lunch boxes piled on the cabinet at the end of the day, bed-time prayers, my husband's keys always in the same spot, the Auburn flag flying in the fall, the empty bed room waiting for Ellie...we are constantly building our home into a safe place for our children. A place where they will want to hang out and bring their friends...like we did when I was young.

But what if tomorrow it was all gone? What do you have left but the love of Christ? I am trying daily in all things to ask myself really, what would Jesus do? The other day I drove by an underpass and there were several homeless people under it. They had set up camp. For a few weeks, I had been toying with the idea of making sandwiches with my children and taking them to a park known to have homeless in it. We're so busy with this life, I haven't done it. As I drove by, I thought, wow they look like they could use a sandwich, but they don't look as safe as the group in the park. My kids were in the back seat and I kept driving and they never knew any different. I'm sure Jesus would not have driven by. Now, I know that Jesus would not have PTA or gymnastics or any of the other things that crowd our schedules. But does the work of the Lord have to be limited? Can we not serve the Lord in the PTA and at gymnastics by proclaiming His name every chance we get? The Lord is so good to me and I want everyone to know that. Including the homeless in the park. So, on Saturday, 11/3, My children and their parents are making LOTS of sandwiches and we are going out in search of just one person who will listen to the Gospel. This is the season of Harvest.

The Needy Child

Why do you pray? How do you pray? Is it for us? Is it for Him? Would you go for days without talking to your husband? Your child? Your parent? Do you ask for something every time you talk to someone you love?

I sometimes struggle with prayer. How often are you in a situation where you have no options...YOU cannot do anything to control the outcome? You HAVE to turn to God because you can't do it at all let alone by yourself. I find myself in that position right now. In a place where I need to trust in God...to know that He is listening and that He has heard my requests, that He knows I have faith. "if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:22

I have committed this process of adoption to the Lord and each day along the way, I have learned something new about myself, about the Lord, and about my relationship with the Lord. Each time I have felt out of control, He has reeled me back in and calmed my angst. Each time I have tried to waver from the path He has set before me, He has called me back gently. Is it ok to always need something from God...Am I His "needy child?" You know, I have three and they are all different...one is independent and self driven, one is sensitive and needs a little push every once in a while and one is kind of "needy." I confess that I like that my children need me. So, I think my Holy Father likes for me to need Him also.

I believe that God chose me and He wants me to call on him, depend on Him and then trust that He will provide. I believe He wants to give me the desires of my heart and in return, He asks that I give all the glory for these things to Him. So, no matter how long and no matter what the outcome, I am trusting in the Lord for He is sufficient for me.

"Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised." Romans 4:19-21

99 Balloons

These parents are amazing. What beautiful child and how amazing that he was able to touch so many lives and be such a testimony to the power of our Lord in just 99 days.

Nutshell

It's been a somewhat long and yet fun weekend...we took the kids to Adventure Island yesterday and there was no one there...we walked right on to every ride and we had a great time...we went for just a few hours and then got Slurpee's on the way home and then we just chilled and watched our AU Tigers pull out a close one against Arkansas...late night...After church today we had an ABF social with quite the game of kickball...that's right, kickball. It was fun.

Back to my story...so life is continuing and Adam and I are HOME ALONE for one whole week in July. The house needs to be painted and I have it on the list of things to do while the kids are away...big mistake but who knew? Anyway, Adam decides he wants to fast while a team from our church was on a trip to the Dominican Republic that he was really sorry he had to miss. I decided I would fast as well. I had never done this before and honestly, didn't really understand the process of fasting nor really the purpose and I am pretty sure I still don't. But what I do know is that I have never been more focused on the Lord than in this time and Adam and I had never been more committed to prayer time with each other.

So on day 3...on a ladder in the 95 degree heat, we were feeling pretty puny. Both of us were exhausted. but, on day 4, I got up for an appointment and Adam had already left for the day. I was feeling great. The feeling I had was like being in a cloud. I wasn't hungry, I had no aches from all the work and I just felt better than I had in a long time. I called Adam..."How do you feel today?" "I feel really good." We just had this peaceful feeling that all was well. Later that morning we got a call from Christi that accreditation had come through and I won't go through all the details but it was amazing the joy and thankfulness of that moment. We later found out that the team in the DR had received a piece of equipment they had desperately been needing that same morning. I won't say that it was because of our prayers, let alone our fasting but it was just another moment where I believe God knew we needed encouragement and He provided it.

That pretty much puts the last two years of this process into a very small and somewhat vague nutshell...so, where do we go from here? Registration for us into Krasnoyarsk, Russia is imminent...that we know and a referral is next...so, stay tuned!

Persevere

Reaccredidation, is not actually a word in the dictionary but it is an adoption term...at least in Russia. It means to be accredited, again. (which by the way I did just look up in Webster's standard and apparently this is not a word either but accredit is.) This information is for any of my teachers out there who might be reading:0) Hi Mrs. DeCresie, Mom, Mrs. Johnson, and Tamara! And all you former educators as well...For those of us in the Russian adoption process this word is now a nightmare. In May 2006, less than one month from when our Dossier was sent in, the American agencies that were working in Russia began to lose their accredidation and Russia was not renewing them as they had in the past. It seems that some American abuse cases had caused concern and there was a movement within the nation to stop foreign adoption. Add to this that the population in Russia has been steadily declining...the birth rate is far lower than the death rate and people do not feel a sense of hope in this country and therefore they do not have children. No Jesus, no hope...Anyway, There is increasing concern in the government of Russia concerning the population decrease. However, there is still stigma associated with adoption and although the number of domestic adoptions is increasing, there are still over 700,000 orphans in Russian orphanages. Yada yada.

So, the country closed down and I didn't think much of it because it does this every year...however this year, officials decided to duke it out and the long and short of it is we were in a holding pattern for 14 months. During this time, Life was going on...we were adding on to our house and staying busy with our kids. But as the big projects started to come to a close and life settled down a little bit, I began to get anxious and I wondered if maybe Russia wasn't God's will for us. I expressed these thoughts to Adam and we talked about the possibility of pursuing a domestic adoption. Adam felt strongly that we had been praying for our little girl now for so long and her name is Ellie and she is in Russia...He began to pray for a sign from God that we could be sure of His path for us.

That weekend he was away with some friends and I went to church with just the kids. So there I am sitting in church and our pastor mentions that he will be praying specifically for our missionaries in Russia and also for the daughter (whose name just happens to be Ellie) of some other missionaries. I think..weird! So, the service goes on and our pastor is preaching and a verse that he references just really sticks with me... "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1

I'm thinking, "that is a cool verse, I am going to stick that in my running shoes and read it before I run." So, Adam comes home and I tell him about the verse...none of the other stuff. Well, low and behold, Christi sends out her weekly encouragement and Hebrews 12:1 is the verse she uses! God Moment! Adam looks at me and he says well, you got three signs, will you be needing any more? No, I'm good...and so, we persevere.

Conception

So what happens after you register? You think how bad can it be...this thing they call the "paper chase?" Well really it isn't too bad...at least not the parts you can do yourself...it is when you are at the mercy of the US government or your doctor's calendar. So you begin to chase things...a lot of which you already have...your birth certificate, marriage license, the deed to your home and other various items. They have to be new...they can't be the one you got when you were born, they have to have been certified with-in the last 12 months...so you order new copies all the while wondering..."it seems like it would be more official to have the people's signatures that were actually there when I was born..." Who knows, you just do it. For Russia, we had to get our passports first because our passport number had to be on every document we sent including the forms we had to send to the immigration department of the US government. So, we all went and got passport photos...these were funny...they told us not to smile so we look ridiculous and frankly...Russian! (when Ruthie and I were there in 07/05 we noticed that most Russians do not smile at strangers...they are, however, not an unfriendly group of people)


Anyway, we had the home study done...only the anticipation of this process was painful. Our social worker was very kind and a believer and just put us at ease from the moment we met her. We drove to their office over in Orlando for our first meeting and that was followed by three home visits. It was around Christmas so my house looked very homey. (Mostly I'm just a functional kind of person but at Christmas, there is just something in the air, ya know?) When this was all done and the report was in, there was nothing to do but to apply to the US government for approval. And so we did. This is where you sweat it out. We waited three months for this approval form (I171H). So, are you ready for it...here comes God moment #2...Christi (our family coordinator) had told me that if we did not have our dossier packet in by the end of the week, we would miss that month's packet of submissions to Russia. I put this up to my girls at MOPS and they prayed over me that morning and would you believe what was in my mailbox when I got home? You guessed it...I171H! This paper is like Gold in the adoption process. And with that, My dossier was over nighted to the agency in VA and off to Russia...and there it is...conception!


"For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O Lord Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you."
Psalm 84:11-12

Stay tuned for more God moments...

Let's do it!

Ok, so, already the blog is frustrating to me...I can't figure out how to put things on it like pretty wall paper and pictures in my profile. I get frustrated with the computer very easily so I will have to rope Adam in and get his help adding some features to my already boring page.

My first "blog"...what is a blog anyway? is going to be about how we got on this journey. October marks two years since we began this process and it has been a long two years. I confess that it has been longer still for others in the waiting room as we "paper pregnant" parents refer to our chat. Seems funny to feel pregnant and yet you do. The ninth month has just been a little longer this way...but let me back up to conception.
I just always believed I would foster children. I felt in my heart that God had called me to this and after just three years in the class room, I knew that the calling was not there. SO, every once in a while, I would talk to my husband about getting into the paperwork and taking the required classes to begin taking in children. Almost always, I was met with the same answer. "Let's talk about it next year." Well, the years rolled by and we had a third child and he was just three months shy of his second birthday. Again, I went to Adam with the idea that we should take the steps to become foster parents. This time the answer was different.

He gently explained to me that he did not think our family (me, mostly) could handle the emotions involved in the foster care program. The giving and taking, the bonding and breaking of the system. I knew he was right. Ironically, and the first of many God moments, I had already ordered an information packet from AWAA, which was the agency that some friends of ours used to adopt their little girl from China. It was in a drawer in my desk and when I walked over and pulled it out, you might have been able to peel Adam's jaw off the floor. He was totally surprised that I had even thought about it...which really, I had not, let alone ordered information about it. This idea of mine was also met with some resistance. His initial fears were the typical ones..."Can I love this child like I love the ones of my flesh?" After hearing the testimony of the Chapman's and seeing how her heart was changed, and about three days of prayer where I was left in total darkness as to his thoughts (little did I know at the time that 3 days of waiting for anything is a blink!) he said, "Let's do it!" That's it..."Let's do it!"

Our application was in online within the hour and we were on the long and sometimes uphill road to Russia...

Here We Go

Ok, so I am new to the whole blog thing But I have been inspired to do this to keep myself away from my email and what news may be there but is often not. We will see how this goes as I am horrible at journaling...I start one every year but there always seems like there is something better to do than write down my thoughts...it seems like there couldn't possibly be anything in my head that would interest everyone else...at least not my random thoughts about today's events...never the less, I figure it will be good therepy for me and a wonderful archive of our journey to finally completeing our family. So, we will see if I can keep up with it and life...