Thinking Pink

Okay, here's the latest: Our dossier did arrive safely in Moscow on Monday. Katrina says that St. Petersburg registers dossiers the second and fourth Monday of every month, so feasibly, our dossier could be registered in St. Pete on January 28. I need you all to pray that this is what happens. I did tell her that if they know of a little girl who is healthy in another region, we would consider her, but if we are waiting for a referral, then I prefer St. Pete. I have been on the St. Petersburg orphan database every day praying for each of the little girls in the age range we are requesting. I know that God has chosen a very specific child for us and that she is waiting for us.

In the meantime, I am expending this excess energy by decorating her room. Here are the before shots. I will post more when the decorator leaves today. I know I will have alot of work to do though, fabric, sewing, etc. Can't wait! :)

The Latest

I spoke with Katrina at CSS this AM. Our dossier arrived safely in Moscow... that's one answered prayer to check off the list. So, it's just a matter now of translating the documents and getting them over to St. Petersburg. Brian and I went to the notary this morning and finished up the extra documents that St. Pete requires. Tomorrow morning I will pick up a copy of an added document from Catholic Charities and an extra copy of our marriage license, and we will be ready for this second round of documents. This is totally typical of Russian adoption, there are always last minute papers to gather and prepare. There will be another round between trip one and trip two, so we're not exactly done, but we're one step closer. It's so real now.

Today I bought the paint for her room and will take all the truck stickers down off the ceiling (from when that used to be Liam and Jack's room, a few years ago.) Julie Jordan (decorator) is coming on Wednesday and she will help me pull it all together. I am SO excited. Once I get it together I will post some picks here.

My quote for the day comes from an e-mail Brian sent me:
"When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say, "Jesus, could you get that for me?" LOVE IT!

Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tenst of the righteous: "The Lord's right hand has done mighty things!" Psalm 118:15

I spoke with Katrina at CSS today. Our Dossier is being sent to Moscow TODAY for translation! YIPPPEEEE!!!!! Can you believe it? Once it is translated, they will let us know where it is going. I talked it over with Katrina and told her that my first choice would be St. Petersburg and my second choice would be Moscow. It's so exciting to think that this is happening. I have to gather three more documents, so that still has to occur before we will be invited for our first trip, but wow! Once the dossier is in Russia, it's real, the labor pains have begun!

"Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy." 1 Peter 1:8

Progress

On December 20th I mailed our dossier to North Carolina to Catholic Social Services. They received it on the 21st and have reviewed it. Yesterday, I talked with the Russia director, Carol, and she said that our dossier will go to Moscow sometime within the week. It will travel with another family who is going to adopt so it will be given directly to Svetlana, the Russian Coordinator. Now is when things start to feel real. There is a real little girl out there whom God has chosen to be our daughter. Every day He is preparing her to meet us and He has been caring for her until now. "Your eyes foresaw my actions; in your book all are written down. My days were shaped, before one came o be." Psalm 139:16 WOW!



Carol believes we will travel by the beginning of March. That is really overwhelming. I have all these emotions regarding this adoption. I am anxious to get her home, knowing this will be our last child, I just want all my family around the dinner table and to know that everyone is safe and home. That will feel like peace, I think. But also, knowing there is hard work ahead with helping her adjust. And I worry about Connor being de-throned from the "baby king" position. I know he is going to struggle with sharing the spotlight, but in the long run, it will certainly be good for him.



We don't know where we will go. We are hoping not to return to Moscow because of the ten day waiting period that Moscow is strictly enforcing now. St. Petersburg allows the ten days to be waived and often gives advanced referrals, which would allow us to consult our beloved, trusted, Dr. Heil, before traveling. However, we are trusting God to intervene on our behalf and direct those involved to send our dossier to where our daughter is. We believe that there is a specific child who He has chosen from the beginning of time to be part of our family and I am dependent on Him to bring us together with her. "Behind and before you encircle me and rest Your hand upon me." Psalm 139:5 I have been praying for her for a long time, but now I have very specific prayers for her. Many faithful people are praying, so now is where faith and trust in Him go into action. This is where the rubber meets the road, so to speak, and we get the chance to live out what we speak of faith and trust in God. It's such a hard thing to give up control, to fight the urge to over-manage the process, and to just breathe and be still, waiting on Him and His PERFECT timing. "Cease striving and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10



I think Brian is hoping that this waiting period will be extended a little, as I have been a cleaning fool the past week. I have cleaned out closets and cabinets, waxed floors and furniture, and generally gone crazy trying to get my "nest" in order. Nesting is not something that is only for third-trimester women, it's for all expectant moms!



Thanks for checking in with us. There should be many more posts in the coming weeks and we will certainly use this site to publish from Russia if we can. We covet your prayers during this time of anxious, expectant, WAAAAIIIIITTTTTIIIIIINNNNNGGGGG!

June 19th, Picked up Home Study from CHI, finally finished!
June 1st - Home Visit