С РОЖДЕСТВОМ ХРИСТОВЫM!

This morning while watching the kids open their gifts, I was reminded (again) how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family. The love they show each other and to Dawn and I is priceless.

We are one short this Christmas because early on this year I thought we would have our little one home by now. Little did I know that it would take so very long to get US Immigration clearance. He will be home with us soon and we will celebrate. We pray for him nightly as we do all the children that do not have a home. In the coming new year, may God show us how we can be used to help those children.

To our Russian speaking friends, С РОЖДЕСТВОМ ХРИСТОВЫM!
To our English speaking friends, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Final Documents Sent to Russia

We overnighted our last batch of updated documents (medicals for the eight of us, marriage license) to our agency yesterday and we just got news they were received this morning. They sent us the note below:

The last package of documents we can get there before the holidays start in Russia is being sent out tomorrow. So, the file will be complete in the region before the holidays start. I don't think that ----- will be able to receive a court date before the holidays start, but hopefully we can get one shortly after they resume working in 2011.

Have a Merry Christmas -

Tony B

Medicals

God continues to bless our family in many, many ways. Most would think getting medicals for a family of eight would be easy - just call a doctor and set-up appointments. Nope, not that easy. First, the appointments had to be scattered as there was not a block of time large enough to accommodate 6 kids. Then there was the issue of the TB test that had to be completed on each person. Dawn missed the reading on her TB test and they were going to make her wait two weeks before another test could be run. During the TB test for the four youngest, one of the doctors/administrators suggested they just run a chest x-ray. They had to run a chest x-ray on Polina because she throws a positive result but she does NOT have TB. So, they completed a chest x-ray on Dawn as well. All test came back clean. Something we knew, but we had to do the test anyway. The same nice doctor even suggested that if we could wait until Wednesday, then the same doctor could see all the children. This made it much easier on us and them because we have to have documents notarized and we have to have a copy of their medical license. If all goes well, we should have all the medical documents by the end of the week.

We got a nice check from our old mortgage company due to an overpayment (we refinanced with a different company). This will cover Christmas presents at a time when things are a little tight.

And finally, our son, Grizzly Adams,(his new name due to the beard he has grown) came home from college. He had his final exams this week. Unfortunately, he along with the rest of the family got hit by a bad cold this week. He had to muddle through exams with the stuff. My work took me to the city where his school is located. I was able to check in on him and go get him some medicine. The stuff did not hit me hard until I got home on Thursday. Hopefully it has run its course and will be out of the house by tomorrow.

PRAYER REQUEST: We are still praying for a court date by December 31. This will be tough, but our God can perform miracles.

Evening Prayers & Medicals

From Beach 2010

Last night I was saying bedtime prayers with Nastya and Dima. When I finished, Nastya told me she had some more prayers. I told her to go ahead and say them and I bowed my head back down. She then prayed for all the boys and girls in her old home (village) that did not have a place to sleep. This little girl has a heart the size of Texas and is always thinking of other children.

Dawn, Jeremy and I got our medicals updated this week. Next week we will try to finish things up and get the other kid's medicals updated. I also got our marriage certificate updated. The certification expired so I had to update it.

PRAYER REQUEST: If you will, please pray with us that we will be able to got to court before December 31. If the court approves us, we should be able to bring our little one home the end of January.

Immigration Approval

We received a phone call yesterday from CIS (US Immigration) telling us we had been approved and the paperwork will follow!

Our Both Hands Project Summary

Our Both Hands Project Summary

Activities Completed

• Cut down old oak tree.

• Moved a swing.

• Replaced broken window pane.

• Fastened gutters to shop.

• Secured service entrance cover (shop).

• Replaced siding on second level of barn.

• Installed trim on barn.

• Painted new siding.

• Replaced three support posts on barn.

• Replaced two braces on barn.

• Connected outside air-line to air compressor.

• Hauled off debris.

• Taught Mae to load and fire shotgun.

Total Volunteer Hours: 103!

If you would like to help by making a tax deductible donation, please click on the Both Hands logo above and you will be directed to a website. Scroll down until you see our photo and project. If you click on the 'donate' button, you can make a donation through Paypal. If you would like to mail a donation, you can send it to:

Lifesong for Orphans
P.O. Box 40/202 North Ford Street
Gridley, IL 61744

In the memo section of your check, please indicate "Baggett Adoption #1382"

If you can not donate, we would appreciate your prayers as we work to bring our son home. Thanks -

Tony & Dawn

Both Hands Project

Dear Friends:
Total cost of this adoption will be approximately $34,000. To finalize everything, we will have to make four trips to Russia at a cost of over $12,000. We have partnered with Both Hands and Lifesong for Orphans for an innovative method to help with the financial barrier we face. Have you ever sponsored someone playing golf or walking for charity? In return for sponsorship, we and a team of friends will work on the property of a widow in our community by providing needed repairs. This project is founded upon James 1:27 which states, "" Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

If you would like to help by making a tax deductible donation, please click on the Both Hands logo above and you will be directed to a website. Scroll down until you see our photo and project. If you click on the 'donate' button, you can make a donation through Paypal. If you would like to mail a donation, you can send it to:

Lifesong for Orphans
P.O. Box 40/202 North Ford Street
Gridley, IL 61744

In the memo section of your check, please indicate "Baggett Adoption #1382"

If you can not donate, we would appreciate your prayers as we work to bring our son home. Thanks -

Tony & Dawn