Dossier Mailed & 2 Year Anniversary

Well, in the past week we have shipped two sets of documents that make-up 99% of our dosier. The only thing I am waiting on is the apostille on my employment letter that had to be completed in New Hampshire. We also need to go get our local police clearances and that will wrap up our dossier. Hopefully we will have both documents in the next week to ten days. We are also waiting on our CIS appointment to be fingerprinted. We received a letter from them saying they received our application the last week in April. With the last adoption, it only took two weeks to get an appointment. There is a small voice in the back of my head getting a little paranoid about this. The louder voice is reminding me it is all in His timing.

May 20 was the second anniversary of the day we picked up the kids from the detsky dom. Wow time flies, but then again it seems like they have always been home with us. We didn't do anything special other than talk about it over lunch one day. As I look back over the photos, it is amazing to see how much they have grown! Our house is a bit chaotic now days, but not in a bad way. I wouldn't trade one minute of it! I know couples with only one or two kids look at us like we are nuts, but children really are a blessing. I laugh when I hear adults comment about their "private/me" time. You have got to be kidding! Our private time is when we close our eyes at night and got to sleep - but even then there are times when there is a little one between us because they had a bad dream or something.

Dawn and I have a rather unspoken prayer request. If you will, just pray that God will give us wisdom to make the right decision. I know this is cryptic, but it is something that has been weighing heavily on us for several months now.

Sad News from Russia

A week ago last Thursday, I received a sad e-mail from Russia. Tatiana e-mailed me to let me know that the kid's birth mom, Elena, had passed away. This shook me a little more than I expected - I had never met the woman. There is a piece of me that is very angry with her, but there is a much larger piece that feels sorry for her. I do not know what home life for her was like as a little girl, but I do know what her life as an adult has been like in recent years. It was a tragic life that is unfortunately very common in that part of the world. I pray she knew The Lord Jesus Christ as her personal Saviour. I e-mailed Tatiana a note back to let her know how very sorry we were to hear the news and that I would tell the kids in a few days. I even asked her about Elana's salvation. I got an e-mail back from her, but she never addressed that point. I fear Elena died not knowing there was a Heavenly Father that loved her - how horrible.

I told Tatiana that Nastya and Dima do not remember Elena, but Polina has very clear memories of her and loved her. I knew Polina would want a picture and Tatiana promised to send one. I did not tell Polina until last Sunday night. She was heart broken and grabbed hold of Dawn and let her comfort her. I told the little ones on Monday morning. They cried a little.

I spoke with our church pastor about how to "honor" their birth mom's life. I was struggling because she did not lead a life style that I felt I could honor, but I knew I needed to recognize her passing for my children and the rest of the family. She gave birth to my three youngest children and for that I am eternally grateful. Pastor recommended a flower be placed up on the communion table in her memory for today (Mother's Day). I went a little further and asked if I could just get a large arrangement of flowers. He thought that would be fine. So, this past Monday morning, I took Polina to the florist and we purchased an arrangement in memory of Elena. They were there on the table up front this morning with a note in the bulletin that they were in memory of the kid's birth mom that passed away on April 22. I took a picture tonight (forgot my camera this morning) with the kids and the flowers so I could send it to Tatiana and show her how we remembered Elena today.

So, in memory of Elena ...