After 5 years, 4 months and 3 weeks…
After 5 trips to Russia,
After working with and through 2 agencies, 4 Judges, 3 lawyers, the Secretary of State, Embassy and DHL…
After unmentionable sums of money, energy, frustration, anger, humiliation, praise, glee and prayer
OUR DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE JUDGE IN RUSSIA…and we will have a court date the end of January.
The emotions are still raw. The memories haven't yet faded (good and bad). And some days I still wonder if reality has hit me yet.
So many times people told me that soon after we get Anya home I won't remember the torturous wait. I remember.
People have said that I will have such fond memories of our 2 month stay in Russia. My memories are not fond. Yes, I miss our friends - but thinking about the apartment, being asked time and time again for money, missing home and everything that was normal and familiar...I do not miss that. A year after the hardest chapter of our lives; after losing friends, respect and losing my sanity at times, I have never questioned if it was worth it.
A year later I am amazed by Anya. I look at her with awe and pure joy. The gut level feelings I have to protect her is something I never NEVER knew I would have.
There is so much I know about my daughter today that I didn't know a year ago. That makes me sad. I had no idea how funny she was. How sensitive she would be. I didn't know how much she would love gum, soccer pants, ice cream or music. I had no idea that she would hate mushrooms, green beans and mustard.
I prayed that God would protect her. That HE would keep her in a little bubble and not let any harm come to her. We prayed with callused knees that she would be safe, happy, healthy and feel peace.
He heard our prayer.
4 comments:
God was with you on this all and even if you lost some "friends" you GAINED a whole bunch of new ones you wouldn't have probably met otherwise -- right?!?! Including us and we are blessed by your friendships and can't wait to see you all again. I'm sure the changes in Anya are going to be unbelievable. And you will get good memories of the stay there, but it really takes time! :)
She is absolutely beautiful. You can just see such a peace about her. She also looks so mature!!
This will be a blessed Christmas for all of you!
Check your blog everyday for updates......she is blessed and so are you and Marty.......the Lord knew you would be a family........God Bless, Pam, South Bend
Hello BAH!!! Yay! I just came upon this, have been out of the loop with adoption stuff for the last year. I was curious if you ever were able to bring her home and how you were all doing. SO SO SOOOO happy for you. You are truly blessed!
Afcharka.
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