it's a girl

At 4:45 today, the Irkutsk Regional Court granted our petition to adopt Anya!

It's like a dream right now. We need to process all that has happened over the past 2 days.

The bottom line? God is good!

quick update

Just a quick update.

We were in court for 7 hours today. We had 2 breaks – no lunch break. The room was FREEZING, which was good because after 7 hours, we were tired!

Marty and I were in the hot seat for about 4 hours. Our fears of the prosecutor (so far) have been out-prayed (Is that even a word?). There were no hard questions, nothing difficult. A few minor miscommunications, but nothing huge at all.

Thank you all so much for praying – we felt your prayers in such a big way. God showed up – and that’s all I can say about that right now.

Everything went very well until the last 30-40 minutes of the hearing. A last minute document was added to Anya’s medical file. Apparently there were 2 different diagnoses on the same issue in October. One clinic said it was nothing – the other said it was something.

This caused a fairly big to-do in court. Bottom line – Anya will be seen by a court appointed doctor tomorrow morning to make a final determination on this issue. This document will clarify the others that were not clear and contradicted each other.

Until this document came up, everyone in court thought we would be able to get a judgment. In today’s court cases in Irkutsk, a 1-day adoption hearing in unheard of.

We will reconvene at 3pm tomorrow (which is 2am Tuesday night/morning EST). Again, this is unheard of. Alex said that generally the second day of court is at least 3-4 days later, generally 1 week later. To have the continuance the next day –at 3pm says that the judgment will be handed down tomorrow.

Of course this is all speculation at this point.

I just wanted to post some general info on today. We are exhausted, were hungry (thanks Tami for feeding us!!) and mentally done for the day.

more tomorrow.

prayers needed

Well, we’re down to it. We’re in the final days before heading to court on Tuesday. We found out something that we need your prayers on.

There is a prosecutor at every court hearing. There is one prosecutor who is horrible – and has an ‘interesting’ nick-name among those she comes in contact with. Debbie – this might be the same prosecutor you had.

Anyway, she specifically requested to be a part of our hearing, since it is “famous”. (feel free to insert grunts, groans and expletives here).

This woman has the power to call for any additional information she sees fit in a hearing. In other words, she can call for more documents at the last minute. She also has a ‘say so’ in the final outcome of the case. Now, the Judge can over-rule her, however she does have that power.

In an adoption hearing a few weeks ago (with a German family) she denied their adoption because on the initial form – the couple stated they were looking for a child with blue eyes. The child they are seeking to adopt has brown eyes. The judge overruled the prosecutor’s opinion, and granted the adoption. Well – the prosecutor then appealed to the Supreme Court. No, I am not kidding!

Please pray about this for us. We’re praying that any and all hindrances that may come in our way to bring Anya home be removed! And if that means she isn’t a part of our hearing, then God has the power to completely remove her. If His plan is for her to be a part of our case, then we hope that she is able to see His love though us for Anya. AMEN!!!


For those who would like to pray for us as we are physically IN court - that will be around 8pm on the 15th - (Indiana EST)time.

God's Plan is ALWAYS better than mine

So, where do I even start?!


I mean - nothing is ever easy. I know that - especially with adoptions, and this adoption in particular. I KNOW THIS, I embrace it - I have LIVED it for over 5 years.

But the past 24 hours might take the cake.

Yesterday night at about 8pm, I got online to complete the shipping label for the DHL package that was to be shipped to Irkutsk today. Today I planned to go to Indianapolis to the State House and get everything done that needed to be done - and get the documents in the mail. January 11th is the deadline the Judge in Russia has given us on these last few documents - which means I wanted to get everything there by the 5-6th.







Well, DHL.com wasn't playing nicely with others. Wouldn't let me log in. So I call the 800#, and when the lady answers, I decide to ask her about transit times with the holiday weekend instead of helping me with the log in issue. Why? It was God.

She proceeds to tell me that the delivery date for something mailed to Irkutsk today would be January 13th...JANUARY 13TH! (did I mention that everything was being presented to the count on the 11th?)


Hence starts freak out #1.




I quickly find out that my only option with DHL is to ship through a TSA Authorized business shipper, and even if I find one of those - there is no guarantee because of customs. TO get it through customs, I would have to hire a Broker...and no one could tell me how to hire a broker.


The nice DHL woman also suggested we hire a courier - that would ONLY cost about $3,000 - $4,000.







So I call FedEx. Basically, they told me the same story, but they were giving me a delivery date of January 18th (it's getting worse)




Thus begins freak out #2


I seriously went crazy at this point. I don't cry. I am not a very emotional person. The Fed Ex lady obviously could tell by the tone in my voice that I was desperate. She told me about a service called "Next Flight" - this is only open to authorized shippers who hold a Fed Ex account. After figuring out all of the requirements, and getting everyone involved all over Twitter and Facebook - we found a Plan A, B and C. This wasn't a cheap option, but it was workable.



Then God stepped in and took control.


I should have known that He would have a better plan. An easier plan. A perfect plan.






Our friends that live in Irkutsk told us that they knew of a man that lives in Maine who was flying to Irkutsk on Monday...this Monday! This means he would be arriving in Irkutsk the morning of the 6th. THE 6th! All I would have to do would be to overnight the documents to him in Maine!



I called him - he is VERY VERY nice, and will put the documents in his carry-on baggage to make sure nothing happens to them. Did I mention he is a VERY VERY nice man?



From where I sit, the Jackson's and Mr. Keef were little pieces of Heaven to me.


So - shipping situation handled. Off to Indianapolis.

I go to the State Police Department. I've done this criminal check thing about a million times in the past. I know the drill. You go to the office, you pay $10 and get what you need.

Well, they changed the drill...apparently sometime between when I called last week and when I walked in the doors this afternoon. The secretary told me the check would take 2 weeks, and would have to be mailed to me.

Insert freak out #3 here

It's a long story, but let's just say it got done - I cried in public, had a stranger offer me a Kleenex, and it cost me $30, but it's done...and there is an Indiana State Police Officer who got a nice lunch today.

FREAK OUTS OVER

Thank God.

I am ever so grateful for several things:

1. Good friends who read my random Tweets and Facebook updates, and are always so willing to jump in the middle of my drama to help
2. For Mr. Keef - praying safe travels for him
3. For one of my dearest friends, Stacy - who I always bomb in on when I am in Indianapolis. She is a little dose of reality for me...and tonight was no exception
4. Blessed with crazy random connections to get stuff done...thanks to Jackie Walorski for helping us this round (and yes, this is a political plug - VOTE FOR HER!)
5. For the goodness and perfect plan of God!

So the next time I freak out, will someone please remind me that God has it under control?

the call - well, the email

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.

I’m not kidding.

Ever since the news hit my email in-box yesterday morning, I have been in this constant dialog with God. The conversation is going something like this:

Me: “really? Really? REALLY?”

God: “yes”

Me: “Are you serious, really?”

And so we take this last step in the process to bring Anya home, knowing tat God hears our prayers…and remembering that HE is in control. Yes – we take this step with a nervous shake in our legs – but HE is in control!

God has answered our prayers, because we have trusted Him – completely. He has already shown us that HE is in control and all of the little (and big!) details, and it will all work out for His glory. For that, we are already praising God!

NOW WHAT

There are a few documents we need to update by January 11. By few, I mean 5…only 5 little things (that we’ve done before a million times, but are now expired). Once these documents are submitted to the court, a firm date will be given. Right now, we’re looking at the week of January 25^th.

There is a lot to do, plans to be made, money to be gotten, freaking out to be had. But, it’s all good!

WE ARE GOING TO BRING OUR LITTLE GIRL HOME!