and then the floodgates opened

I was surfing around online tonight - pretty much avoiding anything that even sounded or looked like work (so for me, no online shopping, reading about trends, no magazines...)

I went to a friend's website I haven't been to in a LONG time. This is what I saw:

The title is "Anya's Blessing".

This is a beautiful painting that Cricket Berry did for an adoption fundraiser (auction) that my dear friends had for us years (and I do mean years) ago. I can't remember who won this - but I remember wanting to bid on it (and wondering if that would be not-cool...to bid on something at a silent auction that is being held to benefit you).

In my small group last week, we were talking about embarrassing moments. Anyone who knows me knows that my life is full of silliness that could be interpreted as embarrassment. But seeing this picture reminded me of that night. About how humbled I felt, how loved I felt, and...yes, embarrassed. Embarrassed that we needed a "fund raiser". And I know - this was a way my friends could support us in the adoptions. I know they wanted to do 'something'...I know that.

Those feelings are still with me now - so many years later. I'm embarrassed that we don't have Anya home yet - that SO MANY people have poured time, gifts, frequent flyer miles, money, prayers into this.

And that is all I have to say about that.

What do you REALLY believe?

I read this on another blog tonight. For some reason, it really hit me. I mean, I *think* I really believe, I *think* I really know what I believe. I *think* that this adoption journey is a test of what I believe, and how deep my faith is. I also *think* I've had to learn that my beliefs and my faith is more than what I lean on - more than my own understanding of the "why's" and "how's" of things. Sometimes I *think* I *think* too much, and just need to stop thinking, and start praying...

Do you truly believe that what you believe is really true? A question to
think about from 'The Truth Project'. I think I do. In good times I think I do.
In hard times, it is much more difficult. I loved the visual of the little boy
jumping off the diving board into the arms of his mother. An example of
childlike faith. Am I willing to jump into the arms of my Father?

We took a day off

I know, I was shocked too...but we did. We decided to take today and not work (well, until 8pm). We went to Weco Beach in Bridgman, MI. Ironically - this was the location of our very first 'real' date...now, I know what you're thinking, who goes to the beach on their first date? All I have to say about that, is it all worked out :)

I wanted to share these funny photos. Marty wanted to take a photo with the background in this pic. I disagreed because the sun was in my face - notice my eyes.

This shot was my idea...notice the bad background (or lack of background), and my eyes (haha!)

India by way of Russia

So, my hubby has decided to go to India. He will be going with a team from our CHURCH - there are several groups going. I really don't understand it other than to say there is a water group, a justice group and the group Marty will be with - the documentary group. He and some of his buddies will be filming the goings-on our the mission teams our church supports in India.

He is in the process of raising funds now - I think he leaves right after Christmas.

If you know anything about me and Marty - you know that we are rarely apart. We travel together - we work together (from home). We're one of those odd couples that really enjoy being together, and choose to be together rather than to be apart. The only time we're apart is when I have to run to Chicago on a buying trip, or if he wants to go to the movies...I am not good in a theater.

Another thing I should mention, is that I have no desire to go to India. I have a lot of friends who are 100% sold out in support of what God is doing in India - and I support them, and think what they are doing is great. Honestly, it isn't a place that makes my heart beat fast...and I think that is OK. God has wired me to be passionate about other things (women's causes here at home, orphans, bla bla bla). Also, I am a picky eater - well, not really. I just don't eat meat. I went on a mission trip (to Chicago) many moons ago, and about starved to death (seriously, barely ate anything for 3 days). I've heard stories of missionaries in India feasting on a goat that the village slaughtered as a thank you to the team. Um, ya - NO thanks! Not sure how that would translate...

So, I'm not going to India.

Since Marty will be gone, and it is about time for us to think about going to Russia again, I thought I would go visit Anya. I don't see how we can afford his trip to India, and both of us going to Russia...all in the same year. Ahhh yes, I wish we were made of money! I'm still not sure how we're going to swing one trip to India, and one trip to Russia...but I am getting creative.

So - anyone want to go to Russia? Tickets are running about $1500+, plus your Visa, food, transportation in Moscow, hotel in Moscow, transportation in Irkutsk, apartment in Irkutsk, and translator. Common - you PAPs out there (and you know who you are!!) - let's head to Irkutsk! I would like to be there for Russian Christmas...wouldn't that be too much fun!? (Deb, Winda, Addy - anyone???)

So - consider this a shameless plea - if your heart beats fast for mission work in India, feel free to contact my hubby with your financial support, or words and prayers of encouragement.

If your heart beats fast for Anya or orphans...and you've got some Delta frequent flyer miles (or Am Ex points, or Marriott points) you want to rid yourself of - I would be more than happy to take those off your hands.

..so that is a little slice of life, here in the Friend household. Never a dull moment.

confession

I have to confess. I haven't even started updaing the paperwork. Every time I think I am going to start, I work on business stuff.

This has been going on for weeks now.

I think it is because when I work on business things, join another online community, submit another article to some magazine...I get a response. I get feedback. I see the fruit of my labor. My work is rewarded.

Conversely - when I revise, redo paperwork for the zillionith time - I get nothing. I (generally) don't even get a notice that it was delivered, accepted. I have no idea (generally) when it is going to be give to the Judge...and this is all very typical - very Russian. They are not so good at master-communication skills (at least by our standards).

So this is my confession - I seem to be spending time on things that I feel some sense of accomplishment from...and today, that isn't dossier paperwork.

First Blog Award

My blog-adoption-friend (Addy) gave me my first Blog award! I was about ready to give myself an award (kind of competitive that way) - so thanks! Part of accepting this most prestigious award, is that I get to nominate others...after (of course) my acceptance speech...so here it goes:

I'd like to thank the ridiculous Russian officials who have been keeping my Anya captive, forcing me to take a leap into the blog world. I would also like to thank my bloggy pals for reading my nonsense, and for the entertainment value their blogs provide me.

With that, I would like to nominate the following blogs that I read just about every day:

1. Brenda
2. Michelle
3. Jenni (AKA JLa)
4. Kristen
5. Angie
6. Kate
7. Christen

So, to the winners - here is what you have to do:

Congratulate yourself!
Add the logo of the award to your blog
Add a link to the person who awarded it to you - that would be me!
Nominate up to 7 other blogs
Add links to those blogs on your blog
Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.
Happy Bloggin' everyone!

weather in Irkutsk

I always check the weather in Irkutsk - odd, I know. Just to let you in on a little snippet of my day -tomorrow, it is supposed to rain - high in the 50's, low in the 30's. Weekend weather will be partly cloudy with high in the 60's, low's in the high 30's - ahh yes, late summer in Siberia!

All the money in the world

I wish I had enough money to:

• not worry about bills, debt, payments
• give freely - enough to those that it would make an immediate difference
• that I could go to Russia any time I wanted
• not think about the total of my groceries in the check out line
• to fill my house with fresh flowers all year around
• to be able to walk into the shelters, agencies, groups, church that we give to and ask what the deficit is...and be able to meet it
• be able to buy a house or a car for someone who really needed it
• employ those who need a job
• buy my husband an IPhone (so I could stop hearing about how he's not cool because he doesn't have one, and how all his friends have one, and how it's not fair)
• provide to the orphans in Irkutsk - make sure they are cared for, fed, clothed
• help friends in need, anonymously
• fund cancer research
• fund heart disease research
• get meeting with people of power and influence, and give them my opinion
• get in front of Putin and explain to him what his 'judge' is doing to my Anya
• allow my husband (who is the best husband in the world...by the way) to do whatever he wants - not work for a paycheck - give him the freedom to just create
• to say no sometimes

What about you? If you had all the money in the world, what would you do?

Living Room to a Wedding Chapel

Do you all remember (back in the day) those commercials for futons? The actor would exclaim "sofa to a bed...SOFA TO A BED?!" (OK, Mel is probably the only one who is cracking up right now...)

Anyway - we made our front room a wedding chapel this weekend (front room to a wedding chapel...FRONT ROOM to a WEDDING CHAPEL?!) - there aren't too many people in the world I would move all the furniture out of those rooms for...but, my friend Kim is one of those people. I blogged about her shower HERE. My friend Kim is now happily married to her Prince Charming - Bart.


It was such a beautiful day, and the wedding was perfect (and I didn't even obsess about the streaky/spotty windows, or the weeds that I forgot to pull on the side of the house). I know this blog is not about my friend's wedding - but I also know that there are a lot of you out there who know and love Kim and Sara...so, indulge me and ooooo and ahhhhh at these pics.

my church...and me MIA

For the past few weeks, we haven't been able to go to church as regularly as we normally do...and that bums me out. Travel schedules, and gas prices seem to be keeping us on this side of Michiana.

My church is making a switch for the mid-week service. Typically - the Thursday night service is one that I would not miss...no matter what. Over the summer, an announcement was made that the Thursday services is moving to Wednesday nights - and taking on a new format. Cool! Love new and different. I never got all of the details, because (of course) we missed that week.

When I heard the news, I also heard that it was going to start in August. So, I've been loading my schedule on Thursday nights.

Huge mistake...

This past Thursday was the last 'thurs. mid-week' service. I've heard rumblings that it was amazing - of course, I didn't know it was the last Thursday night - and we didn't go (I was working).

Did you go this past week? What did I miss? What is the new Wednesday all about? When does it start?

...I need details!

Have you ever...

Have you ever wanted to tell someone if they don't like what they read on your blog - then just don't read it!

If they find the information you share on your blog is opposite to what they believe - then don't read it!

Why is it that people are so quick to jab and stab rather than to understand?

If you don't like hamburgers - then don't work at McDonald's.

If you don't like the reporting on CBS, then turn the channel to NBC.

...sometimes people wear me out.

so grateful

Seriously, I don't know what I did to be blessed with so many great friends. I can be pretty scarcastic - I never have time to get together for coffee and chat, I am horrible at calling people...yet, God has blessed my life with some pretty incredible pals.

...and family! No matter what crazy thing I get myself into - my family is always right by my side. Literally - if I volunteer for something, that means you get me, my hubby, my mom - and maybe my brother. I've never heard them complain - and are always happy to help me. I tease them that they are the "hired help", but I've never paid them. They let me get in my pre-event "mood" (which sometimes isn't pretty), and they love me anyway.

I just want to say for the record - thanks to all of you who stopped by to see me at the mall this weekend. It's always nice to look up and see a friendly face or 2! Thanks for supporting me and my business - and for being my biggest fans. LOVE YOU GUYS!

anyone know?

Does anyone know how to block a user from seeing your blog? Just curious...

adoption update - not sure what to think

I realize that many of you come here to see what is going on with the adoption. And, I realize that I don't post a ton of updates on what is going on ...basically because there is nothing going on - really.

I've posted before about another family who is trying to adopt a little boy from the same region we are. They have taken their case to the Russian Supreme Court...they are blazing trails for all of us in Irkutsk. Well, their case FINALLY (a story for another time) got back to the Irkutsk court, and Judge S. FINALLY reviewed the Supreme Court's decision. We all were thinking Judge S. would grant a court date, and that our friends would be traveling in October (ish) to go to court.

Of course, that doesn't seem to be what is happening.

Judge S. offered a list of 10 things our friends must get before she will grant them a court date. Most of the things on this list are easy - things like an updated criminal background check (I can understand that - logical)...but there are other things on this list that seem to be impossible - specifically, a document signed by a doctor that doesn't exist in our country. So - essentially, the Judge is saying 'you must travel to Russia JUST to have a 20-minute visit in a medical clinic with this doctor'.

In the past, Judges in this region would grant court dates pending an in-country medical exam. So, families would get to Russia a day or so early in order to spend a day in a Russian medical clinic, and have all of these exams done.

This is where I need your help. I know that we have so many creative minds reading this blog. Lots of people that know lots of people. We need you to help! We need you to put those networking skills to task!

We need (as so many of the other Irkutsk waiting families) a doctor who is a Dermatologist-Venereologist. What is a venereologist you ask? Who knows...It can't be JUST a dermatologist. I Googled Venereologist, and it seems that it is a "the study of the diseases that are communicated by sexual intercourse" - I'm not kidding. Now, if you know of an American doctor who specializes in both things - PLEASE let me know! Or, if you have some kind of connection to one of these doctors in Russia - that would be even better!

Finally - on a more personal note. The time has come for us to redo ALL of our documents again. You all know that I have dreaded this. I know that the last 5% is the hardest part of anything. Well, for us, it seems that the 5% is more like 20% or more! If I can be so bold as to again ask for your prayers...pray that we can get these documents done without many issues, that I get them done in a timely fashion, and that I am able to get them to Russia by September 1-ish. Also say a prayer for the people with the Secretary of State's office here in Indiana. They are very nice, but I know every time they know we're coming - or when we ask for something, they cringe. Thankfully - they are the kind that know it isn't us asking for unreasonable things. I just want to pray for their tolerance of all these things, and patience with all of our documents.

We truly appreciate and love you all!

Pics of the dynamic duo

I love my friend Tracey - we don't get to spend enough time together. But when we are together - WATCH OUT! You just never know what is going to happen! She is one of those 'true blue' kind of pals...so glad she is on my side!

Here are some more photos of our Hove-A-Round escapade.


Oh no - I think we're heading for the pool area.


Nope - it looks like we're early for happy hour (haha!) ...I think we were a little too early, as in - we were the only ones there!



I have NO idea what the big secret is...


Quite a pair!

Hove-A-Round and a bum foot or 2

When we were in Florida a few weeks ago (photos are coming...I promise!) - I was in one of those great orthopedic boot things. I blogged about being pushed through the airport in a wheelchair (humiliating!). TO read that post, go HERE

Well, in FL, I met up with my friend Tracey (from Washington state). She was fighting immobility too. We were quite a pair. She rented a Hove-A-Round...i.e. a power wheelchair. One night, I was pooped from dragging around my bum foot all day, so I hitched a ride on Tracey's HAR.

It was captured on film...there is nothing more to say.

You never realize...

Since we've been traveling and on the go so much for the past few weeks (and lost my luggage), I have realized how much certain things at home make me happy.

• My electric toothbrush - I really miss that when I'm not at home...a manual one just doesn't do the job the electric one does.
• My bedding - I know I spent way too much on our sheets - but they are seriously the softest most comfortable sheets in the world!
• Beverages - at any time, I can go to the fridge and get something to drink!
• My cat, OK, I know that sounds odd. But Jazz sits in my office (or wherever I am)...she is always right by my side. When I am not here, I miss her.
• A good workspace. At hotels, I can never get comfortable using my laptop.

What comforts of home do you miss when you are out of town?

Friends vs. skunk

If you've been following this blog for a long time, you might remember a post last year called "SKUNK WARS".

This year, the skunk gets revenge.

We were taking a walk down our driveway (which is 1/4 mile-ish long)...with a treeline on one side...when I looked up and saw a skunk...right there in our driveway, staring at us. Yes, I freaked out!

So - what do you do when you come (almost) face to face with one of these scary stinky critters? Back away slowly!! And continue your walk WAY FAR away from where the skunk went!

adoption paperwork

It's been a while since I posted anything about the adoption - so I guess I should say a little something about it.

I am having trouble getting the new medical form done. We known someone who is good friends with the medical director at one of the big clinics around here. We need him to get this done. I haven't been able to get any contact info out of my friend. I tried to just call the office -and he isn't taking any new patients...so they wouldn't make an appointment for me to see him.

Generally, I hit a closed door, or a 'no' and I see that as an exciting challenge. Now - a 'no' just makes me tired...and I put that document that needs to be done on my 'to do' pile. This has been going on for weeks now...and it's still not done. And, it is on my 'to do' list for next week.

Why is this ONE document SO HARD to get done? I've completed (literally) thousands of documents for this adoption...the same document done 6 times (different each time) in triplicate...and it didn't tire me. I just don't know why I can't muster the energy to get this done this time.

IMEDIATE PRAYERS NEEDED for our missionary friend

Hello All,

We have a prayer request. Our friend, Wes (some of you know him) has a daughter named Martha. She is the mom to 5 children. Her husband died several years ago. Martha is a missionary in Israel. Her (and her husband's) life's work is to help ill children get much needed life-saving medical help in Israel.

Martha and her family have lived in Israel for a long time (I don't know exactly how long...but a long time).

A few weeks ago - Martha was visiting family on the West coast - and heading back to Israel. Upon landing in Israel - she (and her 5 children...all young kids) were detained for 10 hours, and deported back to New York. The only reason given was that thier Visas were not in order...after 10 HOURS!!!!!!

Her home and life are in Israel. Martha and her kids are at a hotel in New York trying to figure out what to do.

A family friend met Martha and the kids in New York to help them get settled. As he was helping them, his van was broken into. Everything he owned was in the van (computers, clothing, passport). He was packed and heading to Indiana...so now, he has nothing.

Please pray for Martha and her kids...and the family friend (John). From what I understand, Martha is working on getting to Indiana...that is where Wes is.

Updates, donations and words of encouragement can be found through Full Life Crusade. http://www.flc7.com/home.html