Miracles of Miracles!!!!

I ended up going to Utah Sept 2nd, 2003. Casey and Whitney bought me a ticket to go out and see them and surprise everyone. It was really fun - except that I surprised my dear mother who had just had her 35 prolotherapy shots in her back. She was so happy to see me, that when she stood up, she almost fainted. I felt so bad. But it was a great fun time and I was so happy for the opportunity to be out there with my kids and family.

While I was in Utah- Vinny ended up in the hospital with severe muscle spasms in his back. He had them so bad that he couldn't even move! I felt helpless - I couldn't be home for a couple of days. But I was glad Morgan was with him.

So - then another tragedy strikes. Terrorists again in Russia (Chechnya) rush a school very similar to Aliana's and Nikki's, and hold it hostage for three days. It is like an oven in there. The pictures they send out of there are gruesome. The kids are so hot, they are taking their clothes off. Some have already died. At the end of three days, 350 people, mostly children have died. This is not too far from where my girls are. I am sick with worry. Once again I am on my knees, pleading with my Heavenly Father for a court date to get those girls out of Russia. I was able to go to the Temple in Utah - much prayers were offered there. I don't understand why people in this world have to be so cruel, so mean. so heartless?!! During this whole procedure, I have felt an urgency to get those girls out of Russia as soon as possible. I don't know why. I just have.

Even though i love being in Utah, my heart was in Virginia with Vinny and Morgan. I was really worried about hm. I got back home, and we got Vinny well. We were still waiting for our court date. We kept praying with urgency. We felt like we were really getting down to the wire.

AND THEN!!!

MIRACLES OF MIRACLES!!!

WE GET OUR COURT DATE!!!!

We travel to Russia on September 22 - with a court date of Sept 27th, and the girls will be ours!!!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU, HEAVENLY FATHER!!! Suddenly, we are like giddy teenagers, racing against the clock, running to get everything in order. We had to have every piece of clothing, every visa - every EVERYTHING ready for those girls. I was beyond elated. We were going to become parents again!!

We called the girls on Sept 11th and let them know that we were finally coming. They seemed excited, and scared. A perfect reaction. I had the worst headaches that week. The stress of it all was incredible.

I am so grateful - the time is at hand. We go to London first - then on to Moscow. Once again, we ask, Heavenly Father, to please bless and protect us.


Just writing -

Fighting
Why?
Terrorists
Why
Why now?
When I want nothing more
Than to travel
To Russia
For one purpose
My daughters,
Yes, it's true they
Came from different
Mothers.
But America calls
The home of the free
The land of the brave
So,
For now,
Be Strong,
God is ever near - watching
O'r you
Until that
Glorious day
When five hearts
Will melt
Into
One heart
Your forever Father
And I
Love you so
And we will not be
Saparated again.
For we love you
More than life
And that's
One thing -
A Terrorist
Doesn't
Understand.


Ok - So now we bought the van for the girls - and we love it - hence the picture - and we are READY TO GO GET THE GIRLS!!!
YEEEEEEE HAAAAAAW!

Walk a mile in my shoes

While the waiting continued - I have to tell you what was going on in my life. Before we had decided to adopt the girls, I had to have bunion surgery - a simple procedure, correct? NOT. With me, my body seems to reject anything and everything that is done with and to it. So - I had to have surgery done twice. I had to have screws put in my foot - my foot rejected them. They ended up taking the screws out - and while they were at it- they operated on my pinky toe -(same foot- right foot) to take out a piece of the bone that I had broken a year before. BAD break. My foot just was not healing. I had to wear a foot boot for over a year - and then while waiting for the girls, I wore a foot shoe for eight months. To this day, my right foot is swollen, and larger than my other foot. Any way- I was so worried that I wouldn't be able to walk in Russia. How we fasted and prayed that my foot would heal before we left!!

I finally decided to get a second opinion. Vinny had left for an out of town meeting, and just Morgan and I were at home. I went to this new guy - and he gave me some steroid injection shots into my feet. I remember thinking :"OUCH" cause I'm such a baby anyways. HAHA. But on the 25 minute drive home - all of a sudden I had horrific pains shooting down my leg- to the point that I thought I was going to have to pull over. By the time I got home, I was crying like there was no tomorrow.

I have never felt such pain in my life. Well, yes, I probably have. I have lived in chronic pain most of my adult life... but that's another story in and of it'self. But at that particular time, it was so bad, it was like I couldn't breathe. I was so panicked. Vinny wasn't home, and I knew I needed the priesthood. I called my home teacher, Brother Whitesides, and he immediately came with someone, I don't remember who. But I do remember the blessing. In the blessing, he commanded my body to heal instantly, and told me that my body was to be preserved at this time, that I had children to raise yet on this continent and another! His words were so powerful. I understood instantly how sick I was - and how much my Heavenly Father loved me!

I went to the hospital - I was told my adrenal glands had started to shut down - but that for some reason (and they were very perplexed)... they were working now - and I was very sick - but I would be ok. I cried, but I cried because I felt the power of the priesthood. Morgan needed me, my children who were moved out - married or not needed me - and my soon to be new daughters needed me. I was told this could have been potentially fatal. I was shaking so hard. I have never felt that bad. Well - then again.... lol... Thank you, Heavenly Father.

In the days that followed we did have all our paperwork approved and we were just playing the waiting game. I wrote down some thoughts that I had at this time in my journal.

"Heavenly Father, please bless me to continue to heal, that I might go get our daughters as soon as time permits. Let it be speedy. Let no acts of terrorism mar our way, that we may travel with full safety and assurance. These precious girls need us, and I need them. They need their brothers and their sisters here, their grandma and grandpa, their granddad and nana.
Such changes. I pray for Amy (my daughter in law) to be healthy with this new baby she is carrying. How precious is this new life!

Heavenly Father, I beseech thee - to heal this illness that has me bound. I want to be well for the girls. I want to be their mother. I want to raise them. I want to teach them correct gospel principles. I want to liven with my Vinny - with Morgan and do good things.

The very next day - two Russian airliners crahsed outside Moscow. This was Aug 25 2003. They were the planes like we were on when we flew to Stavropol. It was determined it was an act of terrorism. (It was interesting that just the day before in my journal I had wrote about not worrying about terrorism.) We are not going to let us determine that this will halt our trip in any way. We grieve for the families - but realize that these daughters are ours, and we need to bring them home."

It is interesting to me to go back and read these journal entries.

Miracles and Grandma's (My Mother)

We were still waiting for Aliana's INS approval. We felt it was taking so so long. We had no idea what to do - so we asked Heavenly Father for a miracle, We had to wait it out. We prayed, fasted, everything. They don't provide any phone numbers for INS - you have no way of getting in contact with anyone. Well, I was bound and determined to get my paperwork, and told my sweetheart as such. I asked him to fast with me. So - we fasted on a Sunday - and on Monday -we got a call from a gal at INS! She said - "I don't know how your file ended up on my desk, and I don't normally do this, but tell me your situation, and I will see if I can help." We were flabbergasted. She listened to us, and then said she would have it to us within two weeks - due to the fact that she was going on vacation for two weeks. Do miracles still exist. I say yes!! THANK YOU, HEAVENLY FATHER!

After that, we felt confident that we would get the desired paper work, so we fervently started to get things in order to go. I kept thinking about Cami - and her connection with her "babushka," the only woman who had ever been kind to her in her life. Her dear Grandmother. I started to wonder if it would be a good idea to ask my mom if she wanted to go with us to Russia.

Now - you have to know my mom. I absolutely ADORE my mom. She is the Edith to my Dad's Archie (only my Dad is not even close to being like Archie.) My Mom is just so funny and silly and she forgets things and ...well.. the list could go on and on and on. She really hadn't been out of Utah much - I think she had been to Idaho a few times and maybe Wyoming? I am honestly not sure where else. OH - I know she went to Yellowstone - when she was pregnant with me, but that's Wyoming. At any rate - she's just a good old Utah born and raised girl.

So I asked her if she wanted to go to Russia with me. I didn't know what her reaction would be. I didn't think she knew either. She got quiet and a bit nervous and told me she would have to think it over. She told me later that she was very excited and just needed to talk to my dad. But you see - here was ANOTHER miracle.

My mom had been diagnosed with spinal stenosis. Her back had been bothering her for quite a long time, and she was having problems walking and sitting. She was worried that she wouldn't be able to sit or walk for very long. So - one week before we left, she had what is called "PROLOTHERAPY" and had thirty five shots injected into her back. She was down for a few days, but miracles of miracles, she was up and ready to go on this trip of a life time to bring her little granddaughters home. I guess you never know all your Hero's in your life -they just happen as you go along. My Mother is now one of the biggest Hero's I have. She showed me such strength, such determination, such courage and charity. And, throughout it all - she was still my mom. The girls took to her like you wouldn't believe, but that's for a different story. Mom - I LOVE YOU. More than you will ever know. And I would like to thank you for showing me the "better part" and teaching me the right way and loving me through everything. You and Dad, are my HERO'S!

So - we all went and got our Visa's - and got ready to go. I still was determined that these children were to come soon. I KNEW they would. For some reason - I felt that they were to be home with us - and not there. I already felt like a mother hen with her wings spread out - trying to protect her children, ready to peck at anyone that tried to stop me or hurt my children. Also - for some reason, these girls felt like MINE. It didn't really even seem like adoption, other than we had to wait. They were MINE.

We soon got a call that was disturbing. Irene (who owned the adoption agency) told us that the Russian Judge would be out of town on vacation from Sept 7-20. That meant we could not settle a court date until the end of September or first of October. I was very upset about that, because my son Mike was coming off his mission from Concepcion, Chile at the end of Oct, and we were going to Utah to see him come home, and the agency knew this. We were so shocked. We had planned on getting the girls before school. We decided to put our faith and trust once again in Heavenly Father and pray with "exceeding faith" that we would somehow get a court date. (This was found out Aug 12th)

We find a translator!

Ok. So now we are home. Back to the normal things of the day. But it just isn't normal anymore. We had to feel out so much more paperwork for Aliana. And there were still other papers to be apostilled, and notorized. Let me explain apostille to you.
It's the notorization of the notary by the state. It validates that the notary is legitimate. Any document that Russia required from us, they required it to be apostilled. Every copy had to have it's own apostille. It was like ten - fifteen bucks a shot - just for that! We were very lucky in finding a very good woman named Karen, who became our lifesaver for notary. We didn't have to pay her - or that would have been even more expensive. OUCH. The headache of it all makes me want to go take an excederin right now!

One of the things we had to do to prepare for the girls, was to go to INS (Us citizenship) and get visa's for the girls. There was always so much to do. Well - at this particular time, we had no one that we knew of to help us call Russia and talk to the girls. I was more than determined to do that. I didn't want those girls to think for one minute that I went there to give them false hope, and would never be back.

Well - we went to the INS department in Washington, DC. We were living in Stafford, Va at the time. So- off we went to fight the traffic on I95 (UGH) and went in (one of several trips for government related issues for the girls). While we were there, we were sitting there talking. I have always been someone who loves to watch people, and watch what is going on around me. BOY! This place was a literal melting pot. I saw so many different races, people from all walks of life, people it seemed from every corner of the earth. It was so amazing to me. See - I lived in Utah my whole life - and other than a quick trip to Idaho - or Wyoming (for fireworks) or Arizona in High school - and once I flew to California when I was pregnant with my oldest, but other than that - I never went anywhere until I married Vinny. So to see all these cultures and beautiful faces, rugged faces, faces that told stories, was amazing to me.

As we sat there, I noticed an old woman with a very old scarf on, like the women in Russia wear. Her attire was that of a Russia woman. She had clean clothes, but they were very worn and thin. She sat stoically with her white hair and cane. Next to her sat a man around forty, looking much older I assumed than his actual years. Next to him sat a young girl around the age of fourteen and with her were some young boys. I listened to them talking, as we were sitting right by them, and I immediately wondered if they were speaking Russian. So - you know me - I had to find out. I turned to the little girl and asked her where they were from. She told me Russia - I don't remember the part now. She was tall for her age, and pretty with dark hair. Her clothes were old, and she looked like some of the kids I saw in the Orphanage.
She smiled, and we introduced ourselves. She told me her name was Vika. Vika!!! That was Cami's Russian name, short for Victoria. I asked her where they were living. Seems they had just moved here, and they were there with the old woman from her Russian Church, applying for work permits? Or something like that. Well, all we had was time, so we struck up a conversation. She had a really cute accent. I told her my story of going to Russia and adopting the girls. She was really, really interested in that. She gave us a lot of information of orphaned kids. She told us that people in Russia really looked down on you if you were in an orphanage. They thought you were the lowest of low. That made my heart literally break!! They were the outcasts of society, and that's just how it was. People tried to avoid them, and when the children/teenagers were old enough to fend for themselves, the director of the orphanage was directed to take them, and drop them off in some city where they would have a hard time getting back to the orphanage. They were left with the clothes on their backs. I was horrified. And yes, I cried. I couldn't imagine my girls, let alone any girls or boys having to do this over there. I thought of Nikki's sisters and brothers I saw - and I was sick. But I let her talk on - wanting to find out any and all I could about situations over there.

After speaking awhile, I asked her where they lived. They lived about 45 minutes from us. I asked her if she would like to earn some money for me. She hesitated - and then I explained that I needed a translator to help me call the girls. If she could help - I would call her first - get her on the phone - and then call the orphanages - and then she could talk to the girls and tell me what they said back. She went to her father to ask permission. He looked very gruff, not so much as a smile, and I was somewhat disheartened. But she soon came back with the news that she would be able to do it. Vinny got up and went and shook her Father's hand. I think that really helped - and as Vinny tried to communicate somewhat with the father, Vika gave me her number. From then on I had a translator! I paid her twenty - sometimes forty dollars to help me. She was so sweet and kind, and it was wonderful. I remember that when we started calling the kids, she would laugh so cute at the things they would say. At first - the girls couldn't believe we were calling them. Aliana was always the loudest and boldest, Nikki was so shy - but didn't ever want to hang up the phone. She would sit there all day if we let her, and ask questions, to which she would boringly answer "dah" - to each and everything that was said. (Dah means yes). Aliana was serious, on the other hand, no monkey business. "When are you coming to get us"? she would shout into the phone. We tried to explain about the paperwork, and visa's and such, and I'm not sure of how much they even understood (until we got them here and they started speaking in English and we found out for sure). And then Cami. She was at a different orphanage, and they weren't so nice there. Sometimes they would not let me talk to her. Sometimes - it was so funny- they would get her - and you could here her little cute voice (she is really girly girly - high pitched) and she would say "Mama?" "Papa"? Then we would here giggling, and Vika (our translator) would really try to get her to open up. She really didn't understand much being only six at the time, so we just told her over and over again that her American Mama and Papa loved her so so much. She seemed to delight in that.

When we had left the girls in Russia, we left Nikki and Cami with a book of photos of their new brothers and sisters, and their new home. They had pictures of their bedrooms, and the dog, Chloe- and everything. We went over and over each picture with them very carefully. Nikki ended up sharing her book with Aliana for the time being. When we brought the girls home, it was upsetting - all of the toys and clothes had been left with the orphanage. We had to bring clothes back with us - and the girls were literally changed at the time they were handed off to me. I got VERY lucky - and got to keep Aliana's and Nikki's outfits they had on that day. Not so for Cami - but they did let me keep her shoes. Everything went to the Orphanage.

So - I had my life-line in Vika. About a month after using her- she went to some sort of a camp for a month, and didn't tell me she was leaving. I was so upset, and worried that the girls would think that I didn't want them anymore. Fortunately, I found one man in our ward that spoke Russian fluently!!! He was so willing and ready to help - so yeah!! Now I had a back up. All my girls in Russia were also sent to a "summer camp" for a month. So for one whole month - I had no communication with them at all. I would call dutifully every Sunday. I would always say "Americana Mama, don't hang up the phone'- only I had learned to say it in Russian. You don't know how many frustrating phone calls it took - where they didn't understand, and would hang up on me. They finally got used to us calling. YEAH!

Well, I missed the girls something fierce, and I prayed so hard that we would soon have our INS approval for Aliana, and just more paperwork kept pouring in. At times, we wondered if we were doing the right thing. But we pressed on - determined not to give up. "Doubt not - but be believing" became my slogan. I even got personalized license plates that said "Doubt NT".

I still have them and look at them. So - we still played the waiting game, only this time I knew that the girls were real. I had felt them in my arms. I had loved them and kissed them. And I wanted them home..

So... we.. wait...

So - now we are home. Exhausted but totally exhilarated if that makes sense. I woke up at 630:am because Morgan wanted to see the pictures of the girls and the trip before church. So - I bundled up and went downstairs, Vinny decided to make a brave front and join us.


It was interesting - before we left on this trip - Morgan was so - so about the adoption. In fact - since that time he has confided in us that he thought we were crazy at the time - as did many people! =) I can handle that - it was quite the feeling - to decide to adopt one girl - and end up adopting three in just a couple of months!

Now - back to watch the videos - I watched Morgan. A change had come over him. He was excited to see us with these two little girls that we had talked about prayed about, and dreamt about for the past few months. We didn't say anything about Aliana yet. He didn't really even know. He had seen her pictures with Nikki when the adoption agency had sent them - but he wasn't interested at all. Ok, It was time to get ready for church.


Just as we got done - it was time for him to get going, we were so jet lagged - there was no way we could have gone. We were so tired - and we had signed up to have a Youth Fireside at our house that evening to boot! We were going back to bed!! And so we did. Morgan went to church without us. We slept until 11:00:am, and then got up. I had jet lag very bad. At this point in my life - I really hadn't traveled a lot. Before I even met Vinny - I had only been on a plane once - to California from Utah and that had been 25 years before I married him. Since I had married him - I had traveled to Maryland once before our marriage to visit him and our new ward, and then we drove cross country when we got married (boy was that fun on our "honeymoon" with a fourteen year old boy in tow) and we had flown back two or three times to Salt Lake since then to see my family. That was it. My family had also been able to fly out and see me - so I was doing fine on traveling. I honestly didn't know the true meaning of Jet lag. A four hour trip was hard and I thought I had it when I went to Utah!! HAHAHAH! NOT. (Well, ok, I'm a wimp - I admit I DO still have jet lag). I guess this was just the mother lode of all jet lags.

I finally got up and started to email pictures of our trip and call family and friends. I didn't have much time - due to the fact the fireside would be in two hours. I was still in my jammies!!

About 6:30pm - everyone started showing up for the fireside. Vinny was a champ, He mingled and talked and was so animated and fun. I just stayed to myself (and a couple of ladies in the ward). I couldn't shut the sights, smells and sounds of Russia - and most of all - I couldn't stop thinking of three little girls I had left behind.

After the fireside - I walked through the house - and checked the room I had gotten ready for Nikki and Cami. It was so cute- and so ready for them. I then walked to one guest room - which was going to become Aliana's room (at that time it was the Americana room - her room is now the phantom of the opera room). I just looked and wished they were here.

I was still in a daze - but a good one.

I WISHED SO BAD that they were there!! I remember that I had tears falling, and as I turned, Vinny was right behind me, and just held me in his arms.

Just random writing waiting for the girls to come home

Waiting and writing about the girls...

Aliana - My Oldest daughter (by a few months), with your "trying to be so brave looks",
your long brownish red hair waiving down your shoulders,
You are so sweet- so wonderful- so pretty.
We are so blessed to be able to take you home.
I truly love you, Aliana.

Nikki - my second oldest. What a little beauty you are-inside and out. You've had my heart since day one.
When I first saw your picture I knew you were mine. Your shyness makes me want to
protect you even more. I love you!

Camilla - Cami -bug! How I enjoy you so. You are are talented, so gifted with so many things.
The world is yours, if you but let yourself soar!
Your sparkling green eyes, that slken hair - those full lips - you are indeed a treasure.
I'm so gald WE got you, Cami, for you see, someone else nearly did. I love you, my princess child.

MY THREE DAUGHTERS

Never before could I have imagined such excitement.
Nor the agony of waiting.
Waiting eendlessly for mounds of paperwork - for Governments to
Hold my life in their hands.
Never have I turned more to my God - and to my Savior- Jesus Christ.
I knew not that I could love so much, seeing you so little.
You have captured my heart, each having a piece in a unique way. To think I've
Seen you just once!!

Three daughters. To laugh with.. to sing with.
To cry with. To yell with, to be quiet with.
To grow with, to learn with.
To make you each a part of me, and me a part of you.

Three Daughters.

It's ok to be afraid. I am somewhat.
It's OK.
Let's just hold on to each other - tightly, and spend
A lifetime caring and loving, and living the gospel.
So we can one day return as a family unit to the God who
Created us, never to be separated again.

I promise to be fair, to try hard, to be consisitant,
To kiss boo-boo's, help with homework,
Teach you to make cookies and fold socks.
I promise to listen, t set rules, to guide you,
To trust you, and let you fly alone when it's time.
I promise to teach you to pray, to love to read,
To be respectful of others and the things around you.
I promise to say I'm sorry when I'm wrong,
Which I suppose might be often.
I promise to give you the gift of music.
I will teach you about allowences, the tooth fairy,
Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny,
But most importantly, I will teach you of
Christ and what He did for us. I know you will love
Him as much as I do.
I will help you learn service, and to learn to share, to make
Others happy. That's where you are truly happy, my daughters,
In service.
I love you my beautiful girls. I have waited for you all my life.
I promise I will say I love you every day and show you even more.
Thank you Heavenly Father - for my three little girls!
You are mine - and I am most humbly,
Your mother.

Flying back to Washington, DC - June 28 2004

Sergey came and got us. Vinny's stomach was somewhat better... We had a "tiff" with the Hotel Manager - she wanted to charge us more money than was needed! We had paid her cash at the beginning of the stay at the hotel - to cover the expense of the hotel. She decided she wanted more- and I got somewhat angry. Vinny was trying to talk to her, but I really was mad at this point. It's like - "they are American's - we can take their money" and I didn't like that at all. At any rate - we didn't pay it!! I really put my foot down. Vinny was someone chagrined - but I knew we had paid them in full. I was glad to be going home at that point.

We left the Marriott, and Sergey took us once again through the city. He took us to a marketplace, where you could buy all sorts of things. (Souveniers). We took pictures and bought a few things, but I really think at that point I was ready to come home.

Our flight was delayed several hours. (shock- not). We were stuck at the airport for many long hours. Sergey was wonderful - he stayed with us until our flight left. We were not once ever left alone. The cool thing too, was we found and met several other couples from the USA who had been there for their first trip for adoption. All of them were adopting babies - we were the only ones adoping older children, but it really passed the time quickly talking to these young kids - hearing how excited they were and the process they had gone through. Some were much different than ours. We determined that we were very blessed indeed, to be able to go and see three separate little girls. Somo of the people only got to hold these babies for a few hours, and that was IT! Plus, they traveled hours on bus and planes to get to them. They all clutched pictures, and it was like a healing time for all of us, men and women alike. It was really beautiful.

One thng that happened that REALLY bothered me. (And many other people from the USA- and probably the world). There was a mother there --who had obviously just adopted a little girl - maybe four at the oldest. She also had adopted a little boy who was about one and a half. The girl may have been three. At any rate - they were a handful to say the least. I don't know what kind of post-traumatic disorders these children had, but they would bang their heads, and cry, and try to run. They were SCARED TO DEATH! The kids were sreaming - and disrupting everthing. Her husband was with her, they were both heavy set people (which really doesn't have anything to do with it - other than they wouldn't move to do to do anything for their children.) Well, here we all are... wishing we had OUR BABES IN ARMS, and this MOTHER starts to SLAP HER DAUGHTER HARD!!!!!!! I was shocked beyond belief!!! One gal I was talking to was so angry - she wanted the adoption agency of where these people had been allowed to adopted through. It kept going on. I know it was hard - the lines were long, it was a slow process - and it was hard. But those children were beyond reasoning with -and all the mother and father knew to do was to slap and hit these kids in front of everyone!. I finally walked over to the mother, and asked her if she needed some help with her daugher. She started in about how bad she was(the child) (I'm sorry- but even if that child didn't understand english - she understood the resentment in her voice).... I bent down, and gently talked to the child. She wouldn't make eye contact with me at first - but I noticed that the little boy had tried so hard to stop sniffling, and was sucking on a binking, blinking through his tears. I had some candy or a toy - I don't remember, and I asked if I could give it to them. The mom just shrugged and said sure. So I did, and very calmly told her it was for her. She threw it. I smiled and picked it up and gave it to her again. She looked at me questioningly and did it again. I picked it up again and handed it to her. When it became apparent that she wasn't going to be screamed at or yelled at or hit, she calmed down, and I noticed the baby boy smiling through his tears. Suddenly, the beast of a mother decided she didn't like this at all. She was in control after all, not me. She grabbed that little girls arm, and briskly told me they were going to the bathroom. I did get her to tell me where her agency was before she left (high five)!!!!!. The screaming and kicking started again.
To this day -I am sick about it. Even on the plane.. the Father sat with the little girl, and the mother took the son. They were so loud, and of course the kids were scared to death. Several times, I heard the father turn to the mother and say, "well, I had to slap her hard to make her be quiet and sit". I was so appalled. I never found out if that other girl that was adopting called their adoption agency like she said she was - but it was so so sad.
I will tell you something NOW that I FIRMLY BELIEVE IN!! ( And I have been asked this several times, because my girls are so well behaved and so....normal crazy fun loving happy!!). LOVE THEM FROM THE GET GO. MAKE THEM YOURS. Take them in your arms, tell them you love them, "Yhatza bila blue" (that's how it's pronounced - not spelled (I love you). Don't be afraid to touch them. Bring them in close. Hold them. Touch their hair. Kiss their eyes - their nose.... their freckles. Hold heir hands. They truly can feel your love!! I KNOW THIS IS TRUE. Also - because we adopted older children, after our first trip - we called them once a week before we went back and got them. This re-inforced to them that we were really going to do what we said we were doin - not just lip service. They so looked forward to those calls. I know you can't call a baby - but you can pray every single night - and ask your Father in Heaven to let that special spirit to recognize you and your love. IT WORKS!!!!

Ok. Sorry. Back to the plane. I didn't mean to get carried away. I just can't lose sight of that day ever. And I don't want anyone else to either...

Waiting in line, we met a beautiful young woman named Olya (for Olga). She was an attorney (she looked all of eighteen!!) coming to see her American boyfriend. Our flight was deliyed several hours, we finally made it through security and we were starving. We found someplece to eat. It was SOOOO wonderful. We were able to board - four hours later - and started the long trek home. I had a hard time sleeping on the flight.....so many emotions and feelings, sensory overload and I couldn't shut down- even with medication. We watched a couple of movies ... and I wrote a lot in my journals. (I'm so happy now that I did...) I finally even slept a little bit.

We made it home Saturday eveneing around 9pm. We finally got through customs, and called Morgan around 930Pm. He was worried, thinking we would be home at 5pm - but we had no way of letting him no- (you couldn't leave the line to call anyone and let them know you would be late).

I was absolutely exhausted..(as was VInny), on the drive home. We got home, went upstairs and unpacked some . Morgan came back from the Palmers (friends) around midnight and wanted us to get up immeditely and show him pictures and videos of his new sisters and Russia! We were just tired. I did decide that I would make it to church in the morning. LITTLE DID I KNOW ABOUT JET LAG!!!!


We were HOME!