A Day In the Life of E.

Taking a Bath
Watching the dogs eat...fascinating
Climbing into a bag of toys...my favorite one must be in here somewhere.

Playing the piano...an artist is born
It's good to look at these pictures because this afternoon and evening were tough! She only got about a 40 minute nap - jetlag. This led to multiple meltdowns this afternoon and evening....sigh. Poor girl - it must be frustrating not to be understood and not to understand everyone who is speaking to you.

Home Sweet Home!

I cannot believe I am writing this as E. sleeps peacefully next to me.
I am so grateful for all of your prayers – what a journey this has been! Almost four years in the making…couldn’t have gotten here without each of your love and support and prayers. So thank you seems so insufficient.
The trip home was LONG – but after getting over her distaste for the seatbelt on the airplane, E. was quite the trooper. The flight from Moscow to DC was just over 10 hours and the flight from DC to Denver was about 3 ½ - by the time we got home we had been traveling over 24 hours – UGH! So very grateful that is done!
Leaving the orphanage was really heartbreaking – it was clear that she had made some attachments there – and we all cried as she left – including her favorite caregiver Lydia. Of course, orphanage life can never compare to family life and it is going to be amazingly sweet for her to have a family rather than just caregivers, but it was heartbreaking to leave nonetheless.
I’m adding a couple of pix – one from bath time in Moscow – which she absolutely loved - and one from playing with crayons – she thinks it’s way more fun to see how many crayons she can hold in one hand than to actually color.
I promise to post more soon, but for now she is just waking up from her nap.

Home!

I wish I had more time, but E. is such a busy toddler! :)
I promise to post much more soon with pictures!

Leaving On A Jet Plane Part 4 and Final :)

Somebody pinch me! I cannot believe it, but this time next Saturday night I will be at home with my sweet E. I am still trying to process this...it doesn't feel real. I'm an emotional mess and my sweet Syd tells me "you're crying way too much Auntie"
Not sure this post will make any sense at all, but wanted to get something down as I leave for Russia in the morning.
I would so appreciate your prayers for protection – physical, spiritual and emotional. Pray that God would just smooth the way – going before and behind us – from making flight connections tomorrow to our flights home next Saturday. That our initial time of bonding would be joyful and sweet! That each of the appointments - at the doctor (to get medical clearance) and at the US Embassy (to get immigration clearance) will go smoothly. Please pray for leaving the orphanage – that it won’t be too traumatic – I have been praying for God to be preparing her heart to leave there. And also for the flights home – I know they will be scary for her – the seat belt - the change in pressure and how that will affect her ears – I’m praying that it won’t be too overwhelming for either of us.
I have longed for this for so long! I am so thankful for all of you – I know you have been praying with me for this - for these past four years. I truly see God’s fingerprints all over this – He had so many people praying for Hannah – I thought we were praying her into my family, but He needed us to be praying her into her family in Kyrgyzstan. And all along He intended E. to be my daughter and now so many have been praying for that…. I feel so blessed.

One Week....

In just one short week E. will be with me forever! I am so excited. I have so many things I want to blog about, but there just isn't time and my head is too full. I hope to make sometime to put it all on paper at least and then maybe (ha!) I will transfer it to the blog later. Hold on E. Mama's coming - it won't be long now.
So I don't forget....topics I wish I had time to write about
Firsts and lasts
Church last night
My shower this past weekend
Pants With Feet :)
Syd is nesting!

Things I Never Thought I'd Say....

• I'm home from trip number three!
• I took three trips to Russia.....by myself. I was so nervous about taking even one trip by myself and now I am home from my third trip. All three were really wonderful. Each had its stressors and challenges, but I never once felt unsafe. As I waited on the Lord, He was faithful to renew my strength. (Isaiah 40:31)
• I have a Gotcha Date scheduled! E's gotcha date (the date I get to spring her from the Vladimir Baby House forever) is scheduled for Wednesday, March 23rd.
• We have a forever home date scheduled. On Saturday, March 26th, when we hit the ground in Washington D.C. my little angel will be home and will be a US citizen! Woo Hoo!
• I have thank you cards to write - for gifts for Miss E. :)
• I have less than twenty five thousand miles in my United account! I have been hovering around 300,000 miles for a long time, because I was saving them for adoption trips. I'm happy to say that they are all used up! I was able to take two of my four trips on miles - in Business Class - now, I'm spoiled! And E's ticket home was paid for with miles.
• The Gotcha Trip details are fully booked - flights and hotels are scheduled. I can't tell you how sweet that is. Looking at E's ticket with her name on it....priceless! We (my dear friend Becky is joining me) leave on March 20th and return with Miss E. on March 26th.
• It's time to fully ready E's room. It's been on hold. I couldn't bring myself to finish it after my experience in Kyrgyzstan until I knew for sure a little girl would be living there.

My list could go on and on....I am sort of floating tonight as I type this. Hold on E. I'll be there soon. You are loved more than you could ever know and understand. You are cherished and treasured...I can't wait to have you with me for good.