Friday, October 2, 2009

Oh, my goodness...where do I even start???

So....I guess I should start with the big news first...because you all have been so very patient with me for the last few weeks. I'll explain the blogging absence in a bit, but I'll get right to the point here:

We got back from Russia LATE Saturday night. While we were there, we met the sweetest little girl in Kaluga, and we have officially signed the papers to petition the Kalgua court to adopt her. So, now we work on finishing up some "not quite so timely" paperwork, and getting things here ready to journey back for court.

We're both fighting colds (not sure if they came from Russia or since we've been home), so just basic stuff has been a bit of a struggle this week. Now that the weekend is here, I've decided that I HAVE to get you all caught up with what's been happening. I can't post all of it tonight, since my brain is a bit snot-filled, but I can give you some of the basic details, and then fill in other things later.

I stopped posting right after we had our fingerprints done--this was basically because we had sent the medical information that we had about baby Malibu to an IA doctor here in the US (in St Louis), and the IA doctor called us that week with an incredibly scary, worst-case-scenario report. We were both shocked, but we decided that we would pray about things and see what we felt led to do. We also managed to get hold of Dr. Togoyev in Russia, and asked him if he would follow up with some of the questions that our IA doctor had concerning bloodwork, etc. In the meantime, we received our visas, our fingerprint approval, and a bunch of other stuff that we needed to be able to go. And, there were just so many signs that we were supposed to go. We asked our close friends and our church to pray for baby Malibu, and to pray for us. But it was something that was very uncertain, and so we didn't feel comfortable telling everyone what exactly was going on---in part, because we weren't really sure. Up until the day we left, we knew we were supposed to go. We just didn't know exactly what we would find or what we were supposed to do about the referral, or how we were going to feel about potentially not accepting the referral. Looking back, I can see what a huge amount of stress this was--but at the time, we felt like we needed to keep things quiet from most people, mainly because it needed to be our decision.

The good news---God answered all those prayers! We met a little girl about whom we had really no doubts. The doctors' reports about her answered so many of the questions that our IA doctor had raised, and Dr. Togoyev's evaluation of her (which basically was the icing on the cake) was "take her home, love her, and she will be good." He said that he thought she was a completely different child from the one he had seen in June/July---she can sit up on her own, can stand up if you let her hold on to your fingers, and she is very responsive. I can't post pictures let, but let's just say that she is definitely a cutie-patootie!

So...more details later about our adventures in Kaluga and Moscow. We kept a journal for the first couple of days, but then we got tired and distracted by Malibu and sort of let that fall by the wayside. However, I will attempt to put those memories back together, so that I don't forget them, and so that I can share them with you all.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

8 comments:

Lakeshore Cottage Living said...

Yahoooooo! Hope you guys get some rest and I am SO, SO, SO happy for you!!!!

HUGS to YOU DARLIN!

Kristine

Amy said...

So good to hear from you! I honestly have thought about you and wanting an update!!

Congrats on your trip!! Feel better soon and I can't wait to hear more about her!

Craig and Phyllis said...

My goodness, I've been waiting to hear how things went with the trip! Soooo glad to hear how the Lord has been working in the weeks prior and then during the trip! Will be waiting to hear more details when the "snot" is gone. : )

the7houks said...

So thrilled for you:) I know she is soooo adorable! Can't wait until you have her home.
Michelle

Barb said...

So excited for you . . . . can't wait to hear more!!

Joy said...

Oh I am so happy that it has all worked out for you. I will tell you a secret I was worried about Anna before I left to meet her. I am so glad that I have followed my path.
Joy

Nicole said...

That is wonderful news! When you get home with that baby all of this stress will be a distant memory!
Congrats on your pink bundle of joy!
Nicole

Troy and Rachel said...

Woo Hoo - I was wondering what was going on but I am so glad things worked out and we are wishing you a speedy return!