Ripples

I am once again amazed at what can come out of just one little ripple in the water..... a ripple that continues to travel, creating a much larger wave I had no idea was possible.

Our little ripple was our fundraising auction held a couple months ago in attempts of helping the Warm Shelter baby house in Pskov, Russia.  A baby house in great need.  For the backstory, read HERE.

When my dear friend Laura came to me this time, I directed her to Georgia at ROOF to see if there was any way she could personally take the money over on one of her trips and make the purchases for us.  With the adoption ban and political turmoil going on between our two countries, we have lost all other ties of transferring money and delivering items.  Georgia graciously agreed and set off to meet the orphanage director and learn of their needs.

But when she arrived at the orphanage she was greeted by a guard who informed her the orphanage had closed.  Back in April.  The remaining children were transferred to the only baby house left in Pskov: Pechory.  Georgia then traveled to meet the orphanage director there.

Outside of Pechory baby house- photo taken in 2010

When she arrived in Pechory, Georgia met the super sweet director.  She and her staff were SO thankful to learn of our donations!  She has requested a washing machine, laundry detergent, and developmental toys for the children.  She will raise invoices for the purchases, Georgia will pay the invoices with our funds, and Georgia will visit again to take photographs of the donations and receive their letters of thanks.  So exciting! It really helps that the US dollar is currently very strong compared to the Russian ruble- our money can be stretched a long way!

But the excitement is only beginning!!  There is yet another piece to this amazing puzzle. The ripples are growing....

You see, there is this little boy, Mac, waiting in Pechory.

Photo dated 2012, first photo his mama and papa saw of him

Photo dated 2014, still in baby house

Mac is stuck.  My dear friend, Jaime, and her husband had submitted their initial paperwork and were anxiously awaiting a travel date to go meet him when the adoption ban went into effect.  Jaime also serves with me on ROOF's board of directors.  Knowing Mac's story, when Georgia arrived at Pechory she immediately asked to see him.

Unfortunately, Mac was not at the orphanage that day, but was in the hospital recovering from bronchitis. The director informed Georgia that Mac was up for transfer VERY soon- his transfer had actually been delayed due to his hospitalization..... transfer to the orphanage for older children with disabilities.  But it wasn't to Lina's institution at Belskoye Ustye where Georgia has worked before.  It was to Bobrovsky.

Bobrovsky, photo taken in 2010

There is only one family we know who has adopted from Bobrovsky, and they brought home a little boy with Down syndrome just months before we began our adoption process to bring Lina home back in 2011. This family painted a dismal picture of the living conditions there, and the photos they had shared of their son truly told the story.  In their son's twelve months at this institution he gained absolutely no weight- he was skin and bones coming home.

Kirill before transfer to Bobrovsky

Kirill first home in 2011

He was covered inside and out in parasites.  His clothing was covered in his own filth, and he remained in those clothes during consecutive visits to the orphanage.  He developed severe institutional autism.  Even though this institution's purpose was to serve children ages 4-18, there were no children over the age of eleven since none survived that long in these horrid conditions.  Despite the orphanage director's best intents of providing for these children, there simply were no resources. At all.  I have been praying for a way to get ROOF in there and provide the money and manpower Bobrovsky so desperately needs just as ROOF did with Belskoye Ustye.  BU was also in very bad shape before ROOF stepped in to help.

Kirill home 9 months and thriving!

Finally, our little ripples are growing and creating a way.  Our auction brought Georgia to Pechory.  And little Mac is bringing us to Bobrovsky.  The director at Pechory is writing a request to the director of Bobrovsky to allow Georgia to come work with Mac. Please pray that this will happen and that the director of Bobrovsky will be open to her help.  I will keep you updated on any progress that has been made.  I am crossing my fingers that we can hold future fundraisers to help this institution.  I anxiously await Georgia's visit there- she will not be able to visit until Mac has been transferred.  Then we will have a clear picture of the current conditions there and how willing the director is to allow visitors and assistance.

All your donated auction items, winning bids, and even extra donations are all ripples that perhaps, fingers crossed, will make tremendous waves.  Praying these waves can grow and change the lives of many.

Preparing for our FINAL post adoption report

I cannot believe we are here already.... yet I cannot remember a time when she wasn't with us.

Christmas 2014- still working on looking at the camera AND smiling nicely :)

As part of our adoption agreement with Russia, we were required to complete four post-adoption reports to show their officials that Lina is being well cared for here at home- one at the six month home mark as well as one year home, two years home, and three years home.  Since our adoption was finalized before we even made it home from Russia, the reports served the purpose of ensuring these officials that Americans are good parents and to keep adoptions open to future families.  Sadly, politics got in the way and Russian adoptions have been closed to most all foreign countries, yet we still send our reports.  Why??  I have one word: HOPE.

Little Natasha meeting her parents July 2012

Yes, we made an agreement, and we are following through on our word clinging to faith that one day the doors will open again.  Thousands of children wait behind closed doors, and we cannot give up hope that one day they will find their forever families, some of whom already met their potential families but have been denied the ability to go home.

Sadly, sweet Natasha was caught in the ban and still waits in Russia

To follow along and support the parents still fighting to get their children home please go HERE and "like" their Facebook page.

To view a trailer for a powerful documentary featuring Natasha and her parents go HERE.


So I got the call.  Our fourth and final post-adoption visit has been scheduled with our social worker. Part of me is so sad this will be our last one, since these really are big brag fests!!  We discuss any medical appointments or concerns we've had as well as all the progress Lina has made in the last year, and I share a slew of photos to be submitted with our report.

Lina started ballet this year- cannot get over how tall she has gotten!

The older kids love sharing their stories involving Lina as well, and brag on her just as much!  I will miss this, but will have to take the time to continue bragging right here on my blog. :)

Halloween  2014

We will talk about the convulsive episodes Lina had this past year, and let them know we followed up with her pediatrician as well as neurology and cardiology.  All came back clear, and we were given some instructions to help prevent these from happening again.  We believe they were caused by a drop in blood pressure when she got up combined with slight dehydration since she had been fighting off some germs.  Knock on wood, she has been fine since my last blog post in November.

Lina at the orthodontist getting her palate expander removed- she was soooo happy to be rid of it!

We will discuss Lina's orthodontia she has been going through from top and bottom palate expanders to braces.  Her mouth had absolutely no room for her adult teeth coming in, and her two top front teeth were erupting way too far back in her mouth.  The expander helped tremendously- as soon as room was created they began moving forward on their own. We just got word yesterday that the braces will be coming off next month!! Lina is so excited!! Going to the orthodontist is not one of her favorite things. The orthodontist also mentioned that she may not need a Phase 2 regarding braces since she is missing several adult teeth- something that is common for folks with Down syndrome.  That was definitely music to our ears!

Lina with her new braces!

I started going through old photos and videos from when Lina first came home and cannot believe how much she has grown!!  I try to remind myself that she was smaller than Evan is right now, but my brain just can't wrap itself around that idea. Check out this little peanut!!

(need to add video again- stay tuned!)


Just as I struggle to remember holding my biological children as tiny babies, I truly struggle to remember holding and carrying Lina so small just three years ago.  She has grown SO much in every way imaginable.

Just a couple days home- note the bandages on her hands while we were treating the horrible fungus on her hands and feet

It still amazes me to this day how she just walked through our front door and carried on as if she had always been here.  That just doesn't happen when you adopt an *older* child who has suffered trauma.  She truly is the bravest person I have ever known.

The smiles we were seeing..... Mike and I never saw her smile like this until a day or two after we took custody of her in Russia.  Not a one while we visited her in the orphanage.

Blowing kisses <3 Oh that sweet face!!

Lina my darling, we are so very, very proud of you and all that you have overcome in your first five years of life.  You are so incredibly smart and have a great desire to learn more and more.  I have never met a child with such great determination and perseverance as you.  You will go to great places and I am so honored to be a part of your journey. We are so SO blessed to have you in our family and I cannot imagine life without you.

Lina learned how to swing all by herself this past summer :)

Our little Russian loves the snow!