Hard News

*Note: this is from an email we sent out to family and friends back on January 1:

As you all surely know, Ru$$ia's adoption ban was signed, and it takes effect today.  Thanks to all of you who have prayed for us and encouraged us during what was a very difficult week.  Just wanted to let you know where things stand at the moment.

We've connected with the State Department as well as with other adoptive families who find themselves in the same lurch.  Lots of people are doing lots of work to see what can be done to allow families who have made their first trip (like us) to finish the process.  However, the Ru$$ian govt is on holiday for about two weeks so we're not sure how much can be accomplished at the moment.

Though this was devastating news, we hope that God will use all of this to improve conditions for the 750,000 orphans in Ru$$ia.  And we still hope that our little guy will come join our family.  

"This is my Father's world / O let me never forget/ that though the wrong seems oft so strong/ God is the ruler yet."

Thanks for caring and praying,

First Trip Complete!!!

This was originally written in October 2012: 

First trip complete!  Our little guy has definitely become more at ease with us each day (bummer that we have to leave!) and we spent snacktime with him and played for awhile.  We learned that he likes to sing and dance and also has far better table manners than the two boys who have grown up in our house.  This kid is seriously great: playful, perceptive, sweet, goofy.

The hardest part was leaving and knowing that we probably won't see him again for some months.  We still have to finish compiling our court dossier, and even though we're almost finished with it, our facilitator indicated that she doubted that we'd get a court date assigned before the end of the year, and the month of January is a time of national holidays so things will move slowly during that time.  We'll move as quickly as possible, but bureaucracy moves at its own pace.  (As a reminder, we need to travel back for our court hearing when it is assigned, and then again 30 days later to bring him home.)

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for your encouraging notes and prayers.  We have been so strengthened by them and have seen circumstances arrange themselves in remarkable ways that we cannot believe to be coincidental, so know that your prayers have been put to work, and we are grateful.  We are thankful in advance for your prayers for safety as we return home tomorrow!