Today was the big day, the day we completed very last piece of documentation we need to leave Russia with our little ones and return home to our families that we miss so much. Many times in this process I've felt torn between my little girl in Russia and my little girls at home. No matter if I was at home or in Russia, someone was living with out their mom, and that has been hard. I have to remind myself that there are seasons in life and each of these moments have just been for a season and we would one day all unite as a family and stay that way forever. I can relate to the song by Brandi Carlile, Dying Day.
So we started the day early and headed to the passport office to see if the kids passports were ready. Of course they were not. They were waiting on a letter from the Department of Education stating that they were being adopted. Really? Isn't it pretty obvious by now? Any how they hoped they would be done by the end of day or first thing in the morning. They let us take copies of them to the embassy so we could try and finish up everything there as that is the last stop.
While we were leaving the passport office a woman stopped me to say congratulations. I could just see the love in her eyes as she thanked us for what we were doing and for our patients. Then with sadness in her eyes as she apologized for all that her country had put us through to do it. I told her that it was all worth it as I pointed to our children playing on the couch. She told us she wished us all the happiness I the world, and I k we she meant it. Sweet moments like this are so special to us and give us strength to continue the fight, because we know we are not alone, even being so far from home, we are not alone.
So next stop was the Embassy of the United States of America. We have driven past this building time and time again just longing for the day we finally got to enter with our kids and complete this last and final step. Thankfully they were understanding and got right to work on our paperwork. Poor Alla stayed up all night long translating everything for us, that woman is too amazing. So selfless, so humble, so kind.
It was eerily quiet at the embassy because we are quite literally one of the very last families that had court prior to January 1 to leave the country with our children. We did get the presidential treatment and everyone was really nice. When we got to the first window and Alla told them our names the girl said, "oh yes I just read and article about you two this morning in the New York Times."
Then when we moved down stairs we were met by Ryan Haley, the man we hung out with at the inaugural celebration at the Ambassadors home weeks ago. He is the man over the finalization of Russian adoptions here at the embassy. He was so kind to hangout with us the whole time we were down stairs and play with our kids. Then we were met by the embassy photographer. He was really nice and cute with the kids. Gabe was just inthralled with him. As Alla put it, Gabe needs his papa, as does Jaymi. No one gets them laughing as hard as their papas do.
After spending so much time in this building the kids started getting a bit wild and got lots of lessons that we don't run away from mama in public places. I have a feeling we will be working on that one for a while. While we waited we had a visit by our new friend Ambassador McFaul. He took a chunk of time our of his day to come see us off and meet the little children we have fought so long and hard for. He congratulated us and thanked us for our efforts and called us the ambassadors for US Adoptions in Russia. It's amazing what a mother can do for her child. I tell Becky that she is the pretty face and brains and I'm the enforcer. Ha ha. Her husband has come up with quite the nickname for me after all this. I better keep it a secret though ;)
After snapping some photos he gave us his business card and told us to keep in touch. I've already used that invitation to send some information his way for some of our friends caught in this mess that were not as lucky as us to have our court before the ban.
After we got back to our hotel we got an email from Alla that she had the passports and we were really finally going to be able to leave, to go HOME!!!
We then met with an NBC correspondent to share our story for a special they are putting together about the ban to air on the nightly news. It was our Funnest interview yet as we bundled the kiddos up and went to a park and let the kids swing and play in the snow while we told our stories. He was a great interviewer and asked new question and brought up some new issues. It felt liberating to speak with him after having our kids. We didn't have to be so careful about what we said and how we felt about this whole situation. We had our kids and we did not have to fear that they would never be able to join our families. The truth is I'm outraged at this ban, I think it is absolutely disgusting and only harms the most innocent, vulnerable and helpless of God's children. If Russia's goal is to take care of their own orphans, that is a wonderful goal, but they should actually do it, not just talk about it. Then when they are taken care of and there is not a single orphanage remaining, then there will not be a need for international adoptions. Until they can prove that their country men and women will indeed step forward and provide loving homes for the children with special needs, please let us adopt them. They do not belong in institutions, they have so much more potential than is being offered to them. Their lives having meaning and value. Do not deny them their only chance at having the resources they need to excel in life.
We went right from that interview to another one with Reuters TV and print. The reporters were so great and also asked some great questions that got to the heart of why Becky and I am still speaking out to the press. Not only to share our happy ending and the hope that it beholds, but to advocate for the other families I this process and ultimately for children with special needs here in Russia and other parts of the world. We want to show the love and joy our adopted children, along with our biological children bring into our lives. To show the joy having a family brings into a child's life that has grown up without a mom and dad to call their own. Please join us in speaking out. Even if its just in response to a comment from someone here I the US that says we should only be adopting children from our country, or that bringing kids will special needs into our families is wrong because it just raises our taxes and medical care costs. Help them to see there is a human side to this, that these are human beings that are being tossed aside as if they don't matter. They do matter and they need us to stand up for them. When you see someone trying to do something good in the world, trying to make a difference, tell them you appreciate and recognize it. There are so many out there that take the time to spread hurt and unkind words, lets drown them out with the good we can do and say. This includes me, I need to do more to support those around me in their efforts to help and serve.
If you can't tell I'm very passionate about this, it all goes back to this mommy heart of mine. This has been a long difficult process, but now that I have my little girl it's all been worth it. Every sacrifice, if you can even call it a sacrifice because what we get out of having her in our life far outweighs all that we put into it. Thank you for your love and support. Thank you for loving little Jaymi, even before you met her. It means so much to us that she will be coming home to to many that prayed so hard for her. Now lets pray for her friends, the ones that were left behind, that they will get the same opportunities and love that awaits our girl.
So we started the day early and headed to the passport office to see if the kids passports were ready. Of course they were not. They were waiting on a letter from the Department of Education stating that they were being adopted. Really? Isn't it pretty obvious by now? Any how they hoped they would be done by the end of day or first thing in the morning. They let us take copies of them to the embassy so we could try and finish up everything there as that is the last stop.
While we were leaving the passport office a woman stopped me to say congratulations. I could just see the love in her eyes as she thanked us for what we were doing and for our patients. Then with sadness in her eyes as she apologized for all that her country had put us through to do it. I told her that it was all worth it as I pointed to our children playing on the couch. She told us she wished us all the happiness I the world, and I k we she meant it. Sweet moments like this are so special to us and give us strength to continue the fight, because we know we are not alone, even being so far from home, we are not alone.
So next stop was the Embassy of the United States of America. We have driven past this building time and time again just longing for the day we finally got to enter with our kids and complete this last and final step. Thankfully they were understanding and got right to work on our paperwork. Poor Alla stayed up all night long translating everything for us, that woman is too amazing. So selfless, so humble, so kind.
It was eerily quiet at the embassy because we are quite literally one of the very last families that had court prior to January 1 to leave the country with our children. We did get the presidential treatment and everyone was really nice. When we got to the first window and Alla told them our names the girl said, "oh yes I just read and article about you two this morning in the New York Times."
Then when we moved down stairs we were met by Ryan Haley, the man we hung out with at the inaugural celebration at the Ambassadors home weeks ago. He is the man over the finalization of Russian adoptions here at the embassy. He was so kind to hangout with us the whole time we were down stairs and play with our kids. Then we were met by the embassy photographer. He was really nice and cute with the kids. Gabe was just inthralled with him. As Alla put it, Gabe needs his papa, as does Jaymi. No one gets them laughing as hard as their papas do.
After spending so much time in this building the kids started getting a bit wild and got lots of lessons that we don't run away from mama in public places. I have a feeling we will be working on that one for a while. While we waited we had a visit by our new friend Ambassador McFaul. He took a chunk of time our of his day to come see us off and meet the little children we have fought so long and hard for. He congratulated us and thanked us for our efforts and called us the ambassadors for US Adoptions in Russia. It's amazing what a mother can do for her child. I tell Becky that she is the pretty face and brains and I'm the enforcer. Ha ha. Her husband has come up with quite the nickname for me after all this. I better keep it a secret though ;)
After snapping some photos he gave us his business card and told us to keep in touch. I've already used that invitation to send some information his way for some of our friends caught in this mess that were not as lucky as us to have our court before the ban.
After we got back to our hotel we got an email from Alla that she had the passports and we were really finally going to be able to leave, to go HOME!!!
We then met with an NBC correspondent to share our story for a special they are putting together about the ban to air on the nightly news. It was our Funnest interview yet as we bundled the kiddos up and went to a park and let the kids swing and play in the snow while we told our stories. He was a great interviewer and asked new question and brought up some new issues. It felt liberating to speak with him after having our kids. We didn't have to be so careful about what we said and how we felt about this whole situation. We had our kids and we did not have to fear that they would never be able to join our families. The truth is I'm outraged at this ban, I think it is absolutely disgusting and only harms the most innocent, vulnerable and helpless of God's children. If Russia's goal is to take care of their own orphans, that is a wonderful goal, but they should actually do it, not just talk about it. Then when they are taken care of and there is not a single orphanage remaining, then there will not be a need for international adoptions. Until they can prove that their country men and women will indeed step forward and provide loving homes for the children with special needs, please let us adopt them. They do not belong in institutions, they have so much more potential than is being offered to them. Their lives having meaning and value. Do not deny them their only chance at having the resources they need to excel in life.
We went right from that interview to another one with Reuters TV and print. The reporters were so great and also asked some great questions that got to the heart of why Becky and I am still speaking out to the press. Not only to share our happy ending and the hope that it beholds, but to advocate for the other families I this process and ultimately for children with special needs here in Russia and other parts of the world. We want to show the love and joy our adopted children, along with our biological children bring into our lives. To show the joy having a family brings into a child's life that has grown up without a mom and dad to call their own. Please join us in speaking out. Even if its just in response to a comment from someone here I the US that says we should only be adopting children from our country, or that bringing kids will special needs into our families is wrong because it just raises our taxes and medical care costs. Help them to see there is a human side to this, that these are human beings that are being tossed aside as if they don't matter. They do matter and they need us to stand up for them. When you see someone trying to do something good in the world, trying to make a difference, tell them you appreciate and recognize it. There are so many out there that take the time to spread hurt and unkind words, lets drown them out with the good we can do and say. This includes me, I need to do more to support those around me in their efforts to help and serve.
If you can't tell I'm very passionate about this, it all goes back to this mommy heart of mine. This has been a long difficult process, but now that I have my little girl it's all been worth it. Every sacrifice, if you can even call it a sacrifice because what we get out of having her in our life far outweighs all that we put into it. Thank you for your love and support. Thank you for loving little Jaymi, even before you met her. It means so much to us that she will be coming home to to many that prayed so hard for her. Now lets pray for her friends, the ones that were left behind, that they will get the same opportunities and love that awaits our girl.
What a GREAT post! I agree with you on drowning out the negative talkers with good things! I wish more people were like you and that big ol heart of gold that you do! Thank you for your example! I appreciate it! Much love! Can't wait to meet her!
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