Sunday Update

Dear Friends and Family,

Well the week has been put to rest and now we are doing our best to get geared up for the coming week.  I'm here with my sweet friend Becky Preece and we are two mamas on a mission.  I feel like we have been friends forever although we have only met in person just a week ago.  I can't help but think we were meant to be on this escapade together, because I know I couldn't be here doing what I'm doing alone.  Her husband went home to attend to their children and family business yesterday so now the real adventure begins.  We are trying our best to stay busy and have laughed so many times this week.  The quote by Marjorie Hinkley keeps running through my head, “The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache.”  We are seriously considering writing a travel guide with all our helpful hints that we are learning each day.  

Becky is a really great writer and is keeping a very good record of all the legal business and happenings that we are going through over here, so rather than trying to hash it out myself I'm going to refer you to her blog.  

http://preecefamilyadoption.blogspot.com

Thursday morning I was able to go see my girl!  We had a wonderful, fun visit together.  She walked in with her big cute smile, I help out my arms and gave her a great big hug!  She loved all the toys I brought to play with and like always her favorite things were my running magazine and boarding tickets from my flight.  She loved dressing up in all my gear and was heading outside to play.  Its way to cold to play outside these days, she was a little bummed about that.  At one point she was holding my phone up to her ear listening to Jordan Sparks song, One Step at a Time and she just walked over to me and gave me a hug.  It melted my heart.  She is such a special little girl and I can't wait until I can finally bring her home and everyone can meet her.  

We walked down to Red Square one night and I just about froze to death.  As the gentleman in the picture below told me, "Russia, Cold"  Yep, Russia is C.O.L.D and the "pretend boots" I brought are NOT cutting it.  I've had more than one experience where I was sure I'd be leaving my toes in Russia due to frost bite.  Yesterday I marched into the mall on Red Square and bought a pair of REAL boots!  I also bought a pair of wool socks and liner gloves, a scarf and some thick tights.  My next purchase will be a decent coat.  On our other trips we hardly spent any time out side so I packed really light for myself this time around.  So don't be surprised if I return wearing a knee length full fur coat :)  Jk, those are VERY expensive, but everyone has them.

St. Basils Cathedral on Red Square

Thank goodness for the fitness room at our hotel, its been a great place to workout and keep the stress from building up.  We even took our some frustrations on the punching bag!

Yesterday Becky and I decided to REALLY be adventurous and try our hand at the Metro.  This being my fourth trip here, I hadn't even laid eyes on the metro, but we knew we didn't want to sit around all weekend and feel sad and lonely.  We left the hotel feeling all sorts of brave until we ended up about 6 levels underground at a dead end.  I felt frozen, I couldn't move my body, my brain wouldn't process what to do and I could barely talk.  After doing a few circles and getting plenty of strange looks we made it to where we needed to go.  We were so proud of ourselves!  We even rode the metro to church again today and now we feel like a whole new world has opened up to us :)

Me looking like a deer in headlights once we got on the train

Becky looking very calm and collected after boarding our train

The escalators down to the metro are unREAL!  They are like a 1/4 mile long and almost straight up and down.

Our adventure took us to the Ismylavo (sp) market.  Its where you buy all sorts of things for good prices.  If we weren't so cold we would have stayed much longer.  The dolls were about 1/4 the price we have been paying on our previous trips.

Entering the market

 At one point my toes were so cold I thought I wasn't going to be able to walk anymore.  They were soaking wet so we searched high and low for some respit inside.  Also the pinky on my right hand was STARK WHITE! We ordered some meat-sticks and went upstairs to try and warm up.  We sat across from the group of gentleman below and they kept motioning for us to come sit by them and speaking in Russian.  It was kind of creeping us out but then the waitress came in and we figured out what they were saying.  They saw my wet freezing toes and were telling me to come sit there because there was a hot pipe I could put my hands and toes on to warm up.  Then the lady brought over a seat cushion for us to put on our laps.  I'm sure they were having a good time joking about what fools I was for coming to Russia dressed like that.  They were really nice though and even brought us a shot of Vodka, thankfully they didn't seem too offended that we didn't drink it.

Thanks to them I still have my toes and my right pinky

Today we were able to get a hold of some missionaries that took us to church with them and then our sweet friend Sally, who Wayne and I met last trip, picked us up and is letting us do our laundry and feeding us dinner.  Its a small world when you are a member of the LDS church and we are so grateful for the wonderful people we have met over here and how they have wrapped their arms around us.  

Well I'll try to do better about blogging, last week was such a whirlwind I just couldn't keep up with what day it was and what we had going.  Thank your for all the prayers, I know they are providing me with some much strength.  Becky and I joke about all the angels that had to be called in to watch over us while we are here without our husbands.  Hopefully they are getting a good laugh at all our blunders, we sure are.  

Keep the faith!  We will get our little one home :)

Wednesday's Update

Dear Jaymi Viktoria,

I'm here in your country, not far from your orphanage.  I'm hoping that I will be able to come and visit you this afternoon.  I can't to see you and give you the biggest hug!  We were not able to collect the needed document from our judge yesterday.  We are running into some issues getting our paperwork to start the process of bringing you home.  We have learned a few things.  First, according to our court ruling, we ARE your legal guardians.  The issue is with the different agencies that provide the necessary items to take you out of the country.  They do not have any legal direction on how to process the cases of the families like us here, that have our official court ruling, so they are waiting on direction from the Supreme Court on how to continue.

I am here with another family who are adopting a cute little guy with Down syndrome too.  It is simply amazing to have each other to draw support from during these uncertain times.  His mama and I plan to stay here as long as needed in order to get our kids home.  We are trying our best to stay optimistic and hopeful.  We have done a few interviews with the media to help bring attention to the number of families here in the country in the same situation as us.  Also to share our story of love for our children here and the value of children with special needs.  We have spoken with the New York Times, Associated Press, Reuters and CNN.  The reporters have been very kind and sympathetic of our situation and want to do anything they can to help us.

Love you little girl, can't wait to see you soon!

Love Mommy

Made it

Dear Jaymi Viktoria,

I made it safely to your city, the flights went great.  I've had a wonderful visit hanging out with another family in our same situation, feel so good knowing we have each other to support one another.  We will  both meet with the judge in the morning in hopes that she will give us our court decrees so that we can begin the necessary paperwork to bring you home.  That is what we are hoping for, that is what we are praying for.  See you soon little one, see you soon.

Love Mommy

Are you reading?

Please comment if you are still coming to this blog, it only allows 100 people to view it when it's set on Private and I have some new people that want added, so if I don't hear from you in the next couple days I'll delete you, thanks.

I Love You

Dear Jaymi Viktoria,

These last few weeks have been very hard because your country has passed a law banning US adoptions of Russian children.  We are still not sure how/if this law affects us.  Your dad and I have tried our best to stay positive, prayerful and hopeful.  I haven't prayed this hard for anything since your little sister Kaelyn was very sick in the hospital.

This is what I wrote on facebook yesterday:

"As of this morning, I'm leaving for Russia, by myself, on Sunday. Wayne is finishing up his last class of his MBA and can't leave now. Things are still very much up in the air, but I want/need to be there, so if the opportunity becomes available to bring our girl home, I will be there. We are so grateful for all your prayers and thoughts and would love if you will keep them coming. This is very much a leap of faith on our part, probably the biggest yet and we need The Lord to prepare the way before us. Lets pray our little girl home!"

I woke up early yesterday morning and felt this sense of urgency that I needed to go to Russia as soon as possible.  Even after it looked like that wouldn't be possible, I just couldn't kick that feeling.  Then a few hours later it was looking possible and I made the needed arrangements to leave.  By the end of day I was all packed and ready to go.  I am praying that Heavenly Father will watch over me as I travel and that things will be in order to bring you home.  I'm so lucky that another family, adopting a cute little guy also with Down syndrome from the same city, will be traveling this week.  I'm so excited to finally meet them and have support while in country alone.  

There are so many people praying for you and us, I know Heavenly Father has not forgotten our pleas and will do all in his power to bring us together.

Your Christmas Angel ornament hanging on our Christmas tree.  There  have been people praying for you to find a family for years.

This is the first picture of you we ever saw, the one that said, "I'm your's, come get me"

Over Christmas break I made 20 little quilts, with the help of family, to bring to your orphanage to leave with your friends.  It was a very spiritual experience sewing those quilts and thinking of all the beautiful children with special needs that may never have a chance to live with a family.  It took a lot of faith for me to continue making them as I was in the middle of them when we found out about the law in Russia and that we may never be able to go back.  I just kept telling myself that I was going to deliver those blankets, I just had too.  Well deliver them I will, they are packed and ready to go with me this weekend.  

Thats me, working a way.

Dad and little sisters being very patient at the fabric store.  

Your great-grandma Ruth working away.  She is the very person that taught me how to sew and inspires me to keep doing it.  She inspires me to keep doing a lot of things and she CANNOT wait to meet you!

Little sister Bryn wanted to be part of the excitement and send her love to  your friends.

Uncle Ryan and cousin Shane were pro's on the quilting machine.  Grandma LaJean helped tie lots of knots of love into each quilt.

The quilts on the left are all packed and ready to go in their vacuum sealed bags.

Making these quilts is one of my most favorite Christmas projects yet.  Maybe we will have to make it tradition.

I'm coming little girl and I assure you I will do everything I can to bring you home.  I will be buoyed up by the strength and power of prayers of many who are concerned for us.  This past year has been an incredible journey, with many ups and downs, failures and triumphs, fears and miracles.  It has opened my eyes to so much, for that I am so grateful, so determined to change the world, one day at a time, in any way the Lord needs me.  

I love you,

Love Mommy

Calm

Dear Jaymi Viktoria,

I may never truly know the reason behind the failure of our first court date and the week we spent in despair believing that we would never be able to bring your home, never see you again.  I can however speculate, and focus on the good that I have seen come from those times of trial and sadness.  The most important to me being the single, short hour and a half visit we had with you on our last trip.  We waited for you in a small office while you finished juice time with your group.  You walked in with a big smile on your face and ran to daddy and gave him a big hug and let him hold you and tickle you.   In that short visit, this mama's heart was calmed and many fears of bringing you home were washed away.  A confirmation that you were ours, you were always meant to be ours and you will always be our little girl.  I cannot tell you how much I needed that.  Thank you for showing me the way little love.  In 36 days we will pick you up from your children's home, dress you in your very own new clothes, walk with you hand in hand outside those gates and bring you home forever.  There is a great big world full of lots of love awaiting you.  Two small little girls at home that will be your best friends forever.  It may be a little bit late, but you will be the BEST, most very SPECIAL Christmas gift our family will ever receive.  See you soon, we are counting the days, the hours, the minutes!

Love Mommy

She's Ours!

Introducing Miss Jaymi Viktoria Bonner!  

Our court hearing went very well!  It was a very special day to hear the judge say that she granted our petition to adopt Viktoria.  We still haven't decided what we will call her, but her nickname is Vika (Vee-Ka) and she goes by that now.  We are so so happy to call her OUR DAUGHTER!  We will go back in January to bring her home forever.  In the mean time we will get everything ready for her to join our family.  Thanks for all your prayers, they were answered!