IT IS FINISHED!

The first time we met the girls back on May 27th

july 29,2011

Today is a day that will definately live in infamy! My long journey is coming to an end. I have my daughters' visas in my hands and all of their paperwork to give to immigration when I finally land in the good ol USA! I am sitting here crying like a baby, all alone. The Lord has done as he had promised. It was the most difficult thing I have ever done. There were so many mountains and obstacles along the way but our God destroyed them all just as he said he would. This process has taken over 14 months. From the day Tim and I knew we wanted our sweet Anya to tomorrow has been a major rollercoaster ride. No we don't have Anya but Anya is home with her mama--her mama has decided to keep her and not send her back to the orphanage. Anya will go to a regular school--Anya is where she was meant to be all along. Her mama just needed to realize that she loved her daughter so much and seeing that she was going to be adopted and taken far away made her realize that she did not want to lose her daughter. I am so glad the Lord used me to make her realize she could not live without her daughter. Because of that our sweet Vika now has a mama too. So Anya, Vika and Marina are all moving on to new lives with their mamas. God had this planned from the beginning and I was just one of his instruments to help make it happen. I feel privileged to have been able to assist God in this.

So today I am finally realizing that this part of the journey is coming to an end. As I said before my emotions are all over the place. I have been here for so long and have come to love and hate this country. The bureacracy and politics are so very difficult to deal with here but oh the people I have come to love. As I look back over this long journey and think of all I have encountered here and been through. It is very hard to leave this place and the wonderful people who were placed in my life. I have made lifelong friends here. I still have a mission ahead of me and can't wait to get started on that. I will talk more about that later. Anatoly, Irina and Igor have worked so hard to help make all of this a reality. They have gone way beyond the call of duty. I cannot thank them enough. I thank God that these wonderful people were the ones selected to accompany me on my journey. Irina's family welcomed me into their home and treated me like a member of the family for 6 days. From Kristina and Katya their precious daughters to Irina's parents. I felt loved and taken care of. I was able to experience what it was truly like to live daily in the Ukraine. I have gained so much perspective and once again it all leaves me feeling ashamed of all that we have in the USA. We are definately a spoiled country. I will try never to complain about not having something. Just to walk into a house with air conditioning, then to a car with air conditioning and any building with air conditioning is such a privilege. It is a privilege that they just do not have. Riding the crowded buses and smelling the awful smells from the live chickens to the body odor did not discust me it made me respect them even more. They work so hard and their lives are not easy but they go on and they can smile.

While here I had the privilege of worshiping in the Hillsong church. The presence of the Holy Spirit all around. I had the privilege of taking my sweet friend Irina to this church-who knows maybe a seed was planted- I was able to visit one of her churches here in Kiev and she is so respectful-she will not enter if not properly dressed with a head dress on her head. She bows and prays so respectfully. Though she admits she does not have the kind of relationship with Christ that we have-maybe one day. I will keep praying for that.

What is ahead of me--well first and foremost getting the girls out of the orphanage for the last time and all of the way home to the USA. There are many things that scare me about this. First they do not understand me when I talk most of the time and therefore do not obey as they should. They like to run off and I do not have enough hands to hold tightly to both of them and the luggage. I have to occupy them in Germany for 4 hours. Then getting through customs, immigration, claiming luggage, rechecking luggage, going through security and getting to our next flight in less than 2 hours time without losing the girls in New York!

Irina will be with me tonight when I bring the girls back to the apartment. She will help me bathe them and feed them and get them into bed for a few hours. She will be with me at the airport in Kiev and then I am on my own. Well I know that the Lord will be with me every step of the way--and I hope he will be holding onto the girls hands too so they do not run off.

Once home oh the adjustments! I simply cannot wait to get my hands on my children at home. I have missed them so much! I know they have missed me terribly too. Oh when I see all of their faces and Tim's at the airport I know I will lose it! There will be jealousy I'm sure between the girls and the other kids but I pray they will all come to love each other deeply. We will have many appointments to get to. And with 6 little ones now it will not be easy. The work will be constant and I know I will literally collapse each night. Oh but seeing all of my children securely tucked into their beds at night and sleeping soundly will be the best present this mama could have. All of my treasures together at last! Look out Jordan if you think the house is chaos now wait until these precious girls arrive and are let loose. Jordan I know you will be a great big brother to your new sisters just as you are to all the others. I love you so much. Danielle and Christopher I love you too and can't thank you enough for helping me and supporting me even when you didn't think this was the best idea. Please don't ever doubt how much I love you both. You have both grown up into beautiful young adults and I am so proud of you both!

Well I need to clean the apartment and finish packing to begin the next leg of this journey. I need to stop crying and get working. I just want to thank the Lord once again for choosing me to be the mother to these very special little girls--they were fearfully and wonderfully made just as all my other children were. It was no mistake that they were made with an extra chromosome. They are loved and treasured by our Lord and he has a plan for their wonderful lives and I am privileged to play a part in that.

I may not get a chance to post anything until I am home. I will be packing the computer in the checked luggage so I don't have to take it out going through security. I promise to post pictures of the girls and their journey to the USA as soon as I can.

Thank you to all of my family and friends who have made this all possible. There are so many that have stood by me along the way--First and foremost my dear sweet friend Dianne-you were my angel sent by God to help me get through this. Thank you for being here with me-just seeing your face come through those doors at the airport in Kiev gave me such peace. We laughed, we cried together and we even had some times of tension but I will forever treasure our friendship. Know that I love you so much and you will always be a part of the girls life.

My mom--what can I say--I love you and appreciate you and I know I don't say that enough. I could not have done this without you. You have taken such good care of the kids and Tim for me and for that I consider you a saint. I love you and treasure you.

Tim-my soulmate and companion-who puts up with me and always stands by me and joins me on every journey-I love you and miss you.

Cindy, Terrie, Jenny, Connie, Margie, Trisha, and all my dear friends-Thank you for supporting me and helping me in oh so many ways, from cleaning my house to helping with the kids and loving on them while I am gone. You have all been a huge part of making all of this possible. I love you all.

To my family-Paula, Jim, Toni, Geoff, Joy and Kelly and Lou and Rose-thank you for all you have done-you will always be loved and treasured by me.

Now I must thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for taking me on the most amazing journey of my life. I cannot even imagine what lays ahead. I am feeling so blessed.