Olga asked for leather gloves for Christmas--the bow in her hair was just an added 'bonus'!
Monday, December 25, 2006
Christmas - Olga strikes a pose!
Olga asked for leather gloves for Christmas--the bow in her hair was just an added 'bonus'!
Christmas - Nina and her beautiful smile!
I snapped this shot of Nina while she was helping Grand-dad open his Christmas gifts! She often avoids showing her big smile for the camera--I'm so glad I captured this one!
Saturday, December 16, 2006
The Journey Begins
In the fall of 2000 we made the decision to actively pursue—and stop simply talking about it—adopting two infants or toddlers from Russia. At the time I had my “dream job” as the Loss Control Officer for a multi-state financial corporation—still, the longing to be a mother continued to be my constant companion. My husband was enjoying his career, as well as increasing responsibilities and opportunites to serve in our local church. We both were content with our life together—which is sometimes a dangerous place to be! Ha!
At the end of September we began the seemingly endless process of requesting and gathering the necessary paperwork that is required simply to APPLY for acceptance by an adoption agency. Just three months later, in January 2001, we had been accepted by the adoption agency that was top on our list (local agency founded by a Xian couple who had served several years in Russia as medical missionaries) and our dossier was complete and on it's way to Russia!
And so began our waiting...
At the end of September we began the seemingly endless process of requesting and gathering the necessary paperwork that is required simply to APPLY for acceptance by an adoption agency. Just three months later, in January 2001, we had been accepted by the adoption agency that was top on our list (local agency founded by a Xian couple who had served several years in Russia as medical missionaries) and our dossier was complete and on it's way to Russia!
And so began our waiting...
Friday, December 01, 2006
Boy meets Girl
We met at church while attending the same college and quickly discovered we shared a passion for studying and discussing the Bible. Through mutual interests and friends, in just a few months we become very good friends—even “best” friends.
We married less than 14 months after we met. Within three months after being married, we decided to let God “plan and grow our family according to His timing”--and He did, however He didn't use my womb!
We married less than 14 months after we met. Within three months after being married, we decided to let God “plan and grow our family according to His timing”--and He did, however He didn't use my womb!
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Why Russia?
A rather smart-alek answer is, “Because that's where our daughters were!”
A shorter, but equally smart-alek, answer is, “Why not?”
And, the long answer is, there are literally thousands of orphans in the vast lands of the former Soviet Union. This is due in part to the on-going economic struggles since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and partly due to the lingering mind-set that the “state” is responsible and/or better suited to care for the children—remnants of Communist propaganda.
These children are turned out of the orphanages as young as 16, but most definitely when they turn 18. Many of the children turn to crime since they are ill-prepared to earn a living, and ill-equipped to transition from institutional living. A large number of the children turn to drug and alcohol abuse—if they haven't already embraced that prior to or during their life in the orphanage—many of the girls turn to prostitution. Sadly, the suicide rate of former orphans has been quoted to be 10%.
One significant factor in our decision to adopt from Russia was a new family who came to our church in the fall of 1999. We became acquainted with them and found that they were in the process of adopting a brother and sister from Far East Russia. They were going through a small local adoption agency that was run by a couple who had served for several years as medical missionaries in Russia—they personally had an exceptional reputation and their agency had an excellent track record. SIDENOTE: Due to increased “red tape” in their particular region of Russia, sadly we were not able to use their agency to adopt our two daughters. Still, they continued to encourage and guide us when we had to change agencies.
A shorter, but equally smart-alek, answer is, “Why not?”
And, the long answer is, there are literally thousands of orphans in the vast lands of the former Soviet Union. This is due in part to the on-going economic struggles since the collapse of the Soviet Union, and partly due to the lingering mind-set that the “state” is responsible and/or better suited to care for the children—remnants of Communist propaganda.
These children are turned out of the orphanages as young as 16, but most definitely when they turn 18. Many of the children turn to crime since they are ill-prepared to earn a living, and ill-equipped to transition from institutional living. A large number of the children turn to drug and alcohol abuse—if they haven't already embraced that prior to or during their life in the orphanage—many of the girls turn to prostitution. Sadly, the suicide rate of former orphans has been quoted to be 10%.
One significant factor in our decision to adopt from Russia was a new family who came to our church in the fall of 1999. We became acquainted with them and found that they were in the process of adopting a brother and sister from Far East Russia. They were going through a small local adoption agency that was run by a couple who had served for several years as medical missionaries in Russia—they personally had an exceptional reputation and their agency had an excellent track record. SIDENOTE: Due to increased “red tape” in their particular region of Russia, sadly we were not able to use their agency to adopt our two daughters. Still, they continued to encourage and guide us when we had to change agencies.
Welcome
Through this blog I plan to share our adoption story! I've told the story countless times--I never get tired of sharing what God has done--but to my surprise, many people are still asking to hear the story.
I hope to organize the posts in such a way that you won't have to "wade through the WHOLE story" if you're looking for a particular facet of our journey. So, please be patient with me as I post the various "chapters".
I hope to organize the posts in such a way that you won't have to "wade through the WHOLE story" if you're looking for a particular facet of our journey. So, please be patient with me as I post the various "chapters".
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Thursday, June 01, 2006
"Locks of Love"
Through the example of other girls in our church and home school community, both of our girls decided to grow their hair as long as they could so that they could donate it to "Locks of Love".
This was a huge deal to them because not only had neither of them been given the opportunity to enjoy long hair because of the serious hygiene challenges in an orphanage/impoverished environment, it was a personal goal they could set and accomplish that would benefit someone in need--a feeling they knew all too well.
For John and I, it provided us opportunities to encourage our girls to 'wear' and appreciate their femininity (older orphan girls often become 'tough' and boyish), appreciate the physical beauty God had created in them (something neither had been told or believed prior to being adopted), and the opportunity to illustrate/live self-sacrifice for the benefit of others.
What fun we girls (including a dear family friend who is fondly referred to as "Auntie") had when we went to the salon to donate their hair! I'm thankful for the 'special' treatment this particular salon gives (FREE) their clients who are donating their hair--our girls really did get 'the works' and were pampered beyond their dreams!
Here's a shot of Nina getting her hair washed while Olga and I watch.
Nina really enjoyed the special care and attention her stylist gave her!
Nina sporting her new 'do', and the hair she donated.
Olga's turn--look at all that hair!
Olga loved having her hair long, but was excited to get a new 'do'
Here she is with her donation.
Our beautiful girls with their new 'do's'!
This was a huge deal to them because not only had neither of them been given the opportunity to enjoy long hair because of the serious hygiene challenges in an orphanage/impoverished environment, it was a personal goal they could set and accomplish that would benefit someone in need--a feeling they knew all too well.
For John and I, it provided us opportunities to encourage our girls to 'wear' and appreciate their femininity (older orphan girls often become 'tough' and boyish), appreciate the physical beauty God had created in them (something neither had been told or believed prior to being adopted), and the opportunity to illustrate/live self-sacrifice for the benefit of others.
What fun we girls (including a dear family friend who is fondly referred to as "Auntie") had when we went to the salon to donate their hair! I'm thankful for the 'special' treatment this particular salon gives (FREE) their clients who are donating their hair--our girls really did get 'the works' and were pampered beyond their dreams!
Here's a shot of Nina getting her hair washed while Olga and I watch.
Nina really enjoyed the special care and attention her stylist gave her!
Nina sporting her new 'do', and the hair she donated.
Olga's turn--look at all that hair!
Olga loved having her hair long, but was excited to get a new 'do'
Here she is with her donation.
Our beautiful girls with their new 'do's'!
Monday, January 30, 2006
Bar Mitzvah - 2006
A friend of John's invited us to his son's Bar Mitzvah--complete with synagogue services, brunch, dinner, entertainment, and dancing!I sewed each the girls a 'special' dress just for the occasion and gave them each an 'up do'--what night to remember!
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