YES!

We signed the papers to officially adopt our sweet little girl! Today is our last full day here, and though we miss her already, we know she is receiving very good care at her baby home and that comforts us. We also know we will be back soon to bring her home forever, and that sustains us. We have had a great experience in St. Petersburg. We have enjoyed the people, the culture, and most of all, our little girl. Posted are photos of the inside of Church of the Spilled Blood.

Heaven

Tuesday was a busy day for us! We started the day with a 9 doctor exam. What a pleasant experience that was! Our afternoon with Our Baby was even better than yesterday. The 3 of us enjoyed each other immensly; we feel like a family already!

We are looking forward to our next visit with her and are thoroughly enjoying ourselves. We have posted some photos of the Church of Spilled Blood and also us at the Euromed Clinic. Enjoy!

We Aren't in Kansas Anymore . . . .

After 16 long hours of air travel, we finally made it! It is cold and beautiful here in Saint Petersburg, Russia. It has been snowing lightly ever since we arrived, which has only added to the beauty and charm of the city and the sense of magic and awe that we feel. We have been running on adrenaline for most of the journey and so far, our journey as been perfect! Today, we met with the Committee, and officially received our referral. We then traveled to the Baby Home and met The Sweetest Child in the World! In the matter of a couple of short hours, we lost our hearts to an innocent, sweet baby girl whose heart is filled with love and joy. She is perfect.

We will be spending time with her each day for the rest of our stay here, and we are so looking forward to that. We were surprised at how she is very nearly walking on her own, and expect she will be able to do so without any help soon. She is a smart cookie, and utterly delightful. We are in Heaven!

The city of St. Petersburg is beautiful and intriguing. Today, we visited St. Isaac's Cathedral (photos posted here). Russia is truly a beautiful country!

Until tomorrow,
Kathryn & Eric

3-2-1 . . . Russia, Here We Come!

And so it begins! Tomorrow morning we will be on our way to Orlando International Airport where the first leg of our journey launches. We will arrive in Russia early Sunday morning. We are so excited about this trip, we have hardly slept all week. Hopefully, that will amount to us getting some needed shut eye on the longest leg of the flight. We are nearly packed; just a few last minute items (snacks, dvd movies to watch during down time, chapstick, etc.). Our next post will come to you from Russia!

Our Dearest Baby: Momma and Pappa are on our way; we will be together soon!

Six Days to Departure!

We are officially in countdown mode! In only six short days, we will be on our way to Russia. In fact, this time next week, we will be in our hotel in Russia, getting ready for the week we have been waiting for and working towards all year. We are getting closer!

Is This Really Happening?

The days following our learning about a possible referral have felt like a dream. We wander around the house with equal parts excitement, disbelief, and panic. For reasons we cannot post on this blog, we will be traveling to Russia early next month, which gives us a bit more time than most PAPs to prepare. To that end, my hubby is diligently working on our airfare and hotel reservations, as well as the visa applications (my hero!). I am responsible for scheduling TB test and blood work re-dos (results need to be within one month of our visit) and packing. Together, we make a perfect team!

Now, when we enter the room we've prepared for our child, it feels different. I can't explain it because I don't entirely know why it is so. Everything feels different. We really are on a journey that will change us forever; it already has.

p.s. We'd love to hear suggestions from others who have made this trip!

WE GOT "THE CALL"!

It's true! Yesterday we received "The Call" telling us we may have a referral if we travel to Russia to meet with the Committee (only the Committee can provide a referral, and that is not done until you meet with the Committee, in Russia)! Here's how it happened . . .

I was on my lunch hour, shopping for shoes (a favorite past time of mine) when my cell phone started to ring. Barefoot and about to slip on the "new shoes" I glanced at the caller id - it wasn't a number I'm familiar with. Who could it be? Then it hit me . . . OMG! Could it be . . . "The Call" we've been waiting for? Is this the day? YES! YES! YES! The world around me seemed to slip away as our agency told me we may soon have our referral if we choose to travel Russia to meet with the Committee. I raced to my hubby's office and shared the news with him. Overwhelmed with emotion, we held each other and cried. From there, the rest of the day and into the night, seemed like a dream to us both. Is this really happening? Is the dream of our hearts really, finally starting to coming true? Yes, it is!

Now it's time to get ready for Russia! We are so excited!