Free At Last!

Mimi and Me at the Kremlin, Moscow

Eating at Pizza Hut, St. Petersburg Russia

Let's Go Home Mommy

On July 3 2008, we busted the Little Princess out of her orphanage and nothing has been the same for her or the mommy! The first night was like she had been with us all her life. We had to stay in St. Pete until Saturday so we got to know her a little bit more. She was very quit in the orphanage but as soon as she was out she showed us what she could do! We landed on American soil July 9th at day earlier then expected. Once we got settled into home London went to sleep in her crib that has been waiting for her for over a year now. The next days were like a whirlwind with people wanting to see and meet the Russian Princess. Now we are settled into a routine and she is a mommy's girl for sure!

Court Date

On June 19th I was declared the mother of London Laura Sofiya Clark. The only problem was I would have to wait 10 days to get her. That meant I would be coming back home again without her but I knew that I wouldn't have to wait 3 months before I saw her again. On this trip London was at "Summer Camp" by the Baltic Sea. When we arrived it was very cold hence the snowsuit. We discovered that the little Russian Princess was starting to walk but only if you held her hands. She still just wanted to sit on our laps and be cuddled. The hour went by very fast and once again we would leave her. The best part was that she still remembered me!

May 26, 2008 Another day I won't forget!

Waiting and waiting and waiting can really get to you. Especially when well meaning people ask you if you have heard anything. I decided to make a game of it and count how many times in a day I was asked that question. 20 times in a period of 4 hours was the record! Even though I tried to make a game of it I felt like I was being beat down and I would never get up again. I knew that God had not left me so I just kept asking Him for the strength to get through it and that is exactly what He would do. He would give me enough strength to get through the day and the next day if I would ask Him for it. On Monday, May 26th my little girl turned 14 months. I tried not to dwell on the fact that another month had gone by and I was not with her. I tried to look at it as yet another day closer to bringing her home. As I was looking at the sky I just started talking to God and told Him I don't know how much longer I can go on like this but you do so I will go through it. I decided enough was enough and I had to get busy getting things done around my house. At 2:03 my phone rang and it was Arna. She asked if I was sitting down and I said that I would be. "We have a court date for you, June 19th!" I was in shock and repeatedly thanked her over and over. As soon as I was off the phone I repeatedly thanked God over and over! While this process is not over, I know He has seen it through to completion. Trusting Him has been a lesson for me that I'm still learning. Looking back on it all had it not gone the way He wanted it to go, I would have never gotten this particular little girl and she is the one He wanted me to have. Waiting and waiting and waiting has been the best thing in my life!

March 27, 2008 a day I will never forget!

We were picked up at 9 that morning to go to the Ministry of Education to get my referral. While I was waiting to go in, Viktor arrived with the medical information on London. We found out that she was/is perfect! What a load off my shoulders. Once I got the referral I was then immediately taken to meet my daughter, who was known as Sofiya. Jayne and Kristin were both allowed to see her too which we just praised God for that answered prayer.

I don't remember them putting her in my arms. I remember her laying her head against my cheeck as I sang to her. When I stopped singing she looked up at me. She didn't cry at all when they put her in my arms. She had just turned 1 the day before so we sang happy birthday to her. All along I have said that God knew in my heart what I wanted. It is like being married to the perfect husband that knows your heart so well and gives you this gift that is far beyond what you'd ever expect or imagine. That is what God does. This is why I had to wait so long because He knew. He Knew!

8 MD

We were picked up at 8 the next morning. Oksana our translator was with Viktor. I just wanted to hug her because she could speak English. She was/is great. We then went to the building where I would have the 8 MD done. I was more concerned about having my blood drawn because I'm a hard stick. However, that was the first thing that they did and she got the blood on the first stick!!!! Then I had tea and cookies! The rest of the exams were very easy. Nothing bad at all. Then the head doctor said that I looked Russian and that I would make a good Mamma!
We had bible study every night which for me put the day into perspective. We did Beth Moore's bible study A Woman's Heart God's Tabernacle. It was really neat to have Kristin's 17 year old opinion but more then that it was just wonderful to share with each other. That night we prayed that Jayne and Kristin would get in to see London because they had told us there might be a chance that they wouldn't. I also had break down number 2 then. We just believed that God would come through for us.

St. Petersburg Russia

We arrived in St. Petersburg on the 25th March. Ok I was nervous because I was going to meet my daughter. Deep in my heart I knew that she was going to be perfect but still you have those doubts that creep in. I also had to have my 8 MD done which was another thing that I was nervous about. Oh, not to mention that I was traveling to a foreign country where most/all of them don't speak nor understand English. The closer we got to St. Petersburg the sicker I was getting. Yep, I had to use the bag on the airplane!! That was the first time I have ever had to do that! Once we landed I was still sick but not as bad. Now we had to go through customs. We made it through just fine and then the task was to find Viktor our driver. I went to the information booth no Viktor so I had the lady call the number. Well, Viktor was there we passed him several times. We loaded into Viktor's car and off we went. Did anyone say that Russians drive crazy! We loved it. It was snowing in St. Petersburg and was dark and gloomy. I'm sure that also didn't help the way that I was feeling. We got to our hotel and we managed to stay up unitl 9 so that we could get on their time schedule. The next morning would be the 8 MD!

It's A Girl

I received word that I would be traveling the day after Easter to meet my daughter!!!!!!!! To say His timing is perfect is an understatement. Jayne's daughter, my "niece" gets to go with us because she is on spring break. This is the other thing that we were praying for so that Kristin could also meet London! Thank you God you are the best.

London't Room

I have clothes in my closet!

I have new book shelf from the Aunt Linda, Aunt Cha-cha and Aunt Laura!

9 Months but who is counting???

This month I'll be 9 months on paper. However, let me update you on some important things like my agency was finally accredited in December!!! That was a very nice Christmas present. So now what you may ask??? More waiting, more updating of documents as they expire and more just trusting God. 2008 didn't start out like I thought it would. I lost a very dear friend and confidant in January. She died unexpectedly and not only I was affect but my entire working staff. She wasn't supposed to go. She was supposed to be here for the day when they called to tell me I'm a mommy! It's times like these when people start to question God. Like why did He have to take her now? It's times like these when we need to ask God to hold us in His big arms. I know that London now has 3 guardian angels watching over her.
In the next few weeks I'll be saying good-bye to London's Aunt Cha-Cha as she moves to the big city to achieve her dreams. To say I'm going to miss her is an understatement. My life is going to be different without her in it and even though she is only 2 hours a way it still will be different. So while 2008 has started out as saying Good-Bye, I looking forward to the promise that God has for me...saying hello to my daughter.