Are we having fun yet?

We picked up the girls in Atlanta on Dec 11 at 10pm.  It was a great reunion with Rita and I was able to give Lera that hug that I should have given her last August!  We spent the night in Atlanta and then headed to Starkville on Monday to meet with Marks professor.  The girls surprised me with how well they got along...I guess I was expecting more fussing.  But I began to see in the girls what I suspected- they bring out each others strengths.  Rita's english is amazing in verbal communication as well as very good written skills.  Rita speaks Latvian, Russian, some Italian, and English.  Lera speaks Russian, a little Latvian, and completely understands English but refuses to speak it!  Rita is Lera's translator.  I just sit amazed when they talk together.  I see so much more of Rita's personality now; her silly, funny side, her serious side, her moodiness, but mainly her laughter.  I've heard many things about Lera from her previous host families and most of it was very good, and seems to be accurate (including her stubborness!).  We enjoyed our time in Starkville walking around campus, watching the squirrels, going to Bulldog Lanes to shoot pool.  We met with Cathy, my best friend from college days, and saw her two girls.  It was great to reconnect, but sort of eye-opening when we realized it had been nearly 25 years since we spent afternoons at the Entomology Department taking care of the moth cultures and sneaking off to TCBY for a vanilla and coke float!  Oh, those were good days!  I dont' feel this old!
So, Tuesday Mark headed to campus to meet his professor and the girls and I made our way to the breakfast buffet for fresh waffles and fruit.  After some good news from Marks professor, we left Starkville and headed to Vicksburg.  We stopped in Bovina to pick up Bella, and then drove home to introduce Lera to her new home. 
One of the first things Lera did was head to her bedroom that she shares with Rita, climb on her bed and smile.  I have so enjoyed watching her relax here, a first hug initiated by her, a smile, a laugh, and then the pranks and tickles.  Over this past week she has even felt comfortable enough to stay at home alone with Mark.  They spend time working math and physics problems.  Mark writes out Algebra problems and she works them.  Then Geometry, and she works them; then calculus and she just looks at him and laughs!  Great thing is math transends all languages!  He showed her physics problems dealing with fulcrums and stresses, and friction, and she was able to work them...  Her spatial understanding is excellent.  Of course, Mark already has her entering Engineering at Miss State!  (ok, maybe I do too!).
Rita has reacclimated really well.  She amazes me with her patience and caring for Lera.  She loves to be busy with any kind of work, be it raking leaves, vaccuming, washing the car, or bathing Max.  She is so responsible, so caring, yet she loves to have fun and laugh.  My heart simply overflows with compassion and love for this girl!  Ok, I have dreams and visions for her also...Vet, Social Worker...something helping those in need!  I know God has placed so much inside this 15 year old girl and he has her on a path to be used in His Kingdom.  I just can't wait to see exactly what that will be!
I have loved getting to know these girls this past week.  From watching the first taste of shrimp and crab legs, to watching them make 'gogo', to listening to their whispers in Russian, and hearing the music that God has placed in their hearts.  I look at them and just think, these are my girls; can this really be?  Everything seems so right; not at all stressed...except for when Rita asked if we had paid everything for the adoption, and if we could get our money back...ouch!  I told her no, we couldn't get it back and asked if she still wanted to come live with us.  She said yes.  Only thing we can figure is she had skyped with her foster family that morning and she was homesick.  She really loves them, and it seems that she helps them out an awful lot with babysitting.  I know she misses them so much.  She did say that this would be a huge change and would be hard;  I asked if she realized her life was going to be different whether she stayed in Latvia or moved here; she said yes.  We told her to listen to what God was speaking in her heart.  She seems happy now.  Lera seems happy.  Mark seems happy; Michael seems happy; I'm happy!  So we wait to see where we go from here...and when... and where... why is all we know, and sometimes we even ask why!  But in our heart of hearts, we know why! 

They're here!

On Sunday morning, 12/11/11, we dropped Bella off for a play date(s) with David and Dian, and Rusty and Ginger, then headed the car east to Atlanta.  The drive was amazingly quick...just over 6 hours not because we were speeding, but because I don't think we encounted a single construction zone...of course, it was Sunday!  So after arriving in Atlanta, we ran a few errands to buy things I had forgotten to pack, like toothpaste, went to eat at Longhorn Steakhouse, and checked into the hotel.  After a quick nap, it was time to head to the airport.  I think I could go there 100 times and still get turned around as to the North terminal and South terminal!!!  If it were left to me, we would probably never find our car! 
So, after arriving, we met up with several other host families and enjoyed seeing everyone's posters.  We also met LeAnn's daughter, who was adopted about 4 years ago from Latvia.  She is now 17 and helping her mom with New Horizons airport arrivals!  She was so encouraging as she told us how well she has adapted to life in America and life in our school system.  That helped alleviate some fear I have of understaning how these girls will adjust.  It will happen...it will just take some time. 
So with video camera, Fuji camera, and iphone in hands, we anxiously await the group of kids who have now been traveling over 24 hours.  The kids from Rita and Lera's hometown left around 2 am on Sunday morning (which is about 6 pm Saturday night our time) and arrived at 10 pm Atlanta time!  That included a 7 hour layover at JFK and nothing  to do!  I sure admire the chaperones who have travelled with the kids and managed to not lose a single child! 
As they walked around the routunda, we try to spot Rita and Lera.  I finally see Lera, but never saw Rita...then began to wonder if something happened and she couldn't come.  She was saying Saturday that she was sick again...but then, of course at the back of the line, there was this young girl who has impressed upon our hearts because of her candidness, her heart of gold, her courage.  As we were called to come 'claim'  our children, it was such a relief to hold her and be able to tell her we were so glad she came back.  And then, Lera...this child who we don't yet know except through other's eyes.  With big, clear blue eyes that sparkle with such mischief, yet such a longing deep within.  I finally got to do what I wished I had done when they left Atlanta in the summer...I got to give her a big hug!  After our photo was taken, we headed to McDonalds with the Fletchers and Ksenija to catch up and hang out!  Everyone was so tired, so we soon parted ways and we took our 2 daughters back to our hotel to get a good nights sleep. 
When we arrived, they spotted two gifts I had placed on their bed...an early Christmas gift and welcome gift rolled into one... two iPod touches.  I wanted to get them something that would entertain them on the trip home as well as give them access to a translator, camera, video, and some internet access.  This little device is perfect!  They also came with gifts...Lera had knitted me a beautiful pink pillow and Baiba had knitted a warm pair of socks.  They also gave us a huge tin of Latvian chocolates...and when I say huge, I mean HUGE!  I don't know how Rita carried this around this whole trip! 
Over the next day, we got to see the interaction between Rita and Lera.  I was worried they would fight all of the time, but I've been pleasantly surprised (of course, it's only been a day), at how attentitive Rita is to Lera and how well Lera listens to Rita.  I think the hard thing will be getting Rita to step down as 'mom' and let me mother Lera.  Rita's heart for others just leaves me in awe of this child.  And yes, for those of you who have hosted Lera, she is still resistant to speaking English.  I don't think there is much she doesn't understand, but she sure won't speak it, which puts Rita translating everything!  Right now, we look to Rita to help us communicate... I guess we need to stop but it is so easy for everyone (except Rita). 
We've had some fun times, some laughs, some looks...  A few boring moments, but I think boring was good today!  With Christmas just 10 days away, hectic is just around the corner!  All in all, I've really enjoyed this host so far!  Now, on with the rest....

When worlds collide!

Well, in just over 24 hours, we will join many families in the Atlanta airport as we anxiously await a group of kids from halfway around the world walk into our world.  Approximately 80+ orphans from Latvia will arrive to spend the next 4 weeks with Christian families all over America.  Some are going to California, Colorado, Texas, New York, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, and two special girls will come to Vicksburg, Mississippi!  We didn't think we would be here again, but delays in separating Lera and Ksenija have slowed our process.  But, as we sat in Hope Fellowship Church last night, the word given was there would be rapid acceleration in those plans God has ordained, and our hope deferred that has made our hearts sick, will soon be sight!  I fully believe that while the girls are here hosting over the next 4 weeks, we will get the word from Latvia for our travel date to start our adoption.  There is such a peace that God has this all in His hands.  Now, we must concentrate on the next 4 weeks and getting to know Lera and Rita better and letting them get to know us.  There are major trust issues to overcome.  They have to know that they can trust us completely.  How hard is that?  Could you put your life in a strangers' hands?  It will be a process that has already begun, but will take years to complete.  Years of dedication, years of encouraging, years of proving that we love them...  only through Christ can this be accomplished. 
So, as we get ready to sleep, kids from all over Latvia are loading into cars and buses to make their journey to Riga.  Around midnight our time, they board their flight to New York.  Then, after a layover that almost equals our normal work day, they board their connection to Atlanta.  We will be gathering, waiting, meeting other anxious parents, hoping we can communicate with these kids that have been entrusted into our care. 
Lord, we ask for your blessing upon each child, each host parent, each host sibling, so that your love will flow through us and touch these children.  Help us to connect with them and be able to teach them about you at this most special time of year.  Lord, bring healing to their hearts and help them to trust again.  Help us teach them of forgiveness.  Let us be examples for their eyes and ears.  Let us represent you well.  In Jesus' name. Amen! 

Totally amazed!

You know, technology is amazing.  Today, I logged into the computer to check email and see if the girls had written.  After a disappointing 'you have no mail from the girls', I saw my Skype box pop up and a notice that our girls were online!  What a pleasant surprise I had today.  We ended up talking with Rita for over an hour.  Lera was watching TV and I don't think Rita told her we were online.  But Ksenija stopped by the computer to say hi!.  At one point, my husband called us from work, so I had him talking to Rita by holding our phone next to the computer!!! How strange...He's at work in Mississippi talking on a phone to a computer to our daughter half way around the world...What a connected world we live in! 
Rita shared more of her heart with us today and I am constantly amazed at how giving this young lady is, sacrificing 'things' that would make her happy, to help someone who should be helping her.  But she gives with a pure heart, expecting nothing in return other than the joy of giving a little warmth and care to another.  I don't know what God has in his plan for her, but I can see where he will be able to meet the needs of others through her huge heart!  Yes, we need to protect her from being 'used', but God will lead us to teach her.  Who knows, one day, I can even see her walking this same path that  we are on...reaching out to a child who needs to know unconditional love!  My heart is overflowing with love for our beautiful daughter!