Thank You

Hi brother, I'm Leah, and I love looking at your pictures and talking about how you'll be coming to live at  our house.  I love to play pretend, dig in the dirt, run as fast as I can, ride my tricycle, give mischevious grins (after doing mischevious things!), tease my brother Jake, and many other fun things.  I turned three years old in March, and although I'm not thrilled that I'll still be the youngest, I promise I'll love you anyway!

Since posting a note on Facebook about our adoption, we have received an outpouring of love and support, and it has really buoyed us up and made us feel incredibly blessed.  I just wanted to say thank you for your kind words, recent donations, offers of help, thoughts and prayers.  They have meant the world to us.  As soon as she heard the news, a very special person at Jake's school made a very generous donation to our chip-in.  Wow!  We also saw our Reece's Rainbow sponsorship page go up by $50.00 (we aren't able to see who made that donation(s), so please know we sincerely thank you).   And you probably noticed another large donation to our chip-in a few days ago; I don't know if that person wants to be identified, but she knows that I know who she is, and I just think she is the most incredible person, not just for donating money, but for her heart.  Her desire to help others in this process is more than admirable, it is very humbling.  I know that one of the best things about this adoption process is getting to see the best side of people.

I just want you to know that when we share this blog with you, we are not sharing to ask you for a donation, but because we love you, and want you to share this journey with us as our friends, family members, and new acquaintances.  Thanks for taking the time out of your day to stop in, see how we're doing, and most importantly, see how Arnold is doing!!

I read an article on ABCnews.com this morning about that mother from Tennessee who sent her Russian child back to Russia a couple of years ago.  It was outrageous then, and it still hurts my heart today.  The article gives an update on how the child is doing (fairly well, which is amazing).  The adoption agency that she went through is suing her for child support for the child.  Good for them!  Anyway, if you want to read it, you can go here

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/04/artyom-savelyev-russian-boy-rejected-by-adoptive-us-mother-adjusting-in-foster-care/

It is because of this mother that Russia shut down adoptions to the U.S.  Russia and the U.S. have worked out an agreement, which is supposed to be ratified in May by their DUMA (congress).  Please pray that it will be ratified so that the many families who are waiting to adopt will be able to do so.  Many of these orphans are living in mental institutions, severely malnourished, neglected, and aching for someone to love them.  The photos I have seen have been so heart-wrenching and almost indescribable.  I know there are many families, willing and able to take these children in and provide them a safe home, love, and any necessary treatment/therapy they might need.  Thankfully for us, Arnold is in a decent orphanage where he is fed, allowed to play outdoors, and receives interaction every day.  He is much better off than most, I am afraid.

Well, I am off to update our folder for the home study agency.  I'm adding copies of our social security cards, drivers licences, autobiographies, doctor's report (mine, Brian's hasn't come back yet), a questionnaire about adopting from a different culture, and how we intend to discipline.  And that's just a drop in the bucket, whew!  I love to see these things added to the growing binder, because it means we are that much closer to traveling to Arnold's country and meeting him for the first time!