Bringing Lexi Home

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

I think a montage is worth a thousand words!!! Although, I do want to mention that it was Polar Days when we adopted Katie Aunna (never got dark) and it was Polar Nights with Alexis' adoption (never had any daylight). Guess you could say night and day. Personality wise...they are night and day...LOL!!! Lexi is calm and quiet where Katie is bouncy and noisy;-). So, here is the picture journal of our trip to Russia to bring our daughter home. It will likely be posted on our family blog as well since this blog has been closed to the public. Additionally, now that Alexis is part of the family....I will not be making any more posts to this blog. However, you may still follow our progress and watch the drastic changes that will occur over time with Lexi. The family blog is titled "Journey To Yellow Brick Road" and may be found at this link:

http://journey2rfamily.blogspot.com

Once again....I am greatly appreciative of all your prayers and best wishes for our family. Many blessings!!!

We're Home!!!

We are finally home!!! Lexi is doing very well and seems happy. Of course, she is still a bit confused and we are still jet lagged. We had Christmas on the 26Th and she had a ball!!! I am planning to make a montage for the blog;-). Today I need to work on getting her registration paperwork done and our SW will be out this afternoon to do her first report. But, I promise to do a montage very soon. Many blessings...Trisha, Duane, and kiddos!!!

Good News

Just wanted to make a quick post. We got Alexis' passport and visa this morning. We will be arriving home as planned. Please kids....don't get out in the cold night air to come to meet us. We will be home tomorrow night very very late and will wake you when we get home. Alexis is anxious to go home and asks often when will we go. Unfortunately, I have not been able to teach her any English as she refuses. But, my Russian has gotten very good now that she coaches me...LOL!!!! Also, don't worry as we will have Christmas as planned on Saturday. So, don't open anything until we get home!!! Lots of love and miss you all a bunch. Love....Mom, Dad, and Lexi

Welcome Alexis Victoria Gartner

We successfully completed our exit visa appointment. There is a new Gartner child on the block now;-). She is anxious to go home and see her brothers and sisters. Patrick...we're coming soon!!! Thanks for those candles you've been burning and to all our friends and family for their prayers and help. I know Kisty is probably ready to jump over-board by now....LOL....however, just hang on for a little longer and we will be home. I do have just one piece of news about the issuance of the paper visa....the Embassy computers are down and so we may be delayed by one day according to the official spokesperson. So, hang on one extra day and pray they do indeed issue them as promised the following day. Many blessings....and many thanks to all!!!! Trisha, Duane, and Alexis Gartner
P.S...Thanks to Charlotte for keeping the kids informed!!!!

Hello From Murmansk

Hi everyone. We took Alexis from the orphanage yesterday. She was completely trusting and has been really enjoying herself with Mama and Papa. Her Gameboy...ummmm I mean...Gamegirl is a hit. It is such an entertainment for her.

Last night I gave her a great bath. She smells as sweet as can be and like the rest of my kids do. You should have seen the dirt going down the drain. Then she had a nice nail trim and I painted her nails red!!!! HaHa....she loved that. She kept saying that she is a princess now.

She also told me that when she grows up in America she will make me so proud because she will be a doctor and make a lot of American money....LOL!!! I would not be a bit surprised at her. She is very bright. Lexi is learning to say a few English words.

The words that I know she knows in English I won't speak Russian to her about those things. Hey kids...I miss you like you can't imagine and hope to be home on time if the weather clears off. We are not able to fly out yet. But tonight we will return to Moscow and start our way home soon. Hang in there and be good for Kisty. Our love to all...Many Blessings...Love Mama, Papa, and Lexi

We're in Moscow

We just arrived about an hour ago. It was pretty funny as I kept negotiating with the taxi companies until a biding, of sorts, started among them about who could give us the lowest fare. It started off that the one taxi wanted 6000 rubble!!! I said NYET and another fellow jumped in at 5000. I finally got the lowest price possible as when I said less he said forget it. We got a 30 minute ride for 2200. Now that's what I call negotiating power...LOL!!!! Never-the-less...we have safely arrived and tomorrow begins another journey in our quest to bring home our little girl. I know she is "impatiently" waiting like only a Russian can;-). Many blessings and lots of love to all....Trisha and Duane

Paka-Paka

See you soon...we are off to bring our daughter home!!! We will leave early tomorrow morning and so you will not hear from us until we reach Moscow on Saturday. Again, because of the new weight restrictions with the airlines, I will not carry my laptop. Instead, I will post from the business centers in both Moscow and Murmansk. Please, pray for our success in bringing Alexis home for Christmas. All the i's must be dotted and all the t's must be crossed to bring her through the Embassy. Your prayers are so greatly appreciated. I feel strongly this verse applies for our trip to bring new life into our family:

"I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."
John14:18

Happy Holiday's and God's Many blessings!!!

Update

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

We are home now. In fact, we made it safely home last week. I have been grieving as our darling family pet passed away the day after our return home. You can read more on the family blog "Journey To Yellow Brick Road". I just can't write about it again and also feel that this is not the correct blog. So, I am letting all those who have been so faithfully in prayer for our family know that Lexi is so close to coming home now. We are returning to bring her home on the 18TH of December. We will be flying home with her on December 25TH. What a day for a celebration of new life joining our family!!!

I have only four days left to pack and continue with my Christmas preparations. We have not found time or energy to put up our Christmas tree. I have spent the last three days wrapping gifts and have finally completed that process. There are no Christmas goodies made!!! No time for cooking:-(. I am posting a Montage of pictures. Alexis is so happy!!! She appeared in court that day and told the judge that she had been waiting for us for the last year. Lexi said she knew we would return for her.

The judge asked her what if another family would have come and she responded with "No, I have been waiting for my Mama and Papa to come for me"!!! I am so thankful to our God that His wisdom is so powerful that He can answer the dreams of a little girl who yet does not know to pray to her Savior and God. Soon she will know the Lord and begin the most important process of her life...developing a relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I am so excited and anxious to teach this to her. How wonderfully blessed I am to be her forever mother and friend.

Amsterdam

We are in Amsterdam today. Our flights leave in about 2 hours. We are looking for a few Dutch items for the children. I miss Lexi already and do so wish we could just turn around and go back to wait for her. However, the children at home need their Mama. So, by late this evening we will be home and with our babies;-). Many blessings...Trisha and Duane...missing our Lexi

Mom2R10

Court today was a success!!! We are now the parents of Alexis Victoria Gartner;-). Poor Duane was very harshly questioned by the judge. He was really sweating!!! His answers seemed to not satisfy her. However, the ruling was in our favor. When it was my turn to respond I covered what I felt he had been too nervous to include. In the end...all is well and Lexi was very very happy. We will visit her again this evening and fly out to the USA tomorrow. Awe...what a relief for us both. Now we are officially parents to ten children. Thanks for all the prayers and support!!! Unfortunately, our 10-day wait has not been waived. However, we thank God for being so kind to grant us this adoption. He has been a great and kind God to us. Many blessings...Trisha, Duane, and Alexis

Murmansk

Tomorrow we will go to court in the morning!!! Yuri says everything looks great. Lexi is so anxious to come home with us. She has enjoyed our visits greatly. The judge has asked her to come to court tomorrow. I will post when we have the ruling that she is officially our child. Please, be in prayer for the miracle of the ten day wait to be waived!!! Many blessings...Trisha, Duane, and Lexi

Moscow

Hi...Just wanted to say that we are safely in Moscow and waiting for our facilitator to pick us up so Duane can do the 8 doctor medical exam. We will then fly to Murmansk this evening t0 see Lexi on Wednesday and Thursday. Court will be on Friday. PLEASE....pray for the miracle of our 10-day post court wait to be waived so we may take her home and enjoy the Holidays with her!!!! It would be such a financial blessings abd lots of fun for her!!!!! She has waited so very long for this day to come. Trisha