Travel Date

Yippee!!! Our Sissy is coming home!!!

Oh my I did not expect them so soon!!! We are scheduled to leave on the 12TH of October and return the 17TH. Talk about a whirl wind trip....five days to Russia and back is so killer exhausting. But, that's how Frank works. They are so fast once they receive the dossier. I just can not wait to see my sweet little girl and give her lots of hugs and kisses!!! Now I have to do the dreaded packing.

Another thing is that we have already spent thousands of dollars on medicals here in the USA. Now Murmansk wants all the medicals done in Moscow. So, we get to do the dreaded 8 Russian doctor medical garbage done over there during this short five day trip. But, I don't care. I just want to see my little girl and hope she is in good health for our visit. Keep praying...we are rolling now. I expect court by the end of October. Then return for the pick up trip the middle of November...tentatively. OH MY!!!!!

Many blessings...Trisha (Vika's Mama)

DTR!!!!!

DTR

Just got word that our dossier is on it's way as of today to Moscow for translations. I will therefore travel very soon. I would expect a travel date next week;-). Frank approved our documents and off it went FedEx. I can hardly wait to see the FedEx bill this month...urg!!! But, my little sugar is worth it. Dossier and shipping...$6000...seeing Vika....PRICELESS!!!!! Many blessings...keep those prayers going as we continue to move forward.

Looking Forward to Monday

I am so looking forward to Monday. This is the first full day Frank will have to briefly review the documents and (hopefully) approve them and ship them out to Russia. I love the Fed Ex truck;-). Once they hit Moscow the facilitator there checks them briefly and sends them to Murmansk for translations.

This entire process takes about ten days to two weeks. Because, Frank works so fast, and has such a good relationship with officials, the visit trip is sometimes set before the documents are fully translated. I will be in transit and my documents will be in the finishing phase for the Ministry Officials. On the day I arrive, the officials will have had time, to make sure each component needed is present.

It will be during trip one that he/she will mention any document they do not like and that they want done differently. It is next submitted to the judge and he/she will set the court date.Oh please, please, please, pray that we will get our documents approved and receive a fast travel date followed by a quick court date.

I want to be with her so much...but, I am thinking she wants to be with me even more. She has dreamed of this for her entire life!!!! I know Vika is so excited about her mama. She will be so very thrilled and so will I!!! So, please pray very hard with us, as two or more praying, are powerful in God's own ear!!! Thank-you and many blessings....Trisha and Vika

Today's News...It's Even Better!!!

I was hoping for a speedy turn around so our dossier could soon be DTR. Well...this is "Over The Rainbow" where dreams really do come true;-). Our dossier went out to Frank Foundation today by overnight FedEx Express!!!! Tomorrow Frank will have the dossier....oh my!!!! This means they will do a quick look at it and add whatever they need and it will then be off to Russia....VERY SOON!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!

I'll be traveling in about two weeks from now. So, my corrected documents got to K2A on Vika's birthday and shipped out same day to Frank today. JENY...YOU ROCK!!!!!!!! Those hugs and kisses from my daughter are only weeks away now...I'm so happy that I may not sleep tonight.

My little girl is about to have her lifelong dream become a reality and I'm so blessed to be so loved!!!! Let's pray for a fast date...a miracle date that only our great God can do!!! OMGOODNESS:>))))))) Plus, Jeny is sending an email attachment with the visa applications. Another good indicator of needing to get our "ducks" in a row!!!

Final Paperwork Complete

"Over The Rainbow" Russian style. Now how's that for a cake??? We took a picture of this cake while in Russia for Katie Aunna's adoption. The building behind me are reflected in the window glass. I think this is a very appropriate picture for Vika's adoption progress;-). "Happy 10TH birthday tomorrow darling girl!!!"

At long last....the final and corrected paperwork came FedEx this afternoon. Thank-you for your prayers as they have been answered!!! They were beautiful and very correct;-). I have shipped the new corrected documents and a copy of the dossier to Kids To Adopt. "Go Jeny...go!!!" This shipment weighed 2.85 pounds. So, with the 6.8 pound shipment, that makes slightly over 9 pounds of documents!!!

God is orchestrating everything so beautifully!!! Tomorrow will be Vika's 10TH birthday and our dossier will likely be shipped out to Frank Foundation as soon as it is received and organized by K2A. We are so happy and relieved to have it all in perfect shape. Now I can say "Yes...my documents are in order"!!!! Keep those prayers going to Russia and we appreciate them so much. Now we need a travel date;-). However, I am told that Murmansk is waiting for our dossier to arrive. They are ready on their side of things. Many blessing!!!

Singing A New Song

Well...we have still another paper glitch which I feel greatly concerned about the time-frame in regard to how quickly it will be resolved. I have been shaking my head in disbelief all evening. Obviously, it's way late here and I am still not sleeping. My anxiety levels have been running in high mode of late. So, I went to my emails to search for a word from God through Joel Osteen.

Somehow, I believe God speaks very directly to "me" through Joel...LOL!!! It doesn't seem to matter to me that thousands of people are also receiving this very same message. It just seems to be very appropriate to my situation and to this adoption process. In fact, I don't even read them daily. Although, every day there is a message from God's faithful preacher-man;-). I always say a little prayer, before opening the message, asking God to tell me what I should do.

So, tonight I go through this process of soul searching and pray for God's word. It was titled "Change Your Song". I thought about my dismay engulfing the entire evening with the discovery of the paperwork error. Well...Joel's associated scripture is: "Unto You, O my Strength, I will sing praises; for God is my Defense, my Fortress, and High Tower, the God Who shows me mercy and steadfast love"(Psalm 59:17, AMP). Alright...then I think perhaps I am expecting myself to be the force behind the progress in this adoption when I should be looking for God's perfect timing. Looking to God's power rather than my own!!!

Joel goes on in his "word of the day" to further explain that David had all types of adversities going on in his life and he chose to sing praises to our mighty God. Because David knew that his power was weak compared to God's. Further, Joel points out that David wasn't sitting around having a pity party. No...David was telling his "difficulties" how God was so much mightier than were his troubles.

In close Joel recommends: "Do you need to change your song today? Instead of complaining and thinking about what you're not, start thanking God for what you are becoming. Just like David, stay in faith and sing to the Lord knowing that He's going to complete what He's started in you."

So, I am "Singing A New Song" of how much I love the way God works in my life and the wonderful people I have found during this adoption process who share my desire to bring this little girl home to her forever family. This is His time to say to me "trust Me, my child, and do not lean on your own strength". I am going to praise God for His Son who saved me and sing the song of how wonderful He is!!! I have faith He will complete what He has started in me and Vika will soon be in my arms. Until then...I know she is in Jesus' arms waiting for her family. Many blessings!!!

Getting the Glitches Out

I received the review of our dossier from K2A. Not too bad for the first review. It has a couple of easily resolvable issues and one not so easy issue. The more difficult glitch....was with a state of NM document...urg!!! However, after hassling all week long about it....they have redone their documents. Now lets pray they keep their word to Duane this morning and FedEx the corrected documents out today. Unfortunately, these state documents need to come to me and then go for apostilles and back to me. I will then be able to send them out to K2A over night.

Thank God and give Him praise and glory as the other glitches are with the absolutely easiest and smartest people to work with!!! The documents should be well on their way to corrected Monday. So, the likeliness that all dossier issues will be resolved by Wednesday or Thursday of next week is very good. Of course, don't let up on those all important prayers from my treasured friends on this blog.

You are all loved and appreciated more than I can express!!! Oh how I want to tell you that the dossier is DTR. But, just a few glitches to resolve for step two which is a second review and approval from my fabulous K2A and then my wonderful foreign agency Frank Adoption Center must do their review and give their approval. Usually, if there are dossier documents that they don't like or that the Moscow Frank Agent doesn't like, I get to hand carry those.

Yes...that means....drum roll....once the dossier is reviewed in Moscow....a travel date is set!!!! I will at long last, hold and comfort my little girl in my arms, where she may melt with relief that...truly I have come back to take her to her forever family soon. I know, that like with Katie Aunna, it will be the most exciting and touching day of her life. A day she will never forget and neither will you and I;-). Keep those prayers coming and many blessings!!!!

FedEx and Just For Your Entertainment;-)

I just checked to see if our big beautiful dossier has left town yet and it is in transit right now...ohhh myyyyy!!! I'm officially expecting. I have these huge butterflies in my stomach!!! It keeps sinking in...little....by...little that I will likely be traveling to see my "dara-guya-dochinka" or my darling daughter in two weeks or three at most. OMGOOODNESS!!!!

Oh I can't wait to touch her pretty soft face and kiss her and kiss her and kiss her and kiss her hug her and hug her and hug her and hug her...well....you get the picture!!!! BTW...the FedEx info said the dossier weighed 6.8 pounds. I am having a 6.8 pound baby...only she will be 10 years old on the 24Th.

Here is something funny, too. Everything with Katie Aunna's adoption seemed to happen in triplicate. If I sneezed, it was mostly three times in a row...Ha Ha. We ended up staying three weeks in Murmansk rather than two. I always saw three jet streaks in the sky all the time, it took us three shots at the paperwork to get it correct for them and so on!!! Our visits with her were three times on the first trip, three times on the court trip, we picked her up on the first day after court. All odd numbers;-).

Katie Aunna was also our odd number child...child number 11 if you count our lost twins. Since I am still the deceased twin boy and girl's mother...we have to count them in the number of children in our marriage. Another odd (not even) with Katie...Duane and I were married 35 years and Katie was our third Russian child......hmmmm. Katie was five years old when we fell in love with her video. We waited a year to take her. She came home in may the 5Th month of the year. She is our fifth daughter. Hmmmmm!!!!

With Vika..I sneeze twice most often. She is our 12Th child or 10Th living. She is our second adoption trip to Murmansk, Russia. She turns ten years old on the 24Th another even number. I always see two jet streaks. She was 8 years old when we met her and turned nine years old the following September from when we adopted Katie. Now she is going to be ten when we get her and I may make it for her her 10Th birthday. Okay...God loves numbers...so I thought these were fairly interesting;-). Gold bless and please please please pray for us...your prayers are so strongly coveted by us at this time.

Please Pray With Us!!!

I talked to K2A today and she said send what you have!!!! I will probably have the corrected documents complete with apostilles by the middle of next week. So, the dossier was shipped out this afternoon and does indeed weigh almost six pounds of papers. Wow...lots of information in those documents. But, better than that....I have a chance of making it to Russia for a surprise birthday party for my little girl. Plus, I can ask her the big question...."Do you still want us to adopt you?" Oh please, pray for a speedy travel date on trip one, and for God to continue to bless us with his glorious chance to be Vika's family!!! Many blessings and please pray with us.

The Dossier Is Almost Complete

My paper pregnancy...almost...a reality!!! Most of the documents are double stacks or more.

This is both referral and court dossier done together. It weighs about 5.75 pounds!!! I weighed it in two pound increments at Duane's office when we made copies Sunday afternoon. I will know an exact weight when I ship it off at FedEx.

Casey took this picture of Karissa, Katie and I outside swimming today;-). Aren't they darling!!!

The good news of the day is that the dossier is completed...with one hiccup!!!! It is even in a box ready to FedEx on Tuesday to K2A. I laid all the documents out on the kitchen table and began checking the apostille to the notary as instructed in the dossier kit. Then guess what...I got quite upset as they had an apostille for a document that was not for the correct notary. I almost wanted to ignore the error!!!

Then I realized that somewhere along the line it would be seen and rejected. This would probably take more time than if I did the document over and then had it apostilled again...urgh!!! This is so discouraging. I thought I was at the end of the paper chase and boom....an apostille error.

We even made copies of the dossier and my final step was to put it all in proper order. There is a form from K2A that you use as a check off list. It asks for the name of the notary, the apostille number, and the expiration of the notary for each document. Everything was great until I reached two documents that had wrong notary apostilles on them. Two in a row no less. How did they mess up two in a row and not see that?!?!?!

I am baffled and discouraged. Obviously I am posting this so late because I can not sleep. These documents will have to be redone, sent to me, sent to the apostille office, sent back to me to check them, and then sent to K2A. Can you believe it!?!?!?!?! This evening I went to my emails while I was making this post and Joel Osteen had sent his daily devotional or mini sermon. I have copied it because it so fits the situation I am in today. Here it is:

Focus on the Dream

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
"If God is for us, who can ever be against us? "(Romans 8:31, NLT)

TODAY'S WORD from Joel and Victoria
What are you focusing on today? Are you focusing on your difficult situation, or on God's promises? You may have all kinds of problems coming at you. Maybe you're feeling discouraged as new problems and challenges have popped up in your life. Don't let it get you down. Don't let it take your focus off of God. He is working on your behalf in the supernatural, even when you can't see it. Keep your trust and your focus on His promises, not on your problems.

It's important that you keep your heart in an attitude of faith. Believe that God is for you. Believe His plans for you have not changed despite new problems or troubling circumstances. The more you focus on what God's doing, the more your faith will grow.
If it feels like you're facing impossible challenges, don't be afraid. God is on your side–nothing is impossible for Him.

Stay focused on what God can do in your life. Remember, He's always in control. God knows the end from the beginning and He allows challenges in your life to cause you to trust Him more. As you put your faith in Him, you'll grow closer to God and you'll see your dreams come true!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY
"Father in Heaven, thank You for being with me. I choose today to focus on You and not on my situation. And I refuse to allow the enemy's attacks to come against my dreams. I will continue to walk by faith, not by sight knowing You are with me every step of the way. In Jesus' Name. Amen"

Well...so I will refuse to allow the "enemy" to attack or come against my dream of fulfilling this little girl's heart's desire. She has a Mommy and a Daddy with loving sisters and brothers. Once my oldest daughter told me something before Katie Aunna's adoption that has remained with me: "Mom, satan always tries to make you believe your dreams are impossible just before God is about to perform a big miracle in your life. Don't listen to the devil's trash!" Hmmm...not so dumb for being a kid...LOL. She turned 32 last March.

Please tell me you are laying hands on your computer screen pictures of Vika's dossier and praying for her miracle to happen and for us to receive the great blessing of having her in our life as our daughter ><> Trisha

The Paper River Flows...Good News

We keep singing "Row Row Row your boat" and wondering.....Does the paper stream ever stop flowing??? We have sent off our newly "re-signed and notarized" accountants documents and our psychiatrist's documents for apostilles. The Texas Secretary of State has had our psychiatrist's documents for apostilles since the end of last week. Santa Fe has had the state police clearances and the accountant's documents since Monday of this week waiting appostilles there.



So, I have had to do a little shopping therapy to calm my nerves;-). I bought Vika a beautiful coat online with the matching hat and gloves. Today, the doorbell rang and I thought, "The documents are here"!!! I opened the front door and it was a box from the mailman containing Vika's hat and gloves. They are really nice with thick fleece lining. I'll post a picture when her coat arrives. Apparently her coat is coming in a separate box.


I also ordered the most darling dresses for Vika and all the girls to wear for her first Sunday at church. We will take her before the congregation at the end of Mass and ask for blessings from our priest and prayers from our fellow parishioners. We are planning to do Katie Aunna, John-John, and Vika's baptism at the same time around Christmas. I am soooo excited;-).



Anyway...I took the box with Vika's hat and gloves to Papa's closet where all her other things are being stored in a big box. The door bell rings again. I thought "FEDEX" and sure enough both the documents from Santa Fe and Austin were in the FedEx man's hands. Oh what a wonderful delivery!!! I wanted to scream "BINGO" as he handed me two envelopes...LOL!!! But, I didn't want him to think I need a psychiatrist when mine was already driving me crazy....teehee.



Now I have to go to Duane's office on Sunday and make copies of approximately fifteen pounds of paperwork. I got savvy with this dossier and did both the visit trip dossier and the court dossier all in one and it is one huge dossier. I will count the number of pages, weigh it, and take a picture of it to post for you. I would also like to lay her clothes out on my bed and take a picture of them to post. Now All I need to do is make a family photo album for her and get a travel date. Keep the prayers coming and maybe by the third week of September I will be traveling to Russia. Oh that sounds so good!!! Many blessings!!!