Saying Goodbye for Now...

Anna's Orphanage

We were concerned that today would be very hard for us. But Anna made it easy. She is so strong and confident that when Eti (translator) told her that we would not be coming back for a while she took it very well. Eti has been great. She focused her time reminding Anna that we are leaving to go home to prepare her room, buy her new clothes and toys. She also reminded her that when we come back for her we will bring her big brothers. This was what she needed to hear. We are so thankful for Eti. She has been a huge help and has become a friend on this trip.
We left Anna some going away presents. We gave her a bunny that had all of our voices telling her that we love her when she squeezes it, a warm blanket and a photo book of our family. She really liked the soft blanket. She snuggled up in it for a few minutes on the playground today. Since it will be cold when we return we hope it will stay with her to keep her warm at night.
We are so thankful that she likes to be held and receive affection. This afternoon she let Tony hold her like a baby and tickle her. She laughed and laughed.

As we drove away she had a big smile and was waving to us knowing we would be back to take her home.

One of the biggest reason we decided to blog about our adoption experience is that we are hopeful that there are others who may be considering adoption and may be compelled more by reading how God is shaping us through this. To be honest adoption is a long and tedious process. But being an orphan is much, much harder. Our Anna has had no family to call her own, no baby pictures,  no one that comes to see her, owns no clothes of  her own, no toys of her own and  sleeps in a borrowed bed with no one to kiss her goodnite. In Eastern Europe alone there 1.5 million children living in orphanages. Our prayer is that more orphans will be adopted and more people will support orphan care.



Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed,
so mere people can no longer terrify them. Psalms 10:17 -18