Well we've been back from Russia for about 15 days. We are waiting on Russia to give us a court date to come back. They are waiting on a paper from us from the FBI saying we're not criminals so that they can set a court date. Unfortunately government agencies aren't really that interested in how much we want them to hurry up and send us this piece of paper. We couldn't get the document earlier because they expire every few months and when we applied for it they sent us only one copy instead of two, and Russia won't translate the document until we can send them both copies. Oh and once we actually get the second copy of the document from the FBI we have to mail it to Washington DC to be apostilled. This will take another 7 days. Needless to say this situation is tough to deal with because all this bureaucracy.
I think about Jonah all the time. I think about how rich my life felt with him in it and how much I just want to see him smile at me. I wonder what he’s doing. I wonder if he is sick and if he is I wonder if someone is holding him like I got to do that day at his orphanage. I wonder how cold it is there and if he is getting to play outside in a puffer suit.
We are starting to fill up our house with things for Jonah. He had a beautiful shower from my coworkers and some friends are giving me a shower this weekend. We bought lots of new picture frames and put Jonah in them all around the house. But even with all the new things in our house, it just isn’t home without Jonah.
Please continue to pray for us. That God would comfort Cory and I. That God would protect Jonah and that so very soon we will be able to be together as a family. Thank you all for all your support. I can’t explain how many people have walked up to me in a store or at school and told me they are reading the blog and praying for us. Thank you all. We love you and can’t wait until we can introduce Jonah to you all.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Almost Home!
Ahhhh, the words we have been waiting to say. We are going to be heading back to Houston tomorrow. As much as we have enjoyed this trip and meeting Jonah, we are ready to get back to Hull. Of course, we wish Jonah was coming with us, but since he cannot, we are anxiously awaiting to board our plane in the morning. We arrived in Moscow last night around midnight and were met in the airport by our translator, Margaret. It was cold and rainy, and we had to catch a cab out to our hotel. Airports in Russia are regoinal, so eventhough we were in the Moscow airport, it was about an hour drive to our hotel. We arrived and were immediately taken back by how beautiful this hotel is. It is a Marriot and everyone speaks English, and our room has a king size bed. We have been sleeping on two twins pushed together since arriving in Volgograd, so the king was like being in Heaven!
Yesterday was our last day in Volgograd. It was also Jonah's birthday and the day we officially filed the documents with the Volgograd courts to become his parents. We signed the official paperwork to change his name in Russia from Stadnikov Nikolay Andrevich to Jonah Nikolay Elder. It was a pretty cool event. We realized that October 31 was becoming a big day for him. In 2010 it was the day of his birth. In 2011 it was the day we legally filed to be his parents. In 2012 it will be his first birthday party in the US! We have come to terms with the fact that he has to stay here for now. It was very sad to leave him at the orphanage, but we had no choice. Hopefully we will be able to return in January to pick him up.
Next time we update this blog we will be back in Hull. It has been a long, whirlwind, 10 days, but we wouldn't trade any of it for the world. From the uncertainty of the first night when we arrived in Volgograd, to the unexplainable feeling when we first saw Jonah being brought out of that crib, to the anxiousness we both feel as we await the long flight home, it has been amazing. We will try to update weekly now that we will be back home. As we get news, you will get news. Please do not stop praying. We cherish the friendship and support we have gotten from you all throughout this time. Thanks so much. Goodbye Moscow....Until next time.
Yesterday was our last day in Volgograd. It was also Jonah's birthday and the day we officially filed the documents with the Volgograd courts to become his parents. We signed the official paperwork to change his name in Russia from Stadnikov Nikolay Andrevich to Jonah Nikolay Elder. It was a pretty cool event. We realized that October 31 was becoming a big day for him. In 2010 it was the day of his birth. In 2011 it was the day we legally filed to be his parents. In 2012 it will be his first birthday party in the US! We have come to terms with the fact that he has to stay here for now. It was very sad to leave him at the orphanage, but we had no choice. Hopefully we will be able to return in January to pick him up.
Next time we update this blog we will be back in Hull. It has been a long, whirlwind, 10 days, but we wouldn't trade any of it for the world. From the uncertainty of the first night when we arrived in Volgograd, to the unexplainable feeling when we first saw Jonah being brought out of that crib, to the anxiousness we both feel as we await the long flight home, it has been amazing. We will try to update weekly now that we will be back home. As we get news, you will get news. Please do not stop praying. We cherish the friendship and support we have gotten from you all throughout this time. Thanks so much. Goodbye Moscow....Until next time.
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