We’re Headed to Latvia! (Adoption Update)

Hey friends!

How are you doing?!  I hope all is well in your neck of the woods. :)

I’m excited to tell you that we are going on our third and FINAL trip to Latvia for our adoption process. 

latvia-riga

Now, if you are like most of my friends and family, you are probably thinking, “What?! I thought your adoption was final?!”

Well, yes it is, but Latvia does things a little differently.

Latvia breaks the adoption process into three trips: 

Trip #1 is to get acquainted with the child (usually 3 weeks) and begin the adoption process.  At this point, the child is allowed to return back home with you.  We completed that trip this summer and Sania Louise came home with us in July.  (Cy, Adam, Eli, and I traveled to Latvia on this trip.)

Trip #2 is a super quick trip to finalize the adoption in front of the courts.  Luke and I traveled on this 4 day trip in November.  Sania Louise stayed home with Cy and the rest of the boys. 

Trip #3 is a week long trip to finish immigration papers and get her new passport, etc.  We are leaving for this trip on Friday, and it will last a week.  Jonathan is going with us on this trip, so it will be him, Cy, me, and Sania Louise.  

My sweet Mother and Father-in-law will be staying with Luke, Adam, and Eli while we are gone.  It is such a relief for me to know they are in such good hands. :)

I am DYING to get back to Latvia!  Cy and I have absolutely fallen in love with the beautiful country that our daughter was born in.  Even though we have some painful memories there, we actually have a lot more wonderful and special memories there.  

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I cannot wait to see my little girl there again and hear her speak her native language.  I miss my little Latvian lady.  She has learned English so well, and she is already struggling to remember her home language.  I’m hoping being submersed in her culture again will help bring Latvian back to the front of her mind. 

We are also very excited about seeing the foster family that cared for her for five years.  They hold a special place in her heart and ours.  

anita

As for an update, I am still homeschooling Sania Louise.  I will be meeting with the principal of Eli’s elementary school about phasing her in a couple of hours a day and then transitioning to a full day. 

We are meeting with an Occupational Therapist for her sensory issues, large and small motor skills, and coordination. She loves going to OT, and I am excited because I think it will really help her adjust better to school. 

We still have some difficult moments with her, but they are getting fewer and fewer.  Her behavior is so much better than when we first came home.  It is a beautiful thing to watch.  

She just needed a chance.  She needed a family. 

There are so many older orphans that need the same thing. 

Project 143, the program we hosted Sania Louise in the summer of 2015, is getting ready to list the children that are available to be hosted this summer.  If you feel a tuggin’ in your heart that this may be something you may be interested in, then you can learn more about it HERE.

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And of course, you can always email me if you have any questions!  beneathmyheart4@gmail.com

Please pray for safety as we travel.  Thank you, friends!!

xoxo

Traci

 

 

 

30 Comments

  1. I recommend a weighted blanket for her sensory issues. My son has mild sensory issues and it really helps him. You can also use a wrighted lap pad in school if necessary.

    1. Thank you for your suggestions. I am just now learning about sensory issues. Our girl is “sensory seeking,” which is something I am not as familiar with. I am really looking forward to learning from the OT.

      1. Both my boys with Down syndrome have sensory issues. OT will teach you amazing things to help her. That’s why we have 2 bouncy houses in the back yard and a 7 ft trampoline in the house!
        Pretty soon everything you buy for her you will look at and say ah! This would be good for XYZ issue.
        Good luck and best wishes! International adoption is amazing and to watch them blossom is breathtaking. We are 5 years into ours with one of our boys with DS (the other is home grown), and he still is experiencing things for the first time and it never gets old!

  2. Traci, safe travels! What a special time in the life of your family! May our sweet Heavenly Father continue to bless your sweet, little girl as she grows up in your loving care! Looking forward to hearing how she progresses and blossoms! Happy Weekend! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

  3. Safe travels. I have enjoyed following your adoption story and am looking forward to photos and an update when you return.

  4. She needed you. I wish we had been able to adopt. We have 3 grown sons and when I looked into it, my husband and I were both over 40 and we would have to take a child with very special needs. We looked into a Romania adoption but you had to hand money out to everyone and there were a lot of children with AIDS because they never tested them. We should have kept looking but it is too late now because we are both too old and unfortunately my husband is not doing well so my attention has to be on him. I am so glad you found your Happily Ever After.

    1. Hi Patty! I love your heart for adoption. I pray that your husband gets to feeling better. It is definitely important for you to be there for him. Maybe there is an organization near you that you can get involved with that mentors children? I’ve thought about looking into something like that myself, especially now that I see how much simple LOVE can change a child’s life. I know you could make the world of difference in a child. :). Thank you for your kind heart! xoxo Traci

  5. Wishing you all very safe travels, Traci! It is so wonderful to see how Sania has bloomed into a beautiful and happy child under God’s hand and your love! She is one blessed little girl!

    Phyllis

  6. So nice that each of your boys will have been able to see Latvia, Sania’s homeland. Have a great trip! So happy to hear all about Sania’s progress.

    1. Yes! I really wanted them to all see where their sister came from and get a taste of the culture there. It is truly a special place to us all. God bless you! xoxo Traci

  7. I have loved following your journey with this beautiful child. Your family is beautiful from the inside out. Safe travels to you all!

  8. Traci, although I’d love to adopt, I’m past that age. But your story has truly touched my heart and led me to sponsor a second child through Compassion. I purposefully chose an older girl because older children tend to get forgotten. Blessings for a safe journey. So glad Jonathan gets to go along.

  9. What an awesome mom you are! Love hearing about your beautiful daughter’s progress! Safe travels and I hope you enjoy your time away and get to relax a little 😊

  10. How wonderful that you have arrived at the third and final step! Congratulations! I wish you all safe travels and smooth process! I look forward to watching your family blossom through your blog.

  11. I’m so excited for all of you. Praying for safety in your travels and that God will bless the time spent in Latvia. I love following your story, thanks for sharing this process with all of us. Blessings!!

  12. She has blossomed because of all the love you and your family have poured into her. She is both a beautiful and blessed little girl, and seems to be the perfect fit for your family. Prayers for safe travels as you “finalize” her adoption into her “forever family”.

    hugs,
    NormaJean

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