We are with our girl!!
Oh my gosh, y’all!
Where do I even start?!!
I guess my very first thoughts are “PRAISE GOD from whom all blessings flow!” Here is my sweet family at breakfast before Cy, me, Adam, and Eli flew out Sunday morning.
Cy and I have been blown away already by God’s provision and presence on this trip to see our girl. We left Sunday night, and arrived over here on Monday. S-‘s former foster family picked us up at the airport, and we had dinner with them. They have not had S- in their care since we left in December, but they still very much love her. Our relationship with them over the past year has been a gift from God. It was so much fun catching up with them.
Adam and Eli are traveling with us, and they are loving experiencing this new culture! They have also had a great time getting to know the foster family.
Monday night we stayed in a hotel in the city where the Orphan’s Court and S-‘s orphanage is, and Tuesday morning we got up and got ready to see our girl!! We thought we had our Orphan’s Court meeting first, but found out about 10 minutes before we arrived at the orphanage that we were actually going to see our girl first!
My heart was so full of emotions that I didn’t know if I wanted to jump for joy or curl up in the fetal position.
At the orphanage, we spoke with the director about S- and answered some questions. Then all of a sudden, we could hear our sweet girl’s voice coming down the hallway. We jumped up and ran out to see her. All of us began hugging her, and hugging her, and hugging her. She was just as excited to see us and was ready to go to America. :)
We gave her the necklace we bought her that said, “I will love you forever,” and she sat in my lap as we finished our conversations with the Orphanage Director and nurse.
One of the workers brought S-‘s little suitcase to us and then it was time to go to the Orphan’s Court.
I was nervous about our Orphan’s Court meeting. I knew that there would be a lot of questions to answer about what happened in December. Of course, I cried when it was my time to talk. I can never hold it together in those type of situations.
The Orphan’s Court agreed to let us have S- in our care the next three weeks, and set up another time to meet with us on Friday. We will be meeting with them several times throughout our stay here to make sure everything is going smoothly and to give them updates about our time with S-.
Once, we left the Orphan’s Court, we traveled 40 minutes to the beautiful place we were staying. In December, we stayed in a small apartment overtop a restaurant in the downtown are of a major city. This time, the Orphan’s Court suggested we find a place outside of the city that was more peaceful and quiet. And man, did we find one!
We are literally staying in one of the most beautiful areas I have ever seen. We are just a few hundred yards from the Baltic Sea!
Plus we are close to a large river where we can fish and play. We are renting a home that has a large fenced in yard full of gorgeous peonies and hydrangeas and is very private.
Our trip so far has been like night and day from our trip in December! Having Adam and Eli here with us has made it easier on us and has been great for S- to have them to play with.
We at dinner that night at a delicious little restaurant where we sat outside. It was beautiful, and it felt so good to be together as family!
Wednesday, we had a belated surprise birthday party for S- , and it was so much fun! It was the first “pink” birthday party I have ever thrown! ha!
Thursday, we took a bus to town and enjoyed eating lunch out and walking around this beautiful area.
Before we headed back home, we stopped by a playground and had a little fun! (Daddy and S- liked the swings!)
Thursday, the Orphans’ Court came to visit us. That sounds so formal, but it was really two very sweet ladies from the Orphan’s Court and an interpreter. They are wonderful people and are very excited about S- being a part of our family.
Today, it is not very pretty out. Lots of rain and cold wind. We may venture out, or we may stay in. Not sure yet.
But we are having a wonderful time! Thank you so much for your prayers!
Jonathan and Luke are having a blast back at home. (Maybe too much fun!) Our friend, Ron, is staying with them, and I am scared to even think of what the house looks like! ha!
I have been posting each day on snapchat, so if you don’t have that app, download it and follow “beneath my heart.” You will be able to see real photos and videos of our girl and family. :)
I will update you again next week.
Plus, I will be sharing some home diy projects that we did before we left home! YAY!
Have a blessed day!
Love love love the Baltic states! It’s so calming up there! Super excited you’re at this point & pray everything continues to progress smoothly! Crying – even in court – just shows you are entirely human and love deeply; THAT needed no translation! (My friend loves her shirt!)
Thank you for this sweet comment, Tara! I am so glad your friend liked her shirt. :) Bless you!
Such great news! Does your daughter speak English?
Hi Dana! She does not speak English, but she is picking up a lot of words. I have a feeling she will pick it up very soon! :)
I don’t normally post but just want to say my heart is jumping for joy for your family and that lucky little girl.
Aw, thank you, Sherri! :) Thank you for celebrating with us! xoxo
What an awesome journey the Lord has put you all on…amazing is all I can say! Congrats!
Thank you, Melissa!
Did you notice the ‘cross’ above your husband’s head in the picture of S with him? He is watching over her as he has been all along. LOVE following this wonderful story!
I did! After I took it! I thought the same thing! And right before I took that picture, there was a rainbow on our table that we were eating at! God is making himself known all around us! He is so good! xoxo
Oops!!! *He
God’s blessings are upon you all!
I’m so very, very happy for your family, all 7 of you! Traci, you will now have some more feminine energy in your home…boys, watch out!
Love all of your updates, whenever they come, as it is a reminder of God’s blessings and how His plan is the only plan! Everything worked according to what He wanted and look how glorious it is! ❤️
Thank you, Cynthia. It has been hard to always understand things that have happened the past 6 months, but we are not seeing God’s hand throughout this whole process and how HE was working things out for our good. Thank you for your prayers! xoxo
What a joy it was to read this post. Best wishes to you all.
Thank you, Cassie!
You just made my day! Thank you for sharing your journey with us. This makes my heart go ” pitter-patter”! Praising God with you Traci. Now I’m gonna go follow you on snap chat girl ! ;-)
Hi Lisa! Yes, go follow me on Snapchat! I’ve been sharing a lot of pictures and videos of our girl and what we are doing over here during the days. The only problem is I have to do it while connected to wifi, which I am not always able to get. But I am trying to share several pictures a day. xoxo
So, so very happy for all of you. And it looks part of God’s plan was to spread this joy:) Just think, a few years ago, you weren’t a blogger. Now, so many are praying for your little family.
That’s true, Peggy! It’s crazy how God works! So grateful to be able to share this journey with so many wonderful, loving people!
My heart is so happy for you and S. I am frankly crying. It happens when I am truly happy. I hope and pray this will be the final test and S will be coming home to the two brothers who did not come. She looks like all of you and such a beautiful family you are.
Thank you so much, Jody! Thank you for your prayers. Jonathan and Luke cannot wait to see her! She is excited about seeing them too. Can’t wait until we can all be together. Her brothers will spoil her rotten and protect her forever. :)
Thank you for the beautiful update and photos. All of our prayers and your faith are bringing this dream to a happy ending. Thank God.
Yes! We are so excited about this new chapter of our lives together! God is teaching me more than anyone else! :)
So happy for all of you. Praying everything continues to go well. Thank you so much for all of the updates.
Thank you, Sue!
I love my tshirt Traci and in fact wore it yesterday. I just wore a white tank under it and was good to go and I was thinking of you and your family throughout the day. It was so sweet to include the card as well. I pray things continue to go well.
Yay! I am glad you got your shirt. I was so worried because they were thinner than I had hoped. Thank you for thinking of us and praying for us! xoxo
It is a bit thin but nothing a tank or cami can’t fix :) I was excited to see your little girl’s name by the way! How cute to include her when signing the card. Then again she is a big reason if not THE reason they were made after all.
This is wonderful – congrats and enjoy this time.
Thank you!
Held my breath while reading this…all the way to the end. Thank goodness for answered prayers and a wonderful post. Praying you are all soon home and beginning life as the family you were meant to be.
Thank you, Leslie! We are having a wonderful time and cannot wait to bring our girl home! :)
So very happy for you. It’s uncanny how much your sweet girl looks like you! Blessings.
Thank you! We are amazed at how much she resembles our family as well. Its a God thing. ;)
Yesssss, praise God!! So very happy for you all. Sounds like such a beautiful place you are staying and I can’t wait until you are all together back at your own home and S is in her very own pink room!! Prayers for all of you as you go through the next couple of weeks over there and then travel home. xoxo
Thank you, sweet Claire! I was showing S- pictures of her room on the computer today and she squealed! She cannot wait to go “home.” :) xoxo
God is good! Sending up prayers that all goes well with this trip and that you get to bring your beautiful girl home to the U.S. to be reunited with the boys and begin your life as a family together!
Phyllis
Amen! We cannot wait to bring her home, and we feel really good about it this time! Thank you for your prayers! xoxo Traci
So wonderful to read this. I have tears in my eyes and feel so happy for you
and your family. God bless all of you. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Debbie
Thank you, Debbie! We feel truly grateful!
My prayers are with your family.m
Thank you!
Traci, I have been following your story and as Mom of two and Granny to five my heart is full of love for you and your husband for finding this wee girl and wanting to take her to her “forever” home. A the bonus for her is brothers. I love that you are all together and having a great time. xoxoxox to you all
Thank you so much, Barb! :) xoxo
super excited for you and your sweet girl! it’s crazy to think you are in L. right now with her! our host kiddos come from that very area in 9 days! I can’t believe that I have been following your journey to s. and all along the plan was we would have our very own journey. please keep posting – I love following your journey!
Wow! Traci… so happy for your little girl and you family!! Its so wonderful to hear how things are going so great for you all!! But we all know that if we have patience and let GODS will be done. Everything does work out for the good of all those involved. I am keeping you all in my prayers until you arrive home with your beautiful daughter!!! Can you fill us in on about when your expecting to come back! Well going to go join snapchat and looking forward on keeping up with you and your beautiful family!! I have been checking your blog everyday to see if you had posted. So happy to finally hear news!!
Hi Traci, Though I do not know you all personally, I have been following your blog somewhat. What a blessing for you all and that little girl! I thought about your family today in church when we sang , That is Amazing Grace.” There is a verse in there that states making the orphans sons and daughters. Such a wonderful thing that you are all doing for her. I love that she is getting 4 loving brothers. What a Happy Father’s Day it is for Cy! Praying the rest of your trip goes well and you all have a safe trip home. Caryn
So amazing. My heart feels like it will explode reading this. I can’t imagine the joy that your sweet daughter must feel now. She has such a wonderful family. This is truly so inspiring and beautiful. Enjoy every minute of this special time as you all get to know each other on a daily basis.
Thank you so much, Courtney! It has been an amazing journey! :)
So happy you are there and get to see your girl :) So when are you coming home with her!!!? Lets go Orphan Court , America is waiting for her ! :)
Hey sweetie! We hope to be flying home July 8th! :)
Oh how wonderful for you and your little girl. What a difference you are going to make in her life… just for her to have a “family” will be life-changing.
It looks like you all having a good time and how great that the boys got to go along. Special times.