Triple Thanks.

Blessed Thanksgiving to everyone back home in the USA!

Today I give thanks for 3 blessings...

First, for EVERYONE, the family, extended family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and "never-met-except-on-the-internet" friends who:

bid on items in our Auction,

purchased chances on our iPad/Kindle giveaway

came and partied with us in June 

bought a ticket for a basket

Donated items to our Auntion/raffle

donated money to our FSP

Brought over meals for our family

Donated towards Henry's funeral expenses

Sent me coffee in the mail

Prayed for me

Sent me hugs and love on FB or the blog

What a community of LOVE grew up around my sweet boy! 

Thanks is not enough to say for all the support over these last almost-three years starting from our commitment to adopt Henry (Spring 2011) until today, when he has been in heaven for one year and I wait in Eastern Europe to bring our newest children home. 

But gratitude is all I have and I give it with all my heart and will remember each and every one of you in prayer today.

Second, I am beyond thankful for my wonderful husband and every single member of our joy-filled family! I hope I can be the wife and mother they all deserve in the coming year and that we can love and laugh together for many years to come!

And Third, I am thankful for every minute God graced me to spend with Henry Augustin Dobrovits.

I would do it all again...the fundraising, the travel, the hospitalizations, the thousands in co-pays, the lack of sleep, the separations at CHOP...

The being with him while he went to be with Jesus.

I am thankful I got to be his mama.

PS Blogger on my iPad will not let me load a video here...please go see my boy on FB!

We passed Court!

We had to wait over an hour and a half past the stated time to begin the hearing...the judge was very fast and no-nonsense...she asked why we wanted to adopt (Paul told her the 30 second version of what should have been a 20 minute conversation!), she asked if we had enough money to raise 9 children (we affirmed yes), she asked if our six at home were biological or adopted (I said bio, that got me a few raised eyebrows), then she asked if we get a check from the US government for each child we have (emphatic NO!)....

We were so proud of our 11 year old...the judge asked her to stand up and give her name and age and asked if she wanted to be adopted by us and she said YES and then the judge asked if anyone pressured or coerced her to consent to the adoption and she looked at little taken aback and emphatically said NO!

Then the judge read Every. Single. Document. into the record. Then she asked the State Prosecutor if she had any concerns and she said no. Then asked all the workers (7!) present from both orphanages if they objected and they all said no 

So we were then declared parents of all three!

Victoria Catherine, age 11 (momma, papa, Vika selfie taken on court bench!)

Leo Maximus (age 3) and Yana Faustina (18 months) - my almost 9 yo at home did the creative editing on this pic -- and I could not agree more!

I am a Momma of 10.... Because Henry counts :-)

In fact, the reason these three previous children who are siblings (but had never even met before we came) have the love of a family and a future is directly attributable to our little Saint in heaven!

Paul is heading back to our children at home right now and I hope to bring our "third batch" (HT to Luke!) to the US in mid-December! 

I am in a place that one year ago would have been unthinkable....

But as a wise woman said below...

Thinking is overrated...loving is what endures.

__,_._,___

The Least of These

We all know that children with major special needs (like my Henry had) need OUT of orphanages...

but what about "cognitively typical/minor sn" kiddos?? 

Well today my heart was broken for THESE children...

We had to stay inside for our visit bc it was raining..my daughter and I were given one half of a playroom, the other 10 children in her groupa got the other half (pinned in by chairs)...

10 TWO YEAR OLDS in a 15x15 space, 2 nannies more interested in talking to each other, loud music, 2 play trucks, one musical toy and about 10 stuffed animals no 2 year old cares about...

A little boy named "Charlie" on Reece's Rainbow (and available for adoption with his younger sister who has a heart condition) especially was hanging over the chairs staring at us, he even climbed over twice to try to join us and was sternly reprimanded...

Can you imagine the mind-numbing boredom for smart inquisitive little minds???? 

No duplos, no blocks, no matchbox cars to line up or drive over a road of blocks, no books to be read, no warm lap to snuggle on...

Maybe your family cannot do major medical needs, but please search your heart to see if you could be just the family for a toddler like Charlie (and his sister)....

http://reecesrainbow.org/64317/charlie-and-lola

Good Morning!!

From a very good friend...

Stay tuned...

There is more excitement coming!!!

http://covenantbuilders.blogspot.com/2013/11/im-going-back.html?spref=fb&m=1