Adoption Dossier News

Can I just post a picture of my grinning face instead of writing this update?

At 1pm this afternoon I checked my email to discover that..... 

Our dossier has been registered!!! (!!!!!!!!)  

Praise. The. Lord.

We'll get our first travel date early next week and we should be on our way to Russia by the end of July!

On our way to meet our little guy.  To whisper a gentle, "Hi Sweetheart!" when he meets us for the first time.  To play with his toys and try to make him laugh.  To shower him with hug and tickles and show him that we love him already.  To hold his little hands.  To cup his sweet little face.  To sign that paperwork that says, "YES WE WANT HIM!!!!"  To be matched, officially. 

The way it works with Russia, is that we are not officially matched with him until we meet him.  So until then- no pictures and name on the blog or facebook etc.  But trust me, I'll make up for all this picture-less time when I get back.   Maybe I'll even be one of those annoying moms who takes 33 pictures of their kid in a row and posts every single one of them online. 

Just kidding.  I'll probably only take 32. 

We did show his picture to some friends and family in real life, including our parents.

We showed John's parents on Father's Day and- as I suspected- everyone cried.  His dad kept repeating, "That's so cool" and his mom just flipped back and forth between the half dozen images we have exclaiming things like, "I can't stop looking at him!" and "I can just tell he is so loved over there," and "I bet he'll be on the go all the time when he comes home!"  When it was time to leave my father-in-law asked her if she wanted to walk us out and she looked at us, looked down at the photos and laughed, "But I don't want to leave the pictures!" 

Little man, you're stealing hearts already. 

My parents don't live nearby and although they are planning a weekend visit soon, I just couldn't wait that long!  

Setting up our Skype call.

Right before the call to my parents!

So I called my mom on the phone, "Hey can you and Dad get on Skype?"  

"Sure!  One minute." 

....one minute later....

brrrring brrrrrring

"Hello?"

"Hey Mom... where's Dad?"  

"Oh he's not home yet.  BUT DO YOU HAVE GOOD NEWS?!?!?!"

"Uhhhh errrr. Well, yes but we want to tell you together!" 

"Okay hold on!" 

(At this point we  see her on the web cam and think she is reaching for the phone to call my dad at work, but then we see her just reaching for the dog treat jar (right beside the phone) to give their dog-Hugo- a treat.  For some reason he is in the habit of being rewarded every time someone gets on Skype.  He even recognizes the ring tone.) 

After Hugo gets his treat, "Okay well I'll tell Dad to get home now!  Get your buns home NOW!!"  

(Ha! I swear I've never heard her use this sentence before. All three of us are giddy with excitement!) 

She reaches forward again, this time for the actual phone.

About 30 seconds later Skype rings again and my dad walks in the door and into the room.  He pauses to give Hugo another treat and we spill our good news.   Lots of celebrating follows.  We show them our little guy's picture and I snap these reactions: 

Waiting for the picture to upload...

First reactions: smiles all around!

Super happy.  Ridiculous grins.  They think he's super cute.  And they're right.

Lots of celebrating and God-praising going on in the Burden house tonight.  

As we prepare to travel, we will be gathering items to donate to our son's orphanage.  I have had a few people ask me about making donations to the orphanage and of course we would just be thrilled to bring your love across the globe.  Here are the most needed items: 

New, unwashed warm clothing, shoes and boots (ages 0-3)

Children’s Tylenol and Children’s Advil
Neosporin and Benadryl Skin Cream
Expectorants and Antihistamines
Disinfectants
Children’s Allergy Medicines
Multi-Vitamins
First Aid Dressing Materials
Desitin

You can drop them off at our place, at church in John's office, or we would be happy to pick them up as well.  Thank you, thank you, thank you for demonstrating your love in this way.  I think of the other little babies and toddlers at our little guy's orphanage as sort of his brothers and sisters.  It brings me pain to think that we cannot adopt them all.  Providing for their needs in this way is a blessing, not only to them, but to me.  I pray every one of those children is scooped up into loving arms and brought into a family.  Until then, we love them with boots and bandaids, and butt cream.  

Please take a moment tonight to praise and thank God for this amazing news on our behalf.  We are so thankful and absolutely thrilled to be planning our first trip!  This morning I was praying to God, asking that he- as the one who holds all things together, who ordains all things, and who promises not just eternal life, but abundant life- that he, as that God, would make his glory known through this adoption by answering our heartfelt prayers.  I pray that as you celebrate this answered prayer with us, you are moved to glorify his name. 

In his hand are the depths of the earth,

    and the mountain peaks belong to him.

The sea is his, for he made it,
    and his hands formed the dry land. 

Come, let us bow down in worship,
    let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;

 for he is our God
    and we are the people of his pasture,
    the flock under his care.

- Psalm 95:4-7

In celebration, xo.