Home

We left Riga a week ago today. So much has happened since then, so many emotions. I was still very nervous at the airport waiting. It was hard. Very hard. So much goes through your mind as you are about to leave with your child. Even though you know this is a good thing, it’s hard. They are giving up so very much to start a new life. They are leaving their country, language, friends, and so much more. Even when they have no real hope there, and you know it’s going to be a totally different life for them, it’s hard. Especially the older they are. Every time his phone rang in his pocket that day, I took a deep breathe. Honestly until we lifted off, I was not 100% sure he would not change his mind and stay.

As we loaded on the plane emotions were running high. By lift off we all had tears. Relief, joy, sadness all were a part of the tears. As I watched the Latvian country side get further & further away I questioned what we were doing and wondered how in the world we are going to be able to do this. But I felt peace and gave it all to Him. I cried for my son, for the pain he must have been feeling and the hope he now has of a future so different than he would have had. I was so thankful, and so many people went through my mind that helped us get that far. This was the Lord’s journey he sent us on, and so many came along side of us to be His hands and feet. We are so grateful for all of you. 

By the time we reached Germany I was feeling better but really wishing we did not have an over night stay. Our “plan” was not the Lord’s plan in Germany. We wanted to go “see” Frankfurt and do stuff in our few hours there. When we got on the shuttle bus and to the hotel we found out the only way (except for very expensive taxi service) to get to Frankfurt was to take the shuttle bus back to the airport, then take a train to Frankfurt then bus or train to wherever we wanted to go. I was prepared to do so, but David said no, he’d rather not, and that was fine with us.

So, we wandered to the only place close enough to go, a campground with a small restaurant. Talk about laid back & slow. I think it must have taken 2 hours total for dinner from the time we arrived to the time we finally went and found someone to bring us the check. Yet, the time we spent there was wonderful. The pressure was off that we had in Latvia. Germany, for us, became a transition place. We were not home yet, but there was no underlying fear of the phone ringing & someone saying he had to stay.

After dinner we wandered past the hotel and found a beautiful small lake. We spent about an hour just playing by the lake. Throwing rocks, trying to catch a fish with a stick. We talked about hopes & dreams. It was really a wonderful time. We ended the night with a major wrestling match on the bed and after us all landing on the floor many times laughing we decided to settle in & sleep as morning comes early and we were going HOME.

We got home about 30 minutes before the flight was due to arrive and after a few tense minutes at customs / immigration trying to get the supervisor there to understand why we had more than a 6 mos visitor visa issued in Latvia, they ended up giving us a stamp for a one year visa vs.  the 9 mos the Embassy in Riga gave us. I sure hope it does not take this long to finish all the last 2 trips, but if it does, we’re covered.  

Within 10 minutes of pulling in the driveway all 4 of our children were sopping wet from water balloons and washing the dog! What a joy to watch.

Saturday morning we went to pick up David’s surprise. Remember I said a sweet friend was giving him something he really wanted but we were not able to give him at this time. Well, meet his surprise.

She is a 3 ½ month old German Sheppard puppy who is still, 6 days later, un-named. It took 10 months for him to pick out his middle name, wonder how long it’s going to take to name his puppy? He is quickly learning responsibility and how much work a puppy really is.

We have been home now 6 days and while everything is not perfect, and there is a lot of “testing” the limits and the boundaries, we are so very grateful to finally have our son home. We have a lot of work still to do, paperwork, 2 more trips back to Riga to finish the adoption and funds to raise for those 2 more trips, yet I can 100% say he is home and I have no doubt at all this was the Lord’s plan that he be part of our family.

Some specific prayer requests.

That when limits are being tested, we react with love and patience and not frustration.

That the other 3 children here also have patience with us and not think we are being unfair as we begin to show him how to be a member of the family. Learning responsibilities and being part of a family is a very slow process.

For our USCIS I800 paperwork to be quickly approved by the American Government so we are able to make our next trip back this summer so we only have one trip to do in the fall during the school year. It will be more expensive to travel before September, but we think going as soon as possible will still be the better thing overall.

That the Lord will show us where and what we need to do to raise the remaining funds we need to complete this journey.

That David will meet others his age and begin to make friends.

For our son to come to think of us as his family. To think of us as parents and brothers & sisters.

To know that he is loved, not only by us, but by many and especially the Lord.