On September 4th I looked down at my phone to see that I had missed a message from Miss K. I quickly called her back, pulling over my car because I knew, either way, this phone call was going to change our lives…
The orphans came to visit Colorado during the last week of July. In mid-August, the director had all the host families over for dinner. We talked about the children that we were all missing, and the wonderful week we had shared. Then, when everyone else left, we turned to Mr R and asked him to explain the course of adoption. By the end of the evening, we left his house with the promise that he would ask our child if she would like to be adopted by us.
The only problem was, the children were away at summer camp, and we would have to wait for her to return. Time was passing slowly as we waited for her response.
I held my breath as the phone rang twice. Then I could hear the smile in Miss K’s voice as she simply said, “Hello” in her charming Russian accent.
She didn’t waste any time telling me that our child had spent some time with her sister over the weekend and both of them said “Yes!” We chatted for a few more minutes, and then we hung up, knowing we would be seeing a lot more of each other in the next year. I turned to Ashley and started crying.
“She said YES!” I whispered. We just sat there with our arms twisted around each other as tears fell quickly from both our cheeks. Our precious child was 12 years old at the time, and has the right to accept or decline the adoption. I knew in my heart she enjoyed her stay, but that isn't the same as accepting an invitation to join a family forever.
“I knew it!” Ashley said, through the biggest smile.
First things first, we had to decide how we were going to tell the boys. That took about 10 seconds. We quickly turned the car around and headed for Barnes and Noble. We headed straight to the travel section. There was a pocket sized Russian dictionary. That would do just fine for our surprise!
The orphans came to visit Colorado during the last week of July. In mid-August, the director had all the host families over for dinner. We talked about the children that we were all missing, and the wonderful week we had shared. Then, when everyone else left, we turned to Mr R and asked him to explain the course of adoption. By the end of the evening, we left his house with the promise that he would ask our child if she would like to be adopted by us.
The only problem was, the children were away at summer camp, and we would have to wait for her to return. Time was passing slowly as we waited for her response.
I held my breath as the phone rang twice. Then I could hear the smile in Miss K’s voice as she simply said, “Hello” in her charming Russian accent.
She didn’t waste any time telling me that our child had spent some time with her sister over the weekend and both of them said “Yes!” We chatted for a few more minutes, and then we hung up, knowing we would be seeing a lot more of each other in the next year. I turned to Ashley and started crying.
“She said YES!” I whispered. We just sat there with our arms twisted around each other as tears fell quickly from both our cheeks. Our precious child was 12 years old at the time, and has the right to accept or decline the adoption. I knew in my heart she enjoyed her stay, but that isn't the same as accepting an invitation to join a family forever.
“I knew it!” Ashley said, through the biggest smile.
First things first, we had to decide how we were going to tell the boys. That took about 10 seconds. We quickly turned the car around and headed for Barnes and Noble. We headed straight to the travel section. There was a pocket sized Russian dictionary. That would do just fine for our surprise!
We paid for the book, headed to the car, and in her prettiest handwriting, Ashley began to write a message to the boys on sticky notes. She wrote the words…
“She”
“Said”
“Yes!”
… on three separate sticky notes. She randomly placed the notes throughout the dictionary.
When the boys read them, their responses were just as emotional as ours. There was a moment of disbelief, and almost instantly, came that moment when joy hits your heart and comes out your eyes!
That was one of those days… a day I won’t forget.
“She”
“Said”
“Yes!”
… on three separate sticky notes. She randomly placed the notes throughout the dictionary.
When the boys read them, their responses were just as emotional as ours. There was a moment of disbelief, and almost instantly, came that moment when joy hits your heart and comes out your eyes!
That was one of those days… a day I won’t forget.
