The Neva

The Neva River teases the city of Saint Petersburg.  You can walk a few blocks and cross the Neva, walk a few minutes more in the same direction and you’ll cross it again.

Just like the Neva, I have gone to places I would never have dreamed I’d go.  I have flown over the Atlantic five times.  I can say enough Russian words to embarrass myself.  And, one lesson I have learned is that no two adoptions look the same.  There are three of us families walking along the same Neva and we have become the very best of friends.  Each time, our visits to see our children have been only days apart and yet our views are rarely the same.  Our stories are as unique as the children we are adopting. 

But some things are the same.

Every orphan came from a family.  On our first trip to Russia, we met our daughter’s sister.  She was the captain of our journey in many ways.  Our child has a lot of family out there, and because her sister was brave enough to be her voice, she was able to help us take the first steps in making our daughter ours.  On this third trip, she presented us with an envelope full of baby pictures and photos of her birth parents and other relatives.  Then, she lovingly introduced us to more of our daughter’s birth family.  To our surprise, her babushka (Grandmother) speaks English very well and greeted us with warmth and love.  Our minds can relax, knowing that she trusts us to love her grand-daughter.

Every orphan has a best friend.  For our daughter, her name is Sasha.  We arrived on Sasha’s 16^th birthday; a day that brings fear for an orphan because they are no longer required to be in the orphanage.  We asked the director if we could be permitted to steal Sasha for the day and play in the city.  She is a wonderful woman and allowed us to take both girls for as long as we wanted.  The girls spent hours giggling and posing for pictures together at certain popular sites… and ironically close to a Baskin Robbins!

 

Every orphan has a name.  One day, we walked into the orphanage to a scene that could break your heart.  Three little girls in plaid dresses and braided hair swinging on their shoulders, walked down the hallway carrying tin buckets with soapy water splashing out.  One carried a mop in her right hand and moved slowly behind the others.  The others struggled under the weight of their buckets.  That morning, they were just three cute little girls.  A few hours later, they had names of their own, personalities that drew you to them, and smiles that stole your heart.  After several days with these little girls, they have changed my life forever.  

Every orphan has a future.  We will never know day to day what lies ahead, and I’m sure there are going to be days when I’m holding on tight to a life jacket and doing whatever it takes to keep my head above the water, but every parent has those moments.  The thing is, when I look into her eyes and we hold our stare, I can see how desperately she is holding onto me.  Her eyes plead for me to love her.  I am so full of joy knowing that I get the chance to show her that I love her every single day.  I know that our family is her hope, and she is trusting us with her entire life.

But my little girl isn’t an orphan anymore. 

This little girl’s past is a mystery, and like the Neva there will bridges we have to cross.  Her future is patiently waiting for her to discover who she is going to become and the best part is… I get to be there for it all from this day on!

As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.
Psalm 71:14