Picture Perfect!

Our journey to adoption has been a long time coming and our friends Steve & Carey Schwenzer had a LOT to do with us moving into FAST FORWARD mode to adopt.  You see, we go to the same church as Steve and Carey; Reedemer - Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.  It was at a lunch on October 31 that we met Adeye and heard her story of adopting Harper and Hailee.  If you would like to read about "God's Plan" and the beginning of our adoption journey for Nikita, Dusty and Sonya then click here.   Now we are just days away from hearing the date for our SDA appointment, which is the date we will be "in country."  I thought the date may have come today - but we will probably hear Monday or Tuesday.  What we did hear today was that Steve and Carey MET SONYA!  I got an e-mail from Carey with pictures which were really BIG so I had to scroll down.  First I saw Sonya's sweet smile...It made ME smile to see her precious face.  I noticed that her hair had grown a little since December and she looked so cute - even in a BOY's shirt.  I didn't even stop to read the note that Carey had written.  I just kept scrolling down... I wanted to feast my eyes on this little darling.  I noticed that her little nose was red.  I thought about how much she needed a Momma there to gently wipe her little nose.  Oh how my arms ached to hold her.  I just wanted to soak in every detail from the picture.  I kept scrolling down and then the tears came... because of what I saw next... as I scrolled down I saw...

Sonya's tiny little hands on her (God willing) new Momma & Da-da.  She had seen our faces for the first time today!  We are very excited to know that our faces made her smile.

We had sent the Schwenzers with photo books for both Sonya and Dusty filled with pictures of their soon to be family.

Unfortunately, Carey & Steve did not get to see Dusty - yet.  Please pray that the opportunity comes - soon.  They think that Dusty was getting shots and was out of the building at the time.  So for now I will soak in Sonya's precious smile and wait for the day when Dusty will meet the Schwenzers.

Happy Birthday, Dusty!

Today, March 17, 2011 is Dusty's sixth Birthday.  We don't have any baby pictures, but here is a picture of our little guy from May 2009.  Such a cutie pie!   Love his chubby cheeks.  We can't wait to help him get those chubby cheeks BACK!

The youngest picture we have of "Dusty"

Here is the picture that we saw back in November that captured our hearts.  We can't wait to turn that frown - upside down!  Happy days are coming, Honey!  Hoping to get a travel date soon!

"Dusty" from May 2010

Here is how we celebrated our DUSTY!  We went (a few days early) to Build-A-Bear to get the Shamrock Bear since Dusty's Birthday is on St. Patrick's Day!

Brother Johnny with Dusty's Bear

We recorded all of our voices... which took a while!  Carolyn said, "Night, Night!"  I said, "Momma loves you!"  John said, "Daddy loves you!"  Johnny said "Johnny loves you!"  Then I said, "We can't wait to hold you in our arms!" 

Momma comforting Carolyn as she tries to wait for the bear to be stuffed

Johnny - helping with the stuffing

Every bear needs a heart

Johnny's favorite part!

We enjoyed making cupcakes for Dusty's Birthday.   We thought GREEN would be a great color!

Johnny was excited that Carolyn was taking a nap - so he could have the beater all to himself!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DUSTY WE love U!

We went out to dinner and enjoyed fun and fellowship with Dusty's soon to be Grandma, Papa Hinz & Great Aunt Dollie, as well as, our friends the Gasperoni family.

A birthday should always be a happy celebration.  Unfortunately, we have mixed emotions about today.  We had hoped to get to Dusty BEFORE he turned SIX.  Last week when Johnny realized that Dusty's birthday was coming up he said,  "Oh NO!  We are not going to get him in time!"  You see in this region - when you have something "wrong" with you - you are sent to an institution when you turn six years old.  We are praying without ceasing that they do NOT send Dusty to one.  Unfortunately there are NO guarantees.  So please join us in prayer for our sweet Dusty to stay where he is and that we are able to bring him and Sonya home with us!

"Dusty" from December 2010

Our friends the Schwenzers are in Eastern Europe now adopting two children - Julia & Aaron.  Today is the day that they actually held them in their arms.  You can follow their journey by clicking HERE.  We are praying that our friends may get a chance to see Dusty and Sonya while at the orphanage.  We sent two photo books with pictures of us for both of our sweeties, as well as, hugs & kisses, and most importantly a message for their little ears... "Your Momma and Daddy love you... but JESUS LOVES YOU EVEN MORE!"

An Additional Arrow In Our Quiver

"Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD…  Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!"  Psalm 127:3 & 5  We are still grieving the loss of our sweet Nikita, however, we cannot delay.  We need to press on in order to get our fragile Dusty home “soonest!”  Dusty stole our hearts too and we long to hold him in our arms.  We know that Nikita is in the arms of Jesus and that finding and loving Nikita was for a greater purpose and still part of God’s perfect plan. 

Nikita Frederick         Feb. 4, 2008 - Feb 25, 2011

When our son Johnny heard that Nikita would not be coming to live at our house and that he was in heaven with Jesus -  Johnny said,  "Nikita will have a BETTER & BIGGER house in heaven!" Yes he will!  Then Johnny said, "Now we can save somebody else!"  And we are!  It will be because of our sweet Nikita that we will rescue beautiful Sonya along with our precious Dusty.   

Beautiful Sonya

Precious Dusty

Sonya is a little sweetheart whom we've been praying would find a forever family since seeing this picture and description (below) in November.  We hated the thought of leaving her behind.  We had talked in November about going back to get her if she did not find her Forever Family by this coming summer.  We prayed and prayed that her forever family would find her and bring her home soon.  Especially because of her heart condition.

Girl, Born October 26, 2005

Sonya is a beautiful 5 year old girl who  needs a family quickly.   She does have a heart condition, so she should see a cardiologist once home.  Sonya can be adopted with any of the other children in orphanage 3, and is blessed to still be at the baby house.  She is able to walk and likes to play with balls and other toys.  She can be so much more!!

This orphanage has a history of medicating the children, so many of them look sleepy and zoned out in their photos.  It is imperative to find families for all of these children quickly.

God answered our prayers and WE want to become her forever family. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11  Sonya will not be replacing Nikita, but she will be another “arrow in our quiver” and we are thrilled.  We hold on to the fact that counting "our son" Nikita we will ultimately be rescuing three orphans.  We also look forward to the day that we will meet Nikita Frederick in Heaven to live forever and ever in that beautiful mansion  Christ has prepared for us.

Jesus said, "My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."  John 14:2 -3  

Thank you for all of your touching comments, beautiful thoughts and loving prayers, as well as, the thoughtful blog and facebook posts about our Sweet Nikita.  We are touched and comforted by all of them!  Your support and friendships are such a blessing to our family and extended family.  We will still grieve... but as we said here - it is because of what Christ did for us that we are not hopeless!  Please continue to pray for Dusty, Sonya, our family and extended family as we expand our "quiver!"  

The Winkles and the Lococo families visited with Sonya in December 2010.  Here are some pictures and comments from their time together.

Sonya and her Nanny played and sang songs. She would smile so BIG when the Nanny would rub her palms together (part of the song).

She was also counting and Sonya would put down her fingers as the nanny said the numbers!!

 Sonya was playing with the small stacking rings and was doing very well lining up the small holes. She would wrinkle her nose as she was trying.

We waved and said, "paka" and she smiled and waved!! Oh my heart!!

Aren't these pictures just priceless?!  We are so thankful to the many people who have prayed for Sonya!  We can't wait to add "another arrow" and bring her home with Dusty.  Finally, we would like to share just ONE of the many touching comments from our post:  Nikita Frederick - In the Arms of Jesus
Linnea said...  I am so sorry. I have no idea how you are feeling. This is tragic. Awful. I pray that God helps you to grieve and your children as well. Allow yourself to grieve like a mother who lost her child because you did. We had a failed adoption which is in no way the same as what you are going through but our family grieved and people didn't understand, how could we grieve we had never met her. People dont understand but God does and He is there for you. I pray He gives you strength and one day He will turn your mourning into dancing.
Be blessed
Ashlee      http://ourjourneytoadoption.beckfamily143.com/

Dear Ashlee, 

     We are not dancing yet... but did you just hear that wonderful music?!?
In His Name and In His Service,
The Hinz family and extended family