Faces of Leah

 
 
 
We have our embassy appointment today at 3 pm. We are taking the final steps in our journey to adopt Leah. Here are some photos that say it all. Children are such perfect deliverers of unconditional love. 

Leaving on a (very old) Jet Plane

 
We have left Ust Kamenogorsk. It is bitter sweet as we board a really old plane which is evident as you can see by the window Leah is gazing out of. We are flying onto Almaty, and out of her old life. She leaves in Ust Kamenogorsk the roots of her beginning. She is a brave little girl, and has embraced all the wonderous things she is experiencing each day. Mostly she is happy and smiling. She looks content as the bonds of trust are being formed. She is wide eyed most of the time taking it all in. It is such an amazing experience for us. Did I mention what an old plane that was. For those of you really close to us I am sure you are having a goooood laugh right about now.
We have had our clinic visit today and again Leah passed with flying colors. She had everyone laughing and cooing at her. She really knows how to work a crowd. You will all see when you meet her.... 

A letter to my daughters mother...

 
Mother to Mother..

My thoughts as I gaze at this beautiful child are, you shall always possess a place in your daughter’s heart meant for only you. A sacred place created by God where unconditional love exists and knows no boundaries…
Your child will, when she understands, think of you often throughout her life. These thoughts are bonds created by God therefore deserving of respect. They carry lifelong effects on your precious child. They are your legacy to her…
Today I prepared a sacred place in my heart to welcome your child as my own. Through God, our bonds will be nurtured and grow. Each to each other. Our lives forever changed and connected. I received this miraculous blessing, a gift to be your child’s Mother…
Gifts are a sharing of joy so in return my gift to you, my promise…
Your legacy will be a celebration of life. I will paint thoughts of you in her heart of Hope and Joy and Kindness, Love and Respect. She will come to understand the sacrifices you made in giving her the most precious gift of all LIFE…
God Bless You…

Ann Young Mother to Leah Natalya Young
Hand Delivered 9/30/06 

How Much Do I Love You

 
Christopher this story and blog would not be complete with out you. The joy we have experienced being your parents is abundant. We are missing you every day, and now we are counting down the days to get back to you. We give thanks to God for the gift of our children, and a promise to try and be worthy of these miracles.
We will be leaving Ust Kamenogorsk on Sunday the 1st of Oct to fly back to Almaty where we will complete the American Embassy side of our adoption. Christopher having taken this flight path on our first visit to Ust Kamenogorsk you know what is in store for your sister.
We were able to visit with Sveta last night and she says hello. She brought us a local map of Ust and we marked everywhere we had visited as the map is in Russian. What a wonderful memory for us all. Love You Mom Dad and Leah xxxooo 

Going Back to Say Goodbye

 
 
 
 
Today we went back to the Baby House to share goodbye's. We wanted to speak to Leah's caregivers one last time, and give them a chance to see she was doing well. These ladies are some of the caregivers we knew from our first trip. As we entered Leah's room these caregivers, with tears in their eyes told us they were so happy we came back. As we picked Leah up on Sunday, they hadn't a chance to say their goodbyes to her and were heartbroken on Monday to find she was gone.Leah was happy to see them, and the love they have for each other was evident in all eyes and actions. They again told us how Leah chose us as her parents. They retold the story of how Leah behaved when 2 other families visited her in attempt to find a child to adopt.Because Leah cried ALOT they chose other children.We will always thank God for Leah's tears on those days and future tears now will serve as a reminder. The caregivers also asked about Christopher? They remembered his smile and could see how much he loved Leah.
As they held Leah for the last time we sensed the reassurance they were giving her as they spoke and pointed to us. Their tone was calm and filled with excited happiness. Leah was being told WE ARE HER MAMA AND PAPA from the people who have loved her since her birth. We sensed she understood. After talking with us about her likes and dislikes, sleep schedules and meal times we asked one last question of them. What would you like us to tell Leah about you. After a brief silence they said "Tell her we loved her and want her to be happy".
After exchanging a few small gifts and admiring the curtains and new paint on the walls of the room it was time to go. Leah was in the play area with the other children and when we called her name to go SHE WAS READY!!Big smile,arms outstretched,confident and comfortable. No tears. A perfect ending to her time spent at the baby house. We hugged,kissed and expressed our heartfelt thanks to those who loved and cared for our daughter...... 

Precious Moments

  

I'm Ready World