Blessed to be a Blessing!: Home Sweet Home

Hello Everyone!
Well, now that I feel caught up on my sleep, I would like to catch all of you up on what's been going on since we got home, and also add photos, which wouldn't post from Latvia!
We started our trip on Wednesday morning at the Riga Airport, in Latvia. Our landlord Ugis kindly took us to the airport, where we said our thank you's and farewells to him. We are definitely grateful to him for the many ways he helped us throughout our stay, most notably spending our first Saturday carting us out to the countryside, and helping us experience the most beautiful part of Latvia (in my humble opinion). He being a father of five himself was very comfortable chatting and joking with Vita, so that was nice for her and us. He also provided upon our request a DVD player, so that made some of our longer spells in the apartment fun because we could watch the movies we'd brought. The first leg of the trip was delayed one hour, so after rushing through Frankfurt airport to catch the flight from Frankfurt to Washington, DC, we were told we were too late, and the flight has been closed. Seeing that plane just sitting there, and being told we could not board was so frustrating! Now we had to spend the night in Frankfurt, in a hotel, and without any luggage - JUST WANTED TO GET HOME!!!! Well, we had to count our blessings, at least they did provide the nice hotel and meals! The next day we were on our way, and we were picked up at the DC airport by Frankie! Yay!! We were definitely feeling jet lagged, but enjoyed a brief visit from Annie and Man and family, and being treated to a Welcome Home Vita banner/sign made by Joel Stafford, and a yummy cake provided by Frankie that read Welcome Vita! We were just SO happy to be back home, welcomed of course by all the pets too. The next day we hurried to Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania to meet our newest family member, Jovie Kathleen Anderson. She is just so tiny and sweet, we immediately loved her!! Very happy for Kathy and Nathan, and their sweet girls! Through all of this Vita was holding up quite well, but we were all crashing into our beds early the first few nights.
By Saturday evening we were back home, and looking forward to seeing everyone at Mountain View Community Church the next day. Everyone there was so welcoming, and made us feel so loved. I do have to clear up one misconception though, our friends thought Vita was already adopted, so they tried to be sweet and announce it in the bulletin. So with Latvia there is a three-step process, of which we have completed the first and biggest one. Now we have two other shorter visits: First for a court date (this is when Latvia recognizes us as Vita's parents), and then second a medical appointment and US Embassy appointment. At that point, Vita will officially become a US citizen, and have her new name - yay! Hopefully we will be completely finished some time in the next six months. So thank you everyone, for wanting to congratulate us, but we would like to wait until after at least that second trip for the official congratulations. In the meantime, just know that we REALLY love everyone's support, and encouraging welcomes! We are really feeling like a family already though, and Vita seems to totally accept us, calling us Mom & Dad, which we love. Every meal we bow heads to thank the Lord, and if I forget for breakfast or lunch, she doesn't let me get away with it. Today she offered to pray herself for the first time!

This was my favorite day of all - at Sigulda Castle outside Riga.

Since we've been home we've had a very nice visit with Kathy, a great time at Community Bible Study on Tuesday and Thursday, and a super fun day at Gaver's Pumpkin Farm with Annie's family. We're looking forward to dinner Friday night with Annie's and Pat's families. Vita loves working on Math on line, and reading our children's story books in English, as well as working on her CBS Bible Study. She likes to help with dishes, and with caring for the pets, and shopping. She also has already read Lassie, Peter Pan, and Charlotte's Web (Latvian chapter books we bought while there), and now has started Wolf Brother. It's great to see her choose to read, and do her Math!
We're looking forward to continuing to introduce her to all of our extended family in the weeks ahead.
Thankfully yours,

Angel rays shining down on Vita!

Robin & Mike

Everyone told us, "You HAVE to go to Lido!" It was a very interesting traditional Latvian buffet style restaurant, with a beautiful garden and a whole carnival outside with performers and rides. Loved our afternoon there, and the mugo pines ;-).